Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team is breaking with tradition this season, opting for a track debut of its new challenger, the W16, rather than a formal launch event. F1 News Mercedes indicates that the highly anticipated W16, set to be driven by George Russell and promising rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, will first be seen during a filming day at the Bahrain International Circuit on February 25th. This precedes the official pre-season testing, which will also take place at the same Bahrain circuit from February 26th to 28th.
Under current Formula 1 sporting regulations, teams are permitted to conduct ‘Promotional Events’ covering up to 200km. This allowance means both Russell and Antonelli will have the opportunity to put the W16 through its paces for a maximum of 36 laps on the Sakhir track during the filming day.
Historically, Mercedes has been known for grand launch events at Silverstone. These events typically involved unveiling the new Formula 1 car early in the morning before commencing a filming day at the same location. This Silverstone tradition had been in place since 2017, with 2021’s W12 launch being a notable exception. Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, humorously explained the 2021 change at the time, citing Silverstone’s unpredictable weather: “It always rains in Silverstone, so we decided that we don’t want to stand in the freezing rain again!”
This year’s shift to a later reveal in Bahrain allows Mercedes to maximize development time for the W16. In the current era of ground-effect technical regulations, now in its fourth season, the team anticipates fewer initial teething problems during the crucial first runs. This strategic decision aims to optimize their limited pre-season testing schedule. This f1 news mercedes update highlights a tactical shift in approach as teams refine their car development timelines.
Despite the absence of a dedicated Mercedes launch event, the team’s new livery will still be unveiled to the public at Formula 1’s official season launch in London’s O2 Arena on February 18th. This event celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Formula 1 World Championship and will showcase the liveries of all competing teams. This coordinated reveal is due to an embargo on all team liveries until the London event.
Ferrari, as f1 news mercedes followers will note, has also opted for a digital car unveil on February 19th, and Aston Martin is expected to follow a similar online approach. Williams Racing, meanwhile, is set to reveal its new FW47 on Valentine’s Day, although with a special, one-off livery design for the launch. Intriguingly, sources indicate that some Formula 1 teams may choose to keep their new cars completely under wraps until pre-season testing commences on February 26th, further emphasizing the evolving strategies around car reveals in Formula 1.
