Every year, after what seems an eternal stretch of winter, otherwise known as the off season, in which race fans are left languishing in videos of by gone races and speculation for the upcoming season, the first signs of a new season finally appear. Formula 1 teams unveil their dates for their new car reveals and launches and suddenly race fans across the globe have the first stirrings of anticipation. The withdrawal that had settled in as soon as last race of the previous season had ended is instantaneously dissipated and excitement for the new season ignites. The world becomes ready to go racing.

Car reveals in Formula 1 has become a very big part of its marketing strategy, as well as that of every team. The importance of the reveals cannot be underestimated as they are the first official signs of life the new season offers. The secrecy that the new cars have been shrouded in for the duration of a long, arduous winter, is shed and the cars are unveiled, in all of their glory, revealing the hopes of every team, every driver, and every fan. The often sweeping technological changes that occur in the off season and are whispered about are now on display and the debates regarding their merit begin. Teams and fans alike get their first glimpse of what their favorite teams, and their rivals, have done in the darkness of winter and the fervor that lay dormant during the off season is revitalized.

It is this fervor of Formula 1 fans that is the lifeblood of the sport. In rejuvenating the passion of its fans, F1 ensures its survival. After all it is the fans that buy the tickets, buy the merchandise, and most importantly, bring sponsors to the sport. Fans are where the money lies, they create the demand that pays for the teams, for the cars, and for the speed. If the fans are not happy, Formula 1, and racing in general, ceases to exist. Reveals are the front line of reaching out to fans and stirring enthusiasm for the new season within their hearts. Dates are often released weeks ahead of time with fans marking the days off on their calendars as to when they will see the new cars of their favorite teams, as well as those of their rivals. Merchandise sales and ticket sales increase dramatically with the unveiling of the cars and the suggestion of the epic battles that will ensue once the new season begins.

This season, in particular, the car reveals hold a special importance. Formula 1 has undergone a multitude of changes, both technically and in the makeup of the teams. The changes the sport underwent last year created a tremendous shake up in the previous status quo of the series. Everything from the look of the cars to the sound was changed amidst a torrent of controversy. Complaints about the lack of sound produced by the new engines, alone, caused concern in regards to fan, sponsor, and driver, satisfaction. It took half a season for most teams to even begin to dial into their cars and even then most were just chasing the Mercedes for third place. After a year of struggling with dramatic changes, the teams now embark on a new season, armed with the knowledge they garnered over the previous one. As they lift the covers off their 2015 cars fans and competitors alike will get their first glimpse of what the team has learned and how they will use this knowledge in the new season.

This week, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes are scheduled to reveal their 2015 cars. Speculation on everything from noses to noise is rising in a powerful crescendo. Formula 1, and fans around the world, wait with baited breath to see the cars that will propel the sport into the future and drive the battles between the titans of racing. Will Ferrari return to the top of the podium, recapturing the glory that had alluded them for far too long? Will Red Bull be able to take on the monster Mercedes and topple the grip the historic car manufacturer had last season? A multitude of questions sit waiting to be answered during the course of the 2015 season and it all starts here, with the car reveals. These are the cars that will thunder down the epic circuits of Formula 1 carrying within their precisely engineered chassis the hopes and dreams of every team member, every driver, and every fan. So it is, as the first cover is pulled from the first car, and the first glimpse is given to fans everywhere, that the world embarks once again, on the experience that is Formula 1.

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