How Mercedes’ tricky F1 upgrade has been working at Singapore GP

Mercedes' unconventional F1 upgrade at the Singapore Grand Prix has shown signs of success, despite challenges. Team principal Toto Wolff's decision to split the team's cars in terms of upgrades proved unusual, with race leader Kimi Antonelli running the updated Silver Arrow, while George Russell reverted to the previous version due to exceeding his power unit quota.

Russell started in a back-of-the-grid position following his power unit quota overage, but was notably quicker on Friday during sprint qualifying, holding a six-tenths advantage over Antonelli. However, Norris and Piastri's collision in sprint qualifying left both cars struggling to find their footing. Antonelli, who qualified fourth, acknowledged the package was "very difficult, very unpredictable and very difficult to put a lap together."

Yet, after two days of testing, he found the car's performance improving despite the narrow operating window. Antonelli explained that while the car was more stable with a better platform, the window remained very small and sensitive, requiring delicate balance between pushing and braking. Both drivers agreed Mercedes was far from its usual performance, but hoped to gain more insights at the upcoming race in Austin.

Antonelli specifically expressed a desire to explore the package with both cars running the same spec, as the team's efforts have brought some improvements but also shifted the performance window.