Mercedes have opted to ‘remove’ upgrade which has given Kimi Antonelli and George Russell trouble in 2025

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Mercedes had an encouraging few spells at the Hungarian Grand Prix, but still failed to achieve an outstanding result.

Their pursuit of second place in the constructors’ championship continues, and they head into the summer break with confidence that they’re in a tough fight with Ferrari for the rest of 2025.

George Russell’s sixth podium of the season was a good reward for Mercedes after showing good pace in tricky conditions through the weekend in Budapest.

Kimi Antonelli returned to the points with 10th, giving him a consolation prize after what was another tricky weekend for the Italian driver.

With the Formula 1 driver market now calming down, Russell’s Mercedes future is safe. David Croft believes that a contract renewal is in his hands.

After the reigning champion confirmed his 2026 fate, Max Verstappen gave Russell the ‘upper hand’ in talks, as they have no backup option. They must remain loyal to their driver.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton admits Kimi Antonelli already has one thing he never did after watching his Mercedes replacement on track

Mercedes opt to ‘remove’ suspension upgrade which gave Kimi Antonelli and George Russell trouble

Russell was given ‘a lot of credit’ for his reaction at Mercedes after suffering a poor Belgian Grand Prix. His hard work was rewarded with a trophy just one week later.

Unusually, the Silver Arrows are heading into the summer break with no contracted drivers for the following season. For a top team, that’s particularly unusual.

Despite a turbulent spell for Antonelli, it’s expected that both he and Russell will remain with the team without any extreme developments over the next few months.

Both have found difficulty with a rear suspension upgrade introduced by their team in Imola, and brought back again in Canada, which has been inconsistent.

The Italian edition of Motorsport.com now reports that a decision has been taken to ‘remove’ the suspension part for good – something which happened before Hungary.

Mercedes may ‘regret’ an Antonelli decision, but they have to make sure that for the rest of his rookie campaign, they help rebuild his confidence. Otherwise, he could be in a tough spot for the 2026 F1 regulations.

READ MORE: Bernie Collins tells Mercedes to use Valtteri Bottas instead of Kimi Antonelli to do job F1 drivers ‘resent’

Why George Russell already deserves a Mercedes contract renewal for 2026

Looking at the numbers, Russell is currently enjoying his second-most successful Formula 1 season after 14 races.

Now tasked with being Mercedes’ number one driver, he has stepped up in impressive fashion and is delivering everything that he needs to.

The team’s investment in him has been high through the years, and letting him walk to sign Verstappen would have been a tough pill to swallow.

However, understandably, he will seek long-term security. Signing a one-year deal and leaving the door open for his rival to join in the future will not interest him. It might be a factor behind why negotiations have taken so long.