MercedesGP W02 debuts in Valencia

The official presentation of the MGP W02, the challenger from team Mercedes GP Petronas for the 2011 Formula One World Championship took place this morning at the team’s garage at the Valencia Circuit in Spain. Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher unveiled the new Silver Arrow.

The MGP W02 is the second Silver Arrow launched by the team after the return of Mercedes-Benz as a constructor, absent since 1955. It is a result of twelve months of design and development work.

For 2011 the MGP W02 has been fitted with the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery) system making its return to the sport after a one-year absence. An adjustable rear wing is also part of the W02 new developments. It will be operated by the driver and will help in overtaking. The tyres are also part of the novelties with Pirelli becoming the sport’s official tyre supplier.

The driver lineup has been maintained from last year with seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. The two German drivers will be looking for improved performance in 2011.

“I very much look forward to the new season. We have said it several times already but again, we are really to building up something big together. I am very confident that this season we will be standing on the podium much more regularly; ideally in the middle,” said Michael Schumacher.

Nico Rosberg expectations for the new season are high: “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.”

Team Principal, Ross Brawn is also eager to see the performance of the W02 and to see the result of several months of work where the team bonded closer with Mercedes-Benz.

“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 organisation, 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.”

The prepping has been done and the goal for the 2011 season has been set: “We want to be setting the standard right from the start but if we are not, we will respond very strongly to get ourselves into the game. Everyone is excitedly waiting to see what the new season will reveal,” said Brawn.