Mercedes Unveils 612hp All-Wheel-Drive GT Safety Car for Hungarian Grand Prix

Q: What hidden engine calibration flaw forced George Russell to alter his driving style before Mercedes finally discovered the truth?

It was a deeply buried software calibration fault in Mercedes’ 2026 power-unit control code, not a flaw in Russell’s driving. Russell said the problem came from incorrect “numbers on a screen” in the engine calibration, which meant the hybrid system was not managing electrical energy deployment properly. In practice, that caused the power unit to deploy energy sub-optimally and hurt his straight-line speed, especially at Silverstone and Spa. The bad calibration appears to have front-loaded battery deployment around the lap, leaving Russell short of power later on key straights. Because the data initially pointed toward throttle application, gear use and harvesting style, he spent sessions trying to change how he drove to compensate. Mercedes later discovered the root cause was hidden deep in the code and recalibrated it. Russell said that realization was a major relief because he had been adapting his technique unnecessarily. Mercedes now believes the fix should allow the power unit to perform at its full potential and let Russell return to driving normally rather than chasing a problem that was never created by his inputs.

3 articles · Updated · The Race · Jul 23

Mercedes introduced a new Mercedes-AMG GT 63 PRO 4MATIC+ safety car for the Hungarian Grand Prix, adding an all-wheel-drive model to Formula 1’s 2026 field support lineup.
The new car packs 612hp, a 317km/h top speed and active suspension, which veteran safety car driver Bernd Maylander said improves cornering and acceleration while maintaining safety.
It is the 14th Mercedes safety car variant since the role began with the C36 AMG in 1996, and it appeared alongside that original model on the Hungaroring start-finish straight on Thursday.
Mercedes became Formula 1’s sole safety-car supplier again from the start of 2026 after sharing duties with Aston Martin from 2021 to 2025, and the new car carries a red 30th-anniversary livery this weekend.