MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver Nico Rosberg stole the headlines from McLaren F1 Driver, Lewis Hamilton, at the Barcelona Circuit de Catalunya as Germany’s F1 hope set the pace for the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS TEAM.

Thanks to a late dash from Nico Rosberg, he bettered Lewis Hamilton’s time by 0.690 seconds, after Rosberg clocked 1 minute 23.168 seconds. Vitay Petrov was second for Renault, 0.395 seconds ahead of Hamilton

Day 1

Formula One’s third pre-season test began at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona today with Michael Schumacher kicking off the programme for the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team. Nico Rosberg will take over the car on Saturday and Sunday, before Michael completes the four-day test on Monday.

With the track damp from overnight rain and taking time to come up to speed, Michael first headed out midway through the morning to complete aerodynamic evaluations and balance checks. Following the lunch break, he completed a successful race simulation including pit stops. Michael completed 90 laps in total today.

Michael Schumacher: “We had a good day and it is certainly satisfying to finish a race distance with all of the systems operational and to have everything working fine. Now we have to turn our focus to performance and it was important to complete today’s simulation to understand how the car and tyres behave going from a heavy to lighter fuel load.”

Day 2

Nico Rosberg was in action at the wheel of the MGP W02 in Barcelona today for the second day of this week’s test.

A positive day of running saw Nico complete further acclimatisation work with the KERS system, alongside set-up comparisons and aerodynamic evaluations in the morning session. During the afternoon, the team successfully completed its second full race simulation of this week’s test, including live pit stops.

Nico completed 131 laps, which equates to over 600kms of running and is one lap short of two full race distances at the Circuit de Catalunya. He will continue the programme tomorrow before Michael resumes testing on Monday.

Nico Rosberg: “We completed a great deal of mileage and that was important for me to understand more about the tyre behaviour. There is a lot for the drivers to learn about how the Pirelli tyres are performing, and about how to make them last over the long runs; it’s going to be a key factor this year in the races and I think we made good progress on that front today. The reliability was ok but everybody in the team knows we need to keep pushing to make sure we are trouble-free for the start of the season.”

Day 3

Nico Rosberg continued the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team’s pre-season programme at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona today on the third day of this week’s test.

The track was damp for much of the morning following overnight rain, and Nico’s programme was restricted to several exploratory runs to gain experience of the Pirelli intermediate tyre. Conditions improved for the start of the afternoon session, allowing the team and Nico to complete a very constructive programme. Nico continued his familiarisation with the KERS system in conjunction with set-up comparisons over longer runs to further develop the team’s understanding of car and tyre behaviour. His day concluded with qualifying simulations, including operation of KERS and the adjustable rear wing.

Nico completed 92 laps today, bringing his total lap count for this test to 223 laps. This equates to more than 1030 kms and demonstrates an encouraging step forward in reliability from earlier tests this winter. Michael Schumacher will complete the fourth and final day of testing tomorrow.

Nico Rosberg: “It was interesting running with the intermediates this morning and, although the warm-up is tricky, we definitely improved our understanding of the tyres. Our long runs this afternoon included some aero work in preparation for our next upgrade package before going into lower-fuel, new-tyre running at the end of the day. We made good progress in understanding the car and the tyres, and the reliability was solid once again. Overall, I’ve enjoyed two positive and productive days here in Barcelona.”

Day 4

Michael Schumacher completed the four-day test at the Circuit de Catalunya for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS today.

Michael’s programme over the day included aerodynamic evaluations, further race weekend preparation work and set-up development, particularly focusing on longer runs. Michael also continued his familiarisation with the KERS system.

Michael completed 114 laps today, bringing the team’s total mileage for this test to 1988 kms.

Michael Schumacher: “We’ve had another busy day, focusing on set-up work and improving our understanding of the car. The reliability was good, which gave us a solid platform to work from, and we made progress in terms of finding set-up directions. On the performance side, this isn’t the package we will start the season with, so we are not drawing too many firm conclusions. Overall it has been a productive test for us in Barcelona as we continue our pre-season preparations.”

Ross Brawn: “We have had a good test in Barcelona this week and made significant progress with our testing programme. Michael and Nico have both completed race weekend simulations, which have been extremely valuable to develop our understanding of the behaviour of the car and tyres on different fuel loads, and to use KERS and the adjustable rear wing in realistic situations. The reliability of the MGP W02 has been encouraging at this test which now allows us to turn our focus to the performance developments we have to come.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula 1 team announced Thursday the appointment of Bob Bell in the position of Technical Director effective April 1, 2011, further strengthening the team’s engineering expertise.

Reporting to Team Principal Ross Brawn, Bob’s role will primarily be based at the team’s factory in Brackley with overall responsibility for the technical operations of the chassis group. Bob’s appointment will allow Ross Brawn greater freedom to oversee the full programme between the team’s chassis group in Brackley and the engine group at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines in Brixworth.

Bob began his career in motorsport as an aerodynamicist almost 30 years ago, working at McLaren, Benetton and Jordan, before becoming Deputy Technical Director at Renault in 2001. Bob was promoted to Technical Director in 2003 and played a key role in the team’s double championship-winning successes of 2005 and 2006. Bob remained at Renault, becoming Acting Team Principal in September 2009 and Managing Director in 2010, until his departure from the team in October of last year.

Bob Bell said: “I am both delighted and honored to be joining the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team as Technical Director. It will be a privilege to be a part of such a strong and determined organisation, and to be able to contribute to furthering the enviable heritage of Mercedes-Benz in motorsport.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal of MERCEDES GP PETRONAS, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Bob to the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team in the position of Technical Director. Bob’s appointment is a key step in the strengthening of our excellent technical team and we are pleased to have recruited one of the most experienced engineers in the sport. Bob will be an important asset to our team, bringing with him a wealth of Formula One knowledge and championship-winning experience, and we look forward to welcoming him at the start of April.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, concluded: “Mercedes-Benz is fully committed to providing our Formula One team with the personnel and resources to compete at the forefront of the sport. Bob’s track record speaks for itself and I know he will be a valuable addition to our team as Technical Director. He shares our passion for competition and our vision for establishing long-term success with MERCEDES GP PETRONAS.”

Bob Bell Biography

Nationality: British

Date of birth: April 10, 1958

Place of birth: County Down, UK

Lives: South Warwickshire, UK

Marital status: Separated

Hobbies: Motorcycling, Hill Walking, Appreciating the Arts

Work:

• 2011 Technical Director, MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team
• 2010 Managing Director, Renault F1 Team
• 2009 Team Principal & Chief Technical Officer, Renault F1 Team
• 2003 Technical Director, Renault F1 Team
• 2001 Deputy Technical Director, Renault F1 Team
• 1999 Head of Vehicle Technology, Jordan Grand Prix
• 1997 Senior Aerodynamicist, Benetton F1
• 1995 Future Projects Manager, McLaren
• 1990 Project Technical Director, MAVerick Land Speed Record Vehicle, McLaren
• 1988 Head of Research & Development, McLaren
• 1982 Aerodynamicist, McLaren

Education: PhD in Aeronautical Engineering, Queen’s University, Belfast

Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines, whose principal activities are the design and manufacture of Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 racing engines and hybrid power systems for the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team, are pleased to announce they have successfully achieved the OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health & Safety Standard.

For those unfamiliar with the OHSAS 18001 standard, it is an internationally recognised Occupational Health & Safety Management System specification. It was created via a concerted effort from several of the world’s leading national standard bodies, certification bodies and specialist consultancies. There are substantial benefits to companies holding the standard. Benefits include: minimising risk to employees and visitors; improvements to existing Occupational Health & Safety management systems; demonstration of diligence and assurances.

The introduction of the safety management standard at the site in Brixworth, Northamptonshire shows the commitment within the Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines Group to be the best & highlights the importance in which safety remains the top priority.

M-B HPE is currently one of the leading Formula 1 engine designers & manufacturers introducing innovative technology into its design, manufacturing & testing facilities. This includes leading the way in creating a positive safety culture which is fully supported by all staff. A recent staff survey at the company highlighted that employee’s feel they have a safe working environment & everyone within the company has a role to play in continuously improving working practises to achieve this. Creating a safe working environment is fully supported by the management team who constantly strive to develop its safety culture. Achieving the standard gives us the momentum to set specific targets for safety improvement, which is cascaded to every level of the business.

Managing Director, Thomas Fuhr said: “We are delighted to be the first team within Formula 1 to achieve the OHSAS 18001 Health & Safety Standard. We are now working towards achieving the RoSPA Gold Award, which is the next step in demonstrating our commitment to providing a safe work place and remaining as a responsible employer. Achieving the standard does not mean we will be able to rest on our laurels now that we have achieved it, it has actually given us the tools & motivation to drive pro-active safety measures to the next level.”

Working in conjunction with external audit bodies, MB-HPE will continue to introduce relevant standards which fully support its commitment to Quality, Safety & Environmental requirements for the future.

Formula One’s second winter test got underway this morning at the Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain as preparations continue for the start of the new season. Nico Rosberg was at the wheel of the MGP W02, with Michael Schumacher due to take over for Friday and Saturday, before Nico rounds off the programme on Sunday.

The team’s work focused on continuing the set-up programme from the first test in Valencia last week, along with further acclimatisation to the Mercedes KERS as Nico had his second test day with the system. Nico completed longer runs in the afternoon to conduct set-up comparisons and continue to develop the team’s understanding of the new Pirelli tyres. Nico completed 67 laps with the programme slightly shortened due to a repeat of the hydraulic issue experienced in Valencia which has enabled the team to confirm the source of the problem.

Nico Rosberg: “We had a reasonable day and I was able to complete quite a few laps, which is positive. It’s important for both me and the team to get good mileage and we’re really learning about the car all the time. We had a few little issues, which you always expect from a new car, so we just have to keep putting the miles on it. The KERS was working well and having more time to get used to the system is a real help; it’s not just a question of using the buttons but also understanding the effect of the KERS under braking. We are starting to understand the tyres better and that will be one of the key factors to success over the race weekends.”

TIMES

The debut of the MGP W02, the new Silver Arrow for the 2011 Formula One World Championship, took place this morning at the Valencia Circuit in Spain with the new challenger unveiled in front of the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team garage by Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher.

The result of twelve months intense design and development work, the MGP W02 is the second Silver Arrows car to be launched by MERCEDES GP PETRONAS since the team became the first Mercedes-Benz works outfit since 1955.

The car’s livery is an evolution from its predecessor with a striking high-gloss airbrush effect highlighting the shape of the car. The interaction between the Silver Arrows heritage and the green shading representing the team’s title partner PETRONAS evokes memories of the first Silver Arrow car of 1934 with a modern touch added by 3D partner logos.

The technical specification of the MGP W02 includes the KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery) system which returns to the sport after a one-year absence. The Mercedes KERS system was the first to win a Grand Prix during the 2009 season when KERS made its debut in Formula One. Also new on the car for this season is the adjustable rear wing, operated by the driver to aid overtaking, and Pirelli tyres as the Italian manufacturer becomes the sport’s official tyre supplier.

The team’s driver line-up remains unchanged with seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, who achieved the team’s three podiums in 2010, forming one of the most exciting and talented pairings on the grid.

Michael Schumacher

“Finally the waiting is over and things get started. For us drivers, the break every year is hard to take because the gap between the last race and the first time out on track seems to be never-ending. Even if I have been involved and updated all winter on the developments, and even if I know the improvements are significant, it is still different to see the new car literally for the first time in front of you. You automatically build up this nice pre-start tension. I very much look forward to the new season. We have said it several times already but again, we are really to building up something big together. I am very confident that this season we will be standing on the podium much more regularly; ideally in the middle!”

Nico Rosberg

“It is always a very exciting time of year to drive the new car for the first time and feel how it performs out on track. This year we have the added challenge of not having an immediate reference due to the change in tyre manufacturer to the new Pirelli tyres, which felt good during our first try-out at the Abu Dhabi test last year. I am very much looking forward to having a much stronger season than last year and as always, our targets are aggressive. We want to be competing at the front and challenging for race wins. Everyone at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth has worked extremely hard on the new Silver Arrow and we are all looking forward to seeing how it performs.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal

“It is always a thrill to see a new car ready to take the track for the first time and this year is no exception. After our first year as the Mercedes-Benz works team, we are now seeing the benefits of our chassis and engine groups working well together. With a good technical structure and a strengthened race engineering organisation, both at the factory and the race track, I am confident that we have done and will continue to do a better job this year in all key areas.

“The concept development for the MGP W02 started early and we have set challenging targets for the design, combined with a robust plan to ensure that the pace of development can continue throughout the long 2011 season. We have two excellent drivers in Michael and Nico, both of whom capable of winning races in a good car, and we look forward to seeing them push each other and the development of the new Silver Arrow during the season. We want to be setting the standard right from the start but if we are not, we will respond very strongly to get ourselves into the game. Everyone is excitedly waiting to see what the new season will reveal.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President – Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

“The new Silver Arrow for the 2011 season has little in common with its immediate predecessor. Our chassis engineers have taken a fairly ruthless approach and were determined to shave off every superfluous gram and millimetre. What emerged from this process is a compact and exquisitely shaped vehicle that introduces a host of sophisticated solutions and truly reflects the enormous dedication of its constructors. We have given it a brand new coat of paint, and we aim to see a smile on the faces of our hard-working drivers and team members that is as bright as our new silver livery.

“Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher are top drivers who can win races for us, provided we build them the right car. At the same time, our team, like all the other teams, has to deal with complex new tasks. The new generation of tyres from Pirelli, and the extent to which the cars and drivers adapt to them, will play a vital role in deciding wins and defeats.

“The rear wing flap, which can be adjusted under specified conditions, will boost top speed and facilitate overtaking which should open up a new and interesting chapter for Formula One. And there is the return of KERS following a one-year absence at the end of the 2009 season when our Mercedes system recorded a historic first race win. This will play a massive role amongst all of the performance-related components, both for the additional power and for the strategic options it makes available. As in 2009, it is our ambition that Mercedes-Benz builds and runs the best hybrid system and that all three teams which use it benefit significantly from this.

“After I have spoken at length here on the many new issues, our target can be described in one short sentence: The new Silver Arrow should not only look first class, but should also be developed to be at the top step-by-step.”

Both drivers and fans alike find Formula One and DTM races particularly entertaining when it’s wet. Ralf and Michael Schumacher tell Mercedes-GP about the challenges and peculiarities of wet weather racing.

It’s cold and damp, not very pleasant at all, but nonetheless, fans just love wet weather racing. An action-packed session is on the cards whenever you see cars aquaplaning and not just hurtling past at top speeds. It’s nip and tuck and anything can happen. But it’s not only fans who enjoy these skirmishes on a wet circuit. “When it’s raining, there are plenty of openings and overtaking is easier once you’re in position,” says Michael.

That applies to Formula One and to Europe’s most popular saloon car racing series, the DTM, which is currently home to two Mercedes-Benz drivers, Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard, who have experienced many scraps in the wet whilst contesting both classes.

“Wet weather driving is very difficult in a DTM car,” says Ralf. It’s down to the sheer weight of the car amongst other things. Ralf’s Laureus AMG Mercedes C-Class weighs just over a thousand kilos. According to Formula One regulations, an MGP W01 Silver Arrow should tip the scales at 620kg minimum.

DTM and Formula One cars peform very differently in the wet as far as grip and driving lines are concerned. Ralf: “The worst thing is when the car doesn’t give you the feedback you need. It’s really hard to drive, there’s no grip and you don’t feel safe as you skittle all over the place.” That can cost a driver an enormous amount of time.

Another thing that surprised DTM rookie David Coulthard during his first wet weather qualifying at Hockenheim: “My feet were sodden. I always thought that these cars were nice and dry!”

Ralf’s brother Michael has celebrated many notable victories during wet weather races amongst his tally of 91 Grand Prix wins. “I’ve always done well in the rain even though I perhaps didn’t enjoy the race very much,” Michael tells us. The reason is obvious: driver error is much more likely during a wet weather race and there’s more chance for things to go wrong. Victory is sweeter if you’ve driven well on a wet track.

Michael’s not lost his touch in the wet during his three-year absence. It quickly came back to him at the first rain-hit qualifying of the season in Malaysia. “In Q2, when we were all on the same tyres, I was immediately quickest,” he reminded us. Michael repeated this feat at the Korean Grand Prix, when he overtook two competitors one after the other. Rain doesn’t bother him, no matter how foul the weather.

Sunday’s race in Abu Dhabi marked the final race of the season for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS DRIVER’S Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher.  Ending out his season with a fourth place finish and an outstanding race was Nico Rosberg . Unfortunately, Michael Schumacher was out of the race on the first lap after spinning and subsequently being hit by another car.

A good strategy call from the team to bring Nico in under the safety car on the first lap to switch to the harder prime tyres put him in a great position on track and an assured drive from there allowed Nico to make up six places on his starting position.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS finished the 2010 season in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship with 214 points with Nico finishing seventh place in the Drivers’ Championship with 142 points and Michael finishing ninth place with 72 points.

NICO ROSBERG

“I’m very pleased with fourth place and it’s the best that we could have hoped for from my grid position. Special thanks to Ross and James Vowles for a great strategy today. We had a good pace on the hard tyres, just like in qualifying, and I was able to make the most of that performance when it mattered. Thanks to everyone here at the track and back at the factory for all of their hard work this year. Although we didn’t get the results that we wanted on track, I am sure that we will improve massively for next year and have more fun then. Congratulations to Sebastian today and he deserved the title. Next up, we have the test later this week which will be very important to get a headstart on adapting to the new tyres.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“First of all, big congratulations to Sebastian for his great victory and taking the title today. That was extremely well done after his season was so mixed but he was able to come back strongly in the last few races. As for me, I am totally fine and was not hit by anything in the incident. I had to go to the Medical Centre just for a precautionary check. I went off the line, spun and because of the dirt there, the back of the car just came around. It’s a shame obviously as I would have liked to finish the season with a more positive ending but I am already looking forward to fighting again next year. I would like to say thank you to everybody in our team for all of their hard work.”

ROSS BRAWN

“That was a fantastic performance from Nico today and a perfect way to finish the season for us. As a team, we achieved the absolute maximum with the car that we have with a great call on strategy from the guys on the pit wall and a well-executed pit stop. Then it was an excellent and controlled drive from Nico who found the pace exactly when he needed it. Michael unfortunately made a mistake on the first lap and got caught out which is a shame. I’m very excited about next year with the team and drivers that we have and we will have a lot more fun competing where we want to be. Congratulations to Sebastian on his first Drivers’ title today, to the Red Bull team for a great job and to Dieter Mateschitz for the vision and commitment that he has shown over the last five years.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Our sincere congratulations to the new World Champion Sebastian Vettel and to Red Bull Racing for a well-deserved victory in both Championships this season. From our race today, the good news is that Michael was not hurt after his spin and Tonio was also ok after crashing into him, which was not Tonio’s fault. The resultant safety car and our very smart strategy to bring Nico in for the prime tires was crucial for the race and for Nico’s well-deserved fourth place which came after a brilliant drive during which he posted the third fastest lap of the race. We have finished this long season with a good result with Nico beating two of the World Championship contenders. Thank you to everybody at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS for the relentless work in 2010 when we achieved the best possible results with our technical package in the last third of the season. We are looking forward to the new season and our plan is to improve our new car in order to compete with the top three teams after having finished in fourth place this year.”

The final race of the 2010 Formula One World Championship takes place at the Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday, November 14. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the home race of Aabar, shareholders in the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team, is Formula One’s only twilight race with the floodlights at the spectacular 5.5km Yas Marina Circuit allowing the race to start at 17:00hrs.

Mercedes-Benz Stats (including customer teams)

Yas Marina Circuit Stats

NICO ROSBERG

“I really enjoyed our first visit to the Yas Marina Circuit at the end of last season. The track is interesting to drive with a unique layout with the unusual pit lane exit and the day/night programme makes a change from the usual format of a race weekend. It was good to be back in the points in Brazil last Sunday and we hope to finish the season with another good result here before looking ahead to next season which will definitely be stronger for us.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“We had quite an encouraging weekend in Sao Paulo, even if it did not show too much to the outside, as our pace in qualifying and the race was satisfying. The final race weekend in Abu Dhabi will be exciting for me as I will be driving this impressive circuit for the first time. Obviously the main focus of the fans and the media will be on the championship fight so we will be able to work calmly and concentrate on our own weekend. I’m sure that everyone in the team is motivated to deliver a good last performance of the season.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The final race of the 2010 season takes us to the home Grand Prix for our Abu Dhabi based shareholders and partner Aabar. We were extremely impressed with the Yas Marina Circuit on our first visit and look forward to an exciting weekend which will see the battle for the Drivers’ Championship concluded. For the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team, on the back of our double-points finish in Brazil, we would like to finish this challenging season on an equally strong note before turning our attentions fully to next year.”

NORBERT HAUG

“We are all looking forward to a thrilling final race of a great season which still sees four drivers with a chance of competing for the championship. Abu Dhabi is one of our team’s home races as our shareholder and partner, Aabar, have their headquarters here. Our team will not be taking anything for granted and our target is to achieve the best possible result with our current technical package. As in recent races, we want to be right there if a driver in one of the currently faster cars should have a problem. It would be a nice reward for the team to conclude this very long and tough season, which saw everyone give their all, with a reasonable result.”

Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished the Brazilian Grand Prix in sixth and seventh places Sunday to achieve a double points finish for the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team in Interlagos. Nico and Michael made the most of the opportunities presented to them and had strong races to move up the order and improve on their grid positions.

NICO ROSBERG

“I had a strong start today and when Michael pitted ahead of me, I had clear air and was able to make up positions thanks to our good strategy. From then, it got a little chaotic but the team made a great call to get me on new rubber when the safety car came out. Unfortunately Jenson did the same and there was a lot of chaos with lapped cars so I wasn’t able to make up any further positions. Michael let me past which was nice as he was on used rubber against my new tyres.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“I had quite a good start today gaining two positions which unfortunately I lost again directly afterwards following my exit on the grass because of the fight with Robert. We then had good pace but with hindsight, my pit stop was maybe a little too early which left me stuck behind Adrian. Towards the end, I let Nico past when he was on fresh tyres as he had the better chance to fight Jenson in front of us. I look forward to Abu Dhabi now where I hope to have another encouraging race.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We are pleased to get a solid double points finish with good drives from Nico and Michael today. It was frustrating to lose a place to Jenson in the early stops as we expected him to get held up with traffic but he did a good job to get through. We made all the right strategy calls today which enabled us to make up several places on cars ahead of us on the grid. We had a radio problem which caused confusion with the tyres at Nico’s second stop however we boxed him again with no loss of position. It’s good to have two cars scoring points but obviously we are not finishing where we would like to. Congratulations to Red Bull for taking our Constructors’ title today and we will be after them next year.”

NORBERT HAUG

“We achieved the best possible results for us today to finish behind the drivers who were fighting for the World Championship as we have done in the six races since Spa. The team, Nico and Michael did a solid job and it is positive that Nico came home in sixth place after starting from 13th position. Michael recovered well from losing two places on the first lap to finish in seventh position and could have gone one place better if he had not been caught after his pit stop behind a car who changed tyres late in the race. Sixth and seventh places are not our target for the future but for now these results are the maximum with the technical package we currently have. Well done to everybody in our team and thank you for your hard work. We have one more race to go next weekend and then we are looking forward to next season with consistently better results. Congratulations to Red Bull Racing for winning the 2010 Formula One Constructors’ World Championship.”

The Brazilian Grand Prix, the second to last round of the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, takes place on Sunday, November 7th at the Autodromo José Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo. The 4.309 km (2.67 miles) anti-clockwise track is the highest of the year at 800m above sea level and its inner city location at Interlagos, combined with the passion of the Brazilian fans, makes the circuit one of the most atmospheric venues of the year.

NICO ROSBERG

“The Brazilian fans are always fantastic and Interlagos is a really fun track to drive so I’m looking forward to the weekend in Sao Paulo. The combination of the tight infield and the long straight make the track layout very unique. The fact that Interlagos is at a very high altitude level means that the engine has less power due to the thinner air and the car has less grip and lower downforce which is a challenge. There are good overtaking opportunities and the weather always seems to play a part in the race weekend to make it more unpredictable. It was disappointing not to finish the race in Korea from such a strong position but our performance over the weekend was good and we were able to get the most out of the car. It would be nice to continue this and finish the season with strong performances.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“The season is coming to an end and I have to say that I am very impressed with how our guys have coped with it, especially in the last few flyaway races. Even though we have not had any big developments recently, we have still delivered promising performances. The characteristics of the Interlagos circuit are not too far away from those of the last races so we can go to Brazil in quite a confident mood. Our fighting spirit is good and we would like to finish the season in a positive way. So I am looking forward to going to Sao Paulo and hopefully achieving another result that I can be happy with.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The Brazilian Grand Prix is always a fantastic occasion and with the intense battle for the World Championship, it will be an exciting weekend for the fans at the circuit and watching around the world. Interlagos provides several challenges with its high altitude location and the bumpy surface creating two of the key engineering considerations when setting up the car. We have had a run of strong results recently, considering our relative performance position, and I am optimistic that we can continue the recent trend at the last two races. Of course this is not a position that we are happy with, and we are working very hard to ensure that we are back where we want to be next year, challenging for race wins.”

NORBERT HAUG

“The last two races of a very exciting Formula One season will take place within eight days in Sao Paulo and Abu Dhabi which is an enormous challenge at the end of a long and demanding season. Everybody at the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team is fully motivated as the last five races have seen our team achieve the best possible results with our current technical package. We have finished regularly behind the World Championship contenders and sometimes between them. At the last race in Korea, we showed better potential with Michael finishing in fourth place and Nico ahead of the eventual second-placed finisher Lewis Hamilton, prior to being taken out of the race. Everybody in our team is fully focused and concentrated to finish the season with the best possible results and build the baseline for better results on a regular basis in 2011.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver Michael Schumacher finished the inaugural Korean Grand Prix in Yeongam in fourth place Sunday after an exciting race.

The race, which started under the safety car due to wet conditions, was red-flagged for 50 minutes before restarting once again under the safety car. The dramatic race finished just at the two-hour limit.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver Nico Rosberg overtook Lewis Hamilton to take the fourth position when he was hit by Mark Webber’s spnning car. After the incident, Rosberg was forced into retirement on lap 19

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“I am pretty happy with today’s race and I have to say thank you to my team who guided me perfectly through the afternoon. I am sure that the spectators had a lot of fun here today at this first Korean race. The FIA did very well to start the race behind the safety car as it absolutely would not have been possible to have a racing start. The only shame for us today was that Nico was put out of the race otherwise we would have seen a very good weekend for our team.”

NICO ROSBERG

“We had a near perfect weekend with the car that we have until the collision in the race today. Qualifying in fifth place was great yesterday and the car has felt good all weekend. The team has done a great job here and the straightline speed that we had enabled me to overtake Hamilton early in the race. So it’s a big shame that my race was ended early. It was really difficult to judge which way Mark’s car would go and I took the decision to go left but he spun more and more that way and I just couldn’t avoid him. It’s a real shame as we could have had a great result today.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The team did an excellent job this weekend and have been rewarded with a very good result for Michael today. It could have been even better as Nico was in a strong position and obviously we are disappointed that he was taken out of the race. Nico had made a great overtaking move on Hamilton, he was very happy with the car and everything was going well up that point. Michael had an extremely good race. He took all of his opportunities and drove sensibly in the tricky conditions. We spent the latter part of the race looking after the tyres and making sure that we got through to the end as we didn’t think that we could challenge the leaders. Overall a very positive weekend and we hope to finish the season with equally strong performances.”

NORBERT HAUG

“A good race from Michael today finishing in fourth place behind the World Championship contenders as ‘best of the rest’ after a great manoeuvre to overtake Jenson Button. A shame for Nico who certainly had the possibility of finishing on the podium, given that he was ahead of Lewis who ultimately finished second, when he was caught up in Mark Webber’s incident. A good job from our team here in treacherous conditions with no mistakes made which was very difficult today.”

Did you know that for every 10kgs (22 pounds) of fuel in an F1 car, an additional 0.3 to 0.4 seconds are added on to a driver’s lap time. However, with the new ban on refueling this season, strategists are no longer as concerned with fuel as they are with tire degradation during a race.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS sat down with their team’s Chief Strategist, James Vowles, to discuss not only what role his position plays for the team, but how each strategic decision can mean seconds on or off thr driver’s lap time.

How would you define the role of a Formula One strategist?

I provide the drivers with information on how the tires should perform over the race weekend and help to plan our Friday programme to provide the information needed to make the best decisions in qualifying and the race. I identify and study our key competitors to find out their strengths and weaknesses and highlight which elements will affect us and how we can use that information to our advantage. As we accumulate data over the weekend, I build up the plan of what we should do in qualifying and how we can beat our nearest competitors to get the best possible grid position.

Is this season as strategically challenging as the last?

This year is more challenging on a Sunday but not necessarily over the rest of the weekend. Last year, your race was very much determined by your fuel level in qualifying and if you got the fuel load wrong, it could easily make a difference to your grid position and therefore important places in the race. This year with no refuelling in the race, the strategic emphasis in qualifying has shifted to establishing what tires should be used, whether to stay in the garage, what qualifying mix modes to use, trying to save the tires to give the driver the best possible chance in Q3, understanding what your competitors are doing and maximising the time that the cars spend away from traffic.

We focus on every other team across the grid as much as our own. This is particularly relevant this season with the new regulations which has allowed teams to move in and out of performance zones very quickly from weekend to weekend. Last year there were four main teams that we needed to focus on and this year it is more like seven teams which makes this year’s racing a lot more challenging.

What are the key factors you look at when you define the race strategy?

Tires are the most important part of the car and with no refuelling, the tires determine when we make a pit stop. We have to identify when there is a tire window (i.e. when one tire compound outperforms the other) and make a decision on when to make the change. So we have to know the rate that the tires warm up, how quickly they grain, if they have accumulated any surface damage and how severely they affect the balance of the car. The most important consideration is the rate at which the different compounds, prime or option, degrade. We have historically been the best team at timing our tire changes correctly where we have come in just before the tire window opened and jumped ahead of other cars or stayed out and maximised our position in the race.

The other key factor is fuel as 0.3 to 0.4 seconds per lap are added for every 10kgs of fuel. Therefore we have to decide what fuels to use, when to consume the most fuel depending on the drivers’ style or if we should revert to a two stop strategy. The precise nature of Formula One means that there is always a very small margin for error. It is crucial to set the correct amount of fuel and judge the performance of the tires or you can easily lose two seconds a lap to your competitors.

This can get complicated as many of the aspects which affect fuel consumption are constantly changing. For example, a tire that was graining can suddenly stop graining and perform better or there can be a change in track temperature and performance declines. At a street circuit like Monaco, which is run on public roads, the track conditions can change completely from session to session giving only a a few minutes before a session to understand what’s changed and adapt our strategy accordingly.

With no in-season testing this year, we have to use the two Friday practice sessions to our advantage and collect as much information as possible about the car’s response to the track. If we calculate the fuel consumption wrongly, we could have an excessively heavy car or a car which is too light on fuel and won’t be able to perform at maximum capacity.

We also have to work out the practicalities of pit stops so for example, the amount of time that it takes to do a pit stop from entering the pit lane to exciting. We are lucky to have the quickest and most consistent pit stop team which makes my job much easier in working out the pit timings for the race.

Do you plan the strategy early in the weekend or after qualifying?

We start to plan our strategy on Tuesday and Wednesday prior to the race to give our drivers a good understanding of what we are expecting during the weekend. We make a fuel estimate which is tested on Friday and that gives us a good idea of what strategy to use in qualifying and the race. After qualifying, there is a certain degree of planning but not as much as you might expect. The main part of our pre-race planning is how to react to a safety car, a crash or being required to pit early. Having plans in place enables you to react quickly to the thousands of possible scenarios that could arise in a race. At times we rely on luck of course but with detailed preparation and an understanding of how to deal with a particular situation, we can react in a more efficient and successful way. Strategy in Formula One is definitely a case of ‘failure to prepare is preparation to fail’.

Formula One makes its first visit to Korea next week for Round 17 of the 2010 World Championship, the Korean Grand Prix, which will be held at the new Korean International Circuit in the South Jeolla region. 400kms from the capital Seoul, the Yeongam track has been designed by Hermann Tilke and will be the largest sports stadium in the country with the capacity for 130,000 spectators. Next week’s Korean Grand Prix will also be the 300th Formula One race for Mercedes-Benz since the company first competed in1954.

NICO ROSBERG

“It will be an exciting challenge to race at the new Korean circuit. It looks great from the pictures that we have seen recently and I hope that the asphalt holds up as it has only been put down very recently. It is always interesting to learn a new circuit and generally I get up to speed quickly so I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Finally this year we are going to a circuit which is not only new for me but for all of the drivers. Korea will be a very interesting country to see and even if the track has only just been finished in time, I am confident that everything will be fine. I am very much in favour of new races and I think it is a benefit for all of us in the sport. It should not be too complicated to learn the layout and we are used to adapting quickly to new circumstances. We had quite a good race in Japan last weekend and are hoping that we can move forward again and put on a good show at the first race in Korea.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We are very pleased to be visiting Korea next week and are looking forward to the experience of racing in a new country for Formula One. It is important for the future of our sport that we continue to expand our global fan base therefore we are very pleased that the venue is ready in time after some uncertainty. We have been preparing for the new Korean circuit back at the factory with work on our simulator so we have a good idea of what to expect but as always with a new track, it will be an interesting challenge.”

NORBERT HAUG

“The first Korean Grand Prix will be a completely new experience for everybody involved in Formula One and our team welcomes this new race onto the calendar. The organisers have had a challenging period of time to get the new facilities complete according to the initial plan but everything seems to be ready now. We are looking forward to an exiting first race at this new track in Yeongam where we can hopefully continue to get the maximum from our current technical package, as in the last races, and score additional points.”

Michael Schumacher finished the Japanese Grand Prix in the points today after a good start from 10th position on the grid and a strong race, including an exciting battle with his team-mate, saw him finish in sixth place.  The team was on course for a double points-finish before an accident for Nico Rosberg brought his race to a premature end on lap 48 when he was in sixth position, just ahead of Michael who was then in seventh place.

NICO ROSBERG

“It was a disappointing end to the weekend today. Due to a clutch problem, my start was poor but our strategy was good to change tyres under the safety car on the first lap which enabled me to recover the places and be racing in sixth position. My tyres were suffering from having done such a long stint so it was tough to maintain a good pace but it was enough to keep Michael behind. Then something broke on the rear of the car and put me into the tyre barrier which ended my race early.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“I am quite happy with the race today and the car felt really good. The opportunity to make up places was just what I hoped for and sixth place was the maximum that we could have achieved. It was good racing and it must have been very entertaining for the crowd. It was fun to be racing Nico so it is a shame what happened to him. We are now heading to South Korea and although I don’t really know what to expect, if our car is as good as it was here, then I hope for another encouraging race.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We had a strong race today with both cars and it is very disappointing and frustrating that Nico was unable to finish the race. Our prime concern was for his safety and thankfully he is absolutely fine. Prior to the incident, he was in an excellent position having taken advantage of an early stop under the safety car to make up places lost at the start. Michael also had a very good race today with a great start setting him up to make up positions. It was an entertaining few laps when Nico and Michael were fighting for sixth place and we were happy for them to battle it out. We are looking into the cause of Nico’s accident now and as always there will be a thorough investigation into what happened.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Michael finished in sixth place today and was the first car behind the five drivers fighting for the World Championship. He drove a strong race after he was handicapped with a small technical issue during qualifying. We still need to investigate what happened to Nico’s car six laps before the end when he was in sixth position. It is a real shame that he could not finish and sorry to him for that. Nico drove a faultless race and it was a good strategy to bring him in under the safety car on lap one. Michael proved this weekend that he is strong when we give him the base to do so.”

The first practice sessions for the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix got underway today at the Suzuka circuit in dry and warm conditions ahead of the heavy rain showers forecast for qualifying tomorrow.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS pair Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg completed 47 laps and 35 laps of the 5.807km circuit respectively, loved by drivers for its challenging layout, as they worked on the set-up of their MGP W01 cars.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“It’s a great feeling to be driving this track again. It’s really fun and a great challenge. I have always loved Suzuka and particularly the first sector which is cool and demanding at the same time. If you get it right, you enjoy it big time. I’m pleased with our practice today as the car looks better than I had expected here and I didn’t face any real issues. So now we hope for a clean qualifying tomorrow where we will try to achieve as much as we can.”

NICO ROSBERG

“It’s been quite a challenging Friday for me. Unfortunately my morning was hampered by a gearbox issue which cost me some running time at the end of the session which wasn’t ideal. From then on, I just haven’t been as happy with the car here. I had a lot of understeer which we haven’t established the reason for, so we need to look into that overnight. Things started to come together more on the option tyre which gives me hope that we can build on that progress tomorrow. It should be an interesting weekend with the rain so we will try to make the best of that.”

ROSS BRAWN

“It’s been an interesting Friday as we have worked to learn as much as possible from the dry track before the expected rain arrives this evening. Michael had a positive day with the car running well to allow him to get used to the track again and develop his set-up. Nico had a few challenges with a gearbox issue interrupting his programme this morning and a few concerns with the balance this afternoon. We have a lot of information to work with so we expect to make progress overnight. It could be an interesting qualifying if the rain comes so we’ll need to be on our toes.”

NORBERT HAUG

“There is certainly room for further improvements after today’s practice sessions but we have definitely experienced more challenging Fridays this year. Our race pace today looked quite reasonable but of course we are still not good enough to fight at the front of the field. The forecast for tomorrow is predicting rain so the order we saw today may change in different conditions. Michael and Nico did a good job today taking into account the current capabilities of our car and our target is to repeat this level of performance tomorrow and on Sunday.”

Round 16 of the 2010 Formula One World Championship takes the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team back to the Far East for the Japanese Grand Prix at the Suzuka Circuit. Hosting its 22nd Grand Prix, Suzuka is a great favorite amongst the Formula One drivers with its unique 5.807km figure-of-eight layout including famous corners such as the Spoon Curve and the high-speed 130R.

NICO ROSBERG

“Suzuka is a great race track and personally I think it is one of the best on the calendar, along with Spa. It is technically challenging, really quick and just a real drivers’ circuit which demands the best out of you and the car. The first sector is definitely the highlight of the lap and part of what makes the whole layout so demanding. We’ve had a decent run of results, considering our performance, with one sixth place and two fifth places so we will be hoping to continue that at Suzuka.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Suzuka was always one of my favourite circuits of the year as driving the track is simply sensational in parts. Suzuka is technically demanding and has interesting corner combinations so it was a really good feeling when you got it together. I am heading to Japan with some good memories in mind as the track in Suzuka was the scene of some great races for me. Obviously I hope that we can add more and I am definitely up for the challenge. I am sure we will try to get the maximum out of our weekend.”

ROSS BRAWN

“Suzka has hosted some great races over the years and it is one of those tracks that is considered a real classic by drivers and fans alike. The improved circuit and paddock facilities were very impressive last year with the organisers putting on a great show. The last three races have been particularly good for us with regard to our work at the track as a team and our run of points finishes so we will be aiming to continue this trend throughout the final four races.”

NORBERT HAUG

“The layout of the Suzuka circuit is one of the drivers´ favorites on the Formula One calendar. This race in Japan is very special and very demanding for the drivers, teams and cars. As in the last races, our target is to score points and to do the best possible job. We know that we are not yet in a position to win but whilst our technical developments are concentrated on next year´s car, our team at the track will be fully focused on the last four races of the season.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver Nico Rosberg continued his run of points-scoring finishes Sunda with a strong drive to take fifth place at the Singapore Grand Prix from seventh position on the grid. Team-mate Michael Schumacher had a more eventful race with two out-of-sync pit stops compromising his track position and he finished the 61-lap race in 13th place.

NICO ROSBERG

“It was extremely tough out there but we achieved the best possible result for us today. Our aim for the last few races is to finish as the best behind the top three teams and today we were able to profit as two of them had issues with Felipe in qualifying yesterday and Lewis in the race today. So fifth place is good for us and it’s very satisfying for the team. I could push Jenson a little at some points which was good to see. We will be aiming to finish the rest of the season as strongly.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“I am not particularly happy about my first experience of racing in Singapore this evening. I had two encounters with other cars which were racing incidents and meant that I had to make my stops at times which were not ideal and consequently my race was heavily compromised. I suffered with the rear tyres on my first set of options which made me slide rather than drive through corners which was tough, so I would probably say that I only enjoyed the second part of the race.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We had a small grid advantage starting from the clean side and Nico was able to make up a place which was good. We then stayed out under the first safety car when almost every car behind us came in which made us a little vulnerable but I was very pleased with our pace which enabled us to control the situation. Nico drove an excellent race today with a competitive performance that saw him pushing the McLaren-Mercedes at various stages. Michael had a more eventful race and whilst it didn’t quite go his way today, he persevered to the end of the race. It was a very good team effort to improve the car over the course of the weekend and another well-deserved points finish.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Nico drove a very clever race and brought home the best result we could have achieved under our existing circumstances. Michael had an action-packed first night race in Singapore but he kept going which speaks for him and his car, posting some competitive lap times after his second stop for a new nose. Thank you to everybody in the team for the hard work that was done here in difficult conditions when working in the garage was like being in a sauna at times. Singapore is one of the very best places to stage a race and on behalf of Mercedes-Benz, I would like to give our compliments to the organisers who have built up a benchmark race in a very short period of time. Our learning process is taking our team in the right direction and I am sure that we will have a better car and results next season. We are looking forward to the last four races and everyone will work very hard so that our team and drivers can compete with the leaders in the seasons to come.”

Round 15 of the 2010 Formula One World Championship takes the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team to Singapore for the season’s only night race. First held in Round 15 of the 2010 Formula One World Championship takes the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team to Singapore for the season’s only night race. First held in 2008, the Singapore Grand Prix has been a resounding success with the 5.073km Marina Bay Circuit lit with 1500 light projectors to illuminate the track and facilitate the 20:00 race start time.

Mercedes-Benz Stats (including customer teams)

• Singapore Grand PrixTotal (since 1954)
• Grand Prix Starts 2297
• Wins1 (2009)82
• Podiums2231
• Points Scoring Positions5426
• Grand Prix Points 252543
• Fastest Laps -86
• Pole Positions 181

Marina Bay Circuit Stats

• Circuit Length:5.073 km
• Race Distance:309.316 km
• Number of Laps:61

• Full Throttle:48%Brake Wear:High
• Tyre Compounds:Super Soft/MediumDownforce Level:High 10/10
• Tyre Usage:Medium Average Speed:189kph (117mph)

NICO ROSBERG

“Singapore is one of the highlights of the year and I really enjoyed the last two races. The atmosphere is fantastic and the concept of a night race works really well once you get into the routine of staying on European time. I had the best finish of my career so far at Singapore in 2008 when I finished second so the race has good memories for me. The track is good fun to drive and a real challenge. It feels like a proper street circuit, very narrow and enclosed, with a stop-start nature that never gives you the chance to relax. We’ve had decent results at the last two races so we will be hoping to continue our run of points finishes in Singapore next weekend.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“I have always been fond of getting to know new circuits and Singapore will definitely be an exciting adventure. I have three reasons to look forward to the weekend; it is a new circuit for me, it is a city race and it will be my first night race. Driving a new track has never been too complicated for me and I am usually very quick to learn and find the rhythm. As a team, we would like to perform strongly and we will give our maximum to deliver as good a show as possible.”

ROSS BRAWN

“Over the past two years, Formula One’s night race in Singapore has proved to be a fantastic occasion enjoyed by drivers, teams and fans alike. The weekend creates a great spectacle to showcase our sport and with the championship battle getting closer, we can hope to see another exciting race. From our team’s perspective, we have some refinements to our existing upgrades for Singapore and the high downforce set-up required for this low-speed street circuit. We have achieved decent results within the performance limitations of our car at the past two races and hope to have a strong end to the season during the final flyaway races.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Singapore’s night race is a very special Grand Prix on the Formula One calendar which has quickly established itself as a favourite. The atmosphere around the illuminated circuit is unique amongst the 19 race venues that we visit as are the images of Formula One generated from the night racing. Although we are focusing on the design of our 2011 car, we do have some technical developments for Singapore and as at the last two races, we will aim to achieve the best possible results with Michael and Nico.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver’s Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher achieved a double-points finish for the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza today as the pair came home in fifth and ninth places respectively.

Both drivers had good starts which helped to make up places on their grid positions as they drove strong races with Nico pitting on lap 35 and Michael making his stop one lap later. Nico was competing with the late-stopping Sebastian Vettel for fourth place in the final laps but was unable to get ahead of the Red Bull driver.

NICO ROSBERG

“Fifth place was an ok result today except for losing the place to Sebastian at the end there. It was a tough fight and I was pushing to the maximum throughout the race, firstly with Robert at the start and then with Sebastian towards the end. We got the most out of the car this weekend and another double-points finish is good for the team plus it is nice to be ahead of Robert again in the Drivers’ Championship.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“I had a quite clean race and I am pretty happy about my start. It was tight with lots of action so lots of nice fighting. Unfortunately I had to give away two positions to Sebastian and Mark as I just could not keep them behind me. From there onwards, the race was pretty lonely really. However we got the maximum out of it considering where we started from and together with Nico, we scored some important points for the team, so I would say it was a decent race.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We achieved a very respectable result today with two cars in the points which is just the kind of race that we need to have for the rest of the season. Nico and Michael made great starts, showing their experience and maturity, and then drove strong races. Whilst we were not on the pace of the front-runners, we were the strongest of the group behind and Nico did a fantastic job to try and keep Vettel behind but it just wasn’t quite possible. Michael had a very good race to get up into the points and with good work in the pits by the team, this led to another double-points finish.”

NORBERT HAUG

“We scored points with both drivers today which is good. After a great start, Nico drove a strong race which moved him up two positions to fifth place and he posted the third fastest lap of the race, quicker than three of the four guys ahead of him. Michael improved from 12th place on the grid to ninth position at the finish. Needless to say that we are not satisfied with such positions in the longer term but I am definitely satisfied that the team achieved the best possible results today. Thank you to everyone for all of their hard work here in Monza.”

The final European race weekend of the season began today at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in northern Italy.  Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher focused on evaluating the set-up and balance of their MGP W01 cars which ran in a special low-downforce configuration required for the high-speed nature of the Monza circuit.

Completing 59 laps and 55 laps respectively, Nico and Michael finished in the day in tenth and 14th positions.

Drivers

NICO ROSBERG

“Today was ok and the car is generally working well which meant that we could do some useful fine-tuning of our set-up. The tyres seem straightforward and I was happy with my long runs and the consistency that we were able to achieve. I had an issue with understeer through the faster parts of the track so we need to try to resolve that overnight. Our top speed looks reasonable so tomorrow will be about extracting the maximum from the car at its current level.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Monza has always been a great track to drive and from the sensations and the emotions that I experienced out there today, it feels just like it did over the many years that I have raced here previously. Our performance today does not look too bad, especially in the first sector where we worked a lot on top speed, and look quite good. We are using our F-duct and it worked well given that the benefits on this track, where you have to use a small rear wing, are naturally much smaller than on other circuits. I am looking forward to what will hopefully be an enjoyable weekend. ”

ROSS BRAWN

“We’ve had a reasonable start today with the car and our specific aero package working pretty much as we had expected. Nico and Michael achieved consistent running throughout the day which enabled us to get through our test programme including work on the F-duct. We have a few issues to resolve overnight but it has been a decent start to the weekend.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Our lap times in race trim looked not too bad today. Our target is to achieve reasonable grid positions tomorrow with both cars and then have a good and consistent race on Sunday which will hopefully see Nico and Michael in the points again.”