Mercedes says Antonelli’s updated package was faster than Russell’s older specification

After the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix, Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said the team’s split-specification test had pointed to a clearer development direction: by the end of the weekend, Kimi Antonelli’s updated package was faster than George Russell’s older aerodynamic specification.

Mercedes ran Antonelli with its latest development package and Russell with the older specification to assess the updates. Shovlin said the team saw encouraging signs in qualifying and race conditions once it moved closer to the car’s right operating window.

Antonelli finished on the podium while using the new floor and wing elements, and Shovlin praised his tyre management. He said Mercedes still had work to do to unlock more of the package’s potential. The Singapore data, he added, would be valuable as the team prepares for Austin and focuses on extracting more potential over the final races.