Of all the teams from the 2010 season, we could make an argument that the most disappointing of them all was Mercedes GP->ke187. Fresh off dismantling the competition during the 2009 season when it was still Brawn GP, Mercedes GP started the 2010 season with high expectations, only to see Red Bull->ke731, McLaren->ke284, and Ferrari->ke252 stand out as the three powerhouse teams. Whether it was a case of bad luck or sitting on their laurels, or maybe even a combination of both, Mercedes' 2010 season was disastrous to say the least. This year, the team is hoping to return to their perch as a true contender, giving the aforementioned three teams another team to worry about for the 2011 season.

On that note, Mercedes officially debuted the MGP W02 race car with the hopes of erasing the painful memory of the 2010 season and returning back to their 2009 form when they literally smoked everyone else on their way to winning the Driver's and Constructor's championship. If the MGP W02 ends up being a lot better than its predecessor, we expect nothing less of a return to contender status. After all, they've got a young hotshot driver in Nico Rosberg in one of the seats. Oh, there's also that Michael Schumacher fella driving the other Mercedes race car. We heard he's pretty good, too.

Details on the Mercedes GP MGP W02 after the jump.

Exterior and Interior

Measuring 4,800mm in length, 950mm in height, and 1,800mm in width, the Mercedes GP MGP W02 was built with a molded carbon fiber and honeycomb composite chassis with a wishbone suspension with pushrod activated torsion springs and rockers. The car will also come with Brembo caliper brakes and BBS forged magnesium wheels to go with the new (standard) Pirelli tires.

Similar to all 2011 Formula One cars, the GP MGP W02 will have a KERS system, but will also be losing the F-ducts and double diffusers, which have been banned as part of the new FIA regulations.

Performance

The Mercedes GP MGP W02 will feature a Mercedes-Benz-powered FO108Y 2.4-liter V8 engine with a maximum rev range of 18,000, which, incidentally, is the maximum allowable limit set by the FIA. The engine is then mated to a seven-speed transmission unit with a cast aluminum maincase and a sequential, semi-automatic, hydraulic activation gear selections.

Competition

The 2010 season was an awkward year for Mercedes GP. On paper, they were good enough to give Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari a serious run for their money. But a combination of (bad) luck and reliability issues relegated them to being the fourth best team of the season, and in a weird way, they were stuck in the unenviable position of falling short of the pace setters yet still being good enough to handle the rest of the field.

2011 Formula 1 Season Starts In...

If you're looking to attend the first round of the 2011 Formula One season, book your tickets for Bahrain->ke616 for March 11th-13th, 2011 and catch the opening race of the 2011 Formula One season right smack in the middle of the Middle Eastern desert.