Mercedes unveil F1 car for new era with Russell and Antonelli
MNP – Mercedes showed off their new W16 car in a digital launch on Monday as they prepare for pre-season testing and a fresh start after the departure of seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Italian 18-year-old Kimi Antonelli has replaced Hamilton, now 40 and at Ferrari, in the lineup alongside Britain’s George Russell and experienced reserve and former Mercedes racer Valtteri Bottas.
“We open an exciting new era in the story of our team and Mercedes-AMG motorsport in 2025. We are building on the incredible legacy of our heritage, and we can’t wait to go racing,” declared team boss Toto Wolff.
“We have made gains in the off-season, but we will only know where we stand come the first race in Australia.”
Wolff said Russell, the ‘senior driver’ starting his seventh season in the sport, would help lead the team forward while Antonelli faced a rookie year in which “there will inevitably be ups and downs.”
