P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes believes that it has made “good steps” towards addressing the weaknesses that plagued it in 2024 with the team’s W16 car based on F1 pre-season testing.
Mercedes is aiming to return to title contention in 2025 after struggling with consistency in performance since the reintroduction of ground effect in 2022. The team faced challenges with the W15 machine, which had unpredictable swings in competitiveness tied to track conditions. Despite these limitations, Mercedes has worked on addressing the issues with its successor, although the success remains unclear due to unusual cool temperatures in Bahrain. Trackside Engineering Director Andrew Shovlin indicated that initial feedback suggests improvements have been made over the previous model. With tight margins expected in 2025, Mercedes plans to use the two-week gap before the opening race to further optimize the W16. George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli completed the most laps during pre-season testing, showcasing the team’s progress. Despite McLaren being seen as a strong competitor with the MCL39, Mercedes remains optimistic and focused on bringing their best to the upcoming season in Melbourne.
