First glimpse of new Mercedes W06 as champions conduct pre-Jerez shakedown

Lewis Hamilton drives the W06 at Silverstone

World champions Mercedes have revealed the first glimpses of their new W06 car during a shakedown at Silverstone.

Although the team aren’t officially launching their new challenger until the morning of the first test at Jerez on Sunday, the 2015 machine hit the track for the first time at the British GP venue on Thursday. Mercedes say the car "first departed the garage at 13:13 this afternoon in icy conditions at the Northamptonshire circuit".

Nico Rosberg, who will give the car its full maiden run at Jerez on Sunday, was behind the wheel first at Silverstone before his world champion team-mate Lewis Hamilton took over. The car completed 18 laps before snow showers brought the car back into the pits.

Mercedes are red-hot favourites to secure successive title doubles this year after the Brackley team claimed a record 16 race wins and 11 one-two finishes in 2014.

Nico Rosberg drives the W06

How the 2014 and 2015 Mercedes cars compare

The Sky Sports F1 Online team will be providing live commentary of all three winter tests, starting in Jerez on February 1, with live updates from trackside also on Sky Sports News HQ.