The Mercedes W03 of Schumacher and Rosberg is almost revealed
Less than a week before the launch of its 2012 vehicle, the Mercedes AMG team is conducting a teasing operation and unveils the shapes of its W03.
After participating in the Jerez tests with last year’s car to gather essential data regarding the behavior of the new Pirelli tires with a car they know inside out, the Mercedes AMG team is finally ready to unveil the much-anticipated Mercedes W03 next Tuesday, before the start of the private Barcelona tests, at 8:20 am.
The German team will thus be the tenth team to present its new car but is already creating a buzz thanks to two pictures published on its official Facebook page and in the background of its Twitter account, outlining the shapes of the future weapon that Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg will have in their hands.
But the men from Brackley take the vice further by hiding the element that attracts all attention during each presentation since the launch of the Caterham CT01. From these pictures, it’s impossible to know if Ross Brawn and his engineers, including Bob Bell and Aldo Costa, have succumbed to the platypus nose trend or if, like McLaren, they preferred a more aesthetic solution.
The late arrival of this single-seater is causing quite a stir regarding the innovations it might present, including the now-famous passive F-duct, affecting the behavior of the front wing. Meanwhile, like Ferrari, Mercedes needs to make up for a disappointing 2011 season with hopes of competing for the title in 2012, a prospect that recently left Michael Schumacher skeptical: « As I have said before, I don’t think we can realistically have a car that fights for the championship from where we started last season […]. I’m sure we will get there in the future, but let’s take one step at a time. »
The seven-time German world champion will be the first to take the wheel of this Mercedes W03, starting Tuesday, then Thursday. Nico Rosberg, on the other hand, will drive his new car on Wednesday and next Friday.
