Formula One world champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were in confident mood at the unveiling of the new McLaren Mercedes MP4-25 race car at the Vodafone headquarters in Newbury. It is the first time since 1989 that the team has fielded a joint-world champion driver line-up and the first time in Formula One history that the sport’s two most recent world champions have been partnered together.

The 2010 car looks noticeably different from last year’s race-winning MP4-24. MP4-25 features a radical aerodynamic overhaul and a significantly larger fuel tank to take full advantage of this year’s new regulations.

Horsepower once again comes from Mercedes-Benz, with a  2.4 litre V8 that revs up to 18,000 rpm and runs on High Performance Unleaded with 5.75% bio fuel mixed into it.

The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team begins pre-season testing with MP4-25 at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo on Monday.