Brawn confident new Mercedes will perform in 2011
Seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher is convinced he will be back on the podium this season.
Schumacher failed to finish in the top three in his comeback season following his retirement at the end of 2006, but the new Mercedes W02 has been built more to his liking and specification.
It means much is now expected of the 42-year-old Schumacher, who said: "Finally the waiting is over and things get started.
"For us drivers the break every year is hard to take because the gap between the last race and the first time out on track seems to be never-ending.
"Even if I have been involved and updated all winter on the developments, and even if I know the improvements are significant, it is still different to see the new car literally for the first time in front of you.
"You automatically build up this nice pre-start tension, so I very much look forward to the new season.
"We have said it several times already, but again we are really looking to build up something big together.
"I am very confident this season we will be standing on the podium much more regularly - ideally in the middle."
Team principal Ross Brawn believes a closer working relationship between the chassis and engine groups will yield greater dividends.
Targets
"The concept development for the car started early and we have set challenging targets for the design, combined with a robust plan to ensure the pace of development can continue throughout the long season," said Brawn.
"We have two excellent drivers in Michael and Nico, both of whom are capable of winning races in a good car, and we look forward to seeing them push each other and the development of the new Silver Arrow during the season.
"We want to be setting the standard right from the start, but if we are not, we will respond very strongly to get ourselves into the game."
Nico Rosberg - who scored 70 points more than his teammate in 2010 - commented: "I am looking forward to having a much stronger season than last year and, as always, our targets are aggressive. We want to be competing at the front and challenging for race wins.
"Everyone at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth has worked extremely hard on the new car and we are all looking forward to seeing how it performs."
Schumacher failed to finish in the top three in his comeback season following his retirement at the end of 2006, but the new Mercedes W02 has been built more to his liking and specification.
It means much is now expected of the 42-year-old Schumacher, who said: "Finally the waiting is over and things get started.
"For us drivers the break every year is hard to take because the gap between the last race and the first time out on track seems to be never-ending.
"Even if I have been involved and updated all winter on the developments, and even if I know the improvements are significant, it is still different to see the new car literally for the first time in front of you.
"You automatically build up this nice pre-start tension, so I very much look forward to the new season.
"We have said it several times already, but again we are really looking to build up something big together.
"I am very confident this season we will be standing on the podium much more regularly - ideally in the middle."
Team principal Ross Brawn believes a closer working relationship between the chassis and engine groups will yield greater dividends.
Targets
"The concept development for the car started early and we have set challenging targets for the design, combined with a robust plan to ensure the pace of development can continue throughout the long season," said Brawn.
"We have two excellent drivers in Michael and Nico, both of whom are capable of winning races in a good car, and we look forward to seeing them push each other and the development of the new Silver Arrow during the season.
"We want to be setting the standard right from the start, but if we are not, we will respond very strongly to get ourselves into the game."
Nico Rosberg - who scored 70 points more than his teammate in 2010 - commented: "I am looking forward to having a much stronger season than last year and, as always, our targets are aggressive. We want to be competing at the front and challenging for race wins.
"Everyone at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth has worked extremely hard on the new car and we are all looking forward to seeing how it performs."
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