Mercedes 2026 F1 Car Sounds Like Absolute Violence

Mercedes has begun on-track work with its 2026 Formula 1 challenger, giving the W17 its first public outing at Silverstone as the sereies prepares for one of the most sweeping regulation changes in recent history.

The shakedown came just hours after the car’s official unveiling and marked the first time the Brackley-based team tested its new chassis and power unit as a complete package. George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli shared driving duties during the filming day, running on Pirelli’s mandated demonstration tyres.

Mercedes logged 67 laps of Silverstone’s 2.9-mile International layout, using the first of its two permitted promotional event days, which allow up to 200 kilometers of running each. While Alpine had already tested Mercedes’ new 2026-spec V6 hybrid engine earlier in the week as a customer team, this session represented the first full-system check for the factory outfit.

Silverstone remains a natural proving ground for Mercedes. The circuit sits close to the team’s chassis operation in Brackley and its powertrain facility in Brixworth, making it a familiar venue for early-season filming days. According to trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin, the focus was strictly on systems checks and reliability rather than performance.

With the Silverstone shakedown complete, Mercedes now turns its attention to the first official pre-season test at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya later this month. That five-day window, running from January 26 to 30, will be conducted behind closed doors, with teams selecting three days out of five to gather data. Two official tests will follow in Bahrain in February, where running will be open to the media and spectators.

Mercedes joins a growing list of teams that have already put 2026 machinery on track. Audi led the way following its takeover of Sauber, with Cadillac, Racing Bulls, and Alpine also completing early shakedowns. The expanded testing schedule reflects the scale of the 2026 reset, which introduces new chassis dimensions alongside a revised hybrid formula that places far greater emphasis on electrical energy.

The team carries continuity into the new era with Russell stepping into a clear leadership role alongside Antonelli, who enters his second Formula 1 season. Mercedes closed out 2025 second in the constructors’ standings, ahead of Red Bull and Ferrari but some distance behind McLaren. Whether the early groundwork at Silverstone translates into a stronger start under the new rules will become clearer once competitive testing begins in earnest.

This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.

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