Wolff: Is she going to be as fast as she looks? I hope so!

See the full W14 launch report and photos here>>>>

The team ended an unprecedented run of eight successive constructors' titles with third place overall last year after wrestling with a bouncing car whose performance was hard to extract.

While Russell celebrated his first F1 victory in Brazil, seven-times F1 world champion Hamilton failed to win a race all season for the first time in a F1 career that started in 2007.

"It looks good. Is she going to be as fast as she looks? I hope so," commented team principal Toto Wolff at today's digital launch from Silverstone where both drivers were due to give the W14 some first shakedown laps.

"We've seen the car now and we're contemplating is she fast or not? Have we cured some of the problems? What are going to be the challenges that we spot on track? And that is a big unknown.

"But we are positive, there's excitement. We have the tools to understand, to grow and develop the car and hopefully give George and Lewis something that works," added the Austrian.

Wolff said the team would be going "all-in" to get back in front and beat champions Red Bull, who have Max Verstappen chasing a third successive drivers' title, and runners-up Ferrari.

Mercedes ran a silver-liveried car last year and the return to the black of 2020 and 2021, tying in with the team's push for greater diversity, has the additional benefit of saving weight by removing paint and leaving raw carbon fibre.

Now 38-years-old and winner of a record 103 grands prix, Hamilton - starting his 11th season with the team and "planning to stay a little bit longer" - said he always believed he could get better: "I'm excited to go racing again. I feel calm, energised, and have my focus sharpened. I'm ready to do what,s necessary to win."

Teammate Russell said the team had learnt a lot last year: "Hopefully we've taken a step up. We're all here to win, it's as simple as that.

"We need to see what challenges we are facing but the team have put so much hard work into this car, the motivation and the fire within the factory is just immense because people don't want a repeat of what happened in 2022," added the 25-year-old Briton.

After two disappointing years with Haas, Mick Schumacher has joined the team as reserve while Mercedes also have some new sponsors with Qualcomm Technologies signing a multi-year deal with its Snapdragon brand, previously at Ferrari.

Last year Mercedes finished third in the F1 constructors' standings with their forgettable W13, bringing to an end a record-setting streak of eight titles stretching back to the first one they won in 2014 with Hamilton and Nico Rosberg as teammates; and seven F1 drivers' titles during that period..

The 2023 F1 World Championship season begins with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 5, with three day's of F1 testing at the Sakhir circuit next week.