The trend was set by the very motorsport director of the German marque, Norbert Haug, who prior to the Barcelona test this past weekend told the media the Mercedes W02 would not end inside the Top 10 should the championship begin in that moment. A few days have passed and Haug changed his position into a warmer approach on the W02 challenger.
“Because we were able to do more laps (in Barcelona), we understand the car and the tires better. And that brings us lap time,” said Haug, while hinting that straight line speed is one of the car's advantages over its rivals in 2011.
“If everything goes in the right direction, the Silver Arrow may surprise you,” he warned, after Nico Rosberg posted the fastest time of the Sunday testing in Barcelona.
And indeed, according to several media reports in Germany, Mercedes' W02 car is the leader within the 2011-spec challengers in terms of top speed in a straight line. And considering the aerodynamic changes for the new campaign, the most important of which is the adjustable rear wing, straight line speed will likely play a decisive role on Sunday's action.
In addition to the qualities already showcased by the Mercedes racer, Haug confirmed earlier this week that a whole new aerodynamic package will debut on the W02 in Barcelona, during the test scheduled for March 8-11, meant to boost the team into fighting for podiums and ultimately wins through 2011.
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