# Mercedes Struggles with New Upgrades at Sepang

> Mercedes' new F1 upgrades underperform at Sepang due to track conditions and tire issues.
- Title: Mercedes Struggles with New Upgrades at Sepang · Road & Track
- Summary: Mercedes' new F1 upgrades underperform at Sepang due to track conditions and tire issues. Mercedes' new F1 upgrades struggle to deliver expected performance…
- Keywords: mercedes, sepang, petronas, kimi antonelli, george russell, f1 racing, tire performance, track conditions, cars, sports, Struggles, Upgrades
- Source: Road & Track — https://roadandtrack.com/news/a74006599/mercedes-struggles-brings-long-awaited-upgrades-malaysia
- Author: Adam Cooper
- Published: 2026-10-03T17:29:48+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: mercedes, f1, sepang, petronas, kimi antonelli, george russell, f1 racing, tire performance, track conditions, cars, sports
## Mercedes Brings Upgrades to Sepang
Mercedes has introduced new parts for the 2026 season but struggles to optimize performance at Sepang.
## Qualifying Results at Sepang
Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth with a penalty from Isack Hadjar, while George Russell finished eighth.
## Antonelli on Qualifying Performance
Antonelli said the new tires were challenging but he expects to finish second or third in the race.

> It's much better than what I expected
## Track Conditions Impact Performance
Sepang's rough, hot track causes tires to wear quickly and makes car optimization difficult.

> The tarmac is so rough, and it's so hot that the tires are out of the window after two corners
## Mercedes' Performance Window
Mercedes' high-speed performance is strong but low-speed performance needs improvement with the new package.

> We were very quick in the high-speed, but in the low-speed we lacked
## Next Steps for Mercedes
Mercedes plans to test the new package at Singapore to better understand its performance.

> Singapore will give us a better read on the package
## Key takeaway

Mercedes' new F1 upgrades struggle to deliver expected performance at Sepang due to rough track and high temperatures.