Mercedes-Benz has a racing heritage that stretches all the way back to the 1930s, the German manufacturer proving a dominant force in Formula 1’s early years as it took a swathe of titles with the likes of Juan-Manuel Fangio.
In the 1990s, Mercedes returned to Formula 1 as an engine supplier, soon tasting race success with McLaren, and title glory with Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999 and Lewis Hamilton in 2008. But the long gap between championships led to mutterings that Mercedes was keen to do its own thing.
An engine deal with Brawn GP – struggling to survive after Honda’s withdrawal, even as it dominated 2009 with Jenson Button – led to Mercedes’ acquisition of the British outfit. That bought Mercedes the talents of vaunted team boss and former Ferrari technical genius Ross Brawn, which no doubt helped lure seven-times champion Michael Schumacher back from retirement to join rising star Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes fold.
The new generation of Silver Arrows didn’t get off to the best start in 2010. Schumacher struggled to rediscover his speed, while Brawn’s cut-down approach for surviving 2009 and a title challenge meant development on the team’s 2010 challenger wasn’t advanced as it needed to be. Having re-focused and re-consolidated its efforts for 2011, there’s every hope that Mercedes GP can be a force to be reckoned with once again.
Michael Schumacher Nico Rosberg