In November 2008, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton became the youngest world champion in Formula One history. Since then, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team has worked tirelessly on a gruelling winter testing and development program to prepare for the 2009 season.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Looks Forward to Defending the Formula One Title

The rapid pace of development, pressure to keep up through innovative thinking, new solutions, and technological advancements are more crucial in Formula One than ever before. The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team has a new car – the MP4-24 – in which reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen will challenge for the 2009 Formula One titles.

The 17-race 2009 calendar introduces 'slick' tires (absent since 1997), new aerodynamic regulations, cost-cutting, longer-life engines, and a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) that gathers and stores electrical energy during braking.

Preparing for the 2009 Season: Key Team Members Speak Exclusively to SAP

2008 Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton: "I've been a member of this team since I was 13... I'm very proud to be driving with Number One on the car... I've reached my dream goal, which was to be World Champion."

"But there's still more dreams for me to fulfil. I'm restarting now... I want to win more races, I want to be more consistent.... I want to be World Champion [again]. I was last year. I'm not this year. I've got to work hard to make sure I do that."

Crucial to the team's quest to win races is Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Heikki Kovalainen: "Obviously, the best memory from 2008 is the victory in Hungary. There's no question I want a few more of those, but right now, I'm just focused on the start of the season."

Team principal Martin Whitmarsh: "The shape of the car may have changed, but the brands will be as familiar as ever, thanks to the strengths of the relationship with our partners. That commitment and understanding is a key factor in the success of the team."

In 2009 SAP will be in its 12th year of partnership with Formula One's most successful team, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. SAP is an Official Technology Partner and at the heart of the team's world championship campaign. With cutting-edge computer technology and highly sophisticated, IT systems becoming ever more crucial to Formula One success, SAP's advanced software has played a key role in the development of the V8 engine in the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes 2009 car, the MP4-24.

Modern Formula One motor racing is all about speed – and not just out on the track. Performance improvements are now measured in milliseconds, and development cycles are impossibly short in an environment where critical components can be completely redesigned, tested, and manufactured within two weeks between races. During this critical interim, qualified SAP Business All-in-One partner solutions provide Vodafone McLaren Mercedes with the edge to outperform the competition.