McLaren reveals launch date

20/12/2012

McLaren has revealed the date, but not the location, of the launch of its 2013 contender, the MP4-28

According to the Woking outfit the car will be unveiled "in the UK" on Thursday 31 January, the day before Force India reveals its car, and five days ahead of the start of pre-season testing at Jerez.

Despite getting season underway in the best possible way, with Jenson Button winning in Melbourne and Lewis Hamilton finishing third, and a two-three in China, by mid-season the Woking team was clearly off the pace.

As the team, like its rivals, got grips with the new Pirelli tyres, worked on poor strategy and pit work, not to mention Button's failure to get the best out of the MP4-27, there was a marked improvement after Silverstone, Hamilton scoring two wins in three races.

In the latter stages of the season poor reliability played its part, Hamilton twice sidelined whilst leading. However, the Woking outfit wrapped up the season with a brace of wins, Hamilton taking victory in the inaugural race in Austin and Button book-ending his year with a fine win at Interlagos.

In 2013, Button is joined by Sergio Perez, the Mexican having appeared to lose his form ever since the move was announced, whilst Hamilton, part of the McLaren family since the age of ten, heads to Mercedes.