Mercedes has confirmed the launch date for its 2026 System 1 challenger, the W17. The Brackley outfit is about to unveil the W17 on 22 January 2026 earlier than personal testing takes place from 26 to 30 January.Â
The group will launch renders of the livery on 22 January earlier than a season launch occasion on 2 February, which can be out there to stream dwell on-line. Drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli can be current on the 2 February launch occasion together with group boss Toto Wolff.
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After ending second within the 2025 constructors’ championship and dominating the 2014-21 hybrid period, expectations are excessive for Mercedes in 2026. The upcoming season welcomes a brand new wave of laws, which is able to embody a hybrid powertrain with a 50/50 cut up between engine and electrical energy.Â
Whereas Wolff hopes to copy the success seen within the earlier hybrid period, he downplayed the hype from followers. “Nicely, I’d very a lot hope so. However I am a infamous pessimist, and the glass is at all times half empty slightly than half full,” the Mercedes group chief defined throughout a Mercedes debrief video after the 2025 season.
“And we have set ourselves targets on the facility unit and the identical on the chassis. Whether or not these targets had been bold sufficient, whether or not now we have missed the trick… whether or not our execution goes to be as faultless accurately? I do not know.
“We will see some glimpses of efficiency steadiness in testing late in January after which in Bahrain. However I feel the secret goes to be the fixed growth of the instruments all through the season.”
The 2026 season will kick off on 6-8 March with the Australian Grand Prix after testing on 11-13 and 18-20 February.
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