Mercedes will unveil their 2025 F1 car – the W16 – on Monday 24 February, just two days before pre-season testing begins in Bahrain.
The Silver Arrows begin a new era this season, with Lewis Hamilton having left the team for Ferrari after 12 years and six drivers’ world championships.
Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli replaces Hamilton, with George Russell set to be the team’s No 1 driver in his fourth year under the leadership of team principal Toto Wolff.
Now, Mercedes have confirmed their 2025 challenger will be revealed on 24 February, with the three-day pre-season test in Bahrain starting on Wednesday 26 February. A filming day will take place in Bahrain on 25 February.
A Mercedes press release added that the 2025 car livery will be unveiled at the 10-team season launch event, F1 75 Live, at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday 18 February.
The 2025 season, featuring 24 races, starts on 16 March in Australia.
Antonelli, 18, has been on Mercedes’ books since joining their junior programme at 11 years old. In the years since, he has won numerous karting and single-seater competitions, which has thrust him into the spotlight at such a young age.
In 2023, he won both the Formula Regional Championships in Europe and the Middle East and Mercedes, in partnership with Prema. decided that the highly-rated youngster should skip F3 in 2024.
Antonelli finished sixth in the 2024 F2 standings and on the same weekend as his 2025 F1 seat was announced at Monza in September, Antonelli crashed just 10 minutes into his first practice session at Parabolica corner.
Russell, meanwhile, finished ahead of Hamilton in two out of three seasons alongside the seven-time F1 world champion.
Mercedes finished fourth in last year’s constructors’ championship and will be looking to reel in the gap to McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull out in front this year.
