McLaren MP4-25

INTRODUCING THE MP4-25
The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team today revealed its brand new MP4-25 chassis – the car in which reigning world champion Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton will contest the 2010 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
Unveiled at Vodafone UK’s stunning headquarters in Newbury, the 2010 car looks noticeably different from last year’s race-winning MP4-24. MP4-25 features a radical aerodynamic overhaul and a significantly larger fuel tank to take full advantage of this year’s new regulations, and its design team is confident it has explored every possible avenue to maximise the car’s performance.
Horsepower once again comes from our friends in Stuttgart. Mercedes-Benz’s FO 108X V8 subtly improves upon an engine which has become the benchmark in Formula 1, winning the last two drivers’ world championships.
The team kicks off its 2010 campaign with a stunning driver pairing: 2009 world champion Jenson Button and 2008 title winner Lewis Hamilton. It is the first time since 1989 – when it ran Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna – that the team has fielded a joint-world champion driver line-up, and marks the first time in Formula 1 history that the sport’s two most recent world champions have been partnered together.
However, the driver line-up represents only a fraction of the team’s remarkable strength in depth. Members of the design team who contributed to the development of MP4-25 can also trace their involvement back through an incredible seven drivers’ world championships, five of the team’s eight constructors’ world championships and 112 of the team’s 164 grand prix victories.
The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team begins pre-season testing with MP4-25 at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo on Monday.
Source – McLaren
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Principal shares his thoughts on the launch of the new MP4-25
How confident are you that the team can sustain the momentum it gathered at the end of 2009 into the new season?
‘By the end of last season, we had one of the fastest cars in the field – and that’s a testament to the ceaseless belief, motivation and skill of the people within our team. And I hope we’ve maintained that momentum over the winter.
‘Indeed, we’ve pushed the limits with the design of the new car, and I’m tremendously proud of everyone’s achievements. We feel that the relatively stable regulatory changes will play to our strengths, and it’s our aim to field a fully competitive car from the start of the season.’
What prompted the decision to sign Jenson to partner Lewis?
‘At Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, we’ve demonstrated that strength in depth is the best approach to take in Formula 1. The group of engineers, designers and strategists we’ve assembled demonstrates how much can be achieved by a very focused team operating at the very limit of their abilities.
‘In Jenson, we saw a champion driver hungry for more; somebody who wants to achieve greater successes, and bring with him a blend of experience, speed and strength of character that will further strengthen this organisation.
‘We’ve already seen those qualities in Lewis, too. And he’s proved beyond question that he’s not only a great Formula 1 driver, but also a great team player and a motivator.
‘I’m convinced that we have one of the very strongest driver line-ups in Formula 1, and that both Jenson and Lewis are committed to working together to enhance the team’s prospects in what promises to be a fiercely competitive season.’
What is it about McLaren that has made it such an enduring force within Formula 1?
‘There’s a passion and commitment within this organisation that is hard to define. We saw it last year, but, in fact, we see it every year: it’s an ability to pull together in order to overcome great obstacles.
‘And the same goes for the team’s many commercial partnerships. We have fantastic, long-standing relationships with our partners, and we’re extremely proud of the strength and depth of those partnerships. They speak volumes about the levels of trust and the reputation that this team has established over many, many years.
‘We’re big believers in people – that belief got us where we are today, and it’s our shared commitment that will take us forward in 2010.’