Mercedes arrives in Malaysia with a huge upgrade package that has transformed the W17: here are all the technical updates brought for the weekend
As expected, Malaysia is the stage for the debut of Mercedes’ second major upgrade package, which has thoroughly revised the W17 ahead of the season’s final stretch. Despite their technical dominance, the Brackley team was impressed by the development of rival cars and feared a possible performance leap, which ultimately did not occur. This concern pushed Mercedes to develop a massive upgrade package, the last of which was introduced only in Canada earlier this season.
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The W17 has remained practically unchanged since the start of the season, underscoring the strength of the 2026 project. It is precisely this technical superiority that allowed the team to develop the new package calmly and delay its introduction as long as possible.
Mercedes radically changes the W17: all the updates
Beyond the size of the upgrade package, the direction Mercedes has taken is surprising. Among the many updates, the most significant and noticeable involves the rear bodywork.
The sidepods have abandoned their extended rearward design in favor of a clear change in philosophy. A scoop now appears, and the undercut decreases: a design reminiscent of Mercedes’ ground effect cars. This aims to increase aerodynamic downforce through a different management of airflow directed toward the rear. The engine cover also changes, featuring a new design around the Coca-Cola area. These modifications intend to redirect airflow towards crucial zones such as the diffuser and rear-wheel corners. The floorboards have changed as well, now more intricate with a new vertical vane.
Updates also affect the casing of the front and rear suspension arms, along with a repositioning of the cascade winglets around the rear wheel corners.
Further changes concern the diffuser, both on the upper region and the side walls. The lateral floor area of the underbody has also been modified, with possible changes to the flat floor component, which teams do not have to disclose.
The work on the W17 is remarkable and is expected to deliver a significant increase in aerodynamic downforce, with estimated gains between 3 and 5 tenths of a second. However, the engineers acknowledge it will not be straightforward to optimize the package immediately, which made Friday in Malaysia a challenging day.
Mercedes’ technical advantage allows the team to experiment and take the time needed. This is especially important as all the developments will transfer to the 2027 car. Still, the Malaysia weekend warrants attention, as its unique track conditions could shuffle the competitive order.
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