Mercedes-Benz Works Silver Arrows Team Racing Under New Name for 2012 F1 Season

The 2012 F1 season will see Mercedes-Benz works Silver Arrows team competing as MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team

The 2012 Formula 1 season will see the Mercedes-Benz works Silver Arrows team competing under the name ‘MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team’.

AMG is the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, and has been synonymous with performance, sportiness, exciting driving and motorsport success for more than 40 years. The Mercedes AMG brand is the most successful in the history of the DTM, winning 165 races from 342 since 1988 and securing a total of 32 driver, manufacturer and team titles. AMG has also been continuously active in the world of Formula One since 1996, supplying both the Formula 1 Safety Car and the Formula 1 Medical Car. It is therefore a logical step to strengthen the links between AMG and the Formula One activities of Mercedes-Benz.

Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, said: “Our new team name fuses the proud traditions of AMG and the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows at the pinnacle of motorsport. These three letters are synonymous with high technology, sporting performance and excitement and this step is a further strong sign of the strategic commitment Mercedes-Benz has made to Formula One. 16 of the 24 drivers on the grid at the season’s final Grand Prix in Brazil have, or have had, a connection to Mercedes-Benz. In addition to the role of a works team, our commitment to Formula One comprises the customer engine programme and supply of the official Safety and Medical Cars.”

The Mercedes-Benz Formula One powertrain facility at Brixworth, UK has worked closely with AMG for a number of years. This wholly owned Daimler subsidiary will now be renamed ‘Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains’.

Ola Källenius, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, commented: “The Mercedes AMG brand promises ‘Driving Performance’ – and what better embodies this philosophy than the intense competitive arena of Formula One? It is an historic first for the AMG name to be associated to the works Silver Arrows team, and offers fantastic opportunities: first, to further build the sporting identity of the Mercedes AMG brand through one of the world’s most-watched and most successful sports; second, to explore and deliver technology transfer between road and track. This is already being practised with the SLS AMG E-Cell project, whose electric powertrain will be developed as a joint venture between Mercedes AMG and our F1 engine specialists in Brixworth.”

The car with which the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team will compete in the 2012 season is currently under development at the team’s headquarters in Brackley, UK. Codenamed F1 W03, it is planned for the car to make its official track debut at the second winter test of 2012, on 21 February at Barcelona.

Team Principal Ross Brawn concluded: “We are very proud to reveal our new team name today. It adds another strong performance element to our team’s identity and, by virtue of being shared between Brackley and Brixworth, will forge even stronger links within our team. At the factory, we have been focused for some time on the challenge of 2012, and our very clear ambition to move forward up the grid next year. As always, the winter development and manufacturing processes are a trade-off between time for finding performance in the factory, and time for delivering that performance during pre-season testing. We believe that the decision to run the car at the second winter test is the optimum compromise for our design and development programme with F1 W03.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: 2011 F1 Brazilian Grand Prix Results

Mercedes GP Petronas driver Nico Rosberg finished the Brazilian Grand Prix in 7th place while Michael Schumacher finished in 15th

Mercedes GP Petronas driver Nico Rosberg finished the Brazilian Grand Prix in seventh place while teamate Michael Schumacher finished the race in 15th place after an early brush on the approach to the Senna S, with Bruno Senna. The Brazilian Grand Prix was a 71-lap race in Interlagos and was the final round of the 2011 Formula One season.

  • Nico ran a two-stop strategy of option/option/prime, stopping on laps 16 and 42
  • Michael was forced to run a three-stop strategy after a puncture on lap 10, pitting further on laps 32 and 51
  • Three of the team’s four clean pit stops were under 21 seconds this afternoon
  • With a total of 731 points, Mercedes-Benz is the highest scoring engine manufacturer of the 2011 season
Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Nico Rosberg 8 MGP W02 / 07 P7 1:17.207
Michael Schumacher 7 MGP W02 / 09 P15 1:16.681
Weather Warm & sunny
Temperatures Air: 24-26°C Track: 38-47°C

Nico Rosberg

“Today wasn’t an ideal ending to the season, and although I scored some points, I expected to finish higher than P7. I didn’t get a good start, and I had problems with my tyres overheating as the track temperatures were very high. So I had to manage my tyres very carefully during the whole race which impacted on the pace. Now I’m looking ahead and I hope we can do better in 2012. I look forward to an exciting time in the winter as we work hard to develop a better car for next year.”

Michael Schumacher

“It was a bit of a shame today with the incident with Bruno, which was caused perhaps due to some lack of experience, but then those things happen. Otherwise I think we could have had a nice race with some solid points. After the collision, all I could do was try to fight as much as possible, and hope for rain which did not come. In the first stint after the incident, my car was not well-balanced with a lot of oversteer. Unfortunately we could not change this at the pit stop which handicapped the balance in the second stint, whereas in the last stint the balance was good. We very much look forward to next season now. With all the effort that is being put into the development of the car, I am confident we can make another step forward to where Mercedes belongs; fighting at the top.”

Ross Brawn

“Nico didn’t have a great car balance today, struggling with oversteer, and he had to look after the tyres very carefully. He experienced high levels of degradation and consequently had a frustrating afternoon trying to manage the balance, in a situation where the tyres were particularly sensitive. Michael had a good battle with Senna in the early laps, and his pass at the start of lap 10 was clear-cut. However, Senna showed his inexperience trying to defend a position that he had already lost, and the contact ruined Michael’s race. After an unplanned stop to replace his punctured tyre, Michael was able to demonstrate the car’s innate pace, thanks to a better car balance, and his lap times looked reasonably competitive. I want to say thank you to all the team in Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart, whose efforts have not waned at any point during a long season. There are accomplishments we can be proud of this season, such as our consistently strong pit stops, and we know that we need to put everything together next year. Finally, I would like to highlight the excellent support we have enjoyed from all our partners in 2011. Formula One is a true team sport, and they have played an integral role in helping us build towards a more successful future.”

Norbert Haug

“It was certainly not a perfect end to our season and not the results we had wanted to achieve at this final race in Brazil. We need to investigate why Nico’s speed over the major part of the race, suffering from a less than optimal car balance, was quite different to Michael’s, who had an unfortunate coming-together during his second passing move of the race. This cost him dearly as he had to do a whole lap with a punctured left-rear tyre, but his pace afterwards did not look bad at all. I would like to take the opportunity at this season’s final race to say thank you to all our team members in Brackley, Brixworth, Stuttgart and Fellbach for their dedicated work and relentless efforts. Also, I would like to thank all the partners and families of our team members – without their fantastic support, our colleagues could not get their demanding jobs done. There will be a short and well-deserved break for most of our team around Christmas before attacking next year with a better technical package, and the clear target of closing the gap to the top of the field.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS F1: Korean Grand Prix Results

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel while Nico Rosberg finished eighth and Michael Schumacher retired on lap 16

MERCEDES GP PETONAS driver Nico Rosberg finished the Korean Grand Prix in eighth place today with team-mate Michael Schumacher was forced to retire on lap 16.

  • Nico completed a two-stop strategy on laps 13 and 27, running used option/new prime/new prime tires
  • Michael started the race on new option tires and stopped once on lap 14, for new prime tires, before retiring
  • Nico completed 28 laps on his second set of prime tires – over half the race distance
  • All three of the team’s pit stops today were under 21 seconds, including two of the race’s four fastest stops

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel dominated Sunday’s Korean Grand Prix, after taking the lead away from Lewis Hamilton giving Vettel his 10th seasonal win. Vitaly Petrov took Michael Schumacher out in a collision on the 17th lap which brought out the safety car. After the race the Yeongam stewards gave Petrov a reprimand and a five-place grid penalty for the next round in India.

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Nico Rosberg 8 MGP W02 / 07 P8 1:41.770
Michael Schumacher 7 MGP W02 / 09 DNF
Weather Cool & cloudy
Temperatures Air: 21°C Track: 23-26°C

Nico Rosberg

“I had good speed at the start of the race today but after we changed to the prime tires, it became more difficult as the degradation was too strong. I had some nice battles against Jenson and the Ferraris, and was pushing hard to defend my position against Felipe and Fernando in the middle stint. During this, I flat-spotted my front tires so I had to pit earlier than expected which made my last stint on the primes very long. I didn’t have enough grip by the end and so I just wasn’t able to defend the position against Jaime. A difficult race for me today but I’m still happy to score some points.”

Michael Schumacher

“Another unfortunate end to a race which could have been encouraging today. It’s a big pity as the car was again very good in race trim and I had already gained some positions. It would have been interesting to see what was possible, and I think we could certainly have taken some points. As for the incident, I didn’t see Vitaly coming; I was just suddenly spun into a direction I had not intended to go, and then I saw my rear wing hanging off. It was unfortunate but these things happen when you fight hard – that’s racing.”

Ross Brawn

“The early stages of the race looked encouraging and both drivers were making good progress on the option tires, with Nico fighting among the top three teams and jumping the Ferraris thanks to more strong pit work. We fitted prime tires to both cars at the first stop in order to ensure we could complete a two-stop race – something that would have been marginal if we had run options in the second stint. Nico was driving well but had a big flat spot on his left-front tyre on lap 27, which forced him to pit out of sequence for another set of primes. From that point on, he had to nurse the tires for over half the race distance to the flag. He did this extremely well, climbing back from P14 to P7, but was unable to hold off Alguersuari on the final lap, whose tires were ten laps fresher. As for Michael’s incident, he was driving well, making up positions and minding his own business when somebody simply forgot to brake at turn three. Although we didn’t score points to our full potential today, there were encouraging signs of our competitiveness for the remaining three races of the season, and we will aim to build on this in India – which will be a new adventure for us all.”

Norbert Haug

“Our race started well, with Nico lying fifth after the first round of stops and ahead of both Ferraris, and he had some thrilling battles with Jenson Button, the winner of the last race. The end of Nico’s race was less satisfying. He came in early after flat spotting his front left tyre, had to do a very long third stint and was overtaken on the very last lap courtesy of DRS. Michael drove strongly from 12th on the grid, fighting his way through the field and running ahead of Alonso’s Ferrari when he was taken out by a very optimistic competitor. Our team can take some positives from this weekend as the beginning of the race with heavy fuel loads on the softest tyre looked strong – something we struggled with earlier in the season. Our learning process is certainly guiding us in the right direction, which is one of the targets we set ourselves. Lewis Hamilton’s second place is the 100th podium finish in 105 races for our V8 engine, which has won 34 times in the last 86 races. Well done to all our colleagues at Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines in Brixworth for reaching this milestone.Now we are all looking forward to the inaugural Indian Grand Prix in a fortnight.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS F1 Team Partners with PUMA

PUMA will develop MERCEDES GP PETRONAS licensed products for global sales and distribution

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One Team has announced a new multi-year partnership with lifestyle brand, PUMA.

With effect from 1 January 2012, the global sport lifestyle brand becomes the team’s exclusive licensing partner for footwear, apparel and accessories, and an official Team Partner. The agreement incorporates branding locations for PUMA on the MGP W03, the team’s 2012 race car, and on all race and teamwear products.

Through the new partnership, PUMA will develop MERCEDES GP PETRONAS licensed products for global sales and distribution. A strong emphasis will be placed on sales performance of the range in mature motorsport markets, and as the Formula One race calendar continues to expand into new markets, this sales focus will grow globally.

PUMA will also provide the team with its latest innovations in fireproof racewear for the drivers and pit crew. PUMA’s development of fire retardant technology has helped revolutionise driver racewear by dramatically reducing weight, while maintaining optimal performance in safety and comfort.

Ross Brawn, Team Principal at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS commented: “PUMA has a long and successful heritage in motorsport and, having worked with them previously in Formula One, I know their technical performance innovations for racewear are amongst the best in the industry, which is of course critical to our racing operation. PUMA’s global capability to design, develop and distribute licensed products for fans of the Silver Arrows around the world is equally impressive. This is a key partnership for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS, and one we are delighted to have established.”

Christian Voigt, Senior Head of Global Sports Marketing at PUMA said: “PUMA is fully committed to motorsport for the long term, and signing this partnership with the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team is a major statement for us as a brand. Mercedes-Benz has such a rich heritage in motorsport and MERCEDES GP PETRONAS is an exciting continuation of this story. With such talented drivers and team personnel, it’s clear they are destined for great things in the years to come. Combining our experience in licensed product development and distribution with the brand equity of the team has significant commercial benefits for both parties, and is another strong basis for this new partnership.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS F1: Japanese Grand Prix Results

Jenson Button won the Japanese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel became world champion, Michael Shumacher in 8th

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver Michael Schumacher started Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan in eighth place and made up two places to finish in sixth place and score 8 points. Nico Rosberg worked his way up from 23rd on the grid to finish the race in tenth place scoring him 1 point.

Though Jenson Button was the winner of the Japanese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel clinched enough points to become world champion for the second straight year. As a result, Vettel has earned the title of the youngest ever back-to-back winner. “To win the world championship here is fantastic, and there are so many things I want to say in this moment but it’s hard to remember all of them,” he said.

“I am so thankful to everyone in the team, both here at the track and at Milton Keynes, to be able to fight for the championship and find ourselves in a very strong position. It was great to achieve the goal we set ourselves already, with four races left.”

Vettel has 324 points to Button’s 210, Alonso has 202, Webber 194 and Hamilton’s in fifth with 178. Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher are in seventh and eight place with 63 and 60 points.

Red Bull Racing-Renault have 518 points while McLaren trailes with 388 points in the constructors’ standings, with both teams still in the running for that title. Mercedes is currently in fourth with 123 points.

  • Michael completed a three-stop strategy this afternoon, running option/option/option/prime
  • Nico also completed three stops from his P23 starting position, running prime/option/option/option
  • Of 65 total pit stops today, just nine were under 21 seconds – and five of those were by MERCEDES GP PETRONAS
  • In a race with only one retirement, Michael and Nico gained a total of 15 places from their grid positions
  • Today’s race was the fourth consecutive Grand Prix which has featured a Safety Car deployment
Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Michael Schumacher 7 MGP W02 / 09 P6 1:37.916
Nico Rosberg 8 MGP W02 / 07 P10 1:36.614
Weather Warm and sunny
Temperatures Air: 23-24°C Track: 25-35°C

Michael Schumacher

“I’m very happy with what we achieved in Suzuka today as we maximised our potential of the car, and managed to put in a good race. The team did a great job the whole weekend in finding performance and transforming it into the race. I think there was not more to expect and achieve. The pit stops were perfectly timed and everything worked out according to plan. I would like to congratulate Sebastian and his team who have been exceptional the whole year. It is extremely emotional to see him win the Championship again – I am very happy for him and even a little bit proud.”

Nico Rosberg

“I’m pleased to score a point today and had fun out there with a few nice overtaking manoeuvres. This is definitely one of the toughest tracks for overtaking so starting from the back of the grid meant that I had a pretty tough job. Before the race, I hoped to achieve between eighth and 10th places and, whilst it would have been nice to be a bit higher, it’s still a decent result. Thanks to the team for a good strategy and great pit stops today. After this complicated weekend, I hope to have a more normal weekend in Korea and fight in our usual position. And finally, Sebastian, congratulations: you deserve the title.”

Ross Brawn

“We made the absolute most of the car and opportunities we had at our disposal today. The car performed well throughout the race, our strategies were right for both cars, and the pit crew produced fantastic stops – we have performed strongly all year in the pits, and today our stops won us places, particularly for Nico during the Safety Car period when he jumped two cars. Michael and Nico both delivered great performances in the cockpit, passing cleanly when they needed to and defending strongly. Overall, I think it was a very exciting race and a fitting Grand Prix in which to crown a new World Champion. Congratulations to Sebastian and Red Bull Racing on his second World Championship – he has driven impeccably all year, and together they have set the standards we must now aim for and exceed.”

Norbert Haug

“Michael and Nico both delivered strong races this afternoon and quite competitive lap times. Michael raced and finished among the top three teams, leading laps during the pit stop cycles, and Nico drove strongly through the field into the points, as we believed he could after qualifying yesterday, even starting from P23. Compliments to our pit stop and strategy crew as well, who played a key role in our team result this afternoon. Congratulations to Jenson Button and McLaren-Mercedes on their victory over the World Champion but, most of all, we take our hats off to Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing – not just for winning the title, but also for defending it with an exceptional level of performance throughout the season.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Italian Grand Prix Results

Michael Schumacher finished the Italian Grand Prix in 5th Place while Nico Rosberg was taken out on the 1st lap

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver Michael Schumacher finished the Italian Grand Prix in fifth place Sunday on the Autodromo di Monza. Starting from eight position, Schumacher had an exciting drive where he made up three places. Sadly, Nico Rosberg’s race came to an early end on lap one as he was hit by another car that had started from 24th position.

  • Michael ran a two-stop soft/soft/medium strategy, stopping on laps 16 and 37, to finish in fifth place
  • Nico’s race ended at the first chicane when he was taken out through no fault of his own in an accident caused by Liuzzi
  • Michael gained four positions on the first lap, taking his season total of places gained on the first lap to 35
  • Michael & Nico will attend the Frankfurt Motor Show on Tuesday to premiere the 2012 DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupe

Michael Schumacher

“It was an exciting race today, both for me and I think for all of our fans, and that is why I am happy. The fighting against Lewis was big fun, and my mirrors seemed to be very small at times. We are both known for driving on the limit, and that is what we did. I had to make my car as wide as a truck, and had to stretch the possible as much as I could, but in the end, as expected, he was still faster. The start was ideal, I held back on purpose at first in order to use the grip perfectly afterwards, and then the left side was all free. To make the most of your possibilities is the maximum possible at times, and that is why I had fun today, especially knowing that there is more to come in the future, with all the support we have from Mercedes.”

Nico Rosberg

“It was a disappointing race for me today in Monza. I had a difficult start on my prime tyres but still managed to gain a place at the first corner, so it was quite good. Then Liuzzi flew like a torpedo over the grass and put me out of the race. It’s a pity because I had a strong strategy and, as Michael’s good result showed, our car was very strong this afternoon.”

Ross Brawn

“A fantastic drive from Michael today, and I’m sure he really enjoyed his racing out there. The boys have done a great job with our starts this year, and Michael was able to get away well and show his race craft in the first part of the race. Then he settled into a really tough battle with the McLarens, particularly Lewis, which was great racing and vintage Michael. We haven’t quite got a car that’s quick enough yet but we are all pleased with Michael’s fifth place today. For Nico, it was a short and not at all sweet afternoon. We had an exciting strategy starting him on the prime tyres, and looking at how those tyres performed on other cars at the beginning of the race, it would have been very interesting to see how it developed. It’s doubly frustrating that he was taken out by a car starting in 24th position. If you get tangled up at the first corner because you are vying for position, that’s racing, but to be swiped out by someone that far back is hard to take. However, we have shown as a team that when we do have the right car, we will be able to compete at the front, and that’s our inspiration for next year.”

Norbert Haug

“A thrilling drive from Michael again today – the first half of the race delivered probably one of the best television shows of the year and I am sure lots of people at home were standing rather than sitting in front of their televisions, which was the case for us on several occasions today. Michael repeated his Spa result today and everybody realised during his drive how committed and hard-fighting he is – it was a joy to watch, and certainly not just for us. It was a shame for Nico to be in the middle of a first-lap shunt at Turn One. With two fresh sets of option tyres available – which none of the top drivers had today – I am sure he would have been in a good position to fight for a strong result. We all are now looking forward to the Singapore night race where we want to consolidate our recent performances from Spa and Monza.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Belgian Grand Prix Results

Michael Schumacher places fifth and Nico Rosberg Sixth at the Belgian Grand Prix on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver Michael Schumacher moved up 19 places at the Belgian Grand Prix on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit on Sunday to finish in fifth.  The Belgian Grand Prix marked the 20th anniversary of Schumacher’s Formula One debut at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit. Nico Rosberg finished in sixth place, after an exceptional start which saw him go from fifth on the grid to leading the race at the end of the first lap before falling back.

  • The team’s fifth and sixth place finishes brought a total of 18 points, our best points score of the season so far
  • Michael ran a three-stop strategy, pitting on laps 4, 13 and 31, running medium/soft/soft/soft
  • Nico ran a two-stop strategy, pitting on laps 11 and 30, running soft/soft/medium

The pair gained a total of 14 positions on the first lap of the race: four for Nico, from fifth to first, and ten for Michael

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Michael Schumacher 7 MGP W02 / 09 P5 1:51.137
Nico Rosberg 8 MGP W02 / 07 P6 1:52.263
Weather Cool & dry
Temperatures Air: 16-17°C Track: 22-27°C

Michael Schumacher

“A wonderful ending to a wonderful weekend here in Spa. I think more than fifth place would not have been possible today but making up 19 places was a good feeling. With all my family, friends and fans here, it was an extra motivation, and I would like to thank all of them for their support. They saw an exciting race with a great strategy from our team. So all in all, for me, there was a lot of emotion and a lot of overtaking today. At the beginning I was a bit afraid that some of the flying parts might hit and damage my car, but I was lucky that nothing happened. After that, I had big fun hunting and making my way forward.”

Nico Rosberg

“I had a great start today and it was a special feeling to be leading the race in a Silver Arrow at this amazing circuit. It was great to see the traffic jam behind me with the Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari cars, but it was hard to realise that we just don’t have the pace to stay at the top. However we have made progress this weekend and today was a good result for the team. I had to push quite hard at the start and in the middle which cost me a little towards the end, which combined with Michael being on the faster soft tyres, meant that I wasn’t able to keep him behind me. Now I’m looking forward to Monza and I’m confident that we can improve further.”

Ross Brawn

“It was a very exciting race for us and nice to remember what it’s like to be at the front again, after Nico’s excellent start and early laps in the lead. Both drivers did a great job this afternoon on quite different strategies. Michael began the race on the medium tyre and got that stint of his race out of the way quickly by stopping on lap four and changing to the soft compound. The Safety Car then worked in his favour by allowing him to catch up to the cars in front, and he was obviously on the better tyre in the final laps when he was catching Nico. It’s a very nice result for him on this anniversary weekend, and especially after starting from dead last. Nico ran a two-stop strategy and, although it was a little marginal with tyre performance at times, he drove an excellent race to sixth place. Towards the end, we told him to trim his fuel: although we had a Safety Car period, one doesn’t use this to save fuel under the current rules because any fuel saved is simply extra weight carried through the rest of the race, and at that point his fuel consumption was on target. In any case, it didn’t cost him a significant amount of lap time, and the decisive factor was that Michael was on the soft tyre at the end while Nico was on the medium, which was around a second a lap slower. Overall, it was a very good team result and our best points score of the season so far.”

Norbert Haug

“A great race from Michael at his 20th anniversary here in Spa. Coming from last to fifth place is excellent and well deserved. Michael drove impeccably and the team had a great strategy in starting with the slower medium tyres to get them out of the way at an early stage. Being in a position to use the softs during his last stint, whilst Nico was on mediums, was crucial for the outcome of their races. Nico had a great start and was leading for a couple of laps but of course the speed of our current package is still not good enough to stay at the top of the field. A satisfying result for the team after the summer break; well done guys. We will try very hard in a fortnight in Monza.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Belgian Grand Prix Free Practice

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team completed two practice sessions in preparation for Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team completed two busy practice sessions today in preparation for Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Conditions were typical of the Ardennes, with numerous showers through the day.

  • The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers completed a total of 74 laps in practice, equivalent to over 515 km running
  • Both drivers ran a selection of development parts during the day, including a modified front wing this afternoon
  • The technical program included evaluations of different downforce levels in the mixed wet-dry conditions

NICO ROSBERG

“It was quite difficult out there today in typical Spa conditions, but we still managed to have two good practice sessions. We learned a few things in both the dry and the wet, and managed to do some tests for both the race and qualifying, so I’m quite positive ahead of tomorrow.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“It was a special feeling to be out on track today for the first practice sessions of this anniversary weekend in Spa. A lot of things have changed here in the past twenty years, but the weather certainly hasn’t! Today was another typical Spa day, with mixed conditions and very little dry running. The conditions meant that we couldn’t do much work on the set-up, although we made the most of the limited time when the circuit was dry. Even so, it will be tricky to find the right set-up compromise for Sunday, because the weather here is always so unpredictable.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We had a very mixed day in terms of weather conditions; however, the team did a good and comprehensive job. We managed to run well in the limited dry windows and learned a lot about the balance of the car in dry conditions. The challenge for Sunday will be whether to favour a wet or dry set-up, so we will need to see how the weather develops tomorrow. We will then focus on what we expect to experience in the race, rather than the qualifying conditions. This is a track which responds very strongly to high downforce in the wet but it can be quite a disadvantage in the dry. Overall, today has seen a good day’s work with the cars functioning well.”

NORBERT HAUG

“It was a typical start to a Spa weekend, just like we’ve known it for many years – partly dry but mostly wet. Both Nico and Michael did quite a lot of laps and our basis for the weekend on this unique and challenging circuit seems not too bad. The forecast predicts rain for tomorrow, so we need to be prepared for a very challenging qualifying session and we want to make sure we get the best possible results out of it.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Belgian Grand Prix Preview

The Formula 1 summer break ends this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix at the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit

The Formula 1 summer break ends this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix at the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, marking the 12th round of the 2011 Formula One World Championship. For Michael Schumacher, the race will mark his 20th anniversary in Formula One, having made his debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix with the Jordan-Ford Team and retiring after the first lap due to clutch problems.

  • During qualifying, DRS can be used on 63% (4.4 km) of the circuit, only Monza has a higher percentage of DRS usage.
  • A total of 80% of the lap distance is spent at full throttle, including for 23.5 seconds from La Source to Les Combes.
  • The Belgian Grand Prix has been won from pole position just twice in the last ten years, in 2002 and 2007.

Spa-Francorchamps Circuit Information

  • Race Date: August 28, 2011
  • Circuit Name: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
  • Number of Laps: 44
  • Circuit Length: 7.004 km (4.35 miles)
  • Race Distance: 308.052 km (191.4 miles)
  • Lap Record: 1:45.108 – K Raikkonen (2004)

Michael Schumacher

“The race in Spa will certainly have a special touch to it this time, as this is where I drove my first ever Formula 1 race 20 years ago. It is hard to believe that this is back such a long time. A lot has changed in those 20 years, but one thing has not: the track still is sensational. I just love this great nature and the resulting layout with all the ups and downs. To me, Spa remains my ‘living room’, because it has been the stage for so many things which have been remarkable for my sporting career. This is why this time I would like to specifically send a big thank you to all my fans for their loyalty and support, that I was happy to receive given in those 20 years and also since my comeback. Talking about the sporting side prior to Spa, we are all returning from the summer break with fresh motivation and energy and will try to set an exclamation mark to the Belgian GP.”

Nico Rosberg

“Spa is probably one of my two favourite circuits on the Formula One calendar, along with Suzuka in Japan. It’s not only one of the most challenging tracks that we race at, but it’s also great fun to drive a Formula One car there. The circuit layout has many high-speed areas so it should suit our car well. It’s been nice to have a short break over the last few weeks and to spend time relaxing with my family and friends, but it will also be good to get back into the racing rhythm again this weekend. I know that the guys at the factory have also enjoyed the break, and that we will all be pushing hard from now until the end of the season to get the best possible results.”

Ross Brawn, Team Principal

“After the summer break, everyone is looking forward to the second half of the season getting underway in Belgium this weekend. Spa is one of those tracks which are universally loved by drivers and fans, and the racing is always thrilling, usually helped by a large dose of inclement weather. It’s a truly classic circuit, and the fast, sweeping corners make it a great venue to watch the cars in action. With the two-week shutdown, there has been limited opportunity to develop the car since the last two races in Germany and Hungary, a situation which of course applies to everyone. However, we will be working hard to make the most of the weekend, and look forward to an exciting countdown to the end of the season. Congratulations to Michael who marks his 20th anniversary in Formula One this weekend. It has been an honour and a privilege to work so closely with him for 17 of those 20 years, and I look forward to more good times ahead together.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

“It is always a pleasure to visit Spa-Francorchamps. This is one of the classic circuits and a true link back to the road racing history of Formula One. There is little left to say about the track itself – it offers a complete challenge to the car and engine, with some of the slowest and fastest corners of the season, plus the longest full-throttle period of the year at over 23 seconds, which is the reason why we dyno-test our engines using Spa simulation runs. Our team members have been able to recharge their batteries during the mandatory shutdown period, and we will head to Spa fully motivated for the final part of the season. It will be a special weekend for Michael, who will mark the twentieth anniversary of his Formula One debut this weekend, which is an outstanding and remarkable achievement. The races at Spa have historically been full of surprises and the weather has mostly played a major role. The layout of the circuit should suit our current technical package a little bit better than was the case at the previous two races.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: 2011 German Grand Prix Results

Rosberg and Schumacher finished the German Grand Prix in 7th and 8th positions Sunday on the Nürburgring circuit

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished their home race in seventh and eighth positions Sunday as a chilly Nürburgring circuit hosted the 2011 German Grand Prix.

Nico completed three stops today, on laps 14, 36, 53, running option/option/option/prime while Michael completed three stops, on laps 15, 37, 56, running option/option/option/prime. Michael’s spin on lap 23 cost him over 15 seconds before he began his recovery drive to eight place.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS scored a total of ten points, equally the points haul from the last race at Silverstone.

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Nico Rosberg 8 MGP W02 / 07 P7 1:36.181
Michael Schumacher 7 MGP W02 / 09 P8 1:35.628
Weather Cool & overcast
Temperatures Air: 13-14°C Track: 14-19°C

Nico Rosberg

“I had a good start to the race today and made up one position on the first lap to be running in fifth place. However I didn’t have a perfect set-up today and the car wasn’t working quite as well as in qualifying. I had some good battles with Massa but despite pushing hard, it was impossible to keep him behind me. Seventh place is ok but we know that we have some work to do to maximise our latest upgrades in the race. I have a great team behind me, both the engineers and the boys in the garage, so I am confident that we will do this and we will see what happens next week in Hungary.”

Michael Schumacher

“It was a pretty exciting race today with lots of action for both the spectators and the drivers. Hopefully everyone in the grandstands was entertained and it made up for the cold temperatures a little. My spin caught me by complete surprise, but that spot is known to be tricky in wet conditions, even if the conditions were not so wet today. Anyway, it obviously cost me some positions which was a shame. Towards the end, rain could have helped but the chances were low so I did not count on it. All in all, I am ok with the race. With the little improvements we have made, we can look forward to Hungary now.”

Ross Brawn

“Things looked pretty good for us in the early stages of the race, with Nico running strongly in the top six, and he seemed set for a top six finish. However, the pace was not there in the third stint, which cost him a position. As for Michael, we believe that he braked on a damp patch on the way into turn 10, which caused him to spin. After that, he drove a strong recovery to finish less than ten seconds behind Nico. We saw some good racing all through the field today, with our drivers involved in plenty of it, and scored a few more important points for our Championship position.”

Norbert Haug

“At least we scored points with seventh and eighth positions for Nico and Michael. Our race speed was somewhat compromised as both Nico and Michael needed to save fuel for quite a long period of time. At the beginning of the race, our speed looked better relative to the pace of the top three teams than it did from one-third distance onwards.”

2011 Formula 1 Mid-Season Rule Change Review

The 2011 F1 season welcomed several rule changes, including but not limited to, the implementation of the Drag Reduction System

The 2011 F1 season welcomed a plethora of major rule changes, including but not limited to, the implementation of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) as well as the introduction of Pirelli tires. TV viewership is up worldwide making the changes appear to have made a positive impact.  What hasn’t been considered is the effect that all of the new regulations have had on the races and drivers themselves.

Now that it is mid-season, we have a look at the facts from the track.

How many overtaking manoeuvres have been made in the first nine races?

The raw total of overtaking manoeuvres during the first nine races is 623, including moves between team-mates, and passes by faster cars on the bottom three teams. This doesn’t include overtakes on the first lap or passes made because of damage.

What is the breakdown of overtaking manoeuvres?

Of the 623 passes, 175 were by faster cars on the bottom three teams and 43 were between team-mates. There have been 180 DRS-assisted passing moves, and 225 ‘normal’ (i.e. non-DRS) passes.

Which races have seen the most passing?

The top three races, using raw totals, were Montreal (136 passes), Istanbul (123 passes) and Shanghai (97 passes). The fewest were Monaco (22 passes), Silverstone (29 passes) and Melbourne (30 passes). Interestingly, the race in Valencia featured 44 passes – twice as many as in Monaco. Of these, 16 occurred in the first DRS zone and six in the second.

What has been the influence of DRS on overtaking?

DRS has accounted for 29% of passing manoeuvres in 2011. DRS passes have outnumbered normal passes at four races: Shanghai (33% of total), Istanbul (41% of total), Barcelona (35%) and Valencia (50%). The highest number of DRS passes was at Istanbul (50), followed by Shanghai (31) and Barcelona (29). The fewest were in Monaco (2), Melbourne (5) and Silverstone (6).

What has been the balance between DRS passes and normal passes?

The race in which DRS passes outweighed normal passes to the greatest extent was Valencia: 50% of passes were DRS-enabled, compared to 11% of normal moves. The race at which normal passes outweighed DRS moves to the greatest extent was Monaco, with 64% of normal moves compared to 9% of DRS moves. The next most extreme was Silverstone, with 55% of normal moves compared to 21% of DRS-assisted passes.

How much passing has been done on the first lap?

Although it could be argued that the new rules have diminished the importance of track position in the early stages of the race, a good first lap remains an important asset. Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher have only lost position on the first lap on three occasions between them this season (excluding the damage Michael sustained on lap one in Australia). Michael has made up three or more places on the first lap on four occasions; the best of these was a gain of five places on lap one in China.

How have the tyres affected the racing?

From all of the normal passes, just over 55% occurred when the difference in tyre age between the two cars was less than five laps, and 45% when it was more than five laps. Of the 180 DRS moves, 52% had tyre age difference of less than five laps, and 48% when it was more than five laps. The race where the difference in tyre age had the biggest impact was Barcelona, where ‘old’ tyres accounted for 69% of passes. The least influential races were the wet events in Montreal and Silverstone.

How many pit-stops have there been in 2011?

In nine races, there have been a total of 560 pit stops (this raw total includes penalties). Of these, 11 have been drive-through penalties and four have been ten-second stop-go penalties. The race with the highest number of stops was Istanbul (82 stops), followed by Barcelona (77 stops) and Montreal (76 stops). The fewest number of stops were in Monaco (43), Melbourne (46) and Silverstone (54). Two races have seen no penalties served – Barcelona and Valencia. The highest number of penalties was in Montreal, with four drive-through penalties.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2011 European Grand Prix Free Practice

Nico and Michael ran a total of 111 laps today, focused primarily on race preparation and tire evaluation

The 2011 European Grand Prix weekend began today at the Valencia Street Circuit with two uninterrupted and busy practice sessions, held in warm but overcast conditions. Both MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers ended the day in the top ten after P2.

  • Nico and Michael ran a total of 111 laps today: this equates to 601 km, just three laps short of two race distances.
  • The drivers focused primarily on race preparation and tyre evaluation during both practice sessions.
  • Today’s fastest time of 1:37.968s was 1.3 seconds quicker than the fastest Friday time from 2010.

Nico Rosberg

“We had a bit of a tricky morning: it was clear that we had to change some things on the set-up but we managed to improve the car for this afternoon. It was important to learn as much as possible today but I am still not completely happy with the balance we have at the moment. There are a few new things to adapt to this weekend, such as the new engine mapping regulation for example, and that makes it a little more challenging. We have work to do this evening, but I am positive that we will make a good start to the qualifying day tomorrow.”

Michael Schumacher

“We had a typical Friday practice situation, running through different set-up possibilities and variations. As usual on Friday, our focus was more on the long runs, and all in all I am very happy because we managed to do a lot of work. In the morning session we still had some issues to sort out, and in the afternoon we just worked consistently on our car. All of us are aware, though, that under normal circumstances we will not yet be strong enough to fight for the podium, and will most likely find ourselves starting around the fourth row. But as we managed to complete our programme in a good way, I am still taking a positive feeling out of today’s practice.”

Ross Brawn

“We had two pretty reasonable sessions today and certainly improved the car from the morning to the afternoon. We focused on race preparation work, along with looking at how the tyres behave here – they seem to be quite consistent on initial evaluation. There are some areas where we need to try and improve before Sunday, but overall I think we have a good base to work from going into the weekend.”

Norbert Haug

“It was a solid first day on this untypical but nevertheless challenging street circuit in Valencia. We completed lots of laps and Michael’s time for fourth place was respectable. Nico and his engineers still have more work to do with the set-up of the car, but I am sure the guys will work hard to get an improved base for tomorrow. Our long runs with the soft tyre in race conditions showed lap times which were quite consistent but not fast enough to challenge the top three teams. We will try to make further improvements before tomorrow.”

Valencia Race Info:

  • Race Date: 26 Jun 2011
  • Circuit Name: Valencia Street Circuit
  • Number of Laps: 57
  • Circuit Length: 5.419 km
  • Race Distance: 308.883 km
  • Lap Record: 1:38.683 – T Glock (2009)

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Canadian Grand Prix Race Results

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver, Michael Schumacher finished the Canadian Grand Prix just of the podium in fourth place

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.
Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Michael Schumacher 7 MGP W02 / 09 P4 1:19.138
Nico Rosberg 8 MGP W02 / 07 P11 1:20.071
Weather Wet
Temperatures Air: 18-19°C Track: 15-20°C

Michael Schumacher

“I am leaving this race with one eye laughing and one eye crying, as I am not sure if I should be excited or sad about it. Having been in second place towards the end, I would obviously have loved to finish there and be on the podium again. But even if it did not work out in the very end, we can be happy about the result and the big fight we put in. A good strategy after the red flag made it possible, and I am very happy for our team. I would also like to send a big compliment out to the spectators who stayed with us in those difficult circumstances for so long and even cheered us up. That was impressive, and I am glad that I could play my part in entertaining them.”

Nico Rosberg

“It was a very demanding race this afternoon. In general, everything was okay with my car and, at the end, I was up there in the points but I made a mistake at the hairpin on lap 66. I was trying to overtake Kobayashi and was very close behind him in turn 10; he slowed when I didn’t expect it, I hit the back of him and damaged my front wing, which then came off on the last lap. The same thing had happened to me, but in reverse, when Sutil hit me. I could perhaps have been a little more aggressive with some of my stops today, pitting a little earlier, but it’s always difficult to judge the risk. Although my result was not so good, I’m sure it was an exciting race for the fans in front of the TV. We have some positives to take from this weekend, and we will look to give a strong performance next time in Valencia.”

Ross Brawn

“After our intermediate tyre strategy during the first part of the race didn’t work out, we were looking a little stranded in 11th and 12th positions when the race was red flagged, but we recovered the situation well. Michael stopped for intermediate tyres on lap 34 when the Safety Car came in, which enabled him to gain a number of positions, and Nico did the same two laps later. It was a thrilling race and Michael drove beautifully in the second part; he did a strong job on the intermediates and the option tyres, but was unable to hold off Jenson and Mark’s faster cars, particularly when they had the use of DRS. Even so, it was a fantastic drive to climb eight places and finish fourth. Nico had a more difficult time: he got hit by Sutil, but climbed back from that and looked set for a solid points finish until he lost his damaged front wing on the final lap which left him in 11th place. Overall, it was an exciting and extremely challenging but ultimately positive race for our team.”

Norbert Haug

“This wasn’t just a Grand Prix – it was like an action movie. First of all, congratulations to Jenson and McLaren Mercedes for coming from last to first position and posting the 75th win with a Mercedes engine since our first victory in the modern era at Melbourne in 1997. Michael drove at his best today; he ran second for a long time and he was the fastest man in the field on intermediates. He ultimately finished fourth, just 0.3s from the podium, which is a very respectable result. The team worked very hard over the weekend and Michael extracted everything possible from the car; our sincere compliments to him for this drive. Nico was hit from behind on the restart after the red flag, and would have brought his slightly damaged car home in the points until, after contact, he lost his front wing on the last lap. Michael’s result is a good reward for our team’s hard work in the past weeks and we will build on it. His drive contributed a lot to a remarkable race, which gave fantastic entertainment to the spectators here in Montreal who waited so long for the restart, as much as for the television viewers worldwide. This was motor racing at its best.”

Mercedes-Benz History – A Look at the W 196 Cockpit

Today's F1 driver sits virtually horizontal in his Silver Arrow, his 1950's counterpart would have sat upright behind the wheel

Steering, changing gear, pushing buttons – Nico and Michael had to make over 200 inputs per lap during the Monaco Grand Prix while negotiating their way through the narrow streets of the principality. But what did a Silver Arrow cockpit look like in the early years of the Formula One World Championship?

Back in 1955, as many as four Mercedes-Benz drivers took the wheel of the Mercedes W 196 for the Monaco Grand Prix. Alongside Juan Manuel Fangio were André Simon, Hans Herrmann and Stirling Moss. Fangio was the fastest man on the street circuit, taking pole position and setting the fastest lap of the race.

While today’s Formula One driver sits virtually horizontal in his Silver Arrow, his 1950s counterpart would have sat upright behind the wheel, pretty much as if on the living room sofa. His legs were spread wide to reach the pedals positioned on the far left (clutch) and far right (accelerator, brake) of the substantial transmission tunnel. The seat consisted of various upholstered elements which could be individually tailored to each driver – not quite the moulded carbon bucket they get now!

Initially, the fabric came in a blue, yellow and orange check pattern, but over the years, this gave way to green and red checks. Incidentally, MERCEDES GP PETRONAS revived the traditional check pattern for the 2010 team presentation in Stuttgart. Likewise the name – the ‘W’ in MGP W01 and MGP W02 stands for ‘Wagen’ (the German word for ‘car’) just as with previous Silver Arrows.

The W 196 had a compact steering gear with a Daimler-Benz worm-and-wheel unit. This was mounted on top of the frame. The lack of a push rod meant that the steering axis was relatively long. Steering motion was transferred in the ratio 12.65 to 1. The steering wheel had four spokes (only Stirling Moss used a three-spoke steering wheel, purpose built by Mercedes) and a wood-clad aluminium core.

The focal point of the dashboard (somewhat Spartan by modern standards) was the rev counter, where the red zone began at 8,750 revs. Apart from that, there were only two or three analogue displays to update the driver on the temperatures of the main systems – that was basically it. The W 196 had none of the 32 individual functions incorporated into the steering wheel of a modern MGP W02.

You would also look in vain for KERS, DRS and an adjustable differential in the W 196, but there were still some very clever systems: in those days, the driver could manually adjust his suspension halfway through the race to improve ride and handling. To do this, he would reduce oil pressure in the shock absorbers, thereby reducing the harshness of the ride as well as readjusting the wheel camber. This helped to keep the handling consistent as the fuel load became lighter.

Source: MERCEDES GP PETRONAS

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Monte Carlo Grand Prix Free Practice

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished Monaco Grand Prix Practice in 3rd and 7th

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished their practice session for the Monaco Grand Prix which took them around the streets of Monte Carlo. After the practice, Rosberg and Schumacher ended in third and seventh places respectively.

  • The team’s focus today was on set-up development and comparisons of the soft and super soft Pirelli tyre compounds
  • Michael had a small accident going into turn one in the closing minutes of P1 which ended his session early
  • Following excellent work from the team, he was able to complete 33 laps in P2
  • Both drivers placed in the top ten in both sessions today; Nico completed 64 laps while Michael totaled 47 laps

Nico Rosberg

“It’s great to be on the track again here in Monaco. I felt very comfortable from the beginning and we did quite a good job on the set-up. It can be difficult here to find the right settings as you have to put a lot of things together such as brake balance and tyre degradation, but we had a decent day and I’m happy with our start into the weekend. The tyres are not as bad as we expected and the degradation will be quite low, so pole position will be a bit more important than I expected before today.”

Michael Schumacher

“Our gap to the front seems to be less here than in Barcelona. With my crash this morning, we had made a set-up change for the run and I locked up braking for turn one. After that, my decision to go down the escape road was too late, which is why I hit the barrier. The mechanics did a super job and the car this afternoon was just as quick as this morning. What Nico showed in terms of one-lap pace looks good, and our long runs were also quite reasonable.

Ross Brawn

“We had a productive day with lots of good work achieved. The team recovered extremely well from Michael’s incident this morning, and gave him a good car for the afternoon session. We worked on high and low fuels levels with the two tyre compounds, and the tyres seemed to hold up reasonably well, probably better than we expected, which will be taken into account for Sunday’s race. Overall, today was a good start to our Monaco weekend.”

Norbert Haug

“We had a productive first day here in Monaco with Nico and Michael posting good lap times compared to our competitors. Certainly we have made a much better start to the weekend than one week ago in Barcelona. Michael had a little off in the first session and the team did a great job to repair the car by shortly after the start of the afternoon session, so that Michael was still able to complete 33 laps. Our plan is to make another step on Saturday and hopefully we can qualify both cars in a good position for the race on Sunday.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: 2011 F1 Spanish Grand Prix Results

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

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.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2011 Spanish Grand Prix Preview

The Spanish Grand Prix starts on Sunday, May 22 at the Circuit de Catalunya outside Barcelona

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: F1 2011 Turkish Grand Prix Race Results

Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished the Turkish Grand Prix in fifth and twelfth places Sunday

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.

Drivers
Car No.
Chassis No.
Race Result / Fastest Lap
Nico Rosberg
8
MGP W02 / 07
P5 1:30.573
Michael Schumacher
7
MGP W02 / 01
P12 1:31.153
Weather
Cool but sunny conditions, dry
Temperatures
Air: 16-17°C
Track: 31-35°C

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.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2011 Turkish Grand Prix Practice

Morning rain saw the teams using Pirelli wet tyres throughout P1 before the track dried out sufficiently for slicks in P2

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
Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Practice 1 Practice 2
Nico Rosberg 8 MGP W02 / 07 14 laps 1:40.072 P2 29 laps 1:26.521 P2
Michael Schumacher 7 MGP W02 / 01 18 laps 1:40.132 P3 21 laps 1:27.063 P4
Weather Wet in P1 & Dry in P2
Temperatures Air: 10-14°C Track: 11-24°C

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: F1 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix Race Results

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg finished in 9th and 12th positions

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.

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Michael Schumacher 3 MGP W02 / 01 P9 1:42.491
Nico Rosberg 4 MGP W02 / 03 P12 1:41.778
Weather Hot and humid
Temperatures Air: 28°C Track: 28-31°C

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.”