Mercedes has unveiled a one-off livery to celebrate its title partner Petronas and Formula 1's return to Malaysia. The Sepang International Circuit is hosting its first F1 race since 2017 this weekend between 2-4 October, though the event will officially be called the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
The original Bahrain race was scheduled for April but had to be cancelled due to the war in the Middle East. Despite being staged in Malaysia, the event remains the Bahrain Grand Prix due to an agreement between F1, the FIA and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia. To celebrate F1's first visit to Malaysia in nearly a decade, Mercedes will run the W17 cars that Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will drive in a special green-and-black livery for the weekend.
Mercedes is also introducing an eagerly-anticipated first major car upgrade since the Canadian Grand Prix as it looks to claim a first victory at Sepang since 2014.
“This weekend has extra significance for us because of our long-standing relationship with Petronas,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said. “It's fantastic to see Formula 1 returning to Sepang and we should also recognise the effort that has gone into making this Grand Prix happen. It has required strong collaboration between Malaysia and Bahrain, and that deserves credit.”
“Once the cars are on track, though, our focus is on the job ahead. Sepang is a demanding circuit that asks every question of the car. You need performance in the high-speed corners, good traction, strong tyre management and consistency in hot, challenging conditions. It is one of the more complete tests on the calendar.”
“We are bringing an update package this weekend, and that is an important step for us. At the more representative circuits in recent races, we have not been where we want to be. Monza and Baku presented unique challenges, but on the more conventional tracks we have not been in the fight for pole position. We know that and we are working hard to change it.”
“The update is hopefully another step forward, but there are no guarantees in F1. The stopwatch is always the final judge. Our focus is on understanding the package quickly, executing the weekend well, and aiming to put ourselves in the fight at the front.”
Antonelli arrives in Malaysia boasting a 66-point advantage over Mercedes team-mate Russell in the championship. This puts additional pressure on Russell to perform at his best, while Antonelli aims to maintain his consistency at a demanding circuit like Sepang. With the upgrade package expected to bring them closer to rivals, Mercedes is eager to end their victory drought in Malaysia and strengthen their position in the constructors' standings.
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