Mercedes W17 Silverstone shakedown: initial impressions from Andrew Shovlin. Mercedes completes the first shakedown of the W17 at Silverstone.

Mercedes W17: shakedown went smoothly

Mercedes successfully completed the first shakedown of the W17 at Silverstone, offering the first glimpse of the car that will compete in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The team focused on verifying the safety and reliability of the new car in preparation for the longer, more intensive test sessions scheduled in Barcelona.

“We had our first day of running the W17 at Silverstone,” stated Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ technical director. “As with any shakedown, the main goal is to ensure that everything works safely and reliably. We were able to complete the planned mileage, with George and Kimi taking the 2026 car out on track for the first time. This is the result of the hard work of everyone at Brackley and Brixworth. Our attention now turns to Barcelona, where we will aim to improve on today’s performance and deepen our understanding of the W17.”

Familiarization with the new platform

The short Silverstone program allowed the drivers to familiarize themselves with the W17’s new technical platform, designed around the major regulatory changes introduced for the 2026 season. The team was able to check the main mechanical and aerodynamic components and collect preliminary data useful for the upcoming tests.

Both George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli provided initial, high-level feedback on the W17’s behavior on track. Naturally, these insights were not meant to identify any major issues, but rather to ensure that everything functioned as expected during this filming day.

Focus shifts to performance and deeper analysis

As Andrew Shovlin highlighted, the team’s attention will now move to improving performance and developing a deeper understanding of the car’s characteristics. These elements will be crucial in interpreting the 2026 technical regulations and maximizing the potential of the W17 project.

It is clear that today’s shakedown represents an essential first step in preparation for the season, but any conclusions will need to be confirmed later when the car runs in a more “credible” configuration, which will only be observable during the Barcelona test sessions.