Mercedes Targets Race Start Weakness With Clutch Redesign And Software Overhaul

Mercedes had shown few significant weaknesses early in the 2026 season, but race starts had emerged as a clear and consistent problem for the team.
On multiple occasions, particularly involving Kimi Antonelli, the team lost positions the moment the lights went out, creating an immediate uphill battle from the very first metres.
Prior to Canada, Mercedes had never managed to lead at the end of the opening lap despite having secured every pole position available to them this season.
The size of the turbo played a part in the problem, but it was not the sole cause, as McLaren uses the same power unit yet had repeatedly managed strong getaways.
McLaren manufactures its gearbox in-house and has opted for shorter gear ratios, a philosophy confirmed by team principal Andrea Stella to offer a starting advantage, though it is not the only contributing factor.
The more damaging issue for Mercedes was inconsistency, with the team sometimes losing just one position at the start while on other occasions the drop-back was significantly greater.
Not every poor start could be attributed to Antonelli directly, as engineers on several occasions contributed to the problem through miscalculations or incorrect estimates about grip levels and start parameters.
In Australia, a miscalculation by engineers meant Antonelli arrived on the grid with no power, preventing proper burnouts to warm the rear tyres and reducing acceleration after clutch release.
In China there was a misunderstanding over mappings, while in Miami the engineers had overestimated grip levels, meaning torque, clutch mode, and release timing were all set incorrectly from the outset.
At Suzuka, however, the fault lay primarily with Antonelli himself, who released the clutch too far, highlighting just how sensitive the component is, where even a few degrees of movement can prove decisive.
Mercedes responded by attacking the problem from two directions simultaneously, working on the software while Antonelli also chose to redesign the clutch lever itself for improved ergonomics.
The lever retains its classic single-lever design that has been used for years, but changes were made to the housing where the fingers are inserted, introducing small positional variations for finer control during release.
“We have a new clutch lever on my side, to help me be a bit more consistent when releasing the clutch. Obviously, the team has also worked hard on the software and the clutch itself, trying both to improve performance and to make the system a bit more robust,” Antonelli explained.
Antonelli tested the solutions during free practice before confirming the changes would carry through for the remainder of the Canadian Grand Prix weekend.
In Canada, Mercedes appeared to take a step forward, with George Russell producing what was described as a slingshot start in the sprint, arguably the best among those on the front rows.
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