Mercedes reveals first images of its 2026 F1 challenger

F1 Grand Prix, GP Mexico, Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez

The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team has unveiled the first images of its 2026 challenger, the Mercedes-AMG F1 W17 E PERFORMANCE, marking a major milestone in the team’s preparations for the next era of Formula One.

The 2026 season will introduce the most extensive regulatory overhaul in the sport’s history, with completely new chassis, Power Unit, and fuel rules reshaping car design from the ground up. In response, the W17 has been engineered to be smaller, narrower, and lighter than its predecessor.

It incorporates active aerodynamics through moveable front and rear wings, and its all-new Power Unit delivers an almost equal split between electric and combustion output. The car will run on advanced sustainable fuels developed together with PETRONAS, the team’s Title and Technical Partner.

Alongside its technical transformation, the W17 debuts a striking new livery that blends continuity with evolution. A dynamic PETRONAS green flow line sweeps low across the car, visually emphasising speed and precision while guiding the transition from the iconic Mercedes silver to the team’s deep black.

The top of the sidepods features an AMG-inspired rhombus signature, complementing the familiar three-pointed star pattern on the engine cover.

Team Principal Toto Wolff underlined the scale of the challenge ahead, stating that Formula One will undergo significant change in 2026 and that the team is fully prepared for that transition.

He explained that the new regulations require innovation and absolute focus across every area of performance, and that the work undertaken on the new car — as well as the long-term development of the Power Unit and advanced sustainable fuels with PETRONAS — reflects this mindset.

Wolff added that releasing the first images of the W17 represents the next step in a long and demanding process. He emphasised that the car embodies the collective and sustained effort of the team’s groups in Brixworth and Brackley, and he made clear that Mercedes will continue to push hard in the months leading up to the 2026 season.