The debut of the Mercedes GP W02 took place this morning at the Valencia
Circuit in Spain with the new challenger unveiled in front of the Mercedes GP
Petronas team garage by Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher.
The MGP W02
is the second Silver Arrows car to be launched by Mercedes GP Petronas since the
team became the first Mercedes-Benz works outfit since 1955.
After a
disappointing start to the 2010 season, the team decided early on that they
would stop development work on their 2010 challenger and focus all their efforts
on the 2011 rules package and the design of the MGP W02 instead.
The
car's livery is an evolution from its predecessor with a striking high-gloss
airbrush effect highlighting the shape of the car. The interaction between the
Silver Arrows heritage and the green shading representing the team's title
partner Petronas evokes memories of the first Silver Arrow car of 1934 with a
modern touch added by 3D partner logos.
The technical specification of the MGP
W02 includes the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery) system which returns to the
sport after a one-year absence. The Mercedes KERS system was the first to win a
Grand Prix during the 2009 season when KERS made its debut in Formula One. Also
new on the car for this season is the adjustable rear wing, operated by the
driver to aid overtaking, and Pirelli tires as the Italian manufacturer becomes
the sport's official tire supplier.
The team's driver line-up remains
unchanged with seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg,
who achieved the team's three podiums in 2010, forming one of the most exciting
and talented pairings on the grid.
Michael Schumacher commented: "Finally
the waiting is over and things get started. For us drivers, the break every year
is hard to take because the gap between the last race and the first time out on
track seems to be never-ending. Even if I have been involved and updated all
winter on the developments, and even if I know the improvements are significant,
it is still different to see the new car literally for the first time in front
of you. You automatically build up this nice pre-start tension. I very much look
forward to the new season."
Nico Rosberg is equally optimistic about
2011.
"I am very much looking forward to having a much stronger season
than last year and as always, our targets are aggressive. We want to be
competing at the front and challenging for race wins. Everyone at our factories
in Brackley and Brixworth has worked extremely hard on the new Silver Arrow and
we are all looking forward to seeing how it performs," said the younger German.
The team principal Ross Brawn explained that "it is always a thrill to see a
new car ready to take the track for the first time and this year is no
exception. After our first year as the Mercedes-Benz works team, we are now
seeing the benefits of our chassis group and our engine group working well
together. With a good technical structure and a strengthened race engineering
organization, both at the factory and the race track, I am confident that we
have done and will continue to do a better job this year in all key areas."
Norbert Haug, Vice-President at Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: "The new Silver
Arrow for the 2011 season has little in common with its immediate predecessor.
Our chassis engineers have taken a fairly ruthless approach and were determined
to shave off every superfluous gram and millimeter. What emerged from this
process is a compact and exquisitely shaped vehicle that introduces a host of
sophisticated solutions and truly reflects the enormous dedication of its
constructors. We have given it a brand new coat of paint, and we aim to see a
smile on the faces of our hard-working drivers and team members that is as
bright as our new silver livery.
"Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher are
top drivers who can win races for us, provided we build them the right car. At
the same time, our team, like all the other teams, has to deal with complex new
tasks. The new generation of tires from Pirelli, and the extent to which the
cars and drivers adapt to them, will play a vital role in deciding wins and
defeats.
"The rear wing flap, which can be adjusted under specified
conditions, will boost top speed and facilitate overtaking which should open up
a new and interesting chapter for Formula One. And there is the return of KERS
following a one-year absence at the end of the 2009 season when our Mercedes
system recorded a historic first race win. This will play a massive role amongst
all of the performance-related components, both for the additional power and for
the strategic options it makes available. As in 2009, it is our ambition that
Mercedes-Benz builds and runs the best hybrid system and that all three teams
which use it benefit significantly from this.
"The new Silver Arrow
should not only look first class, but should also be developed to be at the top
step-by-step," he concluded.