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Jenson Button, and the constructor’s championship in 2009, grew out of the ashes of Honda’s F1 entry after Honda had withdrawn from F1 at the end of the 2008 season after only a single Grand Prix win for Button in Hungary 2006.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

 

[The Pits]

He beat Rosberg in the very first season he drove for Mercedes, did he not?

 

[racecub]

He did indeed.

 

[teabagyokel]

The engineers thing is a smokescreen. And it's yet another defence of Hamilton that makes him look shit, even though he clearly isn't.

 

[racecub]

He doesn't look shit to very many people. Some I agree have issues with him.

 

[teabagyokel]

He does when you defend him by saying he can only win with one engineering team.

 

[RasputinLives]

Did Merc really swap the engineers of both drivers? I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned more on this forum.

 

[Incubus]

Did Merc really swap the engineers of both drivers? I'm surprised this hasn't been mentioned more on this forum.

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Did Merc really swap the engineers of both drivers?
Did Merc really swap the engineers of both drivers?
Did Merc really swap the engineers of both drivers?
Did Merc really swap the engineers of both drivers?
Did Merc really swap the engineers of both drivers?
Did Merc really swap the engineers of both drivers?

Is that better RasputinLives ? (hic!)

 

[racecub]

He does when you defend him by saying he can only win with one engineering team.

I haven't said he can only win with one engineering team.

 

[teabagyokel]

Well swapping them is not a problem.

 

[Andyoak]

Don't worry, they only swapped Hamilton's when the other lot went out for more tea bags.

 

[Titch]

If Mercedes did swap the engineering teams, or sent the drivers to work with the other team of engineers, whichever way they do it, what would be the purpose of that ?

 

[Bill Boddy]

Maybe to ensure team stability and co-operate?

 

[Galahad]

The teachers are afraid of the pupils?

 

[racecub]

Anyone who's worked as part of a successful team knows how valuable teamwork is. Pointless to upset it for no good reason.

 

[RasputinLives]

Part of leading a team is to make sure it's public facing image is that of harmony and giving the air of success whilst protecting issues in the inner workings from being seen.

Now I accept your reasoning that this was a bad choice as one possible outcome (although I think your fishing with it) however let's really look at the facts. We do not know how the team was working inwardly and we do not know the thoughts and feelings of every mechanic at Mercedes. Hell we can't even name every mechanic we're talking about! For all we know they are all much happier with the swap (on both sides) because they enjoy working that way better.

This Isn't a tool box we're talking about swapping, these are people. Therefore there might be a lot of complex reasons for a swap.

Anyone who has worked as part of a successful long term team knows how important it is for a team to re-adjust itself to keep being successful.

 

[racecub]

No, we don't know the mechanics, we don't know the internal workings at Mercedes. We only see the results of decisions. Which is why It is singularly odd that Mercedes cannot provide a valid reason for the mechanic swap, and present an acceptable explanation to fans. Like you say, this is an important role for a team principal.
It is important to readjust and continue persuing success after a team upheaval. Which is what Hamilton did, as did the whole of the Mercedes team, they won both championships.
But had the field been closer, the unnecessary upheaval at Mercedes with the mechanics swap could have resulted in losing the championship,

 

[RasputinLives]

Why do Mercedes need to justify to us their internal decisions?

If Bobby the wheel man wants to switch teams for personal reasons then Merc can't shout about it in the media can they? HR nightmare!

 

[TR]

There can be a whole list of reason why Mercedes would not want to publicly say why they swapped the engineers:

1) They wanted the give all engineers as chance to be on the winning side for once? (They cant say this, because it would suggest they think LH is better than NR, which goes against their "our drivers are equal" public stannce.)

2) They wanted to ensure continues co-operation between both side of the garage. (Saying so would suggest they were unhappy between the co-operation between the two sides of the garage.)

etc.

 

[Andyoak]

The team is not Hamilton and his (presumed) preferred team of mechanics. The team is Mercedes.
Nico won this year but he won't win next year; odds on Hamilton will.
Hamilton can't win every year no matter how good he is.

 

[Bill Boddy]

The years when he does not are to be exorcised from the calendars sold to Hamilton fans.