The Mercedes-AMG F1 W17 E Performance is the team’s first car built to the sweeping new regulations introduced for 2026, with the car designed around an all-new chassis and power unit package.
The W17 is smaller, narrower and lighter than its predecessor, reflecting the scale of the regulatory reset.
Active front and rear wings form part of the aerodynamic concept, while the car runs on advanced sustainable fuels developed in partnership with long-term fuel supplier Petronas.
Visually, the W17 also marks a change in the team’s livery, blending their traditional silver and black with a prominent Petronas green flow line sweeping across the car, while AMG-inspired detailing features on the sidepods and engine cover.
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Team principal and CEO Toto Wolff said the unveiling was a milestone in a long-term development program focused on adapting to the new era of F1.
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“Formula 1 will undergo significant change in 2026, and we are prepared for that transition,” Wolff said.
“The new regulations demand innovation and absolute focus across every area of performance.
“Our work on the new car, and the long-term development of the power unit and advanced sustainable fuels with Petronas, reflects that approach.
“Releasing the first images of the W17 is simply the next step in that process.
“It represents the collective, sustained effort of our teams in Brixworth and Brackley. We will continue to push hard in the months ahead.”
Mercedes enters 2026 off the back of a runner-up finish in last year’s constructors’ championship and will again field George Russell and Kimi Antonelli as its drivers.
With the introduction of new power unit regulations, the team is widely viewed in the paddock as one of the early benchmarks, given its works status and historical strength when regulation cycles reset, as well as their believed interpretation of engine compression ratios under the new regulations.
The W17 reveal also capped a busy day for the Brackley-based squad, which earlier announced a new multi-year partnership with Microsoft.
The deal will see Microsoft’s cloud and enterprise AI technologies embedded across Mercedes’ operations, from factory-based simulation and development to trackside decision-making.
“Our sport is driven by those who lead through innovation,” Wolff said of the partnership.
“We are delighted to partner with Microsoft, one of the world’s foremost technology leaders, whose name is synonymous with groundbreaking innovation.”
The team will formally launch its season on February 2, when further studio imagery, video and on-track footage of the W17 will be released, before heading to Bahrain for official pre-season testing.
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