McLaren unveil 2012 F1 car
McLaren on Wednesday became the first top team to unveil their car for the 2012 Formula One season.
The team's drivers, former world champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, showed off the MP4-27 model at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking amid hopes they can mount a serious challenge on Red Bull and their world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Mercedes-powered as in the past, the latest McLaren has a curved nose owing to new F1 regulations which give all cars a somewhat strange look.
"It is a fantastic car, I am looking forward to driving next week in Jerez," said the 2008 champion Hamilton.
Button, who lifted the trophy in 2009 for Brawn GP, came second behind the runaway winner Vettel last year, with Hamilton fifth in 2011.
Button expressed his hope that McLaren would be competitive right from the February 7 start of pre-season testing in Jerez, Spain, after McLaren had a difficult buildup 12 months ago. The 2012 season starts on March 18 in Australia.