Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Silverstone for run
Friday 30 January 2015 10:27, UK
World champions Mercedes have revealed the first glimpses of their new W06 car during a shakedown at Silverstone.
Although the team aren’t officially launching their new challenger until the morning of the first test at Jerez on Sunday, the 2015 machine hit the track for the first time at the British GP venue on Thursday. Mercedes say the car "first departed the garage at 13:13 this afternoon in icy conditions at the Northamptonshire circuit".
Nico Rosberg, who will give the car its full maiden run at Jerez on Sunday, was behind the wheel first at Silverstone before his world champion team-mate Lewis Hamilton took over. The car completed 18 laps before snow showers brought the car back into the pits.
Mercedes are red-hot favourites to secure successive title doubles this year after the Brackley team claimed a record 16 race wins and 11 one-two finishes in 2014.
The Sky Sports F1 Online team will be providing live commentary of all three winter tests, starting in Jerez on February 1, with live updates from trackside also on Sky Sports News HQ.