Formula 1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Toto Wolff: "Something else is going on" after Bahrain qualifying troubles
Toto Wolff says Mercedes is facing problems it has not seen all season after its substantial Sepang upgrade failed to deliver the expected pace
Alex Harrington
Edited: Oct 23, 2026, 5:04 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Motorsport Silver Streak
For Mercedes fans. All the latest from the Silver Arrows, with F1 news, driver updates, car development and race analysis from Brackley and Brixworth.
Mercedes brought a substantial upgrade package to Sepang for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix, and pace was supposed to be strong for the Silver Arrows. Kimi Antonelli teased something special after he topped FP3, but qualifying proved to be difficult. Toto Wolff believes there is "something else is going on" that is hindering his team's pace.
Championship leader Antonelli qualified on the second row in forth while George Russell will start a disappointing eighth (both drivers will move up one place after Isack Hadjar's grid penalty is applied). After what has been a mostly dominant season for Mercedes, this comes as a surprise to the team chief.
"Very difficult to understand," he told Sky Sports F1*.* "We have been a little bit caught out on Friday with some car behaviour that we didn't see all year. But you can say it's very hard that the tarmac is very different to all the tracks.
"Looks really good in the morning. You know, we seem to have at least with Kimi made a step in understanding again. Qualifying was a little bit back to what we saw before, just no performance."
He was further pressed on what car behaviour he meant.
"It looks like we are very draggy, because it's the first time that we're losing a lot of time on the straights to especially Max [Verstappen]. And then through the low speed. Turn 2, we are not able to turn the car. There's just too much understeer. So overall things we haven't seen all year."
Toto Wolff, Mercedes
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images
Mercedes machinery has been a very efficient on power-centric circuits this season, with the W17 boasting a strong power unit and impressive straight line performance. For this reason, fingers are being pointed at the upgrade package.
"Something else is going on. And we have to understand. This is now working through the data and putting our heads together because we still believe that the upgrade works. We just need to understand why not here."
The abrasive track surface and the heat could also be contributing factors, but the scale of this lack of pace is what worries the Austrian.
"It's so different, but nevertheless, in any case you're expecting three-tenths to kick in and it looks like three or four or five-tenths backwards first time we miss out on the top three by the track. So hard, but I guess we will find the solution."
With tyre degradation being another weakness felt by the silver team this race weekend, this could be a tough race for its drivers.
"No, I'm never positive," Wolff answered when asked if Sunday's race pace might look better than these qualifying results suggest. "Even if you would have put it on pole with five-tenths, I wouldn't have been exuberant for tomorrow.
"I don't know at all what to expect tomorrow from the race with the heat. It could be better, it could be worse. This is now about understanding what the car is doing."
Photos from F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia- Saturday
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Saturday, in photos
Formula 1
52
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article F1 2026 qualifying head-to-head: Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Next article Starting grid for the 2026 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Alex Harrington
Lando Norris casts doubt on Singapore GP sprint excitement: "I don't think it is"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Lando Norris casts doubt on Singapore GP sprint excitement: "I don't think it is"
Nike could return to Formula 1 for first time since Michael Schumacher era
Formula 1
Formula 1
Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Nike could return to Formula 1 for first time since Michael Schumacher era
Report: Sergio Perez's management in Williams talks as Carlos Sainz's future remains unclear
Formula 1
Formula 1
Report: Sergio Perez's management in Williams talks as Carlos Sainz's future remains unclear
More from
Toto Wolff
Mercedes is considering a step backwards ahead of the Singapore GP
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Mercedes is considering a step backwards ahead of the Singapore GP
Otmar Szafnauer praises Toto Wolff after Kimi Antonelli gamble pays off
Formula 1
Formula 1
Spanish GP
Otmar Szafnauer praises Toto Wolff after Kimi Antonelli gamble pays off
Mercedes pokes fun at Toto Wolff after angry Italian GP qualifying moment
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
Mercedes pokes fun at Toto Wolff after angry Italian GP qualifying moment
More from
Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli hails "step forward" at United States GP as Mercedes chips away at upgrades
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
5 h
Kimi Antonelli hails "step forward" at United States GP as Mercedes chips away at upgrades
George Russell reveals he lost sleep over his own driving, not the F1 championship
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
17 h
George Russell reveals he lost sleep over his own driving, not the F1 championship
Latest news
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
41 min
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Maverick Vinales: “If I stay at home, I don’t get paid”
The unexpected problem Honda encountered despite its second F1 power unit upgrade
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
The unexpected problem Honda encountered despite its second F1 power unit upgrade
MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
MotoGP Australian GP: Full starting grid as four riders forced out of Phillip Island race
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe