Six-time and newly-crowned F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton got a first hand look at the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Hypercar, the Mercedes-AMG One, when he flew to Germany to view the car undergoing testing on a track. Although the British superstar did not get to drive the vehicle himself, he was said to have been quite impressed by the technological tour de force, and described it as sounding “very similar” to his Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 car. This did not surprise anyone, since the One uses a modified version of the same 1.6L turbo electric hybrid that’s in the racing machine:

The Plot

Mercedes has, unsurprisingly, met with many challenges and subsequent delays in trying to tame the bucking bronco that’s a Formula 1 car - with its high-strung power unit and ancillary systems - into a domesticated and yet still-fierce stallion for the streets. Reliability concerns over its lifetime as well as performance parameters have given Mercedes gargantuan headaches and kept AMG engineers busy problem-solving for some time.

The Chariot

Limited to 275 units, the $2.75 million dollar hypercar is meant to vie for street supremacy for Mercedes-AMG, much the same way it has dominated the racetrack with its Formula 1 cars. The mind-blowing specs of the car, capable of producing well in excess of 1000hp (the exact figure has not been announced), as well as a stratospheric 11,000 RPM redline, are rewriting the rules for road-car performance.

The Pilot

More than anyone else, Lewis Hamilton is in the pole position to take delivery of his own personal One. As Formula 1’s brightest star and Mercedes’ highest paid employee, he has been involved in the creation of the car almost from the outset, as well as its unveiling. Hamilton has even requested Mercedes not to use leather and stick to organic/vegan and earth-friendly materials in the production of this beast. It’s good to be Lewis Hamilton, circa 2019.

Sources: Autoblog.com, Driving.co.uk