Mercedes has a packed calendar of events as the new F1 season approaches. After unveiling the livery of the W17 and participating in the Barcelona tests, the team is now preparing for the official launch ceremony of the 2026 season.
Mercedes was one of the most anticipated teams at the Barcelona tests. George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli wrapped up three days on the Catalan track on Thursday. While the first race of the 2026 F1 season is approaching, teams still have additional test days to collect more data. Before flying to Bahrain for the tests scheduled from February 11–13 and 18–20, Mercedes has planned a launch event to kick off the new F1 season. Here’s when and how to follow it.
When and where to watch
Mercedes completed three very productive testing sessions in Barcelona, totaling 500 laps—65 more than Ferrari. No other team managed to cover a higher number of laps during the session.
The Brackley-based team announced that the 2026 season launch event will take place on February 2 at 11:30 GMT. The new season also brings the introduction of a revised set of regulations, set to revolutionize Formula 1. All these topics, along with many others, will be addressed during the ceremony. Fans will be able to watch the event live through Mercedes’ official website.
The confirmed guests for the event include George Russell, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, team principal Toto Wolff, and Fred Vesti. Additionally, the morning will feature a detailed segment focusing on the new fuels being introduced this season.
But that’s not all. Mercedes has also invited fans to follow their social media pages, where behind-the-scenes videos of the event will be published throughout the day.
The upcoming Mercedes launch event serves as the perfect bridge between their record-breaking 500-lap shakedown in Barcelona and the final performance evaluations in Bahrain. By featuring both the veteran leadership of George Russell and the highly anticipated debut of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the team is signaling a bold new chapter for the W17 era. With a dedicated focus on the 2026 technical revolution and the integration of sustainable fuels, the ceremony will offer fans a transparent look into the engineering prowess that allowed Mercedes to out-mileage every other team on the grid. As the Brackley outfit prepares to move from data collection to outright competition, this event provides a final moment of celebration and technical insight before the high-stakes battle for world championship supremacy officially begins in Melbourne.
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