MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver’s Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg qualified in eighth and ninth places today at the Autodromo di Monza for the Italian Grand Prix that will take place Sunday, September 11.  The Autodromo di Monza is a 3.6 mile, 53 lap circuit, bringing the total race distance to 190.58 miles.  The lap record at the Autodromo di Monza is 1:21.046 and was achieved by  Rubens Gonçalves “Rubinho” Barrichello in 2004.

• The team ran a tactical qualifying session this afternoon in Monza with a focus on saving new tyre sets

• Michael qualified P8 after completing a single quick lap on soft tyres in Q3, and has one new set of options for the race

• Nico qualified P9 on hard tyres in Q3, and will have two new sets of option tyres tomorrow

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

• The team’s fifth and sixth place finishes brought a total of 18 points, our best points score of the season so far

• Michael ran a three-stop strategy, pitting on laps 4, 13 and 31, running medium/soft/soft/soft

• Nico ran a two-stop strategy, pitting on laps 11 and 30, running soft/soft/medium

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

Michael Schumacher

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

Nico Rosberg

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

Ross Brawn

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

Norbert Haug

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

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

• During qualifying, DRS can be used on 63% (4.4 km) of the circuit, only Monza has a higher percentage of DRS usage.

• A total of 80% of the lap distance is spent at full throttle, including for 23.5 seconds from La Source to Les Combes.

• The Belgian Grand Prix has been won from pole position just twice in the last ten years, in 2002 and 2007.

Spa-Francorchamps Circuit Information

• Race Date: August 28, 2011

• Circuit Name: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

• Number of Laps: 44

• Circuit Length: 7.004 km (4.35 miles)

• Race Distance: 308.052 km (191.4 miles)

• Lap Record: 1:45.108 – K Raikkonen (2004)

Michael Schumacher

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

Nico Rosberg

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

Ross Brawn, Team Principal

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

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

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

Saturday’s qualifying round for the Hungarian Grand Prix saw Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher qualify in seventh and ninth places. Nico’s tire usage was: Q3: New Prime/New Prime, Q2: New Option, Q1: New Option. Michael followed the same tire strategy, however he completed one extra New Option tyre run in Q2.

Both Rosberg and Schumacher will have the benefit of starting on the cleaner side of the grid for Sunday’s race at the Hungaroring. Michael Schumacher currenlty holds the tracks lap record with a time of 1:19.071. During Last year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, Rosberg retired while Schumacher finished the race in 11 position.

Nico Rosberg

“Qualifying in seventh place was ok today; we had a good set-up after this morning’s practice and I did a good lap in Q3. I’m pleased to have saved one set of new option tyres for the race which will hopefully help me to score some good points.”

Michael Schumacher

“The positive thing that I can take from qualifying today is that I will be starting from the better side of the grid in ninth place. However there are also things which we need to investigate further as the first two sectors did not work out well for us today. They were fine with the prime tyres, but not with the super softs, so we will have a close look into the reasons why. As always, we will try to do the best that we can in the race tomorrow.”

Ross Brawn

“A reasonable qualifying session for us today with Nico and Michael getting the most out of the car that we had. Our positions are about where we are at the moment. During this morning’s practice session, we focused on our race performance, and that should pay off for us tomorrow afternoon. It’s likely to be quite a tricky race with the tyres as the super softs are right on the limit, so we will have to look after them carefully and make the most of them.”

Norbert Haug

“Nico and the team did a good job today in getting the maximum from our current technical package and putting the car in seventh position behind the three top teams. The fact that Mark was on pole one week ago and now is in sixth place demonstrates how tough the battle in this group is, and how challenging it is to break into the top six this season. Michael had a more difficult Q3 and struggled slightly with the set-up of his car. By using primes in Q1 and doing only one outing in Q2 and Q3, Nico saved one set of fresh options for the race which will be very helpful tomorrow. It will be a challenging race for us and our aim is to come home where we are starting or slightly better.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver’s Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher finished the British Grand Prix in sixth and ninth places at Silverstone while Fernando Alonso of Ferrari took the podium. Rosberg and Schumacher’s finish added 10 points to the teams totaland took the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS team to fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship.

• Both drivers started the race on intermediates tyies, meaning that they no longer had to use both dry compounds.

• Nico ran a two-stop strategy, stopping for option tyres on laps 12 and 30, and making his final set last 22 laps.

• Michael’s race was compromised by a collision with Kamui Kobayashi (retired after 23 laps due to oil leak) on lap 9 whilst running in ninth place.

• This forced Michael to pit for a new nose and cost him a 10s stop-go penalty.

• Michael made three stops: on lap 9 for option tyres and a new nose, lap 16 for the stop-go, and on lap 31, again for options.

Nico Rosberg

“I’m pretty pleased with our result this weekend. First of all because in qualifying we had the potential to be in the top five, and secondly we had a really good strategy in the race. My start was not good, so being able to eventually finish in sixth place is a nice result for us. And hopefully it’s the start of an upward trend, before our next home race in Germany, so I’m looking forward to confirming our performance at the Nürburgring. In the next few days, we will analyse the whole weekend with our new developments on the car, and will work hard on improving it even further.”

Michael Schumacher

“My result today is a bit of a shame, and of course I am not happy about it. I think fifth or even fourth place would not have been out of question today thanks to the superb job the guys back in Brackley and Brixworth have done. I would so much have wished to bring them some decent points this evening when we go back to the factory for a BBQ with their families. But unfortunately, and due to my fault, I cannot. Having used DRS for the first time in the race, I was arriving at the corner with over-run. Underestimating the effect, my braking was not good and this is how the collision happened. It was right to get a penalty but why it had to be a stop-go, and not a drive-through penalty, I would like to understand better as I felt it was too hard. Anyway, the good thing is that step-by-step, the hard work of our team is paying off more and more, and this is a good feeling heading towards our next home race.”

Ross Brawn

“This was a solid result for the team and a decent haul of points: after starting ninth and 13th respectively, Nico and Michael made good progress up the field. They had mixed fortunes at the start – Michael gained four positions, while Nico dropped three places as he lost out in the first few corners. Michael’s race was obviously spoiled by his collision and it carried a double penalty, as he did a slow lap to the pits and then had the stop-go penalty. However, after that he drove very well and climbed back from as low as 17th to score two points. Nico’s race was more straightforward, but we set him a real challenge asking him to go the end of the race from lap 30, and he did an extremely solid job to achieve that. This was the first race for this car specification, with new exhaust outlets and aerodynamic developments, and we had only an hour of dry running, mainly with one car, before qualifying. With that in mind, we can be encouraged by our performance today. One of our previous difficulties had been making the tyres last properly, but both drivers managed to run over 115km on a set of options this afternoon, which suggests we have made some good progress in this area.”

Norbert Haug

“The start of the race in partly damp conditions did not quite develop according to plan. Nico lost three places on lap one whereas Michael gained four. Taking into consideration that Nico completed the first lap in 12th, sixth place is a respectable result. We showed today that we could handle the tyres during a two-stop strategy, when most of the top ten finishers chose three stops. Michael had an eventful race, touching Kobayashi’s Sauber in the early stages, which forced him into the pits early for a nose change, and some laps later, a stop-go penalty. He then dropped back to 17th, so his recovery to ninth place was impressive. Well done to our team at one of our home races. We all will work very hard to further improve our package for our next home race at the Nürburgring in a fortnight.”

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

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

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

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

Michael Schumacher

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

Nico Rosberg

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

Ross Brawn

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

Norbert Haug

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

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

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

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

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

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

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

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

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

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

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

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

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

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

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

NICO ROSBERG

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

ROSS BRAWN

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

NORBERT HAUG

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

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.”

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.”