Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli expressed confidence the team can solve why their latest upgrades haven't delivered the intended performance boost at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Italian will run a new front wing designed to complement the package while teammate George Russell reverts to the old specification.
Mercedes waited until the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia to introduce major changes including altered bodywork and floor adjustments, but the upgrades failed to restore their early-season performance advantage. Instead, Red Bull's Max Verstappen converted pole position into his first win of 2026.
Antonelli acknowledged Malaysia was an outlier due to the tarmac and high temperatures, expressing hope Singapore will allow better understanding of the package's potential. He committed to the new specification for the entire weekend despite Russell's decision to switch back to the previous setup.
The championship leader sits 84 points ahead of Russell after his podium finish in Malaysia, but insisted his focus remains on extracting performance from the upgrades rather than thinking about their title battle. Singapore offers an opportunity to increase his advantage as Russell faces a back-of-grid penalty for exceeding power unit allocation.