Mercedes says it intends to be in title competition in 2025 because it formally launches the W16 that will probably be pushed by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
All ten groups will probably be working in pre-season testing in Bahrain this week, however forward of Wednesday’s opening day there are a selection of shakedowns happening, with Mercedes on monitor on Tuesday. After Mercedes completed fourth in final yr’s constructors’ championship – 121 factors behind Pink Bull in third and 198 adrift of title-winner McLaren – group principal Toto Wolff is anticipating a more in-depth yr forward.
“It will be a extremely aggressive season,” Wolff stated. “We noticed final yr simply how shut the sector was. You couldn’t say race-to-race who could be on the entrance, and I count on this yr to be even nearer. We must be at our best if we need to problem for championships this season.”
Russell and Antonelli’s partnership is described by Mercedes as the subsequent chapter following the departure of Lewis Hamilton, and technical director James Allison says the goal has been to provide the drivers a automobile that they will have extra confidence in.
“Being the fourth yr of those laws on the chassis facet, the automobiles are within the extra mature section. Massive positive aspects in lap time are tougher to return by however we’ve been concentrating on making enhancements within the areas that held us again final yr,” Allison stated.
“Our major focus has been on dialing out the W15’s slight reluctance to show in sluggish corners, together with the imbalance in tyre temperatures that made the automobile inconsistent from session to session.
“We’re happy with our progress over the winter and we’re wanting ahead to discovering out the place we stack up in opposition to everybody else.
“Will probably be a fiercely fought championship from the off. At this stage of the laws, the automobiles are converging by way of efficiency. There will probably be a number of winners, and it’s potential that we are going to see much more groups than the 4 that scored victories final yr taking to the highest step of the rostrum.”
The principle mechanical adjustments embrace a brand new entrance suspension for the W16, whereas the group says each aerodynamic floor has been up to date together with additional unseen developments that beneath the bodywork.
Mercedes gained 4 races in 2024, and energy unit boss Hywel Thomas believes tiny positive aspects can have a significant influence in turning that into extra constant victories.
“We’ve been taking a look at reliability updates, and a few calibration upgrades, to ship robustness, squeeze the final little bits of efficiency out of the facility unit and provides ourselves the most effective alternative this season,” Thomas stated. “We’ve made good progress and hopefully that may add efficiency on monitor.
“Given the place we’re on this set of laws, lap time positive aspects are small. There’s nonetheless the chance to search out little bits and that may be the distinction come Saturday and Sunday.
“You might see final yr, notably in qualifying, simply how shut a few of the groups had been on the entrance. Discovering these 10 or 20 milliseconds is essential; it may be the distinction between pole or the second or third row. We’ll proceed chasing these positive aspects and hopefully be within the struggle for the championships come Abu Dhabi.”
