MERCEDES FINDS RIVALS' UPGRADES SCARY WITH PLAN

Original: Why Mercedes finds other F1 teams' upgrades "scary" with its out-of-phase plan

Mercedes technical director James Allison states the team's late development approach for its 2026 car puts it out of sync with competitors, which he characterizes as concerning.

Mercedes technical director James Allison says the team's decision to keep developing its 2026 Formula 1 car late has put it "out of phase" with the other teams around it, causing a leapfrog effect as in-season updates produce large performance gains. The W17 has been the class of the field so far,