Mercedes could run two different W17 specifications throughout the entire Singapore Grand Prix weekend as the team attempts to understand why its latest upgrade package failed to deliver the expected performance at Sepang. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are set to provide a direct old-versus-new comparison, potentially extending the experiment beyond FP1 into both qualifying sessions and both races.
The weekend will be further complicated by George Russell’s confirmed power-unit penalty. The British driver will start Sunday’s Grand Prix from the back of the grid after the engine problem that ended his race in Malaysia, turning Singapore into what Toto Wolff describes as a technical, sporting and character test for Mercedes.
Mercedes wants answers after difficult Sepang weekend
Mercedes arrives in Singapore following a complicated Malaysian Grand Prix in which the team failed to achieve the level of competitiveness it had expected. The weekend left several unanswered questions at Brackley, prompting extensive analysis of the problems in the days following the race, particularly those surrounding the latest developments introduced on the W17.
Mercedes will therefore use Singapore to directly compare the updated car with the previous specification, as Kimi Antonelli had already indicated. The aim is to gather as much information as possible despite the restrictions created by the Sprint format.
“Malaysia was obviously a very difficult weekend for us,” Toto Wolff said ahead of Singapore. “We spent the following days working hard to understand why our performance was not where it should have been. We identified several areas that we need to investigate further, but Formula 1 does not offer simple answers and we need more information before drawing definitive conclusions.”
The situation adds another chapter to Mercedes’ uncertainty over its development programme. Toto Wolff had previously discussed the W17’s upgrade progress and the potential still available to Mercedes, and Singapore now offers an immediate opportunity to test those conclusions.
“Singapore gives us an immediate opportunity to continue this work. The characteristics of the circuit are very different and that will help us build a clearer picture of our situation,” Toto Wolff added.
Mercedes could keep two different W17 specifications all weekend
Mercedes intends to use the only free-practice session to compare the W17 specification updated in Malaysia against a car without the latest developments. Following the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang, the Brackley team remained confident that the new package had delivered some progress, although several questions were still unresolved.
“For this reason, we will evaluate both our latest upgrade package and our previous specification to make sure we fully understand which direction we need to take,” Toto Wolff explained.
The current plan is for the two Mercedes drivers to continue using the different specifications throughout the weekend. That would allow the team to collect data not only during practice but also across Sprint Qualifying, the Sprint, Grand Prix qualifying and Sunday’s race.
Such an approach would give Mercedes a much larger sample from which to evaluate the two packages and could provide useful conclusions for both the end of the 2026 season and development towards 2027.
The Sprint format makes the experiment particularly significant. The Singapore Grand Prix schedule provides only one free-practice session before competitive running begins, leaving Mercedes little time to make major changes once the weekend is underway.
George Russell starts from the back in Singapore
The challenge will be even more difficult for George Russell. The British driver must serve a power-unit penalty that will force him to start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid following the engine failure he suffered during the Malaysian Grand Prix.
“George has the additional difficulty of the power-unit penalty, which will mean starting from the back of the grid on Sunday following the engine problem in Malaysia,” Toto Wolff said. “It’s particularly frustrating considering the way he drove last weekend and the result he deserved to be fighting for.”
Recovering through the field can be particularly difficult at Marina Bay, making the penalty another significant obstacle for George Russell.
“Unfortunately, these things are part of the sport and now our attention is focused on giving him the best possible car and the best opportunities to fight his way back through the field,” Toto Wolff added.
Kimi Antonelli helps Mercedes evaluate its upgrade direction
Kimi Antonelli will play an equally important role in Mercedes’ technical programme. With the two cars potentially running different specifications throughout the event, comparisons between the drivers could help determine whether the Malaysian difficulties were connected directly to the latest upgrades or to other factors affecting the car at Sepang.
The experiment comes at a crucial point in the season, when Mercedes needs reliable information before deciding which development direction offers the strongest foundation for the remaining races and its longer-term work.
Frederik Vesti explains Singapore’s unique challenge
Mercedes reserve driver Frederik Vesti also highlighted the characteristics that make Marina Bay such a demanding circuit for the drivers.
“Singapore is one of those circuits that really makes you feel alive as a driver,” Frederik Vesti said. “In qualifying you have to put absolutely everything on the line. It’s a place that has produced incredible laps over the years, laps where a driver has really been able to make the difference. That’s something you don’t see very often in Formula 1.”
Frederik Vesti pointed to George Russell’s victory at Singapore in 2025 as one of the most significant performances of that season because of the difficulty of mastering the street circuit.
“George’s victory there in 2025 was one of the biggest moments of the season because it’s a very difficult track to master and getting everything right across an entire race weekend is a huge challenge.”
Marina Bay demands concentration, patience and endurance
Singapore also requires a distinctive mental approach. Drivers are constantly changing direction while keeping their cars close to the barriers throughout the lap.
“The circuit requires absolute concentration and patience, in a similar way to tracks like Monaco and Baku,” Frederik Vesti explained. “You’re constantly moving from one side to the other between the walls and even the smallest mistake can end your race.
“That’s exactly what drivers love. You’re always trying to find that little bit more performance and push the limit as far as possible, and that’s what makes it one of the most exciting challenges on the calendar.”
The Marina Bay circuit characteristics also place a premium on precision, traction and confidence around a track where the barriers leave little margin for error.
The physical demands are equally significant.
“Physically, it’s also one of the toughest races of the year,” Frederik Vesti said. “Racing at night, dealing with the heat and humidity and completing so many laps around such a demanding circuit requires a lot.”
Safety Car periods can make the experience even more demanding by extending the perceived length of the Grand Prix.
“The Safety Cars can make the race feel even longer, so if you’re leading sometimes it can seem as though it will never end. It’s a real endurance test, both physically and mentally.”
Singapore becomes a major test of Mercedes resilience
Singapore therefore represents a double challenge for Mercedes: the team must better understand the problems exposed in Malaysia while simultaneously maximising its competitive result during the final Sprint weekend of the season.
The technical comparison between the two W17 specifications could prove particularly important, while George Russell’s penalty means Mercedes must also manage a recovery drive from the back of the grid.
“We need to maximise this final Sprint weekend of the year, continue learning and achieve the best possible result with both cars,” Toto Wolff concluded. “Singapore will be an important test of our understanding and our resilience as a team.”
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