The Brackley team has retained the rear of the W15 but has changed the front of the W16, homologating a new chassis that houses the steering column moved behind the lower wishbone of the front suspension. There are two reasons behind Allison’s decision, which copies an idea from McLaren.
The Mercedes W16 is well-received by the drivers: George Russell appreciated the Brackley car during its debut in the collective tests in Sakhir, while rookie Kimi Antonelli quickly found a good pace in the long run, discovering that the black silver arrow appears less tricky to handle than last year’s car.
As previously mentioned, the rear end is a carryover: the engine, gearbox, and rear suspension are shared components with Aston Martin and Williams, maintaining the 2024 configuration (except for the suspension arm covers, which have been redesigned to align with the new sidepods).
The major changes are concentrated at the front: Mercedes redesigned the chassis (which failed the first crash test in December) due to an update in the front end. There had been speculation about a possible switch to a pull-rod suspension, but James Allison decided to stick with the well-established push-rod layout in Brackley.
The bold move concerns the steering column, which is no longer cantilevered on the chassis but has been relocated behind the lower wishbone. James Allison, with the support of Simone Resta, deputy technical director present in the Bahrain garage, followed the path brilliantly pioneered by McLaren last year.
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