Mercedes marks the end of its turbo-hybrid power unit era with Brixworth celebration. Mercedes has celebrated the end of its historic turbo-hybrid power unit era.

Mercedes has organised a special event at Brixworth to bring to a close an era of power units that has defined the team’s history in Formula 1.

With the arrival of the new regulations next season, Formula 1 engines will undergo major changes compared to the technical framework introduced back in 2014. To mark the end of the first turbo-hybrid power unit era, Mercedes staged a celebratory showcase at Brixworth. The event saw reserve driver Frederik Vesti take to the track in both the 2014 W05 and the 2025 W16, symbolically linking the beginning and the end of this extraordinary chapter.

Brixworth is the home where Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) has designed and built its engines over the years. Together with fuel partner PETRONAS, the Brackley-based team wrote the opening chapter of the turbo-hybrid era in Formula 1, setting new benchmarks for performance and efficiency.

Across 252 races, Mercedes-powered cars have achieved 140 victories and 150 pole positions. The numbers are even more impressive when it comes to podium finishes, which stand at an incredible 387. These statistics tell the story of the dominance enjoyed during this historic phase of the sport. Should expectations for the 2026 regulations be confirmed, these figures could yet continue to grow.

The event organised by Mercedes

Yesterday, Mercedes hosted a celebratory event at Brixworth, officially drawing a line under the power unit era that began in 2014. Hywel Thomas, Managing Director of Mercedes AMG HPP, said: “It’s been an incredible day here at Brixworth, celebrating our success in the current turbo-hybrid era that we’ve been racing in since 2014. We rarely get the opportunity to stop and reflect on what has been achieved. Doing so with so many of our team-mates has been really special.”

“The statistics are extraordinary, and everyone involved at Brixworth, at Brackley, and our colleagues at PETRONAS in Malaysia and around the world can be rightly proud of their contribution. This is the first time we’ve run a Formula 1 car here at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, and there couldn’t have been a more special moment to do it,” he added.

The team enjoyed enormous success during this period, winning championships in 12 of the last 10 seasons, including the two most recent titles claimed by McLaren with Mercedes power. The 2014 regulation shift undoubtedly played a key role in taking Mercedes to the top of Formula 1, and the partnership with Lewis Hamilton in particular defined an entire era. However, the challenge resumes immediately, with 2026 just around the corner.

“Today was a brief pause to celebrate the success of the past 12 years, but then it was straight back to work as we focus on what we want to achieve heading into 2026. It’s such an exciting time as we stand on the edge of the next era of our sport,” Hywel Thomas concluded.

Frederik Vesti’s showcase

Frederik Vesti took to the track in both the W05 and the W16, celebrating the beginning and the end of this engine era. “It was special to be able to celebrate this incredible era of success with our team-mates here at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains. Being entrusted to drive the W05 and the W16, the two cars that marked the start and the end of this successful era, was fantastic,” the Danish driver said.

Vesti even treated those present to a series of donuts in the 2014 car, becoming one of the standout figures of the celebration of this power unit era. The weather conditions were far from ideal, typical of the classic English climate, but despite that, everything went smoothly and the event was a fitting tribute to a historic chapter in Formula 1.