Mercedes reveals big upgrade and exciting new look as F1 comes back to Malaysia
Formula 1 is coming back to Malaysia this weekend for the first time since 2017, and Mercedes will mark the occasion with a cool new look for their cars.
Mercedes’ sponsor, Petronas, is a big company based in Malaysia, so the team is giving their cars a fresh style to celebrate their partnership as F1 races in Sepang during this year’s Bahrain Grand Prix, which has been moved due to conflict in the Middle East.
World championship leader Kimi Antonelli and his closest rival George Russell will race with this special design just for the weekend. Even better, their cars have gotten a big technical upgrade to boost performance.
Mercedes is swapping their usual silver, black, and green colors for something new for the Malaysia weekend. Petronas, based in Kuala Lumpur, has been working with Mercedes since 2010, so this race feels like a homecoming. The Malaysian GP hasn’t been on the F1 calendar since 2017.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said, “It’s great to have Formula One back at Sepang. A lot of teamwork between Malaysia and Bahrain made this happen, and that’s worth recognizing.” He added, “Once the race starts, our focus will be on the challenge ahead. Sepang is a tough track that tests every part of the car. You need speed in fast corners, good grip, strong tyre care, and steady driving in hot, tough conditions. It’s one of the hardest tracks on the season.”
Wolff also confirmed that the cars will not only look different but also get a performance boost. This second upgrade of the year should help Antonelli and Russell keep fighting at the front of the pack. Even though they’ve won three races in a row between them, Wolff admits the team still has work to do.
“We’re bringing an update this weekend, and it’s an important step,” he said. “In recent races at tracks that better show our car’s true strength, we haven’t been where we want to be. We need to learn how to use the new parts quickly, do well throughout the weekend, and stay in the front fight.”
Antonelli has won eight races so far this season, including in Italy and Spain, while Russell won in Azerbaijan recently. The 20-year-old Italian leads the championship with 302 points, followed by Russell with 236. Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc round out the top five.