Mercedes W17, ideas from the renderings: the rear is intriguing

The first digitized images of the W17 sketch out the shapes of what many indicate as the favorite for 2026. Although approximate, the renderings pique curiosity especially for the shapes of the rear end, different from those seen in the presentations of rival cars. If the Silver Arrows were to show off the same geometries in reality, they would confirm the great compactness of the Mercedes power unit and all its accessory components. The suspensions At the front, the “digital” W17 features a push-rod suspension scheme, unlike for example Cadillac, whose shakedown revealed a pull-rod kinematics. As explained by Rob Marshall, the Chief Designer of McLaren, the choice is purely dictated by aerodynamic reasons, in particular by the interaction with the front wing to manage the turbulence of the wheels and channel the flows towards the bottom. The renderings of the new Silver Arrow also show an advancement of the steering arm in front of the lower suspension triangle, while in 2025 it was placed behind it. However, it wouldn’t be the first time the team hid cards in this area during the presentation. Even at the rear, the preview of the 2026 Mercedes shows a push-rod scheme, albeit in a different version compared to the latest single-seater. The rod, in fact, is less inclined than the W16, but above all it is now located in front of the upper triangle. However, the real W17 will probably have some differences compared to its virtual copy, but its rear suspension will certainly have an important role in the aerodynamics of the rear axle, the main point of interest in the renderings. The bonnet The digital W17 is intriguing due to the lines of the bodywork. The side radiator vents take up the P-shaped contour of 2025, but behind them the sides remain high, without taking up the swooping concept so popular with ground-effect cars. The impression is that Mercedes has followed a different philosophy, no longer giving priority to the conveyance of flows from the upper part towards the area surrounding the gearbox. The rear axle instead features a Coca-Cola area, a predominant setting until 2021, favoring the recall of flows from the lower part of the bodywork towards the transmission and the diffuser. The slenderness of the Coca-Cola area, combined with the eye-catching stabilizing fin on the bonnet, would seem to suggest a great deal of packaging work in the engine compartment to reduce overall dimensions to a minimum. In any case, confirmation will only be obtained from photos of the track, from which the aerodynamic surfaces will also be appreciated. The greatest curiosity, however, is all about the performance of the power unit, credited with the highest power, also thanks to the artifice on the compression ratio, in a regulation where cavalry will not be the only decisive parameter.