Mercedes To Launch 2018 F1 Contender In February

Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team will be unveiling its contender for the 2018 season on February 22, 2018. This in fact, coincides with the launch of Ferrari's F1 car as well but it'll be a day prior to the launch of McLaren's single-seater. Team Mercedes faced tough competition from Ferrari in 2017 and Hamilton too had a few moments where he thought that the title would slip from his hands. However, Hamilton secured his fourth F1 Championship at the Mexican Grand Prix in 2017, though he did not end up with a podium finish. With that Championship under his belt, Hamilton became Britain's most successful F1 driver, overtaking Jackie Stewart.

Hamilton will look to continue to lead the charge for the Mercedes team with Bottas joining him for the second year on the trot. The team's F1 car will be unveiled at the Silverstone Circuit and this will be followed by an initial shakedown. The race starts in March this year, but there will be pre-season testing that the new car will undergo and that will begin in Spain from February 26, 2018.

The W09 will be the car with which Mercedes will defend both its drivers' and constructors' championships and with which it will attempt to secure its fifth consecutive double, having won all titles since the start of the hybrid era in 2014.

Ferrari, however, is one team that has made a big comeback in 2017 and Vettel will look to secure his fifth championship this year. Team Mercedes then has its work cut out then and we look forward to see how these cars perform at the pre-testing season.