Mercedes Explains George Russell's Return to Older F1 Car Spec in Singapore

Mercedes has provided insights into George Russell's decision to revert to an older car specification during the Singapore Grand Prix. This move came after the team's underwhelming performance in Malaysia, where they introduced new components that did not yield the expected results.

In Singapore, the team opted for a split specification, allowing Russell to race with the previous version of the car, which he had previously won with in Baku. This decision was made to identify potential issues with the new updates, especially since Russell was already facing a power-unit penalty.

Mercedes' deputy team principal highlighted that the cost cap influenced their decision to conduct this back-to-back test. The team aimed to gather real-world data to better understand the car's performance. Despite the challenges of a sprint weekend, the team introduced a new front wing for testing, which they planned to analyze for future races. Russell finished ninth in the race, while teammate Antonelli secured a podium finish.