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Spectators at a Formula One race

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team unveiled in Valencia

Monday 15th January 2007, Valencia, Spain: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes race drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton drove through the streets of Valencia in their Formula 1 cars to mark the start of an exciting new era for the team. 

Fernando and Lewis, who form one of the youngest driver line-ups in the history of the sport, unveiled the new livery to a crowd of more than 150,000 on a bespoke circuit around the Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias in two MP4-21 race cars.

This was followed by the unveiling of the 2007 car, the MP4-22, which Fernando and Lewis will drive in the 2007 Formula 1 World Championship.

Pedro de la Rosa and Gary Paffett join Fernando and Lewis to complete the driver line-up. Pedro and Gary, who are starting their fifth and second years with the team respectively, will continue to support the ongoing technical development of the MP4-22 package during the course of the year alongside Fernando and Lewis.

 

"This is a fantastic day for me - I am really proud to be introducing myself as a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver in my home country, and of course to help present my new team to the Spanish fans," said double World Champion Fernando. "Although this is my first public event with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, I have already spent a lot of time with the team and my fellow drivers Lewis, Pedro and Gary, at the McLaren Technology Centre. It is a great team and I am excited about this new beginning. My fans are such an inspiration and it is great to bring the team so close to them. I hope they enjoy watching Lewis and myself drive the cars in their new livery around the streets of Valencia."

For Lewis, launch day saw the realisation of a childhood ambition, "Growing up, I saw so many Formula 1 launches in the media, and to be here in Valencia to unveil the new Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team really brings home to me the distance I have travelled to achieve my dream of becoming a grand prix driver," said Lewis. "There is still a long way for me to go, as I am at the early stages of my career and have a lot to learn, but the passion I have for the sport and this team is immense, I cannot wait to take to the grid in Australia. This year will be about firsts for me, starting with today and my first Formula 1 presentation and my first demonstration run. It will be great to take the cars onto the streets and I hope the fans like the new livery as much as I do!"

Vodafone Racing

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