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In a break with tradition Mercedes is to take the wraps off its 2025 contender behind closed doors.
With media access denied, images of the car and drivers, along with the relevant soundbites, will be issued digitally on Monday 24 February.
While the German team has usually unveiled its car at Silverstone, revealing it in the morning before taking to the track in the afternoon, the W16 will run its first laps at the Sakhir Circuit in Bahrain the following day, with the official pre-season test getting underway the day after (Wednesday).
Other than 2021 – in the midst of the pandemic – Mercedes has launched its car at Silverstone since 2017, the subsequent shakedown allowing the team to iron out any initial niggles.
Deprived of the shakedown in 2021 when the car did finally take to the track at pre-season testing it was beset with issues, meaning that Valtteri Bottas only completed 6 laps before handing over to teammate Lewis Hamilton.
It’s believed that the car Mercedes will use at the official F1 season launch at the O2 in London will be the 2024 car but in the 2025 livery, a trick a number of teams will be employing.
Though not confirmed, it’s believed that a number of teams have had to rethink their launch schedules due to the logistics of the London event.
