Mercedes’ 2023 F1 challenger, the W14, will make its track debut right after launch
The Mercedes F1 Team announced it will shakedown right after unveiling its 2023 challenger W14 at livery on February 15th.
Many F1 fans are excited about the German team’s new livery, with many even predicting that they could bring back their iconic black livery from the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The team shared details about the launch on their social media platforms and updated fans on how to follow the event.
On their official siteMercedes explained:
“You’ll get a first look at the W14, but you’ll also hear from our 2023 drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, as well as our reserve driver Mick Schumacher and team principal and CEO Toto Wolff. The car will then take to the track for the first time at Silverstone as part of our day of shooting.
“We will be sharing all the excitement about W14’s track debut on our social media channels. And of course we’ll take you behind the scenes throughout the day, so be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and Weibo.”
“There is no gap left because we have been discussing succession arrangements in this area for many years” – Mercedes F1 Team Principal
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff revealed the team was fully prepared for the departure of James Volwes after he left for Williams F1. According to Wolff, there were no gaps to be filled by Volwes’ vacated positions.
He said (via motor sports):
“There is no gap, because we have been discussing succession planning in this area for many years. We relied heavily on James’ visibility and a couple of years ago we put an emphasis on how that would play out if one day he decided to do something else, whether inside Mercedes or outside.”
“James was very good at setting that up. We have an extremely talented team of strategists. We have nine people, some very experienced who are not always on the front line and some who have grown within the organization.”
Wolff concluded:
“You’ve flown the plane solo for the past six months now, and a great deal before that under James’ supervision. So I feel very comfortable in the structure for the future. And it’s not like a major weakness has suddenly emerged.”
It would be interesting to see who fills Volwes’ position as Chief Strategy Officer within the team.
