McLaren: New car secrets still hidden

The team opted for a unique unveiling of its new car, which was assembled in front of the public in Berlin after being wheeled across Potsdamer Platz.

However, to ensure that it did not reveal the internal designs of the car, McLaren fitted the car with fake internals, including a plastic engine and exhaust, so that there was no chance of anyone catching a glimpse of secret innovations.

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh said that the car would be developed aggressively before the start of the season - and confirmed that the team gave little away about its design in Berlin, beyond its U-shaped sidepods.

"Be warned, you haven't seen it all," he said during a media conference. "I think there are some really interesting bits on the car that you can see. But there are some bits we have hidden from you and our competition.

"F1 is about continuous development, and we will start testing next week. By that stage the car will have moved on subtly. There are some fantastic innovations. It never ceases to amaze me that even though the regulations are much more constrictive, especially around the diffuser area, it just drives creativity.

"For me, one of the thrilling parts of my job is to look at what much cleverer people than me are doing. They have some great ideas, it's interesting, it's challenging, and there is some risk. But we're in a business where if you're not innovative, you're not competitive.

"Naturally, we have not shown you and our competitors our full hand today. Still, I think there are enough interesting things to see. I think it's a beautifully packaged car. I'm brimming with excitement, I think it's a fantastic car."