One of the most awaited and beautiful moments is that of the first ignition of the engine, a bell with tolling that marks the preparations for the 2023 season. Mercedes has chosen to share this moment on social media, capturing the looks and gestures of men and women women who are giving life to the W14 with a very tight schedule.
Lots of expectations for the W14
There is expectation, a great expectation for the younger sister of the W13, a car born with some defects, partially remedied during the season with a race to the development. Mercedes has been able to reinvent itself compared to the expectations of early season, obtaining several podiums, a victory (with one double), and joining Ferrari in the fight for second place. One of the biggest problems at the beginning of the season was that of pouring, not only in terms of performance but also of safety, which brought a new directive into the regulation, the TD39. Mercedes had to experiment, very often at the expense of its drivers.
To mitigate the problem it was necessary to raise the ground clearance of the car, which resulted in a loss of aerodynamic load. The path of Mercedes has not been very linear and for this reason the W13 project has left more than one doubt and one question. Recover the project or start from scratch in 2023?
Different DNA and more hours in the wind tunnel
We still don't know for sure if the W14 will have the same lines as the W13, with the “zeropods” design, which is as ambitious as it is problematic. In fact, the published video does not show any details of the new car.
However, the Team Principal, Toto Wolff at the end of October had exposed himself declaring that "The DNA of the 2023 single-seater will be different from that of the current car, this is clear. It doesn't necessarily mean that our chassis will look very different, but certainly what is part of the car's DNA, its architecture, we will change. In 2023 we will have a significant advantage, which is that we will be able to spend more time in the wind tunnel than Red Bull."

Red Bull have brought home a constructors' trophy after years of Mercedes dominance. In fact, last year the Brackley team won the title, but was able to enjoy fewer advantages in a season in which it was essential to have more resources and time available, with the new technical regulations. Furthermore, one of the biggest problems, even for other teams such as Ferrari, was that of the Budget Cap. Not all updates give the desired results, and Mercedes has had to recover and experiment more than the other two teams.
Transforming the disadvantage, the difficulties into an advantage and a resource is in the heart of the three-pointed star team which has not yet communicated the presentation date of the W14, unlike Alpha Tauri, Aston Martin e Ferrari.
Source statements: Motorsport.com