Two days before the start of testing in Bahrain, Mercedes has finally unveiled the shape of its new creation, the W16. The car with which it will try to fight its way back to the top positions in the standings during the 2025 season. It will not be easy. The Stuttgart manufacturer left 2024 as the fourth force in the field, far from the leading group and with many problems to solve.
Photos of the Mercedes W16
The fact that it managed to win four races certainly helped boost morale within the Teutonic outfit, but it must be remembered that removed those episodes, the W15 did not prove to be a single-seater capable of competing consistently at high levels.
The year 2025 will have to be the season of redemption, in which Mercedes will have to show that it has been able to solve certain issues in order to launch itself with confidence into the new regulatory era that will arrive in 2026.
Wolff: “Russell has shown that he can fight for the title.”
It was in this spirit that team principal Toto Wolff spoke on the sidelines of the presentation of the new car: “We have worked very hard over the winter. All our men and women at Brackley and Brixworth have done that. Last year we had a very competitive and tight championship between the different teams, and although we had several wins, the intention is to be able to be ahead of the pack much more consistently.”
“We have made a lot of progress during the break and now we just await the verdict of the track in Australia,” the venue for the first race, scheduled for March 14-16. “The line-up we have selected will help us achieve our goals. George has already proven that he can fight for the title if in possession of a car up to the mark, and this year he will have the role of helping the team grow and supporting Kimi in his development.”
In closing, there is no shortage of notes made in a very realistic way about what will be young Antonelli's season: “He will inevitably have ups and downs, he has great talent, but he is a rookie after all. We will do everything we can to help him in the growth process that he will have during the year” he concluded according to the note published in the Mercedes columns.
Photo credits www.mercedesamgf1.com
