
Lewis Hamilton has been given the keys to a new car that he describes as looking "beautiful".
Hamilton, who has just turned 24, didn’t choose the car on a showroom forecourt like most British drivers; the ultra-modern vehicle will be his new place of work for the forthcoming Grand Prix season.
The McLaren driver and his Finnish team-mate Heikki Kovalainen unveiled the new Mercedes-powered MP4-24 at the team’s Surrey HQ, allowing it to be compared to the new machines that Ferrari and Toyota revealed earlier this week.
Hamilton said: "The car looks beautiful and it’s great to see the final outcome.
"This season will be a whole new challenge for everyone, including me, because of the rule changes."
The car’s design is a reflection of the rule changes which will see the return of slick tyres, aerodynamic changes endorsed by the Overtaking Working Group and a new compulsory kinetic energy recovery system.
Commenting on the development of the new car, Heikki Kovalainen said: "I’ve been amazed at just how hard everybody in Woking, Brixworth and Stuttgart has worked."
Written by James Christie