A month away from the first race of the 2018 Formula 1 season, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport unveiled the new single-seater, dubbed the Mercedes-AMG F1 W09 EQ Power +.
The F1 W09 EQ Power + which was unveiled at an event at Silverstone, intends to write its own chapter in Formula 1, while challenging the technological limits of motorsport, having been improved in all areas compared to its predecessor and becoming it will become the fastest Mercedes F1 in history.
As part of Mercedes-AMG's strategy, the “EQ Power +” represents the brand's future hybrid models, and the Formula 1 team will lead the way that was followed by the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE, unveiled in Frankfurt last year. The model of more than three million euros will see one of its 250 units come to Portugal.
The presentation of the new car took place in Silverstone.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport has designed and created nearly 7000 parts and there have been over 40 000 components that have passed inspection for non-destructive testing.
The new M09 EQ Power + was developed to respond to changes in the Sporting Regulations for the 2018 season — reducing the number of power unit components that can be used per driver, per season, without incurring any penalties, has meant that durability had to be extended to support the greater distances the hardware now has to run.
experienced team
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport will enter the 2018 championship with the same pair of drivers who scored a total of 668 points last year — Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas — winning the Constructors' Championship by 146 points. Expectations for the new season are already high.
Reserve riders for the 2018 season were also announced – the 2017 GP3 champion, George Russell , who will compete in Formula 2 and Pascal Wehrlein , who will combine his role as reserve pilot with a return to the DTM, where he won the title in 2015.
The new Formula 1 season maintains a very busy schedule with 21 Grand Prix (GP) planned. The calendar shows two new developments compared to last year – the German GP in Hockenheim and the French GP in Paul Ricard. The Malaysian Grand Prix has been removed from the calendar for the new season.