The new Mercedes W16 for the 2025 F1 World Championship is the result of extensive work on the aerodynamic front. At first glance, it may seem like a simple evolution of the W15, a car plagued by various fundamental issues. Technical director James Allison commented on the new creation, stating that every visible aerodynamic surface has been updated and adapted to address last year’s problems at their root. The work on the new car did not focus on developing large-scale changes or seeking a revolution in philosophy.
We have now reached the final year of these regulations, and as has been mentioned on several occasions, teams are approaching what is known as the “performance asymptote.” Beyond a certain point, it becomes increasingly difficult to gain further lap time improvements, causing the field to inevitably tighten. The Brackley-based F1 team has therefore chosen to focus primarily on optimizing what already worked without making drastic changes to any part of the car, refining and correcting what was not performing at its best.
The engineers pursued two main objectives. The first was to increase mechanical grip in the more technical sections of circuits, and the second was to improve the thermal balance of the tires between the front and rear. In 2024, the rear tires often overheated while the front ones remained cooler—a discrepancy that became a primary focus for the 2025 season. From what is known, Mercedes has resolved the inconsistency issues with the W16, though this remains to be confirmed on track.
F1, Mercedes W16: Modified Push-Rod for Flow Interaction
Examining the front of the car, the first change in philosophy is evident: the nose is now integrated with the main plane, whereas last year, these two elements were separate. Looking at the images, it seems that a small section for airflow passage remains, helping to reduce stagnation pressure and partially feed the floor. Most teams take the opposite approach, prioritizing optimal floor airflow. Mercedes must have identified a specific advantage in this design choice.
Moving forward, the front suspension remains a push-rod setup, contrary to speculation in recent weeks. Given the various correlation issues, Mercedes opted for continuity, trying to extract the most from the push-rod scheme. Switching to a pull-rod setup, as Ferrari has done, would have required a redistribution of the suspension arms, which the team chose to avoid. It should be noted, however, that even in the 2024 F1 season, the W15’s suspension layout was already largely in line with other teams regarding the spatial positioning of its arms.
The relatively high mounting point of the first upper wishbone remains to aid airflow management. Additionally, the attachment point of the push-rod on the chassis side has been slightly raised, a change visible in comparisons. The suspension dynamics and its interaction with airflow were key focus areas for the German F1 team. The movement of the suspension geometry and its effect on the airflow field underwent extensive study over the past year, making this more of a refinement than a revolution.
F1, Mercedes W16: Reshaped Sidepods and Different Squat Management
Moving to the car’s central area, the airflow intake section now features the characteristic “L” shape, a solution that all teams are increasingly adopting. The vertical slot is designed to remove the thickened boundary layer caused by prolonged contact with the chassis wall, improving the quality of the airflow passing through the undercut area. The leading edge of the sidepods resembles an airfoil, and the sidepods themselves have undergone a significant redesign.
As seen at Ferrari, where the new philosophy reduces pressure loss, Mercedes’ F1 engineers have lightened the central and lower sections of the sidepods, raising them by a few millimeters. This was achieved by repositioning internal components to enhance both the quality and quantity of airflow directed toward the rear. At the back, the sidepods now feature an indentation—a solution initially introduced by Red Bull. This design helps impart greater lateral airflow movement, directing it toward the outer shoulder of the rear tires.
When managed correctly, this airflow adjustment yields two benefits. First, it reduces turbulence caused by tire rotation. Second, it increases the amount of clean air feeding the floor through the so-called “mouse-hole” opening. The floor design remains similar to the previous car, at least in terms of its sharp edge, though the real innovations may not yet be visible in the current renders. The engine cover shows no significant changes for now, maintaining a downwash layout to improve airflow to the beam-wing area.
The rear suspension has been updated and improved while retaining last year’s push-rod geometry. The push-rod remains nearly horizontal, but to narrow the engine cover section, its chassis attachment point has been moved slightly inward. If the suspension performs as intended, it should deliver solid aerodynamic benefits. Additionally, the first upper wishbone has been lowered to influence the squat characteristics of the car—a change that will be tested tomorrow in Bahrain.
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