Mercedes has split its cars for the Singapore weekend, and so far the older one is quicker. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, in the upgraded car, could manage only seventh in Sprint Qualifying and called it “very difficult”. George Russell, back in the previous specification, was second.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has admitted that Mercedes’ upgraded car is proving hard to drive, after he qualified seventh for the Singapore Sprint, Formula1.com reported on October 9.
Two Cars, Two Specifications
Mercedes confirmed before the weekend that its drivers would run different versions of the W17:
- George Russell has gone back to the specification used in Azerbaijan
- Kimi Antonelli is continuing with the upgrade introduced at the last race, in Malaysia
The team took the decision because the results from the upgrade at Sepang were inconclusive.
It comes on a weekend when Russell will serve a grid penalty because of an unavoidable engine change.
How They Compared on Friday
| Session | Russell (old spec) | Antonelli (upgrade) |
|---|---|---|
| Practice | 1st | 7th |
| Sprint Qualifying | 2nd | 7th |
What Antonelli Said
“Already [in] FP1 I was struggling and, yeah, still a lot to understand about this package,” he said.
“The car is very difficult, very unpredictable and very difficult to put a lap together. It’s a shame because I was coming here with high hopes, but so far it’s been very difficult.”
He does not expect it to get much easier. “I think it’s going to be a difficult weekend, unless we can pull something out tomorrow.”
Russell’s Verdict
Russell, for his part, said of the older car: “I can confirm the old car is not bad,” according to Formula1.com.
Why It Matters
Antonelli holds a large lead in the championship, so one difficult weekend need not be costly. The more pressing issue is for the team.
Mercedes brought an upgrade that was meant to make the car faster, and on the evidence of Friday in Singapore the version without it was quicker. Team principal Toto Wolff has conceded that the upgraded car is “a little more tricky to drive”, while backing the decision to run both versions.
Image: Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. Photo by Liauzh via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
