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Mercedes digs deep into code to fix Russell's 'unacceptable' Spa power issues
Mercedes has introduced major software updates following the power deployment issues that plagued George Russell at the Belgian Grand Prix, affecting both qualifying and the race.
By Nadia van Leeuwen - 2026-07-23T11:02:08.000Z - 2 min read
Mercedes engineers have been working overtime in recent days. Following a frustrating weekend for George Russell at the Belgian Grand Prix, the team has implemented major software modifications. These changes are designed to ensure that the unexpected power delivery issues that plagued Russell at Spa do not reoccur in Hungary.
Russell's race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps was overshadowed by a noticeable lack of top speed on the straights, particularly compared to teammate Kimi Antonelli. In qualifying, this disparity cost him crucial tenths of a second per lap. His frustration boiled over during the race when faltering power delivery exiting Raidillon left him exposed to the oncoming pack.
This loss of momentum contributed to his collision with Lewis Hamilton at Les Combes, which brought an early end to Russell's race. His fury was palpable over the team radio, where he branded the weekend's issues "unacceptable." After the race, team principal Toto Wolff admitted that an unspecified issue with Russell's engine had contributed to the power deployment deficits.
Further analysis has now revealed that the qualifying issue lay deep within the power unit's software code. The energy deployment system had been configured unevenly, causing it to consume excessive energy en route to Les Combes. Combined with subtle differences in how Russell and Antonelli harvested energy and managed the battery through the middle sector, this left Russell short of power on the approach to the final chicane.
The opening-lap stutters during the race have also been unravelled. Both Russell and Antonelli struggled with power delivery heading towards Les Combes, a problem caused by a software glitch. Less energy than expected was harvested entering La Source, and additional battery power was subsequently consumed to mask turbo lag out of the hairpin. This left them with an energy deficit along the Kemmel Straight.
The impact, however, was not identical for both drivers. Russell took Eau Rouge flat out, triggering a fixed ramp-down rate that temporarily capped his speed at 308 km/h. Antonelli, by contrast, had to lift in Eau Rouge after being overtaken by Max Verstappen. This dropped him into a slightly different engine mode with marginally more power available. Although still less than ideal, it allowed him to accelerate slightly later and slipstream past Verstappen at a higher top speed to take the lead.
Mercedes has now introduced the necessary countermeasures to prevent a repeat of these issues. The team hopes the software update will bear fruit in Hungary, though the Hungaroring's more energy-rich layout makes it inherently less sensitive to power deployment issues than Spa.