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Mercedes addresses reliability issues following DNF incidents with drivers

Sky Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 20, 2026, 9:30 AM

Last updated Jun 20, 2026

Mercedes addresses reliability issues following DNF incidents with drivers

Summary

Mercedes reports they understand the causes of their reliability problems this season, following recent race retirements by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. Russell led the Canadian Grand Prix but retired prematurely, while Antonelli faced an electrical shutdown with three laps remaining in Barcelona. Technical director James Allison noted that while issues vary, they stem from the battery system. Mercedes is working on fixes to improve performance as the 2026 season continues.

Source Links

Sky Sports

Key Details

•George Russell retired while leading at the Canadian Grand Prix last month.
•Kimi Antonelli retired three laps from the end of the Barcelona Grand Prix.
•Mercedes acknowledges multiple reliability failures are linked to the battery system.
•The team plans to introduce new battery modules during the season.
•Both customer teams and Mercedes have faced power-unit issues this season.

What they're saying

"
Mercedes believe they understand the reasons behind their "very painful" reliability problems so far this season as they work on introducing fixes as the 2026 campaign progresses.
— Sky Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Mercedes F1 Motorsports