Kimi Antonelli Faces Challenges with Mercedes' New Upgrade in Singapore

Kimi Antonelli encountered difficulties with Mercedes' new upgrade package during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, finishing in seventh place. His teammate, George Russell, qualified second after reverting to an older car specification.

Despite the perception that the upgrade is ineffective, it has made the car more challenging to handle, particularly in slow corners, according to team officials. Russell's decision to use an older specification was strategic, as he was already facing a grid penalty for the main race.

Mercedes' deputy team principal noted that the new package has a higher performance potential but requires more skill to manage. Due to the design changes, reverting the entire car to the previous specification is not feasible during the race weekend.