Mercedes W14: February 15 launch date confirmed for team's 2023 F1 car

January 12, 2023

Mercedes will launch their W14 car for the 2023 Formula 1 season on February 15 at Silverstone, the team confirmed on Thursday.

Mercedes are the seventh of the sport's 10 teams to confirm their launch date ahead of the upcoming season, and as things stand would be the penultimate constructor to reveal their car.

Last season saw Mercedes' streak of eight successive constructors' titles come to an end, as their W13 car failed to keep pace with Red Bull and Ferrari.

A Mercedes statement said: "The team's 2023 season will burst into life on Wednesday 15 February. The Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E PERFORMANCE, forged from the challenges of the testing 2022 campaign, will break cover at a special digital launch event broadcast live from Silverstone.

"The 2023 car builds on the lessons learned from last year, which forced the team to confront and overcome numerous challenges with the W13.

"The progress enabled by the efforts and determination of everyone at Brackley and Brixworth helped achieve stronger results from mid-season onwards, culminating in a 1-2 finish at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix."

After the introduction of radical new design regulations for the 2022 season, Mercedes were caught out by severe bouncing issues - otherwise known as 'porpoising' - on their W13 car.

Consequently, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, in his debut campaign with the team, were uncompetitive for the first half of the season.

The Silver Arrows did gradually close the gap, with Russell's maiden Grand Prix victory in a Mercedes one-two at Interlagos suggesting a more competitive 2023 is in store for the team.

Mercedes' recovery did see them briefly threaten to snatch second in the constructors' standings from Ferrari, but the Italian team ultimately finished 39 points clear, with champions Red Bull a further 205 points ahead as Max Verstappen sealed a second successive drivers' crown.

Hamilton will hope to have a car that can enable him to contend for a record eighth drivers' title, but a more competitive vehicle could also test what has so far been a smooth working relationship between the team's two drivers.

Mercedes' announcement leaves Red Bull, Alfa Romeo and Haas as the only teams yet to confirm their launch dates.

Pre-season testing takes place in Bahrain from February 23-25, with the opening Grand Prix of the season following at the same venue on March 5.

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