Mercedes Unveils New W16 Car as Team Looks to Bounce Back in 2025

Mercedes has launched its new W16 car, with team principal Toto Wolff hailing George Russell's leadership and technical director James Allison revealing key improvements.

Mercedes has officially launched its new W16 car in a digital event, marking the beginning of a new era for the team following the departure of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The 40-year-old Hamilton has joined Ferrari, and his seat at Mercedes has been taken by 18-year-old Italian driver Kimi Antonelli, who will partner Britain's George Russell. Experienced reserve driver and former Mercedes racer Valtteri Bottas completes the lineup.

Team boss Toto Wolff expressed his excitement about the new era for Mercedes-AMG motorsport in 2025. “We open an exciting new era in the story of our team and Mercedes-AMG motorsport in 2025,” Wolff declared. “We are building on the incredible legacy of our heritage, and we can’t wait to go racing.” While Wolff acknowledged that the team has made gains during the off-season, he remains cautious about their prospects, saying, “We have made gains in the off-season, but we will only know where we stand come the first race in Australia.”

Our 2025 car is here 🔥 Can’t wait to get this out on the track this week 👊🩵 pic.twitter.com/BlNKlznEuM

— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) February 24, 2025

Toto Wolff, team principal of Mercedes, has expressed his confidence in George Russell's ability to lead the team forward. Russell, starting his seventh season in the sport, will be the ”senior driver” and is expected to play a key role in guiding the team. Meanwhile, rookie driver Kimi Antonelli will face a challenging first year, with Wolff acknowledging that “there will inevitably be ups and downs.”

📰: Toto Wolff anticipates “ups and downs” for rookie Kimi Antonelli in the 2025 F1 season but affirms the young Italian’s talent. Wolff also believes George Russell can contend for the drivers’ championship, provided the team delivers a competitive car.#F1 pic.twitter.com/jJWr2fafYm

— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) February 24, 2025

Mercedes is seeking to bounce back from a disappointing 2023 season, where they finished fourth in the constructors' championship. The team had previously dominated the sport, winning a record eight constructors' championships in a row between 2014 and 2021. Technical director James Allison explained that the team has been working hard to address the weaknesses of their W15 car. “We've been concentrating on making improvements in the areas that held us back last year,” he said.

Allison highlighted two specific areas where the team has made progress: improving the car's handling in slow corners and addressing the imbalance in tyre temperatures that made the car inconsistent. “Our primary focus has been on dialling out the W15's slight reluctance to turn in slow corners, along with the imbalance in tyre temperatures that made the car inconsistent from session to session,” he explained. Allison is pleased with the team's progress over the winter and is looking forward to seeing how they stack up against their rivals.

The 2025 season is expected to be highly competitive, with Allison predicting that there could be multiple winners throughout the year. “I think we might see more than the four teams and seven drivers that won last year,” he said. The season gets underway in Australia on March 16, with Mercedes-powered McLaren defending their constructors' title and Red Bull's Max Verstappen chasing a fifth consecutive drivers' crown.