Mercedes' W16 is on the track: THESE are the first images!

It was an exciting moment for Mercedes: The W16 - the car with which George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will be competing next season - has been taken through its paces for the first time. The German team subjected the car to a shakedown, and now the first images of the car's 'trial by fire' have been shared.

Mercedes showed pictures of the new car on Monday, but of course we were waiting for 'faster' footage, which have arrived a day later, after the car was briefly tested for the first time in Bahrain. Behind the wheel was George Russell, who was the first to drive the car in anger. Antonelli will probably be next.

With the new car, Mercedes hopes to compete for Grand Prix wins every race and who knows, maybe even more, with Russell already claimING to be ready for a title fight this year. How real that is may become clear in the next few days.

Once again in Bahrain, the annual test will then take place. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Lewis Hamilton's successor, and Russell, will then do a lot of mileage with the car. On Wednesday morning, Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, Antonelli will be in action. His British teammate will drive on Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning and Friday afternoon.