Mercedes release first on-track footage of 2026 car (with unusual cameraman!)

Mercedes took to social media to show off their W17 on the track for the first time, with F1 boss Toto Wolff taking on the responsibility of cameraman.

All 11 F1 teams on the grid are working hard to try and be prepared for the start of the 2026 season, with wholesale regulation changes offering up a few difficulties.

It's why F1 and the FIA have given teams 11 days worth of pre-season testing this year, in order to allow as much time on track as possible before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March.

The first five-day testing event takes place in Barcelona next week, in a private shakedown. Williams have announced that they will not be attending Barcelona with their 2026 car not quite ready, while McLaren will miss the first day of the shakedown.

Mercedes, however, are looking in good shape already, with their 2026 machinery being unveiled earlier this week.

The Brackley-based outfit took their car out onto the track for the first time on Thursday, doing a shakedown at Silverstone ahead of testing getting underway next week.

With it not being an official test, they were limited to only being able to do 200km worth of running, but it has been revealed that they fulfilled that full quota, making the most of the shakedown.

And while George Russell was racing around the track, Wolff and Kimi Antonelli watched the new machine from the sidelines, with Wolff taking on a new role as cameraman.

A video of the W17 was posted on Mercedes' social media channels, and at the end Wolff could be heard talking, pointing the camera at Antonelli and asking him what he thinks of the new 2026 car.

"I approve," Antonelli said, smiling at his boss.

Are Mercedes already looking the strongest?

The rumours all winter have been that Mercedes are best placed to master the upcoming regulation changes, both in terms of their car design and in terms of the power unit.

And further rumours about a potential loophole that they have allegedly found in the power unit regulations was said to be worth around 0.3 seconds per lap.

An FIA meeting was called to talk about this potential loophole, but it was revealed that the governing body are deeming the 'trick' not a trick at all, and in fact legal.

All of this is adding to the feeling that Mercedes could well be the team to beat in the early stages of the season at least, and this early shakedown seemed to go entirely to plan for them too.

READ MORE: Ferrari held its 2026 F1 car launch, and it lasted 84 SECONDS

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