Web Desk: Mercedes reveals their W17, the car they hope will propel them back into title contention. The new challenger features an updated silver-and-black livery and has been engineered to comply with sweeping aerodynamic changes that make the car smaller, lighter and narrower than its predecessor. Those regulations will come fully into force in 2026, reshaping how teams design and race their machines.
After rebounding to finish second in last season’s constructors’ standings, Mercedes will keep its driver line-up unchanged. George Russell remains at the team, joined again by highly rated young Italian Kimi Antonelli.
Team principal Toto Wolff said the development of the W17 reflects a long-term strategy rather than a short-term fix.
“Formula One is heading for a major transformation, and we are fully prepared,” Wolff said. “These regulations demand innovation across every performance area, from the chassis to the power unit and sustainable fuels.”
Mercedes will join the rest of the grid next week at a closed-door shakedown in Barcelona before formally launching their season on February 2. Pre-season testing will then continue in Bahrain, where teams will begin refining performance ahead of the March opener in Australia.
While Mercedes prepare to run early, reigning champions McLaren are taking a more cautious approach.
The team plans to wait until the second or third day of the five-day Barcelona test before sending their 2026 car onto the circuit, prioritising development time over early mileage.
Team principal Andrea Stella said the scale of change brought by the new rules has required unprecedented effort.
“The amount of redesign over the past 20 months has been the largest project I’ve ever been involved in,” Stella said. “This reset means everyone starts again. Being champions gives us no advantage.”
Formula One’s leading teams are stepping up preparations for a transformative 2026 season, unveiling new machinery, adjusting testing strategies and forging major partnerships as the sport heads into one of the most significant regulatory resets in its history.
McLaren’s car has already been run on a dynamometer in Austria and remains on schedule, according to the team. Stella said delaying track time reduces the risk of locking in design choices too early.
Drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will again be free to race on equal terms, with Stella saying the team’s operating philosophy remains largely unchanged, aside from minor efficiency improvements.
Beyond the grid, Honda confirmed its full return to Formula One through a factory partnership with Aston Martin ahead of the 2026 overhaul.
The Japanese manufacturer has developed a new power unit, the RA626H, designed for stricter budget limits, higher electrical output and mandatory sustainable fuels. Unlike its previous F1 involvement, Honda will work directly with Aston Martin as a full works partner, integrating engine and chassis development from the outset.
Honda chief executive Toshihiro Mibe said the sport’s new direction aligns with the company’s broader technological goals.
“Formula One remains the ultimate challenge,” Mibe said at the launch in Tokyo. “The 2026 regulations reflect the future of mobility, and that is where Honda belongs.”
Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll said such close collaboration is now essential to championship success, a view echoed by Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali, who described the upcoming rules as the biggest reset the sport has ever seen.
Honda said lessons learned in F1 will feed directly into road cars, performance models and even aviation projects, including electric vertical take-off aircraft.
Smart’s all-electric #5 SUV was named Euro NCAP’s “Best in Class” large SUV for 2025 after achieving the highest overall safety score among vehicles tested this year.
The model earned five stars, leading all rivals in child occupant protection and safety assist categories, while also posting strong results for adult occupants and vulnerable road users.
Euro NCAP said the award reflected a balanced performance across increasingly demanding tests, highlighting the #5’s high-strength steel and aluminium structure, seven-airbag system and new child presence detection technology that can sense movement inside the vehicle.
For Smart, traditionally associated with compact city cars, the result marks a significant statement as it expands into larger electric vehicles.
As Formula One and the wider automotive world push toward cleaner, smarter and safer technology, teams and manufacturers alike are betting that progress off the track will be just as decisive as speed on it.
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