1 Racing Mind’s Formula 1 Season Ending Team Report Card: Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team

Photo Credit: Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

Team Grade: A

Overall: 

In a narrative that has grown impressive and tiresome at the same time depending on fan allegiances, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team captured the 2020 Formula 1 World Constructors’ Championship handily as drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas combined to net victories in 13 of 17 grand prix events. Throughout the 2020 season, the organization’s drivers, staff and leadership were seen as a dynasty in the sport where they have won seven consecutive team titles. The Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance race car demonstrated itself to be the latest in some finely-tuned and engineered Formula 1 challengers from the squad. Only one retirement was recorded for this year’s Mercedes-AMG racer with a power unit failure on Valtteri Bottas’ car during the Eifel Grand Prix.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

It’s hard to pinpoint a specific moment in the entire season that stands off beyond the others for showing the greatness for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Winning 13 races in 2020, the Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team finished first and second a total of five times with Lewis Hamilton taking the top spot on every occasion. In the Tuscan, Portuguese and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the team also scored the pole and fastest lap of the event either with Hamilton or Valtteri Bottas.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

Although Mercedes-AMG rolled to what could easily be assessed as another dominant title defence in 2020, this season was not flawless. Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas both suffered from massive tire degradation at the end of the British Grand Prix though Hamilton still crossed the finish line first at Silverstone on only three inflated Pirelli tires. However, tires were also the source of what could be the biggest team blunder of the season at the Sakhir Grand Prix. During a safety car period, the Mercedes-AMG team decided to pit both cars (the #77 of Valtteri Bottas and the #63 being raced by George Russell in a one-off appearance) for tires but mistakenly mixed up the set installed on Russell’s car. With some of Bottas’ tires going on Russell’s vehicle, the #63 needed to return to pit road to correct the matter while the #77 finished the race on used tires.   

Team's Drivers:

#44 Lewis Hamilton: A

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

Overall Season:

 Although Lewis Hamilton has been the face of Formula 1 almost every year since 2014, the 2020 season gave the British driver a reason to be seen as a true motorsport legend. 

Despite the schedule shortened to just 17 races, Hamilton tied a personal record for wins in a single season with 11 victories. Competing since 2007, Lewis Hamilton passed and/or prepared to set records in the series including a quest for Michael Schumacher’s 91 career all-time victory tally. Hamilton tied the mark in at the Eifel Grand Prix held on German’s Nurburgring (receiving a Michael Schumacher race helmet from the past legend’s son Mick) and took sole ownership as the winningest Formula 1 driver at the Portuguese Grand Prix. With his last race of the 2020 coming at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Hamilton currently holds 95 career grand prix victories. In the year that the driver claimed his seventh world championship, he was also recognized outside of the cockpit of his Mercedes-AMG race car for social activism throughout the season. Lewis Hamilton’s successful 2020 campaign was accomplished in just 16 races due to sitting out the penultimate round due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

With Lewis Hamilton finishing first in 11 races in 2020, there could be at least 11 occasions to cite as the best single grand prix performance for the year. Winning the British Grand Prix while running the final lap on a flat tire is certainly going down as one of the most bizarre Formula 1 victories in his career (in addition, most of Formula 1 history). Hamilton also had three percent races (win, pole and fastest laps) in the Hungarian, Tuscan and Portuguese Grand Prix.

The Turkish Grand Prix might be one of the most impressive race efforts of the season starting sixth and eventually mastering the wet Intercity Istanbul Park circuit. Despite an early struggle, Hamilton recovered and emerged with his dominating style with wet tires changed to intermediate tires. At the end of 58 laps, the #44 Mercedes-AMG race car crossed the line 31.6 seconds ahead of second place Sergio Perez.

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

In the 16 races he ran in 2020, Lewis Hamilton finished no lower than seventh place. That result came at the Italian Grand Prix after a penalty when he and his Mercedes-AMG pitted when the pit road was closed during a safety car period. Arguably losing the race due to the miscue in Italy, Hamilton’s next race in Russia also contained another rare mistake with the #44 Mercedes-AMG car. Practice starts conducted by Lewis Hamilton at the beginning of the Russian Grand Prix led race stewards to levy a pair of 5-second penalties. Hamilton also lost second place due to a penalty in the opening event in Austria after being found at-fault for making contact with Red Bull Racing driver Alexander Albon.

#77 Valtteri Bottas: B

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd

Overall Season: 

Entering Formula 1 in 2013 with Williams Racing, Valtteri Bottas joined the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team in 2017 chosen to fill the driver's seat vacated by Nico Rosberg who retired as the 2016 drivers' champion. Participating with the Mercedes-AMG team for the fourth consecutive season, Bottas is a frequent front-runner. 

During the 17-race 2020 Formula 1 tour, the driver of the #77 Mercedes-AMG race car stood at the top spot on the podium after two grand prix events. In addition to the two wins, Bottas finished in the top-three on 11 occasions.  

However, with Hamilton being Bottas’ teammate at Mercedes-AMG, his entire Formula 1 season campaign since 2017 has been measured against an awe-inspiring benchmark. Achieving some great performance in 2020, Bottas has also been less consistent than his teammate.

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

For the second consecutive year, Finland’s Valtteri Bottas secured the place of placing “Best of the Rest” in Formula 1 behind Lewis Hamilton.

Two of Bottas' 11 podium results included victories at the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix and the Russian Grand Prix. For the Austrian Grand Prix held on the Red Bull Ring circuit, the Finnish driver piloted his #77 car to the pole position on Saturday and commanded Sunday's 71-lap main every leading from start to finish. His victory on the Sochi Autodrom came in a race where pole-sitting teammate Lewis Hamilton made a costly error before the start of the event. Bottas' win at the Russian Grand Prix also consisted of him scoring the extra championship point for scoring the fastest lap.

Valtteri Bottas’ second place finish in the drivers’ points standings were locked up on at the season finale in Abu Dhabi maintaining a 9-point advantage over Max Verstappen. 

Shortcomings During 2020 Season:  

Although Valtteri Bottas has been able to maintain his position as being the second-best driver on the Formula 1 grid supported by the 2020 drivers' standings. However, one of the downsides is that the points differential between the first and second place drivers in the Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship this past season was 124 points. Certainly racing against the greatest driver of a generation is daunting but the gap between Mercedes-AMG pilots does spawn questions.  

Valtteri Bottas’ Achilles Heel throughout the 2020 Formula 1 season has come at the start of races on Sunday. On more than one occasion, the Finnish driver would lose multiple positions within the first lap of a grand prix. One of the first instances of a poor start by Bottas occurred at the Hungarian Grand Prix where the pilot of the #77 Mercedes-AMG race car mentioned reacting to the wrong light in his cockpit disturbing his race start. 

#63 George Russell (Round 16): A

Photo Credit: Steve Etherington for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.

Overall Season: 

The #63 rode only once on a Mercedes-AMG race car this Formula 1 season but made a massive impact on the tour. Williams Racing regular driver George Russell was called over to the German factory squad when Lewis Hamilton was sidelined due to a positive COVID-19 test. While Russell’s major triumphs for most of the 2020 season has been cracking Q2 in his Williams race car, the Sakhir Grand Prix presented the Brit the opportunity to take pole position coming short by just 0.026 seconds from the top time set by Valtteri Bottas. Qualifying and the race showcased the driver’s ability to be a formidable competitor.  

Achievements During 2020 Season: 

The Sakhir Grand Prix was a remarkable performance for George Russell as a driver. Not only did Russell maintain a steady pace throughout his weekend substituting for Lewis Hamilton but was in position to capture a surprise victory running strong as the race reached two-thirds distance. The chance to win in one of the greatest drives in the Brit’s career was foiled by an uncharacteristic mistake made by the Mercedes-AMG crew. Also overcoming a tire puncture late in the Sakhir Grand Prix, George Russell achieved a career-best Formula 1 finish of ninth place while also gaining credit (as well as the extra race point) for setting the fastest lap of the event.  

Shortcomings During 2020 Season: 

George Russell’s outing with Mercedes-AMG has been both a massive achievement and disappointment as a stellar driving performance fell victim to misfortune. 

 

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Mercedes-AMG

 

Photo Credit: LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix

Team Grade: A

Driver’s Grade:

Lewis Hamilton: A+

Valtteri Bottas: B+

Summary of First Nine Races:

Despite the delay in the 2020 season, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team appeared in Austria ready to dominant in the same fashion as previous years  maintaining its edge over the competition. A top driver lineup consisting of six-time and reigning Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton paired with Finland’s Valtteri Bottas, the superiorly-engineered Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance race car as well as a strong support crew at the race track and at headquarters has proven to be the combination cementing an ongoing dynasty. In the first nine races of the 2020 Formula 1 season, Mercedes-AMG group has won seven grand prix events and has taken pole after every qualifying session. Lewis Hamilton has won six races already in 2020 and left the Tuscan Grand Prix with a commanding 45-point lead over teammate Bottas. The only major change within the team compared to previous years is the primarily black colour scheme adopted to support social equality. 

Innovating to stay ahead, this year’s car caught the ire of competitors by deploying a Dual Axis Steering (DAS) system that allows Mercedes drivers to adjust the front toe of the vehicle. DAS was permitted to operate on this year’s Mercedes-AMG F1 W11 EQ Performance car but will be banned for 2021. Competitors also attempted to negate Mercedes’ perceived edge in qualifying by eliminating a special engine setting. So-called ‘Party Mode’, the Mercedes-Benz power unit could run at an especially high performance level for a brief time. During the Italian Grand Prix round, a single engine mode was mandated for qualifying and the race. The notion that the special engine setting with the Mercedes-Benz power units was a key advantage over the competition appears to be little more than a red herring.

The reason for the ‘A’ grade rather an ‘A+’ was due to two instances. This year’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone, while ultimately a victorious outing for the Mercedes-AMG team, was also a minor embarrassment as both vehicles suffered late-race tire failures. Though many teams were left concerned with their tires throughout the race, the Mercedes-AMG cars endured the most dramatic instances of wear perhaps contributed to their reliably quick pace. Lewis Hamilton crossing the line on only three inflated tires could be one of the team’s chaotic wins. The second mishap for the Mercedes-AMG team was at Monza where Hamilton’s car came to pit road when they were closed costing the Brit the Italian Grand Prix victory. In the week following the unusual event in Italy, the team has explained and acknowledged the mistake learning how to avoid it in the future. 

 

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

Heading into Russia with a 152-point lead in the Formula 1 Constructors Championship, the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team on the path to easily ride to a seventh-consecutive team title. Lewis Hamilton is also in prime position to clinch his seventh Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship currently leading in the season-long standings by 55 points over teammate Valtteri Bottas. For Bottas, Mercedes-AMG has been impressed enough with his performance this season to lock him into a contract for 2021. 

The addition of new race tracks to the 2020 Formula 1 schedule may serve as a wild card to the German factory team. However, the Mercedes-AMG F1 team’s ability to spoil Ferrari’s party at Mugello only goes to show the organization’s adaptiveness as another one of the squad’s high-ranking qualities.

1 Racing Mind’s 2020 Formula 1 Mid-Season Team Report Card: Racing Point

Photo Credit: Mark Sutton LAT Images/Pirelli

Team Grade: A-

Driver’s Grade:

Lance Stroll: B+ 

Sergio Perez: B-

Summary of First Nine Races:

Following a mediocre first full season last year, Racing Point has picked up the pace drastically for 2020. With Mercedes-Benz power, a driving lineup consisting of the young Canadian Lance Stroll and dependable Mexican driver Sergio Perez, the team has been a regular mainstay in the top-10 of the running order. The 2020 Italian Grand Prix marked the Racing Point organization’s first podium. However, the on-track success for Racing Point has also been accompanied with a sense of mockery.

At the start of this year, many observers quickly took note of Racing Point’s RP20 race car design attempting to draw comparisons to the Mercedes-AMG team’s 2019 machine (the Mercedes AMG F1 W10 EQ Power+). The similarities between the two cars have even resulted to the Racing Point entry being deemed a ‘Pink Mercedes’. While speculation on the appearance of the RP20 in pre-season testing was largely dealt with as comical, Renault’s protest of the cars’ rear brake ducts after the Styrian Grand Prix was no laughing matter. Racing Point was docked 15 constructors’ points and received a monetary fine of 400,000 euros from Formula 1's sanctioning body the FIA. The team sits in fourth place in the 2020 Formula 1 Constructors Championship following nine races.     

The 2020 success of Racing Point has started to mute the outspoken critics of Lance Stroll. Although the 21-year-old Canadian has won championships in Italian F4, the Toyota Racing Series in New Zealand and the FIA European F3 series, his career in Formula 1 has involved a sizable amount of social media detraction. Since Lawrence Stroll (Lance Stroll’s father) is part of the current ownership group behind Racing Point, some insist his place in the sport is due to nepotism and not merit. A competent racer on Sunday, Lance Stroll’s Achilles’ heel has been qualifying on Saturday. This year, his performance in qualifying is vastly improved missing out on Q3 only once in the first nine races.

With ten seasons in Formula 1, Sergio Perez has been effectively in the same ride since 2014 when Racing Point operated as Sahara Force India. Perez has performed an impressive feat of finishing in the points for every race he has started in 2020 season. Contracting COVID-19 ahead of the British Grand Prix, the Mexican missed both races at Silverstone. Nico Hulkenberg was called in to substitute for the British Grand Prix and the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix scoring a seventh place result in the latter event.

Prediction for Rest of the 2020 Season:

Racing Point has gained many of the important ingredients to become not only a regular top-10 runner but ideally a podium contender. In fact, it is a surprise or the team’s infancy that they have only captured one podium this season. A race victory for Racing Point may not be completely out of the question but is somewhat a long-odd gamble. Announced to be leaving Racing Point, Sergio Perez could be a very popular race winner if presented with an opportunity similar to that granted to Pierre Gasly at Monza. The Mexican’s attention-grabbing second-place finish in the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix for Sauber remains his best Formula 1 outing.   

Undergoing a massive transition over the course of two years, Racing Point is preparing for more changes coming in 2021. Along with renaming the team Aston Martin, the squad’s driver lineup will pair Sebastian Vettel with Lance Stroll next season. 

1 Racing Mind's 2017 Formula 1 Summer Break Report Card: Force India

Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/LAT Images

Team Grade: B

Driver Grades
Sergio Perez: B
Esteban Ocon: B+

Entering its 10th season in Formula 1 competition, the Force India team is still chasing their first grand prix victory. A customer of Mercedes-Benz power since 2009 and occasional podium contender, the likelihood for a great triumph has been something many observers have expected.

Thinking pink for 2017 new colours supplied through the addition of water treatment company BWT AG as a sponsor, the bold-looking VJM10 race cars handled by Mexico’s Sergio Perez and France’s Esteban Ocon has exhibited a near-magnetic attraction to the top-10. So far in the 2017 Formula 1 season, there was only one race where the team failed to score constructor points (the Monaco Grand Prix in May).

Force India’s on-track effort has been led by the veteran Sergio Perez. The Mexican driver has accumulated 56 points with a season-topping finish of 4th place coming at the Spanish Grand prix. Esteban Ocon has been the most pleasant surprise in the Force India group. Driving nine races last season for the now-defunct Manor Racing team, results would not necessarily indicate he would be a consistent top-10 driver in better equipment. In 11 races, the Frenchman has finished in the points all-but once.

Thoughts of Team for Remainder of 2017:

The Force India-Mercedes race cars are generally not as quick as other front-running teams. This fact reveals itself most prominently in qualifying. However, if perseverance is worth anything, Force India could possibly win a race in the remaining part of the season.

1 Racing Mind's 2017 Formula 1 Summer Break Report Card: Mercedes AMG

Photo Credit: Daimler AG/ Mercedes AMG

Team Grade: A-

Driver Grades
Lewis Hamilton: A
Valtteri Bottas: A+

For the fourth consecutive year the Mercedes AMG can be called the cream of the crop in the premier open wheel racing series. At the top of the constructor points once again at the mid-season mark of a Formula 1 season, the team’s primary driver Lewis Hamilton is continuing to perform at a level where his name will don the top of some impressive all-time lists. Tying Ayrton Senna with 65 career pole positions at the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton picked up his 67th career pole at the British Grand Prix on route to race victory.

Following the sudden retirement of world championship winning driver Nico Rosberg at the end of 2016, Mercedes AMG was faced with the immediate task of finding a pilot to occupy the second seat alongside Lewis Hamilton. After several seasons with Williams Martini Racing, Finland’s Valtteri Bottas was rewarded with the illustrious position behind the wheel of the Mercedes AMG F1 W08 EQ Power+ 2017 race car. In his fourth win with the team, Bottas captured his first career Formula 1 win at the Russian Grand Prix. Bottas collected a second victory later in the season in Austria.

Despite the familiarity of the Silver Arrows of Lewis Hamilton at or near the front in 2017, this season is by no means as dominant as previous years for Mercedes AMG. While Hamilton and Bottas claimed six grand prix wins collectively, the win total in previous years over the first 11-race span had been much higher. Between 2014 and 2016, Mercedes AMG won at least nine times in the same span. The simple cause for this disruption to the norms of past seasons is the competition has closed on the group. Ferrari and their SF70H race car have demonstrated an impressive ability of not only following in the tire tracks of Mercedes AMG but outpacing the German outfit. After several years where some assumptions were made that Mercedes AMG had, at times, held back the total speed potential of their vehicles, the Silver Arrows have presented with their first legitimate challenger.

Thoughts of Team for Remainder of 2017:

In the final part of the season, it remains to be seen if the Mercedes AMG team can resist their first major threat to another winning year. From 2014 to 2016, this time in the Formula 1 season saw Mercedes AMG positioned in a manner that the only championship point battles resided within the organization. This year, Lewis Hamilton is trailing Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel in the drivers’ points by 14 markers heading into the Belgian Grand Prix. Mercedes AMG leads in the constructors’ standings by 39 points after 11 races over Ferrari. There is no specific weakness in the team or with drivers Lewis Hamilton or Valtteri Bottas leaving only luck a factor through the remainder of 2017.

By a Narrow 0.033-Second Margin, Rosberg Grabs Brazilian GP Pole

Photo Credit: Pirelli/ Andrew Hone

The second to last race in the 2014 Formula 1 season, the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace track is hosting nine race teams with various mindsets. Many drivers and race organizations are looking forward to 2015. Questions remain for where high-asset properties such as Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso and last year's World Drivers' Champion Sebastian Vettel will end-up for next season. In the case of the Mercedes-Benz AMG team, the team has reason to savoir the 2014 season. The German team is rolling through the final two events having already claimed their first-ever manufacturers' title (also the first for Mercedes-Benz as a full-fledged factory effort). A 24-point gap separates teammates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg for the 2014 drivers' championship entering Brazil. While the public sparring between both drivers have cooled from what was seen during this summer, qualifying resulted in one of the most contentious battles for the pole by the Mercedes-AMG teammate.


Right from Q1, the Mercedes-AMG cars were dueling for the top time. From the start, Nico Rosberg obtained the advantage ahead of Lewis Hamilton by 0.11 seconds in the first qualifying round. It was in the final Q3 session where the teammates attacked the 4.309-kilometer Brazilian circuit spiritedly for preferential placement on Sunday's main event grid. From the start of the final 10-minute session, Hamilton set fastest time early only to be immediately countered by Rosberg. Rosberg's Mercedes was only 0.029 seconds faster than Hamilton's. With time quickly winding down for the Q3 session, both Mercedes-AMG returned to the track for a final run. With a 1-minute, 10.056-second lap time, Hamilton took the top spot on the speed chart with roughly 2 minutes remaining in the session. Predicting that his British teammate could eclipse his team, Nico Rosberg went out on the track. In the dying moment of Q3, Rosberg achieved a 1-minute, 10.023-second lap to take his 10th pole position for 2014.




Photo Credit: Mercedes-AMG

Nicking Lewis Hamilton's time by a slim 0.033-second margin, Nico Rosberg claimed some vengeance against his teammate for stealing the United States Grand Prix victory away. It should be worth noting that Rosberg started ahead of Hamilton last week. A championship fight between the two drivers remains hot between the two drivers with Lewis Hamilton holding the advantage late in the season. "Of course, I need a bit of help from my team-mate to make the World Championship happen. But I’m still highly motivated and will continue to push as hard as I can all the way." said Rosberg. Double points for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale means the triumphant Mercedes-AMG will not emerge until after the November 23rd race regardless to the outcome in Brazil.

Mercedes-Benz engine power being at the front of the 2014 Brazilian Grand Prix has maintained a year-long streak for pole positions by the powerplant supplier. Mercedes-AMG has accounted for all-but one of those poles. The only pole-winning driver outside the 2014 Silver Arrow juggernaut has been Felipe Massa. Racing at his home grand prix, Massa gave a hard-fought effort in qualifying third on Saturday with a Williams F1 Team car. "This track has a special place in my heart as I was born here in São Paulo and I always get a lot of support. The car has been feeling really good all weekend and although the Mercedes cars still had more raw pace than us, the gap seems to have closed." said Massa who was about two-tenths of a second off the pace of the modern Silver Arrows. Similar to the fight between the Mercedes-AMG cars, Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas also enjoyed a close fight for positioning on the second row of the Brazilian Grand Prix grid. Bottas' top lap time was only 0.058 seconds longer than his Brazilian teammate. The McLaren-Mercedes cars of Jenson Button in fifth and Kevin Magnussen placing seventh in the starting line-up also reveal a solid effort in qualifying for Mercedes-Benz engines.  

In sixth place, the Red Bull-Renault of Sebastian Vettel will be the highest-starting non-Mercedes-Benz powered entrant for the 2014 Formula 1 race in Brazil. From eighth to tenth, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo and Kimi Raikkonen round out the top-10. Mexico's Esteban Gutierrez driving a Sauber-Ferrari will start 11th in the field. The Sauber team is still chasing a world championship point for 2014.

The back of the 2014 Brazilian Grand Prix starting line-up will have two penalized entrants. While Russian Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kvyat was fast enough for Q2, his vehicle had to serve the remainder of an engine change penalty from the previous event at the Circuit of the Americas. The final car on the grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix will be Sergio Perez. The Force India driver was assessed a penalty for the collision at the start of the United States Grand Prix.

The Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying session consisted of 18 cars as the troubled Maruassia and Caterham F1 Team are again sitting out due to lack of funding. Both races failed to part of the United States Grand Prix last week. Caterham F1 Team is presently engaged in a crowdfunding initiative meant to place the race on the grid for the finale in late November at Abu Dhabi.

Scheduled for Sunday at 2PM local time (11 AM Eastern time), forecasts are calling for the chance of a wet, stormy Brazilian Grand Prix.


2014 Formula 1
Brazilian Grand Prix
Starting Line-up

Pos #	Car #	Driver	Team	Engine
1	6	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
2	44	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
3	19	Felipe Massa	Williams	Mercedes-Benz
4	77	Valtteri Bottas	Williams F1	Renault
5	22	Jenson Button	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
6	1	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull	Renault
7	22	Kevin Magnussen	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
8	14	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Ferrari
9	3	Daniel Ricciardo	Red Bull	Renault
10	7	Kimi Raikkonen	Ferrari	Ferrari
11	21	Esteban Gutierrez	Sauber	Ferrari
12	27	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
13	99	Adrian Sutil	Sauber	Ferrari
14	8	Romain Grosjean	Lotus	Renault
15	25	Jean-Eric Vergne	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Renault
16	13	Pastor Maldonado	Lotus	Renault
17	26	Daniil Kvyat	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Renault
18	11	Sergio Perez	Force India	Mercedes-Benz

Force India has Momentum of Perez and Hulkenberg for 2014 F1 Campaign

Photo source: Sahara Force India F1 Team

A Formula 1 organization founded in 2008, Force India was formed from ashes of a team that once belonged to Eddie Jordan and was also known as Midland F1 and Spyker F1. Struggling hard in its first season, Force India partnered with Mercedes-Benz engines in 2009 finding some success in the latter part of the season. In their sophomore year, Giancarlo Fisichella posted a runner-up finish at the Belgium Grand Prix. Though the race is regarded as a decent mid-marker organization right up to last season, Force India has still been unable to secure a coveted grand prix victory. With new car and competition rules set for 2014, Sahara Force India has decided that a completely fresh driver line-up is best for their Mercedes-Benz powered race machines.

Sahara Force India picked up one of the hottest commodities in the Formula 1 free agent market. Signing Mexican driver Sergio Perez, the Force India team has signed the former McLaren pilot and 2007 British Formula Three champion to a multi-season deal. Considered one of the next hot Formula 1 stars when he almost won the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix in a fierce battle in the wet, Perez endured a lackluster 2013 season with an under-performing McLaren Formula 1 team. In the announcement where the Mexican driver was welcomed to the Indian-owned team, Perez stated, "This is a young team with a lot of determination and they’ve produced competitive cars for the last few years. It’s all change for next season with the new regulations, but I already have a good feeling about 2014. "

Photo source: Sahara Force India F1 Team

Returning to Force India in another multi-year deal announced earlier this month, Nico Hulkenberg is another driver many would consider a potential grand prix winner in the near future. The German had been very successful in a slew of ladder series championships. Hulkenberg has even won the 2009 GP2 Series championship. Joining Formula 1 as a Williams F1 Team driver, Nico Hulkenberg accepted a position as a test driver for Force India in 2011 and was promoted to a race day competitor in 2012. Hulkenberg's best Formula 1 finish is fourth that he achieved on two occasions.

Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg share a history of productive stints at the Sauber F1 Team in recent years.

Silver Arrows Striking Target: Is Mercedes AMG the New Top F1 Team?

Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

Mercedes-Benz could be enjoying a moment of greatness in Formula 1 not experienced since grand prix greats like Juan Manuel Fangio and Sir Sterling Moss drove competition cars baring the three-pointed star.

Winner of two of the past three Formula 1 races, the PETRONAS sponsored Mercedes AMG team has presented a new challenge to the defending constructors' champion Red Bull Racing. In addition, Mercedes AMG race cars driven by 2013 drivers Nico Rosberg and former Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton have collectively taken six of the last seven pole positions. Since the Australian Grand Prix, Mercedes AMG is one of four teams who have scored points in every 2013 Formula 1 event. Mercedes AMG is working on establishing the much-needed front-running consistency needed to be a lead Formula 1 organization. It has been a result of four seasons of mid-pack struggles that the current factory Mercedes team has hit a lasting stride.

Born from the spirit of Mercedes-Benz's grand prix team that first raced in the 1930s, the Silver Arrows' participation in motorsports has long been a source of pride for the German company. Tainted by the fact the Nazi German government has funded pre-war racing efforts, Mercedes-Benz would return to grand prix racing as a part of the infant Formula 1 championship in 1954. The creation of the Mercedes-Benz W196 was piloted by German drivers Hermann Lang and Hans Herrmann but was most noted for being wheeled by two other competitors. Five-time Formula 1 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio won two of his titles in seasons where he drove the W196 race car. Fangio won all but one of the Mercedes-Benz W196 wins during 1954 and 1955. Sterling Moss would have also found victory lane in the car at the 1955 British Grand Prix. The 1955 fatal disaster at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where 83 spectators died as a result of a collision involving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR sports car would cause the German company to reconsider their motorsport efforts. Leaving Formula 1 after the 1955 season, Mercedes-Benz would return in the 1990s as an engine supplier for Sauber and successfully McLaren.

In the conclusion of the 2009 season, Mercedes-Benz was one again willing to be a full-fledged team in Formula 1. When Daimler-Benz bought up controlling interest in the Brawn GP team from Ross Brawn (who stayed on as a Team Principal). after the 2009 Formula 1 season, many observers of the sport would have expected the returning Silver Arrows to be an instant season-long contender. Reasoning that the large auto company will invest heavily into the team, the signing of seven-time Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship Michael Schumacher was seen as a major ingredient to motorsport success. In addition to young, talented but winless German driver Nico Rosberg, Schumacher and the 2010 Mercedes GP team would find out they're starting off as a new team.

Possessing the remnants of what was the 2009 Constructor's Championship winning Brawn GP team, Mercedes GP would go without a victory for 2010 and 2011 Formula 1 seasons. Fighting against several long running teams such as Ferrari and McLaren as well as a matured Red Bull Racing team, the history of Formula 1 racing has taught that some teams can be hot one season but go completely dormant the next. In 1997, the Williams F1 team took team championship honours while fielding the year's Formula 1 champion Jacques Villeneuve. The following season resulted in a winless, lackluster effort. In the case of Mercedes GP, 2010 was an awakening. 2011 was actually a worse season for Mercedes GP as the team scored fewer constructor points than the previous year.

In the 2010 and 2011 Formula 1 seasons, it was also becoming surreal to look at the driver performances. The grand prix legend Michael Schumacher was not the lead producer for Mercedes GP. Instead, it was Nico Rosberg who frequently outpaced and outscored Schumacher. Rosberg was the first Mercedes GP driver to step on the podium in 2010 while it took Schumacher the 2012 season's European Grand Prix in order to match that benchmark. By that time, Nico Rosberg headed the team the two most prized items for a mostly mid-marker Formula 1 effort. At the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix, Rosberg clinched the team's first pole on route to the first Mercedes-Benz factory Formula 1 victory since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix won by Juan Manuel Fangio. “This is a truly special and historic day. I am so delighted for Nico, he has deserved to take his first victory several times, and has now done so by driving a perfectly judged race from pole position. I am excited to see how he develops now he has that win under his belt." commented Mercedes' Formula 1 team principal Ross Brawn who recognized it also as Rosberg's first grand prix victory. Having described the start of a his 2010 season as "...a child looking forward to Christmas.", Schumacher's three seasons ended in 2012 with retirement from Formula 1. "Even under these difficult conditions, my final Formula One race was tremendous fun, and I would once again like to thank the team and all my fans for their support over the past years. I’ve enjoyed the time we’ve spent together very much indeed.", said Schumacher on his round race with the team in Brazil.

The 2013 season was constructed as the next frontier for the Formula 1 now known as Mercedes AMG. With Michael Schumacher officially retiring from the sport following 2012, the team replaced the driver role by scooping up Lewis Hamilton as a teammate to Nico Rosberg. On the presentation of the new F1 W04 race car at Jerez, Hamilton commented, "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." Hiring the former McLaren driver, it was intended that Hamilton would be the important balance of youth and championship-capable experience needed to be a serious contender.

After eight races, the duo of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg has given the Mercedes AMG team a higher amount of constructor points in 2013 than in the whole 2012 season. Two wins by Nico Rosberg including last week's British Grand Prix at Silverstone is helping to fortify the driver and team as a meaningful force in Formula 1. With three poles and a trio of podium finishes, Hamilton's presence in the team has been a positive one. It not for a tire problem in the British Grand Prix, the second Mercedes AMG victory of the 2013 season may have been his.

As the Silver Arrows are flying with race winning precision, the Mercedes AMG organization is not spending too much time basking in their success. Second in the 2013 Constructors' Championship, they are closely followed by the Scuderia Ferrari team. Going race-to-race, the entire team is focused on the German Grand Prix hoping to put together an effort granting Mercedes-Benz factory team their first such victory since 1954. 

Williams F1 Surprises Signing with Mercedes-Benz for 2014

Photo Credit: Daimler AG

With the McLaren Formula 1 team planning a switch to Honda in 2015, Mercedes-Benz had been left with the possibility of one fewer customer of their new turbocharged engine. It didn't take long for the German automaker to ink a deal with a new team.

In what could be viewed as a stunning move, Williams F1 Team decided to abandon their association with Renault in favour of Mercedes-Benz. Accepting the power of Mercedes-Benz's future turbocharged, 1.6 liter V6 engine, Williams F1 Team wants to ring in a more consistently competitive package for the 2014 season. Team founder Sir Frank Williams is particularly pleased inking the new deal. “I’m delighted to announce our new association with Mercedes-Benz for the 2014 Formula One season and beyond. Mercedes-Benz has been one of the sport’s most successful engine suppliers and we believe that they will have an extremely competitive engine package". On the side of the engine supplier, Managing Director of Mercedes AMG HPP Andy Cowell is greets the partnership saying,   "Williams is one of the sport’s iconic names and we are very excited to be working together towards a successful future under the new regulations".

The formulation of Williams' new engine partnership is significant for Mercedes-Benz but also news-making in regards to Renault. Williams F1 Team established a dynasty with Renault in the mid-1990s. In fourth out of six years from 1992 to 1997, Williams-Renault race cars were handled by the Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion. When Williams F1 Team reunited with Renault in 2012, winning magic between the two companies returned briefly. Driver Pastor Maldonado drove his Williams-Renault from the pole position to victory at last year's Spanish Grand Prix. That performance has not been repeated since that 2012 win. As a matter of fact, the Williams F1 Team is pointless in the 2013 constructors' points after six races.

The press announcement did not go without acknowledging the outgoing engine supplier for the Williams F1 Team. Sir Frank Williams paid tribute to the history with Renault. "I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Renault for their continued hard work since we renewed our engine partnership at the beginning of the 2012 season. We have enjoyed a strong relationship that has resulted in much success over the years, including powering us to winning ways once again last year at the Spanish Grand Prix.” said Williams. In response to Williams F1 Team's announcement, Renault Sport F1 promptly issued a statement expressing an amicable parting. "We would like to thank Williams for the warmth it has extended to Renault over the last two years and wish the team the very best for the future. Williams and Renault have a long history together and quickly recaptured its winning spirit in the early days of the rekindled partnership with victory in Spain 2012. We will continue to actively work with the team until the Brazilian Grand Prix in November to end the second incarnation of the partnership with results that do justice to its reputation." said Jean-Michel Jalinier, President of Renault Sport F1.

Starting in 2014, the agreement between Williams F1 Team and Mercedes-Benz is said to be a long-term deal.