Mercedes admits Bahraini upgrade failed to improve pace in Malaysia
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 3, 2026, 3:02 AM
Last updated Oct 3, 2026
Mercedes has acknowledged its significant upgrade ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix did not yield the anticipated lap-time gains during practice in Malaysia. Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin stated the team is still lagging behind the competition, especially Red Bull. After testing the new components, both Mercedes drivers finished seventh and eighth in FP2, nearly half a second off the leader. Shovlin expressed concerns about the long-run pace more than the single-lap performance. The team plans to explore setup changes overnight to address the issues before qualifying.
- •Mercedes' upgrade did not deliver expected lap-time gains in FP2.
- •Both cars finished seventh and eighth during the session.
- •Shovlin highlighted concerns about race pace and tyre management.
- •Antonelli holds a 66-point lead in the championship standings.
- •Setup changes are planned ahead of qualifying sessions.
- 3:02 AMYahoo Sports — Mercedes admits Sepang upgrade has not delivered as Antonelli trails Verstappen's Red Bull
"Mercedes has admitted that its big upgrade for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia did not bring the lap-time gain it expected on Friday. Trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin also said the W17 was still trailing the field, and Red Bull in particular.
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