Why does mercury orbits the sun not in a propel circle?

Mercury's orbit around the Sun is not a perfect circle due to the influence of gravitational forces, particularly from the Sun and other planets. Its elliptical shape results from the balance between its orbital velocity and the gravitational pull of the Sun. Additionally, relativistic effects, as predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity, cause further deviations from a circular path, particularly noticeable in the precession of Mercury's perihelion.