Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team: All you need to know

One of the most successful outfits in the history of F1, The Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team is a testament to rising from the ashes. After a brief lull, they returned to the sport as a works team in 2010 after they secured Brawn GP. The legendary “Silver Arrows” dominated the racing circuits in the 1930s and 1950s and now are slowly getting back to the stride. The modern-day incarnation is all about getting eight consecutive constructors’ championships during 2014-2021, the record previously held by Ferrari. 

The Modern Era Dominance: How it all started? 

The true ascendancy to the throne began in 2014 with the introduction of turbo-hybrid power units while also securing the services of Lewis Hamilton from McLaren. Under the leadership of Team Principal Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe, and James Allison, they have engineered a power unit that has taken the sport by storm. On the other hand, Hamilton’s exceptional talent with Mercedes’ engineering excellence created one of the most successful partnerships with them claiming six drivers’ championships. The combination won multiple poles, wins and dominated the championship with 11 race victories between 2014 and 2021. 

After Lewis Hamilton decided to part ways and join the rivals, the current drivers of the Mercedes side included George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, Valtteri Bottas, and Fred Vesti (Reserve). 

Where do Mercedes operate from? 

The operations are currently based out of Brackley, England with the power units of the side being developed in Brixworth. Over 1000 employees operate from the facilities, operating in the budget cap regulations of F1. They have continuously looked to adopt the best engines to make the best on the race track. 

How are Mercedes faring post-2021? 

With the introduction of new rules, "ground effect", Mercedes made changes to their car design called “zero-pods”. The changes did not yield the results as they continued to give porpoising issues and inconsistent performances. The team had to bow out of multiple races due to crashes and glitches with the side not being able to win the title in 2022-2024. However, they had the podium finish but are yet to finish at the top. In the ongoing season, they find themselves second on the points table.