The Brackley-based team is ready to turn the page for the 2025 season. The renders of the W16, the new single-seater for Russell and Antonelli, have been unveiled.
For the team led by Toto Wolff, last season was filled with ups and downs, partly due to a car that did not always live up to the team’s expectations, especially because of the challenges faced at the beginning of the year—lingering scars from the 2023 car. Despite this, the German team managed to secure two victories, one for each of its drivers, bringing back a long-awaited 1-2 finish to Brackley, with George Russell claiming victory at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Honorable mention also goes to Lewis Hamilton’s triumph at his home circuit in Silverstone, making his final year with Mercedes even more memorable for the team and its fans.
As soon as the checkered flag waved at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last December, the countdown to the thrilling new Formula 1 season began. After 11 years of a fixed driver pairing with the seven-time world champion, Mercedes-AMG Petronas is entering a new era in its history, featuring an all-young lineup composed of two drivers who came through the Three-Pointed Star’s junior development program: George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
In London, Mercedes presented the official livery of the W16, the first car of this new chapter for the Brackley-based team. Following Aston Martin’s lead, the German outfit shared the first renders of its 2025 challenger on social media today—one day ahead of the filming day scheduled for tomorrow at the Bahrain International Circuit. The car will be piloted by the British driver #63 and the Italian driver #12 throughout the upcoming season, which kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix from March 14 to 16.
The W16’s main goal is to bring consistency to the Brackley garage, addressing the weaknesses of its predecessor, which struggled in slow corners and had tire temperature imbalances, as explained by the team’s technical director, James Allison. Mercedes’ new creation features “changes to almost every visible aerodynamic surface, new front suspension, and additional modifications beneath the skin of the W16 to remedy some of the most challenging aspects of the previous car.”
Toto Wolff: “We have an exciting lineup to help us achieve our goals”
“We are ushering in an exciting new era in the history of our team and Mercedes-AMG motorsport in 2025,” said Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ CEO and Team Principal, discussing the upcoming Formula 1 season. Wolff has no doubts about the W16’s potential and is confident in the lineup the team has assembled, betting on the young raw talent of its Academy driver Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old who will bring the Italian flag back to the grid.
“We are building on the incredible legacy of our history and cannot wait to get racing. Everyone in the team, at Brackley and Brixworth, has worked hard over the winter. Last season was highly competitive on track, and although we secured some victories, our focus is on fighting for wins more consistently. We’ve made progress during the offseason, but we will only know where we stand at the first race in Australia. We have an exciting lineup to help us achieve our goals,” continued the former driver, emphasizing consistency as the key word that will guide the team in the upcoming races.
Speaking about George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, Wolff added: “Both drivers have grown within our junior program, which reaffirms our commitment to supporting and developing talent. George has proven himself as one of the best drivers on the grid, capable of competing for the Drivers’ Championship if we can provide him with a car to do so. As the senior driver, he will help lead the team forward and support Kimi in his development “.
“Kimi has all the talent needed to achieve great success at the top level of the sport, but this is a rookie season, and there will inevitably be highs and lows. We are looking forward to embarking on this journey together and helping him grow throughout the year.”
Among the rookies making their debut in the pre-season tests in Bahrain is Kimi Antonelli, now officially a full-time driver for Mercedes-AMG Petronas. Speaking about this major new opportunity, the Italian driver said: “I’m excited to be making my F1 debut this year. It’s a huge opportunity, and I’m very grateful to everyone at Mercedes for the trust they have placed in me. I have worked hard over the winter to be as prepared as possible, and now I can’t wait to get started “.
As someone once said, every team is a Constructors’ Champion at the start of the season, but in the end, the track will be the true judge, crowning the fastest car. The countdown is on for Wednesday, February 26, when the pre-season testing at the Sakhir circuit will provide the first glimpse of what the 2025 Formula 1 season has in store.
Photo: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.