Singapore GP: Reported F1 Upgrades for Every Team at Marina Bay

Interestingly, only three of the 11 Formula 1 teams are bringing upgrades to the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix. Of course, every team that didn't declare any upgrades is still allowed to make setup changes that suit the Marina Bay track characteristics, including its need for maximum aerodynamic downforce, extreme brake demands, mechanical grip, and cooling management.

If you're curious as to why teams opt to bring or not to bring an upgrade package in a certain race, you can scroll down to our explainer below. But before that, let's find out which teams chose to deliver upgrades this weekend at Singapore.

*Note: The teams not mentioned in the list below didn't bring any upgrades to Singapore.

With two upgrades for this weekend, Mercedes is already bringing the most number of upgrades (tied with Red Bull) at Singapore. Unfortunately, though, it didn't materialize in yesterday's Sprint Qualifying. George Russell, who ran the older specifications of the Mercedes car, qualified second for the Sprint Race. 

On the other hand, his teammate and current championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, only set the seventh-fastest time in SQ3. Antonelli had the new upgrades in his car, which is why his lacking pace confused everyone, especially him and the Mercedes garage.

Still, Antonelli vows that they will "find an answer" to making their upgrades work in the Singapore GP.

McLaren would want to replicate Lando Norris's dominant win in the 2024 Singapore GP, but it would be challenging, to say the least. Norris only qualified fifth for the Sprint Race, with his teammate Oscar Piastri ahead of him in fourth. 

The team didn't bring a performance upgrade this weekend, though. Their upgrade is mostly focused on higher cooling mass flow to handle Singapore's heavy braking demands. This could be more beneficial for them in race trim, rather than their one-lap fast run in qualifying sessions.

Red Bull has steadily closed the gap to McLaren in third place, and they're looking to gain more. Max Verstappen, who won last weekend in Malaysia, took pole for the Sprint Race. He has yet to win a Grand Prix race here, but he has a better shot this weekend, especially if their upgrades work in race trim.

Red Bull's upgrade package in Singapore is a combination of performance and reliability components.

Formula 1 teams are hesitant to bring upgrades in Sprint weekends (like this year's Singapore GP) because there's only one practice session to validate any new part. There is less time, particularly fewer laps, to establish a reliable baseline and compare old and new specifications.

Moreover, the cost cap forces teams to choose their battles. To get the best return on their limited resources, teams must decide which races their upgrades will work best.