Ross Brawn, Mercedes team principal, is confident that the new W03, launched on Tuesday in the Barcelona pit-lane, will deliver the necessary results.
The Brackley based outfit chose to delay the launch of its car in order to extend the devlopment period at the factory by two weeks.
Brawn has high hopes that this decision has paid off, describing the new car as “a clear step forward over its predecessor” in terms of design and sophistication.
“The W03 is a car that I believe, and hope, our team can be proud of, and which will deliver the on-track results that everybody has worked so hard to achieve,” commented Brawn.
“Notwithstanding the distinctive nose design, which is certainly an acquired taste, the W03 is an elegant interpretation of the current regulations, and a clear step forward over its predecessor in terms of detail design and sophistication.
“Last year, we produced a very bold car and, although its more radical elements didn’t always deliver the results we had hoped for, the experience we gained has been invaluable to the design of the 2012 car.”
The team made a number of hirings in 2011, Aldo Costa, Geoff Willis and Bob Bell to name but a few, and Brawn is confident this added knowledge will pay dividends on-track.
“The W03 is also a more integrated package, which reflects the ever-strengthening ties between our technical teams in Brackley and Brixworth, and demonstrates that our Silver Arrows works team is taking the next step forward in terms of on-track performance.”
