Mercedes confident of strong 2011

The team took both titles under the Brawn GP name in 2009, but failed to defend its crown last year, as its car did not prove strong enough to fight for races victories.

Mercedes finished a distant fourth in the standings.

Brawn, however, is optimistic the team will be able to make significant progress this year following the launch of the new car on Tuesday.

"It is always a thrill to see a new car ready to take the track for the first time and this year is no exception," said Brawn. "After our first year as the Mercedes-Benz works team, we are now seeing the benefits of our chassis and engine groups working well together.

"With a good technical structure and a strengthened race engineering organisation, both at the factory and the race track, I am confident that we have done and will continue to do a better job this year in all key areas.

"We want to be setting the standard right from the start but if we are not, we will respond very strongly to get ourselves into the game. Everyone is excitedly waiting to see what the new season will reveal."

Michael Schumacher is also upbeat ahead of the start of the season, the German confident that he will be able to fight closer to the top following a disappointing 2010.

"I very much look forward to the new season. We have said it several times already but again, we are really to building up something big together. I am very confident that this season we will be standing on the podium much more regularly; ideally in the middle!"

Team-mate Nico Rosberg echoed the seven-time champion's thoughts, admitting he wants to fight for victories from the start.

"I am very much looking forward to having a much stronger season than last year and as always, our targets are aggressive," Rosberg said.

"We want to be competing at the front and challenging for race wins. Everyone at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth has worked extremely hard on the new Silver Arrow and we are all looking forward to seeing how it performs."