Mercedes brings latest update package to both cars for 2026 US Grand Prix in Austin
Mercedes will fit its latest update package to both cars in Austin as it tries to rebound from difficult weekends in Malaysia and Singapore and keep pace in a tightly packed field.
- 5.513 km
- 308 km over 56 laps
- just over 40 m (134 ft)
- 5
What Happened
Mercedes describes the weekends in Malaysia and Singapore as difficult and says it has worked hard to identify weaknesses, with Austin the first chance to respond. The team will use its latest update package on both cars and continue developing the car, because the field is incredibly close and Mercedes must keep improving to stay consistently at the front in the final phase of the season. The US Grand Prix starts another demanding triple-header, and Toto says there is a lot at stake but the team does not want to rush, with priority on the upcoming weekend: execute as well as possible, maximize performance and take each race as it comes. Austin is also important off track, with numerous commercial activities in the city centered on the AMG and MANUFAKTUR takeover, bringing performance, craftsmanship and individuality across the Mercedes family to life throughout the weekend, and Mercedes says it looks forward to presenting this and ultimately delivering where it matters most: on the race track.
“In Austin we now have the opportunity to respond. We will deploy our latest update package on both cars and at the same time continue to push the development of the car.”
The team's third driver says Austin always offers a fantastic atmosphere and an incredible fanbase, and looks forward to the fan-hub event downtown and great racing. The Circuit of The Americas is a unique challenge for drivers and the team: the track surface is notoriously bumpy, making it difficult to find the right balance and manage tyre performance over a lap and a stint. Finding the right setup is crucial, which is why so much time is spent in the simulator before the race weekend. The first sector is one of the most exciting sections, with Turn 1 climbing steeply uphill before a series of fast, flowing corners that push the car to its limits; it is very satisfying when it works but easy to make a mistake and go off track. Overall, the third driver calls it a fantastic circuit with a great mix of technical challenges and overtaking opportunities that usually produce exciting races.
12:30–13:30 CDT; 18:30–19:30 BST in Brackley; 19:30–20:30 CEST in Stuttgart
16:00–17:00 CDT; 22:00–23:00 BST in Brackley; 23:00–00:00 CEST in Stuttgart
12:30–13:30 CDT; 18:30–19:30 BST in Brackley; 19:30–20:30 CEST in Stuttgart
16:00–17:00 CDT; 22:00–23:00 BST in Brackley; 23:00–00:00 CEST in Stuttgart
15:00 CDT; 20:00 BST in Brackley; 21:00 CEST in Stuttgart
- Length 5.513 km; 56 race laps; race distance 308 km; 20 corners (11 left, 9 right); pole position on the right.
- Distance from pole to the first braking zone: 225 m. Pit lane length with speed limit: 414 m; drive-through time at 80 km/h: 18.6 sec.
- Braking: 3 braking events above 2G, 13 heavy braking events at 4G, braking energy high. Expected top speed: 324 km/h.
- Lap records: race 1:26.169 (LEC / 2019); absolute 1:32.029 (BOT / Q3 / 2019).
- Race conditions: Safety Car probability 40%; average track temperature 36.5°C; average ambient temperature 28.8°C.
- Temperature extremes and rain: highest track temperature 48.8°C; highest ambient temperature 35.3°C; probability of rain sessions 0%.
- This year's United States Grand Prix returns to the usual race-weekend format after three years of sprint weekends.
- The elevation difference from the starting grid to the apex of Turn 1 is just over 40 metres (134 feet), one of the largest in the entire F1 calendar.
- Mercedes has achieved four double wins at the United States Grand Prix in Austin so far, more than any other team.
- Lewis Hamilton has five wins in Austin, including four consecutive wins between 2014 and 2017, and remains the most successful driver at COTA; at this track he also secured his third (2015) and sixth (2019) F1 titles while driving for the team.
- COTA has hosted the United States Grand Prix since 2012.
- Mercedes at Austin: 13 starts, 5 wins, 12 podiums, 6 pole positions, 10 front rows, 5 fastest laps, 2 retirements.
- George Russell at Austin: 6 starts, 0 wins, 0 podiums, 0 pole positions, 0 front rows, 1 fastest lap, 0 retirements.
- Kimi Antonelli at Austin: 1 start, 0 wins, 0 podiums, 0 pole positions, 0 front rows, 1 fastest lap, 0 retirements.
- MB Power at Austin: 12 starts, 6 wins, 14 podiums, 7 pole positions, 13 front rows, 4 fastest laps, 12 retirements.
- Mercedes in F1: all-time total 358 starts, 142 wins, 332 podiums, 154 pole positions, 288 front rows, 123 fastest laps, 63 double wins, 87 starts from positions 1 and 2; since 2010: 346 starts, 133 wins, 315 podiums, 146 pole positions, 268 front rows, 114 fastest laps, 58 double wins, 83 starts from positions 1 and 2.
- Other F1 records: George Russell 169 starts, 8 wins, 32 podiums, 12 pole positions, 26 front rows, 13 fastest laps; Kimi Antonelli 41 starts, 8 wins, 17 podiums, 6 pole positions, 10 front rows, 10 fastest laps; MB Power 628 starts, 252 wins, 694 podiums, 263 pole positions, 524 front rows, 251 fastest laps, 110 double wins, 137 starts from positions 1 and 2.
Previously from Mercedes-Benz
Kimi Antonelli qualified fourth for the Singapore Grand Prix, missing pole by 0.189 seconds, according to our earlier coverage. Team-mate George Russell faced a back-of-the-grid start there after a power-unit penalty.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Mercedes-Benz's official releases.
Why this matters
Mercedes is bringing its latest update package to both cars in Austin as another demanding triple-header begins in a very close field, so the team and its rivals face a key test in the final phase of the season. Fans are also affected: Austin will host AMG and MANUFAKTUR commercial activities, and the event returns to a normal race-weekend format after three years of sprint weekends.
Terms in This Story
- triple-header
- A sequence of three consecutive race weekends in Formula 1.
- sprint weekend
- A Formula 1 weekend format that includes a shorter sprint race as well as the main Grand Prix.
- COTA
- Circuit of The Americas, the Austin circuit hosting the United States Grand Prix.
- stint
- A continuous run of laps in a race or practice session, usually ended by a pit stop or session break.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.