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Jenson Button, and the constructor’s championship in 2009, grew out of the ashes of Honda’s F1 entry after Honda had withdrawn from F1 at the end of the 2008 season after only a single Grand Prix win for Button in Hungary 2006.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.

 

[Lewywo4]

Why is it the Hamilton PR machine was so determined to stress that he wanted equality if only two races in, we see this to be a falsehood?

I have just finished watching a horrid re-broadcast of the Malaysian GP on NBCsports. It wasn't Hamilton's PR machine who told Lewis to save fuel, but Ross Brawn.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

but the simple fact remains that with both team orders today you come down on the side of the driver you like.

That is very much your opinion. I like both Hamilton and Rosberg equally as individuals and, in general, Hamilton more as a racer. They are two gentlemen of the sport and I felt very sorry for Rosberg today. It is a shame that he couldn't make it stick earlier but in the end I side with the team and whilst it was a bit embarrassing for Lewis and disappointing for Nico, they both did what they were told and got the best result the team have ever achieved at a grand prix to date.

[Edit] Sorry for cross quoting. I didn't want to continue your mention of Hamilton on the Vettel thread through fear of derailing it.

 

[Fenderman]

Ditto.

 

[F1ang-o]

Me 2

 

[Dario Resta]

There is a difference between the the Red Bull and Mercedes situations today. Red Bull had no car issues, just a team instruction that the leader after the last set of stops got to finish ahead. Mark thought that would be the case, so did the rest of the team. Unfortunately, Seb doesn't do teams so did his own thing. As far as Red Bull's best chance of having this year's WDC - Kerching! Webber is never going to win it, so Seb winning works for them with maximum WCC points to boot. I reckon that secretly Horner and Marko are very pleased - if you see how Vettel nearly got ahead as Webber exited the pits, I think they were banking on Vettel being in front at that point

On the other hand, Lewis was carrying a car problem. Being short on fuel, so having to go mega slow, with his team mate (not in the same fuel saving situation) right up his chuff, Rosberg should have been let go. Still points for 3rd and 4th, with no risk as Lewis had to save fuel anyway so couldn't fight.

The whole thing just looks like "Sorry Nico, but our car will be crap later, so we have to max out Lewis' points now to stand a chance of the WDC".

After last year you can sort of understand that. When the car was fast, Schumacher's car broke or the wheels fell off. When both were reliable later in the season they were just slow.

Is there a 1 & 2 at Merc? Most definitely. I think Nico's radio message coming in to the pit lane said it all - "remember this one".

I doubt the favour will be returned this year, but It's difficult to put any criticism Lewis' way. Both he and his team mate, for right or wrong, did as their employers asked (OK, Lewis was hardly going to say "no, after you Nico"), but you know what I mean.

In contrast, Seb just blatantly disregarded team orders, agreements between the drivers and just about everything else. I thought he was a petulant little **** today, but it may well get him his 4th WDC.

Last thing - what was different between Vettel and Webber on the pit straight today and Schumacher and Barrichello in Hungary?

Both were squeezed against the pit wall, and both involved a car going into the pit exit at racing speed.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

"Sorry Nico, but our car will be crap later, so we have to max out Lewis' points now to stand a chance of the WDC".

Not for a second do I think that Brawn and Mercedes are resigned to not being able to continue to compete. That is nonsense.

 

[Dario Resta]

Not for a second do I think that Brawn and Mercedes are resigned to not being able to continue to compete. That is nonsense.

So you don't think they wanted to maximise Lewis' point haul in order to compete? Last year they had a competitive car early on but failed to develop it and went backwards. OK, that may not happen this year, but why wouldn't they try to give the man they see as the "serious" championship contender the most point possible in each race? You can call it nonsense if you like, but if it had been the other way round today I suspect most would wonder why the driver with the healthy car in the team wasn't allowed to overtake. Being in fuel save mode is the same as having any other car issue, Rosberg was being held back not because they were likely to crash, but because it suited Mercs aims for it to be that way.

My belief is they only see Lewis as WDC material. Any views on the rest of my post?

 

[ExtremeNinja]

I only meant what I said and nothing more. That is all.

 

[KekeTheKing]

I think Nico's radio message coming in to the pit lane said it all - "remember this one"

Which would imply that Nico knows full well he is NOT the designated Number 2. Why would a No. 2 need anybody to remember that one? His message unequivocally states that he expects the same treatment if he finds himself in front low on fuel with absolutely no pressure from other cars behind them. This is a clear indication that equal status is the name of the game at Mercedes.

 

[RasputinLives]

Or that Nico believes it is.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

If he does then I am certainly in no place to have doubts.

 

[Vortex]

Last thing - what was different between Vettel and Webber on the pit straight today and Schumacher and Barrichello in Hungary?

Both were squeezed against the pit wall, and both involved a car going into the pit exit at racing speed.

Nothing! except the driver involved. It was only punished because it was who it was and the other driver cried the victim (I actually thought it was a great move).

I saw a very similar move last season too and remember thinking what’s the difference and why wasn’t it even mentioned let alone punished.


Ps. great post btw, agree with just about all of it. Though I will give Mercedes the benefit of doubt and think they might keep Lewis behind Rosberg should a similar situation occur in the future, though I wouldn’t put big money on it.

 

[RasputinLives]

If he does then I am certainly in no place to have doubts.

No but of I was Nico I'd have a think about the last driver Ross Brawn gave an order to like the one on Sunday. Rubens Barrichello.

 

[KekeTheKing]

Nico is going to have to beat Hamilton in qualifying soon before Lewis finds his groove with the Merc.

He has been very fast in Practice, but he has ALWAYS been fast in practice. He would regularly lead the time sheets in the Williams on Friday during 2009. Until he lays one down in Quali, Hamilton will have the upper hand.

 

[Vortex]

Id forgotten about Barrichello having a paddy about being a number two for Button at Brawn GP (now Mercedes) and that he was not contracted as a number two but obviously felt at times he still was treated as one.

 

[KekeTheKing]

But Barrichello had the measure of Button in the 2nd half of the season and beat him fair and square on several occasions. If a guy is legitimately faster, he won't be held back.

 

[Senna's_right_foot]

I always thought that Barrichello was only treated as no.2 when it became clear that Button was their best chance of winning the title, which in my opinion is the way is should be - equal treatment until it becomes clear that only one is in with a realistic chance of the WDC. You then ask the 'no.2' to support the lead driver whilst maximising points for the WCC.

 

[ExtremeNinja]

What Senna's_right_foot said.

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

and unfortunately for Rubens his goose was cooked before the summer break with JB winning 5 of the first 7 races ...

 

[ExtremeNinja]

Mercedes also closed the gap on 2nd and 3rd in the WCC today to only 3 points, whilst maintaining the gap in the WDC at 15 points. Had their two drivers switched places then they would have, possibly, closed the WCC and would have certainly fallen back in the WDC.

Mercedes got the best possible result on Sunday, with their decision. I make this statement regardless of any other factors.