Mercedes wraps up the fourth day of official pre-season testing in Bahrain with renewed confidence. The brand-new W17 has confirmed its solidity during long runs and impressed on the single lap, with George Russell posting the fastest time of the entire testing session so far. The Brackley team has not focused solely on speed, introducing a package of technical updates designed to maximize the car’s potential. This work was closely evaluated by both drivers and Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ track operations director.
Kimi Antonelli: “Clean morning, updates work”
Kimi Antonelli finally enjoyed a smooth session, free from the reliability issues that had slowed him down last week. The young Bolognese driver focused on a series of short long runs of around ten laps each, prioritizing pace consistency over full race distance. Encouragingly, the C3 tyre degradation remained minimal despite morning track temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius.
Antonelli also debuted an aero package affecting the floor, sidepods, and a heavily revised rear end: “We had a positive morning, and overall it was a good start to this second test session. We had a full program with many elements to evaluate. We were able to complete the list effectively with minimal delays, and we learned a lot more about the W17,” the 2006-born driver commented.
Despite the strong start, Antonelli stressed that the work isn’t finished: “There’s still plenty to do in these final days. Several competitors continue to show strength, so we need to develop the package further and extract more performance. Australia isn’t far off, and we’ll work hard to maximize our remaining time here in Bahrain.”
George Russell: “We’re in a better position than a week ago”
In the afternoon, George Russell took to the track, completing 78 laps and setting a stunning 1:33.459 – the fastest reference time seen at Sakhir so far. Russell emphasized the consistency of the work, a sign that the W17 is finally on the right path: “It’s great to be back on track. With only three days of testing left before Melbourne, every lap counts. We didn’t have the best reliability in the first test, but this week we got off to a solid start, completing 147 laps between me and Kimi.”
Russell also highlighted the importance of validating new components to avoid design surprises: “We brought several updates, and the program focused on evaluating them to ensure no unpleasant surprises. We managed to complete most of the planned work and can continue learning in the final two days.”
Shovlin: “Good operating window and degradation under control”
Andrew Shovlin summarized the day, confirming that the new parts performed as expected: “We started these last days solidly, completing 69 laps with Kimi and 78 with George. The W17’s new components seem to work as hoped.”
Beyond the aerodynamic updates, the Mercedes team worked hard on setup to adapt the car to the desert’s large temperature swings: “The track changes considerably throughout the day, heating and cooling, which makes result analysis challenging. However, we managed to keep the car in a good operating window, and it was encouraging to see that tyre degradation is under control. We still have a lot of work ahead, but we hope the W17 continues to run reliably so we can complete the full program,” concluded Shovlin.
Mercedes’ dominant performance on Day 4 in Sakhir—highlighted by Russell’s record lap and Antonelli’s successful aero evaluation—indicates that the W17 is reaching peak form just in time for the Australian Grand Prix, though the team remains focused on maximizing reliability during the final days of testing.
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