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Mercedes became the latest Formula 1 team to share their look for the new season, unveiling the striking W17 with a series of images released on Thursday. The technical elements are in line with the incoming set of regulations, geared towards making the cars smaller, lighter, and more agile. The front and rear wings are smaller and the car is narrower overall, particularly when compared with previous season. From a livery standpoint, the design is a departure from what we have seen from Mercedes in previous years. A green line — a nod to title partner Petronas — anchors the car from the nose to the rear, drawing attention to a “transition” from silver to black as the eye trails along the W17. The iconic Mercedes three-pointed star dots the engine cover, while the sidepods contain a stunning array of silver lines. Top-down on the Mercedes W17 👁️#F1 @MercedesAMGF1 pic.twitter.com/MCTYSll4K9— Formula 1 (@F1) January 22, 2026 “Formula One will undergo significant change in 2026, and we are prepared for that transition. The new regulations demand innovation and absolute focus across every area of performance. Our work on the new car, and the long-term development of the Power Unit and advanced sustainable fuels with Petronas, reflects that approach,” said Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff. “Releasing the first images of the W17 is simply the next step in that process. It represents the collective, sustained effort of our teams in Brixworth and Brackley. We will continue to push hard in the months ahead.” Up next for Mercedes — and the rest of the grid — is next week’s Barcelona Shakedown, where the teams will put their 2026 challengers through a private testing session. Two more testing sessions in Bahrain will follow next month. The Silver Arrows will also officially unveil the W17 at a season launch event on February 2.

Lead cast: Kim Hye-yoon, Lomon Latest Nielsen rating: 2.7 per cent The nine-tailed-fox fantasy romcom template gets a lively workout in the bright and brisk No Tail to Tell, starring Kim Hye-yoon (Lovely Runner) as a jaded mythical being and Lomon (All of Us Are Dead) as a superstar football player whose destinies entwine. A fantastical creature from East Asian mythology, the nine-tailed fox – known in Korea as a gumiho – is an entity that typically takes on the appearance of a beautiful woman...

Asta is a distinguished materials scientist and has been a UC Berkeley faculty member for more than 15 years. The post Mark Asta appointed dean of Berkeley Engineering appeared first on Berkeley News.

Previous Winner NONE Exactly half of the votes in the previous poll went to two players: INF Jadher Areinamo and RHP TJ Nichols. Accordingly, for this next poll, we will do a runoff of these two players. The winner of the vote will receive the No. 7 slot, and the loser will receive the No. 8 slot. We will then continue on Friday with No. 9. Runoff Candidates Jadher Areinamo, INF22 | R/R | 5’8” | 160A+ (MIL) | .255/.316/.397 (126 wRC+) 415 PA, 11 HR, 15 SB, 8.2% BB, 11.6% KAA (TB) | .255/.316/.697 (111 wRC+) 159 PA, 4 HR, 6 SB, 7.5% BB, 11.9% KVEN | .364/.420/.692 162 PA, 13 HR, 5 SB, 8.6% BB, 12.3% K Acquired in return for Danny Jansen at the 2025 trade deadline, Arienamo was promoted straight to Double-A by the Rays, and his success at that level carried over into the Venezuealan winter league, where his 1.112 OPS and 13 HR were each the second highest marks in the league. He’s considered to have a high baseball IQ, strong motor, excellent bat control, and defensive flexibility, any one of which could earn him an entertaining major league debut. TJ Nichols, RHP24 | 6’5” | 190A+ | 3.63 ERA, 4.52 FIP, 96.2 IP (19 G, 18 GS), 30.4% K, 5.4% BBAA | 0.97 ERA, 2.27 FIP, 37.0 IP (6 GS), 28.0% K, 6.8% BB A sixth rounder from 2023, Nichols entered the Rays organization with low mileage and control issues, a match made in development heaven. Fast forward to 2025, and his 68% strike percentage ranked 10th best among all minor league pitchers with 100 innings, according to Baseball America. His breaking ball is a big fish in a little pond thanks to its two-plane movement. By my eye, he has a mid-90’s dead zone-ish fastball with easy, over the top heat, and a classic but inconsistent change up. Despite all his gains in control it’s his command that might hold him back, but he fills the zone and might be able to eat innings, which is enough for a back end starter floor. If you’re buying stock, he’s Kimberly-Clark.

The Rays had several interesting names getting some reps in international leagues during the offseason. I’ve recapped the performances from some of the standouts below and looked ahead to what it could mean for them in 2026. Australian Baseball League Leonardo Pineda The 2024 international signee has played less than 100 professional games since joining the organization, but that didn’t stop the Rays from his aggressive assignment to the ABL. Playing against competition over half a decade older than him on average, Leo held his own and then some – slashing .279/.362/.402 in 36 games (138 PA) and playing a solid CF. Maybe the most impressive number from his campaign down-under is that 26.5% of his hits went for extra bases (compared to just 20.8% at the complex league last season). He’s starting to tap into his above average bat speed and find in-game power without having to sell-out and sacrifice any contact ability. Despite his relatively small sample of professional games even with his ABL experience, I expect Pineda to begin the year with low A Charleston where he might be pushed to a corner at times to make room for Rays CF prospect Slater de Brun. Pineda will still get his time in CF where he looks like he could develop to be an above average defender there. Nicandro Aybar A late injury replacement addition to the Perth squad, Aybar didn’t miss a beat as he made the most of his opportunity. He hit four HRs – doubling his professional HR total so far in his career – and showed above average bat-to-ball skills. His versatility and athleticism could make him a valuable utility player as he develops. In the last two seasons, Aybar has seen time at all three OF positions as well as 2B and 3B, but looks best in a corner outfield spot. I think he has enough lateral quickness and arm to continue to get reps at his two infield positions going forward. I expect Aybar to begin the year with Charleston after getting a cup of coffee there late last season. Dominican Winter League Hunter Bigge Bigge seemed destined for a key bullpen role in 2025 before a freak injury derailed his season. He has since gotten back on the saddle – earning three saves across 8 IP to go along with 11 K and 3 BB. The most exciting part of his performance in the Dominican Republic is that his stuff and confidence are just as great as they were pre-injury. I think Bigge could play a pivotal role and pitch in plenty of high leverage moments in 2026 as part of the closer committee. He could be a sneaky pick to lead the team in saves this year. Kenny Piper While the offensive production hasn’t been there for Piper this offseason, his defensive skills continue to shine. Piper is a plus receiver with above average athleticism behind the plate and his pitchers love throwing to him. Piper also has a 70 grade arm that he has been able to show off more this offseason as he has worked to improve his exchange. His 42% caught stealing rate is by far the best in the Dominican Winter League, and 18% better than the league average. For more context, the ML leaders last season at 43% were Luis Torrens and Austin Hedges – Piper has shown similar pop times to both of them. His hit and power tools currently grade below average and there might not be much we can expect from Piper offensively, but his work behind the plate is a valuable asset and he could be an impact defender in the majors if given the opportunity to play in a back-up role. I expect him to be ready to help the major league club as he awaits his opportunity in Durham along with Dom Keegan. Sometimes I wonder about the alternate universe where Danny Jansen begins the 2025 season on the IL and Piper makes the Opening Day roster. Venezuelan Winter League Jadher Areinamo Areinamo put on a show this offseason. His performance in Venezuela is MVP worthy (although his ROTY award was also a nice prize) as he hit .364/.420/.692 with 13 HR across 162 PA. He continues to show an above average…