The Mercedes W17 is not the car that the team from Brackley showed in the official renders. The images released earlier in the day had little in common with the car that made its on-track debut on the short Silverstone circuit, in extremely wet conditions caused by heavy rain.
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli completed 67 laps on the 2.979 km International Circuit layout, covering a distance just under the 200 km limit allowed for a filming day.
Andrew Shovlin, trackside engineering director, expressed his satisfaction: “We completed the first day of running with the W17 at Silverstone. As with every shakedown, the objective is to make sure everything works safely and reliably. We managed to complete the planned mileage, with George and Kimi getting their first taste of the 2026 car on track. This is a testament to the hard work of everyone at Brackley and Brixworth. Our focus now shifts to Barcelona, where we will look to deepen our understanding of the W17.”
George Russell was the first to take to the track, initially focusing on commercial filming before gradually discovering the black-and-silver arrow that is meant to bring the Brackley team back into the fight for both championships.
The W17 that ran at Silverstone is only a distant relative of the one unveiled online. Trackside images clearly show a car with many components, including major ones, that are significantly different from the renderings.
Let’s therefore briefly highlight the key changes affecting every area of the car. The front wing is no longer basic, featuring a twisted main profile near the endplates. The endplate itself is noticeably more cambered, while the footplate now adopts two vertical flow diverters designed to generate outwash, directing part of the airflow away from the front tyre. The upper horizontal flap has disappeared.
The nose features a squarer tip with two differently shaped pylons, allowing increased airflow underneath the chassis. The three actuators per side used to control flap movement are gone, replaced by a single actuator.
The push-rod front suspension is particularly interesting at the upright, where the upper wishbone is offset thanks to the presence of a dedicated bracket.
The sidepod inlet has changed, now integrated into a visor-like solution, as the entire sidepod has been redesigned. This has resulted in a very pronounced undercut in the lower section, while the sidepod no longer follows the straight profile seen in the computer-generated images. Instead, it now features a ramp that promotes a clear downwash effect.
The intention may be to direct airflow towards the floor to energise the cascade of flaps that last year were attached to the brake duct. Under the current regulations, however, these elements must now be anchored to the diffuser.
In front of the rear wheel, at the corner of the floor, a small rapidly prototyped vortex generator has been installed. Its purpose is to deflect airflow away from the tyre, attempting to force exactly those air paths that the FIA had hoped to restrict.
These are just the first updates that have changed the face of the W17, which showed no serious issues despite the wet conditions at Silverstone. The power unit completed its initial mileage without problems, giving the impression of a project that has started on the right footing.
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