Mercedes has unveiled the car it believes can propel them back to the sharp end of Formula 1 as the sport steps into a brand new rules cycle.

From 2014 to 2021, the team ruled the grid with unmatched success, collecting eight straight constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships. That run faded under the previous regulations between 2022 and 2025, but the sweeping reset introduced for this season has offered a fresh opportunity.

Heading into the new campaign, Mercedes is widely tipped as an early pace-setter with all-new chassis and engine rules in play. Their driver lineup remains unchanged, with George Russell continuing after finishing fourth last season and claiming the only race win not taken by McLaren or Red Bull. He is joined once again by Italian youngster Kimi Antonelli.

Attention has already turned to the power units. Rival teams are uneasy amid talk that Mercedes, along with Red Bull’s newly formed powertrains operation, may have interpreted the regulations in a clever way. While the compression ratio is capped at 16:1, it is measured at ambient temperature, raising questions over whether higher operating temperatures could lead to extra performance. These concerns are expected to be discussed at a meeting between teams and the FIA on Thursday.

Mercedes released digital images of the car ahead of its first on-track appearance today at Silverstone. From there, the team will travel to Spain for preseason testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The five-day session will take place behind closed doors, with no independent media present, and each team permitted to run on only three of the available days.