Mercedes puts new W17 cars to test at Silverstone

Mercedes revealed its 2026 car on Thursday, with team CEO Toto Wolff saying the smaller, narrower and lighter chassis will be up to the challenge for F1's technical shakeups in the upcoming season.

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli ran laps in their cars at England's Silverstone Circuit during promotional testing, one day after Alpine ran laps with its new Mercedes cars at the same layout.

Mercedes engines will run on an equal split of electric and combustion power, including sustainable fuels provided by Petronas, which is displayed prominently on the car as a title sponsor. The 2026 cars will feature movable front and rear wings.

"Formula One will undergo significant change in 2026, and we are prepared for that transition," Wolff said in a news release. "The new regulations demand innovation and absolute focus across every area of performance. Our work on the new car, and the long-term development of the Power Unit and advanced sustainable fuels ... reflects that approach."

The new "AMG F1 W17 E Performance" entries will continue to operate with a predominately black paint scheme with green flow lines.

Russell, who joined Mercedes in 2022, finished fourth in the driver's championship standings in 2025. Antonelli, who was a rookie for Mercedes last season, finished seventh. Mercedes was second in the constructors' standings to McLaren-Mercedes.

"We will continue to push hard in the months ahead," Wolff said.

All teams will gather in Barcelona next week for official testing with cars running behind closed doors.

--Field Level Media