Mercedes confirm W16 updates for Imola and races thereafter

After scoring four podium finishes in the opening six rounds of the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship, Mercedes sense a chance to capitalise on any opportunity for victory, and they are not standing still. The Brackley-based squad will roll out new updates at Imola and at races to follow.

George Russell has slotted in well as the team leader since the departure of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari; the younger Englishman has four podiums to his name, but the top step has proven elusive thus far. In the other car, rookie Kimi Antonelli has cemented himself in the team, and at the Miami Grand Prix, gave his more experienced teammate a wake-up call. The 18-year-old will be racing Formula 1 on home soil for the first time.

Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff said the team has made gains since 2024, but knows more is needed to fight at the front: “We head to Imola having completed one quarter of the season. From those first six races, we can draw the following conclusions: we have made progress from last year, with the W16 a more balanced car than its predecessor.

"We have scored some solid results, with four podiums in that run of races; and we have more work to do if we want to challenge for victories. Our focus is on making gains on that final point as we begin the European leg of the season."

"The team at Lauda Drive have been working hard to do that and we will be bringing several updates over the coming races. F1 is a relative game, though, and we know our competitors will make progress too. It will be interesting to see how that plays out on track," Wolff said in the Mercedes preview of the Imola weekend.

The team’s ambition to stay in the development fight is in contrast to rivals who have chosen to switch full attention to their 2026 projects, with rule changes set to significantly alter the technical landscape of the sport. For Mercedes, the 2025 season still offers chances to win — and they plan to chase them.

The upcoming run of European races, beginning with Imola, presents an opportunity for the team to gauge the impact of their development programme. Mercedes’ momentum could become critical, especially if frontrunners stumble or fail to maintain their own upgrade trajectories.

Mercedes will also benefit from recent updates to the circuit. The Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari was resurfaced and modified in 2024, with gravel traps reinstated at Turn 9 and the exits of Turns 11 to 15. The tyre selection is softer than last year, with Pirelli bringing the C6 compound for the first time in 2025.

Other factors, such as the longest pit lane time loss on the calendar (25 seconds) and the highest fuel consumption of any 2024 race, add complexity to strategy, offering potential for a well-prepared team like Mercedes to gain ground.

The Imola weekend will also be a landmark moment for Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, who races in front of his home crowd for the first time as a Formula 1 driver. The 18-year-old grew up in Bologna, just 40 kilometres from the circuit.

Wolff continued: “Imola also marks Kimi's first home race. He grew up nearby in Bologna, and it will be a special occasion for him. But it's a race that pays 25 points, like every other, and that's the only thing that counts at the end of the season. George and Kimi will be focused most of all on achieving the best possible result on track.”

Mercedes have a strong history at Imola, most notably sealing their seventh consecutive F1 Constructors’ Championship with a 1-2 finish at the circuit in 2020. The team did not get the chance to build on that momentum in 2023, as the race was cancelled due to flooding in the region.

Now back on the calendar and with an improving W16, Imola could be the springboard Mercedes need to launch a serious challenge, not for the long game of 2026, but for the immediate glory still on offer in 2025.