The Nevada street circuit offers a better chance to recover
George Russell is expected to take another grid penalty later this season, with Mercedes now targeting Las Vegas for an upgraded power unit component.
Russell told Sky Deutschland that the new part had originally been considered for Austin, but plans changed after his Malaysia engine failure and subsequent Singapore replacement.
“It will probably happen later in the season, maybe in Las Vegas,” he said.
Mercedes believes the Nevada street circuit offers a better chance to recover lost positions after a penalty.
The development comes as Russell’s title hopes have faded badly, with teammate Kimi Antonelli now 102 points ahead.
Mercedes is also continuing to work through its troublesome aerodynamic update.
Deputy boss Bradley Lord confirmed both cars are expected to return to the newer specification in Austin.
“We are confident that we can use two cars equipped with the upgrades already in Austin, to continue the learning process and keep extracting the maximum,” he said.
He added: “Red Bull is in great form, but we believe we’ve started to find the right direction with the new update package for the W17.”
FIA bans Red Bull sidepod loophole for 2027
Horner reveals moves for Alonso, Leclerc, Sainz
