After a series of difficult race weekends, the Mercedes Formula 1 team and its drivers finally regained a sense of confidence at the Hungarian Grand Prix, helped in part by the reintroduction of the older rear suspension system. This setup reportedly made the car more stable and predictable. The strong performance of George Russell further confirmed the positive signs, but the British driver remained cautious, noting that several other factors contributed to the team’s improved form.
Following several underwhelming weekends, during which only George Russell managed to limit the damage with isolated solid performances, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team experienced a clear revival in Budapest. The third-place finish secured by George Russell was important not only in terms of points, but also for morale, allowing the team to head into the summer break with fewer doubts and a renewed sense of optimism.
The Hungarian round acted as a pivotal moment for the Brackley-based team, a sort of turning point meant to bring clarity to what had been going wrong with the updated W16. As part of this process, Mercedes began reassessing some of the recent technical upgrades, starting with the new rear suspension, which had already been under scrutiny for several months.
Originally discarded after its debut at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola, the new suspension design had been reintroduced at the Canadian Grand Prix. However, it continued to raise doubts. Ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the team decided to abandon the latest specification in favor of the older, more established configuration used earlier in the season. This decision was intended not only to return to a more familiar technical baseline but also to help restore the drivers’ confidence behind the wheel.
Although the updated suspension did offer some benefits—particularly improved stability under braking due to a revised geometry—the drivers’ feedback indicated that it also introduced several unwanted side effects. Most notably, the car became more unstable at the rear, especially during corner entry and throughout high-speed turns.
Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director at Mercedes, explained over the weekend: “If we look at the last three circuits, our performance in fast corners has not been where it should be. The drivers spoke of a lack of stability at corner entry and reduced confidence in the car.”
This instability affected both drivers but was particularly problematic for young Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who was still adapting to Formula 1. Given his more aggressive driving style and limited experience, Antonelli struggled more with the unpredictable rear end than his teammate George Russell, who managed to compensate through setup changes—even if it meant taking a few extra risks, as seen at the Austrian, British, and Belgian Grands Prix.
However, these issues were less apparent in Canada, a circuit characterized by heavy braking zones and numerous medium- and low-speed corners, which better suited the traits of the updated suspension. A similar scenario unfolded in Budapest, albeit for different reasons.
The layout of the Hungaroring is made up primarily of medium- and low-speed corners, with very few sections where rear-end instability can become a major limitation—unlike at faster circuits. Another important aspect to consider is the aerodynamic load. On circuits like the Red Bull Ring, Silverstone, and Spa-Francorchamps, teams tend to run lower downforce setups to maximize straight-line speed. This can accentuate rear instability.
Throughout the 2025 season, Mercedes has followed a clear aerodynamic philosophy: sacrifice some cornering performance in favor of gaining straight-line speed. This strategy was evident at Spa, where the W16 posted the fastest sector times in Q3 in the first and third sectors—both dominated by straights—but lost almost a full second in the twisty middle sector.
Budapest, on the other hand, allowed for the opposite approach. With its shorter straights and abundance of slow corners, every team, including Mercedes, opted for high-downforce setups. The added rear downforce naturally improved car stability, as evidenced not only by Mercedes’ performance but also by Aston Martin’s strong result—their best of the season—at the same circuit. This effect goes beyond simply shifting the aerodynamic balance between front and rear, something Mercedes had attempted at other races where there was less room to adjust without compromise.
Nevertheless, the Mercedes engineers believe that even without the presence of very high-speed sections, the data gathered in Budapest was enough to clearly demonstrate the benefits of reverting to the older suspension layout. This configuration will now serve as the foundation for the remainder of the 2025 season, as the team has confirmed it does not plan to introduce any major upgrades before the final race.
On this front, the Mercedes technical department has drawn several encouraging conclusions. The team now seems to be back in the position it held a few races ago. However, that does not mean the W16 has suddenly undergone a dramatic transformation. For instance, even in Spain, when the old suspension was previously used, Mercedes only managed to assert itself as the fourth-best team. Not surprisingly, George Russell chose to remain measured in his post-race comments following the Hungarian Grand Prix podium, acknowledging the role of other external variables.
One of the key elements was the drop in track temperatures from Friday through Sunday, which helped to reduce tyre degradation and limit the advantage of certain rival teams. Had the temperatures remained higher, McLaren might have extended its performance edge, and Mercedes could have encountered more difficulties. It is no coincidence that the qualifying session in Hungary produced the closest lap time gaps among the top ten drivers all season.
“We stepped back from our recent upgrades, but it was also quite a particular weekend,” said George Russell. “Just look at the results from McLaren: from third place downward, the finishing order was quite unusual. Obviously, Max was out of position, and the Aston Martins performed better than expected too. So I don’t think we should over-analyze this result. But in terms of outright performance, this was probably our best race of the year—Canada aside.”
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