Mercedes unveils the F1 W04
Mercedes AMG team unveiled its 2013 car today in Jerez, the F1 W04, which sees a new sponsor join the Silver Arrows, Blackberry.
Before the first private tests of the 2013 Formula 1 season, which will begin tomorrow, the Mercedes AMG team presented its car for the new season, the F1 W04, in Jerez. This car will be entrusted to Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
The two men then completed several laps each today, for a total of about 100 kilometers as a shakedown. Nico Rosberg will take the wheel tomorrow (and also Wednesday) and he knows he has a big day ahead, even if the F1 W04 already seems competitive: « I often went to the factory to see the guys in December and January, and we did a good job, especially in the simulator. The car seems to work well in the virtual world, but we have an intense program ahead of us during these tests to ensure we can achieve such performances on the track. The team’s atmosphere is very positive, and everyone is highly motivated to succeed. And, of course, I have a new teammate with Lewis. It’s his first time in a silver arrow, and I look forward to working with him and our battles, to make this team the best in Formula 1. »
Lewis Hamilton, for his part, is thrilled about this new challenge and is eager to drive the F1 W04 on Thursday and Friday: “It’s the start of a new chapter for me, a new adventure, and when I walked into the Brackley factory, I was so excited to get to work! I went to the factory for several days to get to know the guys, meet my mechanics and engineers, learn how to integrate into the team, and I’ve never seen a group of people as hungry for success as this one. They have worked very hard this winter to put more performance into the new car, and I can’t wait to drive it and see where I can make a difference to help the team move forward with Nico.”
Alongside the unveiling of the F1 W04, Mercedes also revealed a new sponsor, BlackBerry – which is the new name of the Canadian group that launched the eponymous range of phones. The BlackBerry logo is visible on the F1 W04 as well as on the suits of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and on the team members’ outfits.
This partnership will also be technical between the two companies and will include a marketing aspect to allow, among other things, BlackBerry owners to benefit from applications to follow Formula 1.
From our special correspondent in Jerez
