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F1·ANALYSIS·October 9, 2026 11:27 AM ET

Mercedes drivers bemoan 'unpredictable' upgrades after Singapore Sprint Qualifying

Antonelli qualified seventh, trailing Russell in second.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 1h1 min read
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Photo via @SkySportsF1 on X

What happened: George Russell and Kimi Antonelli expressed frustration with Mercedes' latest aerodynamic package following Sprint Qualifying at the Singapore Grand Prix. The team ran split configurations between its two cars, leaving Antonelli dealing with highly inconsistent performance on the newer setup.

Why it matters: The feedback highlights an ongoing development hurdle as the constructor attempts to validate the upgrades introduced at the prior race in Malaysia. While the older, Azerbaijan-specification car showed strong pace, the updated package proved difficult to handle around the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

By the numbers: Russell secured second on the Sprint grid with the older configuration, finishing 0.120 seconds behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen. Antonelli managed seventh place in the updated car, lapping 0.573 seconds slower than his teammate.

What to watch: The garage must decide whether to commit to the new parts or revert fully to the older specification ahead of Sunday's main race, where Russell already faces a grid penalty for an engine change.

Sources

  • @SkySportsF1 
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