Mercedes W14’s Final Chapter: Last Track Day Before Joining Heritage Collection

Mercedes has announced that their 2023 F1 car, the W14, will take its final bow at the Magny-Cours circuit in France after recent Abu Dhabi post-season testing. Despite not securing a win this season, the W14 played a pivotal role in Mercedes’ overall performance.

Key Takeaways:

• End of the Road for W14: Following its participation in Abu Dhabi’s post-season testing, the W14 is set for a final appearance at Magny-Cours for tire testing before joining Mercedes’ heritage collection. This marks an end to the car’s active involvement in F1.
• A Season of Mixed Results: Although the W14 didn’t achieve a race win, it was instrumental in securing eight podium finishes for Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, and helped Mercedes clinch second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
• Focus Shifts to W15 Development: With the W14’s chapter closing, Mercedes is fully engaged in developing the W15 for the 2024 season, aiming to overcome this year’s challenges and vie for the championship.

The 2023 Formula 1 season has been a rollercoaster for Mercedes, with their latest car, the W14, being at the center of it all. After a recent stint in Abu Dhabi for post-season testing, the team has confirmed that the W14 will have its final moment of glory at the historic Magny-Cours circuit in France, a track last seen on the F1 calendar in 2008. This final test, focusing on Pirelli’s tire development, will be the swan song for the W14 before it retires into Mercedes’ esteemed heritage collection.

Despite its lack of a race win this season – a first for a Mercedes car since 2011 – the W14 was not without its merits. It played a crucial role in securing eight podium finishes between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. These consistent performances were vital in helping Mercedes secure second place in the Constructors’ Championship, a noteworthy achievement considering the fierce competition.

The sentiment within the Mercedes team is a blend of realism and optimism. Rosie Walt, the team’s head of race strategy, reflected on the season in Mercedes’ post-Abu Dhabi debrief, saying, “Ultimately the aim of all of us here is to win championships and we weren’t able to deliver that this year. However, given the performance we had and the challenges we faced P2 is a really good result and so the mood this week is really one of happiness and relief of having delivered that P2. Now we can move on to putting all of our energies into going one better next year.”

Walt also elaborated on the W14’s immediate future and the team’s relentless work ethic, “The W14 doesn’t get to enjoy its retirement quite yet. First, it’s got a post season test in Abu Dhabi, then it is heading to Magny-Cours for some Pirelli testing. After that, it will join our heritage collection where it will be well looked after and ready to come out for demo runs in the future. In terms of the factory, there is no such thing as a winter break. In fact, away from the race team, the winter period is actually often the busiest time. Many people in the factory have been focusing on next year’s car for months and now that the racing is over the focus can switch entirely to that and it’s all hands on deck to get the car ready ahead of pre-season testing and the first race next year.”

As Mercedes turns the page with the W14, the focus is already shifting towards the development of the W15 for the 2024 season. The ambition is clear: to return to the top of the podium. The end of the W14’s journey is not just a conclusion but a stepping stone towards future triumphs in the high-stakes world of Formula 1 racing.