Escudería Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport
Today the dominant and untouchable team in Formula 1 is none other than the so-called silver arrows, the Mercedes team. Let’s talk about its history and how it went from being a manufacturer supplying engines to becoming a successful team.
The origin of Mercedes in F1
The first victory of the German team took place on June 3, 1934 when Manfred von Brauchitsch won the Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring. It was the so-called Mercedes W25.
However, it would not be until 20 years later that Mercedes would win a premier class race. Fangio led the German car to victory at the French Grand Prix in Reims. The star’s team signed a double, with teammate Karl Kling finishing second.
This race marked the debut of the W196 car, which had a 2.5l eight-cylinder in-line engine. During the season, Fangio manages to add three more victories, thanks to which the team and the Argentine driver won their first titles together.
During the 1955 season, Mercedes-Benz wins six races in the W196. Stirling Moss gets his first victory at the British Grand Prix, while his teammate Fangio continues his winning streak with 5, with which the Argentine would once again take the world title.
A temporary goodbye
At the end of the season, the Mercedes team decided to abandon motorsport. It will not be until 1988 when the German team returns to the tracks together with the Sauber team, in the category of the World Endurance Championship, teaming up with their partner AMG in the DTM.
In 1989 Mercedes-Benz won the World Endurance Championship and the driver Jean-Louis Schlesser won the Drivers’ World Championship. As if this were not enough, the C9 of the German team finished in first and second position at the 24h of Le Mans. After all these victories, Sauber decides to try his luck in Formula 1.
How could it be otherwise, the Mercedes team supports Sauber in his career in Formula 1 supplying him with engines. This alliance allowed the Swiss team to finish sixth in the Constructors’ Championship in its debut year.
A new successful partnership
On October 28, 1994 Mercedes signs an agreement with the McLaren team in which they ensure a long-term collaboration in Formula 1. The agreement comes into force during the 1995 season, when the team is renamed McLaren-Mercedes. That same year the team finished fourth in the constructors’ championship and the most outstanding rider is Mika Häkkinen, who achieved two second positions in Italy and Japan.
In the 1996 season McLaren-Mercedes again finished in fourth position. Its drivers, Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard finished fifth and seventh respectively.
David Coulthard wins the Australian Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix to finish third in the final drivers’ standings. His teammate Mika Häkkinen clinches a victory by crossing the checkered flag at the European Grand Prix first, finishing the season in sixth place.
During the 1998 season, Mika Häkkinen and the McLaren Mercedes team win the drivers ‘and manufacturers’ championships, Häkkinen wins 8 races while his teammate only managed one victory.
In 1999 Mika Häkkinen repeated his success and achieved the Formula 1 World Championship crown with five victories in the season. The McLaren Mercedes team finishes second in the Constructors’ Championship. David Coulthard wins two Grand Prix and finishes fourth in the Drivers’ Championship.
Stay in the elite
This seemed to be nothing more than a warning about what was starting for McLaren-Mercedes, the team finishing second in the constructors ‘world championship while Häkkinen finished first in the drivers’ classification.
In 2001 the McLaren Mercedes team secured second place in both the Drivers ‘and Manufacturers’ Championships, with David Coulthard finishing second and Mika Häkkinen fifth. Both get two victories. This would be Mika’s last year at McLaren.
In 2002, the McLaren Mercedes team finished the Constructors’ Championship in third place overall. David Coulthard, who wins the Monaco Grand Prix, finishes fifth in the Drivers’ Championship, while his new teammate, Kimi Räikkönen, finishes sixth. The two drivers, as well as third driver Alexander Wurz, make up the McLaren Mercedes team lineup for 2003.
Rivalry with the Ferraris
David Coulthard wins the first race of the 2003 season in Melbourne, with Kimi Räikkönen claiming his first Grand Prix victory two weeks later in Kuala Lumpur. The Finn finished the season runner-up by just two points difference after 16 races, behind World Champion Michael Schumacher. The McLaren Mercedes team would finish in third position.
In 2004 Kimi Räikkönen wins the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, and takes two second places at Silverstone and São Paulo, finishing third at the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix. They finish seventh in the World Drivers ‘Championship, and the McLaren Mercedes team is fifth in the Constructors’ Championship. David Coulthard leaves the team after 150 races in Formula 1, with Juan Pablo Montoya who becomes Kimi’s new teammate for the 2005 season.
The 2005 season turns out to be one of the most positive for the team, as they manage to win 10 of the 19 races that make up the calendar for that year. Kimi Räikkönen wins seven Grand Prix and Juan Pablo Montoya takes three victories. The Finn finishes the season as runner-up, while the team finishes the Constructors’ Championship also in second place.
New times for Mercedes
Shortly after the team began to bet on new talents such as Lewis Hamilton. The English driver had the support of the team in lower categories, it was not until the departure of Kimi Räikkönen, when Hamilton would go up to Formula 1 and share the team with the Spanish Fernando Alonso.
The 2007 season is going to be quite a difficult season for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team. Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso get eight victories in the 17 Grands Prix of the year. Hamilton becomes the most successful rookie driver, finishing nine consecutive times on the podium in the first nine Grand Prix of his career in Formula 1, and with a total of four victories.
Both McLaren team drivers finish tied on points and the drivers’ world championship ends in the hands of Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen. At the end of that season McLaren-Mercedes made public the breaking of the contract with Fernando Alonso.
In 2008 Lewis Hamilton wins his first world title in one of the most dramatic races in Formula 1.
Wolf with sheep’s skin
As well, the 2009 season will mark a transition point for the Mercedes Group board of directors, since at the end of it they decide to try their luck as a team in Formula 1. That same year, Mercedes-Benz motor cars win ten 17 races, and his client team Brawn GP wins both Formula 1 Championships, the Drivers and Constructors Championships, under the leadership of Ross Brawn.
At the end of the year, Daimler and Aabar Investments PJSC acquire together a 75.1 percent stake in Brawn GP, and announce that the team will participate in the 2010 season under the name Mercedes GP Petronas Formula 1 Team, counting in their ranks with the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, Michael Schumacher, and his compatriot Nico Rosberg.
In addition, Daimler AG and the McLaren Group reach an agreement whereby McLaren will buy back 40 per cent of the shares of Daimler belonging to the McLaren Group. In 2010 Mercedes GP Petronas finished fourth in the Constructors’ Championship in the year of the debut of the new Silver Arrows as an independent team.
Nico Rosberg finishes in seventh place and Michael Schumacher in ninth position in the Drivers’ standings. In turn, McLaren Mercedes wins five Grands Prix with the German engine.
A leap forward for the Mercedes team
At that time the team’s development stage was beginning, they were preparing to become the leaders of the great circus, and they have succeeded in spades. Hamilton would fill the position of Michael Schumacher as leader of the Mercedes team.
Success finally came for the Mercedes team, its drivers dominated the races and seemed to be subscribed to the top positions on the grid, this made the rivalry between the two maximum, Hamilton has added three world drivers’ titles to the one he already had, while that Nico Rosberg got his first title and left the championship.
