Mercedes will modify the livery of its title-winning W11 at this weekend’s Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in order to display its gratitude to its workforce at Brixworth and Brackley.
Mercedes swept to a seventh successive Constructors’ Championship this year with Lewis Hamilton also taking the Drivers’ title for a seventh time.
Its W11 has taken 15 pole positions and 13 victories from 16 grands prix, making it one of the most successful cars in the history of Formula 1.
Mercedes has typically used its corporate silver colours in Formula 1 but in June switched to a predominantly black livery to make a stand against racism and discrimination.
On Saturday and Sunday at the Yas Marina Circuit, which will host Formula 1’s season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the W11’s livery will be tweaked to honour Mercedes’ employees.
“We have a very special surprise this weekend in Abu Dhabi for our team members,” said Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff.
“We’ll be running a slightly different livery on Saturday and Sunday featuring everyone’s name on the car to honour the huge commitment and determination from everybody in Brixworth and Brackley.
“Everyone has pushed hard this year, raising the bar through this massively intense season, and we hope this gesture goes some way in showing the appreciation we have for everyone involved.
“Abu Dhabi is always a fun race weekend with the end of season vibe and an interesting track for the engineers to tackle.
“The atmosphere will be slightly different this year with the COVID-19 control measures, but we’re as motivated as ever to end the season with a strong result and head into the winter break on the right foot.”
Mercedes’ driver line-up for this weekend’s round has yet to be determined, amid Hamilton’s ongoing recovery from Covid-19.
