Written by Kitai | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube
Mercedes W14
Mercedes have unveiled their W14 car for the 2023 Formula One season. The striking design is finished in all black, marking a return to familiar colours for the German manufacturer.
Mercedes was the second-to-last F1 team to unveil their 2023 season car, the W14, at a special presentation from Silverstone on Wednesday morning. It featured an all-black livery and, with rivals Ferrari unveiling their new competitor just the day prior, Mercedes hopes this will set them up for winning races and titles.
Mercedes’ latest design marks a comeback to black, a shade they had used in both 2020 and 2021, after opting for the traditional silver in 2022. Toto Wolff, drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, and new reserve Mick Schumacher were all present at the show on Wednesday for what will be followed by a shakedown at the location of the British Grand Prix.
Mercedes come into 2023 aiming to regain their footing after an eventful 2022 season. At the beginning, they faced huge challenges but with their dedication and many changes made to their W13, they managed to reclaim their winning streak and came third in the constructors' standings.
At the unveiling of the W14, Wolff stated that they have high aspirations of contending for the World Championship; yet they were overpowered by their rivals in the previous year and are trying to overcome this deficit.
“Racing at the front requires resilience, teamwork, and determination. We face up to every challenge, we put the team first, and we will leave no stone unturned in the chase for every millisecond. This year, we are going all in to get back in front.”
Regarding the return of a black livery, which is largely carbon fibre to minimise weight, Wolff said: “We were too heavy last season; so we looked into all possibilities to slim down. Subsequently, we've come back to a familiar look with some matte black sections, as well as some raw carbon parts.
For the 2023 season, Mercedes will have a new structure as they get up and running with the W14 car in pre-season testing at Bahrain International Circuit from February 23-25. One difference will be James Vowles leaving his strategy-focused role at the Silver Arrows to become team boss at Williams. The 2023 journey then begins with the opening round of the season a week later.
FIRST LOOK: Ferrari reveal their 2023 SF-23 F1 car at Maranello
It is hard to fathom how any other team would be able to outdo the performance of Ferrari considering their impressive array of resources at Fiorano. The SF23 follows a similar aerodynamic template to that of its 2022 F1 car, with optimised radiator intake and undercutting on the front corner of the sidepod. Furthermore, it has retained the characteristic ‘bathtub’ shape on the sidepod but with fewer louvres that can be adjusted in accordance with each track’s particular cooling needs. It is tough to imagine any other squad managing to outmatch Ferrari amid these incredible amenities.
It's noteworthy to observe the extensive use of unpainted carbon on the surfaces, likely for the sake of shedding weight - a clear indication of the difficulty in achieving the weight limit, even for major teams. Additionally, this years front wing is unlike last year with a common full-width slot gap distinguished by green highlights just ahead of the second element and a trail edge on the rear flap which bends outboard yet quickly slides inward near the inner side of the tire - highlighted in red.
Additional News
Polestar And Volvo The First To Access Google New HD Maps.
The Volvo EX90 and Polestar 3, both of which are underpinned by Volvo's Scalable Product Architecture (SPA2) and utilise Google's Android Automotive operating system.
Polestar Expects To Sell 80K EV's in 2023! 60% YOY Growth
In 2023, Polestar anticipates worldwide production to rise by almost 60%, likely reaching 80,000 cars. This growth is expected to be driven mainly by strong sales of Polestar 2, and will be further reinforced in the latter part of the year with the first handovers of Polestar 3.
2024 Polestar 2 Brings More Power, Performance, Range And Design
The Swedish EV maker Polestar ($PSNY) is bringing a notable update to the electric performance fastback, Polestar 2, for its 2024 model year. The premium compact EV features a reinvigorated front end following the design language debuted by Polestar 3 and improved performance with powerful new electric motors, updated batteries, sustainability enhancements, plus rear-wheel drive, a first for Polestar models.
- New motors, refined ride and rear-wheel drive for single-motor versions
- Quicker charging and longer range – now up to 635 km WLTP
- Sustainability improvements reduce carbon impact by 1.1 tonnes
- SmartZone debuts following introduction on Polestar 3
- Driver Awareness features and wireless phone charger added to list of standard equipment
YouTube channel
Thank you for reading.
Member discussion