Mercedes confirmed its next major F1 upgrade will debut at the Malaysia Grand Prix, aiming to re‑enter pole contention.
The Silver Arrows sit atop the 2026 standings, a 145‑point lead over Ferrari despite their last major package arriving in Montreal back in May.
Instead of sweeping changes, Mercedes has stuck to modest, race‑specific tweaks, while rivals Ferrari and McLaren have pushed aggressive developments.
Although the team swept the first six rounds, it has only taken four of the last eight, as McLaren and Ferrari each snagged two wins and closed the gap.
Now the German squad hopes to revive its dominance at the Malaysian weekend, 2‑4 October, the first race after Baku and the Asian return to the calendar.
On the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show, trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said, “We don’t have much new for Baku, a circuit that favors drag over downforce.
The car performed well in Monza, and we expect similar straight‑line speed in Baku, he added.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes; James Allison, Mercedes; Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes
He noted Baku’s street‑circuit vibe, almost Monaco‑like, demands low‑speed grip to keep all wheels planted.
The upgrades, he said, will roll out from Malaysia onward, aiming for a solid step forward.
He doesn’t expect to dominate, but hopes the team can fight for pole and qualify competitively.
Mercedes has won the last two races – Monza and Madrid – with Kimi Antonelli, yet its last pole came when the Italian topped Spa in July.
That marks a streak of four races without pole, three of which saw McLaren’s Lando Norris on front row, a stark contrast to the season’s start when the team secured pole in the first ten rounds.
Shovlin recalled, “Early in the season we thought a strong run could secure pole,” and I think Mercedes must now focus on consistent pace rather than occasional flashes.
He warned the gap between first and sixth now shrinks to tenths, making predictions tough, especially on unique tracks like Monza.
The new circuit in Malaysia demands low drag and a slippery setup; our goal is simply to extract maximum performance and, if we win, celebrate.
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– The Team