Wolff: "It would be so dangerous to rest on our laurels after 2014"

From revolution to evolution. Mercedes is hoping to build off the success of the W05 with its more refined successor, hoping to defend their place at the top of Formula One. Despite having the most dominant car in 2014, the team never took a moment to rest as they push to maintain thir position at the front of the pack.

Never stop improving

"From outside, winter might look like a rest time in Formula One. But this couldn't be further from the truth", explains Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. "Long before the end of last season, development work on our 2015 car became the main priority."

"The winter months are the most intense, with everybody at Brackley and Brixworth working around the clock to prepare for the season ahead. Their dedication is inspiring. It would be so dangerous to rest on our laurels after 2014 - but none of us have any sense that things will be easier now. On the contrary, our motivation is as high as ever."

Beneath the covers there have been a raft of developments from both a chassis and Power Unit perspective

Paddy Lowe

"We are fully aware that success is not only hard won but can also be short-lived without the right approach."

"Even if, on paper, things are looking good, we will not fall into the trap of being overly optimistic or trying to make crystal ball predictions because this is not how the sport works. In fact, this is possibly the most brutally honest sport because the stopwatch never lies."

"We must build a fast, reliable racing car to be able to compete with rivals whose ability and competitiveness can never be underestimated," Wolff concluded.

'The devil is in the detail'

Executive Director Paddy Lowe echoed the sentiments of Wolff, knowing that if the team becomes content, they will lose the edge they've gained over the other eight teams on the grid.

The key factor from our perspective is avoiding complacency." Expectations are now high and a lot of assumptions are being made about our potential this season. Internally, however, we are fully aware that you can never afford to stand still in any sport - particularly Formula One."

"As the old motor racing adage goes, you are only as good as your last race."

"Some changes will be more visually obvious, of course, but the devil is in the detail," Lowe continued. "Beneath the covers there have been a raft of developments from both a chassis and Power Unit perspective - all aimed at creating a car that is safer, more efficient, more reliable and ultimately faster car."

"With the Hybrid era still very much in its infancy, there is plenty of scope for innovation. The challenge at this stage is to find the key areas for performance gain based not just on what we have learned a year further down the line, but also on where there is room for exploring new and innovative sources of competitive advantage."