Mercedes Formula 1 launched the W08, the car with which the team will defend its constructors' championship crown in '17, according to Sean Gibson of the London TELEGRAPH. The new car was "showcased for the first time in a live event at Silverstone," conducted by 360-degree video across social media with Motorsport Dir Toto Wolff and drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in attendance. Prior to the showcase, Hamilton had taken the W08 for a "shake-down" run around the circuit, "despite the damp weather." Most notable about the car on first glance is its lack of the "shark-fin" engine cover and the "stub" nosecone favored by rival teams so far (TELEGRAPH, 2/23). The BBC's Andrew Benson reported Hamilton said that the car felt "incredible" and "pretty awesome" on his first outing. Hamilton: "Yesterday was the first time I saw [the car] together. It is the most detailed piece of machinery I have seen in F1." Bottas is "due to drive the car on Thursday afternoon." Wolff said that he was "hoping for a less fractious relationship" between Hamilton and Bottas than between the Briton and former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg. Wolff: "It's a completely new dynamic. I see it as an opportunity to start from square one with a healthy relationship" (BBC, 2/23).
'A BIT OUTDATED': In London, Rebecca Clancy reported on the eve of the launch, Hamilton said that he did not feel "Formula One is winning." He added, "It hasn’t been for a long time." He blamed rule changes and "a failure to engage sufficiently with the fans." Hamilton: "F1 is a bit outdated in the sense that if you look at other sports they’re further ahead in the entertainment factor, but F1 is catching up and I think there’s a lot of catching up to do." F1 introduced new regulations designed "to make the cars faster and appear more aggressive, while also making them louder to make the sport more attractive to fans." However, Hamilton said that his engineers have said that "it is going to be a lot harder to overtake and the new regulations could actually make the sport worse to watch." Hamilton said, "I really hope that the engineers, who are the smartest guys, are wrong" (LONDON TIMES, 2/23).
