The countdown to the start of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship is getting closer, with the three-day test in Bahrain set to begin this week. It is no coincidence that the last remaining teams yet to unveil their new single-seaters have chosen to do so at the start of this week, and among them is Mercedes.
The team led by Toto Wolff unveiled the W16, the new single-seater built at the Brackley facilities, in the afternoon (Italian time). It was not a presentation like those of the past, with the car immediately hitting the track, but an entirely virtual event.
The first photos of the car, the press release, and the presentation was done. However, to see the new Silver Arrow (which still remains largely black), we will have to wait until tomorrow, as it will make its track debut in Sakhir using the first of the two filming days available to teams this season.
Compared to the W15, the W16 has a nose that connects to the front wing from the first profile, while featuring more tapered sidepods, especially in the central part, and a more contoured “bazooka” at the rear, angled downward. For a more in-depth analysis of the car, we refer you to our technical review.
The presentation of the W16 is certainly not an event to be underestimated. It is, after all, one of the four cars with ambitions to fight for the 2025 titles. But more importantly, it will be the first Formula 1 car for Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
If for Lewis Hamilton the Ferrari SF-25 will be his “first” Red, despite already having tested the SF-23 in a Previous Car Test both at Fiorano and Barcelona, the same applies to Kimi Antonelli. The Bologna-born driver has already had the opportunity to test single-seaters from the Three-Pointed Star, but this will be his car, the one that will mark his debut in the F1 Circus as a full-time driver.
The W16 will also be a crucial car for George Russell and the team itself. The British driver effectively holds the status of lead driver, responsible for guiding the car’s development and attempting to enter the fight for the Drivers’ title. It will be his first time in such a role since he started competing in Formula 1.
Hamilton’s departure—having moved to Ferrari after more than 10 years at Brackley—has shaken up all the existing balances, and Russell will now bear the responsibilities and honors that, until 2024, rested on the shoulders of the seven-time world champion. Moreover, Mercedes is entering a new era, one without Hamilton. Filling such a void immediately in the first season is difficult, but in terms of talent, both Russell and Antonelli promise to ensure he won’t be missed.
In the meantime, here is the W16, which, in terms of appearance, has only the livery as a familiar element. The design was already presented on February 18 at the F1 75 Live event held at the O2 Arena in London. The now-customary color combination—silver and black—dominates, with Petronas green providing contrast, adding a vibrant touch to one of the darkest liveries in modern Formula 1.
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