Mercedes

In pictures: Mercedes' long-awaited return to the track

Ian Parkes Tuesday 9 June 2020 18:48

In pictures: Mercedes' long-awaited return to the track

It has proven to be a vital day for Mercedes and Formula 1 ahead of the sport's long-awaited return to action in early July.

As mentioned in our earlier article, it has been 102 days since a car last roared into life, since when F1 has been forced to baton down the hatches and ride out the Covid-19 storm.

At Silverstone on Tuesday (June 9), Mercedes commenced the first of a two-day protocol test - with Valtteri Bottas behind the wheel of the 2018 W09 - as it attempted to come to terms with the new procedures required to go racing in Austria on July 3-5 and beyond this season.

As can be seen from the main image at the top of this article, face masks are now obligatory, with Bottas and all members of the team required to wear them.

Here, GPFans brings you a selection of images from Mercedes photographer Steve Etherington that highlight the 'new normal', as the team described in one of its tweets.

Reigning six-time champion Lewis Hamilton returns to action on Wednesday (June 10).

Wearing a required face mask, Valtteri Bottas looks on as his race crew get to grips with the W09

Bottas prepares to leave the garage with an engineer wearing PPE

Bottas finally leaves the garage for his first taste of an F1 car for 102 days

With Silverstone as the backdrop, Bottas pulls out on to the track

Boss Toto Wolff recognised the magnitude of the day as he was also in attendance, sporting a face mask

Before you go...

F1 believes no team now facing threat of extinction - including Williams

Not an easy decision to quit Renault and join McLaren - Ricciardo

Latest News

Lewis Hamilton

DELAYED Hamilton debut blamed on Ferrari

52 minutes ago

Latest F1 News

F1 team principal admits driver ERROR to blame for bizarre DNF

1 hour ago

F1 Today

F1 News Today: Verstappen in Las Vegas GP NIGHTMARE as FIA announce major penalty

2 hours ago

Las Vegas Grand Prix

Verstappen hit by BIZARRE issue at Las Vegas Grand Prix

2 hours ago

Latest F1 News

F1 team announce NEW driver signing for 2025

3 hours ago

Latest F1 News

Ferrari team-mates COLLIDE at Las Vegas Grand Prix

Today 09:27

More news

F1 Race Calendar 2024

GP AUSTRIA 28 - 30 Jun

George Russell

GP GREAT BRITAIN 5 - 7 Jul

Lewis Hamilton

GP HUNGARY 19 - 21 Jul

Oscar Piastri

GP BELGIUM 26 - 28 Jul

Lewis Hamilton

GP NETHERLANDS 23 - 25 Aug

Lando Norris

GP ITALY 30 Aug - 1 Sep

Charles Leclerc

GP AZERBAIJAN 13 - 15 Sep

Oscar Piastri

GP SINGAPORE 20 - 22 Sep

Lando Norris

GP USA 18 - 20 Oct

Charles Leclerc

GP MEXICO 25 - 27 Oct

GP QATAR 29 Nov - 1 Dec

GP ABU DHABI 6 - 8 Dec

Complete kalender 2024

F1 News 24/7

Races

About GPFans

GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.

We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.

With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.

Follow us on your favorite social media channel

Corporate & Media

Innovatieweg 20C
7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860

CHOOSE YOUR COUNTRY

In pictures: Mercedes' long-awaited return to the track

In pictures: Mercedes' long-awaited return to the track