Mercedes has admitted they are preparing a “major update” to get back into the fight at the front of Formula 1, but they also know the road ahead will be tough. With growing pressure from rivals, especially an impressive McLaren this season, the Brackley-based team has to think extra hard to maximize every opportunity available.
Lando Norris’s second win of the season, which came at the Dutch Grand Prix, sparked questions about whether Mercedes would fast-track its development schedule. However, Toto Wolff’s response was quite surprising: “We haven't got the money to put developments on the car,” he said. That statement immediately caught attention, especially since the team has not actually released many new upgrade packages throughout the season.
Mercedes’ strategy is indeed different from most other teams. They have chosen to pace their development more carefully, with a long gap since their last major package at the Canadian Grand Prix in May. This has sparked speculation: did they spend too much early in the year, or are they saving everything for a late-season performance surge? What is clear is that Mercedes is not sitting still.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, explained in the team’s official debrief that they are still developing the car, but it is not yet time to launch that big package. “It's obviously getting really tight now in terms of performance. We're still waiting for our major update to land, and that will help. But in the meantime, it is going to be a bit of a fight,” he said. That statement pretty much sums up a team trying to close the gap despite limitations.
As for when that update will arrive, Mercedes remains tight-lipped. However, it is highly unlikely they will bring it to Monza, a low-downforce circuit, especially with the team also having to take an engine penalty for Kimi Antonelli. A more sensible option would be to bring it to the Madrid Grand Prix or the Malaysia-Singapore double-header, although a new circuit like Madrid might not be the ideal place to test a new package.
Looking at the upgrade data reported to the FIA so far in 2026, Mercedes is indeed lagging quite far behind. Ferrari has introduced 40 new components, Red Bull and McLaren 38 each, while Mercedes has added just 24. However, these numbers do not fully reflect the cost of development. A new floor, for example, costs significantly more than a mirror shroud. A weighted analysis that factors in the cost of each new component puts Red Bull at the top among the leading four teams, followed by McLaren, then Ferrari, with Mercedes quite a bit adrift.
Another clue came from Mercedes’ technical director, James Allison, who previously hinted that the team might be deliberately holding back on development to focus on the upcoming new regulations. In other words, Mercedes may be playing a long game, and the much-awaited major update could be the key to their resurgence in the second half of the season. But until that time comes, they will have to endure a tough battle.
Read Also
Max Verstappen akan menghadapi 100 pembalap di balap kart 'Max vs 100' di Silverstone pada 16 September. Tantangan menyalip semua rival sebelum waktu habis, disiarkan langsung di Disney+.
Max Verstappen akan turun dalam balap gokart raksasa 'Max vs 100' di Silverstone, menantang 100 pebalap lain dalam ajang rekor dunia. Akankah ia mampu menyalip semuanya?
Mercedes menjelaskan team order di GP Belanda yang mengorbankan Antonelli demi Russell. Shovlin: itu untuk menyelamatkan waktu balapan dari Ferrari.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!