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Mercedes Formula 1 team principal Toto Wolff has announced that the team will finally introduce a major upgrade package for their car this weekend in Malaysia. It marks their first significant update since the Canadian Grand Prix back in May.
The German outfit had not brought any major technical developments to the W17 since the race in Montreal, yet still managed to secure six victories across the last ten rounds. That run has seen Mercedes build a commanding 160-point cushion over Ferrari at the top of the Constructors' Championship.
While title rivals Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull introduced regular updates to their cars, Kimi Antonelli pointed out after the Dutch Grand Prix that Mercedes no longer had the fastest car on the grid. At the time, Wolff justified the pause by emphasizing the need to balance the development budget throughout the campaign—a stance met with skepticism by McLaren team boss Andrea Stella.
After an almost four-month wait, Antonelli and George Russell will finally get their hands on the updated machinery this weekend at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, which hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix.
"We have an upgrade package ready for this weekend, and it represents a significant step forward for us," Wolff said. "In recent races at more representative circuits, we weren't performing at the level we wanted. Monza and Baku posed unique challenges, but on traditional track layouts, we were not in a position to challenge for victory."
"We are fully aware of the situation and are working relentlessly to address it. We hope these updates will take us a step forward, though there are never guarantees in Formula 1. The stopwatch is always the ultimate judge. Our primary goal is to quickly understand how the package works, run a clean weekend, and re-establish ourselves in the fight at the front."
"Sepang is an exceptionally demanding circuit that puts every component of the car to the test. You need strong high-speed cornering performance, excellent traction, careful tire management, and relentless consistency in punishing heat. It is undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive tests on the calendar," the Mercedes boss concluded.
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