Mercedes Unveils the W16
After revealing the W16’s livery, Mercedes officially presented the actual car yesterday afternoon.
Beyond aerodynamic updates, the W16 features significant mechanical changes aimed at addressing the weaknesses of its predecessor, the W15. Allison identified these issues as poor performance in slow corners and an imbalance in tire temperatures, which made the car inconsistent from session to session.
James Allison’s Words
The British engineer hopes the improvements seen in the simulator translate to the track. While the W16 starts from a solid foundation, it is not yet exceptional. By the end of 2024, Mercedes was competing with Red Bull for the position of the third-best team, showing strong progress throughout the season. Now, James Allison expects similar growth from other teams as the current technical regulations approach their final phase.
“We are pleased with our progress over the winter and look forward to seeing where we stand compared to everyone else,” said the former Ferrari engineer. “It will be a very tight championship from the start. The cars are converging in performance, there will be more winners, and it’s possible that even more teams than the four that won last year will reach the top step of the podium.”
“With this being the fourth year under these chassis regulations, the cars are now in a more mature phase. It’s becoming harder to find major gains in lap time.”
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