In a significant update for F1 News: Mercedes fans, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team has opted to deviate from its established tradition of hosting a standalone launch event for its latest Formula 1 car. For the upcoming season, Motorsport.com has learned that the unveiling of the highly anticipated W16 will take place during a filming day at the Bahrain International Circuit.
The Mercedes W16, set to be piloted by George Russell and the promising rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, is scheduled to make its debut on track on February 25th at the Bahrain International Circuit. This filming day precedes the official pre-season testing, which is also slated to occur at the same venue from February 26th to 28th.
Formula 1 regulations permit teams to conduct ‘Promotional Events’ spanning up to 200km. This allowance grants both Russell and Antonelli the opportunity to accumulate as many as 36 laps on the Sakhir circuit, providing valuable initial data and visual content of the W16 in action.
Silverstone has been the customary location for Mercedes’ Formula 1 car launches since 2017, where each new challenger was revealed in the early hours before commencing a filming day. A notable exception was the W12 launch in 2021. Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, humorously addressed that deviation at the time, citing Silverstone’s unpredictable weather. “It always rains in Silverstone, so we decided that we don’t want to stand in the freezing rain again!” Wolff quipped.
Expanding on the rationale behind the Bahrain filming day launch, Wolff stated, “We will be doing the filming day on the Tuesday after the Bahrain test. This, I think, is more representative and better pictures than we could probably get at Silverstone.”
This strategic shift towards a later launch in Bahrain allows Mercedes to maximize the development timeline of the W16. With the current ground-effect technical regulations now in their fourth season, the likelihood of encountering fundamental teething problems during the initial shakedown is reduced. This approach aims to ensure a smoother and more productive pre-season testing period.
However, the distinctive Mercedes livery for the 2024 season will still be presented to the public prior to the Bahrain track debut. It is scheduled to be showcased at F1’s official season launch event at London’s O2 Arena on February 18th. This event holds particular significance as it commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Formula One World Championship.
In line with the embargo on livery reveals until the official F1 season launch, Ferrari has also opted for a later unveiling, choosing a 19th February online launch. Aston Martin is anticipated to follow a similar digital reveal strategy. Williams, on the other hand, is set to unveil its FW47 on Valentine’s Day, albeit with a special “bespoke one-off livery”. Intriguingly, sources within Motorsport.com suggest that some teams may delay their car reveals until the pre-season testing commences on February 26th, adding an element of suspense to the lead-up to the new Formula 1 season.
