Mercedes fires up engine ahead of test - and offers glimpse of F1's new reality

Mercedes fired up its Formula 1 engine for the first time in months - and offered a glimpse as to what can be expected at forthcoming races.

Ahead of a two-day private test at Silverstone this week, as Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas get back behind the wheel, Mercedes roared its 2018 power unit back into life.

As per F1's sporting regulations, teams conducting an out-of-season test must use a car that is at least two years old, with Mercedes turning to its W09 for Bottas' run on Tuesday, and with Hamilton taking over on Wednesday.

The test also affords the team the chance to fine-tune the protocols that will be required when F1 pitches up in Austria in early July for the opening grand prix, following recent confirmation of an eight-race European start to the season.

But via a short video clip courtesy of Mercedes' Twitter feed, the team showed the new 'normal' ahead of returning to racing.

All team personnel were sporting face masks and doing their best to adhere to the two-metre social distancing rule, although this will naturally be difficult to implement at all times given the close confines of garages.

But for now, this is F1 racing we will have to become accustomed to for as long as is practically required.

The sound of an @F1 engine rumbles through the factory again! 🎶🎶🎶

Listen up as W09 fires into life ahead of this week's protocol test for the Team at Silverstone 👇 pic.twitter.com/3wJSd8uLqQ

— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) June 8, 2020

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