Mercedes has turned to its original specification setup in a bid to regain competitiveness, following several difficult weeks and inconsistent performances from both Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. The Formula 1 team has decided to reintroduce suspension components used at the beginning of the 2025 season, shelving the more recent updates that had made the W16 car more unpredictable and harder to handle on track.
This strategic change came during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, prompted by complaints from both drivers. Andrea Kimi Antonelli had repeatedly stated that the car’s handling had worsened with the new upgrade package, while George Russell had described the team’s race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps as “the worst of the year.”
The return to the pre-Imola configuration brought encouraging signs. George Russell secured an impressive fourth place in qualifying, just one-tenth of a second away from pole position. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, had posted the eleventh-fastest time in Q2 before being demoted to fifteenth place due to a track limits violation.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli did not hide his frustration with how long it took the team to revert to the older, more reliable suspension setup. “It’s a shame we didn’t go back to the old suspension earlier,” the young Italian admitted. “This weekend, I definitely felt much more comfortable compared to the last few races. With this configuration, both George and I had much better sensations earlier in the season as well, and the decision to revert was one the team made collectively.”
Now, Mercedes is looking ahead to the race and the rest of the season with renewed optimism. The team believes that the improved driver feedback and overall feeling behind the wheel can provide a foundation for consistently challenging the front-runners in upcoming races.
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