Mercedes has unveiled its new W14 Formula 1 car for the 2023 season, returning to a black livery in an attempt to save weight.
In a digital launch broadcast online on Wednesday, Mercedes revealed the updated W14 car alongside drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, team principal Toto Wolff and new reserve driver Mick Schumacher.
The new car features striking black livery, used by Mercedes through 2020 and 2021 as part of its anti-racism messaging. The team returned to their traditional silver last year, but have now gone back to black as part of what the team called a “major project” to reduce overall weight.
After this morning’s launch, both Hamilton and Russell are set to test the Mercedes W14 car for the first time during a reaction at Silverstone later today.
“Our hopes and expectations are always to be able to fight for a world championship,” Wolff said.
“However, our competitors were very strong last year and we are playing to catch up. A career in leadership requires resilience, teamwork and determination.
“We face every challenge, we put the team first and we will leave no stone unturned in the chase for every millisecond. This year, we’re going all out to get back to the front.”
Mercedes W14
Photo by: Mercedes AMG
Mercedes enters the 2023 season looking to bounce back from a lackluster 2022 that saw its eight-season streak of constructors’ championships come to an abrupt end.
The team struggled to adapt to the new technical regulations as both Hamilton and Russell faced a recurring porpoise problem during the early part of the season.
While an update at the Spanish Grand Prix helped combat the problem, Mercedes continued to encounter deeper problems with the W13 car that technical director Mike Elliott said were “built into” its design.
He eventually ended the year with just one win, courtesy of Russell in Brazil, as he finished third in the championship.
“Last year was tough, but it came with a lot of learning,” Wolff said. “I hope that 2023 will be proof that we have understood how to solve the problems and improve the package of the car.”
Mercedes has retained its slim sidepod concept from 2022, but has made notable design changes, such as the gully bodywork on the engine cover. The team also said it has pursued areas such as a “significantly lighter chassis, revised front suspension geometry, cooling system tweaks and a refined aerodynamic concept based on last year’s learning” to improve performance .
“Last year, once we figured out what we needed to do, it took a lot of work to get going,” Elliott said.
“Towards the end of the season, you could see the improvement in performance and the winter has been a reset. We did all the things we wanted to do with W13 last year, but couldn’t because of resource constraints or because our focus was on fixing other issues.”
