Mercedes share why they can’t keep up with McLaren and Ferrari’s F1 upgrade plans
Mercedes is currently leading the Constructors’ Championship, with their driver Kimi Antonelli also at the front in the Drivers’ standings. The team had a fantastic start, winning each of the first six Grand Prix and building a big lead.
But in the last six races, wins have been shared between Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren. The other two teams have improved a lot thanks to upgrades during the season. This has given Ferrari, McLaren, and even neutral fans hope that the 2026 championship battle is getting more exciting. Everyone is now watching closely to see what happens at the Italian Grand Prix next weekend.
Mercedes has said they can’t bring big upgrades as often as McLaren and Ferrari because of cost limits. Still, they are encouraging their fans. They believe they have planned their development differently and have a bigger upgrade package coming later. Deputy Team Principal Bradley Lord and Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin talked about this on the Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show.
When asked about the next major upgrade after losing the advantage seen in Melbourne, Shovlin explained: “We will probably bring in one fewer floor and one fewer bodywork upgrade than the other teams because of the budget. If we had more money, we could introduce new parts at every race, maybe by outsourcing. The main limit is cost.
“We think much of what you see now is just how we’ve spread out our updates over the season. Our bigger upgrade is planned for the block of flyaway races later this year. That doesn’t mean our total performance gain will be less by the end of the season; it just means we’ve spread out investments differently and likely at a higher cost.”
Bradley Lord added: “Every team faces the same cost cap challenge. Teams have to balance salaries and team size with what they can spend on new parts. We keep finding improvements in the wind tunnel, but the tricky part is choosing when to turn those ideas into real upgrades.”
Shovlin also said: “If we thought the championship relied on an upgrade at Zandvoort, we’d find a way to make it happen. Being in front lets us think more about the long term. We’ve made careful choices to use our money in the most cost-effective way right through the end of the year.”