George Russell and Kimi Antonelli took to the track in the new Mercedes W16 car in Bahrain on Tuesday (February 25).

The drivers successfully completed 200kms as the team look to improve on their performance last season.

With Lewis Hamilton departing to Ferrari, Russell will now partner with teenage rookie Antonelli as the team looks to improve on a fourth-place finish in the 2024 constructor standings behind third-place Red Bull, runner-up Ferrari and champion McLaren.

The top four teams were far and away ahead of the 10-team field, with Mercedes holding nearly five times the points of fifth-place Aston Martin.

Russell won at Austria in late June as well as at Las Vegas in November. Hamilton followed Russell's victory at Austria with one at Silverstone in early July. Hamilton won again at Belgium two races later.

Now, the 18-year-old Italy native Antonelli takes over Hamilton's seat. Antonelli has been on the Mercedes Junior Team since 2019.

The 2025 Formula 1 season begins March 16 at Melbourne, Australia. Stops in North America include May 4 at Miami, June 15 at Montreal, Oct. 19 at Austin, Texas, Oct. 26 at Mexico City and Nov. 22 at Las Vegas.

(Production: Andy Ragg)