The watch and jewellery company THOMAS SABO headquartered in Lauf an der Pregnitz will become a partner of Mercedes-Benz in the DTM. 30 year-old Briton Gary Paffett, DTM champion in 2005, will enter his eighth DTM season at the wheel of the THOMAS SABO AMG Mercedes C-Class in 2011.

Paffett started his DTM career with Mercedes-Benz in 2003 and graduated to a new C-Class for his second season. The Englishman has scored a total of 17 DTM victories out of 70 races (more than any other active DTM driver), finished three times as runner-up in the championship (2004, 2009 and 2010) and won the title in 2005. He has also been a test driver for the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team since 2006.

Thomas Sabo founded his eponymous jewellery company in 1984. Since then, it has developed into a strong, internationally recognised brand. The lifestyle label is also a personal sponsor of the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula 1 driver Nico Rosberg.

Gary Paffett: “Racing with THOMAS SABO as the new title sponsor on my AMG Mercedes C-Class is a real pleasure for me and, above all, it gives me a few brownie points with my wife before a wheel has even turned in the new DTM season! THOMAS SABO is also a fashionable brand in the UK. I think it’s a great move by the company’s management to fly the flag and compete in the DTM. The 2011 DTM season brings new challenges, most notably with a new tyre partner in Hankook. Our tests with the new tyres were promising and I am fully motivated to start the new season with our new partner. My target, if possible, is to improve by one position over last year.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “We are very pleased to welcome such a renowned new title sponsor as THOMAS SABO to our team and to the DTM. The THOMAS SABO brand perfectly matches the dynamic lifestyle of motorsport and the DTM. THOMAS SABO and Mercedes-Benz Motorsport will share the DTM stage and we want to be present in an enthusiastic way on and around the racetrack. With Gary Paffett, one of the best established drivers, and the most successful of the current DTM, sits behind the wheel of the new THOMAS SABO Mercedes C-Class. The combination of Gary Paffett-THOMAS SABO-Mercedes-Benz aims to compete with the best in the DTM.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Unique vehicle concept for maximum driving dynamics

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

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

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

Double-clutch transmission and ceramic composite brake system

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

Aerodynamically optimised roof light bar incorporating LED technology

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

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

Practical interior with AMG sports bucket seats

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

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

New C 63 AMG Estate as the Official F1 Medical Car

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

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

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

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

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

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

Plenty of space in the boot for emergency equipment

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

AMG Performance Studio responsible for development

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

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

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

All AMG Safety Cars at a glance

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

All AMG Medical Cars at a glance

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

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

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

Michael Schumacher

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

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

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

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

Nico Rosberg

Are you looking forward to the trip to Australia?

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

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

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

Ross Brawn, Team Principal

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

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

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

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

Norbert Haug, Vice-President – Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

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

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

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

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

Additional powers for the stewards

Sporting Regulations, Article 16.3

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

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

Stricter driving standards

Sporting Regulations, Article 20

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

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

Enhanced pit lane safety

Sporting Regulations, Article 23

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

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

Tyres

Sporting Regulations, Article 25

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

Gearbox life

Sporting Regulations, Article 28.6

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

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

Curfew for team personnel

Sporting Regulations, Article 30.19

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

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

The return of the 107% rule

Sporting Regulations, Article 36.3

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

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

Driver adjustable bodywork

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

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

Car weight & weight distribution

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

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

KERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TIMES

Barcelona Test – Day Two

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TIMES

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

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

Day 1

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

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

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

Day 2

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

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

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

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

Day 3

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

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

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

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

Day 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bob Bell Biography

Nationality: British

Date of birth: April 10, 1958

Place of birth: County Down, UK

Lives: South Warwickshire, UK

Marital status: Separated

Hobbies: Motorcycling, Hill Walking, Appreciating the Arts

Work:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TIMES

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

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

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

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

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

Michael Schumacher

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

Nico Rosberg

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

Ross Brawn, Team Principal

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

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

Norbert Haug, Vice-President – Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

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

Mercedes-Benz Stats (including customer teams)

Yas Marina Circuit Stats

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

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

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

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

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

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

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

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

Is this season as strategically challenging as the last?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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