Mercedes fixes software bug that slowed Russell at Belgium

Mercedes has identified and resolved a software calibration issue within its power unit that significantly hampered driver George Russell's performance in recent races, culminating in a first-lap retirement at the Belgian Grand Prix. The team confirmed the same flaw was present on teammate Kimi Antonelli's car but had a more detrimental effect on Russell due to his higher-mileage engine. A fix has been deployed ahead of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

The problem centered on the energy deployment protocols governing the hybrid power unit's complex software architecture. According to Mercedes Deputy Technical Director Simone Resta, a bug in the software caused suboptimal energy deployment across a lap, a critical issue at high-power circuits like Spa-Francorchamps. While signs of the issue appeared at the British Grand Prix, it became most evident in Belgium. Russell described it as a calibration issue where numbers on a screen were not set correctly, affecting how electrical energy was released. He noted that McLaren's Oscar Piastri experienced a similar deployment problem during the same event.

The operational setback proved costly for Russell at Spa. Deficient top-speed...