2016 FIA Formula One World Champion elect Nico Rosberg today announced that he will stop racing in Formula One with immediate effect.

In an emotional address prior to the 2016 FIA Prize Giving in Vienna, Austria, Nico revealed the reasons behind his decision, which was reached following his crowning achievement in Abu Dhabi last Sunday.

Nico has competed in a total of 206 Grands Prix and won 23 of them, placing him joint 12th on the all-time list alongside Nelson Piquet. He has scored 30 pole positions (8th all time) and 20 fastest laps.

Last Sunday in Abu Dhabi, he became the first German driver to win a Formula One World Championship at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow.

Nico Rosberg:

“Since 25 years in racing, it has been my dream, my ‘one thing’ to become Formula One World Champion. Through the hard work, the pain, the sacrifices, this has been my target. And now I’ve made it. I have climbed my mountain, I am on the peak, so this feels right. My strongest emotion right now is deep gratitude to everybody who supported me to make that dream happen.

“This season, I tell you, it was so damn tough. I pushed like crazy in every area after the disappointments of the last two years; they fuelled my motivation to levels I had never experienced before. And of course that had an impact on the ones I love, too – it was a whole family effort of sacrifice, putting everything behind our target. I cannot find enough words to thank my wife Vivian; she has been incredible. She understood that this year was the big one, our opportunity to do it, and created the space for me to get full recovery between every race, looking after our daughter each night, taking over when things got tough and putting our championship first.

“When I won the race in Suzuka, from the moment when the destiny of the title was in my own hands, the big pressure started and I began to think about ending my racing career if I became World Champion. On Sunday morning in Abu Dhabi, I knew that it could be my last race and that feeling cleared my head before the start. I wanted to enjoy every part of the experience, knowing it might be the last time… and then the lights went out and I had the most intense 55 laps of my life. I took my decision on Monday evening. After reflecting for a day, the first people I told were Vivian and Georg (Nolte, from Nico’s management team), followed by Toto.

“The only thing that makes this decision in any way difficult for me is because I am putting my racing family into a tough situation. But Toto understood. He knew straight away that I was completely convinced and that reassured me. My proudest achievement in racing will always be to have won the world championship with this incredible team of people, the Silver Arrows.

“Now, I’m just here to enjoy the moment. There is time to savour the next weeks, to reflect on the season and to enjoy every experience that comes my way. After that, I will turn the next corner in my life and see what it has in store for me…”

Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Toto Wolff:

“This is a brave decision by Nico and testament to the strength of his character. He has chosen to leave at the pinnacle of his career, as World Champion, having achieved his childhood dream. The clarity of his judgement meant I accepted his decision straight away when he told me.

“It’s impossible to capture the essence of a person in a few short words. But Nico has a special combination of natural talent and fighting spirit that have brought him to where he is today. Throughout his career, people have thought he was on a golden path to success just because his father was a World Champion; in fact, I think in some ways that made the challenge greater – and meant he had to fight even harder with the weight of expectation on his shoulders.

“With Mercedes, Nico has been a relentless competitor, bouncing back from tough times in an inspirational way, and he earned the respect of the sport with his tenacity, his fighting spirit and his grace under pressure. Since 2010, he has poured competitive energy into our team and we have grown stronger because of it. We simply say ‘thank you’ for the incredible contribution he has made to our success, alongside two of the all-time great drivers, Michael and Lewis.

“For the team, this is an unexpected situation but also an exciting one. We are going into a new era of technical regulations and there is a free Mercedes cockpit for the seasons ahead. We will take the necessary time to evaluate our options and then find the right path for our future.”

With the state of the country, we thought we’d lighten the mood for you this morning.

It’s a bit of a madhouse in the Mercedes F1 garage right now, and some opportunistic lad has decided to make a “Friends” video parody we can all laugh along to.

Featuring Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda, the newest “Friends” crew is ready to rock and roll — and maybe crash, too. Each race episode is better than the last, and we’re on the edge of our seats to see how the next encounter between this wacky crew unfolds.

Via: AutoWeek

Nico took his third win of the 2015 season and the 11th of his Formula One career to date at the 2015 Austrian Grand Prix.  Teammate Lewis Hamilton completed a Silver Arrows 1-2 for the second consecutive time this season in Spielberg with a P2 finish.  Felipe Massa and Williams made it an all Mercedes-Benz powered podium in P3.  Hamilton is now leading Nico by 10 points in the Driver’s Championship, with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS heading Ferrari by 136 in the Constructor’s standings.

Click here to view photo gallery

Nico Rosberg Wins Austrian Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg

Wow, what a day! It feels so great to win again in Austria. It’s such a special track – very tricky and with a fantastic crowd. After my mistake yesterday in qualifying I was determined to push really hard to win this race. I had a good start and went into turn one in the lead, which was very important as I knew from past races this year that it’s very difficult to overtake the same car on track. After I passed Lewis I was able to control the lead quite comfortably. Towards the end I felt some vibrations on the right front tyre but I was able to manage it to the flag. Big thanks to the team for a great car and a perfect race. Now I’m really looking forward to Silverstone, where I have good memories with the pole last year and the win in 2013.

Lewis Hamilton

It was a pretty straightforward race. I didn’t have the best start. I had a problem with the revs in that, when I came off the throttle, the revs stayed up. So, when I dropped the clutch, I had too much wheel spin and lost ground. That’s something we’ll look at after the race. Then, I was keeping up with Nico in the first stint – but in the second phase he just had better pace. At the end it was just about bringing it home – but Nico deserved the win so congratulations to him.

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

I’m very happy with the result today, especially at my and Niki’s home circuit here in Spielberg. It’s even more special because we have three Mercedes engines in the top three for the second year in a row; it couldn’t be better. Nico drove a brilliant and dominant race today – he got a great start, had the upper hand on pace and made no mistakes at all. Both boys were right on the limit, as you could see when Nico came into the pit lane sideways for his pit stop! As for Lewis, his race boiled down to the start and the pit stop; he lost out off the line, which we will need to analyse, then looked to have a snap oversteer as he left the pit lane and put two wheels over the line. From there, he just brought the car home and managed the gap to Felipe behind. Like in 2014, we are seeing the advantage swing from driver to driver across the races, and I’m sure they’ll be battling all the way to the end of the season.

Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical)

A fantastic result to achieve another 1-2 and particularly so at a home race for Toto and Niki. The start was not ideal for Lewis, so he lost the benefit of pole position. There was no particular issue – Nico just managed to get away slightly better and there was actually not much in it away from the line. After the very early safety car, it then became clear that Nico had a slight pace advantage over Lewis – but more importantly that our car was showing a bigger advantage than we had anticipated over Ferrari. It therefore became more of a battle between our two drivers up until the first round of stops. Lewis, of course, was then handed a time penalty for a very small error. The number of errors that either he or Nico make is very small indeed and I think this highlighted that rarity rather than presenting any cause for concern. From there, it became clear to Lewis that the race win was out of reach barring any dramas, which gave us the luxury of managing the cars home for a great 1-2 finish.

Nico wins in Monaco to make it a hat-trick of wins in the principality, with Lewis completing a double podium in P3.

• It was a bittersweet victory for the team today after accepting a mistake was made in pitting Lewis under the safety car, which ultimately cost him the win
• Nico secured his second win of the season and made history at this circuit, becoming only the fourth driver to win three consecutive races in Monaco after Graham Hill, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna
• Nico ran option then prime stopping once on lap 37, with Lewis running option/prime/option, stopping on laps 38 and 65
• Lewis leads Nico in the Drivers’ World Championship by 10 points with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS heading Ferrari by 84 points in the Constructors’ battle

Nico Rosberg

That was my luckiest experience in racing so far. What a crazy race. I was surprised when I saw no one else behind the safety car than me. I didnt know what was happening in that moment. But I concentrated on getting temperature into the tyres as they felt like ice. Until the safety car Lewis has done a perfect job, he was better than me over the weekend, so he definitely deserved the win. I know how horrible he must feel now. This weekend was a warning for me that I have to work even harder for the next race in Montreal. For sure I also feel happy to win again here in Monaco. It’s always so special, and one part of me will celebrate that victory today. A win is a win.

Lewis Hamilton

I can’t express the way I feel at the moment. I saw the team out in the pit-lane on one of the screens and thought Nico was pitting. I came in with full confidence that the others had done the same. This is a race that’s been close to my heart for years and it’s special to me, so I really wanted to win. The team have been brilliant all year, so I don’t blame them. We’ll analyse and work out what went wrong, but we’ll do that collectively and try to improve for the future. I always say to my team and my fans, we win and we lose together. You live to fight another day.

Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport

What a crazy day. I don’t think there has ever been a more bittersweet feeling than this one. We have won the Monaco Grand Prix and we have lost the Monaco Grand Prix all at the same time. First of all, we must apologise to Lewis. We win and we lose together and what I am proud of in this team is that we take collective responsibility. But this is a day when we simply have to say sorry to our driver, because our mistake cost him the victory here. What happened? In simple terms, we got our numbers wrong. We thought we had the gap for Lewis to take fresh tyres and come back out in the lead behind the Safety Car, ahead of Nico and covering off any risk of another competitor taking fresh tyres. But the calculation was incorrect and he came out in third place. It was our decision to call him in and our mistake, pure and simple; in these situations, a driver trusts his team. Lewis had driven flawlessly until then and really delivered a perfect weekend, with a stunning pole lap and a masterful race. There’s nothing more to say other than to highlight the grace with which he handled the situation; he was a leader and a true sportsman this afternoon. As for Nico, he didn’t put a foot wrong all day, and it would be wrong if we didn’t take the time to recognise his achievement: a third consecutive win in Monaco is something only three other drivers in history have achieved before. It is a very special moment indeed and one for him to savour. He didn’t have the pace of Lewis today but, in this sport, you take the victories any way they come. This, too, is motor racing. We now need to stay calm and analyse how we made the mistake this afternoon. We will be harshly self-critical behind closed doors and this experience will make us a better and a stronger team in the races ahead. There is still a very long way to go in this championship and today showed that we have the performance in our car to do the job this year.

Mercedes-Benz announced a spectacular collision of peerless talents from the worlds of fashion, photography and Formula 1 for its Autumn/Winter 2015 fashion campaign.

Champions of Fashion – International Mercedes-Benz fashion campaign – Autumn/Winter 2015.

The leading men are the ace racers, rivals and team-mates Lewis Hamilton – Formula 1’s newly-crowned World Champion – and Nico Rosberg. Starring alongside them is one of the fashion circuit’s hottest models and actress, Dree Hemingway – who as great-granddaughter of Ernest Hemingway, is herself a scion of adventure in the grand tradition. This new season paean to the siren calls of speed, sleekness and style has been masterminded by Collier Schorr, the Yale faculty member, and photographer nonpareil.

To shoot the campaign the trio was transported to the Sindelfingen wind-tunnel, a canonic site in the mythology of Mercedes-Benz, where its designs are tested against the uncompromising forces of nature. Aerodynamic efficiency meets exquisite aesthetics in the two motoring masterpieces – one classic, one brand-new – that the drivers are issued; Rosberg steers the brawny, muscular Mercedes-AMG GT while Hamilton takes the Mercedes-Benz C111, a still-revered gullwing experimental model developed during the 1970’s. High fashion – not to mention tailoring as perfectly precise as the Mercedes-Benz team-mates’s driving – screeches seductively into the pit lane courtesy of HUGO BOSS, outfitter of choice to Hamilton, Rosberg and Hemingway.

Produced to celebrate Mercedes-Benz’s longstanding sponsorship of the world’s finest fashion weeks – a blossoming roster that now numbers over 50 engagements in more than 30 countries. Collier Schorr for Autumn Winter 2015 is the sixteenth Mercedes-Benz fashion campaign, a tradition established to underline the commitment to the many international fashion events – including the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks in Beijing, Moscow and Berlin as well as the fashion weeks in London, Milan, Paris and many others – that Mercedes-Benz is proud to support. Previous collaborators have included Nick Knight, Roe Ethridge, Mario Testino, Ryan McGinley, Peter Lindbergh, Tilda Swinton, Lara Stone, Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls. This, though, is a champagne moment: the first time that Formula 1 drivers have taken their place on the Mercedes-Benz fashion podium.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg are drivers for the UK-based Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team. The team won 13 of the first 16 races of the 2014 F1 season, then accelerated away to take the Constructors Championship – with Hamilton and Rosberg pitted against eachother all the way in the battle to be crowned Champion driver.

The protagonists

Mercedes-AMG GT

The descriptive key words for the Mercedes-AMG GT are: Dynamic. Handcrafted. Passionate. It stands for the aim to reach pure perfection, to challenge and to win. The new GT combines driving dynamics, formidable agility and first-class racetrack performance with superb everyday practicability. The entire production process has a handcrafted character: “One Man – One Engine”. It has been passionately manufactured by Sportscar enthusiasts for Sportscar enthusiasts. Born on the racetrack. Raised on the Street. Pure Performance expresses the look of the Mercedes-AMG GT classic campaign focusing on positioning the car as a brand shaper to underline the sportiness of Mercedes-AMG. The central statement of the classic communication is “Handcrafted by Racers.”

Dream car of the seventies: Mercedes-Benz C 111

In September 1969 Mercedes-Benz amazed the public at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt with the presentation of the C 111 experimental vehicle. The Mercedes-Benz brand was somewhat conservative back then, with its restrained, elegantly styled cars, and no-one would have expected it to come up with such a bold and expressive design. As such the C 111 contributed towards the rejuvenation and enlivening of the brand’s style. The body made of glass-fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP) with gullwing doors and striking orange-coloured paintwork was just one of its highlights. On the inside it pampered passengers with a tastefully designed, comfortable ambience. It was therefore more akin to a Gran Turismo than to a spartan super sports car. As a near-series experimental and research vehicle, it demonstrated the development expertise and innovative potential of Mercedes-Benz. The C111 had its appearance in the fashion world in the 1970’s.

Dree Hemingway, model and actress

During her highly successful modelling career Dree Hemingway has shone on the runways for Givenchy, Chanel and Lanvin (among many others), appeared regularly in editorial and on the covers of international editions of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Dree works with many of the world’s leading photographers including Bruce Weber, Peter Lindbergh, Ines Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Glen Luchford & Alasdair McLellan and has appeared in prestigious fashion campaigns for Valentino, David Yurman, Paco Rabanne & Jean-Paul Gaultier, to name a few. Most recently Dree has taken on a new creative role, as she was appointed Women’s Global Ambassador for the American fashion & luxury brand Cole Haan in 2014. As an actress Dree received accolades and critical praise for her first breakout performance and lead role in Sean Bakers 2012 Film Starlet. This was followed up by subsequent roles including appearing in the French film Nous York in 2012. Dree ‘s latest films roles include While We’re Young with Ben Stiller by acclaimed directed and oscar nominated Writer Noah Baumbach and Alex Perry’s Listen Up Philip, due for general release in 2015.

Lewis Hamilton, F1 driver

Lewis Hamilton’s first car was radio-controlled, and he began racing it aged six. A year later he appeared on the British television programme Blue Peter and effortlessly won against far more seasoned competition. A prodigiously gifted racing driver, Hamilton progressed via go-karting – he won the 2000 European championship, racing alongside teammate Nico Rosberg – through to the discipline’s pinnacle: Formula One. Racing for Mclaren with Mercedes-Benz power, Hamilton won the F1 title in 2008; in 2014, with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, he has become only the fourth British driver to win two F1 world titles. Unquestionably amongst the most exciting and charismatic drivers in the history of motorsport, Hamilton is a legend in the making.

Nico Rosberg, F1 driver

German Nico Rosberg has racing in his blood: his Finnish father, Keke, won the 1982 F1 World Championship. Rosberg rose through the ranks of karting and junior racing before winning the GP2 Series in 2005, which earned him the change to progress to Formula1. He won his first Grand Prix for Mercedes in China in 2012, adding the prestigious Monaco and British Grands Prix in 2013. During 2014, he was locked in a relentless and compelling duel for world championship title with his team-mate and rival, Lewis Hamilton. Rosberg scored six wins and eleven pole positions on his way to a gracious second place in the championship.

Collier Schorr, photographer and film director

The senior photography critic and faculty member at the Yale University School of Art, Collier Schorr has spent three decades navigating the nuances of gender through her startling and thoughtful photographic practice. Her portfolios have covered subjects as diverse as wrestling, masculinity in the military and her latest book 8 Women — while her fashion photography has graced the covers of titles including The New York Times Style magazine, ID, Another Magazine, Self Service, and Fantastic Man. She is represented by the prestigious 303 Gallery in New York. Her work is held in public collections including MOMA, the Whitney, and the Walker Art Center. She has undertaken commercial commissions for fashion houses including Bottega Veneta, Jil Sander, Brioni, and Y-3. She lives and works in New York City.

Mercedes-Benz is celebrating its triumph in the Formula 1 World Championship with two exquisite special models of the SL 63 AMG – co-created by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Lewis Hamilton, who became the Formula 1 champion for the 2014 season after a series of memorable duels, proposed black as his base colour. Nico Rosberg, his fiercest rival in this season’s races, chose white as his colour theme. Mercedes-Benz is only producing 19 of each model. And each model in the “World Championship 2014 Collector’s Edition” is effectively one-of-a-kind: for each individual vehicle is dedicated to one of the 19 Formula 1 race tracks used this year and is unmistakeably identifiable as such through some of its equipment and appointment details.

World champion and serial winner: the two Mercedes Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were first through the chequered flag in 16 out of the 19 Formula 1 races this year, delivering up some thrilling duels in motorsport’s elite discipline at the same time, sometimes literally wheel-to-wheel. The prize for this outstanding performance: first and second place in the drivers’ championship and undisputed champion of the constructors’ championship. To mark these achievements, Mercedes-Benz has dedicated a unique Collector’s Edition to each of its two world-beating drivers. The sporting competitiveness on the tarmac which propelled them both to their superlative performances can also be seen in the two very different designs.

Athletic and challenging – black

Formula 1 champion Hamilton demonstrated his penchant for glamour and the exceptional with a black SL – athletically challenging. This vehicle comes in the special paint finish designo night black magno which can be found on such detachable body parts as the exterior mirrors, door handles and rims as well. Gold-coloured lettering, fins and stripes on the rear bumper impart a feeling of power. The tailpipe trim is in chromed black.

Black and gold dominate the interior, too: gold-coloured stitching adorns the seats in black nappa leather, the instrument panel and centre console are also covered in black designo Exclusive nappa leather, with the trim parts gleaming in gold.

Elegant and stylish – white

Rosberg’s SL provides an elegant contrast. With the main body finished in designo cashmere white magno, the detachable body parts such as the door handles, wheels, lettering, fins, the insert in the front bumper, surround for the daytime running lamps, window trim and the spoiler lip in the boot lid provide a finely-judged contrast in designo himalayas grey. Both Formula 1 drivers were in agreement when it came to the tailpipe trim: it is in chromed black for the white car, too.
designo Exclusive Style leather in titanium grey sets the tone for the interior in the Nico Rosberg model. It adorns the seats, which have basalt grey topstitching, the steering wheel, the door beltlines, the soft-top cover and also the upper part of the instrument panel. The lower part of the instrument panel is finished in deep white nappa leather, as are the centre console and the door panels. The trim parts gleam in designo cashmere white magno.

The ultimate specification

The AMG 5.5-litre V8 biturbo engine in both Mercedes-AMG SL 63 special models has an output of 430 kW (585 hp) and torque of 900 newton metres, giving them breathtaking thrust. The top speed limit of both has been raised to a championship level of 300 km/h, making them true high-performance roadsters. Both the Lewis Hamilton and the Nico Rosberg model have the same top-flight specification. It includes the AMG Driver’s package, numerous assistance systems, AMG sports suspension, AIRSCARF, the Bang & Olufsen BeoSound AMG sound system, a panoramic vario-roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL, as well as AMG sports seats and much, much more.
The World Championship 2014 Collector’s Edition thus offers the legend amongst sports cars that is the SL in two top-class versions. They reflect both the sporting rivalry and the goal shared between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Each vehicle is a one-off

Every vehicle in the “World Championship 2014 Collector’s Edition” is a unique car, in the truest sense of the phrase, that will make it an absolute “must-have” for many a collector. For each vehicle in this Edition is in fact a one-off. Only 19 black and 19 white models are being produced – standing for each of the 19 Formula 1 race tracks that featured in the 2014 season. An illustration of the race track in question is hand-embroidered into the vehicle’s floor mats and engraved on a badge in the centre console as well as on the vehicle’s key.

Mercedes-Benz is offering the 19 black and white models of the “World Championship 2014 Collector’s Edition” exclusively to the members of the Mercedes-Benz Circle of Excellence. In keeping with the team spirit, these exclusive edition vehicles will at first only be offered in pairs, and subsequently also as individual units. Purchasers will also receive a helmet worn by Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg. Further attractive extras include a Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton Edition IWC Ingenieur chronograph watch, an F1 book signed by both drivers and an invitation to the opening race of the 2015 season, in Melbourne. The vehicles will be handed over at the German Grand Prix 2015.

The price for the strictly limited-edition and unique pair of vehicles, both of which immortalise the exciting duels fought through this Championship, is €629,510. A single vehicle costs €320,110 (incl. VAT).

Lewis Hamilton won the 2014 Italian Grand Prix with Nico Rosberg second, achieving the team’s seventh 1-2 finish.

• Lewis took his sixth win of the season, driving a great race to recover from a slow start that saw him drop to P4
• Nico took the lead on lap one and held it before a mistake into turn one allowed Lewis to regain the lead on lap 29
• Both drivers ran the same strategy, starting on the medium tyres and pitting one lap apart on lap 24 (Nico) and lap 25 (Lewis) to change to the hard tyres and race to the end
• The 1-2 finish represents the seventh this season; only three seasons in Formula One history have seen seven or more 1-2 finishes from a team
• The team now have a lead of 182 points in the Constructors’ Championship (454 points in total) with both drivers 50 points or more ahead of third place in the Drivers’ Championship
• All of the top four and seven of the top ten today are powered by Mercedes-Benz Hybrid Power

2014 Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton

Firstly it was amazing to see the straight completely filled with fans from the podium today. You make this race and thank you so much for your support! Big congratulations to the team for our performance this weekend. We said we wanted a one-two and we got it today‎; this result is important for everyone.‎ It was a difficult race for me though. The launch sequence didn’t engage properly for the formation lap and then again for the start‎. I tried to pull away as fast as possible, basically I just floored it and hoped for the best! Fortunately I didn’t lose too many places‎ and was able to get past Kevin, then have a good battle with Felipe. When I closed up to Nico, I didn’t want to hold back as the car felt good and I knew from experience that the only chance would be at the start of the stint when the tyres were fresh so I went for it. ‎I’m really pleased with the win, it’s feels like I have some momentum back as we go into the final races‎.

Nico Rosberg

Lewis was quicker this weekend, so he deserved the win. That for sure is very disappointing for me. I had a lock up in Turn One and I decided to go straight to avoid a flat spotted tyre. That cost me the lead. But he was very quick behind me, so I had to push all the time. But I need to see the positive things from today. Second place is still good and I lost only seven points to Lewis, so this could have been much worse. It’s also a great result for the team, the first 1-2 since Austria. So I’m happy for everybody in our team and I have to thank everyone again for this great Silver Arrow. We were the strongest team at this unique circuit. The Tifosi created a great atmosphere for us on the podium; it was all red all the way down the straight. That was great to see. Now I look forward to Singapore, I like the track and I have great memories from last year.

Toto Wolff

Lewis had fantastic pace this weekend and his qualifying lap laid the basis for his win. He was in a league of his own this afternoon in terms of speed but it wasn’t an easy race for him after the problems at the start. But he stayed calm, took his opportunities and delivered the goods. Nico also drove a strong race and took a good second place. It’s fantastic to take our seventh one-two of the season, we have been waiting a while for this one. Well done to everybody at Brackley for a job well done – and I’d like to give a special mention to the boys and girls at Brixworth; it’s pretty special when you see your Power Unit take a one-two-three-four finish at Monza!

Paddy Lowe

It was fantastic to score another one-two finish again. There was a lot of expectation because of the long gap since we last did it in Austria, even though the car has had the potential to do so. It wasn’t an easy race, though. The first stress point came when we had to change Lewis’ front wing after it sustained slight damage on the grid. Then at the race start, Lewis’ systems for the start would not engage the correct mode, which meant he had the wrong engine settings and lost three positions off the line. He did a great job to recover, and pulled off a very classy pass on Massa into the first chicane. He had the better pace overall today and closed in on Nico, until Nico’s mistake in Turn One. We had briefed both drivers to take the long route if they made a mistake under braking, rather than locking up and trying to make the corner. This was because a flat spot could have severely compromised the one-stop strategy, so Nico did absolutely the right thing – but it also cost him the lead. Overall, a great team result; congratulations to everybody back at base who worked so hard to make it happen and to both drivers for two very strong performances after our difficult race in Spa.

In case you manage to avoid any sports news since Sunday, you likely haven’t heard about the F1 feud that has erupted between Nico Rosberg and Mercedes AMG Petronas teammate Lewis Hamilton after the Belgian Grand Prix.  If that’s the case, here is a quick recap – During the second lap at Spa-Francorchamps, Rosberg collided with Hamilton while trying to pass his teammate who had the line.  Rosberg’s right front wing endplate nailed the left rear corner of Hamilton’s car and caused a tire puncture.  Hamilton managed his way back to the pits but the damage was done and Hamilton eventualy retired.

But with two number one drivers both vying to win the world championship, accidents like this are going to happen and it’s part of why we, the fans, watch the sport in the first place.  Given all that has gone down between Rosberg and Hamilton this year and what is at stake, one would expect nothing less from two of the best drivers in F1.  So now that the gloves are off, whether you’re team Rosberg or Team Hamilton, the upcoming race in Italy should prove to be exceptionally entertaining.

Press Release:

Nico Rosberg took second place in today’s Belgian Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton retired in the latter stages of a dramatic race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Lewis pitted on the second lap after suffering a puncture. He then stopped again for fresh tyres on laps 17 and 31 before retiring the car on lap 33

Nico ran a three-stop strategy, including a nose change on lap eight. He pitted twice further on laps 19 and 34

The team has finished on the podium in every race of the 2014 season so far, with a total of 19 top three finishes to date

Nico Rosberg

That was a tough race. We had the pace to win today but the incident cost us a top result, so I’m really disappointed because for the team it was a bad day. As drivers, we are here to entertain and to show the fans a good time, so our duels are always on the limit. I regret that Lewis and myself touched, but I see it as a racing incident – just as the stewards did. I was quicker down the straight and went to the outside as the inside line was blocked. I gave it a go and, after we touched, I realized that my front wing was damaged and thought that was it. In the next second I saw that Lewis also had a problem, which was very unfortunate for him and for the team. We sat down quickly after the race but there will be some more meetings to be held in to avoid races like today.

Lewis Hamilton

I’m gutted with the result – not just for my own Championship hopes but for the team, as we really should have had a one-two today. It’s been a tough year for everyone and the whole team has been working so hard – every time we’ve been knocked down they’ve never given up. I didn’t fully understand what had happened until I saw the replay just now, but I gave him plenty of space, took the corner like I usually do and suddenly felt a big hit from behind. There was nothing I could do about it and that was effectively my race over. I wanted to retire the car early – not because I was giving up, but because I couldn’t catch the people in front of me and even with a safety car I don’t think I would have been able to pass them. The car was quite badly damaged and my thoughts were to preserve the engine after the last one was destroyed in Hungary. What happens next is not my call – that’s one for the bosses to make. But I’m now almost 30 points behind in the Championship so that’s the main thing on my mind. It’s a big gap and it will be hard to recover from here. That’s tough to swallow – but ultimately it’s just been one of those days.

Toto Wolff

Today we saw our worst case scenario when the drivers made contact on lap two – and that ultimately cost us a one-two finish today, because we saw that our car had that kind of performance in it. It has been our clear policy to let the drivers race this year but rule number one is: don’t hit each other. To see that kind of contact, so early in the race, is an unacceptable level of risk to be taking out on track. It cannot – and will not – happen again. After the collision, Nico drove the first stint with a significantly damaged front wing, changed it, then had to make an additional stop after flat-spotting his left front tyre to the point where it was dangerous. He then charged back through the field and was impressively close to taking the win in spite of a dramatic race. As for Lewis, he was fighting with one hand tied behind his back after the puncture, which damaged the floor and cost him a significant amount of performance. We left him out there in case the Safety Car came out, bunched up the field and allow us to gain some places, but it became clear that he had lost too much performance and was continuing to do so, so we retired the car before the finish. Overall, not a good day for the team – and it is clear that we need to strengthen our focus on securing the Constructors’ Championship by delivering the potential of both cars in the next races. Now we need to regroup and come back stronger in Monza.

Paddy Lowe

We got off to a strong start, with Lewis taking the lead and Nico eventually recovering second place from Sebastian. One lap later, however, the incident between the two at turn five effectively ruined our afternoon. It’s a great shame, as the car had looked strong all weekend and we were in an excellent position to potentially score a one-two finish. We opted to continue the race with Lewis in case of a safety car scenario, which may have given him an opportunity to recover the lost ground. But in the end this never came and, with his floor heavily damaged by tyre debris on the second lap, the condition of the car deteriorated further as the race continued. For Nico it was a case of damage limitation. Our calculations confirmed that we would have to change his nose to have any chance of a podium – but of course that cost time. As it was, although he was closing in rapidly at the end, a lockup and resultant flat spot on the second set of tyres ultimately cost him that opportunity. Overall, massive disappointment after all the hard work put in by the team to come away with a result not matching our potential this weekend.

Nico Rosberg dominated the German Grand Prix for a win on his home track with teammate Lewis Hamilton finishing in third position, gaining 17 places from the grid.

• Nico took his fourth win of 2014 today and the team’s ninth in ten races, taking a lights to flag victory in commanding fashion
• Lewis drove a fantastic race to finish on the podium, gaining seventeen places from his grid position and making a total of 15 on-track overtakes
• Nico ran a two-stop strategy, pitting on laps 15 and 41, running option/prime/prime.
• Lewis converted to a three-stop strategy after sustaining front wing damage, pitting on laps 26, 42 and 50, using prime/prime/option/option
• The team now have more points in the first half of the year (366) than last year’s final total (360)
• Mercedes-Benz power scored its 298th, 299th and 300th F1 podium finishes today; every Mercedes-powered car that finished did so in the points.

Nico Rosberg

Wow, what a great day after so many great events for me this week! I came here hoping for a win and it worked out perfectly. My Silver Arrow was so dominant, thanks to the team for this fantastic car. Before the race I was worried that without the FRIC system the gap in the race would be smaller. But we were again the quickest out there. I did a two stop strategy, which was difficult to manage at the end of the stints as the tyres were almost gone. I’m so happy for Mercedes; it was the first win for many many years in Germany. Thanks for the support here at Hockenheim, the fans were amazing to me. Also at the start I saw a Mexican wave, which was great. Now I look forward to Hungary.

Lewis Hamilton

First of all, congratulations to Nico on winning his home race; it’s a special feeling and I am very proud that we could put both cars on the podium for Mercedes-Benz in Germany and represent for all the Mercedes employees and fans here this weekend. From a personal point of view, I can’t be too ecstatic about the race because it has been a tough weekend for me and I’ve ultimately lost more points to Nico in the championship battle. But I’m grateful that I could limit the damage with a podium finish. When you are sitting on the grid basically in last place, with no other cars in your mirrors, it’s very hard to imagine that you could be standing up there two hours later. I’m so grateful to the team for this car, I really take my hat off to them for building a machine that can put in that kind of performance. To be honest, it was a pretty straightforward race for me, although I had some trouble following what was going on and where I was running at times. I had a nice battle with Kimi early on, when I was lucky not to damage the front wing, then the incident with Jenson was just unfortunate. He has been such a gentleman this year and not given me too much trouble getting past but it was just a misunderstanding today. I wasn’t close enough to try and pass but I was on the inside line in the corner. It looked like he had gone wide, then he cut back across the corner and perhaps he didn’t see me there. I lost quite a bit of downforce with the damage and it made it very hard to look after the front left tyre. I had a lot of understeer and the tyre was degrading fast, which is the reason why we converted from a two-stop strategy to three. Then the team called me in early on the first set of option tyres because we expected a Safety Car to come out – and I was surprised that there wasn’t one, to be honest I caught Valtteri pretty fast in the final laps but he just had too much straightline speed to get past. I’m doing absolutely everything I can to get back on level terms with Nico in the title battle: I can’t focus more or work harder than I am doing right now. This championship is proving a big challenge for me but that’s how I love it – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Toto Wolff

It feels like a 1-2 today because considering where Lewis was coming from in P20, it was a magical drive. He had a misunderstanding with Jenson that could have cost us the race. Personally I know he is a very competitive guy and he will never be satisfied with third but it felt like a very good performance from our side, with so much going on out on track and the need to convert his pit strategy. For Nico, he was controlling the race from the beginning to the end. He knew that the task was to pull a gap and then bring the car home and that’s exactly what he did. It was a brilliant performance from him. It was an amazing race and a credit to Germany; it’s clear to see the sport is very much alive and well. Finally, I wish to make two special mentions for this victory: first of all, I offer this win to all of our colleagues at Mercedes-Benz who have given us so much support and dedication to reach this level of performance. We are proud to wear the three-pointed star and to represent the best car company in the world. But our thoughts on every race weekend are also with Michael Schumacher, who did so much for our sport in Germany and won so many times here in Hockenheim. He is fighting as only Michael can and we send all our wishes of strength and support to him and his family.

Paddy Lowe

It was an afternoon we knew was going to be challenging from the outset. Not only to get Lewis from the back to the front but, as always, to get two cars home with a lot of systems to manage and a long race with the threat of rain. Nico drove a faultless race with two stops as we had planned. Lewis’ race was a bit more eventful with fantastic overtaking and some great driving. He lost a lot of downforce from the damage to the front wing, so we decided to convert to a three stop strategy in order to give us an opportunity to adjust it and reclaim the aero balance we were missing. We took a gamble on the Safety Car that didn’t pay off but did affect our strategy slightly. In the end we were thwarted by the speed of the Williams down the straight, our lap time was faster but we couldn’t overtake in the end. Congratulations to Williams on P2 and it was great to see three Mercedes-Benz powered cars on the podium here in Germany.

Lewis Hamilton took victory in his home race at this afternoon’s British Grand Prix, while Nico Rosberg was forced to retire.

• Lewis scored the team’s eighth win in nine races in 2014 – and his fifth of the season so far
• This marked Lewis’ 27th Formula One victory, putting him level with Sir Jackie Stewart
• His win came 60 years and two days after the first Formula One victory for Mercedes-Benz at the 1954 French Grand Prix
• Nico retired his car with gearbox problems just after half distance on lap 29, having led from the start
• Lewis ran an option/prime/option tyre strategy, with Nico running option/option before his retirement
• The team now leads the Constructors’ Championship by 158 points after nine of this season’s 19 races

Lewis Hamilton 2014 British Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton

Winning in front of your home crowd is just the best feeling. We really do have the greatest fans here and thank you so much to everyone for your patience after yesterday. To see the support all around the track is just amazing. I said before that I’d never give up but it was a tough qualifying and I really needed to dig deep and come back positive this morning. A huge thank you to my family and all of the fans for pushing me on – I couldn’t have done it without them. Nico had a pretty big gap at the beginning of the race but I kept pushing and was happy with my pace. After extending my first stint, we switched to the prime tyres and I honestly couldn’t believe the pace that I had and was closing up to Nico. Of course, he then had a problem and I saw him pull over. It’s a shame for the team and I never want to see a team-mate fall behind – I always want to battle it out – but I’m sure we will get to do it again in the future. It’s been a rollercoaster weekend and to come away with the win after a day like yesterday is fantastic, so thank you to everyone in the team for all their hard work. I’m proud to have done it for them here – so close to our factories in Brackley and Brixworth.

Nico Rosberg 2014 British Grand Prix

Nico Rosberg

It’s a pity what happened today as I lost a lot of points in the Championship. We are always aiming for 100 % reliability but unfortunately that didn’t work out for me today. I had a small issue in the installation lap but the car felt great in the beginning. By lap 20, though, the gearbox started to become a serious problem and from then it got worse. I tried to get it into some safety settings, let Lewis through and just keep going until the end of the race. But there was nothing we could do so I had to stop the car. All I can do is accept that these things happen and work with the team to find out what went wrong. It’s a shame for the race in a way, as it could have been a great battle against Lewis, but congratulations to him for the win. Now we are heading to Germany with the quickest car and I’m looking forward to a home Grand Prix for both Mercedes-Benz and myself.

Toto Wolff

It was a day of two halves for the team – a fantastic result for Lewis at his home race and disappointment for Nico when he had to retire. First, the positive aspect: Lewis drove a faultless race today. He made up positions at the start and in the opening laps after the restart, then it was shaping up to be a big battle until Nico started to suffer the gearbox problems. But what I want to praise most of all is Lewis’ approach today. He had a bad qualifying session but he arrived at the circuit this morning in such a positive frame of mind and determined to perform – and he did that for his home fans. It was a great performance that showed his mental strength. Nico was doing a great job leading the race today and handled his retirement like the professional he is: he understands that this is part of motor racing and that we still have a long way to go this year. For our team, it’s great to win at Silverstone for the second year in a row, so close to our factories in Brackley and Brixworth. And for Mercedes-Benz, it’s a special day too – to win on the 60th anniversary of the company’s first victory with Juan Manuel Fangio. It’s a proud day for all of us.

Paddy Lowe

It’s fantastic to produce a win at our home circuit and I’d like to dedicate this to all our team-mates in Brackley and Brixworth – I know they will have been living through every second with us, so this one is for you all. Our W05 Hybrid car was very strong today: Silverstone is a benchmark circuit not just for engine performance but also for aerodynamic efficiency, and we saw incredible pace from Nico and Lewis in the opening stint. There we had two of the best drivers in the world, right on the limit, fighting tooth and nail – and every sector of every lap counted. It was great to watch. We decided to put the drivers on different tyre strategies, with Nico planning to run option/option/prime – and Lewis offset on the slower option/prime/option strategy, which could have given him a chance to challenge for the lead in the closing laps. It was shaping up that way until Nico’s problems. It was a real blow to lose Nico’s car: there was an early sign of a problem with a strange downshift, then it went away for 10 laps before recurring. We tried to change settings to remedy the situation but ultimately he lost drive and had to retire. But on the positive side, Lewis delivered a fantastic home win for the crowd – and it couldn’t have been better at Silverstone’s 50th British Grand Prix. It’s eight wins in nine races now, which is an amazing statistic, but today also reminded us that we need to keep focusing on every small detail if we want to maintain that level of performance.

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton took a hard-fought one-two victory this afternoon at the Austrian Grand Prix to make it six one-two finishes in the opening eight races of the season – a feat only achieved once before in Formula One history.

• Nico claimed his third win of the season and eighth consecutive podium after starting third on the grid.
• Lewis finished second after gaining seven places, securing the team’s sixth one-two finish in the 2014 season
• Both drivers ran two-stop strategies, running a tyre choice of option/prime/prime
• Seven of the top ten were powered by Mercedes-Benz and this was win 106 for Mercedes-Benz power in Formula One

Nico Rosberg

That was an amazing weekend for us here. It was so great to be back again in Austria – for me, it felt almost like being at my home race in Germany! This is a great track, with amazing fans and at the end also with a great result for us. I have to thank the team for a great car and a perfect strategy. We chose the aggressive way to pit earlier and to overtake the Williams that way and that worked out quite well. We had to look after our brakes, which was a big job for the whole race. Also this worked out perfectly for me. Before the weekend, my target was to extend the lead in the championship, which I achieved. So I can be quite confident before the next home race for our team in Silverstone. A great job also from Williams, they were the second force today. Congratulations to them.
Lewis Hamilton

After what happened yesterday in qualifying, today was all about damage limitation for me, so I’m as happy as I can be with a P2 finish. I have had the pace in the car all weekend here but I wasn’t able to capitalise on that, so getting second place from a bad weekend is pretty good, I guess. I had a rocket start – it’s something we’ve be working hard on all year and it was one of the best I’ve ever had. You can’t ever plan what’s going to happen but I managed to put the car in all the right places and climb to P4 by the end of the first lap. We were managing the brakes a lot today, because I was in traffic for most of the race and it was the most important thing to bring the car home, so that was a real balancing act. But the strategy worked really well for me to get into second position, then I tried to start pushing Nico – but he didn’t make any mistakes and I didn’t have the chance to overtake. The guys did a fantastic job today to get us another one-two and the fans here in Austria have been insane. Next race is in Silverstone and all the positive energy from my home fans; it will be a special time and I’ll be going all out for the win.

Toto Wolff

‎A fantastic result for us here in Austria and we are just delighted to get a one-two finish today. The race was all about management: managing the brakes because this is such a tough circuit for them, and also looking after the Power Unit to make sure we didn’t have any repeat of the problems in Canada. Nico and Lewis did an incredible job – a controlled drive from Nico, where he let the race come to him and let our strategy play out, which worked really well; then a really typical dynamic drive from Lewis, who just did an amazing first lap to climb from 9th to 4th. After that, the guys pushed each other hard but we made sure to bring the cars home, too. It’s a great day for the team to take another one-two finish and congratulations, too, to our partners at Williams, who made it four Mercedes Benz engines in the top four this afternoon.

Paddy Lowe

We woke up this morning knowing that we had a big job to do today given our less than ideal qualifying positions. We had a lot of work to do with the strategy to get the cars to the front. Both drivers had great starts and a good first lap, particularly from Lewis which meant we were in P3 and P4 after lap one. Behind the scenes we were doing a lot to manage the condition of the car during the race, at the same time as running a strategy to overtake the Williams, who looked to have very strong pace today. To finish where we did is a credit to the whole team. Well done to Williams for getting P3 and P4 and congratulations to Mercedes-Benz for securing seven out of the top ten positions with no retirements at this particulary demanding circuit.

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

Nico Rosberg

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

Lewis Hamilton

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

Toto Wolff

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

Paddy Lowe

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

Mercedes Formula One Team driver Nico Rosberg and current 2014 F1 leader took a video selfie at the Hockenheim race track while there for the DRM season opener. The 28-year-old German filmed himself driving a classic Mercedes-Benz W196 Silver Arrow from 1954.

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team had a very successful weekend with Nico Rosberg taking home a first place finish at the Australian Grand Prix.

Starting from position 3 on the gird, Nico claimed first place right off the line and led every lap thereafter, winning by 24 seconds. He made two pit stops on laps 12 and 38, running a tyre strategy of option/option/prime, and set the fastest lap on lap 19. Rosberg’s win marked thw 100th F1 vicotry for a Mercedes-Benz engine – Juan Manuel Fangio was behind the wheel for the first win in 1954.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton was forced to retire his car after two laps owing to a misfiring cylinder, which had cost engine power since the start.

Nico Rosberg

That was an incredible day for us. To start the season with a win is unbelievable and I have to say a big thank you to everybody who was involved in building our car over the winter. I always dreamed of having such a strong Silver Arrow and now it seems we are there. In the race, everything went perfectly for me. My start was great and I was able to push from there until the end, with our fuel consumption well under control. However, despite our success today, we also know that there is still some work to do. We saw over the weekend that reliability is still a concern and it prevented us from having a strong two-car finish. We have two weeks to improve that. I am very much looking forward to Malaysia and I would love to race again tomorrow!

Lewis Hamilton

My start didn’t feel great today and I had a lot less power than usual when pulling away, so it was obvious immediately that something was wrong. It looks like we only had five cylinders firing and, while I wanted to keep going, we had to play safe and save the engine. It’s unfortunate but that’s racing and we will recover from this. We have a great car and engine, and the pace was really strong today as Nico clearly showed. Big congratulations to him and the team for achieving the win, it’s a fantastic result for us. Of course I’m disappointed with my own race and when I think about all the work that has gone on back at our factories, it’s tough to have a costly hiccup. However we have achieved an incredible amount to get here, to be at the front and to be so competitive; we will bounce back and learn from this. There is a very long way to go this season.

Toto Wolff

It was a day of light and shadow for us. Nico did a perfect job this afternoon: a great start and a really controlled drive all the way to the final lap. He delivered the car’s performance how he needed to, when he needed to, and took a very composed and deserved victory. On the other side, we were disappointed to lose Lewis so early after a misfiring cylinder forced him to retire. He had done everything right this weekend until that point and it was a situation beyond his control. We know that reliability will be crucial to this long season and we will be working hard to improve the situation for the race in Malaysia. Finally, this victory has a very special meaning for us, too. I would like to dedicate it to Michael, who has been in all our thoughts this weekend. He will keep fighting, as only he knows how, and we are sending all our strength to him today.

Paddy Lowe

Today’s race was all about delivering on the potential we had shown in testing and on the hard work that has been put into this project since its beginning. It was fantastic to get the win on behalf of the hundreds of people in Brackley, Brixworth and Stuttgart who have contributed to our performance over several years. A special mention must also go to Ross. I have come relatively late to this campaign and would like to thank him for the contribution he made in the years leading to this point, which we can now build upon. It was hugely disappointing for all of us that Lewis was not able to convert his pole position but this is a day to focus on our success rather than failures. We know that this season will be more of a marathon than a sprint and that reliability will play a decisive role. After taking a moment to savour this win, we will be hard at work to improve further for the next race in Malaysia.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 driver, Nico Rosberg, and his legendary F1 driving father, KeKe Rosberg, spend quality father-son time racing each other on a frozen lake in Lapland.  Both fiercely competitive, Nico and Keke battle it out on the ice in a rally car.  The 62 year-old legend (and apparent Washington Redskins fan) couldn’t quite keep up with his son but takes defeat gracefully.

Sunday was a big day in sports, the Red Sox pulled out a win over the Cardinals to tie up the series 2-2, the Packers destroyed their rival Vikings and, well you get the idea.  But, in Mercedes sports news this weekend, the headlines was just as important. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas driver, finished 2nd at the Indian Grand Prix, just behind a history making Sebastian Vettel who became the youngest F1 driver to win four F1 Drivers titles.  This finish also moved the team back up to second place in the Constructors’ Championship.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton finished sixth place after spending most of the race stuck behind the slow Ferrari of Felipe Massa.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Driver, Nico Rosberg

Nico Rosberg

A great job from Sebastian today and his fourth title is well deserved. For our team, it was a very important race today. We scored a lot of points and climbed back up to second place in the Constructors’ Championship. I’m quite confident that we can keep that position until the end of the season as the team is doing a great job and our car looks good but it will be a fight. I had good pace today and we really nailed the set-up here. The team did a fantastic job on the strategy and thanks to the boys for that. The only thing which didn’t work out perfectly was when I dropped behind Felipe at the start as it was not easy to overtake him on the track, but then we managed to clear him in the pits. Our target was to be the best of rest this weekend and it worked out perfectly.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Driver, Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton

Massive congratulations to Seb on becoming four-time World Champion today. That’s an awesome achievement and he’s put in some incredible performances this season. I really hope we get to take the fight to him next year! Looking at my race today, it’s great that we got some good points, particularly with Nico’s podium, and that the team are back to second place. The car has been pretty good this weekend but the race was frustrating for me. I tried so hard to get past Felipe but it just wasn’t possible and unfortunately I destroyed my tyres in doing so. Finishing in sixth place is never satisfying but we’ve got three more races and we’ll keep pushing. I’m confident that we can get some more good results to keep the team in second place and we’ll keep fighting to achieve just that.

2013 Indian Grand Prix

Ross Brawn

First of all, congratulations to Sebastian Vettel on winning his fourth World Championship. To win multiple championships as he has done, you must be not just a driver but also a fantastic team member, and he clearly has all the attributes that requires. It’s now up to us to stop him. From the team’s perspective, we scored a very solid team result this afternoon. Nico enjoyed a very, very good afternoon: the strategy worked out perfectly for him and he got all the right breaks, which allowed him to show what the car was capable of delivering. For Lewis, losing position to Massa early in the race proved critical. That meant we were unable to build a gap in the opening stint because we couldn’t run at our natural pace, so as others behind us pitted, we had to anticipate our first stop in spite of having plenty of life left in the tyres. After that point, Lewis didn’t have the straightline speed to pass Felipe and make the most of the core performance of the car. That naturally left him frustrated but shouldn’t overshadow the good work both drivers and engineering teams did this weekend. We gathered a good haul of points today and need to continue to do so in the remaining races.

2013 Indian Grand Prix

Toto Wolff

Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel on his fourth consecutive World Championship. He has done a perfect job since the summer break and this is a richly deserved title. For our Mercedes team, Nico delivered a really good drive today. He showed pace when it mattered and managed the race when it counted. It was great to see him back on the podium. Lewis was compromised on the first lap and we didn’t have the top speed to pass Massa on track today. Clearly, when you are following a car so closely for so many laps, that doesn’t help tyre degradation and that was why he ran out of tyres in the final laps. Taking all of that into account, P6 is still a solid result and contributed more valuable points. We have had a good afternoon compared to our direct rivals today but there is still a long way to go until we can say mission accomplished. There is no complacency and our target will be to deliver another three strong weekends this season.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nico Rosberg

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

Lewis Hamilton

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

Ross Brawn

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

Toto Wolff

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

Sunday’s 2013 Formula 1 Santander British Grand Prix at Silverstone was one of the hardest fought races of the season with Mercedes AMG Petronas’ own Nico Rosberg taking home the victory.

Rosberg held onto first place, claiming his second victory of the 2013 season,by staving off Red Bull’s Mark Webber who made every effort to overtake the Mercedes leader. Finishing third was Fernando Alonso for Ferrari, followed by Rosberg’s teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Early on in the race, Hamilton led the race, ahead of Rosberg, until a left rear tire blowout on the eight lap set him back. Just two laps later, Ferrari’s Felipe Massa also had tire failure, then Toro Rosso’s Jean-Eric Vergne on lap 15, which brought out the safety car, followed by the final blowout of the day by McLaren’s Sergio Perez on the 46th lap.

It was these blowouts along with the a safety car on lap 41, a very well timed pit and excellent defensive driving that gave Rosberg the advantage in Sunday’s race.

Mercedes AMG Petronas Race Overview:

• Nico took his third career win this afternoon, the 12th for a Mercedes car and the 98th for a Mercedes engine in F1

• Lewis led the first eight laps from pole; after a tire failure, he dropped to last place and then fought back to P4

• Both drivers started the race on option tires and then ran prime tires for the rest of the race

• Nico stopped on laps 12, 34 & 42, the latter stop a precaution owing to a damaged tire, Lewis pitted on laps 8 & 36

• With this afternoon’s result, the team had climbed to second place in the Constructors’ Championship on 171 points

• This total, after eight races, exceeds the team’s total points scored in the entire 2012 season (142)

Driver Quotes:

Nico Rosberg

This is a great moment for me and our team to win in the home of motor racing at Silverstone. We have such great momentum in our Silver Arrows team and I’m very proud to be part of it. This win is for every single person who has been involved in building our car. It was a shame for Lewis today, and I had also a problem with my tire but I was lucky because of the Safety Car. It was so special to win today, especially in front of fellow team members and their families as our factory is only ten minutes away from the track. The race was really exciting. I had to manage the tires really carefully, I was told to avoid the kerbs. At the end, it was difficult to hold Mark and to look after my tires but I was able to keep the position, and take a great victory for us. Now we can look forward to another home race next weekend at the Nürburgring.

Lewis Hamilton

Of course, I’m disappointed by today’s race and I would have loved to deliver the win this afternoon for all the British fans here at Silverstone. The race started so well for us today; I felt comfortable out in front and was managing my pace. The tire problem was such a shame and from then, it was just a case of giving it my all and battling as far up the field as possible. I had some good overtaking moves and, given another lap, I might have got Fernando and ended up on the podium. Everything considered, fourth place is pretty good after having been last on lap 10 and we’ll take that. It’s a great result for the team today, big congratulations to Nico who came through a tricky situation to take the win for us. We’ve now moved up to second place in the Constructors’ Championship which is a nice reward for everyone at the factories just down the road from here.

Ross Brawn

It is a very special feeling to win here at Silverstone and especially at the end of such a dramatic afternoon. Nico didn’t put a foot wrong today: he drove extremely well, looked after the tires like he needed to and was in the perfect place to pick up the pieces when others ran into trouble. It got very tense in the final laps after the second Safety Car period, but Nico showed he had the speed to respond and the composure to bring the car home. It’s his second victory in three races and really deserved. As for Lewis, he showed exactly what he’s made of today. He was driving beautifully at the front of the field and slowing pulling away when he suffered the tire failure. Then he went from dead last on lap nine to fourth at the finish – and he was lapping incredibly quickly with a damaged car in the final laps. I am sure he will take a lot of encouragement for the rest of the season from the basic pace we showed today. But the biggest praise of all must go to our team. We have worked night and day this year to improve this car, solve our tire management issues and put ourselves in a position to take the fight to our rivals. Today, we took another big step in the right direction and perhaps we have turned a corner now. It’s extra special to have done it here at Silverstone, in front of our colleagues, family and friends. Congratulations to the entire team.

Toto Wolff

What a great day for our team. The guys in Brackley and Brixworth have worked so hard in the past weeks and months to deliver this kind of performance, always with the total support and commitment of our board in Stuttgart. Today, we began to deliver on the potential we have shown this year. Both cars were right on the pace all the way through the race and, while we had misfortune with Lewis, we also enjoyed good fortune with the final Safety Car period, which allowed Nico to change a damaged tire without penalty. Nico drove beautifully and Lewis was full of fight and determination to come from the back of the grid to the edge of the podium. Most of all, this is a win for everybody who has worked so hard at our factories to pull us into contention at the front of the field. In a normal race, on a demanding circuit, we were right there in qualifying and all through the race, which is probably the best news from today. So thank you to Stuttgart, to Brixworth and to Brackley. Now we need to keep pushing because we still have a lot more to achieve this season.

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

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

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

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

Lewis Hamilton

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

Nico Rosberg

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

Ross Brawn

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

Toto Wolff

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

Mercedes AMG Petronas driver, Nico Rosberg put on a spectacular show Sunday, winning the Monaco Grand Prix and making history doing it. Rosberg is the only second generation driver to win in Monaco, following in the footsteps of his father Keke Rosberg who won the race in 1983. Growing up in Monaco, the streets where Rosberg dominated the competition for his second career victory, are home to the Mercedes AMG racer.

Teammate Lewis Hamilton finished the race in fourth after after starting the race in second and then losing his positions to Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber during a pit stop that brought in Rosberg and Hamilton together resulting in a position and time loss and for Hamilton. Hamilton fought hard to make a comeback but once the race was delayed with a red flagged on the 48th lap, Hamilton just couldn’t seem to get his momentum back.

Nico Rosberg Wins 2013 Monaco Grand Prix

Weather	Warm and sunny
Temperatures	Air: 18-20°C	Track: 39-44°C

Nico Rosberg

Monaco is such a special place to win and it just feels amazing today. It was my childhood dream to win this race and to do it in a Silver Arrow on the streets where I have lived all of my life is fantastic. I can’t quite believe it has happened yet and it will probably take a while to sink in. Thank you to the team for the car that we had this weekend and it’s good to have been able to show the same level of performance on Sunday and convert our pole position. The whole weekend went pretty much to plan, even though qualifying was tough with the weather conditions. I didn’t have the best start today which meant Lewis and Seb got pretty close but after the first corner, I was able to set my own pace. Then it was just a case of keeping a cool head through all the incidents and the team did a great job of keeping me in touch with what was happening. Thank you to everyone here today and back at the factories in Brackley and Brixworth. I hope this win today is the first of many more to come for us.

Lewis Hamilton Helmet

Lewis Hamilton

It’s been a great weekend for the team and I’m really happy for everyone. Big congratulations to Nico, he’s been awesome all weekend here and really deserves that victory. From my side, this weekend hasn’t really been the best and we didn’t make the most of the opportunity for a one-two finish today. When the safety car came out, I needed to maintain a gap so we didn’t get delayed with the double pit stop but unfortunately the gap was too big and we lost out to the two Red Bulls. That’s motor racing and these things happen sometimes. It’s the tightest track in the world here and virtually impossible to overtake unless you are much quicker than the car in front so there was nothing I could do to improve my position. But it’s great for the team to have achieved our first victory of the season and I hope we can carry through the performance we showed here to Montreal.

Ross Brawn

Congratulations to Nico today. He did not put a foot wrong all weekend, topping every session and driving a very poised and controlled race. He richly deserves this second win of his career. Lewis was running very comfortably in second position until the Safety Car period just before both drivers had made their first stops. The team did a fantastic job all weekend in a challenging qualifying session and a difficult race. But we are all aware, Monaco is not a completely representative circuit. We will take the time this evening to enjoy our success but know that we need to keep pushing to understand how to extract the maximum from our car at every circuit and keep improving further.

Toto Wolff

Nico was dominant not just this afternoon but all weekend. He did everything right from the first lap on Thursday and he really earned this victory. Lewis lost some time in the second sector on his in-lap behind the Safety Car and that cost him position to the Red Bulls, so we need to find out what happened there. As for the team, congratulations to everybody in Brackley and Brixworth. The guys at the track overcame all the obstacles that were put in their way this weekend and the team at the factory have achieved a great step in performance with the car. Now we need to keep pushing so we can repeat this taste of success at different types of circuit through the rest of the season.