Mercedes Gives Sneak Peek of Antonelli in W17 as Launch Date Nears
Mercedes has just shared images of Kimi Antonelli getting fitted for his seat in the new W17, signaling that the team’s 2024 challenger is nearly ready for its big reveal.
The young Italian is heading into his second F1 season alongside George Russell after a rookie year that had plenty of ups and downs.
Mercedes will unveil the W17 on January 22, and expectations couldn’t be higher.
There’s already been some buzz around the team after rumors surfaced a few weeks ago about Mercedes potentially finding an advantage in a grey area of the 2026 regulations related to compression ratio.
The Silver Arrows are desperate to bounce back after struggling through the ground-effect era. It’s been a tough adjustment after dominating F1 from 2014 to 2021 with eight consecutive constructors’ championships.
Antonelli’s rookie season wasn’t exactly smooth sailing, especially during the first half when he struggled to match Russell’s pace. But the talent was clearly there.
He grabbed a sprint pole in Miami and scored a podium in rainy Canada, showing flashes of his potential.
It was the second half of the season where things really clicked for him. Antonelli found consistency and started delivering performances that reminded everyone why Mercedes promoted him in the first place.
The 20-year-old recently admitted that his first year had been challenging but valuable for his development. “Every race taught me something new,” he said after the season finale.
With the new car almost ready and testing just around the corner, both Antonelli and Mercedes will be hoping the W17 gives them the platform to fight at the front again.
