Mercedes W04 teaser image

Mercedes have released the above teaser image of their new car – the W04 – which is set to be launched on Monday 4 February in Jerez, Spain.

Although the image is not very clear for obvious reasons, it does seem to show a stepped nose similar to that on last year’s W03. The lack of cover on the step suggests that Lotus’s James Allison was not alone in seeing no point in pursuing aesthetics for no performance gain. It is likely that stepped noses will continue to be a feature of most of the cars this season.

Other features that are visible on the W04 teaser are Petronas branding on the rear wing and sidepods, which is carried over from the W03 and a normal air intake above the driver’s head – Mercedes experimented with a split intake in 2010, but have apparently abandoned the idea permanently.

Mercedes have given nothing away in the teaser. In fact, if not for the W04 text on the image, it could just as well be the 2012 car. Any new and interesting visual features on the car will have to wait for the launch on Monday.