BBC technical analyst and former Jordan technical director Gary Anderson said
he could not see “anything too exciting” about the car.
“Unlike the McLaren, which looked a step forward in every area, I wouldn’t
necessarily say I’m seeing anything too exciting about the Mercedes,”
Anderson said.
Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn, however, said that the car was “a clear
step forward in design and detail sophistication over its predecessor”
adding that he was expecting “a step change in performance compared to
last season”.
That is certainly what Hamilton is hoping for. “It’s a very special day
for me to officially present our Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow to the world,”
the 28-year-old said. “There is no company with a longer history in
Grand Prix racing than Mercedes-Benz and it is an honour for me to tread in
the footsteps of legends like Juan Manuel Fangio, Sir Stirling Moss and
Michael Schumacher.
“It’s the start of a new chapter for me, a new adventure, and when I walked
through the doors in Brackley, I was so excited to get down to work. I’ve
been at the factory for a few days now, getting to know the guys, meeting my
mechanics and engineers, learning myself into the team and I have never seen
a group of people that is hungrier for success than this one.
“They have been flat out this winter trying to pack more performance into
the new car and I can’t wait to drive it and see where I can make a
difference to help push the team forward with Nico.
“This is a new start for me with the team in Brackley but I have worked
with Mercedes-Benz for a very long time now, and I learned one thing most of
all: Mercedes-Benz doesn’t know how to lose.”