The second race of the season had a tough act to follow after a brilliant battle in Bahrain last weekend, but Saudi Arabia more than lived up to the very high expectations set. While only landing in 5th position, this was one of Russell’s finest performances, the Briton doing the best with what he’s got right now. Russell drove a lonely race to fifth, five places ahead of his more decorated team mate Lewis Hamilton to secure another top-five finish and keep the points rolling in while the Silver Arrows find a way to unlock the W13’s potential.

Formula One – Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, 2022 Saudi Arabian GP. George Russell

George Russell

It was a strong race in terms of maximising our potential points today, the car felt good but we’re just lacking downforce because we can’t get the car to run close to the ground. We got the car in a nice window and I was pushing as hard as I could, it was probably the most physical race I’ve experienced in F1, 50 laps at the limit on a fast street circuit – I just want to be doing it fighting for victory. Everybody is working as hard as they can to close the gap to Red Bull and Ferrari, every single person at Brackley and Brixworth wants more and we’ll continue to push until we close that gap. This first part of the season isn’t packed with races, the calendar isn’t too dense, so it gives us some time to find solutions. We aren’t here to fight for P5 but you’ve got to take the positives. The race was enjoyable to drive, this track is probably in the top five of the year, incredibly fast and with fantastic grip.

Formula One – Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, 2022 Saudi Arabian GP. Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton

Balance-wise, the car felt good, but just not fast enough. The end result isn’t great but the race was going relatively well, I was struggling with tyre temperatures at the beginning but then I started to gain on the cars ahead on the Medium tyre, it was a really good stint. I was keeping up with George and putting in some decent lap times considering how old the Hard tyres at the end. We were unlucky with how the VSC played out at the end but I was giving it everything. Yesterday made the weekend so much harder and I take that on my shoulders. It’s gutting but we need to keep fighting, it’s all we can do – I know I’ve got a great team and we’ll just keep our heads down.

Toto Wolff

Today’s race was the reflection of where we currently stand. The performance gaps seemed to be similar in qualifying and the race, and clearly there is a lot of work for us to do in order to get into the fight at the front. George managed his race well and scored the maximum we could have hoped for today without any incidents ahead of him. For Lewis, it was always going to be a difficult afternoon from P15. The first Safety Car came too early to run to the end on Medium, so we stayed out like other cars that started on Hard; then we missed the opportunity to box just before the pit lane closed under the VSC, which cost us a couple of positions. The overall picture is sobering, and it’s clear that we need to continue working hard if we wish to deliver a stronger performance in Melbourne.

Andrew Shovlin

It’s been a tough weekend and we need to go back and regroup ahead of Melbourne. The circuit here has been more difficult for us than Bahrain and we’re under no illusions where we stand at the moment but we need to remain focused and effective. We have an enormous challenge ahead of us, but over the last eight years the team has been able to get on top of every performance issue that we have faced. We’ve been able to do that because we have so many talented and dedicated people in the team both in Brackley and Brixworth. We certainly have our work cut out over the next weeks and months but we are more determined than ever to get ourselves back fighting at the front.

Formula One – Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, 2022 Saudi Arabian GP. George Russell

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton clinch a memorable 1-2 finish after a thrilling race in Melbourne, Australia.

• Nico took his 15th career victory today – his second at the Melbourne Grand Prix Cicuit
• Lewis claimed his 88th Formula One podium to complete a Silver Arrows 1-2
• After a poor start dropped them from the front row to P3 (Nico) and P7 (Lewis), strong drives and good strategy calls saw both recover to cling on from a hard-charging Vettel
• Nico (25) leads the Drivers’ Championship by 7 points from Lewis (18) in P2
• MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS (43) lead Ferrari (15) by 28 points in the Constructors’ Championship

Formula One – MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, Australian GP 2016. Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg

Nico Rosberg

That was a perfect race for me. The start was tricky, as I was on the dirty side of the grid and Vettel managed to be ahead. He did a really good job at the start – but we chose the perfect strategy by going onto the medium tyre after the red flag. A big thanks to the team on the pit wall for that, to everyone back at the factories for this fantastic car and to everyone back in Europe who woke up so early to tune in for the race. I hope it was a good show for you! We can enjoy this moment for sure – but we know now just how strong those red cars will be this season, so we cannot afford to relax. I’m really looking forward to the next races and hopefully some more exciting battles. Finally, I also have to say it was a big relief to see Fernando walk away from his shunt. It shows how incredible the safety of these cars is now, which is great to see.

Formula One – MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, Australian GP 2016. Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg

Lewis Hamilton

I’d had a perfect weekend in every way up until the lights went out and felt confident heading into the race. I got a bit of wheelspin off the line then got pushed wide at the first corner, so from there it was just about recovering. But these things happen and I’m grateful for the way I was able to fight back through. P2 isn’t bad in terms of damage limitation after a start like that. I spent a long time stuck behind one of the Toro Rossos and there wasn’t a lot I could do about it as he was on a quicker tyre. I could just see the others pulling away, so the safety car definitely helped by bunching us all up again. I was already on a one-stop strategy and, to be honest, I don’t know why everyone else didn’t do the same on the medium. I’m happy they didn’t, as I probably would have finished a lot further back. In any case, the team did a great job to help us pull it back and there’s still 20 races to go, so I’m feeling pretty chilled. I’ve had far worse starts to the season, so I’ll take that today and head into the next one looking up.

Formula One – MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, Australian GP 2016. Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

First of all, a big relief to see Fernando walk away from that shunt. The race itself was extremely tense throughout – a real cliffhanger and a great way to show what Formula One is really about. We didn’t get it right at the start. The drivers were slow away from the line then touched at the first corner, so we were forced into recovery mode. Our plan from there had been to put Nico on a two stop and Lewis a one stop strategy before the red flag came out. We did the maths and opted to go with one set of mediums to the end, with the drivers on the knife edge of endurance and performance. Managing tyres and temperatures became a big challenge, with debris causing an overheating brake caliper that almost forced us to retire Nico at one stage. Thankfully that was not the case and he led Lewis home for a hard-fought 1-2. A perfect result to start the year, a great job from the drivers to manage and recover the race, fantastic work on the pit wall to give them the right strategy to do so and an incredible team effort from everybody at the factories to get us here. We must now sort our starts and look to carry out momentum into Bahrain.

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical)

What can you say after a race like that? Absolutely fantastic to get a 1-2 at the first race of the season – particularly after we made life very difficult for ourselves with a pair of poor starts. After the red flag we opted to run the medium tyre to the end and expected others to do the same – which would have made the win a very big ask, let alone a 1-2. Of course, we can look back and enjoy it now – but it was quite stressful at the time! It made for a great spectacle, so I hope the fans enjoyed it. Overall, we can be extremely happy today. Congratulations to everyone back at Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart. Together, they’ve produced a car which has given us the perfect start to the season in very exciting circumstances.

Visitors to the intu Metrocentre in Newcastle are set to experience a more powerful kind of retail experience, with the opening today of the latest Mercedes-Benz Pop Up shop.

Designed to bring Mercedes-Benz’s stunning cars to the public in a new way, the temporary installation – which is open until 19th March – features some of the brand’s most popular models, allowing customers to experience the cars up close, while also finding out more about the rest of the award-winning Mercedes-Benz range.

Mercedes-Benz Pop Up Shop in Newcastle

For those looking for something they can carry home, a range of Mercedes-Benz and smart Collection items will be available, from keyrings to baseball caps to stylish jackets to sleek luggage. Motorsport fans are also catered for, with a Formula One car on display, as well as merchandise from the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One range.

Alongside the latest A-Class, which now features even higher levels of equipment and greater efficiency than ever, and the new C-Class Coupé, the Pop Up shop is playing host to the latest smart models. The rest of the exciting Mercedes-Benz range can be explored in an immersive digital environment using in-store car configurator tables.

The Pop Up shop is a joint project between Mercedes-Benz UK and Sytner Group, following the success of similar shops for the brand at the Bullring in Birmingham, Westfield Shopping Centre in Stratford, East London and the intu Trafford Centre in Manchester.

The Mercedes-Benz Newcastle Pop Up shop can be found on the ground floor next to Marks & Spencer.

The shop is open:

Monday-Friday 10am-9pm

Saturday 9am-7pm

Sunday 11am-5pm

For more information on Mercedes-Benz Cars in the UK, or to find your nearest retailer, visit www.Mercedes-Benz.co.uk

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS kicked off the final weekend of the 2014 Formula One season at the top of the time sheets during practice for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Lewis and Nico separated by the narrowest of margins on a scorching opening day’s running at the Yas Marina Circuit.

2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Practice

• Lewis topped the times during both the morning and afternoon session, with Nico P2 in each
• 0.133 seconds separated the pair in the first session, with just 0.083 between them in the second session
• Both drivers ran the soft compound Pirelli tyres only in the morning session, the soft and supersoft in the afternoon
• Both cars ran trouble-free throughout each session

Lewis Hamilton

It’s been a good Friday. We’ve run the same programme as we run every race weekend but this time we had the whole of both sessions to work with the tyres, look at long runs, analyse setup and the countless other things you need to assess in practice which was great. We made good steps forward with the setup but, as always, there is still more time to be found. We’ll keep chipping away at it and look to improve in every area possible but the car feels great – the best I’ve ever driven here without doubt. The team have done an amazing job. Coming into the weekend I was already excited and couldn’t wait to get out on track. When you know you have a package as competitive as ours it’s like being a kid at Christmas. I don’t feel any particular pressure this weekend. I’ll just drive the way I always drive and what will be, will be. So far it’s all moving in the right direction so I just have to keep working away at it.

2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Practice

Nico Rosberg

It’s been a good day today but I really haven’t got my best lap together yet, so there is still a lot of work to do over the rest of the weekend. In general the car felt great out there today. I just need to fine-tune it so that the set-up is exactly to my liking, then go for it and get the job done. This track really is amazing. It’s always a highlight when darkness falls and the lights come up – just spectacular! It will be a great show here, so I hope the fans at the circuit and everyone watching at home enjoy it.

2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Practice

Toto Wolff

That was a positive Friday and we are pleased to have started off this title-deciding weekend with both cars running smoothly throughout. We completed our programme with plenty of laps on the board and our long runs shaping up as expected. Without doubt the tension and pressure are on – which is normal when the Championship comes down to the final Grand Prix of the season – but actually it doesn’t feel any greater than at any other race. There is a good spirit in the garage and we are all looking forward to seeing what the rest of the weekend holds.

2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Practice

Paddy Lowe

The final and most important Friday of this incredible season and, thankfully, all went to plan! We managed to complete our homework in the first and second sessions on the different tyres with no issues to report and both drivers were happy with the performance of the car. Our pace looks strong and we’ve got good data from the tyres that will help us plan for Sunday. We will be working hard overnight to optimise both qualifying and race setup with the objective of locking out the front-row and giving a clear competition between Lewis and Nico on Sunday. There are a few other cars that are quicker than they seem, so we are not taking anything for granted.

Nico Rosberg won the  Monaco Grand Prix for the second year in a row on Saturday.  In addition to being a huge victory for Nico, teammate, Lewis Hamilton, also finished the race with a respectable 2nd place finish.  This was the fifth one-two finish for the team this season keeping them a the top of the team leader board.

Nico Rosberg

It was a tough race out there today but I am absolutely delighted to have won my second Monaco Grand Prix in succession. It’s an amazing feeling and I’m proud to have done it at home, in front of my family and friends who were all here this afternoon. The race started well and I was comfortable but then we had to manage my fuel consumption and Lewis was pushing really hard behind me. We were able to be in control of the fuel with a few laps of lift and coast. It was important for me to break Lewis’ momentum of winning the last four races this weekend. That worked out very well, but it was a really tough weekend. I’m so happy for the team that we had another one-two finish and look forward to the party tonight!

Lewis Hamilton

I felt very strong out there today and I really drove with all my heart, giving everything that I could to improve my position. This just hasn’t been my weekend but I can leave today feeling happy that we have achieved another one-two finish for the team. We have such a great car and everyone who has worked on it deserves the incredible results that we are getting at the moment. Back to this afternoon, this is such a difficult circuit to overtake. I was following Nico as close as I could and had great pace but I just couldn’t get past. Towards the end, I got some dirt in my eye through the visor which made it very tough for a few laps but thankfully it cleared up and I was able to hold off Daniel and keep second place. This hasn’t been the greatest of weekends but I’ll go into the next race with even more energy and determination. The team are working so hard and we’re determined to keep the momentum going.

Toto Wolff

A fantastic result for the team after a weekend where we had the pressure to deliver on the car’s potential here in Monaco. Six wins from six races, and five one-two finishes in a row, is a very special achievement at the start of this 2014 season. Congratulations to Nico for a faultless race and to Lewis for following him home in spite of some unexpected challenges this afternoon. We were driving a controlled race when the Safety Car forced us to pit earlier than had been planned for our only stop of the afternoon. After that, both drivers pushed hard and that had the consequence that they started to run out of rear tyres in the closing laps. When Lewis had the problem with his eye, that was when Daniel Ricciardo came close. It just goes to show that we must never give up pushing because our rivals are right behind us – and working hard to run us down. We have absolutely no margin for error because if we make one little slip, our rivals are right there. We will enjoy this moment – but the hard work continues tomorrow at the factory.

Paddy Lowe

To take our fifth consecutive one-two finish is an incredible achievement for our team. It doesn’t matter how good a car you’ve got: to achieve that kind of run, you need amazing drivers and a great team performing faultlessly. We have all of those elements and this afternoon again reinforced just how well both Nico and Lewis are driving right now. I also must say a special thank you to the team: to take a one-two at Monaco, you need a great chassis and a driveable engine, and this result shows our car is an all-round performer. In terms of the race itself, it wasn’t without its challenges: Nico had to manage his fuel consumption quite carefully and we were working with the settings of Lewis’ Power Unit to optimise the energy recovery and deployment in the first half of the race. In the final stages, we had some concerns with the tyres as we were running out of rubber, which in turn made it hard to maintain the tyre temperatures. We saw that when Lewis recovered from the problem with his eye, and couldn’t get the tyres back working properly, which allowed Ricciardo to close in. But he was able to bring the car home and secure this fantastic team result.

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS kicked off its pre-season testing program at the Circuito de Jerez Tuesday, with Lewis Hamilton taking the wheel of the F1 W05 for the first time. Lewis’ best time of 1:27.820 set the early pace at the Spanish circuit, before a front wing failure on the following lap curtailed his track time shortly before midday.

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, Jerez, Launch, F1 W05, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton

• The F1 W05 emerged for its first run at precisely 09:00 CET when the track was declared open
• Lewis completed four single-lap install runs in the early stages, before gradually building into longer stints
• A front wing failure on his 18th lap ended Lewis’ running for the day early
• Nico will be in the car tomorrow for the second day of pre-season testing at Jerez.

Lewis Hamilton 2014

Lewis Hamilton

For me it’s an incredibly positive start to be the first car out on track and completing a good number of laps. Other teams have been going out for single-lap runs, starting a few hours after we had first hit the track, so to have started running through our test programme was very encouraging. The car feels quite good, especially considering it’s so early in our programme, so overall it’s been a positive day. Of course, it’s unfortunate to end the day early when everyone has worked so hard and we had looked like easily completing the most mileage of anyone here today, but we’ll make that track time back and it’s better to have these things happen now than in Melbourne. I’m really proud of the team for what they’ve achieved in getting us here and we’ll keep pushing.

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, Jerez, Launch, F1 W05, Nico Rosberg, Lewis Hamilton

Toto Wolff

Incidents like this happen and that’s why we are here, to find them before we go racing. We completed 18 laps and got through our system checks successfully. The car now needs to be repaired, which is a challenge in itself at the start of winter testing with regards to the number of spare parts available. However, it’s our job to cope with those challenges.

Paddy Lowe

To conclude our day’s running with a front wing failure was an unfortunate end to what had, to that point, been a very positive start to our winter. We were the first team to send a car out on track, on the dot at 0900 this morning, and were gradually extending the length of the runs when the incident occurred. Lewis’ initial feedback was positive once he was able to complete some timed laps, which is a promising indicator for the basic package. Concerning the failure itself, we are still analysing its cause, and this process, coupled with the repairs to the car, have brought an end to our running today. The teams at Brackley and Brixworth did a fantastic job to prepare the car for running this morning and tomorrow we hope to start adding to what is already a useful number of laps completed. There is a lot of data for us to analyse overnight and the learning curve this winter will be very steep.

Nico Rosberg 2014

TIMES

A challenging Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday saw Nico Rosberg finish the race in eighth position while Lewis Hamilton retired after only seven laps.

• Lewis suffered a right-rear tyre puncture following contact with Sebastian Vettel on the run to turn one

• The damage caused by the lap returning to the pits meant the team retired the car after seven laps

• Nico made his first pit stop on lap 12 and was subsequently given a drive-through penalty for an unsafe release

• He served this on lap 16, suffering a time loss of around 20 seconds in the process

• Nico made two further stops on laps 24 and 39, running option/prime/option/prime, on his way to eighth place

Nico Rosberg

I made a good start today and was in a strong position until my first pit stop. Unfortunately we then had the incident as I left the pit box which ultimately cost me a top position. We will analyse internally with the team what went wrong but it was immediately clear that we would get a penalty. After that, we switched to a three-stop strategy and that worked out as well as it could for us. I was able to do some good overtaking manoeuvres, although I wasn’t happy with Perez as the rules are clear; you can defend once and close the door but you can’t switch sides again. Trying to overtake the Sauber at the end was very tough and while it’s difficult to be satisfied with eighth place given our potential, at least we were able to salvage some points.

Lewis Hamilton

I got a fantastic start this afternoon, better than both Red Bulls for probably the first time this year. Mark moved right, so I had to move as well, which sandwiched Sebastian between me and Romain. Seb’s front wing clipped my right rear, cut the tyre and that was that. It wasn’t his fault at all, just one of those things that wasn’t meant to be this afternoon. I feel most gutted for the team – the guys here at the track and in the factory – because they are doing an amazing job right now and we’re just not getting the reward for it. Looking to the last four races, I will just be going out there to enjoy them and score as many points as I can for the team. I still believe that second in the Constructors’ Championship is in our reach if our luck takes a turn for the better and that’s what we will all be aiming for.

Ross Brawn

A tough afternoon for us which was made more frustrating by the fact that we had a good car today and unfortunately did not get the opportunity to demonstrate that. Our lap times were pretty competitive and the tyre durability was good but for various reasons, we weren’t able to race well. We suffered a puncture with Lewis off the line and, whilst he managed to recover to the pits, the damage subsequently proved too great to continue. With Nico, we had the issue with the pit stop which led to the drive through penalty. We’re normally a pretty reliable team in the pits and I don’t fully understand what happened yet but we will investigate and take any necessary actions. The team has worked extremely hard over the past two weeks and I still believe we have the potential to finish the season in second place in the Constructors’ Championship but we have to use the potential of the car to the full in the four remaining races to achieve that aim.

Toto Wolff

That was a character-building afternoon for our team. Lewis suffered an unfortunate racing incident on the run down to turn one and had to complete an entire lap with a punctured right-rear tyre. That seriously damaged the underfloor of the car and it became clear soon after he went back out that the rear brake temperatures were climbing and the car pulling to the right. So the only sensible precaution was to retire the car after seven laps. As for Nico, he drove a strong race but his finishing position was dictated by the drive-through penalty that he received for an unsafe release at his first pit stop. After that, he recovered well to finish in eighth position and salvage four points.

Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix was a success for Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton, landing on the podium in third behind Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso. While Hamilton sat in second most of the race, he simply didn’t have enough power to hold off the faster car of Alonso.  This marks Lewis Hamilton’s seventh race with the Mercedes AMG team, with Hamilton landing on the podium three times out of those seven. A great start to his career with Mercedes.

Team-mate Nico Rosberg, coming off a win on his home track in Monaco, took fifth place. Rosberg started the Canadian Grand Prix strong, sitting in third place behind team-mate Lewis Hamilton, but wasn’t able to keep pace with the leaders and fell back to fifth position midway through the race. Part of the problem with Nico’s speed was the decision to go with option tires over prime due to the warm track conditions.

Although the focus may have been on Hamilton and Rosberg during the race, Mercedes AMG fans and F1 fans in general are wondering what is going to happen to the team (and more specifically Ross Brawn) after word got out that they had a “private practice” with Pirelli after their poor performance in Spain. Rivals claim the practice between Mercedes and Pirelli was held in secret with both drivers wearing unidentifiable helmets.

The issue isn’t the practice itself, however, it’s the car used during the practice.  Mercedes has admitted using a 2013 car for the test, which is illegal according to the sporting regulations.  As such, Mercedes has been ordered to appear before the International Automobile Federation’s (FIA) tribunal and could face heavy sanctions. Some speculate Mercedes will let team principle Ross Brawn take the fall. Toto Wolff has said that he will stand behind Brawn, but Brawn has already come forward taking credit for the decision to do the test.

Lewis Hamilton

The car felt fantastic today and I had good grip for the low-speed corners but we just weren’t quite on the pace of Seb and Fernando. I was on the maximum that I could possibly drive and we got absolutely everything out of the car today. It would have been nice to have kept second place of course but Fernando was very quick today and it was difficult to keep him behind. I got close to taking the place back but he was just that little bit too fast. Still I’m very pleased with third place and it was a strong points-scoring day for the team with Nico’s fifth place as well. We’ve taken a step up in the Constructors’ Championship which is great for the team and gives us a nice boost going into Silverstone.

Nico Rosberg

I think fifth place was probably my optimum today and, even if my race had gone perfectly, I wasn’t able to match the pace of the guys in front. The guys had a difficult decision to make at the first stop: we were worried about the warm-up of the harder tires, so we went for the option to protect my track position against Webber and Alonso, but in hindsight it would probably have been better to go the other way because I could have run a longer second stint. I scored some good points and we know that there are areas where we can still improve our performance. But looking back to where we were a month ago, we have made some good steps forward, and it was great for Lewis to be on the podium again. We are heading in the right direction and looking forward to the next race at Silverstone, in front of our team-mates from Brackley and Brixworth.

Ross Brawn

It has been rare in recent seasons to have backmarkers become such a factor in a race as they were today. They played a decisive role in the final result but getting through traffic is one of the challenges that you have to tackle in Formula One. The car performed reasonably well but we still had some anxiety about the tyre performance in the high temperatures, so we were managing the situation carefully, particularly in the opening laps of the stints. Lewis drove a very strong race although it was a shame that he could not quite hold on to second position in the closing laps. However, that wasn’t down to him but rather the fact that we still need to find a little more performance from our car to compete with Ferrari and Red Bull. Nico had a reasonably quiet race after a strong first stint and we will have to analyse if we could have made more of the car’s performance today with him. We called him in for a third stop as a precaution, because he had flat-spotted badly the right-front tyre badly and we had nothing to gain or lose in terms of track position. Overall, a positive afternoon and another strong two-car finish that is important for our position in the Constructors’ Championship.

Toto Wolff

Lewis and Nico did a great job on track today and it was nice to see Lewis on the podium again. He tried to hold off Fernando towards the end of the race but the Ferrari was just too quick today. Nico dropped back on the option tyre and our strategy didn’t quite come to him this afternoon unfortunately. Looking ahead, we know that we need to keep bringing performance to the car and that Silverstone will be a bigger test for our tyre management. But it’s the second race in a row that we have had both cars in the top five and that is building a good platform in the championship. Well done, too, to Sebastian and Red Bull today: they didn’t put a foot wrong all afternoon.

Sunday’s 2013 Spanish Grand Prix belonged to the Spaniards. The F1 race in Barcelona was won by Spain’s own Fernando Alonso from team Ferrari, followed closely by Kimi Räikkönen in second and Felipe Massa in third. Nico Rosberg salvaged a sixth-place finish after starting from pole running but again having tire wear problems. Lewis Hamilton forced to convert to a four-stop strategy during the race and finished outside the points in twelfth position.

Staring first on the gird at the 2013 Chinese Grand Prix, the new Mercedes AMG Petronas Driver Lewis Hamilton ran a great race but his car and his tires just weren’t up to the challenge. Despite falling back from first, Lewis Hamilton still managed to achieve his second successive podium for Mercedes AMG Petronas with a third place finish in Shanghai.  First place went to Fernando Alonso with Kimi Räikkönen coming in second.

Teammate Nico Rosberg did not fair quite as well however. Starting the race in the fourth position, Rosberg only managed to complete 21 laps before retiring early due to the rear anti-roll bar breaking and throwing off the balance of the car.

Continue on for quotes from the Mercedes AMG Petronas team or skip straight down to the photo gallery for a complete look at the 2013 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

• Lewis started from pole and completed a three-stop option/prime/prime/prime strategy, stopping on laps 5, 21 and 37
• Nico was following the same strategy and had stopped on laps 5 and19, followed by a further stop on lap 20
• The team retired his car on lap 21 when a problem with the rear anti-roll bar was identified

Nico Rosberg

The race was tough for me today and with my set-up I had an unexpected level of understeer which made it difficult to drive. After my second pit stop, the feeling got worse and I had one front wheel in the air during the corners. The rear anti-roll bar, which influences the balance of the car, had broken so unfortunately we had to retire the car. It’s a shame and I’ve had a difficult start to the season with two DNFs. But it’s good to have the next race in just seven days time so hopefully we can put this result behind us with a strong weekend in Bahrain. It was great for the team to get another podium today.

Lewis Hamilton

It was a good race for me today and whilst I would have loved the win, I’m really happy with third place and being on the podium for the second race in a row. Fernando and Kimi were just a little bit too fast for us during the race and my tires were shot at the end trying to keep ahead of Sebastian. I could see his car getting bigger and bigger in my mirrors so it was nice to be able to hang on for the third place. The guys did a great job this weekend to get us where we were; on pole and finishing third. We got the absolute most out of the car we had and that’s very satisfying. We’re not quite there yet in terms of overall pace but everyone is working so hard and I know we can do it.

Ross Brawn

We didn’t quite enjoy the balance with the car today that we were expecting. Clearly the track had moved away from us and perhaps more towards one or two other teams. Certainly we didn’t have as good a balance in the race as we had on Friday. With Lewis, we did the best we could with the car we had today and he drove extremely well. We needed to keep the stints as evenly balanced as possible to make sure we had adequate tyre life, however, even with that, it became very close with Sebastian at the end. Nico was running with the same issues a few places back when a problem with the rear anti-roll bar meant we had to stop the car. Overall we can be confident that we’ve made another step forward this weekend, and the fact that we’re all a little disappointed with third is a measure of the ambition and expectations of the team.

Toto Wolff

Well done to Lewis for the second podium finish in the last two races. He drove a very good race, just fending off Sebastian who had reeled him in on his option tires over the last five laps. Starting from pole obviously raises expectations, however we knew that tyre management would be very critical for us today. During practice and qualifying, the track conditions suited us better than in the race today and, as a result, the balance of the car changed and wasn’t as good for both drivers. Unfortunately Nico had to retire from the race on lap 21 with a broken anti-roll bar and we will analyse the reason for this. We will work hard to make sure that technical problems like the ones Nico experienced do not happen again so that both drivers can score points in the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend.

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team has officially unveiled its 2013 Formula One car, the F1 W04, at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain. Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton arrived at the official photo call at the wheel of two Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Black Series, the fifth Black Series model from Mercedes-AMG. Inspired by the SLS AMG GT3 race car, the new car offers a blend of breathtaking design, outstanding driving dynamics and lightweight construction in line with the “AMG Lightweight Performance” strategy. Developing 464 kW (631 hp) for a kerb weight of 1550 kg, the SLS AMG Coupé Black Series accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and is the most powerful internal combustion vehicle currently produced by Mercedes-Benz.

The new F1 W04 completed its first laps of today’s 100 km shakedown at 10:21 in the hands of Nico Rosberg, who drove the car throughout the morning. Lewis Hamilton will take the wheel of a Formula One Silver Arrow for the first time this afternoon, the first British works driver since Sir Stirling Moss in 1955. The car will then complete four days of testing this week in Jerez, in the hands of Nico and Lewis.

With the technical regulations remaining stable in 2013, ahead of major changes for 2014, the basic vehicle concept of the F1 W04 is a sophisticated evolution of last year’s car. Led by Engineering Director Aldo Costa, under the coordination of Technical Director Bob Bell, the project commenced with initial aerodynamic testing in early summer 2012.

The aerodynamic design philosophy has been optimised around a new five-element front wing design and a second-generation Coanda exhaust at the rear. The car retains pushrod front suspension and a pullrod rear suspension, aimed at optimising tyre life and performance, while the rear end has been aggressively packaged to optimise aerodynamic development potential. The F1 W04 also does away with the stepped nose design of its predecessor thanks to a small ‘vanity panel’, which was found to offer a small gain during aerodynamic testing. The car completed its final mandatory FIA crash test on 15 January.

Ross Brawn: “The F1 W04 is a clear step forward in sophistication”

“2013 marks the start of a second era for our Silver Arrows works team,” said Team Principal Ross Brawn. “The restructuring we undertook at the team over the past 18 months are now growing in maturity and this is reflected in the F1 W04, which is a clear step forward in design and detail sophistication over its predecessor. Many thousands of hours of work have been invested by our technical teams in Brackley and Brixworth to ensure that the new car delivers a step change in performance compared to last season. We are also hugely proud to welcome Lewis to the team as a works Mercedes-Benz driver. With Lewis and Nico, we have what I believe to be the strongest driver line-up in Formula One and I know that a healthy level of competition between them both will help drive the team forward.”

Nico Rosberg: “We want to make this the best team in Formula One”

Nico, who last year took the first victory for a works Silver Arrow in the modern era, completed the car’s first laps this morning in Jerez and will also take the wheel for the first official day of testing tomorrow. “I’ve been working really hard over the winter on my physical preparation, both in the mountains – climbing to over 2,000 metres with ski boots – and also in the Mediterranean, training on my bike, swimming and running. I fitted that around regular visits to see the guys at the factory in December and January and we have done some really good work, especially in the simulator. The car seems to be performing well in the virtual world but we have a very busy and intense programme ahead of us during testing to make sure we can deliver that performance on track. The atmosphere in the team is very positive and the people are highly motivated to succeed. And, of course, I have a new team-mate with Lewis. It’s his first time in the Silver Arrow and I look forward to working together and pushing each other hard, to make this the best team in Formula One.”

Lewis Hamilton: “I have never seen a team hungrier for success than this one”

Lewis has enjoyed the support of Mercedes-Benz for over 15 years, including racing with Mercedes-Benz power throughout his Formula One career, and this year will make his debut as a works Silver Arrow driver. “It’s a very special day for me to officially present our Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow to the world. There is no company with a longer history in Grand Prix racing than Mercedes-Benz and it is an honour for me to tread in the footsteps of legends like Juan Manuel Fangio, Sir Stirling Moss and Michael Schumacher. It’s the start of a new chapter for me, a new adventure, and when I walked through the doors in Brackley, I was so excited to get down to work. I’ve been at the factory for a few days now, getting to know the guys, meeting my mechanics and engineers, learning myself into the team and I have never seen a group of people that is hungrier for success than this one. They have been flat out this winter trying to pack more performance into the new car and I can’t wait to drive it and see where I can make a difference to help push the team forward with Nico. This is a new start for me with the team in Brackley but I have worked with Mercedes-Benz for a very long time now, and I learned one thing most of all: Mercedes-Benz doesn’t know how to lose. We are playing a long game here but I know we will have success together and I’m excited to be a big part of making it happen.”

Toto Wolff: “The only thing that counts in Formula One is lap time”

Toto Wolff, the new Executive Director of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, concluded: “The first laps for a new car are always filled with emotion and today was no exception. It is even more meaningful when the car is a Silver Arrow: Mercedes-Benz has a long tradition of racing success and this is something we are proud to represent and determined to live up to. In the fortnight since I joined the team, I have been impressed by what I have found. The people are highly motivated, open-minded and determined to succeed. Our drivers are hungry for success, too, and it will certainly be fascinating this season to see how Nico and Lewis perform together. Ultimately, though, Formula One is very straightforward and the only thing that counts is lap time.”

The F1 W04 will now complete 12 days of pre-season testing prior to the first race in Melbourne. This week’s testing plan is as follows: Tuesday & Thursday, Nico; Wednesday & Friday, Lewis.

The Mercedes AMG Petronas team had a dramatic rain soaked Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos on Sunday that saw Michael Schumacher end his Formula One career battling and finishing in seventh place, while teammate Nico Rosberg finished in 15th position.

Race Overview:

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel may have finished only sixth at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prixo, but it was enough to make him the first triple world champion since Michael Schumacher.

Light rain made the start difficult, but then Vettel was spun through 180 degrees in Turn Four as he was hit by Bruno Senna’s Williams, which then took out Sergio Perez’s Sauber.

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton led Button in the early stages as Massa boiled through to snatch third place and then handed the place to Alonso on the fifth lap. But soon the conditions were bad enough for some to consider switching their slicks for Pirelli’s intermediates.

Button began to press Hamilton, and as Alonso ran wide in Turn One, Nico Hulkenberg took third in his Force India. Button led the sixth lap by a hair from Hamilton, who quickly repassed, but by lap eight Button was back in control and on the tenth Hamilton pitted, together with Alonso and Vettel, for the intermediates.

As mayhem reigned in the pits, Button and Hulkenberg – both still on slicks – pulled out a 40s lead, and on the 18th lap the German moved ahead. But their advantage was negated by a safety-car intervention between laps 23 and 29 to clear away debris, handing their pursuers a lifeline.

On the restart on Lap 30 Hulkenberg pulled away, but Button had grained his front tires and was repassed by Hamilton. The latter then set about reeling in Hulkenberg and snatched the lead on the 48th lap when the Force India twitched sideways. The conditions were beginning to worsen with more rain, however, and as the two leaders come across Raikkonen on the 54th lap, rejoining after a spin, and lapped runners Heikki Kovalainen and Timo Glock, Hulkenberg grabbed the opportunity to dive inside Hamilton as they crossed the line to start the 55th lap.

Unfortunately he then spun under braking for the Senna S, and hit Hamilton’s left-front wheel. The Briton’s last race for McLaren thus ended badly, and as Button resumed the lead Hulkenberg dropped back after being awarded a drive-through penalty for the incident.

There was more drama. Vettel pitted for medium tires on the 52nd lap, then came back in on the 54th for intermediates, but the second time around the tyre warmer on the new right-front wheel proved reluctant to come off, costing him precious time.

So with 11 laps to go Button was 16s ahead of Massa, who had driven a heroic race in which he helped Alonso at every opportunity. He duly handed his second place to the Spaniard on the 62nd lap, as Vettel worked his way up to sixth behind team mate Webber, who’d lost time earlier with a half spin, and Hulkenberg.

When Vettel subsequently overtook Schumacher on the 64th lap, the points situation became 281 to 278. There was to be no miracle for Ferrari, after all. Vettel was the triple consecutive world champion.

But there was one more drama to be played out. It came when Paul di Resta crashed his Force India heavily in the final sector on the 69th lap, bringing the safety car out again. Di Resta was okay, and as the safety car pulled in again before the 71st lap was over, in accordance with the rules, the field crossed the line for the last time under the yellows.

Button was delighted with a book-end victory, while Alonso was philosophical in defeat and Massa emotional on his home ground in another race in which he could have outpaced his team leader.

Ferrari thus stayed ahead of McLaren for the runner-up slot in the constructors’ championship. Webber was fortunate to be fourth after his adventures, as was Hulkenberg to be fifth. Vettel beamed from ear to ear, no longer caring that his damaged Red Bull had been bog slow in a straight line.

Behind Schumacher, seventh on his 306th and final outing, Jean-Eric Vergne drove a great race to eighth for Toro Rosso as Kamui Kobayashi’s yo-yo race yielded Sauber ninth ahead of Raikkonen, who never recovered from the off in Turn 12 where he had much trouble getting back on to the track after a trip up an escape road.

Eleventh was the subject of a massive fight between Caterham and Marussia. In the end Vitaly Petrov atoned for a spin while fighting with Charles Pic to catch and repass the Frenchman. That one move was worth 10th in the constructors’ standings to Tony Fernandes’ team, as they moved back ahead of Marussia.

Daniel Ricciardo was 13th after a late tyre stop in his Toro Rosso, but was comfortably ahead of the fight for 14th between Caterham’s Heikki Kovalainen, Nico Rosberg who had an appalling day in his Mercedes, and Marussia’s Timo Glock.

Kovalainen’s late pass on both was the icing on the cake for Caterham. Pedro de la Rosa headed Narain Karthikeyan home in the HRTs, and Di Resta was classified 19th as Hamilton, Senna and Perez were joined on the retirement list by Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado who also spun out.

Mercedes AMG Petronas team thoughts and tire info for the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix

• Both drivers suffered a puncture from debris in the early stages of the race which compromised their afternoons
• Michael stopped four times on laps 5, 8, 17 and 54, with a prime/prime/inter/prime/inter tire usage
• Nico also came into the pits four times on laps 9, 18, 20 and 50, using option/inter/prime/prime/inter tires

Michael Schumacher

What an exciting and eventful Grand Prix! Strangely enough, my last ever Formula One race began with a puncture which pushed me down the running order. But it’s always been my philosophy to never give up – there’s always a chance, you just have to keep going and seize it when it comes. It’s a strange sort of coincidence that I’ve ended my Formula One career now in P7, which was my first ever qualifying result at Spa-Francorchamps 308 races ago. It also occurs to me that I was driving with the number seven on my car today and that I have seven world championship trophies in my cabinet. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel on claiming his third world title in a row. I’m very proud of Sebastian and really thrilled for him. As early as the first lap, I suddenly found him blocking the track facing the wrong way, but then the two of us both staged great comebacks in the race. His performance also showed that you just have to keep plugging away. Even under these difficult conditions, my final Formula One race was tremendous fun, and I would once again like to thank the team and all my fans for their support over the past years. I’ve enjoyed the time we’ve spent together very much indeed.

Nico Rosberg

That was definitely the longest race of my life today! The start was pretty good, and I was running in the top eight. After the puncture however, there was damage to the floor and I lost a lot of performance. So unfortunately I had no chance to fight back from there. It must have been a fantastic race for the fans here in Interlagos and watching on the TV and I hope they enjoyed the show. Congratulations to Sebastian on the world title which is very well deserved. For myself, I am now looking forward to next year and the chance to attack again. Many thanks to the team for all of their efforts this year which saw our first win together, and we can look forward to making further progress and a better 2013.

Ross Brawn

We saw a very dramatic race today and a fitting finale to a great season for Formula One. From our perspective, the two punctures early on put us in a difficult position with both cars. Nico’s car suffered a lot of damage and that made his race very difficult. Michael’s puncture wasn’t as severe and the team did a good job to recover, with some help from the safety car. Michael showed all of the skills that we know he has today to salvage his race; considered overtaking, good decisions on tire strategy, and he kept the car on the road to bring us home some points. It was a nice way to finish the season and his career with us. In terms of results, his second spell in Formula One hasn’t been as special but it has been so for all of us who have had the privilege of working with him. It has been a real honour for all of the boys and girls at our team, and working alongside Michael gives you a real understanding of why he is so special and has achieved seven world championships. He will be missed and we all wish him the very best for the future. Congratulations to Sebastian on achieving his third world title today, a very impressive achievement.

Norbert Haug

What an incredibly dramatic way to round off a long championship season! Michael and Nico had to make unplanned stops for punctures caused by debris on the track, losing a lot of time in the process. Both cars sustained damage to their underbody as a result, which affected downforce and pushed up lap times, with Nico’s car suffering more than Michael’s. In his final race, Michael mastered the difficult, damp conditions on the track in impressive style, battling his way through to seventh place. It was great to see Michael overcoming all these problems to finish among the points in his last ever Formula One race. We thank Michael not only for his tremendous dedication and his racing achievements for our team, but also for those great personal qualities that he manifested at all times. The three seasons he spent with us will always serve as a model of team play at its best. Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing on wrapping up the world championship hat-trick. To become world champion three years in succession is a remarkable feat that has been achieved by only two previous drivers – Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher.

Getting a job in F1 is a big dream for many people who are passionate about technology. The apprentice and graduate program at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, where the Formula One engines and hybrid systems are designed and developed, offer opportunities for talented young people to earn a place in the industry – and add practical experience to their theoretical learning.

The people who are already hard at work at the facility call their job demanding, but rewarding, and are all happy with their choice. If you want to follow in their footsteps and feel you are adequately qualified for the job, at the end of the video, there is a a link where you can find out more details on how to apply.

Good luck.

Mercedes driver, Michael Schumacher, finished the Japanese Grand Prix in 11th place this afternoon, having started from 23rd on the grid. Team-mate Nico Rosberg was forced to retire on the first lap after being hit by another car.

• Michael ran a two-stop prime/option/option strategy, stopping on laps 17 and 36
• His strategy made full use of his two available new sets of option tyres to gain 12 positions
• In the final stint, he caught the cars ahead of him at over a second a lap but was unable to pass for P10
• Nico was eliminated by a collision in turn two when he was hit from behind by Bruno Senna’s Williams

Michael Schumacher

I have mixed feelings after the race here in Japan, because it’s obviously unfortunate to come so close to scoring points and not manage it, after a race which went better than we expected. In the final laps, I had a nice and interesting battle with Ricciardo, but in the end I couldn’t get past him because the Toro Rosso was so quick on the straights. That’s why we have to say we couldn’t have got much more out of it today. Now let’s see how things go in Korea.

Nico Rosberg

I had a good start to the race but unfortunately it ended fairly quickly today. In the first corner Grosjean spun into Webber and that also led to my accident. I began to brake but Senna crashed into me from behind which destroyed my rear tyre and meant that I had to retire. It’s a shame as I felt very comfortable with my car on the installation lap, and I was confident that we could score some decent points. I’ll now hope for a better weekend in Korea.

Ross Brawn

From where he started today, Michael drove a strong race, and it’s a shame that he didn’t get some points for his efforts. However starting from 23rd on the grid made that just too much of a challenge, despite a very good strategy and encouraging pace from the car in the lower temperatures. The accident which caused Nico’s retirement was a great shame as the car was in good shape and he could have scored decent points if he hadn’t been taken out. There were some encouraging signs in the race and we will take heart from that as we continue to work on improving the car.

Norbert Haug

A good performance and a good drive from Michael during the race, which saw us posting good lap times for the first time this weekend – and Michael setting the sixth fastest lap time around three-quarters of the way through the race. After starting P23 following his ten-place grid penalty, Michael came home in P11, chasing the car ahead during the last seven laps. He caught him quickly, setting better lap times in the final stint, but in the end he unfortunately could not overtake to score the last available point. Nico was eliminated during the first corner crash through no fault of his own, so no points today for him or our team. We are now looking forward to the race next weekend in Korea.

After the news broke last week about Lewis Hamilton replacing Michael Schuamcher on the Mercedes AMG Petronas team, no one could fault Schumacher if he was less then excited for this weeks race in Japan. On the contrary however, Schumaceher is looking forward to Suzuka as it is one of his favorite circuits.

The Japanese Grand Prix, Round 15 of the 2012 Formula One World Championship, takes place on Sunday, October 7 at the 5.807 km figure-of-eight Suzuka circuit.

• The run from pole to the first corner is 545 metres – among the top five values of the season.
• 10 of the circuit’s 18 corners are taken at between 170 kph and 270 kph – including the entire Esses.
• Since the Japanese GP returned to Suzuka in 2009, every race has seen the Safety Car deployed.

Circuit History

One of the greatest tracks used in Formula One today, Japan’s Suzuka circuit is a massive test of car and driver ability. Built by Honda as a test facility in 1962, the track was designed by Dutchman John Hugenholz, the Hermann Tilke of his day. A huge theme park was also constructed at the track, including the famous big wheel which dominates the Suzuka skyline.

In 1987, having hosted various sportscar and F2 races, and having lost out initially to Fuji in the race to host the Japanese Grand Prix, Honda’s influence finally prevailed and the Grand Prix had a new Japanese home. And – 2007/8 aside – at Suzuka the race has stayed ever since, providing the scene for many nail-biting end-of-season deciders, including the infamous collisions involving Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.

Suzuka includes some of the F1 calendar’s most challenging corners. Among the drivers’ favourites are the high-speed 130R and the famous Spoon Curve. On top of this the circuit’s figure-of-eight layout makes it unique in Formula One.

Michael Schumacher

My motivation is completely intact after the news last week, especially because Suzuka is one of the season’s highlights for me. I enjoy the circuit – it has sections that challenge you as a driver like almost nowhere else. Then there are the fans: they love motor racing and it is fun to feel their passion. I’m also a big fan of Japanese food, so I’m always happy to travel to this race. Logically, it would also be nice to achieve a sporting highlight this weekend, although my chances are of course very limited because of my grid penalty. But I’ve always approached these things as a challenge.

Nico Rosberg

The last race in Singapore was my best result for a little while and I hope this is the start of an upward trend for me and the team. So I’m looking forward to getting to Japan this week and getting on with the work to get the most out of our new aerodynamic package and upgrades. Suzuka is a very exciting track which is popular with every driver for the interesting corner combinations and unique layout. I also look forward to meeting the Japanese fans again who have such a great passion for the sport and their support is always so enthusiastic.

Ross Brawn

Suzuka is a fantastic racing circuit, and the support that Formula One receives from the Japanese fans every year is so impressive. They really do love the sport and it’s always nice to see their enthusiasm as we arrive at the circuit every morning. The track is a popular one with the drivers for its challenging layout, and Suzuka has seen some very exciting and decisive races over the years. For the team, we are looking forward to having more time to continue the ongoing work to optimise our new developments, and will be working hard to have a good weekend.

Norbert Haug

Suzuka is one of the most demanding race tracks in the world and, if you asked the drivers to rate it between one and ten, I’m sure that the average would be very close to ten. The circuit is a classic: almost every corner is a challenge and the high-speed uphill Esses behind the pits provide a real benchmark for aerodynamic performance. The average lap speed is comparable to Silverstone and the engines spend over two-thirds of the lap distance at full throttle. Engine performance and driveability are important requirements in Suzuka in addition to good aerodynamics.

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team announced today that they will be replacing legendary F1 driver Micheal Schumacher with 2008 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. The agreement with Lewis Hamilton has been signed and is a three-year agreement to race for the team from the 2013 Formula One season on and is worth around 24 million. Leave it to Simon Fuller, who manages Hamilton through his XIX Entertainment, to get the big money for his client.

Lewis’ career has been supported by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren since its earliest days. In 2000, he and Nico Rosberg were team-mates at TeamMBM.com in Formula A karting. Lewis drove with Mercedes-Benz engines during his two seasons in the Formula 3 Euroseries, winning the 2005 championship, and every one of his 104 Formula One starts so far have been powered by the three-pointed star. Lewis is one of four drivers, along with Juan Manuel Fangio, Mika Häkkinen and Jenson Button, to have won the Formula One world championship with Mercedes-Benz power. With 20 Formula One victories, he is equal with Mika Häkkinen as the most successful Mercedes-Benz Formula One driver.

The recruitment of the 2008 world champion marks the start of a new chapter for the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. Lewis will replace Michael Schumacher, who has contributed significantly to the development of the Silver Arrows works team over the past three years. During this time, the team achieved the milestone of the first victory of the modern era for a works Silver Arrow, when Nico Rosberg won this year’s Chinese Grand Prix, and has scored five further podium finishes to date.

In parallel, Mercedes-Benz has put in place the right technical structure and given the team in Brackley and Brixworth the tools it needs to achieve long-term, durable success in Formula One. In the near future, three-time world champion Niki Lauda will also bring his extensive experience to the role of non-executive chairman of the team’s board of directors, further reinforcing the strength in depth at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS.

The signing of Lewis Hamilton completes the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS driver line-up for the 2013 season alongside Nico Rosberg. Nico won his first Grand Prix this year in China and will enter his fourth season with our team.

Michael Schumacher

“I have had three nice years with the team which unfortunately did not go as well as we all would have wanted on the sporting side. I wish Lewis well and for the team to achieve the success we worked so hard for in the build-up. I would like to thank the team for their trust and all the guys for their unconditional commitment. I will now concentrate on the next races.”

Lewis Hamilton

“It is now time for me to take on a fresh challenge and I am very excited to begin a new chapter racing for the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. Mercedes-Benz has such an incredible heritage in motorsport, along with a passion for winning which I share.

“Together, we can grow and rise to this new challenge. I believe that I can help steer the Silver Arrows to the top and achieve our joint ambitions of winning the world championships.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal – MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS

“On behalf of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, I would first of all like to thank Michael Schumacher for the important contribution he has made to the growth of our team over the past three seasons. His energy and commitment have never wavered, even when results have not matched our own expectations, and we are determined to finish the 2012 season together on a high. As always, it has been a pleasure to work with Michael.

“Looking ahead to 2013, I am delighted to welcome Lewis Hamilton to our team. The arrival of a driver of Lewis’ calibre is a testament to the standing of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One and I am proud that Lewis shares our vision and ambition for the success of the Silver Arrows. I believe that the combination of Lewis and Nico will be the most dynamic and exciting pairing on the grid next year, and I am looking forward to what we can achieve together.

“Over the past three years, we have been putting in place the foundations and building blocks that are needed to compete regularly for the world championship. Behind the scenes, we have assembled a team that is technically stronger, more experienced and better resourced, thanks to the support of PETRONAS and all of our loyal team partners. The potential is now there to match any other team on the grid, which is the minimum standard for a Mercedes-Benz works team. Our task is now to translate that potential into on-track performance for next season and beyond.”

Norbert Haug, Vice President – Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

“Mercedes-Benz has supported Lewis throughout his career, from karting, to Formula 3, to our successful partnership with McLaren, and it will be a very nice moment for all of us in the team to see him at the wheel of a works Silver Arrow next season, following in the tradition of British Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix drivers Sir Stirling Moss and Richard Seaman.

“Of course, it takes a great driver to replace such a legendary and successful one as Michael Schumacher. Over the past three years, Michael has been a great driver and an exemplary ambassador for MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS. His experience has been an important factor in guiding the development of our team in Brackley and we extend our sincere thanks to Michael for his loyalty, team play and commitment. We will be working very hard together in order to achieve the best possible results in the remainder of the 2012 season.

“The central task of any racing team is to deliver a car that allows the drivers to fully express their talents. In the 52 races for our works team, we have achieved a number of important milestones, including an historic victory for Nico Rosberg in China this year. We know that it is now time to take the next step, in order to deliver consistent front-running performances in the tradition of the Silver Arrows. Every single person in our team is working with total commitment and focus on achieving this ambition.”

It was a tough weekend for Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team, as Nico Rosberg finished the Hungarian Grand Prix in 10th place.   Rosberg did, however, manage to move up three spots from his less than ideal starting position – one of the few positives on the day.

Michael Schumacher fared far worse, retiring from the race after 58  laps.  His troubles began before the race began, when Schumacher switched his engine off during the yellow lights when he noticed experienced very high engine temps.  He subsequently started the race from the pits, then picked up a penalty, then suffered from a tire puncture.  All of this, paired with ongoing engine temperature problems, led Michael to retire with 11 laps left, to avoid any engine damage that could impact the next race.

Hopefully the next race at Spa will see different results for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team.

As for the results, Lewis Hamilton of Vodafone McLaren took the top spot, followed by Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.

Michael and Nico recently completed a whirlwind tour of the Mercedes-Benz facilities near the company headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. After visiting the production facilities for the new A-Class and B-Class compact models in Rastatt, the drivers tried their hand at assembling the pistons and cylinder heads of a high-performance AMG engine at Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach.

The 5.5 litre twin-turbo V8 engine will power the new Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake, which will be given its world premiere at the “Night of the Stars” on 21st July in Hockenheim.

The Rastatt production facility in Baden celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year and is the centre of competence for production of Mercedes-Benz compact class vehicles. Daimler has invested around €1.2 billion for the production of the new compact vehicles in Rastatt. 500 new jobs will be created this year, and the factory will employ around 6,600 people by the end of 2012. The B-Class has enjoyed record sales in the first half of 2012, while the first models of the brand new A-Class rolled off the production lines in July 2012. Next year, will see production of a third model – the compact SUV – begin in Rastatt.

During their visit, Michael and Nico entered their names into the ‘Golden Book’ of Rastatt in the presence of Oberbürgermeister Hans Jürgen Pütsch, then took part in the personalised delivery process at the factory’s Customer Centre, handing over the key of two brand new B-Class vehicles to two lucky customers. The opportunity to exchange a few words with their colleagues was a priority for the day – and both drivers entertained their colleagues with an extended Q&A session on an outdoor stage.

Lucky winners were then treated to high-speed rides on the Rastatt test track at the wheel of two Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG super sports cars before the drivers got a look at the state-of-the-art production line for the all-new A-Class.

“You can never fail to be amazed when you get a chance to see behind the scenes of a facility like Rastatt,” commented Michael. “The scale of the factory and the high technology here are very different to what we know in Formula One – but it is clear that here, just like in our world, Mercedes-Benz is aiming to set the standard. We had the chance to drive the new A-Class earlier this year and it’s a great car – the design promises performance, and the chassis delivers exactly that.”

“There are over 6000 people working here in Rastatt,” added Nico. “That’s probably the same number as all the Formula One teams put together! As a works Silver Arrow driver, it’s always a great feeling to visit our colleagues in the rest of the company – it’s not only a boost ahead of our home Grand Prix, but also reminds me that we carry their hopes and represent them every time we take to the track. That’s a big responsibility – and we want to make sure we do them proud this weekend in Hockenheim.”

Formula One stars turn master engine builders at Mercedes-AMG

After seeing the heart of the production facilities for the Mercedes-Benz compact class, the drivers then headed to Mercedes-AMG for a taste of something completely different – the world of refined high performance at the Affalterbach production facilities. The drivers then put their own mechanical skills into practice as they followed the traditional AMG production philosophy of “one man, one engine” with a unique twist – “one team, one engine”, assisting with assembly of the new highly efficient M 157 V8 engine.

This unit develops 410 kW (557 PS) and will be used in numerous AMG high-performance vehicles such as the new GL 63 AMG, the ML 63 AMG and the E 63 AMG as well as the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake.

The drivers were accompanied by an AMG master engine builder as they installed pistons and assembled the cylinder heads. The completed V8 engine for the CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake will carry an AMG engine plate signed by Michael, Nico and, as per AMG tradition, the master engine builder. The experts from the AMG Performance Studio then began installing the 5.5 litre twin-turbo unit in the CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake that will get its world premiere at the “Night of the Stars” in Hockenheim.

“It’s fascinating to see behind the scenes of the ultra-modern facilities here at Mercedes-AMG,” enthused Nico. “We met a lot of true Formula One fans among the people here. Like us, they work to the highest levels of precision and can really show the art of engineering, as they develop the highest performance Mercedes vehicles. It was an interesting challenge to help assemble the AMG V8 engine – and an interesting comparison to when I did the same with our Formula One engine last year. It gives me even more respect for all the people who work in the AMG engine build facility.”

“It’s amazing to see how AMG has developed since I last visited in the 1990s, when I made a guest start in the DTM,” commented Michael. “The people at AMG are incredibly enthusiastic, and have real spirit for performance and passion for motorsport. I was impressed by the ultra-modern AMG engine assembly facilities, where they produce the most powerful but also most efficient V12 and V8 engines in the world.”

“It’s fantastic to be able to welcome our MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg as our guests at Mercedes-AMG,” commented Mercedes-AMG GmbH Chairman Ola Källenius. “Michael and Nico did a perfect job as build technicians for the AMG M 157 power unit! And I am sure that they got a real insight into what our AMG brand promise ‘driving performance’ really means. On behalf of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, I would like to thank both drivers for visiting Affalterbach and wish them every success at this weekend’s German Grand Prix in Hockenheim!”

An insight into the wide world of Mercedes-Benz

Following their experiences in the engine build workshops of Mercedes-AMG, the drivers will head to the inaugural German FOTA Fan Forum in the Mercedes-Benz Niederlassung Stuttgart, where they will be joined by Formula One colleagues Nico Hülkenberg and Timo Glock for a Q&A session in front of 300 members of the public and Daimler employees. This event, held for the first time in Germany, will round off the drivers’ preparations for the German Grand Prix, just a stone’s throw from Daimler headquarters in Untertürkheim.

“The German Grand Prix is a highlight for our MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Silver Arrows works team,” commented Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. “The drivers have been given a real insight into what Mercedes-Benz is all about today – from the exciting new compact class models produced in Rastatt, to the exclusive high-performance world of Mercedes-AMG. It is always a fantastic boost to feel how much support our motorsport programmes enjoy from within the company. That enthusiasm only strengthens our determination to deliver a strong performance this weekend in Hockenheim to reward our fans and colleagues.”

Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Michael Schumacher finished the British Grand Prix in seventh place Sunday with teammate Nico Rosberg coming home in 15th.  Their attention will now turn to Hockenheim, their next home circuit, where things should look better in any case.

• Michael ran a two-stop strategy, running option/prime/prime, stopping on laps 12 and 34
• Nico also made two stops, running prime/prime/option, with stops on laps 15 and 37

At the end of an exciting European Grand Prix in Valencia, Michael Schumacher stood on the podium with Fernando Alonso (1st) and Kimi Räikkönen (2nd) after finishing in third place Sunday. Team-mate Nico Rosberg finished in sixth place after jumping up from 13th with ten laps left. Sunday’s finish marked the 155th podium finish of Schumacher’s career and his first podium finish since the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix.

Shumacher and Rosberg both made two pit stops with Michael stopping on laps 19 and 41, and Nico on laps 20 and 46. So far this season, Nico has scored 75 points in six races, starting with his win and first points in China, the second highest total after Fernando Alonso (76).

Michael Schumacher

“Wow, I did not even think of getting on the podium for any second in the race today, so what a wonderful result! Finally it happened! After such a long time waiting and for jumping on the podium so unexpectedly, I feel extra happy. I think that was the best answer to give to everybody who started doubting our work: get the car together and fight back; never give up, as anything can happen. A big thank you to the team and to everybody who kept on believing we would get on the podium again. That’s what team work is about. A special word for my mechanics and engineers who have done a fantastic job this weekend after some difficult races this year. I didn’t think a podium was possible – not even at the end of the race, because it was pretty busy in the last laps and I had lost count of where I was. Then when I crossed the line, I asked the guys where I was and they said “Third – on the podium!” It’s one of those moments that you enjoy deeply as a driver. We were close a couple of times but it was great for it to happen in a spectacular race like this, through strategy and lots of passing on a circuit where overtaking is difficult.”

Nico Rosberg

“That was a really exciting race. I had a bad first few laps and lost positions, then the Safety Car came out at a bad moment for me. After the restart, I thought I would end up finishing out of the points, because I had the oldest tyres and therefore no grip, which made it very hard to defend. We had planned to try a one-stop strategy but had to convert to two stops, and thanks to the strategy guys, we were on fresh tyres when everybody else was struggling. I was in P12 on lap 47 and P6 at the end, so it clearly worked and we are very happy with a good team result after such a chaotic race, with two cars in the top six. A great result for Michael with his podium and I am happy to score some more nice points.”

Ross Brawn

“Congratulations to Michael and the team on a fantastic and well-deserved podium finish. Michael demonstrated today that if we can give him the opportunities, he will get a great result. And well done to Nico as well. He was in quite a difficult position at one stage but came back and gave the team a really strong points score today. The early part of the race was quite difficult for us, and our early strategy did not come together as the tyres behaved differently to our pre-race predictions. So we had to react, and we did so extremely well, leaving our stops as late as possible to give our guys fresh rubber at the end. It was such an exciting end to the race, and I am very proud of both of our drivers, everyone here in Valencia, and back at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth today.”

Norbert Haug

“A marvellous race from Michael with the right speed and the right strategy. Coming from 12th on the grid to third on the podium is a good achievement, which Michael truly deserves and he achieved that with a great drive. Nico started sixth and lost five places during the first lap, which was a big handicap – so to climb back to sixth place was a good recovery. Since his win in China, Nico has scored one point less than Fernando Alonso, who brought home the most points in the last six races. As for the rumour spread by another team that Michael used his DRS flap where he should not have done, I can confirm that this was not the case, as our data proved and the stewards of the meeting confirmed. I am really pleased for Michael and the team. We always believed in each other and today was the first of hopefully more podiums to follow.”