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Mercedes have become the latest team to reveal their challenger for the upcoming F1 season through their unveiling of the W17 today, and fans can’t help but point out one detail on the new livery that is irking them.
While the new look is something that is immediately different to last year’s F1 car, the biggest changes on the Mercedes W17 are underneath the engine cover, and a storm has been brewing under there for some weeks now.
There has been much discussion over the potential loophole that Mercedes and Red Bull have found within the new engine regulations, and a decision by the FIA is expected imminently.
Ferrari, Audi and Honda have entered into an ‘alliance’ in hopes of countering the trick, which exploits the wording of the regulations, but doesn’t necessarily go against them per se.
The unveiling of their new livery may have created further enemies for Mercedes, with fans sharing their dismay over one detail on the Formula 1 car.
- READ MORE: Audi chief states ‘we’d never accept’ the FIA’s proposed response to Mercedes’ F1 engine loophole
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F1 fans aren’t keen on Microsoft being added to the Mercedes W17 livery
Following the reveal of the W17 on social media, fans were quick to express their opinions on the Silver Arrows’ new look.
The overwhelming sentiment was positive, but the majority of X and Reddit users pointed out that the addition of Microsoft’s colour logo just doesn’t work well with the rest of the aesthetics.
One Reddit user commented, “Sick! Now remove the Microsoft logo, and it’s a 10.” Another user shared a similar opinion, posting, “The Microsoft logo needs to go, but other than that, the livery looks very good.”
An X user was in agreement, commenting under Mercedes’ official reveal, “So, so pretty, but the Microsoft logo ruins it.”
One fan drew a comparison to the blue that contrasted Ferrari’s iconic red livery upon HP signing as a title sponsor to the Scuderia last season.
They said, “The livery is good, but the Microsoft logo on the car is annoying. Just put it white, don’t be like Ferrari with HP.”
Another shared their dismay over the new livery not featuring tones of red around the intake like the W16’s paint job last year, commenting, “That Microsoft logo is ugly. I miss the INEOS red.”
Finally, one fan drew attention to the stripes on the side of the car, which look a bit out of place. They commented, “The stripes on the side are kind of confusing, and I’m not a fan of the Microslop logo.”
- READ MORE: Formula 1 fans decide who will have the better 2026 season between Oscar Piastri and George Russell
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Microsoft’s new deal with Mercedes is one of the biggest sponsorship contracts in F1 history
The addition of the Microsoft logo to Mercedes’ W17 livery may have been a last-minute job, considering that the deal was confirmed this week.
According to a report by Sport.de, Mercedes’ new technical partnership with the technology giants is understood to be one of the biggest non-title sponsorships in Formula 1 history.
The German constructor will be netting around £45m ($60m) per year, and it will also see Microsoft’s AI and Azure cloud technology placed at the core of the Silver Arrows’ race strategy this year.
The deal trumps Ferrari’s long-standing sponsorship deal with Shell, which is understood to be worth around £30m to £37m.
Shell’s involvement with Ferrari has ramped up ahead of the new term, which is introducing 100% sustainable fuels to the grid.
Ferrari are rumoured to be on the back foot once the grid goes racing after it emerged that Shell has faced worrying ‘problems’ over the competitiveness of their new formula.
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