How hard did Valentino Rossi push Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes-AMG F1 W08 at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia during their recent ride swap? See for yourself in this onboard video, and strap.
Mercedes have unveiled their 2021 title contender, the W12, releasing rendered images of the car they hope will carry the team to an eighth successive double.
Mercedes emerged as the team to beat in 2014, powered by its superior hybrid V6 turbo engine.
Taking the championship title away from Red Bull, Mercedes has gone from strength to strength with little sign that their rivals can stop them this season.
Last year Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas claimed 13 of the campaign’s 17 race wins, finishing 1-2 in the Drivers’ Championship with Mercedes taking the Constructors’ title.
- Aston Martin's Twitter handle is having some cheeky fun with the Mercedes social media team on a post where the legendary British team welcomes in its latest scout, Sebastian Vettel, who joins them after a 6-year stint with Scuderia Ferrari.
- The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team wraps up 2021 pre-season testing with140 laps on the final day at the Bah. Valtteri Tops Day Two of Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain Valtteri and Lewis complete 116 laps in the Mercedes W12 as F1 testing continues in Bahrain.
Hamilton’s title success was his seventh with the Brit – the last of the drivers to commit to the 2021 championship – the favourite to make it number eight, and take the record, this season.
Mercedes is hoping its 2021 challenger, the W12, which draws heavily on last year’s W11, is the car that can continue their run.
Introducing the W12 ?? Get your first look at our 2021 F1 car! #WeLivePerformancepic.twitter.com/RiZEBTyarb
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) March 2, 2021
The new car embraces a different livery with the Mercedes taking on a bit more of Ineos’ red and the Petronas blue while last year’s black is still the predominant colour, faded into the more traditional silver.
There are only few changes to the car, most notably to the floor with new rules governing downforce as Formula 1 tries to slow the cars in order to make the Pirelli tyres last for a third season.
![Mercedes F1 Twitter Mercedes F1 Twitter](/uploads/1/3/7/5/137541382/181730439.jpg)
As with their rivals’ cars, there is a majority carry-over from last year’s car with a freeze on development, teams only permitted two tokens to develop this year’s cars.
Mercedes Benz Formula One Team
Appcrash excel windows 7. New aero regulation changes for 2021…so what's changed on the Mercedes W12? ? #F1pic.twitter.com/uDlAtySZVv
— Planet F1 (@Planet_F1) March 2, 2021
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Other changes that Mercedes are having to deal with are the new budget cap and also having less time in the wind tunnel than any of its rivals.
In a bid to level the playing field, Formula 1 has not only introduced a $145 million cap, but there is a new sliding scale that dictates the amount of time a team can spend in the wind tunnel and using CFD. The better the previous year’s results, the less time.
As such Mercedes’ championship success means the Brackley squad has had less of that fundamental asset, the wind tunnel and the CFD computers, compared to their competitors.
The Mercedes drivers in their 2021 kit ? #F1pic.twitter.com/HqAOo4Q5lf
— Planet F1 (@Planet_F1) March 2, 2021
Mercedes Amg F1 Team
The new car will complete a shakedown run before hitting the track at pre-season testing on March 12.
Mercedes Amg F1 Twitter
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