Mercedes AMG F1 W09 EQ Power+ 2018 Unveiling – Video
Join Toto Wolff, Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and a supporting cast of thousands as Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport proudly unveils the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Formula One challenger – the F1 W09 EQ Power+ – at Silverstone!
The all-new F1 W09 EQ Power+ shares some of the DNA of its predecessor. Affectionately dubbed a “diva” for its occasional lack of predictability, the 2017 Mercedes F1 car was nevertheless the most successful car of the past season. The aerodynamic regulations remained largely stable for the 2018 season, with the introduction of the Halo and the ban of both monkey seat and high T-wings being the biggest changes. So the team chose to follow a similar design philosophy, aimed at developing the many strengths of the 2017 car and improving its weaker areas.
“We like some of the character traits from our diva,” explained Toto. “The W08 was the fastest car on the grid, scoring the highest number of pole positions and winning the most races last year. So we were careful not to lose the car’s many strengths just to overcome the difficulties.”
“Last year’s car was never easy to work with, even at the tracks where we were strong,” added James. “We could find our way through the weekend to a competitive outcome, but it was never easy. We hope that we have made some inroads into that and that this year’s car will speak to us as engineers and to the drivers a little more clearly so that it is more obvious what to do to dial it in.”
The new car stays true to the general design principles of its championship-winning predecessor, retaining the same wheelbase and running slightly increased rake. However, working with a well-understood set of regulations meant the team could push the design to greater extremes in every area.
“Across the board, this design is more elegant than last year,” said James. “Last year’s regulations were brand new and we weren’t quite sure which direction they would take us in. So last year’s car had a certain amount of wiggle room to adapt if we had found that we needed to move around certain aspects of the car. This year, being a little more confident of what we’re aiming for, we’ve been able to commit more fully to certain concepts. So we have the packaging much tighter and have taken things to more of an extreme.
With only a little over a month to go until the first race of the 2018 FIA Formula One season, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport today took the wraps off the all new Mercedes-AMG F1 W09 EQ Power+.
Team partners, guests and media joined the team for the reveal show at Silverstone, while Mercedes fans around the world took part in the action and watched the unveiling of the new F1 challenger live online. For one fan in particular, shakedown day turned out to be a once in a lifetime experience. Having won the team’s launch contest, he and his stepdaughter were invited for a VIP experience on-site at Silverstone. The main reveal show paid tribute to Mercedes’ long motorsport history, featuring emotional footage of some of the team’s most painful defeats and most thrilling victories.
As the most advanced machine ever conceived by Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, the 2018 car aims to write its own chapter in that long racing heritage while at the same time pushing the technological boundaries of motorsport. The F1 W09 EQ Power+ is improved in every area over its predecessor and will become the fastest Mercedes Formula One car in history.
Christened Mercedes-AMG F1 W09 EQ Power+, the new car proudly carries the “EQ Power+” designation which was launched to the world on last year’s car. As part of the naming strategy of Mercedes-AMG, “EQ Power+” stands for the brand’s future performance hybrid models. The Formula One team is proud to have led the way that was followed by the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE show car revealed in Frankfurt last year. The EQ Power+ designation places the F1 car and its state-of-the-art hybrid power unit at the forefront of the future Mercedes-AMG line-up, showcasing how F1 technology is accelerating the future of motor racing and automotive technology in general.
The launch was part of the team’s official 100 km filming day, during which the F1 W09 EQ Power+ completed its first laps of Silverstone’s 2.98 km International Circuit with Valtteri Bottas behind the wheel. Lewis Hamilton’s run in the car is scheduled for the early afternoon.