Russell’s Hopes for Mercedes’ Belgian GP Upgrade Crushed by ‘All the Indications’ – What’s Really Going On?
Mercedes have confirmed they will run upgrades on George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s cars at the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, and also at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The Silver Arrows are utilising the three-week break prior to heading for Spa-Francorchamps on July 25-27 to refine upgrades they hope can address their recent downturn in form. Since Russell won the Canadian Grand Prix a month ago, Mercedes have only registered 11 points.
Mercedes have also fallen from second place in the 2025 F1 constructors’ championship to third. Ferrari now have a 12-point lead over the Brackley bunch in the fight to be runners-up to McLaren after they outscored Mercedes by 28 points over the Austrian GP and British GP.
Antonelli crashing into Max Verstappen in the Austrian GP did not help Mercedes’ situation, while Russell finished 62.396s off the lead after struggling in the hot temperatures. Strategy errors cost Russell and Antonelli in the British GP, too, after pitting for slick tyres in the rain.
Photo by Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Mercedes’ Belgian Grand Prix upgrade package will not make them McLaren-beaters
McLaren racer Lando Norris won the Austrian GP and British GP in a one-two for the Woking outfit with 2025 F1 drivers’ championship leader Oscar Piastri, who also now leads Russell in fourth by 87 points. Italian rookie Antonelli is only seventh and is 171 points adrift of Piastri.
So, Mercedes have confirmed they will introduce upgrades on the W16 at the Belgian GP on July 25-27 and also at the Hungarian GP on August 1-3. But The Race now notes that ‘all the indications’ suggest that Mercedes’ imminent updates will not make them McLaren-beaters.
While Mercedes should be able to win races on their day when the conditions suit the W16, which was the case when Russell won the Canadian GP from pole position, the Silver Arrows will still be relying on factors outside their control to be a persistent thorn in McLaren’s side.
Russell used Mercedes’ modified rear suspension geometry to win in Canada after the team reintroduced an update they benched for the two previous events after debuting it at Imola. But the cooler conditions and smooth track masked issues that were then evident in Austria.
George Russell will not like the concerns about Mercedes’ Belgian GP updates
Mercedes still relying on cooler temperatures and smooth tracks, despite the upgrades they are due to introduce across the Belgian GP and Hungarian GP, will not be welcome news for Russell or Antonelli. Russell’s win in Canada was a clear outlier in Mercedes’ recent results.
While his 11th place in the Monaco Grand Prix was also brought about after Russell suffered an engine failure during qualifying so he started in P14, the 27-year-old only managed P7 at Imola, P4 in Spain and P5 in Austria before recovering to P10 in Britain owing to his strategy.
Russell also lost 11.359s to Spanish GP winner Piastri after the safety car restart on Lap 61 of 66. He was also trailing the Australian by 26.379s before the safety car to recover Antonelli’s car after the 18-year-old suffered an engine failure, showing why Mercedes require updates.
Chief communications officer Bradley Lord admits Mercedes face a ‘challenge’ validating the upgrades at the Belgian GP, too, as they will only have one practice session owing to it being a Sprint weekend. Yet normal service resumes in Hungary where more updates are also due.
