George Russell: "Behind the competition" Mercedes F1 car requires adjustments at Sepang

This event marks Malaysia's return to F1 for the first time since 2017, stepping in for Bahrain, which is unable to host a round due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

As expected, the hot and humid conditions of Southeast Asia significantly impacted the practice sessions, with the looming threat of rain present even though it hasn't yet materialized.

Russell shared with F1 TV: “It was really exciting driving this circuit; I've never been here before - it's truly an iconic location.

“It was great, but under these conditions, tire degradation is significant for everyone, and the cars are functioning within a very different range.

“As a team, I think we just haven't optimized the car to where we need it to be, and we need to implement some setup changes since we are a bit behind the pace.”

George Russell, Mercedes

FP1 is arguably a better indication of what Mercedes can achieve, as second practice saw neither driver post a soft tire lap after both made separate mistakes in the final sector.

There is still potential to unlock from the W17, which has received seven significant updates, primarily focused on the car's floor, rear suspension, cornering, and bodywork.

When asked about his pace during Friday's practice in light of those long-anticipated upgrades, Russell replied: “I can feel the downforce in some of the corners, but with the level of tire overheating and degradation, that overshadows everything.

“So we need to address that overnight. It's more about the setup than the upgrades, and we can move forward from there.”

The Briton will thus face a challenge in his pursuit of a sixth pole of the 2026 season, with Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari all appearing formidable against the championship-leading Mercedes.

“Verstappen looked incredibly quick, and McLaren's race pace seemed very strong, but you can never count anything out,” Russell remarked.