Mercedes unveil Silver Arrow for 2012 season

By Jens Marx Feb 22, 2012, 6:04 GMT

Barcelona - The Mercedes Formula One team on Tuesday unveiled the new Silver Arrow F1 W03 for the 2012 Grand Prix season.

Mercedes drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher unveiled the car ahead of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

Rosberg, who tested the car in England on February 16, said the team has had a great start to the 2012 testing programme.

'It was a great feeling to drive the first laps in the new F1 W03. We have been able to focus on understanding the car and making good progress with our test programme.

'It will be very interesting to learn more about where we stand in the next few weeks,' said the German whose three third-place finishes from the 2010 season are the best results the team achieved since returning to the sport as a works team.

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn said he believed the team would achieve good results with the new car. 'The F1 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.

'Last year, we produced a very bold car and, although its more radical elements did not always deliver the results we had hoped for, the experience we gained has been invaluable to the design of the 2012 car.'

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who is considering extending his contract which ends after the current season, said he had a good feeling about the car.

'Last week, when we were driving the F1 W03 for the very first time, it instantly gave us good feedback and sensations.

'Obviously, we will only see over the next couple of weeks how big the step is that we have made.'

The new season starts in Australia on March 18 and Schumacher said he was hopeful that the new season would be successful. 'I am eager to fight again, looking forward to the new season, and I can't wait for it to begin.'

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