Mercedes were one of many teams to complete 200km of running at Bahrain today, capitalising on one of their annual ‘filming days’ to get some data on the W16.
The Silver Arrows regularly fought for wins last season, although they also suffered from some very disappointing weekends – such was the inconsistent nature of their 2024 challenger.
For this season’s campaign, Mercedes have brought a series of alterations – including a new front suspension.
James Allison and his technical department are optimistic that a new aerodynamic platform will put them on a better path for 2025.
Mercedes want to learn from previous mistakes
Traditionally, the Brackley-based outfit have been renowned for very consistent development – quickly correcting issues once they arise and finding solutions to outpace rivals.
It was often this strength that allowed Toto Wolff’s squad to prevail against Ferrari in the late 2010s, with the Scuderia often losing ground to the German constructor mid-season.
However, this has not been the case since the 2022 regulations arrived.
Correlation between the wind tunnel and the track has been difficult to rely on, with the Brackley engineers often confused by the car’s performance.
Most concerningly for Mercedes, after enjoying a very strong run of events before the summer break, McLaren and Ferrari both made comprehensive progress in the second half of the season.
Even Red Bull overcame their mid-season hiccups, albeit to a more limited extent.
Regardless, whilst Mercedes had brilliant flashes of performance (i.e Las Vegas), Toto Wolff’s team could not overcome their fundamental issues.
Wolff: Russell will lead the team
With the 2025 season ever-closer, the Mercedes team principal is optimistic:
“We have made gains in the off-season, but we will only know where we stand come the first race in Australia. We have an exciting line-up to help us achieve our objectives.
“Both drivers have progressed through our junior programme and that is a vindication of our commitment to both supporting and developing talent.
“George has proven that he is one of the very best drivers on the grid, capable of competing for the Drivers’ Championship if we can give him a car capable of doing so.”
During the winter break, Russell has spoken openly about his expectations for the new season.
Not only is the British driver optimistic that Mercedes can perform at the highest level, but he is not afraid of going head-to-head with Max Verstappen.
Irrespective of which team is fastest in 2025, George Russell will be expected to act as a reference point for the team.
With Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari, Mercedes must ensure this transitional phase goes smoothly.
If the W16 is not a sizable step forward, Toto Wolff’s squad risk being reliant on the regulation changes to change their fortunes.
“As the senior driver, he will help lead the team forward and support Kimi in his development.
“Kimi has all the necessary talent to achieve great things at the pinnacle of the sport, but this is a rookie season and there will inevitably be ups and downs.
“We’re looking forward to that journey together though and helping him develop over the course of the year.”
