George Russell: "No-brainer" to run previous car as Mercedes splits specifications for Singapore
Mercedes will run its W17 Formula 1 car in split specifications for the Singapore Grand Prix, with Kimi Antonelli primed to run its Sepang updates once more as George Russell switches back to the car he had in Baku. The team introduced a new floor and bodywork package for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, featuring revised floor boards behind the front wheels plus a ramped upper sidepod ...…
Mercedes will deploy its W17 Formula 1 car with split specifications for the Singapore Grand Prix, having George Russell run the car that performed well in Baku, while Kimi Antonelli uses the updates from Sepang. The team introduced a new floor and bodywork package at Bahrain, including revised floor boards and a ramped upper sidepod surface.
Mercedes is uncertain about the car's performance on the rough track surface in Sepang, as it struggled with the conditions, leading to the decision to run split specifications. Russell stated that this was a no-brainer, given the grid penalty for a change of power unit components at Singapore. He also mentioned that the car he had in Baku was the same as the one used in Budapest and Zandvoort, where they were on pole and within four tenths of the pace.
The team believes the new parts will demonstrate an increase in performance, and Sepang was an outlier event due to the rough tarmac and high track temperatures.
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