2026 Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

[Lasssept]

[zibby43]

George: “The numbers we're seeing from the aero on the car match what we see back on the simulator, how the car is handling is matching how it feels on the simulator.”

"So this is something we've not really experienced since 2021 as a team."

[K1Plus]

George: “The numbers we're seeing from the aero on the car match what we see back on the simulator, how the car is handling is matching how it feels on the simulator.”

"So this is something we've not really experienced since 2021 as a team."

This all but confirms Mercedes didn't know how to design a proper ground effect floor for the past 4 years.
We go back to a more traditional design, boom, numbers match again.
I mean, I hope we see them battle for championships again. Would be amazing to see all the top 4 teams battle it out.

[AR3-GP]

The team of the Star, after the official presentation of the 2026 season, has published the technical sheet of the W17: the PU signed Mercedes-AMG F1 M17 E Performance has already reached the minimum 185 kg, while the complete single-seater is only 2 kg above the limit like the Maranello rose, but it will be able to mount ballast already in Melbourne.

https://it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-me ... /10794747/

[zibby43]

George: “The numbers we're seeing from the aero on the car match what we see back on the simulator, how the car is handling is matching how it feels on the simulator.”

"So this is something we've not really experienced since 2021 as a team."

This all but confirms Mercedes didn't know how to design a proper ground effect floor for the past 4 years.
We go back to a more traditional design, boom, numbers match again.
I mean, I hope we see them battle for championships again. Would be amazing to see all the top 4 teams battle it out.

Still baffles me to this day how that era confounded them.

[SB15]

George: “The numbers we're seeing from the aero on the car match what we see back on the simulator, how the car is handling is matching how it feels on the simulator.”

"So this is something we've not really experienced since 2021 as a team."

This all but confirms Mercedes didn't know how to design a proper ground effect floor for the past 4 years.
We go back to a more traditional design, boom, numbers match again.
I mean, I hope we see them battle for championships again. Would be amazing to see all the top 4 teams battle it out.

Still baffles me to this day how that era confounded them.

Actually even Redbull said the same thing which was shocking. The only team that had "some" sort of idea to make it work consistently was McLaren. Honestly I gotta give credit to Mercedes that they still got in 2nd place a couple of times with a handful of wins through the era.

But I know many teams, especially Mercedes is glad that the ground effect era is over!

[zibby43]

This all but confirms Mercedes didn't know how to design a proper ground effect floor for the past 4 years.
We go back to a more traditional design, boom, numbers match again.
I mean, I hope we see them battle for championships again. Would be amazing to see all the top 4 teams battle it out.

Still baffles me to this day how that era confounded them.

Actually even Redbull said the same thing which was shocking. The only team that had "some" sort of idea to make it work consistently was McLaren. Honestly I gotta give credit to Mercedes that they still got in 2nd place a couple of times with a handful of wins through the era.

But I know many teams, especially Mercedes is glad that the ground effect era is over!

Those are good points. Merc would somehow get that car working at certain circuits in certain conditions and it would just come alive. The tires, wheels, suspension design/kinematics, etc. all played a role just as much as the aero.

Anyway, can't wait for the Bahrain test. Will all the teams be using the '26 fuels by then?

[Y-250.A]

Anyway, can't wait for the Bahrain test. Will all the teams be using the '26 fuels by then?

yes , they have to , ferrari the only team goes with BioFuel while others go with eFuel

[zibby43]

Anyway, can't wait for the Bahrain test. Will all the teams be using the '26 fuels by then?

yes , they have to , ferrari the only team goes with BioFuel while others go with eFuel

Appreciate the confirmation.

[dren]

Actually even Redbull said the same thing which was shocking. The only team that had "some" sort of idea to make it work consistently was McLaren. Honestly I gotta give credit to Mercedes that they still got in 2nd place a couple of times with a handful of wins through the era.

But I know many teams, especially Mercedes is glad that the ground effect era is over!

Just goes to show how much actual understanding of aerodynamics there is vs data heuristics to get a simulation to correlate to real world.

[Jambier]

Not sure that Mercedes headquarters are happy about this by the way.
This is not good marketing

[F1NAC]

Not sure that Mercedes headquarters are happy about this by the way.
This is not good marketing

I just can’t stand hypocrisy of this guy. If for example RB was doing it he would be all over the place vocal about it.

[zibby43]

Not sure that Mercedes headquarters are happy about this by the way.
This is not good marketing

I just can’t stand hypocrisy of this guy. If for example RB was doing it he would be all over the place vocal about it.

It’s not hypocrisy. It’s his job. Every team principal does this. It’s their job to look out for their own team’s interests - whether that be protecting an advantage or calling one out. Every team does private and public lobbying.

Horner moaned about Mercedes for years. Ban qualifying modes, ban DAS, etc.

I’d argue that Toto, more than most, tries to not get involved in stifling others’ innovation. RB blew the whistle on the Ferrari fuel flow trick in 2019. Toto did publicly lobby for changes at the beginning of the ground effect era when drivers’ spines were getting dribbled like a basketball.

[Lasssept]

[Waz]

Not sure that Mercedes headquarters are happy about this by the way.
This is not good marketing

Why? Mercedes pulled this stuff all time before. Engine maps, oil burning and more.

Other than the core fans, nobody else reads this stuff.