F1 News: Lewis Hamilton launches NEW mini-car with Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, China, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Off the Track

Hamilton launches NEW mini-car with Mercedes

Mercedes have unveiled an incredible new project with their partners WhatsApp

Tyler Rowlinson

Wednesday 8 May 2024 23:12

Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have announced an incredible new project in collaboration with their new partners WhatsApp.

The Brackley-based team announced their partnership with the communications app earlier this year, and unveiled a WhatsApp button on the steering wheel of the W15, with the unusual feature having an unknown function.

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Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Hamilton and team principal Toto Wolff were in New York City to reveal their latest scheme with WhatsApp - an emoji race car.

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff unveiled it in New York

Mercedes reveal new WhatsApp mini car

The new emoji - a black and blue Mercedes-like F1 car - will be made available to all two million WhatsApp users immediately.

To celebrate its launch, Mercedes took over New York by lighting the top of the Empire State Building green, and held the first ever demonstration of an F1 car down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue.

During that display, a life-sized replica of the emoji also took to the streets to promote its launch, but the team did not stop there.

Posting on their X account, Mercedes also revealed a mini version of the emoji race car and showed it speeding around the garage, and the pitlane in Miami.

✨This is a @WhatsApp Emoji Car appreciation post✨ pic.twitter.com/M39KzUUN8u
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 4, 2024

It is not clear whether the mini F1 car is self-driving or remotely controlled, but nevertheless, Mercedes were in awe over the miniature racer, captioning over the video: ‘isn’t it cute’ and ‘we love it so much’.

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Toto Wolff Miami Grand Prix