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New McLaren Debuts at Barcelona

The new McLaren Mercedes MP4-20 took to the track for the first time this morning at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

The new McLaren Mercedes MP4-20 took to the track for the first time this morning at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

With Kimi Raikkonen at the wheel, the roll-out of the team's 2005 challenger marked the start of a five-day test session, which will see the Finn joined by teammate Juan Pablo Montoya later this week.

"With the regulations, particularly on the aerodynamic side, being set comparatively late resulting in even harder and more dedicated work from all members of the team to get MP4-20 on track today," said McLaren's technical director Adrian Newey.

"This has seen positive collaboration with all our technology partners, particularly Michelin in adapting to the extended use requirements of tyres for the coming season, when they have to last the entire race distance.

"The spec for MP4-20 was set in May 2004 and this saw the start of wind tunnel work at the McLaren Technology Centre. The timescales have been challenging but that is all part of the excitement of Formula One."

McLaren said the design of the MP4-20 has been heavily influenced by the significant revisions to both the sporting and technical regulations for the 2005 season, in which the FIA aims to reduce performance and improve the show.

The aerodynamic modifications have led to the most visible differences on the new car, which has been developed at the McLaren Technology Centre.

"Since the MP4-20 was fired up for the first time at 02:30am on the morning of Thursday 20th January at the McLaren Technology Centre, the anticipatory atmosphere of the car's initial run within the team has been building and we are pleased to have completed its shakedown this morning," said team principal Ron Dennis.

"Today's unveiling is the first tangible demonstration of the team's preparations for the 2005 season, a year that has the potential to be exciting and positive for all the teams, our partners and the fans alike. There is feverish work taking place across the team to achieve the best possible result for this year."

Mercedes-Benz boss Norbert Haug said the new regulations, with engines now having to last for two Grand Prix weekends, have meant a significant challenge for the engine supplier.

"Formula One of generation 2005 creates a host of new challenges for all the engineers involved, as well as bigger cuts and restrictions overall than ever before during the last decade," said Haug.

"The engine's lifespan is doubled due to a change in the regulations, which allows the engines to be replaced only after two races. This modification was announced extremely late, putting even bigger strain on the engine people.

"Additional strain was caused by the demand that performance be maintained despite the doubling of the lifespan. The new rules concerning the aerodynamic limitations and the use of only one set of tyres per race are no less challenging; it was therefore an interesting and busy winter not only for our engine technicians but also for the team's chassis engineers.

"With the MP4-20 we hope to have created a powerful package of chassis, engine and tyres, which will enable us to resume the performance and results which our team scored in the second half of the year and particularly in the final third of the season with last year's MP4-19B."

Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa will test alongside Raikkonen today in the MP4-19B, while the Finn will work with the new car until Thursday, before Montoya takes over.

"A lot of time, effort and work has been invested in the new car, with the engineers working more for us than ever before," said Raikkonen. "My first impression after these few laps is a good one, however, the work for me and my driver colleagues starts only now."

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