MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Japanese Grand Prix Results

Michael Schumacher finished the Japanese Grand Prix in the points today after a good start from 10th position on the grid

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Japanese Grand Prix Free Practice

The first practice sessions for the 2010 Japanese Grand Prix got underway today at the Suzuka circuit in dry and warm conditions

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

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Japanese Grand Prix Preview

After finishing 5th and 13th in Singapore, Nico and Michael look forward to the Suzuka Circuit in Japan

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Singapore Grand Prix Race Results

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver Nico Rosberg finishing with a strong drive to take fifth place at the Singapore Grand Prix

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix Preview

Formula One's night race in Singapore has proved to be a fantastic occasion enjoyed by drivers

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

Mercedes-Benz Stats (including customer teams)

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

Marina Bay Circuit Stats

  • Circuit Length:5.073 km
  • Race Distance:309.316 km
  • Number of Laps:61
  • Full Throttle:48%Brake Wear:High
  • Tyre Compounds:Super Soft/MediumDownforce Level:High 10/10
  • Tyre Usage:Medium Average Speed:189kph (117mph)

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 Monza Race Results

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver's Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher achieved a double-points finish fat the Italian Grand Prix

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

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2010 Belgian Grand Prix Preview

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team is headed to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, located in the forests of the Ardennes

After the summer break for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS teammates, Formula One returns to action next week with Round 13 of the 2010 World Championship.  The Belgian Grand Prix will be held at Spa-Francorchamps, located in the forests of the Ardennes.  The Spa circuit has been shortened over the years but retains much of its original character and is the longest track on the calendar at 7.004 km.

NICO ROSBERG

“It’s been nice to have a short break but it will be good to start racing again next weekend. Spa is definitely up there as one of my favourite circuits and it’s one of the most challenging tracks that we race on. The lap is very high-speed with some great corners, including Eau Rouge of course, and it’s just a great place to drive a Formula One car. The last race in Hungary was difficult for us but I know that everyone at the factory has been working hard since the shutdown and we hope to have a better weekend in Spa.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Spa has always been my favourite racetrack and so for that reason alone, I am really looking forward to going back and racing there. It has been ages since I have last been there. Our weekend will obviously be handicapped by my grid penalty and consequently it will be difficult to expect special things from the race. On the other hand, every racing kilometre is important and welcome because we can learn from it with regards to our car. I will definitely try to make the best out of the weekend.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The summer shutdown has been a well-deserved opportunity for our staff to have a break in the middle of the season but we are all looking forward to the racing getting underway again with the Belgian Grand Prix next weekend. Spa is one of the classic racing circuits on the calendar which is loved by drivers, engineers and fans so it is always one of the highlights of the year. The circuit is dominated by straights at the start and end of the lap with a twisty middle section and the drivers love the fast sweeping corners, including the legendary Eau Rouge. With the shutdown, we have had limited time to work on the car since Hungary, however we will do our best to have a good weekend in Spa to kick-off the final run of seven races to the end of the season.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Spa is a classic race in the Formula One season and I am sure everybody in the paddock as well as the media and the spectators worldwide are looking forward to this special Grand Prix which is run partly on narrow public roads that are used for daily traffic throughout the year. Our team will be focused on achieving respectable results for Michael and Nico.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix Race Results

Michael Schumacher finished the Hungarian Grand Prix in 11th today whilst Nico Rosberg retired following a pit stop incident

Michael Schumacher finished the Hungarian Grand Prix in 11th place today whilst Nico Rosberg retired following a pit stop incident.

Nico lost a position at the start and was running in seventh place when he came into the pits on lap 16 following the deployment of the safety car. A problem with the nut on the right rear wheel saw the wheel come loose as Nico went down the pitlane and led to his retirement. With Michael following quickly into the pits, the incident had an impact on his stop, costing valuable track time and despite a battle for tenth place, he ultimately finished outside of the points.

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Today’s race was probably was one of the toughest that I have had so far. It was pretty edgy to drive the car on the limit so I had to fight my way through the race, and at the end, it was like walking on ice. Regarding the overtaking manoeuvre with Rubens, I indicated pretty early that I would move towards the inside and not simply give up the line, and there was just enough space for him to pass me without touching each other. It was a hard fight, and this is what we are here for, but I accept that the FIA stewards saw it as too hard. I look forward to the break now and to coming back out of it stronger in Spa.”

NICO ROSBERG

“It was a disappointing end to a difficult weekend today. I didn’t have a good start because I was on the dirty side and I was struggling to find the pace to keep up with Petrov, so it would have been tough to make up much ground. We needed to have a good pit stop to stay ahead of Kubica but unfortunately we had the problem with the right rear wheel. It’s disappointing to have my first retirement of the season but these things happen and we will learn from the experience. After I heard that my tyre hit big Nige, one of my old Williams truckies, I was more concerned about my tyre than him! But seriously, it’s great that he doesn’t have any serious injures and I’m sorry for the incident. We’ll come back in Spa ready to do better.”

ROSS BRAWN

“Today was very disappointing for the team but sometimes these experiences happen and it is important that we learn from them. Nico and Michael struggled with their starts from the dirty side of the grid and it certainly cost Nico a place. The early safety car brought everyone in for their pit stops with our drivers due in quick succession. We had a problem with the right rear wheel during Nico’s stop and his car was sent without the wheel nut being properly fitted. We will have a thorough investigation into the incident and report our conclusions to the FIA. We are thankful that no serious harm was caused by the stray wheel and send our best wishes to the Williams mechanic who was unfortunately injured. Michael’s stop followed just under five seconds later and he was held whilst we sorted out the problem to ensure there was not a reoccurrence. This cost him a lot of track time at a crucial point and he came out down the field. Michael and Rubens had a tough battle in the closing laps which the stewards ultimately felt was too tough. We don’t necessarily agree with their decision but we do accept the penalty. It’s been a tough weekend but we will go away, lick our wounds and come back stronger at the next few races.”

NORBERT HAUG

“A very disappointing result for our team. Nico and Michael were not able to score points due to problems during their pit stops. Thankfully the mechanic who was hit by the tyre was quickly released from his check-up in the medical centre and our apologies to him and the Williams team. Our pace was not great but we should have scored points which ultimately, due to the above mentioned problems, we did not. We now have a well deserved summer break for our hard-working team and we will try to do better in Spa.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying

Performances from Rosberg saw him qualify in 6th and Schumacher in 14th for Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest

A strong performance from Nico Rosberg today saw him qualify in sixth place for Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest. Team-mate Michael Schumacher had a more difficult session and qualified in 14th position.

Nico was competing towards the front throughout the three qualifying sessions and his final lap in Q3 was good enough to line up on the third row of the grid. Michael struggled more with the set-up of his car and did not progress beyond Q2.

NICO ROSBERG

“I’m pleased to be starting from sixth place as we didn’t think we would be that far forward today, so it’s an unexpected and pleasant surprise. We are a long way from the front which is a concern but we took everything that we could from today and I am happy with our performance. We did a very good job with the set-up which meant we could get the best out of the car. Hopefully I can have a good start and our aim as always is to make up a few more places and get some decent points again.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Obviously qualifying was not ideal for us today. After yesterday’s performance, we purposely went for a different set-up which was supposed to tell us more about the car and was targeted more towards the race. It seemed to be reasonable this morning but as the track became hotter in qualifying, it went against us. Our set-up should work better in the race although starting from 14th place does not make it easy. Being on the dirty side of the starting grid does not specifically help, but I will certainly try again to have a good start tomorrow. And from then on we will have to see how the race develops.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We’ve had a challenging weekend with the cars here so far. We did make some progress this morning prior to qualifying and clearly we got the car to suit Nico and he did an excellent job this afternoon. However we didn’t find the right solutions for Michael which was not helped by some vibration problems on his last set of tyres in Q2. I must compliment Nico on a great job and achieving a strong starting position which is as good as we could have hoped given the performance of the car.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Nico and our team did the maximum they could and achieved the best possible result for us today. Sixth place on the dirty side of the track with less grip is not the ideal place for a good start, but our result could have been worse after we faced some problems in finding the right set-up direction for the cars yesterday. Well done to the team for the recovery. Michael tried a different set-up solution which did not work out in the end. A week at Hockenheim, he was eight-thousands of a second slower than Nico and here the margin is much bigger so we just did not get it right.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix Practice

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver Schumacher completed 57 laps and finished the day in 10th with Rosberg covering 53 laps in 13th

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver’s Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher were in Budapest for the first two practice sessions on the Hungaroring ahead of Sunday’s Hungarian Grand Prix. With their MGP W01 cars running with a revised aerodynamic package for this race, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg concentrated on developing the set-up and balance, with a particular focus on race preparation.

Michael completed 57 laps and finished the day in 10th position with Nico covering 53 laps in 13th place.

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Practice 1 Practice 2
Michael Schumacher 3 MGP W01 / 02 26 laps 1:22.792 P9 31 laps 1:21.773 P10
Nico Rosberg 4 MGP W01 / 04 25 laps 1:22.777 P8 28 laps 1:22.039 P13
Weather Warm
Temperatures Air: 22-25°C Track: 29-40°C


MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Today we saw two sessions where neither the long runs nor the single laps were looking particularly good. We are not up to the speed that we normally are on Fridays and unfortunately our car does not look very good here at the moment. We have to look deeply into the data now to see if there are any specific reasons or if it is due to the character of the circuit. I think our specification is better than we had at Silverstone but we have to make it suit this track. We obviously hope for a better performance tomorrow and Sunday.”

NICO ROSBERG

“It was an interesting day and even though we have taken a small step back with our upgrades, the car seems to work as it should. The track was unexpectedly fast so we had to do some different things with the set-up just to get a feel for it. My lap time wasn’t particularly representative as I didn’t set a time because of the traffic so I think we look to be in our general position behind the frontrunners at the moment. ”

ROSS BRAWN

“We had a busy day working with our revised aero package to find the right direction for qualifying and particularly the race. Both drivers completed some good set-up work but Nico and particularly Michael are not completely happy with our position at the end of today. We have a fairly clear picture of where we expect the prime and option tyres to be positioned for qualifying and the race but we have a lot of work ahead this evening to improve the cars for tomorrow.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Not a perfect first day of practice for us and there is certainly still work to be done tonight in order to improve the set-up of our cars. If the forecast is correct for tomorrow, there is a chance of thunderstorms around lunchtime which could possibly create an exiting qualifying session.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix Preview

Team MERCEDES GP PETRONAS is headed to the Hungaroring in Budapest for the 2010 Hungarian Grand Prix

The third set of the 2010 season’s back-to-back races continues this weekend in Budapest with the Hungarian Grand Prix just one week after the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. Taking place at the Hungaroring, located 19kms from the capital, the circuit has hosted the race since 1986 and is one of the most technically demanding on the calendar.

NICO ROSBERG

“Budapest is a great city and the atmosphere there and at the track over the race weekend is very vibrant so I always enjoy visiting. The Hungaroring is one of those tracks that provides a real technical challenge and it is good fun to drive. Overtaking is difficult there so qualifying is really important and you need to start from as high up the grid as possible. Qualifying hasn’t been our strong point recently so we will be working hard on our preparations over the weekend to give us the best chance in the race. I had a strong weekend in Hungary last year, finishing in fourth place, and it would be nice to be competing towards the front again this time around.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“The German Grand Prix last weekend was clearly disappointing for us but we have seen a variety of performances from our team over the past few races. With this in mind, I will still go to Hungary with a positive feeling. It is clear that we need to understand our car better, and the track in Budapest plus more time to evaluate our upgrades should help us in that respect. As I said after the last race, we have to remain calm, look into all the details and analyse our performance in order to learn as much as possible from such weekends. That is the way we have to go in order to improve our situation which may already be possible this coming weekend in Hungary.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The Hungarian Grand Prix will be the conclusion to an extremely busy period for the team following two of our home races taking place this month at Silverstone and Hockenheim. The last race weekend in Germany was challenging for us, particularly following the podium finish at Silverstone, and we were disappointed not to be competing further up the field. The team is doing a good job operationally but we need to find more pace from the car and we continue to work very hard to achieve this. Hungary is a technically demanding circuit and should be a good proving ground for our latest upgrades, providing further invaluable track testing time, as we work to find the optimum set-up. Our two-week factory shutdown just after the race will be a well-deserved rest for our employees and the chance to recharge their batteries before the busy final third of the season.”

NORBERT HAUG

“The Hungaroring circuit near Budapest is very different to that of the last race in Germany with a slow and twisty layout requiring maximum downforce. One weekend after the home race of Mercedes-Benz, our team wants to achieve a better result than we managed at the Hockenheimring.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS F1 Steering Wheel Analysis Video

An in-depth video of the F1 steering wheel used by MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver’s Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg

We’ve already brought you an in-depth look at both the front and back of the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS F1 steering wheel, and now we have a video analysis of the same steering wheel currently used by  team drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. Operating at speeds in upwards of 200 mph, design of the steering wheel for F1 drivers is crucial, as there are numerous knobs and buttons necessary for flawless operation on the track. In the video, driver Nico Rosberg gives us an extraordinary insight into the main instrument used by himself and teammate Michael to pilot their MERCEDES GP PETRONAS F1 cars.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 German Grand Prix Race Results

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver's Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim in 8th and 9th

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver’s Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim in eighth and ninth positions Sunday.

Michael Schumacher started the race from the 11th position and made up three places at the start of the race to run in eighth position with teammate Nico Rosberg shadowing him in ninth place. Schumacher made his only pit stop on lap 14 with Rosberg staying out longer and making his stop on lap 24. Despite the two quickest stops of the race, neither driver was able to jump Robert Kubica.  Nico was later able to overtake Michael to finish in eighth place and put Michael Schumacher back one position to finish in ninth.

NICO ROSBERG

“We made the best of our situation today but it is frustrating after being on the podium at the last race. Achieving eighth place is damage limitation really and we were able to minimise the loss to Robert in terms of points but it has generally been a struggle this weekend. My strategy was good and the guys made a fantastic effort with my pit stop being the quickest of the race. There are surely better times ahead in Hungary.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“I had a pretty good start today but from then onwards, there was not much more that we could do. We were targeting to stay out long but we changed the strategy to react to the circumstances and maybe I could have finished slightly higher. But in the end, that would not have changed much in a race where we had hoped to be more competitive. What we achieved after my stop was the maximum that was possible. Of course I would have wished for more, especially as our race performance tends to be better than qualifying, but it did not work out. We will certainly not get nervous but we have to sit down, analyse the reasons and put the right solutions in place.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We did a reasonable job today with the car that we currently have. It was a little bit frustrating, particularly for Nico, as he was in a very strong position to get past Robert Kubica with his strategy. Unfortunately he lost some time getting tangled up with Mark Webber and ended up coming out just behind Robert. The car was more consistent in the race than in qualifying but we have to find some more performance. The team and drivers did a great job, we have good reliability and the two fastest pit stops today, so all the foundations are in place for when we develop a better car.”

NORBERT HAUG

“After Nico´s podium at the last race in Silverstone, coming home in eighth and ninth places was not the result that we had been looking for at one of our home races. However our grid positions were not a good base for the race, so better than P8 for Nico and P9 for Michael were not really possible. We could not make our new upgrades work to the planned extent which compromised our speed and lap times. The team worked relentlessly to get the new parts ready for this race, so two points finishes are at least a small reward for their hard work, even if they were not the positions we were hoping for. A big thank you to all of our guys for their efforts, and now we will try to get better results next weekend in Hungary.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 German Grand Prix At Hockenheim

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher Qualified in 9th and 11th Position at Hockenheim

In Saturday’s German Grand Prix qualifying session at Hockenheim, the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher, qualified in ninth and 11th positions for Sunday’s home race, the German Grand Prix.

Just 0.06s separated the pair at the end of Q2 with Nico progressing to the final session and Michael just missing out in 11th position. Nico went on to compete in Q3 with his quickest lap good enough for ninth place on the grid.

Drivers
Car No.
Chassis No.
Practice 3
Qualifying 1
Qualifying 2
Qualifying 3
Nico Rosberg
4
MGP W01 / 04
P5
P11 1:16.178
P10 1:15.018
P9 1:15.179
Michael Schumacher
3
MGP W01 / 02
P7
P10 1:16.084
P11 1:15.026
Weather
Dry
Temperatures
Air: 20-22°C
Track: 24-28°C


NICO ROSBERG

“I was hoping for a strong weekend here in Hockenheim in front of our fans but unfortunately I struggled a lot in qualifying today. It’s really disappointing and it seems that we are just not making our developments work as well as we hoped this weekend which we need to look into. I hope that we find the problem with the car otherwise it is difficult to explain why we are not closer to the front. I had a lot of oversteer and that made it really difficult as I had to keep coming down on the front wing levels which did not help. I will do my best tomorrow to achieve a good result but it will be difficult from this position.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“There isn’t much more to say about qualifying other than the result was what was achievable for us today. Clearly it was disappointing because we had expected to be able to fight for fifth or sixth place but from the difference between our two cars, you can see our results are what the potential was. If I want to find something positive, it is that at least I will be starting from the better side of the grid and in the end, I prefer 11th to 10th place because of that. I had some issues with my brakes during qualifying but I do not rate that a real factor for the performance today. We are a bit stronger in race pace than in qualifying but we clearly wanted to achieve more for our fans. Let’s hope that tomorrow the race will develop in a way that we can still show them something.”

ROSS BRAWN

“We obviously had a disappointing qualifying today at one of our home races, particularly considering the promise that we showed over the practice sessions. With the changeable weather conditions over the weekend and a new aero package on the car, clearly we haven’t understood how to get the best from it here. That’s eventually shown in qualifying today and the drivers were not able to extract any more performance from the car than their respective positions. We will look at all of the data available and understand what is happening to ensure that we make better use of the package in the future.”

NORBERT HAUG

“Ninth place for Nico and 11th place for Michael are not what we hoped to achieve for the home race of Mercedes-Benz. Our team has worked very hard to get the upgrades on our cars in time for Hockenheim but we must admit that after the limited amount of dry running, we could not make best use of them. But that is the price that sometimes you unfortunately have to pay when the team needs to accelerate its development process from race to race. We had a similar qualifying outcome in Valencia and a fortnight later, the upgrades delivered at Silverstone. I am convinced that with more running and more knowledge, we will make our latest development step work. Disappointment and frustration will not be in our minds right now but quite the opposite and let’s see what the race will bring tomorrow. Nico, Michael and everybody in the team will be fully focused on achieving the best possible result.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 German Grand Prix Race Facts

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg are headed to home soil for the German Grand Prix

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg are headed to their home soil for the German Grand Prix set to take place this weekend at Hockenheim.  The track is well known to MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver Michael Schumacher as he has won at Hockenheim three times since 2002 while driving for Ferrari.

Team McLaren Mercedes won two of the last three Grand Prix in Germany with Lewis Hamilton winning at Hockenheim and Fernando Alonso winning the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.  In addition to the positive past German races for Mercedes, Rosberg is also coming off a podium finish at Silverstone, hopefully setting the stage for an equally if not better showing from both Rosberg and Schumacher this weekend.

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 2010 German Grand Prix Race Preview

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Team are headed to the German Grand Prix this weekend to race on the Hockenheim Circuit

The MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team of Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg are headed to Germany this weekend to race on the Hockenheim Circuit, origanlly built as a high-speed test track for Mercedes-Benz. Last year at the 2009 German Grand Prix, MERCEDES GP PETRONAS DRIVER Nico Rosberg finished the race in fourth while driving for Williams-Toyota and is aiming for a podium finish after a positive race at Silverstone.

NICO ROSBERG

“As a German driver, the German Grand Prix is always a very special weekend, and it will be even better this year to be racing there for Mercedes-Benz. I have great memories from Hockenheim as I won there in all the junior categories that I competed in, including my first single seater race win. There’s always a great atmosphere at the German Grand Prix and the fans are very enthusiastic with the huge grandstands in the stadium section creating so much noise! It’s fantastic to see their support for the German drivers. I love the track itself as it’s quite challenging with some good overtaking opportunities and the races here can often be quite exciting. Going into one of the team’s home weekends with the podium finish from Silverstone is a real boost for us, and we will be working hard to continue our improvement in performance and have a strong weekend.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“There is one thing for sure; no matter how long you are around, it is always something special to race in front of your home crowd. At Hockenheim, I will definitely try my best for my fans who give me such a lot of support, especially over the race weekend. But the German Grand Prix is very special for any German driver. There are very few areas on any race circuit worldwide comparable to the Motodrom, and as a driver you feel that energetic atmosphere when entering. It will be the first time for me to come to Hockenheim as a Mercedes driver and I am very much looking forward to the experience. Driving in front of our Grandstand and in front of all the employees, members and friends of Mercedes-Benz will be an emotional moment. I will therefore be extra motivated to give them a weekend to remember. We will have some updates for our car which we hope will give us a step forward so we can look forward to an exciting race.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The next race at Hockenheim will be our first German Grand Prix as the Mercedes-Benz works team and everyone at MERCEDES GP PETRONAS is looking forward to the occasion. Following two difficult races, we had a stronger weekend at Silverstone where we were able to extract most of the performance from our current package. It was important that we learnt from our experiences and made improvements with Nico’s podium finish being a fitting reward for the hard work by the team at Brackley and Brixworth prior to the race. The modifications which we made to our latest upgrades worked well and we will have a further step in Hockenheim which, with careful management, should also prove to be an improvement. Two home races in a row ensures a busy time for our team and drivers and we hope to demonstrate an equally good performance at Hockenheim in front of our German fans and colleagues as at Silverstone last weekend.”

NORBERT HAUG

“The German Grand Prix at Hockenheim is a classic for Mercedes-Benz, and with particular pleasure we remember the last race in 2008 when Lewis Hamilton won in a McLaren Mercedes. Now, two years later, we will race at home for the first time with our new Silver Arrows works team MERCEDES GP PETRONAS. We cannot assume to repeat our victory from the last Hockenheim race however we want to present our new team in the best possible way. Nico achieved this at Silverstone when he came home in third place for a podium finish, and it would be nice to repeat such a result at the Mercedes-Benz home race. At Hockenheim, we will have many fans who will keep their fingers crossed for Michael, Nico and the Silver Arrows. The 6500 tickets in the Mercedes-Benz grandstand have never sold out quicker than this year and we will have a fantastic programme around the grandstand for all Hockenheim visitors. Driver interviews, test drives with new Mercedes cars at the Safety Driving Centre and live music will all make for an entertaining weekend for our fans. Of course, we do not forget that what counts is what happens on the track and there we want to finish in the best possible way.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 British Grand Prix Race Results

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS DRIVER'S NICO ROSBERG AND MICHAEL SCHUMACHER FINISH IN 3RD AND 9TH AT BRITISH GRAND PRIX

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver Nico Rosberg finished third at the British Grand Prix today giving him his third podium finish of the season. Rosberg had a strong race with an excellent drive from fifth position on the grid moving up to take third place at the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team’s home race at Silverstone.

After an early pit stop, Michael Schumacher was also looking in a strong position when a small mistake on his out lap cost him valuable time and he came home in ninth place at the checkered flag.

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Race Result / Fastest Lap
Nico Rosberg 4 MGP W01 / 02 P3 1:32.952
Michael Schumacher 3 MGP W01 / 01 P9 1:34.171
Weather Hot & sunny
Temperatures Air: 21-22°C Track: 32-40°C


NICO ROSBERG

“I had a good start today and was happy to be up to fourth place by the end of the first lap. Robert was holding me up and with Fernando pushing hard behind, it wasn’t easy to maintain the place. Our strategy was really strong today so thanks to the guys on the pit wall for their efforts and keeping me out on the options. I had a great lap and with the quick pit stop, it was enough to get me out ahead of Robert, and that made the podium possible. It’s been a good effort from the team to turn our situation around after Valencia. We have made a step forward and analysed where we went wrong and to come away with a podium today is fantastic. It’s a real turnaround and I am confident that there is more to come from us.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Again a race which I am not really happy about today. It was ok and seeing Nico on the podium is good for the team but my race was obviously less rewarding. I was in traffic for most of the race and did not really have a clear track. After the pit stop where I had to push really hard to make it in front of Rubens, I unfortunately made a mistake out of a slow corner which put me off the track. That cost me a lot of time plus two positions and that was it for today. We now look towards Hockenheim where we obviously will do everything to perform in the best possible way.”

ROSS BRAWN

“That was a very good performance from Nico and the team today. Nico had a great race and we got the maximum out of the car with a strong start, good strategy and impressive driving. Nico pushed as hard as he needed to and produced some great laps at the crucial time so his race went perfectly. Michael also had a good start and his position was looking interesting. We made an early pit stop to put him in fresh air, as he told us the guys around him were holding him up, but unfortunately he made a mistake and lost the advantage that we were gaining from the early stop. When the others made their stops, they were out in front of him, and with some damage to the car, that was really his race. Overall we’ve done a respectable job this weekend and now we just have to find some more pace. We’re all looking forward to going back to the factory this evening with the trophy to see our team and their families.”


NORBERT HAUG

“A great race from Nico and the team. Starting from fifth position, Nico came home in third place to finish on the podium for the third time in the last eight races. Our performance this weekend looked better than a fortnight ago in Valencia. I am very happy that the team has achieved a podium finish at our home race and this fits perfectly with the BBQ that we have this evening with all our team members in Brackley. Starting from tenth place, Michael drove a committed race and brought home points. I am absolutely sure that we will see similar results to Nico’s podium today sooner rather than later for Michael.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 British Grand Prix Race Qualifying

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS showed improvement from past races with Rosberg achieving fifth place on the grid and Schumacher in tenth

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Driver’s Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished their practice sessions Friday finishing in fifth and sixth positions. In today’s qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, MERCEDES GP PETRONAS showed an improved performance from recent races with Nico Rosberg achieving fifth place on the grid and Michael Schumacher in tenth position after a mistake on his quick lap in Q3 compromised his chances of finishing higher up the field.

Drivers Car No. Chassis No. Practice 3 Qualifying 1 Qualifying 2 Qualifying 3
Nico Rosberg 4 MGP W01 / 02 P4 P10 1:31.626 P6 1:31.085 P5 1:30.625
Michael Schumacher 3 MGP W01 / 01 P8 P15 1:32.058 P5 1:31.022 P10 1:31.430
Weather Warm & sunny
Temperatures Air: 24-25°C Track: 33-39°C

 

NICO ROSBERG

“I’m really pleased with fifth place today and it shows good progress after being so far back in Valencia at the last race. This is a positive step and important for us to know that we really understood what the problems were and how efficiently we have been able to turn the situation around. Everyone at the factory has worked really hard and this gives us a great chance for the race tomorrow at one of our home circuits. My lap was good today and it’s nice to be fighting back up there towards the front again. I’m looking forward to the race and if I get a good start, then we have every reason to expect a strong result.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Clearly I am disappointed after today’s qualifying as I couldn’t get my lap together in Q3. After the second session which was pretty good, I wasn’t able to maximise my performance and I am obviously unhappy about my grid position. I made a small mistake on my first quick lap so I slowed down to give the tyres the possibility to work again for the second fast lap. But there wasn’t much more to come and so I pushed harder and therefore made some mistakes. Now I will have to work hard for the race tomorrow which will be difficult from where I am starting as overtaking here is not really possible. I have to do a good start and see how far I can get. I will certainly try to make the most out of it.”

ROSS BRAWN

“Nico did a very good job today and his fifth place puts us in a decent position for the race. Michael looked quick after Q2 and we were expecting an equally strong Q3 however he made a mistake on his lap and unfortunately that was it. But we saw today what Michael is capable of and that’s encouraging for the future. This is an important weekend for the team as we focus on consolidating our position and today probably finds us in our natural position in the order right now. We have a fantastic team and I am pleased that they have had some modest reward today from the commitment and hours of hard work that went into our upgrades. Of course the race is what counts so we will wait and see what happens tomorrow.”

NORBERT HAUG

“A step forward compared to our performance at the last race in Valencia. The gap to the best placed ‘non Red Bulls’ is not too big today and Nico extracted everything possible from our car. It’s a pity for Michael who was in fifth place in Q2 and in a position to repeat that result in Q3 if it had not been for a slight mistake on his only run. However Michael is a good starter and can make up places. For Nico, a respectable result is possible tomorrow and this would be the best reward for all of our hard-working team members at Brackley and Brixworth. Many of them will watch their home race from the grandstands in Silverstone hoping for a good result for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 British Grand Prix Race Facts

THE MERCEDES GP PETRONAS TEAM IS HEADED TO SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT IN NORTHHAMPTONSHIRE FOR THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX

The British Grand Prix in Silverstone is a home race for Mercedes-Benz, as the factories of both the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One team and Mercedes HPE are only a few miles away.

Out of the 18 British Grands Prix Mercedes took part in, Mercedes won six which is – sta- tistically – every third race. The first highlight was the race at Aintree in 1995 when the Sil- ver Arrows achieved a quadruple victory with Stirling Moss ahead of Juan Manuel Fangio, Karl Kling and Piero Taruffi.

The most recent win was in 2008 when Vo- dafone McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Ham- ilton started his home Grand Prix fourth on the grid and won more than a minute ahead of the field.

The Silverstone circuit was built on a former World War II airfield of the Royal Air Force.

The first Grand Prix after the war – still with- out world championship status – was organ- ised here in October 1948; the route itself was marked by bales of straw.

The British Grand Prix on 13th May 1950 marked the beginning of Formula One World Championship history. In the early days, 70 laps (329 kilometres) were run on a 4.7 kil- ometre long circuit. The first race was won by Giuseppe Farina at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo, at an average speed of 152.983 kph on his fastest lap.

Alongside Monza and the former Spa-Fran- corchamps and Spielberg circuits, Silver- stone was one of the fastest GP circuits until 1990. The fastest lap ever was achieved in 1987: Nigel Mansell reached 246.325 kph in a Williams Honda. In 1991 and again this year, the circuit was made longer and slower by additional chicanes.

For the 2010 grand prix, the circuit has been extended from 5.141 kms to 5.901 kms. The additional corners in the last sector will de- crease the average speed from about 230 kph to an estimated 220 kph.

  • Lap record (old circuit)- Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1m18.739 (2004)
  • Fastest lap 2009- Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault) 1m20.715
  • Pole Position 2009- Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault) 1m19.509sec

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS: F1 British Grand Prix Race Preview

THE MERCEDES GP PETRONAS TEAM IS HEADED TO SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT IN NORTHHAMPTONSHIRE FOR THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX

Round 10 of the 2010 Formula One World Championship, the British Grand Prix, takes place next weekend at the remodelled Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire. Venue for the first World Championship Grand Prix held sixty years ago in May 1950, Silverstone will be the second home race of the season for MERCEDES GP PETRONAS whose factory in Brackley is just eight miles from the track with Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines in Brixworth 20 miles away.

NICO ROSBERG

“Silverstone is a great circuit and one of those tracks which provides a real challenge for you as a driver. I think every driver loves to race there. The layout is demanding with the very quick corners and it will be interesting to see the new changes in the Arena complex for this year. The atmosphere and the fans are always fantastic at Silverstone and it will be even better this year with our factories just down the road and the support of everyone at the team. We will be going back to Brackley after the race to see everyone and it would be nice to get a good result to reward their hard work. It’s been tough for us over the last few races but we are working hard to improve and I am confident we will get there.”

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

“Silverstone represents a special race for us as it is so close to everyone at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth who are all working like hell to make up the quite difficult start into the season that we have experienced. We would like to give them and all of our supporters a good performance this coming weekend, even if we seem to struggle a bit at the moment. We have to face the fact that we were less competitive in Valencia than we had hoped for which makes it difficult to predict how we can perform at the British Grand Prix. Our race pace has been quite promising but our qualifying speed is not yet ideal and we still do not understand the full picture about the tyres. This clearly is something that we will keep working on intensively. I have a lot of different and mostly nice memories of Silverstone and therefore I am obviously very much looking forward to travelling there. We will certainly try to do our best there.”

ROSS BRAWN

“The British Grand Prix is always a very important and special weekend for our team with Silverstone situated between our factories in Brackley and Brixworth and as one of our home races. We are delighted that the British Grand Prix is secure for the foreseeable future and look forward to experiencing the new track layout at Silverstone next weekend. A lot of thought and hard work has gone into the improvement plans and Silverstone will be a venue to be proud of for both the organisers and the thousands of fans who visit over the weekend. Our team has had a challenging time over the recent race weekends in Montreal and Valencia but we retain our motivation and are working hard to improve our performance and maximise the potential which can be taken from our latest upgrades. It’s a long hard road ahead but we are confident that we will get there.”

NORBERT HAUG

“The race at Silverstone is a classic and it is good for Formula One that this traditional Grand Prix has remained on the calendar. After substantial modifications to the circuit, parts of the track layout will be new for all teams and drivers. With the remodelling, there are slower sections added to the predominantly fast layout of the track. Our MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team will have two of our home races in a row this month with the German Grand Prix following just two weeks after Silverstone. It is very important for us to show an upward curve of performance as we did not achieve the best possible results for us in the two previous races in Montreal and Valencia. Our hard working and totally motivated team will be giving their all for these improvements.”