Mercedes-Benz released a complete fashion collection inspired by both Formula 1 and DTM motorsports. Comprisied of a wide variety of sporty and dynamic fashion items as well as functional accessories, the collection’s high-quality materials, refined features, authentic designs and excellent workmanship are a perfect match for the high standards set by Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

The dynamic world of Formula 1 is the theme on which the Formula One Selection 2011 is based. Men’s T-shirts in black with Michael Schumacher’s name (also available for children), or in white and featuring Nico Rosberg’s name, as well as caps in the team colours of grey/white/petronas green with the signatures of one of the two Grand Prix drivers, all give their wearers the opportunity to create their own motorsport look. All items also bear the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS logo.

For those who do not have a favourite driver but still want to feel part of the exciting motorsport scene, there is also a choice of fashionable clothing and caps without the drivers’ names. For example, the Team Selection range includes an authentic team shirt in silver-grey with cutaway collar and Mercedes-Benz and PETRONAS logo, as well as all of the sponsor logos. The same style is reflected in the men’s and women’s team polo shirts in black. By way of exceptional accessories, the Formula One Selection 2011 includes a lanyard with carabiner hook, a set of earplugs presented in a small, elegant aluminium case, or a drinking bottle finished in matt black aluminium with insulating neoprene lid.

The special fascination for the DTM race series has been expressed in another selection of products, also comprising a men’s black T-shirt and a cap – each featuring a printed or embroidered DTM vehicle and DTM logo.

In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Motorsports Highlights Selection 2011 is also made up of attractive fashions and popular accessories which do not reference any specific race series but nevertheless reflect the close connection with Mercedes-Benz motorsport thanks to Mercedes-Benz motorsport logos and various printed motorsport elements. This collection includes a functional waterproof men’s jacket in black with inner mesh lining, zip with star emblem, mobile phone pocket and two inside pockets with Velcro fasteners, a men’s polo shirt and also men’s and women’s white T-shirts. The women’s shirts feature a rhinestone Mercedes-Benz star on the chest area.

The glittering star is also to be found on the front of the matching women’s cap in white, with elegant coloured embroidered Mercedes-Benz motorsport logo. The men’s cap in black has light grey mesh inserts on the sides, which help the wearer to keep a cool head even in the heat of the racing action.

Thanks to their stylish design, the attractive accessories of this selection are bound to be the centre of attention. Prestigious manufacturers help to ensure high quality. The same applies to the three new models of watch – two of which have real carbon dials, while the third is limited to 1500 examples – as well as a pair of high-quality Rodenstock sunglasses, a carbon-fibre ballpoint pen, a highly functional sports bag with toiletry bag, wash bag and shoe bag, a rucksack made by Deuter with special back system for high wear comfort, a stylish beach towel from Möve, an innovative kite-shaped, two-person golf umbrella, seat cushions, wallets and children’s earmuffs from UVEX.

Finely-made and highly-detailed models from well-known manufacturer Minichamps provide an opportunity for enthusiasts to add the world of Mercedes-Benz racing cars to their collection. One particular highlight is Michael Schumacher’s Formula 1 car from the 2010 season, faithfully recreated in 1:18 scale. The 2010 season MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula 1 cars of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg are also available in the popular scale of 1:43, while other 1:43-scale models include the AMG-Mercedes C-Class vehicles, which caused something of a stir during the last DTM race season. The prototypical miniature cars are finished in the colours of drivers Gary Paffett, Bruno Spengler, Paul di Resta, Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished in seventh and 17th positions today at the European Grand Prix where Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel claimed his 6th win. Nico achieved the current potential of the car while Michael’s race was spoiled by a collision on lap 15.

• Nico ran a three-stop strategy of used option/new option/used option/prime, stopping on lap 12, 30 and 45

• Michael’s race was spoiled when, as he left the pits after his first stop, he slid into Petrov in turn one on lap 15

• The contact broke his front wing and he had to do a full lap before making an extra stop to replace it

• After racing eighth in the early stages, Michael dropped to 20th after the additional stop, costing a likely points finish

• Michael stopped just once more after this on lap 31, for prime tyres, which he ran to the end

Nico Rosberg

“I’m happy with my seventh place today as that is the maximum that we could have achieved and we got everything out of the car. It was great to overtake Jenson at the start, and we made the right strategy choice to go for three stops. The introduction of DRS was a positive for the race here in Valencia, and we saw some nice overtaking moves. Now we need to keep pushing for our two home races to close the gap to the fastest teams. I’m sure the whole team will work very hard before Silverstone, and I look forward to racing in front of so many people from the team and their families.”

Michael Schumacher

“Not a very satisfying race for me today. The outcome was decided after lap 15 when I slid into Petrov and lost the points I could perhaps have achieved. Our race pace should have allowed me to finish more or less where I started, but that is only speculation after the incident. I saw Petrov quite late, even though I was aware that he was coming, and tried to brake as late as possible and go round the corner with him. But when I wanted to draw back, I locked the front wheel and slipped into him, which was clearly my mistake. From then onwards, the race was done and I just had to drive the car over the finish line. We will now look ahead to Silverstone which is one of our home races.”

Ross Brawn

“Nico achieved the current potential of the car today with another very solid, mistake-free drive. We couldn’t have realistically expected any more and he scored valuable points. As for Michael, his collision was frustrating because he was running at a very similar level to Nico in the early stages and could also have finished close to him, in the points. After our concerns earlier in the weekend, the tyres behaved well and we didn’t experience any serious degradation problems, which represents a step forward for us compared to previous races. However, we set our targets very much higher than racing for seventh place: our work in the next weeks will focus on improving the car’s performance in order to race with the teams ahead of us.”

Norbert Haug

“Nico’s seventh place is what we could realistically have hoped for today, finishing behind the three top teams with our current technical package, which is lacking performance. The team is working very hard to bring the planned updates for our cars in order to close the gap to the current top six runners. Michael had an unfortunate clash early in the race and the additional pit stop this required prevented him from scoring points.”

Among the scores of rule changes for the 2011 F1 season, one of the less prominent was that gearboxes must now last for five consecutive events rather than four. Furthermore, each team had to choose 30 ratio options before the season began to cover the demands of the 19 circuits, which must be able to cope with the slowest corners at Monaco, and the long straights of Monza, with DRS enabled. As the Valencia Street Circuit requires the most gear changes per lap of any circuit so far this season, 64, and the second-most per lap of any circuit behind Singapore, it provides the perfect opportunity to take a look at this crucial system.

The Valencia Street Circuit requires 64 gear changes per lap; only Singapore requires more, with 71 changes per lap. This equates to over 3,648 changes per race, compared to a season average of 3100 gear changes. This means, on average, the drivers are changing gear once every 85 metres, compared to once every 61 metres in Monaco, or at the other extreme, once every 143 metres in Spa.

In terms of mileage this year, gearboxes must be used for five consecutive races in 2011, compared to four in 2010. Last year, a gearbox was used for between 2,100 and 2,500 kms; for 2011, this is expected to be between 2,600 and 3,000 kms. During the five-race cycle, a gearbox would therefore perform over 25,000 gear shifts.

The toughest races for the gearbox are Monaco, Singapore and Abu Dhabi where the drivers shift gear every 61m, 71m and 82m respectively. The main factors that make a race demanding are torque levels and the number of gear shifts; Monaco and Singapore see the drivers shift gear over 4,000 times per race. At slow speed circuits, the ratios selected give a low car speed, which means the gearbox has to transmit higher torque for longer periods; also, the car spends more time in the lower gears, which is more damaging to the bearings. The gearbox also has to withstand torque spikes during a gear change; therefore, the more changes are made, the harder the gearbox has to work.

Temperatures and forces also are very important factors for the gearbox – it will typically run at up to 130°C and has to transmit around 5000Nm at the final drive. The gearbox itself weighs less than 40 kg and includes well over 500 individual components; these include not just gearbox functions, but also mounting points for the suspension, the rear crash structure and many hydraulic components.

In terms of transmitting torque through the gearbox, a gear changes takes zero seconds. The time for the mechanical parts to complete the shifting mechanism is less than 0.05s – that’s a third of the time it takes to blink an eye. At 250 kph, a Formula One car would travel almost 3.5m; around two thirds of a car length, in this time.

Article 9.6.2 of the Technical Regulations says all competitors have only 30 gear ratio pairs available for the season, and these must be declared before the first event of the year. This rule means that the teams have 30 ratio options available, not that only 30 ratios can be used. Within this range, ratios can be changed between races to adapt to circuit characteristics. The 30 ratio options are chosen based on pre-season testing with both drivers, plus lap simulation. Each driver has the same 30 ratios available.

When it comes to select ratios for a specific circuit, the first part of the process is to select top gear, which is done through simulation of various wing levels, plus the lap time compromise between DRS and non-DRS running for various top gears: optimising for non-DRS running could leave the driver on the limiter for too long when DRS is active, while the reverse scenario could cost too much lap time without DRS because the gearing is too ‘long’. At high downforce circuits, using DRS has increased top speeds by 15 kph, while speeds are very similar at medium downforce circuits like Montreal; its operation can also increase engine speeds by nearly 1,000 rpm.

The remaining ratios are picked after running the circuit on the simulator. The ratios must provide sufficient torque to exit a corner without the engine bogging down but, if the ratio is too short, it becomes difficult to control wheel spin on exit, or could make the car nervous on corner entry. Upon arrival at the circuit, planned ratios may be adapted to suit grip levels or wind direction. Within the range of 30 ratios, they can be freely changed between first and second practice. After P2, the team has just two hours to select final ratios for the remainder of the event.

After a very rainy and crash filled grand prix that lasted a little more than four hours Sunday, Michael Schumacher finished fourth after spending the end of the race in both second and third and getting dropped from a podium finish at the end of the race. Schumacher finished the race less than half a second from a podium place, leaving him unsatisfied with the result. Nico Rosberg finished just outside of the points in 11th position after being over taken by multiple drivers and losing hsi wing at the end of the race.

• The race featured a total of seven Safety Car periods, including the race start and restart.
• Both drivers made a total of four stops during the race: two before the red flag stoppage, and two after the restart.
• The team pitted both drivers for intermediates during the first part of the race, just before heavy rain hit the circuit.
• This forced them to pit again for wet tyres, leaving Nico in P11 and Michael in P12 when the race was red flagged.
• Michael climbed from P12 at the restart to finish P4 and ran second for 11 laps before being passed by Button & Webber.
• Nico was in a points-scoring position but damaged his front wing after contact with Kobayashi on lap 66, and lost the wing on lap 70.

In times past, Formula One drivers negotiated the Circuit de Monaco practically one-handed, their right palms rubbed raw by the thousands of gear changes required during up to 100 laps of the tortuous track in the Principality. Today’s drivers may have a slightly easier time of it, in that they can at least keep both hands on the wheel, but those hands are also significantly busier in 2011. The modern Formula One steering wheel also fulfils the function of dashboard, gear lever and clutch pedal, and the drivers have up to 32 individual controls that can be adjusted. With the increased in-cockpit workload for 2011 generated by KERS and the DRS, Monaco will present an even greater challenge for the drivers aiming to extract every last ounce of performance.

We are used to seeing the drivers’ hands as a blur in Monaco as they make constant corrections to the car. How many steering inputs are made per lap?

The steering wheel is in almost constant motion in Monaco – from major steering inputs for tight corners to the tiny corrections that they are making all the time. At the hairpin, for example, the wheel is turned through more than 180 degrees, and special front suspension is needed to generate the required turning circle. The circuit comprises 19 numbered corners but the drivers make a significant change to the steering angle approximately 130 times per lap.

How much of the lap is spent with no steering input?

The wheel is relatively centred for around ten seconds per lap – which equates to 13.5 per cent of last year’s pole time.

How has the pole position speed evolved over the past decades?

In 1980, Didier Pironi’s pole lap was set at an average speed of 140.582 kph; last year, Mark Webber did so in 162.869 kph. Pironi’s lap was 14 per cent slower than Webber’s, while even Mika Häkkinen’s 2000 pole speed of 152.651 kph was over six per cent slower.

How many controls are there on the steering wheel?

Including the rotary switches, buttons and paddles, there are approximately 32 individual controls on the wheel – although this can vary from driver to driver according to how certain switch positions are configured. The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers control DRS activation with a foot pedal, rather than from the wheel. In terms of the dashboard display, the team has approximately ten options for displays which include parameters such as car speed, KERS boost or split times. The drivers generally display the available KERS boost to precisely time its deployment, and split times relative to their best lap so far.

Which controls are used most frequently?

By far the most frequently used are the gear change paddles. At Monaco, the average number of gear changes per lap is 55 – which equates to over 4,300 changes over the 78-lap race distance. Next most used is the DRS foot pedal, then the KERS button. The rotary wheels to tune the differential are also in frequent use, but not every lap.

How has the workload in the cockpit changed in 2011 compared to 2010?

On their Monaco qualifying laps in 2010, the drivers made approximately 50 control inputs on the steering wheel. The systems for 2011 have added around 20 inputs per lap, between DRS activation (with the foot) and precisely timed KERS boosts. That represents an increase of up to 40 per cent in the driver’s workload. Similarly, on in- and out-laps, the drivers also have up to ten additional operations to perform including setting engine torque and mixture modes, charging the KERS battery and talking to the engineers on the radio.

For 2011, what will a qualifying lap be like in the cockpit for the drivers?

When one calculates the total number of inputs the driver is likely to have to make, the total is impressive. 130 significant changes of steering direction; 55 gear changes; and up to 20 further inputs for DRS, KERS and any other adjustments. That gives the driver a predicted workload of over 200 different inputs per lap – and that’s before we even consider the balletic dance on the throttle and brake pedals.

Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg finished the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona today in sixth and seventh places.

• Michael had a three-stop option/option/option/prime strategy, stopping on laps 10, 26 & 41
• Nico followed the same strategy, stopping one lap later than Michael on laps 11, 27, 42
• Nico’s car lost radio communication early in the race, and he was hampered by a DRS malfunction

Michael Schumacher

“We managed to make the most out of our possibilities today which is good news, especially for our guys who I am happy for. I had a good start; going right through the middle was tight but fortunately it worked out. Then the race was about holding position from there. We can be happy with the result but other than that, it was just tricky with oversteer, tyre degradation and poor balance to deal with. Still we achieved what we could have, and I look forward to going to Monaco.”

Nico Rosberg

“It was a difficult race for me after I lost radio communication with the team early on which was tough, and my DRS was not working properly which made any overtaking almost impossible. I had fun in the battle with Michael for P6, although I wasn’t able to attack him fully and was therefore stuck behind him for most of the race. I’m now looking forward to my home Grand Prix in Monaco. I love the track and I’m sure we can be closer to the front there.”

Ross Brawn

“It was a tough race today but we achieved everything that we could have with sixth and seventh places. We opted to start Michael on the option tyres as his reconnaissance laps at the start showed the grip levels were marginal. Both drivers had good starts, particularly Michael, and credit to the team for that. Then we had a pretty controlled race with good work on the strategy and in the pits. Obviously we have ground to make up on the cars in front and we will keep working hard.”

Norbert Haug

“We achieved the result that was possible for us today with Michael in sixth and Nico in seventh place. Michael had a great start on new options and gained four places which was the foundation of his final result. Nico suffered from various problems; from a radio which did not work to a rear wing malfunction. Our strategy and our pit stops worked very well but our speed was not where it needs to be. The fact that everybody behind Red Bull and McLaren Mercedes was lapped today shows that there is a lot of work to do for the rest of the field. We are now looking forward to the great Monaco race next weekend.”

The Spanish Grand Prix, Round Five of the 2011 Formula One World Championship, takes place on Sunday, May 22 at the Circuit de Catalunya outside Barcelona.

• The track has hosted the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991, and Mercedes-Benz powered cars have won five times.
• Of the 20 grands prix held at this circuit, 16 have been won from pole position – including the last ten in a row.
• The 440m run from the grid to the first corner is the second longest of the season after Sepang.
• The new development ‘hard’ compound Pirelli tyre will be used in race conditions for the first time in Spain.

Michael Schumacher

“The Spanish Grand Prix is traditionally where it really feels like the European season gets underway and holds a lot of good memories for me. Of course, we know the Circuit de Catalunya very well from testing, but it will be interesting to see the effect of KERS, the DRS and the Pirelli tyres on a track where overtaking is always difficult. While I was not happy with my weekend in Turkey, there have been clear signs of improvements for us as a team, which obviously push and re-boost my motivation even more. It’s more than encouraging to see that the hard work of the team is starting to pay off. We are all determined to make progress.”

Nico Rosberg

“Our upward trend is clear for all to see, even though we still have a little more progress to make in race configuration compared to qualifying. I’m looking forward to Barcelona, where we will also be introducing an update package for the car, and I’m excited to see how it works. We showed a good level of performance at the final winter test on this circuit, and hopefully we can translate that into a strong result this weekend.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal

“The last two races in Turkey and China have proved that we can be quick in certain conditions but we need to focus on achieving that level of performance consistently over the entire race weekend. We will have an aerodynamic development package for the Spanish Grand Prix, along with refinements to our suspension package, which should help to find the consistency in the car that we are looking for. The Circuit de Catalunya is such a familiar venue to the teams that we should be able to maximise our practice time to focus on this, and I hope to see another step forward and a positive weekend.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

“The Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya is a serious yardstick for cars and drivers every year. While the layout of the circuit does not look particularly special at first glance, this track is in fact very special indeed: a car that can perform well here will perform everywhere. Like most other teams, we will introduce a number of technical upgrades at this fifth Grand Prix of the season. Our target is to continue the trend that we began two races ago in China, and to further improve our car.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished the Turkish Grand Prix in fifth and twelfth places Sunday. Starting from third on the grid, Rosberg ran a clean race to finish fifth.  Nico Rosberg was running with high tire degradation in the early stages preventing him from finishing higher. Michael started strongly and was running in seventh when a collision with Vitaly Petrov at turn 12 damaged his front wing and forced him to pit. He was then out of sequence and fought hard from last place on lap three to finish in 12th position.

Nico completed four stops on laps 10, 22, 33 and 44. His tyre strategy was: option; prime; prime; option; option.

Michael completed four stops on laps 2, 14, 30 and 45. His tyre strategy was: option; option; prime; option; option.

In his final stint, Michael re-used the set of options on which he had started the race.

NICO ROSBERG

“My start today was fantastic to overtake Mark and be running in second place on the first lap, but from there I was struggling with my tyres on the first stint. Our strategy worked out well to bring me back into a decent position so we can be reasonably satisfied, and I’m happy to be in front of Jenson and just a few seconds behind Lewis in the McLarens. There is still a gap to the top but we have continued to improve the car this weekend. We don’t know exactly why we are better in qualifying than in the race but we will work on this. Overall I had another good weekend and I’m looking forward to Barcelona.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“A lot of fighting and action today, and that was probably the positive part of my race. Obviously I am not very happy with my weekend, but I’m responsible myself for the result. The incident with Petrov kind of dictated my race: we were very close and I was surprised that we touched but it was mostly my mistake. After making such an early stop, the way the race played out was given from there. What we can take away from this weekend in Turkey is that we have confirmed our good trend and we still have things to come to help us deliver more of our potential.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The race balance that we gave Nico wasn’t as good as we had hoped and on high fuel, the car was too hard on its tyres. That spoiled the first half of the race but in the second half, our pace was more respectable. Nico began climbing back through the field towards where we had hoped to be racing; however we were too far back by then. Fifth place is still a respectable result taking everything into account, but fine-tuning our race set-up will be a particular priority for the next races, especially at circuits where the tyres are delicate to manage. Michael got out of phase because of his unplanned stop on lap two and that left him with a difficult task, especially as a number of other events in the race cost him time. Overall, we are moving forward from where we began the season, but we’re still not where we want to be. We will keep on pushing hard.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Of course, everybody was expecting another good result from us today after Nico qualified third yesterday. In reality he was a few thousandths ahead of Lewis yesterday, and today Lewis was quicker. Alonso in the Ferrari had a great drive from fifth whilst the Red Bulls are still clearly in front. To beat one McLaren Mercedes and one Ferrari was the maximum that Nico could achieve after a great drive with our current car. We have made improvements over the last two races, and closed the gap to the best which shows that we are heading in the right direction. Michael had an eventful weekend and was very committed from lap one in the wet practice of Friday. His clash with another car dictated the outcome of his race and cost him the time missing to finish in the points. We now look forward to Barcelona where we will try to improve our position further.”

The opening practice sessions for the Turkish Grand Prix took place in contrasting conditions at Istanbul Park Friday. Morning rain saw the teams using Pirelli wet tyres throughout P1 before the track dried out sufficiently for slicks in P2.

• P1 gave Michael and Nico a valuable opportunity to evaluate the car on the wet tyres for the first time since winter testing

• With a dry track in P2, the team completed initial dry tyre evaluations with the hard and soft compounds

• Nico completed 43 laps and finished the day in second place, with Michael completing 39 laps in fourth position

NICO ROSBERG

“We have made a decent start to the weekend and I am optimistic for tomorrow. We had a productive afternoon and tried a lot of things with the car. I didn’t have too many problems with the tyres on the long run and I was quite surprised by the grip levels, which were higher than I expected. The wet tyres had a lot of grip this morning too. I’m happy with what we learned and expecting a very interesting time tomorrow and on Sunday.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“We had quite a positive Friday, and it was especially good that we were able to test both wet and dry tyres. I hadn’t really driven the wets so I am pleased I finally had some opportunity to use them. Also, my sessions were quite eventful with three spins in Turn 11. All in all, our car confirmed the performance improvement from China, so we can look forward to the rest of the weekend. We still have some questions relating to the set-up but I am confident we will sort them out tomorrow.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We had a reasonably good day and it was nice to get a lot of work done. We had a good opportunity this morning to see what the car was like in the wet conditions. It was also the first time that Michael had really driven the car in the wet, so that’s useful as the conditions this weekend could still be mixed. Then we had a nice dry session this afternoon and completed a lot of work on low and high fuel. The balance of the car isn’t there yet and there is a lot of work ahead, but the team and drivers have worked very well today.”

NORBERT HAUG

“The morning session in the wet saw Nico and Michael complete 32 laps and the lap times on wet tyres looked quite good. In dry conditions this afternoon, we ran 50 laps and worked through our planned programme. I would not read too much into today’s positions in both sessions; there is more work to do for tomorrow.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula 1 drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg finished in ninth and 12th positions in the Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit Sunday.

Michael’s ninth place finish helped to scor the team’s first points of the 2011 F1 season.  Schumacher stopped on laps 14, 28 and 42 with an option/option/option/prime strategy.

Nico Rosberg stopped on laps 15, 29, and 40 and also followed an option/option/option/prime strategy.

Both Nico and Michael’s cars ran reliably to the finish, with full availability of KERS and the adjustable rear wing throughout the race.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“I had a straightforward race today which was even a bit exciting towards the end but really full of ups and downs before. The start was quite good and then it was mainly about managing the tyres. We probably couldn’t have expected to take more than two points today and we certainly have to work on our race pace which is not yet where we want it to be. We are all aware of that and we are more than ready to keep working hard to make the necessary steps forward. Over one lap, we can already be at a good level when the car is working well, but we need to continue to work on our race performance.”

NICO ROSBERG

“It was not my race today and it’s been a tough weekend. I had a poor start and lost positions which made it very difficult to try and get into the points. Our race pace was not good enough, and it was very difficult to push, so unfortunately we could not perform at the level that we wanted to here. Looking at my qualifying laps, we can take heart from a small step forward from Melbourne so we will keep the hard work up to make further improvements.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The team and drivers did a great job today but obviously we are not fast enough at the moment. We had a couple of stints which proved to be a little too long, as we stayed out to see if the weather might bring an opportunity. That was our decision, and when it didn’t rain as had been predicted, we paid the price with the loss of perhaps a position or two. Overall, the work from the team was strong today with good pit stops and the cars were reliable in very challenging conditions. We will continue to work at it and I look forward to having a more competitive car and being able to mix it where we want to be.”

NORBERT HAUG

“After a difficult weekend, the first points are a small reward for all our team members. Of course, we know that there is a lot of work ahead of us, and that we have to improve the speed of our cars by quite a margin. Clearly we are not satisfied but the positive is that we recovered today from very difficult circumstances and I would like to thank everybody for their relentless efforts. Michael drove a good race, gaining three places at the start. We speculated on rain and stretched the first stints of both drivers as long as possible. Nico’s race for points was basically over going into the first corner. If you lose four places with our current technical package, it is difficult to recover. But Nico made some very committed overtaking manoeuvres and his lap times looked better today than they did a fortnight ago, compared to the quickest cars on the same strategy. A lot of work lies ahead of us, but we all are fully motivated to get the job done. We are now looking ahead to next weekend in China and our aim is to improve a further step.”

The Australian Grand Prix, which was the first race of the 2011 Formula One season, ended in complete disappointment for the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team. Both Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher were forced to retire from the race.

• Michael was hit on the first lap and had to pit with a puncture to the right rear tyre which dropped him to last place

• The collision caused damage to the floor of the car which eventually forced his retirement on lap 19

• Nico had made his first pit stop and was in P8 when he was hit from behind by Rubens Barrichello at turn three

• With a loss of water pressure from the impact, Nico pulled over to retire the car at turn thirteen on lap 22

Mercedes-Benz is starting off the 2011 Formula 1 season with a new Silver Arrow as well as a new TV spot. Based around the motto “Racing is a state of mind”, the short film entitled “Compliments” depicts the passion of Mercedes-Benz for motorsport and competition. With a touch of humour and self-deprecation, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher play on their internal rivalry within MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team. Former world champion Mika Häkkinen – an iconic figure who has appeared numerous times in humorous Mercedes-Benz TV spots over the past 15 years – highlights, with the aid of an energy drink, on which team the rivalry should be focused at the start of the season.

“The new Formula 1 season gets under way on Sunday with the race in Melbourne, and the deck has been shuffled again,” explained Anders Sundt Jensen, Vice President Brand Communication Mercedes-Benz Cars. “The spot makes it clear, in a rather fun way, that motorsport is a way of life for our brand. In addition, it shows that we don’t admit defeat if at first we don’t achieve the goals we have set ourselves, but rather that we take up the challenge – both within our team, as well as united against our competitors.”

The 45-second spot, created by Jung von Matt, will be shown by all major German broadcasters from tonight until Sunday to mark the start of the Formula 1 season.  For those of us in the U.S. that won’t be seeing the film on television, feel free to watch it below.

Ready for the starting event of the Formula 1 World Championship in Melbourne, Australia (March 25-27, 2011), Mercedes-AMG is once again providing the Official F1 Safety Car and the Official F1 Medical Car. The task of the SLS AMG and the new C 63 AMG Estate is to ensure maximum safety in dangerous racing situations or following an accident. The SLS AMG has been used in Formula 1 since 2010. The C 63 AMG Estate is now entering its fourth season, but in 2011 it will appear in a new design with updated technology that includes the AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed transmission. AMG has been continuously active in Formula 1 for 15 years.

The SLS AMG Official F1 Safety Car is sent onto the track by Race Control whenever an accident or poor weather conditions endanger the safe progress of the race. The gull-wing is driven by German racing driver Bernd Mayländer (39), who has performed this function for the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) since 2000. Mayländer is not only on station for Formula 1 weekends, but also for most of the accompanying series such as the GP2 Series or Porsche Supercup.

During a race the SLS AMG Official F1 Safety Car is on standby in the pit lane. Its deployment is decided by Race Control. On receiving a radio message, Bernd Mayländer and his co-driver, FIA man Pete Tibbetts (45, from Great Britain), take to the track at the head of the field in order to guide the Formula 1 racing cars safely around the circuit.

Unique vehicle concept for maximum driving dynamics

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has the best possible credentials for this demanding role in the top flight of motor racing: the engine, power transmission, suspension and braking system of the Official F1 Safety Car are the same as in the standard production SLS AMG. The exceptional technology package for the super sports car ensures perfect driving dynamics and means that no further technical modifications or lightweight design measures are necessary, with the sole exception of the all-new rear silencer, which allows the high-revving AMG V8 naturally aspirated engine to breathe more easily and offers Formula 1 fans an even more emotionally charged sound experience.

The AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine has a peak output of 420 kW (571 hp) at 6800 rpm and a maximum torque of 650 Nm at 4750 rpm, enabling the gull-wing model to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. Fast lap times are a matter of course for the Official F1 Safety Car, otherwise the Formula 1 cars’ tires and brakes would cool down too quickly, while their engines could overheat.

The unique vehicle concept is a key factor in ensuring outstanding driving dynamics: the aluminium spaceframe body keeps the vehicle weight down to 1620 kilograms (DIN kerb weight). And thanks to the dry-sump lubrication system, the AMG V8 powerplant can be installed very low down, resulting in a beneficial lowering of the vehicle’s centre of gravity. The installed position well behind the front axle, and the transaxle arrangement of the new seven-speed double-clutch transmission on the rear axle, have a positive effect on the weight distribution, which is 47/53 percent (front/rear). Pure motorsport technology is used for the AMG sports suspension: aluminium double-wishbone axles at front and rear ensure outstanding driving dynamics with precise turn-in ability, first-class agility, low mass inertia during fast changes in direction, and therefore high cornering limits.

Double-clutch transmission and ceramic composite brake system

The AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission with dual-clutch technology features four modes and allows fast gear changes with practically no interruption in tractive power – in manual mode (“M”), gear changes can be effected in 100 milliseconds. Together with the 3-stage ESP®, the integrated mechanical multi-disc differential lock ensures outstanding traction. Meanwhile, braking distances are minimised and resistance to fading is maximised, even when the brakes are subject to typical race-track loads, courtesy of the AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system with its generously sized ceramic discs measuring 402 x 39 mm at the front and 360 x 32 mm at the rear. The weight-optimised 10-spoke forged wheels are shod with 265/35 R 19 (front) and 295/30 R 20 (rear) tires.

Aerodynamically optimised roof light bar incorporating LED technology

Compared to the standard-production SLS, the Official F1 Safety Car is distinguishable on the outside by its prominent F1 logos, carbon-fibre exterior mirrors and the characteristic roof light bar with integrated TV camera. It sits on an all-new carbon-fibre hood whose shape has been tested in the wind tunnel to ensure optimum airflow at the rear aerofoil. The aerofoil pops up when the car reaches 120 km/h, and together with the rear diffuser it provides the necessary rear downforce. LEDs are used for all light functions in the aerodynamically styled roof light bar. Their advantages over the previously used bulbs lie in their extremely fast response time and low power consumption.

The two centrally positioned green lights in the light bar are lit up when the Official F1 Safety Car joins the field, and must first be overtaken by all the Formula 1 racing cars taking part. Once the SLS AMG has assumed the leading position, the outer orange flashing lights are switched on to signal to the Formula 1 drivers that no overtaking whatsoever is allowed. The white stroboscopic lights in the headlamps and tail lights have a general signalling function, and are always flashing while the Safety Car is deployed. A special number plate at the rear, with “Safety Car” lettering and 700 LEDs, provides additional safety in darkness or wet weather. A rear camera is integrated to the left of the number plate, allowing those in the cockpit of the Official F1 Safety Car to keep an eye on the Formula 1 cars behind via a monitor.

Practical interior with AMG sports bucket seats

Opening the striking gull-wing doors reveals a functional cockpit which – like the exterior – is only slightly different from the standard model. AMG sports bucket seats with black leather upholstery and six-point seat belts ensure optimal lateral support. To the right of the AMG DRIVE UNIT there are four coloured keys operating the various lighting functions and the signal horn, which is activated for safety reasons when entering andleaving the pit lane. The centre console is of carbon-fibre, as are other areas of interior trim. The AMG Performance steering wheel in leather/Alcantara has a specially contoured grip area, a high-grade metal insert and a 370 millimetre rim with a flattened lower section. The seven gears of the dual-clutch transmission are shifted using the two metal shift paddles.

Two central monitors in the SLS AMG cockpit are used to monitor the progress of the race. To the left and right of the lower monitor are the controls for the radio system, which allows Bernd Mayländer and Pete Tibbetts to communicate with Race Control as well as with each other. A second interior mirror lets the co-driver keep an eye on the Formula 1 cars behind. Meanwhile, the “Marshalling System” is integrated in the central display on the instrument cluster and in the lid of the glove compartment: here the driver and co-driver can see exactly the same signals as the Formula 1 drivers in their cockpits. For instance, the various LEDs indicate when yellow or green flags are being waved. LEDs indicating the status of the roof light bar, along with an on-board camera angled towards Bernd Mayländer, are mounted at the front end of the dashboard.

New C 63 AMG Estate as the Official F1 Medical Car

As in 2008 to 2010, the C 63 AMG Estate is the Official F1 Medical Car responsible for ensuring a rapid emergency response in the event of an accident. The super-fast estate car follows the Formula 1 field during the starting lap, because the race cars are still bunched extremely closely during this critical phase of the race.

The current version of the C 63 AMG Estate will be used for the new season, with state-of-the-art design and engineering. Major new visual features include the aluminium bonnet with modified powerdomes, the radiator grille, the headlamps and the AMG rear apron. To ensure the best possible airflow to the radiator/coolers, the AMG front apron has larger intake apertures and side air vents.

Peak output of 358 kW (487 hp) thanks to the AMG Performance Package

From now on, power is transmitted by the innovative AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT 7-speed sports transmission with a wet start-up clutch, four driving modes, a double-declutch and a RACE START function. Dynamic performance is guaranteed by the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine, which now delivers 358 kW (487 hp) at 6800 rpm in the Official F1 Medical Car. The increase in output versus the standard 336 kW (457 hp) engine is due to the AMG Performance Package, which is optionally available for any C 63 AMG and makes an acceleration of 4.4 seconds from zero to 100 km/h (Estate 4.5 sec.) possible. For the AMG Performance Package the engine specialists have placed their trust in a technology transfer from the SLS AMG: the forged pistons, connecting rods and lightweight crankshaft have been adopted from the gull-wing model. The lower inertia of the three-kilogram lighter components allows the naturally aspirated eight-cylinder engine to rev freely and respond even more promptly. Distinguishing features of the Performance Package include the variable intake manifold painted in titanium grey and the AMG high-performance braking system with internally ventilated composite brake discs at the front axle.

Outstanding driving dynamics are also ensured by the adjustable coil-over suspension, the AMG light-alloy wheels shod with size 235/35 R 19 (front) and 255/30 R 19 (rear) tires, the differential lock and 3-stage ESP®. Maximum durability is provided by the optimised coolant, engine oil, transmission fluid and power steering fluid cooling. Invisibly but unmistakably, the characteristic AMG V8 sound issues from the special rear silencers of the AMG sports exhaust system.

Like the Official F1 Safety Car, the Official F1 Medical Car is distinguishable by its F1‑ logos, the roof light bar, and the stroboscopic flashing LED lights at the front and rear. A number plate illuminated with LEDs and displaying the words “Medical Car” on the tailgate makes the car easier to see in darkness or adverse weather conditions.

Plenty of space in the boot for emergency equipment

The Official F1 Medical Car is piloted by racing driver Alan van de Merwe (31, from South Africa); his co-driver is the official FIA Grand Prix Chief Medical Officer Dr Gary Hartstein (56, from Belgium). Two assisting medical experts from a specially-selected clinic near the race track sit in the rear. Four AMG sports bucket seats with six-point seat belts, two monitors integrated into the centre console for monitoring the race and a radio set for communicating with Race Control distinguish the interior of the Official F1 Medical Car from that of the standard-production C 63 AMG Estate. There is plenty of space for all the emergency equipment – including a defibrillator and respiration apparatus – in the 485-litre luggage area of the C 63 AMG Estate.

AMG Performance Studio responsible for development

The development, track-testing and configuration of the two Official F1 Safety Cars and the two Official F1 Medical Cars – in both cases, there is one emergency vehicle and one replacement vehicle – are carried out by the specialists from the AMG Performance Studio in close collaboration with the test team for AMG overall vehicle development. This involves drawing on over 40 years of know-how from the field of motorsport, as well as the wealth of experience in the design of high-performance sports cars. Numerous test drives were carried out on various racetracks in order to tune the suspension and verify all the systems and components. Two highly-qualified AMG technicians are also on hand to take responsibility for the deployment of the Safety Car and Medical Car at all Formula 1 races in the current season.

AMG has provided the Safety Cars and Medical Cars for 15 years

AMG has extensive experience in the design, development and deployment of the Official F1 Safety Car and Official F1 Medical Car. The Affalterbach-based company has been active in the top echelon of international motorsport since 1996.

All AMG Safety Cars at a glance

• 1996:C 36 AMG (W 202)
• from 1997:CLK 55 AMG (C 208)
• 2000:CL 55 AMG (C 215)
• from 2001:SL 55 AMG (R 230)
• 2003:CLK 55 AMG (C 209)
• from 2004:SLK 55 AMG (R 171)
• from 2006:CLK 63 AMG (C 209)
• from 2008:SL 63 AMG (R 230)
• since 2010:SLS AMG (C 197)

All AMG Medical Cars at a glance

• 1996:C 36 AMG (W 202)
• 1997:C 36 AMG (W 202); E 60 AMG (W 210)
• from 1998:C 55 AMG Estate (S 202)
• from 2001:C 32 AMG Estate (S 203)
• from 2004:C 55 AMG Estate (S 203)
• since 2008:C 63 AMG Estate (S 204)

As early as 1984, an AMG E-Class Coupé with a V8 engine was used occasionally as the Medical Car. The activities of AMG are also evidence of Mercedes-Benz’s longstanding commitment to Formula 1.

The 2011 Formula One World Championship begins next weekend in Melbourne with Round One, the Australian Grand Prix, on Sunday March, 27th. Albert Park, a street circuit which uses the public roads surrounding the man-made lake south of Melbourne city center, hosts one of the most atmospheric races on the calendar.

Michael Schumacher

How do you feel about Australia being the first race of the season?

“Australia has always been one of the highlights on the Formula One calendar in all my years of competing. It is the atmosphere which makes Albert Park so special, and when you see all of the fans having fun, that just gives you a great feeling of how motorsport can be. I am lucky enough to have a lot of good memories from Melbourne: it’s a venue where I have won four times and those races will always be very special. I’m sure it will be a great weekend, and an exciting season-opener. I’m looking forward to getting to the paddock on Thursday.”

How well prepared are you and the team for the new season?

“We are well prepared. All of the hard work over the winter will start to come together over the first few races and then we will know more about the position we are in, and what still needs to be achieved as Formula One never stands still of course. I feel very ‘at home’ with the team after one year of working together and this experience has really benefited our pre-season preparations.”

Nico Rosberg

Are you looking forward to the trip to Australia?

“I love visiting Australia and Melbourne is one of the most chilled-out cities on the calendar so it’s a cool venue for the first race of the season. I’m travelling out early to get acclimatised to the time zone and am looking forward to training by the beach and relaxing in St Kilda in the evenings. The Australian fans are so enthusiastic which is great to see and it makes the atmosphere around Albert Park very special. The circuit holds some great memories for me from achieving my first podium here in 2008, and I have finished in the points in the last four races.”

What are your thoughts going into the first race of the season?

“We’re in good shape. The team and car have progressed a lot over the winter, we’re pleased with the performance from our upgrades and the car is handling well. Our aim is to make a good step forward from last season and I am confident that we will be able to achieve this.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal

“This year marks our second season as MERCEDES GP PETRONAS, and the team has made real progress over this period. With the support of Daimler, Aabar and our team partners, we are gaining strength from being a single entity and building the team that we want for the future.

“Our pre-season programme has gone as well as we could have wanted. However, as always, the first race will be the real measure of where we are in terms of competitiveness. Everyone is eagerly waiting to see how the grid shakes out in Melbourne, and wherever we find ourselves, we will respond accordingly. Our ability to react strongly has improved considerably over the past twelve months and we have a robust development plan in place for the season. 2011 will be the second season with our drivers, Michael and Nico, and this continuity, together with our well-established relationships, has enabled both the drivers and team to prepare well for the challenges ahead.

“I believe that we can expect a very exciting season in 2011. The strategic battle is going to be fascinating with the Pirelli tyres, combined with the new adjustable rear wing and the return of KERS, increasing the challenges for the teams and drivers, and hopefully providing lots of track action for the fans.

“The Australian Grand Prix is always a fantastic motorsport weekend, and with the added excitement of being the first race of the season this year, we are all looking forward to the racing starting again next week.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President – Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

“It has been an intensive winter for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. We covered more than 5700 km during a total of 15 test days, which is the equivalent of more than 18 Grand Prix distances. The final test in Barcelona with our planned technical updates saw us take a step forward which is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of our whole team. There are still a lot of question marks about how the racing will unfold in 2011 with the new Pirelli tyres, the adjustable rear wing and the reintroduction of KERS. These are demanding challenges for the drivers, and Michael and Nico have done a good job mastering the new systems and understanding how to get the most out of the tyres.

“Melbourne holds many good memories for Mercedes-Benz, as the venue for our first modern era victory in 1997 with David Coulthard in a McLaren-Mercedes, and Albert Park has the knack of producing exciting races. Making predictions before the first Grand Prix of the season is certainly not what I want to do, but our target is clear from the first race: to improve on the position in which we finished our first season as MERCEDES GP PETRONAS.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our hard-working team members in Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart for their relentless efforts since the final chequered flag of last season. The best reward for all of us would be to start the new season in a stronger position compared to 2010.”

It’s not just the cars that undergo constant development in Formula One. The rules and regulations governing the sport evolve from year to year and 2011 sees major changes introduced to the Sporting and Technical Regulations. In addition to measures improving safety, this season sees changes designed to enhance the sporting spectacle, primarily the new adjustable rear wing (RFA). Here’s our guide to what’s changed and what it means…

Additional powers for the stewards

Sporting Regulations, Article 16.3

Previously, the stewards’ powers to impose penalties after an incident were limited to three options: a drive-through penalty, a ten-second time penalty or a drop of grid position at the next event. These powers have been boosted for the 2011 season to include four more sanctions.

The new penalties are: a time penalty, to be decided at the stewards’ discretion; a reprimand; exclusion from the results; or suspension from the next event.

Stricter driving standards

Sporting Regulations, Article 20

Formal driving standards have now been written into the rules rather than forming the object of a gentleman’s agreement, and standards of behaviour when being lapped have also been tightened up.

• The rules explicitly forbid: more than one change of direction, crowding another car off the circuit and abnormal changes of direction
• Drivers who fail to respect waved blue flags will be reported to the stewards

Enhanced pit lane safety

Sporting Regulations, Article 23

Following an incident in Monza last year when a mechanic was injured in the pit lane, there was no mechanism for closing the pit lane to other cars. This has now been introduced, along with other measures to improve safety.

• The pit lane can now be closed for safety reasons during the race. In this situation, cars may only enter the pits for ‘essential and entirely evident’ repairs
• Cars queued at the pit lane exit must now form up in a single line and leave in the order they arrived, unless another car is unduly delayed

Tyres

Sporting Regulations, Article 25

Pirelli will be the sole tyre supplier for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons. Drivers will be allocated a total of 11 sets of tyres for the race weekend. At selected events, drivers may be given either an additional set of ‘prime’ tyres for use on Friday only, or be asked to test experimental compounds to assist the tyre development process. Tyre usage is governed as follows:

Gearbox life

Sporting Regulations, Article 28.6

Gearboxes must now last for five consecutive races instead of four. A replacement gearbox may be used without penalty if a driver retired from the previous event for reasons beyond his or the team’s control. For 2011 only, drivers will not be penalised for their first unscheduled gearbox change during the season. After this, a five-place grid penalty will be imposed for each replacement gearbox used outside of the normal cycle.

• Average gearbox life will be extended from 2100 kms in 2010 to 2625 kms in 2011

Curfew for team personnel

Sporting Regulations, Article 30.19

From 2011, no team personnel connected with the operation of the cars may enter the circuit during the six-hour periods beginning ten hours before P1 and P3. Teams are permitted four individual exceptions to this rule.

• For a standard timetable, the curfew is from midnight to 06:00 on Friday and 01:00 to 07:00 on Saturday
• In Melbourne, it will run from 02:30 to 08:30 on Friday and 04:00 to 10:00 on Saturday

The return of the 107% rule

Sporting Regulations, Article 36.3

For the first time since 2002, the 107% rule returns to the sport. The rule is valid during Q1, and states that any driver whose best lap exceeds 107% of the fastest lap in Q1 will not be allowed to take part in the race. Exemptions are possible in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

• The 107% time in 2010 in Melbourne would have been 1:30.708
• All drivers would have qualified: Chandhok, the slowest qualifier, lapped in 1:30.613 in Q1

Driver adjustable bodywork

Driver adjustable bodywork now refers to the RFA; the front-wing flap may no longer be adjusted by the driver. When activated, the RFA increases the slot gap between the flap and main plane by rotating the flap upwards, thereby reducing drag and enabling a significant gain in straightline speed. The RFA is deactivated automatically as soon as a driver brakes , can be deactivated manually and, in the event of a failure, the system design ensures the flap will return to its closed position. The RFA may be used freely in practice and qualifying . In the race, the RFA may only be used two complete laps after the start or a Safety Car period, and only when the control electronics indicate a driver is less than one second behind the car ahead , at pre-determined points.

• When the RFA is not activated, the slot gap must be between 10 and 15mm.
• When the RFA is operated, the gap may increase to a maximum of 50mm
• What does a 50mm gap look like? It’s the same as the length a standard AA battery
• At an average circuit the RFA offers a gain in top speed of 12kph

Car weight & weight distribution

Minimum car weight has been raised to 640kg for the 2011 season and, for this season only, the front and rear weight distribution of the cars must be between 45.5/54.5% and 46.5/53.5%.

• At minimum weight, this equates to a difference of approximately 7kg over the front and rear wheels

KERS

Although KERS remained in the 2010 Technical Regulations, a collective agreement between the teams meant it was not used during last season. However, it makes a welcome comeback for 2011. The rules governing KERS remain unchanged: the maximum power in and out of the system may not exceed 60kW, and the maximum energy released may not exceed 400kJ in one lap.

• 60kW of power equates to a maximum boost equivalent to 80.5bhp
• 400kJ of energy will last for 6.67 seconds at full power

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team’s final test ahead of the 2011 Formula One season began at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona today with Nico Rosberg at the wheel of the MGP W02.

The team ran the first items of its upgrade package today including a new exhaust package and new bodywork.The morning was spent conducting baseline runs with the new components to ensure they were performing as predicted.

• Results were in line with the team’s expectations.

• The afternoon session focused on set-up and tyre management over longer runs.

• A bodywork problem brought the day’s running to an earlier than planned end.

• Nico completed 100 laps today, equating to 466 kms. The team has now completed 4768 kms of pre-season testing.

• Nico’s quickest time was set on the first lap of what proved to be his final long run of the day.

Michael Schumacher will take over the car for Thursday and Friday, with Nico completing the programme on Saturday.

Nico Rosberg: ” It was nice to get the first of our upgrades on the car today, and to feel their potential. Thanks to everyone at the team for their hard work as I think we have some impressive developments, even though we couldn’t test or show the full performance today as not all of the elements are on the car and working together yet. We had glimpses that showed that the full package should be a big step. The bodywork problem cost some time at the end, however we still learned a great deal.”

TIMES

Barcelona Test – Day Two

Michael Schumacher was in action today at the Circuit de Catalunya as the final pre-season test continues. Michael had what he described as a “very productive day” as he got his first taste of some of the team’s upgrades for the opening race of the season.

• Michael spent the morning completing set-up work with longer runs towards the end of the session

• The afternoon saw shorter runs focusing on data collection in preparation for the final two days of the test

• Michael completed 89 laps, equal to 414 kms, today with a quickest lap time of 1:22.892

• The team has completed 5182 kms of pre-season running to date with two further test days remaining

Michael will continue the team’s programme tomorrow before Nico takes over for the final day on Saturday.

Michael Schumacher: “We’ve had a very productive day and completed a reasonable amount of mileage. We were able to check and confirm a lot of things on the set-up of the car with the new upgrade package, and my initial impressions are certainly positive. We’ve worked hard on reliability at the previous tests and our priority now is to develop and fine-tune the car which we have done quite successfully today.”

TIMES

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