The favourite car of the Formula 1 2020 grid season grid has now been unveiled. Mercedes W11 was launched this past Friday at the Silverstone Circuit in England. This is the car that could secure a place in the history books for the German Scuderia. The team is well on its way to winning their seventh consecutive title this year, a feat never achieved before in the 70 years of Formula 1 history. 

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With that enormous challenge in mind, the team’s main actors were there helping in the launch of their machine at the legendary British track. Before getting the new model out for a 100km filming day, team director Toto Wolf as well as his two drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, have been speaking to the press about their feelings over the upcoming season.  

“Success is taking each step a day at a time. Today, success would be that we have a good shakedown, that we clock the mileage and get the filming in so that both the drivers get a feel for the car. Go to Barcelona, that’s the next milestone, do a solid test and get the work done, collect the data and come in good shape to Melbourne. So it’s really a step by step approach.” – Said Wolff-. 

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The British driver for his part is focused into taking his seventh title, which would bring draw him level with the legendary Michael Schumacher, the most successful drivers in history. The six-time world champion from Stevenage, however, has declared to not feel the pressure… or at least by now: 

 “Pressure? At this time of the year, you don’t really feel any of the pressure and it’s just about having some fun (…) It is incredible. These guys have been working for months and months to build the car that we see in that garage today, to make sure that it’s delivered for this day and that it’s running smoothly. I and Valtteri get to go and stretch its wings a little bit.” 

When asked about who was his main rival for 2020 he amiably pointed to his teammate Valteri Bottas who was standing next to him. As per the Monegasque form Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, and the Dutchman from Red Bull, Max Verstappen, the 44 said that it is fun to have them as rivals but that he prefers to do the talking on the track, and considers anything else a sign of weakness.  

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 The Scandinavian driver wants to demonstrate that he can actually beat his teammate this year after three years unable to do so despite having the same equipment.  

“I have taken good care of myself and I have also shaved my beard. For sure it is a good base to build on. I got a very positive season; I got a lot of learning a lot of improvements, I really could feel the progress in many areas and working on my weaknesses together with the team. Always in the winter is just a great opportunity to step back, look at the big picture and really take in everything from the previous season and process it and learn and improve so looking forward to it” – explained Bottas -in front of the new car and later on in boxes, the time came to have some fun with the new car. Bottas was the first one to take the W11 for a ride. Then, it was the turn for the head of ranks to take the wheel.  

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 There were no surprises regarding the looks of the W11. The livery continues to be silver for the most part but now it is specked by the burgundy tones of its new sponsor, INEOS. This new design, however, did not come as a surprise as it had already been shown during an official event in London on the 10th of January.  

Images of Mercedes W11: Mercedes AMG F1 Petronas.