Starting off the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix from pole position, Mercedes AMG Petronas’ Nico Rosberg led the race for two laps before being overtaken on the third lap by Sebastian Vettel who would then go on to win the race.  Rosberg battled for fifth position for quite some time before dropping back after contact was made with Mark Webber’s Red Bull car, requiring him to take a fourth pit stop. Rosberg finished respectively in ninth position.

Lewis Hamilton started off the race in 9th position and dropped back as far as 11 in an effort to conserve his tires but truly came alive when he overtook the Webber’s Red Bull car on the 51st lap. Webber managed to take over Hamilton on the 53rd lap, setting up a great to watch side-by-side racing battle  between the two – Webber blocked Hamilton and Hamilton ducked and dived behind him. It was on the very last lap of the race going into Turn 1 with Hamilton on the inside that Webber had to concede to Hamilton ending in a fifth place finish for Hamilton and a seventh place finish for Webber.

• Lewis completed a three-stop strategy to finish in fifth place after starting ninth
• He stopped on laps 10, 22 and 38, running option/option/prime/prime
• After starting from pole, Nico was forced to convert to a four-stop strategy at the end of his third stint
• He stopped on laps 9, 20, 33 and 44, running option/prime/prime/option/option

Lewis Hamilton

I’m really happy with our result today. It’s been a tough weekend for us but we got through it and finishing in fifth place was some good damage limitation. My race didn’t start well at all. I was looking after the tires but I really struggled on the first two stints and was falling back. But as the temperatures dropped, the car picked up and then I had the grip that I needed to push and close the gap. I had so much fun fighting with Mark at the end. We really needed that point and I was so determined to get by. It was good, clean wheel-to-wheel racing. I’m very proud of what we have achieved over the first four races and to be third in the Drivers’ Championship is beyond any of our expectations. But we’ve got to keep pushing and find more performance. We’re hanging on by the skin of our teeth at the moment and, if we can make that next step, then we can close the gap.

Nico Rosberg

A tough day for me. As nice as it was to start from pole this afternoon, it was just as hard to finish in ninth place. I didn’t feel comfortable in the car today and it wasn’t much fun out there really. We switched to a four-stop strategy at the end of my third stint but it wasn’t enough. We were using the rear tyres too much and at the end, I was really struggling and wasn’t able to push hard enough. There is a lot of work ahead and we need to focus on why our race performance isn’t matching the pace that we can show in qualifying. Hopefully we can make some steps here before the European season starts.

Ross Brawn

We struggled badly in the early part of the race when the track temperatures were at their highest. This is an issue we have to address and we will continue working on solutions to improve our performance in this area. In the second half of the race, as the track temperatures cooled somewhat, our pace was not bad – particularly with Lewis. We got two cars home in the points, both drivers enjoyed some exciting wheel-to-wheel racing and the pit crew delivered some great stops. Lewis and Nico did as good a job as possible with the car we had this afternoon but it was a case of damage limitation for both of them. However we must make it a priority to cope better with elevated temperatures: the tyres are the same for everybody and we are not performing as well as our competitors in these conditions.

Toto Wolff

We knew it would be a tough day and the high track temperatures were clearly not good for us. That’s not an excuse but a priority area to improve. We need to analyse carefully why we suffered so much, particularly in the early stages, and why we were not on the pace. Both drivers were tough but fair in defending their positions and delivered some good racing, particularly Lewis in the closing stages. But from a team perspective we must see this as a disappointing result. We learned a lot this afternoon but it is clear that we still have a lot to learn.

Staring first on the gird at the 2013 Chinese Grand Prix, the new Mercedes AMG Petronas Driver Lewis Hamilton ran a great race but his car and his tires just weren’t up to the challenge. Despite falling back from first, Lewis Hamilton still managed to achieve his second successive podium for Mercedes AMG Petronas with a third place finish in Shanghai.  First place went to Fernando Alonso with Kimi Räikkönen coming in second.

Teammate Nico Rosberg did not fair quite as well however. Starting the race in the fourth position, Rosberg only managed to complete 21 laps before retiring early due to the rear anti-roll bar breaking and throwing off the balance of the car.

Continue on for quotes from the Mercedes AMG Petronas team or skip straight down to the photo gallery for a complete look at the 2013 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

• Lewis started from pole and completed a three-stop option/prime/prime/prime strategy, stopping on laps 5, 21 and 37
• Nico was following the same strategy and had stopped on laps 5 and19, followed by a further stop on lap 20
• The team retired his car on lap 21 when a problem with the rear anti-roll bar was identified

Nico Rosberg

The race was tough for me today and with my set-up I had an unexpected level of understeer which made it difficult to drive. After my second pit stop, the feeling got worse and I had one front wheel in the air during the corners. The rear anti-roll bar, which influences the balance of the car, had broken so unfortunately we had to retire the car. It’s a shame and I’ve had a difficult start to the season with two DNFs. But it’s good to have the next race in just seven days time so hopefully we can put this result behind us with a strong weekend in Bahrain. It was great for the team to get another podium today.

Lewis Hamilton

It was a good race for me today and whilst I would have loved the win, I’m really happy with third place and being on the podium for the second race in a row. Fernando and Kimi were just a little bit too fast for us during the race and my tires were shot at the end trying to keep ahead of Sebastian. I could see his car getting bigger and bigger in my mirrors so it was nice to be able to hang on for the third place. The guys did a great job this weekend to get us where we were; on pole and finishing third. We got the absolute most out of the car we had and that’s very satisfying. We’re not quite there yet in terms of overall pace but everyone is working so hard and I know we can do it.

Ross Brawn

We didn’t quite enjoy the balance with the car today that we were expecting. Clearly the track had moved away from us and perhaps more towards one or two other teams. Certainly we didn’t have as good a balance in the race as we had on Friday. With Lewis, we did the best we could with the car we had today and he drove extremely well. We needed to keep the stints as evenly balanced as possible to make sure we had adequate tyre life, however, even with that, it became very close with Sebastian at the end. Nico was running with the same issues a few places back when a problem with the rear anti-roll bar meant we had to stop the car. Overall we can be confident that we’ve made another step forward this weekend, and the fact that we’re all a little disappointed with third is a measure of the ambition and expectations of the team.

Toto Wolff

Well done to Lewis for the second podium finish in the last two races. He drove a very good race, just fending off Sebastian who had reeled him in on his option tires over the last five laps. Starting from pole obviously raises expectations, however we knew that tyre management would be very critical for us today. During practice and qualifying, the track conditions suited us better than in the race today and, as a result, the balance of the car changed and wasn’t as good for both drivers. Unfortunately Nico had to retire from the race on lap 21 with a broken anti-roll bar and we will analyse the reason for this. We will work hard to make sure that technical problems like the ones Nico experienced do not happen again so that both drivers can score points in the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend.

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team has officially unveiled its 2013 Formula One car, the F1 W04, at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain. Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton arrived at the official photo call at the wheel of two Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Black Series, the fifth Black Series model from Mercedes-AMG. Inspired by the SLS AMG GT3 race car, the new car offers a blend of breathtaking design, outstanding driving dynamics and lightweight construction in line with the “AMG Lightweight Performance” strategy. Developing 464 kW (631 hp) for a kerb weight of 1550 kg, the SLS AMG Coupé Black Series accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and is the most powerful internal combustion vehicle currently produced by Mercedes-Benz.

The new F1 W04 completed its first laps of today’s 100 km shakedown at 10:21 in the hands of Nico Rosberg, who drove the car throughout the morning. Lewis Hamilton will take the wheel of a Formula One Silver Arrow for the first time this afternoon, the first British works driver since Sir Stirling Moss in 1955. The car will then complete four days of testing this week in Jerez, in the hands of Nico and Lewis.

With the technical regulations remaining stable in 2013, ahead of major changes for 2014, the basic vehicle concept of the F1 W04 is a sophisticated evolution of last year’s car. Led by Engineering Director Aldo Costa, under the coordination of Technical Director Bob Bell, the project commenced with initial aerodynamic testing in early summer 2012.

The aerodynamic design philosophy has been optimised around a new five-element front wing design and a second-generation Coanda exhaust at the rear. The car retains pushrod front suspension and a pullrod rear suspension, aimed at optimising tyre life and performance, while the rear end has been aggressively packaged to optimise aerodynamic development potential. The F1 W04 also does away with the stepped nose design of its predecessor thanks to a small ‘vanity panel’, which was found to offer a small gain during aerodynamic testing. The car completed its final mandatory FIA crash test on 15 January.

Ross Brawn: “The F1 W04 is a clear step forward in sophistication”

“2013 marks the start of a second era for our Silver Arrows works team,” said Team Principal Ross Brawn. “The restructuring we undertook at the team over the past 18 months are now growing in maturity and this is reflected in the F1 W04, which is a clear step forward in design and detail sophistication over its predecessor. Many thousands of hours of work have been invested by our technical teams in Brackley and Brixworth to ensure that the new car delivers a step change in performance compared to last season. We are also hugely proud to welcome Lewis to the team as a works Mercedes-Benz driver. With Lewis and Nico, we have what I believe to be the strongest driver line-up in Formula One and I know that a healthy level of competition between them both will help drive the team forward.”

Nico Rosberg: “We want to make this the best team in Formula One”

Nico, who last year took the first victory for a works Silver Arrow in the modern era, completed the car’s first laps this morning in Jerez and will also take the wheel for the first official day of testing tomorrow. “I’ve been working really hard over the winter on my physical preparation, both in the mountains – climbing to over 2,000 metres with ski boots – and also in the Mediterranean, training on my bike, swimming and running. I fitted that around regular visits to see the guys at the factory in December and January and we have done some really good work, especially in the simulator. The car seems to be performing well in the virtual world but we have a very busy and intense programme ahead of us during testing to make sure we can deliver that performance on track. The atmosphere in the team is very positive and the people are highly motivated to succeed. And, of course, I have a new team-mate with Lewis. It’s his first time in the Silver Arrow and I look forward to working together and pushing each other hard, to make this the best team in Formula One.”

Lewis Hamilton: “I have never seen a team hungrier for success than this one”

Lewis has enjoyed the support of Mercedes-Benz for over 15 years, including racing with Mercedes-Benz power throughout his Formula One career, and this year will make his debut as a works Silver Arrow driver. “It’s a very special day for me to officially present our Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow to the world. There is no company with a longer history in Grand Prix racing than Mercedes-Benz and it is an honour for me to tread in the footsteps of legends like Juan Manuel Fangio, Sir Stirling Moss and Michael Schumacher. It’s the start of a new chapter for me, a new adventure, and when I walked through the doors in Brackley, I was so excited to get down to work. I’ve been at the factory for a few days now, getting to know the guys, meeting my mechanics and engineers, learning myself into the team and I have never seen a group of people that is hungrier for success than this one. They have been flat out this winter trying to pack more performance into the new car and I can’t wait to drive it and see where I can make a difference to help push the team forward with Nico. This is a new start for me with the team in Brackley but I have worked with Mercedes-Benz for a very long time now, and I learned one thing most of all: Mercedes-Benz doesn’t know how to lose. We are playing a long game here but I know we will have success together and I’m excited to be a big part of making it happen.”

Toto Wolff: “The only thing that counts in Formula One is lap time”

Toto Wolff, the new Executive Director of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, concluded: “The first laps for a new car are always filled with emotion and today was no exception. It is even more meaningful when the car is a Silver Arrow: Mercedes-Benz has a long tradition of racing success and this is something we are proud to represent and determined to live up to. In the fortnight since I joined the team, I have been impressed by what I have found. The people are highly motivated, open-minded and determined to succeed. Our drivers are hungry for success, too, and it will certainly be fascinating this season to see how Nico and Lewis perform together. Ultimately, though, Formula One is very straightforward and the only thing that counts is lap time.”

The F1 W04 will now complete 12 days of pre-season testing prior to the first race in Melbourne. This week’s testing plan is as follows: Tuesday & Thursday, Nico; Wednesday & Friday, Lewis.

Dear all,

Thanks a lot for helping me to get my first win! It really was a fantastic experience.

Here’s a video to show you that i’m flat out practicing how to take on the bulls again in 2013…

I look forward to winning many more races together. I wish you and your families a really nice time over xmas and new years.

Nico

It fits like a second skin, it resists temperatures of up to 1.000 degrees Celsius and it’s mandatory in Formula one. In the new video from Mercedes AMG Petronas, Nico and his chief strategist unveil the importance of the Nomex race overalls currently worn today.

In this second video, Nico takes a look back in time to when Formula One drivers only wore leather caps. Safety improvements over the past few decades have been huge. Today’s helmets are full of state-of-the-art technology protecting driver’s in any situation.

In the third video, what seems to be a simple strap is in fact the number one life saver. Not only in Formula One but on the road as well. What is a high tech device today did not even exist in the early days of Formula One. Nico and Aldo Costa give detailled information about the demands on a Formula One safety harness.

It was a tough weekend for Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team, as Nico Rosberg finished the Hungarian Grand Prix in 10th place.   Rosberg did, however, manage to move up three spots from his less than ideal starting position – one of the few positives on the day.

Michael Schumacher fared far worse, retiring from the race after 58  laps.  His troubles began before the race began, when Schumacher switched his engine off during the yellow lights when he noticed experienced very high engine temps.  He subsequently started the race from the pits, then picked up a penalty, then suffered from a tire puncture.  All of this, paired with ongoing engine temperature problems, led Michael to retire with 11 laps left, to avoid any engine damage that could impact the next race.

Hopefully the next race at Spa will see different results for the Mercedes AMG Petronas team.

As for the results, Lewis Hamilton of Vodafone McLaren took the top spot, followed by Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.

Michael and Nico recently completed a whirlwind tour of the Mercedes-Benz facilities near the company headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. After visiting the production facilities for the new A-Class and B-Class compact models in Rastatt, the drivers tried their hand at assembling the pistons and cylinder heads of a high-performance AMG engine at Mercedes-AMG in Affalterbach.

The 5.5 litre twin-turbo V8 engine will power the new Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake, which will be given its world premiere at the “Night of the Stars” on 21st July in Hockenheim.

The Rastatt production facility in Baden celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year and is the centre of competence for production of Mercedes-Benz compact class vehicles. Daimler has invested around €1.2 billion for the production of the new compact vehicles in Rastatt. 500 new jobs will be created this year, and the factory will employ around 6,600 people by the end of 2012. The B-Class has enjoyed record sales in the first half of 2012, while the first models of the brand new A-Class rolled off the production lines in July 2012. Next year, will see production of a third model – the compact SUV – begin in Rastatt.

During their visit, Michael and Nico entered their names into the ‘Golden Book’ of Rastatt in the presence of Oberbürgermeister Hans Jürgen Pütsch, then took part in the personalised delivery process at the factory’s Customer Centre, handing over the key of two brand new B-Class vehicles to two lucky customers. The opportunity to exchange a few words with their colleagues was a priority for the day – and both drivers entertained their colleagues with an extended Q&A session on an outdoor stage.

Lucky winners were then treated to high-speed rides on the Rastatt test track at the wheel of two Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG super sports cars before the drivers got a look at the state-of-the-art production line for the all-new A-Class.

“You can never fail to be amazed when you get a chance to see behind the scenes of a facility like Rastatt,” commented Michael. “The scale of the factory and the high technology here are very different to what we know in Formula One – but it is clear that here, just like in our world, Mercedes-Benz is aiming to set the standard. We had the chance to drive the new A-Class earlier this year and it’s a great car – the design promises performance, and the chassis delivers exactly that.”

“There are over 6000 people working here in Rastatt,” added Nico. “That’s probably the same number as all the Formula One teams put together! As a works Silver Arrow driver, it’s always a great feeling to visit our colleagues in the rest of the company – it’s not only a boost ahead of our home Grand Prix, but also reminds me that we carry their hopes and represent them every time we take to the track. That’s a big responsibility – and we want to make sure we do them proud this weekend in Hockenheim.”

Formula One stars turn master engine builders at Mercedes-AMG

After seeing the heart of the production facilities for the Mercedes-Benz compact class, the drivers then headed to Mercedes-AMG for a taste of something completely different – the world of refined high performance at the Affalterbach production facilities. The drivers then put their own mechanical skills into practice as they followed the traditional AMG production philosophy of “one man, one engine” with a unique twist – “one team, one engine”, assisting with assembly of the new highly efficient M 157 V8 engine.

This unit develops 410 kW (557 PS) and will be used in numerous AMG high-performance vehicles such as the new GL 63 AMG, the ML 63 AMG and the E 63 AMG as well as the all-new Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake.

The drivers were accompanied by an AMG master engine builder as they installed pistons and assembled the cylinder heads. The completed V8 engine for the CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake will carry an AMG engine plate signed by Michael, Nico and, as per AMG tradition, the master engine builder. The experts from the AMG Performance Studio then began installing the 5.5 litre twin-turbo unit in the CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake that will get its world premiere at the “Night of the Stars” in Hockenheim.

“It’s fascinating to see behind the scenes of the ultra-modern facilities here at Mercedes-AMG,” enthused Nico. “We met a lot of true Formula One fans among the people here. Like us, they work to the highest levels of precision and can really show the art of engineering, as they develop the highest performance Mercedes vehicles. It was an interesting challenge to help assemble the AMG V8 engine – and an interesting comparison to when I did the same with our Formula One engine last year. It gives me even more respect for all the people who work in the AMG engine build facility.”

“It’s amazing to see how AMG has developed since I last visited in the 1990s, when I made a guest start in the DTM,” commented Michael. “The people at AMG are incredibly enthusiastic, and have real spirit for performance and passion for motorsport. I was impressed by the ultra-modern AMG engine assembly facilities, where they produce the most powerful but also most efficient V12 and V8 engines in the world.”

“It’s fantastic to be able to welcome our MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg as our guests at Mercedes-AMG,” commented Mercedes-AMG GmbH Chairman Ola Källenius. “Michael and Nico did a perfect job as build technicians for the AMG M 157 power unit! And I am sure that they got a real insight into what our AMG brand promise ‘driving performance’ really means. On behalf of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, I would like to thank both drivers for visiting Affalterbach and wish them every success at this weekend’s German Grand Prix in Hockenheim!”

An insight into the wide world of Mercedes-Benz

Following their experiences in the engine build workshops of Mercedes-AMG, the drivers will head to the inaugural German FOTA Fan Forum in the Mercedes-Benz Niederlassung Stuttgart, where they will be joined by Formula One colleagues Nico Hülkenberg and Timo Glock for a Q&A session in front of 300 members of the public and Daimler employees. This event, held for the first time in Germany, will round off the drivers’ preparations for the German Grand Prix, just a stone’s throw from Daimler headquarters in Untertürkheim.

“The German Grand Prix is a highlight for our MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Silver Arrows works team,” commented Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. “The drivers have been given a real insight into what Mercedes-Benz is all about today – from the exciting new compact class models produced in Rastatt, to the exclusive high-performance world of Mercedes-AMG. It is always a fantastic boost to feel how much support our motorsport programmes enjoy from within the company. That enthusiasm only strengthens our determination to deliver a strong performance this weekend in Hockenheim to reward our fans and colleagues.”

At the end of an exciting European Grand Prix in Valencia, Michael Schumacher stood on the podium with Fernando Alonso (1st) and Kimi Räikkönen (2nd) after finishing in third place Sunday. Team-mate Nico Rosberg finished in sixth place after jumping up from 13th with ten laps left. Sunday’s finish marked the 155th podium finish of Schumacher’s career and his first podium finish since the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix.

Shumacher and Rosberg both made two pit stops with Michael stopping on laps 19 and 41, and Nico on laps 20 and 46. So far this season, Nico has scored 75 points in six races, starting with his win and first points in China, the second highest total after Fernando Alonso (76).

Michael Schumacher

“Wow, I did not even think of getting on the podium for any second in the race today, so what a wonderful result! Finally it happened! After such a long time waiting and for jumping on the podium so unexpectedly, I feel extra happy. I think that was the best answer to give to everybody who started doubting our work: get the car together and fight back; never give up, as anything can happen. A big thank you to the team and to everybody who kept on believing we would get on the podium again. That’s what team work is about. A special word for my mechanics and engineers who have done a fantastic job this weekend after some difficult races this year. I didn’t think a podium was possible – not even at the end of the race, because it was pretty busy in the last laps and I had lost count of where I was. Then when I crossed the line, I asked the guys where I was and they said “Third – on the podium!” It’s one of those moments that you enjoy deeply as a driver. We were close a couple of times but it was great for it to happen in a spectacular race like this, through strategy and lots of passing on a circuit where overtaking is difficult.”

Nico Rosberg

“That was a really exciting race. I had a bad first few laps and lost positions, then the Safety Car came out at a bad moment for me. After the restart, I thought I would end up finishing out of the points, because I had the oldest tyres and therefore no grip, which made it very hard to defend. We had planned to try a one-stop strategy but had to convert to two stops, and thanks to the strategy guys, we were on fresh tyres when everybody else was struggling. I was in P12 on lap 47 and P6 at the end, so it clearly worked and we are very happy with a good team result after such a chaotic race, with two cars in the top six. A great result for Michael with his podium and I am happy to score some more nice points.”

Ross Brawn

“Congratulations to Michael and the team on a fantastic and well-deserved podium finish. Michael demonstrated today that if we can give him the opportunities, he will get a great result. And well done to Nico as well. He was in quite a difficult position at one stage but came back and gave the team a really strong points score today. The early part of the race was quite difficult for us, and our early strategy did not come together as the tyres behaved differently to our pre-race predictions. So we had to react, and we did so extremely well, leaving our stops as late as possible to give our guys fresh rubber at the end. It was such an exciting end to the race, and I am very proud of both of our drivers, everyone here in Valencia, and back at our factories in Brackley and Brixworth today.”

Norbert Haug

“A marvellous race from Michael with the right speed and the right strategy. Coming from 12th on the grid to third on the podium is a good achievement, which Michael truly deserves and he achieved that with a great drive. Nico started sixth and lost five places during the first lap, which was a big handicap – so to climb back to sixth place was a good recovery. Since his win in China, Nico has scored one point less than Fernando Alonso, who brought home the most points in the last six races. As for the rumour spread by another team that Michael used his DRS flap where he should not have done, I can confirm that this was not the case, as our data proved and the stewards of the meeting confirmed. I am really pleased for Michael and the team. We always believed in each other and today was the first of hopefully more podiums to follow.”

Red Bull driver, Mark Webber won the Monaco Grand prix but Mercedes driver, Nico Rosberg, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel were all nose to tail in his wheeltracks, trailing by a mere 1.3 seconds at the finish.

Nico Rosberg turned his second place start on the grid into a second-place finish Sunday at the 70th Monaco Grand Prix to score him 18 points – putting him at the top of the pack with 59 points total. Rosberg said after the race that he had the best car in the race, but he couldn’t quite beat Webber despite undercutting him by making the first pit stop on lap 27. None the less, he was delighted with second place. Schumacher had harboured dreams of a podium in Monaco that disappeared right after the start when his tangle with Grosjean delayed him and later forced him to retire when his Mercedes suffered fuel pressure problems on lap 64.

Mercedes was running a heavily revised, almost B-spec car in Monaco. In addition to a new nose and carbon gearbox case already seen in Barcelona, there were new, narrower sidepods, which have required the team to do fresh front, rear and side crash tests in the last month.

Nico Rosberg

It’s a fantastic feeling to be on the podium at my home race in Monaco today in front of all my family and friends. The team have done a really good job this weekend to get the car working so well. Although we thought this track would suit our car, it’s been better than we expected. I had a clean start but Mark drove a very controlled race today. I could keep in touch with him but we all know how difficult it is to overtake around the streets here and there just wasn’t a way past. Still I’m more than happy with second place, and it’s great to get another podium for the boys here, and everyone back at Brackley and Brixworth. I can’t wait to get to Canada now and keep the momentum going.

Michael Schumacher

What can I say? It was simply a pity to end the race in this way. In any case, the fuel pressure problem had nothing to do with the incident at the start. But it made it doubly disappointing because I had secretly been hoping for a podium finish today. I will take the boost from the high points of this weekend with me to Canada. The track should suit us and I’m hoping to have a normal, clean race.

Ross Brawn

Nico ran a very good race today and did all he needed to do. I think we made the right calls but nothing opened up for us. It was a race that was about managing gaps and finding the right windows in the traffic; the team did a great job on that. Nico was the first of the front-runners to stop, but the harder tyre took a lap or two to come in and it wasn’t enough to jump Mark. As for Michael, he was hit on the run to the opening corner which cost him positions, but was very quick when a fuel pressure problem started to slow him later in the race. We tried to continue but it was costing him too much time, dropped him out of the points and forced us to retire the car. It was very disappointing because he put in a great performance this weekend and he was still on course to score useful points. We need to make sure we eliminate the problems for him, starting in Canada.

Norbert Haug

It was a strong race for Nico and our team, and we were in with a chance of winning until the chequered flag, but Mark did not put a foot wrong all afternoon ahead of Nico. Looking at the results today, Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton – who lead Nico in the championship– all finished behind him, and this helped him close the gap at the top of the standings to 17 points. That translates to an average of fewer than three points a race separating Nico from the championship lead after six rounds. It was a pity for Michael: he clearly demonstrated this weekend that he has the speed to win races but his time will come again, like yesterday when he posted the pole position time.

It’s a scene that happens hundreds of thousands of times a day around the world: two people meet, greet each other and begin to chat about work and life. The twist in this particular story, though, is that the elevator is in Monte-Carlo; the two men are residents in the same apartment building, separated by little more than a few floors; and both have written their own chapters in the very exclusive grand prix racing history of Mercedes-Benz.

Mika Häkkinen was the first Mercedes-Benz world champion of the modern era, and a two-time title winner in 1998 and 1999 with McLaren Mercedes; Nico Rosberg is the first man to win a Grand Prix at the wheel of a Silver Arrow since the great Juan Manuel Fangio, in the third season of the return of the Silver Arrows. On the eve of the race around their home streets, the two men met to discuss their experiences as part of one of the most spectacular events in world sport.

The histories of Mika Häkkinen and Nico Rosberg have been intertwined for more than twenty years, when Nico was just a young boy and Mika worked with Keke Rosberg, who led his management team.

“I don’t remember when we first met – maybe Mika does!” laughs Nico when the question comes.

“Well, I started working with Keke at the end of 1987,” recalls Mika. “I think the first time we met must have been down here in Monaco in the early ’90s. I was visiting Keke, and you were playing in your room! It’s possible I was his first sponsor in karting – do you remember that?”

“Yeah, sure,” laughs Nico. “It was 1997, I was 11 years old and competing in the French go-karting championship. I had a poster in my room with all my sponsors on there, and one of them was you!”

“My son is eleven now,” says Mika, picking up the thread. “I’m sure I did a contract with Keke that one day, when Nico will win races and be world champion, he has to start supporting my son Hugo!”

If the early stages of Nico’s career were supported by Mika – who today himself is a partner with Didier Coton in Aces Management and has, among others, young Finn Valtteri Bottas under his wing – the parallels between the two have only grown stronger as time has passed. Both Mika and Nico had to wait until their seventh Formula One season before climbing the top step of the podium – Mika after 96 races, at the 1997 European Grand Prix in Jerez; Nico in his 111th start, at this year’s Chinese Grand Prix. And both in their third seasons driving Mercedes-Benz-powered cars.

“Your first victory in Formula One always feels like it is a long time coming,” explains Mika. “And especially in my case – but when it arrives, the feeling is just amazing. But problems are part of life, and winning or losing, they don’t disappear. You need to keep understanding the cause of disappointments and where you and the team can improve. There is no point having your face upside down for one week – it’s better to pick up the phone, travel, see people, talk, organise yourself. Then you know that at the next event, you will be stronger – and if not the car, then yourself; you can always be better. Because the day when you have a car to win, you have to be ready. If not, it’s too late. I knew that one day I was going to win, it just took a long time.”

“I had exactly the same feeling – Ross, all the guys, kept telling me that the win would come, I just needed to stay patient and take my opportunity,” agrees Nico. “Of course, you get frustrated if it doesn’t go perfectly, but time takes that away and you keep going, follow the development, communicate constantly with the team.”

“Nico did a perfect weekend in China and deserves full credit for that win,” emphasises Mika. “It was not depending on circumstances or luck, but purely on his hard work. As a Mercedes-Benz ambassador, it was great not only to watch his achievements, but to enjoy seeing Mercedes-Benz back on the top step of the podium.”

Inevitably, the conversation soon turns to the unique challenge of racing around the Monegasque streets, which have been home to both of them for more than 20 years. For Nico, the tunnel was once the route to school, in the passenger seat next to his Mum or on the school bus. And that ‘local’ feel is one that Mika says remains throughout the weekend.

“I had some great victories in my career, but Monaco was something special,” remembers Mika. “I have lived here for 20 years and the thing you realise is that the people who work on the race track are also the people who live and work in Monaco – the police, the pompiers. In everyday life, these are the guys you see in the street and they say ‘hi’ as you walk past. To win in Monaco is like winning in your home streets, and you recognise faces all through the weekend.”

“It’s home for me too, of course,” picks up Nico. “I’ve grown up here, all my friends are here and my family, I know everybody and it’s very special to race here. Mentally, it’s quite a demanding weekend. You have a lot going on, a lot of PR events and appointments. Plus on track, too, it’s a bit more intense – but not so much. You need to be super concentrated at every circuit.”

“That’s true. But what changed for me was that, when I got a car that I would win races with, Monaco became more important for some reason. When you are hunting pole position in Monaco, your mind changes; you put yourself in a higher power, even though you think you are doing it already. When you are fighting for P11 or P12, you always think you are doing your maximum. But when I started fighting for pole, it just happened that I was working even harder to reach my goal – but not purposely. And of course, we changed the car, too: the steering lock, and the seating position to sit higher in the car, because the aero was not so important and we wanted to see the Armco properly.”

“That’s interesting, because we definitely make changes, too,” says Nico. “But I don’t think it’s common practice, even today.”

With that, the two men are off to inspect the circuit at the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. Over the years, Mercedes-Benz has been synonymous with success in Monaco – from the three consecutive victories in 1935, 36 and 37 for Fagioli, Caracciola and von Brauchitsch respectively; to the seven Formula One victories for Mercedes-Benz power, including three of the last five. And the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team will be working hard to add a new milestone to the company’s heritage this weekend.

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS driver’s Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher both scored points in the Bahrain Grand Prix Sunday as the pair finished the 57-lap race inMERCEDES AMG PETRONAS driver’s Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher.

Michael Schumacher qualified to start 18th, but dropped to 17th after Williams’ Pastor Maldonado took on a penalty, however after a late gearbox change was dropped five places to start the race in 22nd.  Schumacher managed to climb 12 positions through the field over the course of the race to finish in 10th, a very respectable position after such a difficult start the the weekend. Michael made three stops on laps 9, 23 and 37, also running an option/option/prime/prime strategy.  In the pits, the team averaged 22.216 seconds over six pit stops, Michael Schumacher had the day’s fastest three-stopper in the pits.

Though Rosberg found himself under investigation from the stewards after two aggressive-looking moves in which he swept from one side of the track in defence of position and in turn put Hamilton, and then Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso in the dirt, he was found to have done nothing wrong and finished the race in 5th.  It was a very hard fought race for Rosberg, running in P9 through the opening stint, then gaining places as the race went on.

Victory in Sunday’s 2012 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix went to Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, followed by Kimi Räikkönen in 2nd, Romain Grosjean and Mark Webber in 3rd and 4th.

Nico Rosberg

“I had a pretty bad first lap today, but after that I was able to recover and get the most of our race. We had a good strategy and the pace of the car was pretty strong compared to the start of the season, although it was difficult to make progress as there were a lot of cars fighting for the same positions. Overall I’m happy with our weekend as fifth place gives me a few more points and I can see that we are making progress. Now we have a short break where we can work hard in the factory ready for the start of the European season. Before that, I’m looking forward to visiting the DTM opening race in Hockenheim next Saturday. It’s my first chance to return to Germany after two good weekends, particularly of course the win in China, and I look forward to celebrating that together with our fans.”

Michael Schumacher

“Considering where I started the race today, it’s a positive that I was able to fight up to 10th place, score a point and finish a dry race this season. The tyres obviously played a large part in the race today, and in the conditions here, we had to adapt the driving style to keep the tyres together. It will be good to have the time now before Barcelona to sort out some issues and prepare our updates for the test days in Mugello. Next weekend, the DTM starts in Hockenheim and I am looking forward to my first visit to a DTM race for twenty years.”

Ross Brawn

“That was a tough but ultimately rewarding race today. Nico didn’t get the best of starts and lost some positions which made the early part of the race difficult, but he had a very good drive to fight his way back up to fifth place. Michael did well to recover a point in 10th place, considering that he started at the back of the grid in 22nd. We saw again today that if you get the car right on the day, it makes a great deal of difference, with Red Bull and Lotus clearly getting their cars in better shape than we did. We will learn more lessons from today, however we made the best of what we had so I’m reasonably happy. Now we can look forward to some time back at the factory to improve the car before the next race.”

Norbert Haug

“Having started fifth, Nico was running in ninth by the end of lap one. More than to recover to fifth place was not possible afterwards. Following Nico’s victory in China, we handled the tyres quite well on this track in hotter temperatures, and we showed that we have a good base to work from. Michael came home in 10th place after starting in 22nd, which is a good result considering the extremely high level of competition this year. We are now looking forward to the next race in Barcelona where MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS will, like most of the teams, introduce upgrades which will be evaluated during the Mugello test.”

After a week of unrest among Daimler shareholders regarding the future of Mercedes in F1, Nico Rosberg took a commanding victory at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai Sunday. Starting from pole position, he took the checkered flag with a 20s margin over the second placed car, achieving his first win in Formula One.

• Nico ran a two-stop option/prime/prime strategy to win by 20.626 seconds over Jenson Button’s McLaren-Mercedes

• Michael was forced to retire on lap 13 after his right front wheel was not properly attached at his first pit stop

• This was Nico’s 111th Formula One start, and comes 111 years after Mercedes’ first win at the 1901 Nice Speed Weeks

• It’s the first win for a works Silver Arrow since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix, on 11 September in Monza – 25,671 days ago!

• The victory is the tenth in Formula One for a works Silver Arrow, and brings the total number of Mercedes-Benz F1 victories to 90

• Mercedes-Benz powered cars filled the podium for the second time in three years at the Chinese Grand Prix

The new Mercedes SL 63 AMG had its sneak preview this morning in Barcelona while being tested by Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. The F1 drivers drove the high-performance SL AMG roadster at the official Formula One test on the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona.

The much anticipated roadster is set to go on sale in North America in July 2012 with power coming from the AMG’s latest M157 engine. The twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8, used in the E63, the CLS63, the S63, the CL63 and he ML63, has been tuned to deliver 529 hp.

We can expect to see further details at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Photo Source: Markus Jordan

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One driver Nico Rosberg and Mercedes-Benz DTM driver Christian Vietoris attended the 42nd Ball des Sports held in Wiesbaden on the February 4th.

During the afternoon, Rosberg who is a native of Wiesbaden, was formally received at the town hall by Mayor Helmut Müller and invited to sign the ‘Golden Book’. This historical register weighs in at 35 kilos, and the first name entered back in 1902 is that of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Other famous signatures include those of current German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev, the Dalai Lama, TV compere Thomas Gottschalk and former German national football team manager Helmut Schön.

One of the highlights of the evening was seeing Nico Rosberg chauffeuring celebrity guests right up to the red carpet in a 517-horsepower C63 AMG Black Series. “I’m very impressed by the way that Mercedes-Benz and Deutsche Sporthilfe are promoting sport at the highest level in this country,” said Nico. “And I’m very pleased to be making my own small contribution.”

Ball des Sports is Europe’s most successful fund-raising event for sporting causes. 1,800 prominent guests from the worlds of sport, business, politics, culture and the media accepted the invitation to attend, including 140 reigning and former world and European champions plus medal winners from the Olympic and Paralympics Games.

Amongst the best-known sports personalities were Reiner Calmund, Jens Lehmann, Felix Magath, Franziska van Almsick, Heiner Brand, Regina Halmich, Jutta Kleinschmidt, Sven Ottke, Otto Rehhagel and Katarina Witt.

This was the fifth year in succession that Mercedes-Benz has assumed the mantle of national sponsor for the Deutsche Sporthilfe Foundation, making no fewer than 70 vehicles available for shuttle services.

Source: Mercedes-GP

Today’s Fomula 1 race marked the first ever Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit and it saw strong performances from MERCEDES GP PETRONAS drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.  The race ended with Schumacher and Rosberg finishing in fifth and sixth places respectively with the winner of the F1 race being Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel followed by McLaren’s Jenson Button, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Mark Webber.

• Michael made up three places at the start, and followed a prime/prime/option strategy, stopping on laps 18 and 50

• Nico also stopped twice on laps 17 and 45 with the same prime/prime/option tyre choice

• Staying out five laps longer for his second stop enabled Michael to open enough of a gap to pass Nico for P5

Michael Schumacher

“I am obviously happy about the race today. We achieved the maximum that we could hope for, and as a team we maximised our potential. Fifth and sixth places are a great result for us. On top of that, my car was very nicely sorted for the race and very stable. At the start, everything worked out according to my strategy as I deliberately didn’t want to use KERS in the first two corners and save it for the long straight where I knew that I could make up some positions. In the second stint, I managed to maintain my tyres so I could stay out longer and that was enough for fifth place. What’s really important at the moment is that we keep pushing and trying to improve, and that is what we achieved today. To the organisers of the first Indian Grand Prix, I would like to send a big compliment; I’m sure that I am not the only one to say that this was a very positive debut.”

Nico Rosberg

“We can be happy with a good team result and that’s what the boys in the garage deserved. I’m also pleased to have gained one place on my grid position. However my strategy was not perfect today and I lost some time in the second pit stop which meant that I wasn’t able stay ahead of Michael. I had good pace at the end of the race and pushed very hard but it was impossible to catch him over the last laps. I’m confident that we can repeat this good result in the last two races. All in all, it has been a good Indian Grand Prix debut for us and I hope all the fans enjoyed the race. I’m looking forward to coming back next year.”

Ross Brawn

“A very solid race from the drivers and team today, and we are very pleased to have achieved fifth and sixth places. Michael, Nico and the engineers did an excellent job to focus on getting the car right for the race, and making the best use of the tyres. We certainly got everything that we could out of our current car this weekend. It was an exciting race from our two drivers with Michael coming out on top this time, however you could see just how closely matched they are during the race. Nico’s second set of tyres faded a little bit more on him whilst Michael was able to stay out longer which was enough to take fifth place. It was a very good result for the team today and I’m extremely pleased with how we have worked this weekend.”

Norbert Haug

“A strong result today for our team considering the possibilities that our technical package currently has. It is satisfying for everybody to extract the maximum and to achieve the best possible result. Our lap times looked consistent throughout the race which shows that we handled the tyres well and found a set-up which suited the track. Of course, our drivers did a very good job today. To come home in fifth place after starting in 11th is certainly satisfying for Michael. His start, when he gained three places, and his second long and consistent stint were decisive for him to get in front of Nico. He also did a good job today with both our drivers doing similar lap times throughout the race which shows that they achieved what was possible. This inaugural Indian Grand Prix was a remarkable event. This is a fantastic and challenging race track, and saw packed grandstands and great enthusiasm from the fans. Formula One could not have wished for more during the first race in a new country. So a big thank you to the organisers, the Jaypee Group, and to Bernie Ecclestone and FOM, who have worked very hard to make this new event happen. We now are looking forward to the next Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, the home of our co-owners and partners Aabar, where we hopefully can achieve a similar result. Fifth and sixth places are not what we are ultimately striving for but it is satisfying to get the best possible results and we can build on that in order to make a good step next year.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS driver Nico Rosberg finished the Singapore Grand Prix in seventh place, running a three-stop option/option/option/prime strategy. Team-mate Michael Schumacher retired from the race following a collision with Sauber’s Sergio Perez at turn eight on lap 28.

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel took home an easy victory at the Singapore Grand Prix and would have clinched the World Championship title, had it not been for Jenson Button coming in second and thus keeping his championship hopes alive.

Nico Rosberg

“The optimum today would have been sixth place but it didn’t quite work out for us this weekend. I was struggling with the rear end in the race, and our car just really didn’t suit this demanding track. I had more problems with tire degradation than the cars around me, which combined with having to switch our strategy when the safety car came out, meant it was impossible to make any progress. Whilst we might not be happy with the outcome of our weekend here in Singapore, we will now work hard to improve the car for the next races here in Asia.”

Michael Schumacher

“It was a very unfortunate ending to my race in Singapore tonight and obviously I am a bit disappointed. What happened was what I would call a misunderstanding between Sergio Perez and myself. He was about to go inside and lifted, and I was not expecting him to do that so early, and therefore hit him. It’s probably one of those race incidents which look more impressive from outside than from inside, as I am totally ok and my impact in the end was not too heavy. It was a pity because my car and the tires worked well, and therefore the pace was very good. I will look ahead to the next races and hope to have better endings there.”

Ross Brawn

“It turned out to be a fairly tough race for us this evening. As expected, we didn’t have the pace to match the leaders but we were quite comfortable in the gap behind the top six cars. Unfortunately Michael’s accident hurt us both from his own point of view and that it brought out the safety car at the wrong time for our strategy. Nico then did a very good job to make the set of tires that he had last for over half of the race. Seventh place was about as much as we could have expected today, and whilst it feels disappointing, we will keep working hard and pushing forward.”

Norbert Haug

“The race developed quite well for us until Michael’s incident with Sergio Perez which brought out the safety car. We had no choice but to pit Nico and put him on the prime tires, on which he then did 31 laps, more than half the race distance. Nico did a very good job to keep the tires together for such a long stint. Michael’s speed before the accident looked good, considering our current technical package, so it is a shame for him as he could perhaps have finished in front of Nico. Without the safety car, and with an ideal strategy for Nico, he could have been in a position to finish one place higher. Thank you to the organisers here in Singapore for hosting this race, which is one of the most spectacular events in the calendar, and produces the best television images over the course of the season.”

MERCEDES GP PETRONAS Formula One drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg unveiled the new DTM AMG Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé for the 2012 DTM season at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, alongside Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management at Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Division, and Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport.

The new car is based on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé, which was launched worldwide in the summer of 2011, and is the first DTM car from Mercedes-Benz to be built around a new, improved safety concept, developed in collaboration with the ITR e.V, the DMSB (Germany’s motor racing governing body) and the DTM manufacturers. The new car incorporates a state-of-the-art carbon fibre monocoque with a roll cage made ​​of high-strength steel. Moreover, each vehicle is equipped with six energy-absorbing crash structures, giving the driver additional protection to the front, rear and sides.

The DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé will succeed the AMG Mercedes C-Class, which is the most successful vehicle in the 27-year history of the DTM, having scored 84 victories in 156 races and five driver’s titles.

Development, design and manufacture of the new car began in June 2010 at HWA headquarters in Affalterbach, near Stuttgart, Germany. HWA is responsible for production of the cars, including engines.

Michael Schumacher: “The new 2012 Mercedes-Benz DTM car looks fantastic, but what I find even more impressive than the car’s visual appearance is the new safety concept with its innovative safety cell and more advanced carbon-fibre crash structures. This safety standard is exemplary and constitutes, in my opinion, the benchmark for touring car racing. I’m looking forward to seeing the new C-Class Coupé in action and hopefully winning lots of races. I’ve got my fingers crossed for everyone in the Mercedes-Benz DTM team.”

Nico Rosberg: “I was pleased to take part in unveiling the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé for the 2012 DTM season at its Frankfurt Motor Show world premiere. It looks really cool and I particularly like the chrome finish. The car is certainly an important step forward for the DTM, which is a great series – I began my career racing on the same weekends as the DTM, and it will attract even more fans in 2012 when the third manufacturer arrives. Whenever possible, I still follow the races on TV, and always enjoy going to local DTM events. I will of course keep my fingers crossed next year for my Mercedes-Benz DTM colleagues and hope they can bring the title home to Stuttgart with the new C-Class Coupé.”

Gary Paffett: “The first test of a new car is always an exciting moment. After getting a feel for the handling and performance of the DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupé around the Lausitzring, I can say I’m very pleased with it. Of course, we still have a lot of development work ahead of us before the 2012 season opener at Hockenheim. The driving experience is quite different to that of previous DTM cars. The new Hankook tyres for 2012 are wider and have taller sidewalls, providing more mechanical grip. Also, the gear lever has disappeared for 2012 – we will change gear using paddles on the steering wheel instead – and that’s something I’m already used to from Formula One.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: “This new-generation vehicle, based on our Mercedes-Benz C- Coupé, signals the introduction of an even more spectacular racing car from the start of 2012. I am certain that the spectators will get their money’s worth from the three-way fight between Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the DTM next year.”

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

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.”