Mercedes has just launched the new W14, the ninth car to be unveiled to the public in view of the new Formula 1 season, which will officially start on March 5th in Bahrain – where the winter tests will also take place.
The German team presented the new single-seater to the public via a live broadcast on the official YouTube channel and via its official social accounts. Nothing will change in the Mercedes organic, unlike many teams that have seen major changes in management or line-up. Behind the wheel of the W14 there will be 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and his compatriot George Russell – who finished respectively sixth and fourth in the drivers’ standings last season.
But coming to the W14, the first feature that catches the eye is the color, which has returned to being black, after a year in which the silver arrows had returned to the classic silver. It wasn’t just an aesthetic choice, but a practical decision in terms of weight, which Team Principal and CEO Toto Wolff commented on like this:
“We were overweight last year. This year we have tried to figure out where we can squeeze out every single gram. So now, history repeats itself.
“You will see that the car has some raw carbon bits, along with some that are painted matte black. Of course, when we changed the livery in 2020 the main driving factor was to support the diversity and equality causes which are always close to our heart.
“The colour black became part of our DNA at that point, so we are pleased to return to it.”
Also the drivers commented on the new Mercedes look.
“Aesthetically it looks great! It’s bold, aggressive and stands out.” – George Russell said.
Lewis Hamilton added:“To see the evolution of the car and the changes that have been made is fascinating. We’ve redesigned, optimised, and innovated so many parts of the car and that is impressive. And I love the new livery!”.
During the presentation, Mercedes announced a few new partnerships. Richard Sanders, Chief Commercial Officer said: “The growth of F1 globally is reflected in the ever-increasing interest in joining our partner ecosystem.
“We’re proud to be adding to the excitement of launch day by welcoming both G42 and Qualcomm. They join several other fantastic brands that we have partnered with ahead of the 2023 season and we look forward to working closely with them, and our long-standing partners, throughout the year.”
