The Latest Mercedes-AMG F1 Car Looks Absolutely Bonkers
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula 1 team has debuted their challenger for the 2018 racing season: the sexily named W09 EQ Power+.
The car was launched today at the Silverstone Circuit in the UK. Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas was first behind the wheel, with reigning F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton climbing in the car for the afternoon test run. Under F1 rules, teams are allowed to run their new cars during a ‘filming day’ prior to pre-season testing in Spain later this month, with mileage capped at 62 miles, or 100 kms.
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The W09 EQ Power+ is the result of thousands of hours of work by the Mercedes-AMG Petronas crew. Over the course of the offseason, Mercedes-AMG Petronas served up over 3,000 Saturday morning breakfasts at its Brackley HQ – evidence of the long, hard hours that made the car a reality. “It’s really amazing to know how many hours have been spent on designing and manufacturing the new car and how much effort people have put into it,” said Bottas. “As a driver you feel really special to be able to drive that machine.”
Mercedes says its 2018 car is its most advanced to date and “aims to write its own chapter in that long racing heritage while at the same time pushing the technological boundaries of motorsport.” The car “proudly” wears the EQ Power+ badge, which reflects the EQ Power+ naming strategy Mercedes will apply to its future performance hybrid models.
The W09 EQ Power+ will take to the track on February 26th for pre-season testing.
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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