Mercedes to test ’shark fin’ in Barcelona

Mercedes will add a ’shark fin’ to its newly-launched 2017 car for the forthcoming official testing in Barcelona.

When the W08 was launched at Silverstone on Thursday, it was notable that - unlike the similarly-revealed Williams, Sauber, Williams and Renault - it was missing an engine cover ’shark fin’.

But Mercedes’ technical boss Aldo Costa said: "Yes, we will also put a fin behind the airbox.

"As beautiful as the car may look now, it would be negligent if we did not play through all the possibilities. We will bring new things to the car every day," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

Indeed, even during its allowed ’filming’ run on Thursday, Valtteri Bottas was at the wheel when a novel ’T-wing’ was fitted just ahead of the rear wing.

Costa is quoted by Marca sports newspaper: "We are looking at that solution, but we will also look at the shark fin in Barcelona."

Some insiders are expressing concerns about the aesthetics of the 2017 cars, including Force India’s ’stepped’ nose, nose tip protrusions, and increasingly long wheel-bases.

But Bottas, speaking to the Finnish broadcaster MTV, said of the new Mercedes: "Maybe I am looking at it with team glasses, but it’s the best looking car I’ve ever seen live."