Just moments after McLaren showcased their 2024 car online, Mercedes unveiled the first digital images of the revamped W15 via their social media platforms in anticipation of a physical test run on track.
Mercedes and McLaren will take to the track at Silverstone for preliminary tests with their newly launched cars, spending the day there before proceeding to Bahrain for the pre-season tests scheduled for next week.
The team is optimistic about making significant progress in 2024, which marks Lewis Hamilton‘s last year with them before he moves to Ferrari in 2025. George Russell will continue to be his teammate, entering his third year with the Silver Arrows.
Following a challenging 2022 with the introduction of the ground effect era in Formula 1, Mercedes continued with their car design into 2023. However, persistent issues in the early part of the season led to what the team has described as a “period of renewal,” resulting in a strategic pivot for 2024.
Despite securing second place in the constructors’ championship in 2023, Mercedes concluded the season a substantial 451 points behind champions, Red Bull.
Team Principal Toto Wolff has thus acknowledged the significant challenge ahead, likening it to “climbing a mountain” for Mercedes.
“There are no miracles in this sport,” Wolff commented. “But our ambition and determination are strong. Since charting this new course, development has progressed well.
“We had several items on our priority list for this car. We will soon see if we’ve made the step we’ve aimed for.”
Wolff added of the struggles faced by the outfit over the past two seasons: “As the saying goes: when it stings, it sticks. I believe the previous two years were necessary for us to readjust, recalibrate and reinvent ourselves in certain areas.
“That root-and-branch approach is never easy. But we’ve made progress and look forward to taking the next step with the W15. It won’t be a linear path, but when we stumble, we will get back up and keep climbing.”
Seen in:
