Mercedes have elected against holding a launch event for their 2025 F1 🎃challenger in a break from tradition, ltxcn.top has learned.

In previous years Mercede🅰s have presented their new F1 car at Silverstone before conducting a shakedown run and filming day ahead of pre-season testing.

However, Mercedes have decided against doing so in 2025, meaning the post-168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton era will begin without an official launch.

Mercedes’ W16 challenger will break cover for the first time when the Silver Arrows  use one of their filming days at the Bahrain International Circuit on 25 February, with 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell and rookie 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Andrea Kimi Antonelli sharing driving duties.

That will take place a day before pre-season testing gets underway between 26-28 February in Baဣhrain.

Barring🦹 2021, Mercedes have staged a launch-style event at Silverstone since 2017.

While the W16 itself will not emerge for the first time until late February, Mercedes will unveil their 2025 livery along with every oth🤪er team at F1’s official season launch event on 18 February at London’s O2 Arena.

Hamilton’s new team Ferrari were th🌃e first to announce a ꦿ2025 car launch date.

The Scuderia will take the covers off their💞 new car at the Fiorano test track in Maranello on 19 February, with the seven-time world champion and new teammate Charles Leclerc set to drive it for the first time.

Williams will prese🌳nt their new FWᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ47 challenger in a special one-off livery at Silverstone on 14 February.

Antonelli racks up testing miles

Meanwhile, Mercedes boss Tཧoto Wolff has revealed that Antonelli has racked up “almost 9000 kilometres” in F1 car𓆉s prior to his debut this season.

The 18-year-old Formula 2 graduat♔e is replacing Hamilton at M🉐ercedes.

Antonelli has sampled several old Mercedes F1 cars at di🐭fferent circuits in the past 12 months to hel𝓡p prepare him for his rookie campaign.

The Italian completed his first test of the year on Wednesday at Jerez, w﷽here he drove Mercedes🍌’ 2020 title-winning W11 car in a camoflague livery.

Wolff has been keen to downplay expectations surrounding Antonelli, who crashed within minutes of his F1 practice debut at Monza last 🌄year.

“If you expect him to be on pole position in Melbourne, win the race and immediately compete for the championship, then the risk is high becaus🥂e that won’t happen,” Wolff said.

“If we take the approach that the boy is 18 years old, very talented, but of course has to grow into it first and will make mistakes, then th🍒e risk is limited. That’s why we’re doing it. We see 2025 as a transition year and want to prepare him for 2026.”