Mercedes’ W11 F1 car makes track debut at Silverstone 

Valtteri Bottas has debuted Mercedes’ 2020 Formula 1 car by carrying out a shakedown run at Silverstone. 

The Finn got behind the wheel of Mercedes’ latest challenger - the W11 - to conduct its first on-track appearance in an initial test outing at the venue of the British Grand Prix. 

Mercedes released digital renderings of its latest F1 car on Friday morning before its W11 hit the track at Silverstone. 

Like Red Bull did earlier this week, Mercedes is using its shakedown run as one of its two ‘filming days’ permitted by F1. Teams are not allowed to exceed 100km of running and are required to use special tyres for such events. 

Bottas will split running with six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton throughout the day as Mercedes collects its initial imagery and on-track footage ahead of the upcoming campaign. 

The German manufacturer is looking to make further history in 2020, having dominated the V6 hybrid era by storming to every single world championship title on offer since the start of 2014. 

Mercedes already holds the joint record with Ferrari for most constructors’ championship wins in a row (six) and could surpass the Scuderia this year if it maintains its current streak of teams’ titles. 

By claiming both world titles on offer again this season, Mercedes would become the first team in history to win seven world championship doubles on the bounce, eclipsing its own record of six, which it set in 2019. 

Meanwhile, Hamilton has the chance to move level with Michael Schumacher’s all-time tally of seven drivers’ world championships as he continues to chase down the German’s records.