The 2026 Formulation 1 non-public shakedown in Barcelona couldn’t have gone any higher for Mercedes, says its engineering director Andrew Shovlin.
This week featured the primary set of on-track operating for the 2026 season, which’ll introduce a brand new set of laws with adjustments to each the chassis and energy unit.
As a result of all the things is new, this yr’s pecking order is just not but recognized however Mercedes continues to be the bookmakers’ favorite for the constructors’ title contemplating it dominated the final engine swap in 2014.
The Silver Arrows backed up such promise with its three days of operating in Barcelona, the utmost a staff is allowed, as Wednesday noticed Andrea Kimi Antonelli already full a full race simulation.
He shared the W17 with team-mate and drivers’ championship favorite George Russell that day, by which the pair accomplished a mixed 183 laps, serving to Mercedes clock essentially the most laps of the week thus far.
The whole lot now appears to be like good for Mercedes to return its as soon as dominant kind, which ended with the introduction of ground-effect vehicles in 2022 when it went on to win simply seven races in 4 seasons.
“For Mercedes specifically, that final set of laws was powerful for us – it was 4 troublesome years,” Shovlin, who was with the Silver Arrows when it received a record-breaking eight, consecutive championships from 2014 to 2021, informed F1 TV.
Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director, Mercedes-AMG, within the staff principals Press Convention
Photograph by: FIA Pool
“It is simply good to see how a lot vitality folks have put into this challenge. Some folks have been engaged on this automotive for fairly a number of years now, I do not assume we may have hoped for a greater three days of testing. So, simply nicely finished to everybody at each factories. It has been very nice to come back right here and see it run on observe.”
Though Russell continued Mercedes’ spectacular kind from Wednesday by setting the quickest lap on Thursday, what’s most spectacular is how a lot mileage the Silver Arrows has accomplished.
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It subsequently backs up the rumours that its energy unit is the very best in F1, as Shovlin added: “We had been centered on simply understanding the brand new methods. There’s at all times going to be a variety of challenges with new energy models, new electronics.
“Clearly, the laws are all new on the chassis facet, however the entire areas that weren’t nice on day one, we have made good progress. In order that’s very encouraging and that progress is definitely making us faster day-to-day – that is nice.
“However actually, I feel the reliability has simply been wonderful, which is a big testomony to all that work at Bricksworth and at Brackley to convey this challenge collectively.”
Up subsequent for Mercedes are the official pre-season assessments in Bahrain [11-13 and 18-20 February] earlier than the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 6-8 March.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photograph by: Mercedes AMG
Melbourne kickstarts a 24-round marketing campaign, so there’s nonetheless an extended street forward and Shovlin is just not getting carried away by this week – significantly given it’s the Barcelona observe in January, the place all the things is way cooler than what stays of 2026.
“Bahrain, we will transfer extra to set-up exploration, attempting to work out the way you get the automotive in the precise window,” he stated.
“And while you are able to do set-up right here, it is so chilly, it is not likely related to any racetrack. So, Bahrain goes to be a a lot better place to examine that the automotive runs nicely at temperature, each by way of the chassis efficiency facet, but in addition simply the methods operating successfully.
“That closing Bahrain [test], hopefully, will likely be extra simply in regards to the race prep. So, making ready for qualifying, making ready for race and all of the conditions that that throws up.”
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