Karun Chandhok expresses worries regarding the performance of the Mercedes F1 upgrades.
Sky Sports analyst and former Formula 1 racer Karun Chandhok expresses that Mercedes should be "worried" about its recent upgrade package, cautioning that the new aerodynamic components have not produced the expected boost in performance.
Even with Kimi Antonelli closing in on his first drivers' championship title, Mercedes' performance has stagnated in the latest races. As Red Bull's Max Verstappen triumphed in the last two grands prix in Malaysia and Singapore, the Brackley team struggled to extract speed from its revised W17.
During the Sky Sports F1 Show, Chandhok remarked that the Singapore Grand Prix was not an "overwhelmingly positive" experience for Mercedes. Antonelli finished in third place, while Russell, starting from 19th due to grid penalties related to power unit component changes, secured ninth.
The Italian driver was utilizing the upgraded equipment at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, whereas Russell was competing with the previous model. Despite Antonelli outperforming his teammate, Chandhok stated that the performance enhancement was insufficient.
"I don't think it was an overwhelmingly positive weekend for them in that regard, to be honest. On Friday, the downgraded car was faster with George," the former racer noted.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
"As we moved into the main qualifying session, George was a bit at a disadvantage, especially after the crash in the sprint. He mentioned he was just aiming for a secure run through qualifying and to do a sensible job. To be honest, he wasn't too far behind Kimi.
"So, has the aero upgrade provided a significant boost in performance? I think you'd have to say probably not, neither in Malaysia nor in Singapore. Therefore, I think they'll have some concerns."
Antonelli currently tops the drivers' standings with 340 points. Russell is in second place with 238 points, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton occupies third with 229 points. Consequently, Mercedes also leads the constructors' championship with 578 points, followed by Ferrari in second with 444 points and McLaren in third with 339 points.
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