The German unsurprisingly grabbed the headlines as Mercedes unveiled their 2023 challenger, the W14, on Wednesday at the home of the British Grand Prix.
They opted to complete official commissioning testing at Silverstone directly after the W14's launch, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell driving the car on Wednesday and Thursday.
The two drivers shared their initial thoughts on the car after their first experience with it, and mentioned the general theme that the team is in a “pretty good position”.
“It's been a pretty good winter, we're in a really strong position and probably mentally I feel like I'm in a stronger position than I've ever been in,” Russell said after driving the W14, according to Formula1.com.
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“I'm in a happy place, I feel good about myself, I feel like I've taken the necessary time to rest but also the necessary time to work with the team.
“So far so good, everything is going well [in the shakedown] It was great to sit behind the wheel and see this car in person. “
An impressive car is exactly what Hamilton needs for the upcoming season, with the seven-time world champion likely not taking another race as he did last season.
With the conditions of the Settlement Test far from optimal, Hamilton was unable to predict where the team would head to Bahrain. However, he is “excited” about the season now that he has had the opportunity to drive the car.
“It's been great to get up and running with the W14,” said Hamilton
“This is always a much-anticipated time for everyone who has worked so hard in the factory; I am very grateful for all the hard work that has gone into it.
“The day went well; we finished a good project and made some useful discoveries. Overall, I felt very comfortable in the car and I’m excited to be on the road in Bahrain.”
It's safe to assume the Germans will finish in the top three, but everyone is talking about whether they will be ahead of Red Bull and Ferrari.
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Mercedes looks likely to move impeccably closer to the front, with reports that “Mercedes has been working hard to reduce the weight of the W14, changing internal parts as well as exposing carbon fibre.
“It has been estimated that the weight loss alone can increase by as much as three-tenths per lap.”
The report comes from F1 journalist Giuliano Duchessa, and Bahrain will be where the world will see if Mercedes actually returns this year.
