McLaren Mercedes unveils 2009 F1 weapon, Ron Dennis steps down

Unveiled by world champion Lewis Hamilton and his team-mate Heikki Kovalainen, the new MP4-24 bears little resemblance to its world championship-winning predecessor due to the introduction of a raft of new rules that have radically reshaped Formula 1 ahead of the 2009 season.

Now featuring heavily revised bodywork, re-sculpted front and rear wings, slick tyres and a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS), the MP4-24 has been in development since September 2007 in order to successfully accommodate the huge changes to the technical regulations.

The team has already completed two MP4-24 chassis and begins publicly testing at the Autodromo do Algarve circuit in Portugal on Monday. Test driver Pedro de la Rosa will conduct the first two days before Lewis (Wednesday) and Heikki (Thursday) each spend a day behind the wheel.

Lewis Hamilton said, "The arrival of a new car is always an emotional moment for any racing driver - and the unveiling of MP4-24 is even more special for me, not only because the car looks absolutely stunning but also because it carries the number one - world champions. I believe this year's world championship is open, given the new rule changes and that's a great prospect for every Formula 1 fan. Personally, I'm hoping for another successful season and the chance to once again fight for the title - until the final race if necessary, but preferably before!"

Team Principal's departure

Ron Dennis, the chairman and CEO of the McLaren Group, and also team principal of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One team, recently announced his decision to step down and hand over his responsibilities over to current Chief Operating Officer, Martin Whitmarsh.

The news came as a surprise even to Lewis Hamilton, who has always been known to be close to the 61-year-old. News on ITV reported that Hamilton only found out about Dennis's plans moments before he made it official.

However, Dennis will remain as an executive chairman and insists that he intends to "work harder" and "take on greater responsibility in certain key areas in the group".