Bahrain Test to Determine if W17 is a Title Contender

Mercedes emerged as the standout in Barcelona’s pre-season running under the new regulations. Mercedes said its works team completed 501 laps, and that Mercedes-linked power units logged more than 1,000 combined laps including customer teams. The W17 frequently appeared near the top of timing sheets, and trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said the all-new systems “worked brilliantly.” The team credited work at its Brixworth and Brackley facilities and momentum from an earlier Silverstone outing, while stressing that strong reliability is encouraging but not a definitive indicator of ultimate pace.

Mercedes called George Russell’s outing a “positive surprise.” He posted the second-fastest lap, within less than a tenth of Lewis Hamilton’s 1:16.348 marker, and reported the W17 “feels nice to drive” with no porpoising. Andrea Kimi Antonelli also showed encouraging pace at times. Both drivers covered heavy mileage to build a large data set Mercedes says will inform ongoing development.

Pressure persists off-track. Mercedes has not won the constructors’ title since 2021 or a drivers’ crown since 2020; Toto Wolff remains in charge even as the technical group shifts. James Allison and Simone Resta remain involved, John Owen resigned, and engineering director Giacomo Tortora has assumed a larger role. Team commentary has tied driver futures and leadership scrutiny to on-track results — Russell’s seat and Antonelli’s progression were described as contingent — and Wolff has publicly signalled openness to pursuing other top drivers such as Max Verstappen should Mercedes prove dominant.

The team will next focus on setup exploration and race/qualifying preparation at the official Bahrain test on Feb. 11–13, with further running planned for Feb. 18–20. Those sessions will be key to determining whether the W17’s encouraging start converts into genuine championship contention and whether pressure on drivers and leadership intensifies.