Mercedes to reveal W17 F1 car on 22 January

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS will present the first look at its W17 Formula 1 car on 22 January, marking a key step toward the 2026 season. Read the details.

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team has confirmed the date for the first public look at its 2026 Formula One car. On Thursday, 22 January, the team will reveal the first images of the Mercedes-AMG F1 W17 E PERFORMANCE, marking an important milestone on the road to a new era in Formula One.

The initial reveal will take place in a digital format, with renders of the W17 published across the team’s social media platforms and made available to media for rights-free use via the official media site. It represents the opening step in the final phase of preparations for a season defined by one of the most significant technical overhauls the sport has seen.

Soon after the first images are released, Mercedes will head to Barcelona for the opening pre-season test, scheduled from 26 to 30 January. This private test will provide the team with its first opportunity to run the W17 on track under the all-new 2026 regulations, which introduce fundamental changes to chassis design, aerodynamics and power units.

The build-up continues with a digital season launch event on 2 February. The presentation will feature CEO and Team Principal Toto Wolff, race drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, alongside senior technical figures. The team plans to offer detailed insight into the major regulatory changes, including a closer look at the advanced sustainable fuel developed in partnership with PETRONAS.

The 2026 season signals a new chapter for Formula One, with regulations placing a greater emphasis on electrical power, simplified hybrid systems and the mandatory use of fully sustainable fuel. For Mercedes, the W17 is more than a new car — it is the team’s first full response to rules that have the potential to reshape the competitive order.

With early testing and a staged digital rollout, the approach underlines how seriously the team is treating the transition to the new regulations. The true picture will only emerge once running begins, but the first glimpse of the W17 marks the beginning of Mercedes’ push into Formula One’s next generation.