FIRST LOOK: Mercedes’ 2024 F1 car makes track debut during Silverstone demo run
The Mercedes W15 F1 car has had its first track running at Silverstone.
Mercedes’ eagerly-anticipated 2024 F1 car has been given its track debut during a short demo run at Silverstone.
The revamped W15 was showcased on Wednesday morning at the British Grand Prix venue, before Lewis Hamilton and George Russell both made brief appearances driving it for the first time. Russell was the first to get behind the wheel of the new Mercedes.
Only 15km of running was logged by the new Mercedes around the short international layout of the Silverstone circuit in what was classed as a ‘demo day’.
The W15 will get its first proper track running during a 200km filming day in Bahrain on Tuesday, a day before pre-season testing begins.
Mercedes’ 2024 challenger will be Hamilton’s last car before the seven-time world champion completes a shock switch to Ferrari in 2025.
Toto Wolff has described Mercedes’ new F1 car as a “complete relaunch” as the team looks to bounce back from two challenging seasons.
Mercedes have won just one grand prix in F1’s current aerodynamic regulation cycle and endured their first winless campaign since 2011 last season, despite finishing second in the constructors’ standings.
The eight-time constructors’ world champions hope the W15 can help them close the gap to Red Bull - who won 21 of the 22 races last year - and return to the front of the F1 grid.
"Most important is that you look inward. What is it we got wrong? Why did the virtual world not correlate with the real world?” Wolff said.
"And we found some clues and tried to eliminate some variables. We know it is difficult and a big mountain to climb because if a team is far ahead like Red Bull was last year it is not easy.
"But we have a superb driver combination, hopefully a fast car and I think there are some very good ingredients to be back at the front again."
