The McLaren driver, Lewis Hamilton is in love with the team’s 2011 car, MP4-26 even though he has yet not taken it on for a spin.
The British driver announced this Tuesday that his first impressions of the car in the factory are very positive and he is keen to get behind the wheel as soon as he can.
On Monday, Hamilton visited the team's Woking factory, and spent the entire day there. He also used a simulator for several hours, revealing the under construction machine. The 25-year-old says that what he has come to know with
the initial testing is very encouraging. He believes that the British team will come out even stronger and faster on next year’s tracks.
While addressing his fans through his official Twitter page the British driver said, "Lots of neat ideas and improvements. First time driving the new car and I was happy. KERS and rear wing is trick but felt right at home with
it."
The KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) hit the Formula One tracks during the 2009 championship season, but as the sport entered 2010, it was forbidden by FIA. KERS is an expensive system and not all the teams were able to afford
it in 2009. To keep the costs of the sport in control, it was banned but only to re-enter for next season.
McLaren is happy with the return of the system, more than any other team on the grid. The British squad has run KERS earlier as well and despite the fact that they had not been able to lay hands on any of the titles, the team was
recognised for possessing the most efficient system on the grid. With its previous experience the team as well as the driver seem pretty confident for their 2011 package.
At the same time the other team driver, Jenson Button, who has not driven a KERS enabled car before, seems very thrilled for next season’s package. The driver managed to bag the 2009 Championship with the Brawn GP team without
the installation of the system. However, now he believes that next year’s MP4-26 is going to be one of the most competitive cars of the upcoming calendar.
While talking to the media earlier this week, the driver declared that their improved package, the brilliant Mercedes engine and the KERS technology makes him eager towards the forthcoming season.
While talking to the media earlier this week the 2009 World Champion declared, "I've never driven with KERS before but this team used KERS last year and used it well. I know because they kept coming by me at the start. They have
so much experience in that area that I think we'll have an advantage, as will Mercedes and Force India who use Mercedes engines. We'll have an advantage on Red Bull and Ferrari I think."
The driver had been very upset all through the 2010 season as he declared a number of times that they possess only the third fastest car on the track. At many of the circuits the McLaren drivers were simply not able to catch the
pace of the leading teams, Red Bull and Ferrari, while both Hamilton and Button kept pushing really hard to match their pace. Still, the British squad was able to wrap up the 2010 season in 2nd place in the Constructors’ Championship with their
454 points. Red Bull bagged the Championship for the first time as they scored 498 points while Ferrari stood third in the charts.
Now, as all the teams and drivers get ready to begin the battle anew, Hamilton is looking forward to a very strong season ahead for him.
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