Mercedes splits car specifications in Singapore as Wolff rejects bias claims

Mercedes has chosen different car specifications for George Russell and Kimi Antonelli at the Singapore Grand Prix after its latest upgrade failed to deliver the improvement it expected. According to BBC Sport's Andrew Benson, Russell is running the previous version at Marina Bay while Antonelli uses the updated car, with team principal Toto Wolff saying Mercedes does not yet know which is faster.

Watch the highlights:

The comparison follows an upgrade introduced at the preceding race and gives Mercedes more information about a design direction that could influence its preparations for 2027. Wolff said the changes represented several months of development work and were the team's first significant design update since June. He maintained that Mercedes believed in the direction it had chosen, while acknowledging that further adjustments might be necessary.

Early feedback has not produced a definitive verdict. Wolff said the newer specification appeared more difficult to drive, but cautioned that this did not necessarily make it slower. He described the older version as offering greater stability and grip. Those impressions, however, came from only one practice session, and he said more running would be needed before the team could draw firm conclusions about the two packages.

Wolff discussed the technical split while rejecting accusations that Mercedes favours Antonelli over Russell. BBC Sport reported that Russell arrived in Singapore 86 points behind his team-mate after an engine failure ended his previous race while he was third. Russell also faces a start from the back of the grid because he has exceeded his allowance of engine components, adding another setback to his championship challenge.

The Mercedes boss said equal treatment had been his approach since taking charge in 2013. He argued that deliberately disadvantaging a driver would make no sense while the team is competing for the constructors' championship, and pointed to the Singapore specification comparison as an example of equal opportunity rather than preferential treatment. His comments were a rejection of the allegations, not confirmation that either driver had received inferior equipment.

Wolff also highlighted his longstanding ties with both drivers. Antonelli has been associated with Mercedes since he was 11 and Russell since he was 17, he said. While defending those relationships, Wolff left the performance question open: Mercedes still needs to establish how to extract the benefits it expects from the new design before reaching conclusions that could shape next season's car.