Lighter single-seater with active aerodynamics marks the team's attempt to regain hegemony under new engine rules
Mercedes-AMG revealed on Thursday (22) the first images of the W17 E PERFORMANCE: the single-seater that marks the German team’s entry into the new phase of Formula 1, effective from 2026. The model represents the team’s first concrete response to the ruleset that promises to redefine the hierarchy of forces on the grid from now on.
The 2026 championship is treated behind the scenes as a historic “reset”, imposing simultaneous changes to chassis, power units and fuels. Designed for this scenario, the W17 materializes the demand for smaller, narrower and significantly lighter cars. The great technical novelty, however, lies in the active aerodynamics: the model incorporates movable front and rear wings, essential for managing drag on the straights and aerodynamic pressure in corners.
Under the hood, the revolution is equally profound. The mechanical assembly abandons the current architecture to adopt an almost symmetrical power division between the internal combustion engine and the electrical system, powered by 100% sustainable fuels developed in partnership with Petronas.
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Visually, the W17 symbolizes a synthesis of the brand’s identity. The color scheme reinterprets the traditional “silver arrows”, mixing silver at the front with the exposed black of carbon fiber at the rear — a technical solution for weight reduction that has become aesthetic. A green line runs along the underside of the chassis, while the sides feature a diamond pattern inspired by the AMG sports division.
For Toto Wolff, team principal and CEO of Mercedes, the new regulatory cycle does not allow partial adaptations. The leader classifies the preparation for 2026 as an exercise of “total integration”, where chassis and engine need to be born as an indivisible unit. “This involves continuous innovation and maximum attention to all areas of performance,” said Wolff, highlighting the collaboration between the Brackley (chassis) and Brixworth (engines) plants.
The release of the images is only the first step in the schedule. The W17 will undergo constant evolutions until its physical debut. The team’s official launch is scheduled for February 2, following a critical battery of tests in Barcelona, scheduled between January 26 and 30, where the theory of new engineering will be put to the test on the asphalt.
