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Sepang International Circuit · main straight and grandstands, 2007

How Mercedes reshaped its Sepang upgrade to target downforce

Archive photograph: Sepang International Circuit · main straight and grandstands, 2007 · 2007-11-25Archive photo · 2007-11-25 · mondayblues · CC BY-SA 3.0

Mercedes moved the bodywork forward and repositioned the cooling channels in an upgrade aimed at improving downforce at medium and high speeds. Its first major upgrade since the Canadian Grand Prix did not bring the hoped-for performance boost around Sepang.

GPBeat · Newsroom10 Oct 2026, 20:54 · 1 min

Mercedes’ first major upgrade since the Canadian Grand Prix did not bring the hoped-for performance boost around Sepang, though Kimi Antonelli finished on the podium behind Max Verstappen. Formula 1’s technical analysis said the team was examining the data to understand why the package had fallen short.

Formula 1 reported that Mercedes waited until the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia to make major changes to its car, while Ferrari and Red Bull introduced updates fairly regularly during the 2026 season. The team hoped the overhaul would restore the performance advantage it had enjoyed earlier in the 2026 season.

The upgrade targeted improved downforce at medium and high speeds, an area where Mercedes had been losing ground to rivals in recent races. Mercedes moved the bodywork forward to create more space ahead of the rear wheels. It also repositioned the cooling channels in the bodywork between the sidepods and engine cover.

Sources 02
  1. PRIMARY SOURCEWhy didn't Mercedes' upgrades provide a boost in Malaysia?Formula 1
  2. PRIMARY SOURCEMercedes will 'find an answer' to unlocking upgrades – AntonelliFormula 1

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  4. Antonelli: Mercedes still cannot judge its Sepang upgrade

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