Mercedes reach important milestone with new F1 car

Mercedes has fired up the W16, its car for the 2025 F1 season, for the first time, sharing a clip of the milestone on social media platforms.

The Brackley-based squad heads into the campaign hoping to build on what, in many ways, was a positive year overall for the team.

Despite slipping back to fourth in the constructors' standings, it's lowest finish since 2012, it scored more points than in 2023 - and won four grands prix, having previously only triumphed once since F1 ushered in the contemporary ground effects era in 2022.

With Lewis Hamilton having exited for pastures new at Ferrari, highly-touted rookie Kimi Antonelli steps up to the plate alongside George Russell for the final year before the next regulations overhaul.

The W16's livery will be unveiled alongside its rivals at the inaugural F1 75 Live event at London's O2 Arena on February 18, before the car itself breaks ground in a shakedown in Bahrain a week later, one day prior to F1 pre-season testing getting underway in the gulf state.

Check out the clip of Mercedes firing up the W16 below.