Current Mercedes

Mercedes GP

FIA Entry: Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team
Car 7: Michael Schumacher
Car 8: Nico Rosberg
Engine: Mercedes V8
Team Principal: Ross Brawn
Technical Director: Bob Bell
Race Engineer Car 7: Mark Slade
Race Engineer Car 8: Tony Ross

Stats as of end 2010

First Entered 2010
Races Entered 19
Race Wins 0
Pole Positions 0
Fastest Laps 0
Driver World Championships 0
Constructor World Championships 0

Team History

The Mercedes team history splits into two parts. In 1954 the famous pre-war Silver Arrows entered the F1 world championship and recorded a 1-2 at their first race. Fangio went on to win the drivers championship that year and again in 1955. Mercedes withdrew at the end of the 1955 season after the accident which killed 80 spectators at Le Mans which involved one of their cars.

The current team entered F1 in 2010 after Mercedes bought Brawn Grand Prix. Brawn Grand Prix, winners of the Drivers Championship, with Jenson Button, and the constructor’s championship in 2009, grew out of the ashes of Honda’s F1 entry after Honda had withdrawn from F1 at the end of the 2008 season after only a single Grand Prix win for Button in Hungary 2006.

Prior to the Honda takeover in 2006 the team had raced under the name of British America racing which had acquired the assets and race entry of the Tyrrell F1 team in 1999. BAR competed in 118 races without a single victory. The high points for the team were 2 pole positions (both for Button – San Marino 2004 and Canada 2005) and 2nd in the constructors championship in 2004.

Tyrrell were amongst the most successful private F1 teams taking part in 463 Grands Prix, scoring 33 victories and 3 Drivers Championships, all with Jackie Stewart.

2010

Having replaced Button and Barrichello with Nico Rosberg and 7 times WDC Michael Schumacher many expected great things of the new Mercedes team in 2010 but they had an indifferent season.

Rosberg managed 3 podiums for the team but Schumacher, coming back from retirement, struggled with the new cars, tyres and limited testing under the revised regulations. The team finished 4th in the Constructors Championship.

2011

For 2011 Mercedes retain the same driver line up and are hoping for better things from their MGP W02 chassis.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I reckon two mercs but then again I'm not really sure what the point of my life is, so I wouldn't take my word for it....

 

[Quintessentially]

Il_leone - If Rosberg continues to show signs of being on a par with Hamilton...

Well Rosberg is the one showing more focus at the moment and he looks highly motivated. I think Hamilton is getting too carried away with his newly found freedom and off track activities.

 

[KekeTheKing]

if Mercedes had a car of this pace in 2010, they'd have comfortably won both Championships.

This is a good point Jos and I've been thinking about it myself.

I'm not sure a car has ever been penalized more for generating incredible one-lap speed.

 

[Jos the Boss]

KekeTheKing most of the cars from http://cliptheapex.com/threads/top-15-best-new-car-debuts-in-f1.2413/ won the Championship simply because they were quickest, the tyres were the same for everyone but they didn't play as much as a part in the racing, bar 2011

 

[F1ang-o]

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1...erth-after-another-qualy-win-for-Nico-Rosberg
Lewis doesn't sound disappointed with P2...

 

[Tacitus]

http://www1.skysports.com/formula-1...erth-after-another-qualy-win-for-Nico-Rosberg
Lewis doesn't sound diappointed with P2...

lol

 

[Il_leone]

teabagyokel Quintessentially

The way I see it Nico is definitely fired up after being denied a podium in Malaysia and has found an extra bit of speed from somewhere

It is 3-3 now in quali and the last 3 poles to Nico but his race results have not been rewarded for it. I am wondering if Lewis will hold the others up whilst Nico streaks away because it appears Lewis is destroying the tyres more

As for Nico's position the people at Mercedes will seriously have to rethink if he continues this form because you do wonder if the other front running teams would want Rosberg as he is out of contract this year and no doubt will ask for a raise

 

[KekeTheKing]

Pity that Mercedes was robbed of a 1-2. This was a golden opportunity. They'll be well pleased but they missed out today.

 

[Hamberg]

They couldn't have done anymore

 

[KekeTheKing]

You're right Hamberg. It was out of their hands, which is why it's eminently frustrating.

 

[Jos the Boss]

I'm sure Lewis is looking forward to Canada!

 

[gethinceri]

They couldn't have done anymore

Not sure, they could've got a 1-2 had Hamilton queued behind Rosberg.

 

[KekeTheKing]

So Lewis was told to leave a 6 second gap, and he actually left a bit more. Vettel and Webber were certainly within 6 seconds of Hamilton prior to that. Mercedes clearly (and rightfully) thought that the SC would bring the field around, I mean why else would they have reasoned that they had 6 seconds to play with. When the Red Bulls were released to race back, their original intentions were compromised. The decision not to stack them in the pits can only be explained by their witnessing the Safety Car pick up the Red Bulls.

 

[Quintessentially]

It wasn't just the slowing down that cost Hamilton. He had a great start and was clearly ahead of Rosberg but somehow he allowed him back in( see Vettel in Barcelona also) and his race was decided from there. Maybe it's the lack of confidence in the car under braking but he can't afford to keep handing out free gifts like that.

 

[Fenderman]

Lewis was aware that his and Nico's trajectories made it impossible to complete the pass without contact. At best it would have been car to car but Lewis was mighty close to hitting the armco on the exit of Ste Devote even as he backed off. If anything cost him his place and the race it was this damn tyre conservation rubbish. At no time did either Mercedes push anywhere near their performance capabilities. Actually, you know what? I don't care what anyone says, after that first corner Lewis drove for Nico by backing up the field and protecting Nico's lead. Even a cursory glance at the FIA's lap charts tells me this.

 

[Quintessentially]

Hamilton opened the door very early for Rosberg to come in and it was as generous as it gets. A more plausible explanation is that had he maintained his line Rosberg would've been forced to yield and possibly lost another place to Vettel who also had a decent start and had his nose up Rosberg's gear box even way before the pedestrian crossing. I'd imagine the convo in the Mercs garage before the race would've been along the lines of let's help each other out to maintain 1-2 from the start.

 

[Fenderman]

Um. not sure how "Hamilton opened the door" when he started behind Rosberg and was on the outside of the curve up to Ste Devote and never got his car ahead of Rosberg's. Opening the door suggests that he was or got fully ahead of Rosberg which he didn't. Other than that I would agree with you Quintessentially

 

[Jos the Boss]

He was about a wing ahead, but not enough to do anything otherwise it would have been a Turkey 2010

 

[Brogan]

Hamilton was very circumspect in this race I thought.

He avoided what would have been a definite problem in turn one if he had kept his foot in and he managed to avoid being taken out by Webber very smartly.

 

[KekeTheKing]

For all intents and purposes, this race was decided by 9 one hundredths on Saturday.

I just hope Nico gets to keep those 25 points.