Mercedes has revealed a special green-and-black livery for the W17s of Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, the centrepiece of a wider Mercedes Sepang livery upgrade that also brings a major car update to Malaysia this weekend. The design celebrates title partner Petronas and marks Formula 1’s first visit to Sepang International Circuit since 2017.
Both cars will carry the bespoke colours across the full race weekend, from 2 to 4 October.
Petronas Partnership and Sepang Grand Prix Agreement
The race carries an unusual name. It is officially titled the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, after April’s scheduled Bahrain race was cancelled because of the war in the Middle East. F1, the FIA, and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia agreed to keep the Bahrain title for this rescheduled event, even though it now runs at Sepang, as reported by Crash.net.
Team principal Toto Wolff said the weekend means a great deal to the team because of its ties with Petronas. “This weekend has extra significance for us because of our long-standing relationship with Petronas,” he said. He also welcomed the sport’s return to the circuit: “It’s fantastic to see Formula 1 returning to Sepang and we should also recognise the effort that has gone into making this Grand Prix happen. It has required strong collaboration between Malaysia and Bahrain, and that deserves credit.”
Wolff then turned to what awaits on track. “Once the cars are on track, though, our focus is on the job ahead. Sepang is a demanding circuit that asks every question of the car. You need performance in the high-speed corners, good traction, strong tyre management and consistency in hot, challenging conditions. It is one of the more complete tests on the calendar.”
Major W17 Upgrade Package to Boost High-Speed Performance
Alongside the livery, Mercedes is introducing its first major upgrade since the Canadian Grand Prix. It’s part of the same planned October update package the team had been building towards, and it arrives as Mercedes chases its first win at Sepang since 2014.
Wolff explained why the update matters. “We are bringing an update package this weekend, and that is an important step for us. At the more representative circuits in recent races, we have not been where we want to be. Monza and Baku presented unique challenges, but on the more conventional tracks we have not been in the fight for pole position. We know that and we are working hard to change it.”
He was cautious about guarantees, though. “The update is hopefully another step forward, but there are no guarantees in F1. The stopwatch is always the final judge. Our focus is on understanding the package quickly, executing the weekend well, and aiming to put ourselves in the fight at the front.”
Championship Context and Upcoming Sepang Timeline
The Mercedes Sepang livery upgrade also lands at a pivotal point in the title fight. Antonelli holds a 66-point lead over Russell in the drivers’ standings heading into the weekend, a gap built on the recent form from Antonelli. Russell, meanwhile, will hope the new parts help him close that gap after Russell’s progress in Baku.
Both drivers will run the new livery and the upgraded W17 from first practice on 2 October through to the race on 4 October, giving the team its first real test of the package under competitive conditions.
