Mercedes' monster F1 upgrades for Canadian Grand Prix revealed and how it can hurt Ferrari advantage

Antonelli leads Norris and Leclerc in Miami — Photo: © IMAGO

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Mercedes' monster upgrades for Canadian GP revealed and how it can hurt Ferrari advantage

Mercedes are tackling a key issue back at Brackley

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Thursday 14 May 2026 08:15

A raft of F1 upgrades for Mercedes have been revealed ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, and they could put an end to a long-held Ferrari advantage.

Last time out in Miami, rivals McLaren and Red Bull achieved a step-up in performance after they brought seven new parts each, with McLaren's redesigned front wing earning praise and Red Bull's upgrades said to overall give them an extra six tenths of a second.

Mercedes, however, only introduced two upgrades with plans to bring further changes to the next race in Montreal, where it is largely expected their lead will extend.

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Not only will Mercedes be desperate to reassert their dominance at the Canadian GP, but also ensure they leave no space for their rivals to catch up when the compression ratio checks are taken at room temperature from June 1.

While Mercedes themselves have not confirmed the upgrades they will introduce in Canada, Motorsport.com's Italy has offered a sneak preview as to the changes we can expect.

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Mercedes upgrades: Race starts and a lighter car

The report claims that the work Mercedes have done back at the wind tunnel could be worth around three tenths, with a new major aerodynamic package expected.

Alongside front wing changes, a new flow pattern is said to define the design of the carbon covers of the front suspension and the underbody.

Mercedes have also made greater strides towards reaching the minimum weight, slimming down the W17 by introducing a lighter gearbox.

However, Mercedes' main issue in 2026 has been their race starts. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has lost 26 places on lap one of every sprint and grand prix in the opening four rounds.

In Miami, the six places lost in the sprint were not the result of a driver error, with Mercedes setting incorrect clutch targets which resulted in wheelspin for Antonelli on the grid. To improve their starts, the electronics team have been working to reduce the impact of the 'large' turbo.

What do Mercedes upgrades mean for Ferrari?

A consistent theme thus far in 2026 has been Ferrari's ability to rocket past the pole-sitting Mercedes off the line, with their race starts being one of their strengths.

Ferrari's advantage comes from their smaller turbo, which spins faster which means it is easier to receive the boost pressure required, thus providing better acceleration off the line.

If Mercedes reduce their turbo lag and gets their wheelspin issues under control, however, then Ferrari could lose one of their key advantages against their rivals.

F1 Ferrari Mercedes Canadian Grand Prix