Mercedes launch W08 car as F1 champions aim for four in a row

Defending champions complete shakedown at Silverstone as W08 revealed; Hamilton says new car feels "powerful" after opening laps

After his first on-track drive in the W08, Hamilton described the car as feeling like "a "powerful beast".

The W08 is the successor to the 2016 challenger which claimed a record 19 victories last season.

"The cars look so much better than they have in the past," added the three-time world champion. "I'm really hoping F1 is going to be super exciting this year for the fans and it will be a lot closer between the teams and that us drivers will be able to make more of a difference."

F1 in 2017: The new cars are revealed

Mercedes have established themselves as F1's dominant force since the switch to hybrid turbo engines three years ago with three successive Drivers' and Constructors' Championships, along with 51 wins from 59 races.

But the shake-up of the technical rules for 2017 is set to pose a renewed threat to their supremacy with rivals Red Bull, in particular, heavily tipped to mount a more sustained push for the world title.

"We had a very successful run the last three years," said team chief Toto Wolff. "We have benefited from a regulation change in 2014 and have put a great team together and developed an amazing car.

"Now the rules have changed and we need to just continue to be concentrated, motivated and understand what needs to be done in order to be competitive. Then more success will come.

"But it's very important that after winning 50-or-so races and three championships you don't think it's just normal - it's not. So our mindset is we are not taking anything for granted.

"It could be that someone makes a very good car and we just need to do a better job than them and rely on our strengths and then success is going to come by winning races and hopefully winning more championships."

Mercedes go into the new season without their world champion driver after Nico Rosberg stunned F1 by quitting the sport within days of winning the 2016 title.

The arrival of Bottas from Williams - a driver who Wolff has described as a near like-for-like replacement for Rosberg - provides Mercedes with another highly-rated talent, but the Finn has yet to win a grand prix.