Mercedes GP unveils the colors of its new car

Mercedes GP unveiled its official colors for the 2010 season at an event held within the German automaker’s museum in Stuttgart. Mercedes, which took over the reigning world champion team Brawn GP this year under its own name, showcased its new colors using a 2009 car before its new single-seater is unveiled at the beginning of next month.

The new car, which sports Mercedes’ ‘classic silver’ color, will make its first ever appearance on the Valencia circuit on February 1st, where the first official testing session will be held. The 2010 car will be named the MGP W01.

« With the presentation today of our new Mercedes GP Formula 1 team, a new chapter, undoubtedly the most important of these past hundred years of history, begins, » said Mercedes Motorsport director Norbert Haug. « The new Formula 1 season will offer challenges that will be the biggest in sixty years of the sport’s history. »

« We are delighted with the cooperation between Nico Rosberg, who has enormous capabilities and high prospects, and the seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who is no less motivated than when he began his professional career. »

« Today, I would also like to welcome our new partner, Petronas, as well as our co-investor. I warmly greet all our colleagues from last year who participated in the 2009 World Championship under the Brawn GP banner led by Ross Brawn and Nick Fry. There are challenging tasks ahead of us, and we will address them with power, consistency, and intact motivation, » he continued.

The team will once again be led by Ross Brawn, who will re-establish a partnership with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. He will have Nico Rosberg as a teammate. Brawn did not hide his excitement during the launch of the new team.

« We have a wonderful future because a year ago we had no future, it is a very stimulating situation for us, » said Brawn, who achieved great success with Schumacher during his time at Ferrari.

« It’s wonderful to be collaborating with Michael again. I didn’t think it could happen again. Nico alone embodies new perspectives. He will be a fantastic partner for Michael. He arrived in F1 a few years ago, but he will enjoy working with Michael to see how a seven-time world champion operates. »

Rosberg said that driving a Mercedes is a dream come true for him: « For sure, for me, it will be a very, very special moment, a dream come true to drive a silver arrow. I am looking forward to it, working with people like Norbert [Haug], Ross, and Nick [Fry] and having Michael as a teammate is fabulous. It’s going to be a great season. »

As for Schumacher, he admitted that he had been overwhelmed by the reaction of his fans since announcing his comeback: “We obviously saw some fans this summer and I was surprised by their reaction. Now I am going to drive a silver arrow,” said the German.

« It is a great emotion and an extraordinary sensation that I perceive from the outside. A big thank you to all the fans. It gives me a greater impetus. »