Mercedes has indicated a step forward with its Formula 1 upgrade package following Friday’s practice sessions at the United States Grand Prix. Both Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell ran the updated W17 specification at the Circuit of the Americas. This follows previous performance inconsistencies with the new components.
The upgrade, initially introduced in Malaysia, had previously resulted in an unexpected performance setback for the team. Mercedes then implemented a split-car strategy in Singapore to gather comparative data.
During the United States Grand Prix Free Practice 1 session, Charles Leclerc of Ferrari set the fastest time with a 1:36.052. Max Verstappen for Red Bull was second, followed by Lando Norris of McLaren.
Russell secured fourth position in FP1 with a 1:36.378, while Antonelli finished fifth, recording a 1:36.533. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Ferrari, was sixth.
The W17 challenger has been a benchmark car for much of the 2026 season. However, the upgrade package, intended to increase aerodynamic load, caused an uneven balance shift.
This imbalance led to the car becoming harder to drive, particularly affecting braking and corner entry with increased understeer. Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta previously explained these issues.
In Free Practice 2, Charles Leclerc again topped the timesheets with a 1:35.291. Antonelli improved significantly to finish second, just 0.042 seconds behind Leclerc.
Max Verstappen was third in FP2, 0.189 seconds off Leclerc’s pace. Lewis Hamilton placed fourth, ahead of Russell in fifth.
Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord commented on the team’s progress after Friday’s running. He noted initial struggles in FP1 for both drivers.
‘Neither driver was very happy after FP1, talking about really struggling to get the car stopped and into the corners,” Lord stated.
Lord confirmed that adjustments were made between sessions. Both drivers reported improved car rotation and cornering ability in FP2.
‘We made some changes over the break, and both of them came back in after the first run saying that the car was rotating and that they can get it through the corners without having to use the throttle too much and overheat the rear tyres,” Lord added.
He concluded that a decent step forward had been made, with expectations for further improvements overnight. The package used in Austin remains unchanged from its Malaysia debut.
Antonelli, who has secured eight F1 wins since his 2025 debut, expressed encouragement regarding the upgrade. He noted continued inroads from Singapore.
Russell also acknowledged a useful day for building knowledge around the update. He reported moving the car in the right direction after FP1 difficulties.
The Mercedes driver highlighted the competitive field and the need for further work. He also mentioned losing a single-lap time due to track limits.
The top eight cars in FP2 were separated by a narrow margin, indicating a close battle for the remainder of the United States Grand Prix weekend.
Mercedes had initially planned to introduce an upgraded engine via the ADUO system at Austin. However, this engine upgrade has been delayed until at least the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Both Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell are confirmed to continue as Mercedes drivers for the 2026 Formula 1 season.
