Mercedes went again to black on Wednesday with a smooth new System One automobile they hope will permit Lewis Hamilton and George Russell to battle for wins and titles after a tough 2022 season.
The workforce ended an unprecedented run of eight successive constructors’ titles with third place total final yr after wrestling with a bouncing automobile whose efficiency was exhausting to extract.
Whereas Russell celebrated his first System One victory in Brazil, seven instances world champion Hamilton didn’t win a race all season for the primary time in a System One automobileeer that began in 2007.
Workforce boss Toto Wolff commented that the automobile seemed good at a digital launch from Silverstone the place each drivers had been resulting from give the W14 some first shakedown laps.
“We have seen the automobile now and we’re considering is she quick or not? Have we cured a number of the issues? What are going to be the challenges that we spot on monitor?” added the Austrian. “And that could be a huge unknown.
“However I suppose there’s extra constructive, there may be pleasure, I believe we’ve got the instruments to grasp, we’ve got the instruments to develop and develop the automobile and hopefully give George and Lewis one thing that works.”
Wolff stated the workforce can be going “all-in” to get again in entrance and beat champions Red Bull, who’ve Max Verstappen chasing a 3rd successive drivers’ title, and runners-up Ferrari.
Mercedes ran a silver liveried automobile final yr and the return to the black of 2020 and 2021, tying in with the workforce’s push for better range, has the extra good thing about saving weight by eradicating paint and leaving uncooked automobilebon fibre.
Hamilton, now 38 and winner of a document 103 grands prix, stated the automobile seemed nice in black..
The Briton, beginning his eleventh season with the workforce and “planning to remain just a little bit longer”, stated he at all times believed he may get higher.
Russell stated the workforce had learnt loads final yr.
“We’re all right here to win, it is so simple as that,” he added.
“We have to see what the challenges we face with, however the workforce have put a lot exhausting work into this automobile, the motivation and the hearth throughout the manufacturing unit is simply immense. As a result of folks do not need to repeat of what occurred in 2022. So we’re prepared for it, we’re motivated to go on the market and battle.”
Germany’s Mick Schumacher has joined the workforce from Haas as reserve whereas Mercedes even have some new sponsors with Qualcomm Applied sciences signing a multi-year take care of its Snapdragon model, beforehand at Ferrari.
The season begins in Bahrain on March 5, with testing on the Sakhir circuit subsequent week.
