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Mercedes gives Hamilton and Bottas F1 engine upgrade for Belgian GP

The Mercedes formula 1 team has fitted Lewis Hamilton and Valteri Bottas with its upgraded engine for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

The manufacturer, which is locked in a tight title fight with Ferrari, has introduced its latest specification of power unit - the last it is allowed to use this season without penalty - for the high-speed Spa circuit.

Mercedes had been tight-lipped about the engine's introduction, but a note issued by the FIA on Friday morning confirmed that both Hamilton and Bottas were fitted with new internal combustion units, turbochargers, and MGU-Hs.

It is understood that the upgrades bring performance benefits to what is already widely regarded to be the benchmark powerunit.

A previous update to the Mercedes engine had been solely focused on reliability improvements.

Although there are nine races remaining this season, Mercedes believes it can shuffle around its current pool of engines to ensure both drivers see out the campaign without the need for any more components that would result in a penalty.

Rival Ferrari has stuck with its third engine, with the team working on a performance upgrade that could be introduced as early as the Italian Grand Prix.

Zdroj: autosport.com