Mercedes returns to all-black look for 2023

Mercedes has returned to an all-black colour scheme for the 2023 Formula One season as they look to return to title contention.

The iconic black livery from 2020 and 2021 has been refined as part of a significant project to reduce overall weight of the car.

Mercedes has retained the aggressive ‘zero sidepod’ design which was unique among the car designs last year.

Following the launch on Thursday, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and teammate George Russell will drive the car at a shakedown event at Silverstone.

Mercedes says the car, dubbed the W14 to continue its naming conventions, “brings bold solutions to the learnings” from last year, when the team’s run of eight straight championships came to an abrupt end.

Russell claimed the team’s only victory of the season in Brazil, but Hamilton went winless in 2022, the first time in his career he had failed to score a victory in a season.

Hamilton will be hoping the W14 is good enough to challenge for what would be a record eighth championship.

Wolff said he is pleased to bring back the black look of previous seasons.

“We were overweight last year,” Wolff said. “This year we have tried to figure out where we can squeeze out every single gram. So now, history repeats itself.

“You will see that the car has some raw carbon bits, along with some that are painted matte black. Of course, when we changed the livery in 2020 the main driving factor was to support the diversity and equality causes which are always close to our heart. The colour black became part of our DNA at that point, so we are pleased to return to it.”

The car has kept one quirk of last year with different coloured numbers for its drivers. Hamilton’s 44 will be on the car in yellow, while Russell’s 63 will be in lime green.