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Recent world champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button saw their new Formula One car for the first time when it was unveiled by McLaren at a public event in Berlin last Friday.

The British team revealed the MP4-26 piece by piece as it was assembled in front of fans at Potsdamer Platz, with Hamilton and Button providing the finishing touches.

"This is our new baby!" Button said. "I love it. I think it looks great," said Hamilton, the 2008 world champ. "The way the car is shaped out, I think it's so much better than any other car I've seen this year. Hopefully that'll translate into a good feel on the track. I'm pretty sure it will."

The car - with a new electric hybrid engine system - appears markedly different from last year's model, with prominent U-shaped side pods to feed air to the rear in response to the new rules on down force.

There's also an electronically adjustable rear-wing system which increases the potential for overtaking.

"This is the car we hope will take one of us to win the driver's championship and also the constructors'," Button added. "We're making very good progress."

The 2009 world champ said this year's championship would be even more competitive than the last, when there was an unprecedented five-driver tussle for the title, won on the final day by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel.

"The competitiveness of the teams now in Formula One, and also the drivers, is the best it has ever been," Button said. "You have five world champions on the grid, but you also have other drivers who are close. You have Mark Webber, Felipe Massa ...

"I think it's going to be a good fight this year, but hopefully not too good. Hopefully we're going to have a few tenths on everyone."

Hamilton said good communication between the drivers and the team was a foundation for success: "We also want to win and they're just as passionate as us."

While happy to parade the car in front of fans and media, McLaren, part owned by Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, did not divulge too much on technical details or the changes made to the car.

"Be warned," said team principal Martin Whitmarsh. "There are some bits you can see but hopefully some you can't. We haven't shown you, or our competitors, our full hand yet."

The FIA-imposed rule changes lead many to expect more overtaking, and McLaren has great expectations for its electronically adjustable rear-wing system to give it an advantage.

Button was unsure if it could be used as an advantage if teammates overtake each other and drive in each other's slipstream. "As soon as a car passes you're in dirty air, so I can't see it working," Button said. "But now that you mentioned it, we'll have to try it out."

McLaren finished second in the 2010 constructors' championship, and Lewis and Button were fourth and fifth respectively.

They started team track testing in the MP4-26 in Spain on Tuesday and move on to Bahrain in early March. McLaren press officer Steve Cooper said: "As well as effectively being the team's second home, testing in Bahrain ahead of the new season ought to be advantageous because it should guarantee us our first hot-weather running on the new Pirelli tyres.

"We'll have completed three tests in Spain (Valencia, Jerez and Barcelona), but Sakhir should give us a more accurate read of their performance in conditions much similar to the European high-summer.

"Also, as the first race of the 2011 season, it will allow us to measure our baseline competitiveness against our rivals, while also working towards a conclusive set-up for the race weekend.

"There is a slight drawback - the distance from Europe limits speedy delivery of parts from the factory - but that can be avoided with some well planned logistics.

"It also means we can save costs by segueing straight from the final test into the first race!"

The season begins on March 13 at the Bahrain International Circuit.

QUOTE HANGER

HAMILTON

I HEAD into 2011 in a relaxed but determined frame of mind. I've spared nothing during my winter fitness preparations and, in many ways, I feel as fit, focused and refreshed as I did ahead of my first season in Formula 1 in 2007.

Having spent the past few weeks talking with our designers and engineers, I feel extremely happy that we've created a car that will once again allow us to fight at the front.

This will be my fifth season in Formula 1. I'm an experienced driver now, and I've won the world championship, scored lots of pole positions and taken many race wins. So my aim for this year is to ensure that everything comes together in the best possible way and that, like last year, I'm able to fight for the title right down to the final race.

BUTTON

IT'S strange to think that this is only the start of my second season at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, because I've felt so comfortable since joining the team last January.

Even so, I'd still consider 2010 something of a building year, albeit, with two victories, a pretty solid one! For the new season, I've not only got a year's Vodafone McLaren Mercedes experience under my belt, but I've also been able to offer input into the design and development of the new car - something that I was naturally unable to do last year.

Now I really feel I know how Vodafone McLaren Mercedes goes racing, and I'll be driving a car that's been fully developed around Lewis and myself - that's a very empowering feeling.