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Mercedes caught the F1 paddock’s attention on the last day of pre-season testing in Bahrain by adding two ‘horns’ on the rear wing on Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 car.
The second Bahrain test saw several teams start to seek more performance after proving the reliability of their new cars built to the 2026 F1 regulations. Ferrari were often the talk of the paddock with their new exhaust flap and rear wing, but Mercedes had ideas up their sleeve.
Most of the talk about Mercedes in Bahrain had been regarding their 2026-spec engine after the FIA agreed to formally vote on new power unit tests. The FIA will begin checking engine compression ratios do not exceed 16:1 at all times from August if the new tests are voted in.
It was the rear wing rather than the engine at the rear of the Mercedes W17 that many eyes were drawn to on the final day of pre-season testing this Friday, though. That is according to Motorsport.com, which notes that Mercedes’ rear wing was especially ‘attracting attention’.
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Mercedes stun with two ‘horns’ on their rear wing at the 2026 F1 Bahrain pre-season test
Mercedes hit the circuit with Antonelli in the morning session with two ‘horns’ on the edges of their rear wing. The concept, ‘never seen before’ in F1 let alone on Mercedes’ car, has got the paddock talking owing to the aerodynamic gains from the ‘extremely interesting’ design.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and aero regulations
The Silver Arrows have been able to anchor two flaps on the top element of their rear wing as F1 created more freedom for intelligent designs with the 2026 regulations that were not previously possible. And by anchoring the flap to the fixed part, Mercedes satisfy the rules.
Having the additional flaps on the edges of their rear wing appeals to Mercedes as they can create more downforce when the wing is set to corner mode without substantially creating more drag. The flaps can thus help enhance the W17’s stability in the corners and traction.
Kimi Antonelli suffered a pneumatic issue on the final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain
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Antonelli took to the Bahrain International Circuit on the final morning of pre-season testing on Friday with flow-vis paint applied to his rear wing, as Mercedes began trialling the effects of the two ‘horns’. George Russell took over the W17 during the last session of the final test.
Mercedes have been busy during the second Bahrain test trialling new parts as they strive to find more performance ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 6-8. As well as the new rear wing, Mercedes unveiled a redesigned floor at the second Bahrain test.
A pneumatic issue put a slight stain on Antonelli’s final day behind the wheel in Bahrain this Friday, though. The Italian was forced to stop on track at Turn 10 shortly after the two-hour mark, and it ultimately ended his session as Mercedes would not get him back out in time.
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