Car Background
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team has been the most dominant race team in the world over much of the past decade, winning seven World Driver's and World Constructor's Championships in a row from 2014-2020 thanks to the combined efforts of Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Valtteri Bottas, and George Russell. For the 2021 season, the last before sweeping revisions to the competition formula, the team introduced the F1 W12 E Performance as its next heir to the throne.
Powered by a 1.6-liter V6 hybrid capable of producing over 1,000 horsepower, the car was an evolution of the dominant W11 that had won all but four races the previous year. The W12 won with Hamilton on its debut in Bahrain and took victories in three of its first four starts, while also leading Hamilton to his milestone 100th career Grand Prix victory in a compelling Russian Grand Prix that saw rain fall in the race's closing laps.
Car Info
Monocoque:
Moulded carbon fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Bodywork:
Carbon fibre composite including engine cover, sidepods, floor, nose, front wing and rear wing
Cockpit:
Removable driver's seat made of anatomically formed carbon composite, OMP six-point driver safety harness, HANS system
Safety Structures:
Cockpit survival cell incorporating impact-resistant construction and penetration panels, front impact structure, prescribed side impact structures, integrated rear impact structure, front and rear roll structures, titanium driver protection structure (halo)
Front Suspension:
Carbon fibre wishbone and pushrod-activated torsion springs and rockers
Rear Suspension:
Carbon fibre wishbone and pullrod-activated inboard springs & dampers