Kimi Antonelli has confirmed that he intends to continue using Mercedes’ upgraded W17 aerodynamic package despite encountering difficulties during the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix weekend. The Formula 1 championship leader believes the new components offer greater performance potential, while the lessons learned could also help Mercedes determine the development direction of its 2027 F1 car.
Mercedes used the Singapore Grand Prix to conduct an important comparison between two different specifications of the W17. Kimi Antonelli raced with the updated package introduced in Malaysia, while George Russell continued with the previous configuration. The objective was to gain a clearer understanding of the upgrades and establish whether the new aerodynamic concept could deliver a genuine performance advantage.
Kimi Antonelli explains Mercedes W17 upgrade progress in Singapore
Speaking at a press conference, Kimi Antonelli acknowledged that adapting to the revised Mercedes package had not been straightforward. However, he praised the team’s work in improving the car’s performance throughout the weekend and expressed confidence that the development programme was moving in the right direction.
“I feel it was a very positive weekend, where we started with good pace, even though I definitely struggled with the new package,” Kimi Antonelli explained. “But the team did an incredible job of getting the car into a better performance window. And now we understand the aerodynamic package much better, how it works, because it is very different from the previous one.”
The Italian driver emphasised that finding the correct setup remains essential to unlocking the full potential of the updated W17. Although the new components have introduced additional challenges, he believes Mercedes is beginning to understand how to extract more performance from them.
“It’s about trying to find the right configuration for the car. But overall, I feel we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and we’ll continue working with this package because, from my side as well, I want to help the team as much as possible in trying to understand it, and also to understand which direction to take with the car of the future.”
Why Mercedes’ new aerodynamic package remains difficult to exploit
Despite the encouraging progress, Kimi Antonelli admitted that the upgraded Mercedes W17 is still not performing consistently at circuits featuring numerous low-speed corners. Singapore highlighted the difficulty of finding the ideal operating window for the revised aerodynamic configuration.
The previous specification offers Mercedes a well-understood setup baseline, allowing the team to place the car within a performance window where it behaves predictably. The new package, by contrast, appears capable of delivering stronger performance in certain corners but remains considerably more sensitive to setup and driving inputs.
“I think we’re not quite there yet at this circuit,” Kimi Antonelli added. “At this track, where there are a lot of low-speed sections, we’re still not completely where we need to be in terms of performance. That’s simply because with the old package, you know exactly where to put the car, in which window, and the car works very well.”
“With this new package, we can see the potential, the performance it can offer, and I can feel it in certain corners. But at the moment, the window in which the car works is simply too narrow. So even when driving, it is very sensitive to any difference in the way you approach a corner or attack the braking zone.”
That sensitivity represents one of the main challenges Mercedes must address. Small variations in corner entry or braking technique can affect how effectively the updated car operates, making it more difficult to extract consistent performance across an entire lap.
Mercedes upgrades could influence development of the 2027 F1 car
Nevertheless, Kimi Antonelli remains convinced that the revised aerodynamic package can ultimately outperform the previous specification. His intention to continue racing with the upgrades reflects a desire to help Mercedes understand their characteristics rather than abandon the development direction before its potential has been fully explored.
“So I believe that, yes, the package will be faster and, yes, I think it can represent a good step forward once we understand how to fully exploit its potential,” Kimi Antonelli concluded.
The comparison between the two Mercedes configurations therefore has significance beyond the immediate performance of the W17. By continuing to evaluate the updated package, the team can gather valuable information about its aerodynamic behaviour, setup requirements and sensitivity to different driving conditions.
For Kimi Antonelli, the priority is not simply to make the upgraded car faster in 2026, but also to contribute to the technical understanding that will guide Mercedes as it prepares its next Formula 1 challenger for 2027.
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