Defending champion Mercedes has dominated the sport.
SILVERSTONE, England—’Champion.’ It is THE word in sports. And in F1, that word is spelled ‘Mercedes,’ again and again. That’s because Mercedes has dominated the sport since the beginning of the turbo era.
Courtesy: The Checkered Flag
And on Wednesday, Mercedes launched its W10 racecar in the quest to win a sixth consecutive championship. If successful, it would also be a sixth driver’s title for Lewis Hamilton, which would put the Briton one championship shy of Michael Schumacher’s all-time record.
“This is my seventh year with the team, and the energy and the determination within the team are really inspiring,” said Hamilton. “The buzz starts at the beginning of the year when you see the car coming together. And then you get to the shakedown, and you get into the car – it just never gets old.”
“It feels like a real privilege,” Hamilton continued. “So many people have worked together to form that car, and you know how much hard work has gone into it. Driving the new car is like meeting someone new for the first time–you want to get to know them the best way as quick as possible as you embark on a journey together,”
Lewis Hamilton (photo, Sky Sports)
Joining Hamilton once again is Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas, who will try to make up for a horrible 2018 when he was winless in a season that saw his teammate rack up 11 victories. But considering the domination by Hamilton, Team Manager Toto Wolff believes that both drivers should still race against one another– even though another team order situation is possible if Hamilton should find himself closing in on another world title.
“Both Lewis and Valtteri spent the winter taking their minds off Formula One for a while, which is important,” Wolff said. “Lewis spent some time traveling. When we met after the winter break I found him refreshed. He wants to start racing again. Valtteri spent some time with his family in Finland.”
“Valtteri and I had a good chat after the break,” Wolff continued. “He was in a good place and has been able to fully reset after a season that was not always easy for him. Valtteri knows he has the full backing of the team to succeed. He’s excited to get back in the car and show critics what he can do.”
All involved know that Bottas needs to improve this season–especially because Frenchman Esteban Ocon is waiting in the wings.
Following the launch, Hamilton took the car for a test run. It was clear to observers that Mercedes and Hamilton will be difficult to unseat.
