The Mercedes F1 team has competed in Formula One since 1954, winning eight constructor titles and nine driver championships.
Their consistency over the last ten years has made Mercedes one of the most successful teams in Formula One history.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team is nicknamed the “Silver Arrows”.The Mercedes F1 team debuted in 1954, and that same year, they made their mark in Formula One, winning their first race at the French Grand Prix and the 1954 Drivers’ Championship with Juan Manual Fangio. Argentinian driver Fangio won the Drivers’ Championship again the following year for Mercedes. Mercedes’ first two seasons in Formula One had undeniable success. However, it was short-lived, with the team withdrawing from motor racing in 1956 after the Le Mans disaster in 1955, which took the lives of over 80 spectators and killed French driver Pierre Levegh.
It was nearly 40 years before Mercedes returned to Formula One as an engine manufacturer. Mercedes was associated with Ilmor, who developed the engines. After a successful few years, Ilmore was rebranded as Mercedes AMG High-Performance Powertrains in 2005. It wasn’t until 2010 that the team started competing again when they bought the Brand GP team and rebranded it as Mercedes. 2014 marked a turning point in Formula One for the Mercedes F1 team. With the introduction of the hybrid power units, Mercedes Formula One’s dominance began.
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Mercedes F1 Drivers 2022
George Russell replaced Valtteri Bottas in 2022 to join the Mercedes F1 team alongside Lewis Hamilton to make up the Mercedes F1 team for 2022.
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton’s love for motor racing began at eight when he began karting. In 1997, Hamilton’s talent was recognised, and he was enrolled in the McLaren Young Driver Programme. Four years later, he moved into the British Formula Renault and went into racing in the Formula 3 Euro Series. Lewis Hamilton won the junior championship title in his second year and progressed to the GP2 Series with ART Grand Prix. The rookie performed exceptionally and was promoted to Formula One.
In 2007, Hamilton made his Formula One debut with McLaren at 22 years old. Lewis Hamilton set many records throughout his debut season, including most races, pole positions and points. After a hugely successful first season with McLaren, Hamilton finished what he had started in his second season with the team by winning his first Drivers’ Championship title. Hamilton showed his determination to win by securing the title on the last lap of the season’s final race. Lewis Hamilton became the first and, as of today, is the only black driver to have won a Drivers’ Championship title.
After six seasons with McLaren, Hamilton announced he would join the Mercedes F1 team for the 2013 season. Moving to Mercedes was a significant risk, considering McLaren’s successful history compared to Mercedes. However, it was a risk that immensely paid off. Hamilton proved his worth in his debut season with the Mercedes F1 team, securing his first podium on his second race and winning his maiden at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The British driver finished in fourth place in the Drivers’ standings.
Lewis Hamilton won the Mercedes F1 Works team their first Drivers’ Championship title since 1950. Alongside teammate Nico Rosberg, the pair secured the first of many Constructors’ titles for the Mercedes F1 team. Hamilton ended the season with 11 victories and 16 podiums, and the following year, he reached similar achievements with 10 wins and 17 podiums, which crowned him Driver’ Champion for the second consecutive year. The following year, Lewis set records for the 2016 season with the most race wins, winning ten races and the most pole positions, and gaining pole position 12 times throughout the season. However, these records weren’t enough to secure the title, with teammate Rosberg being crowned Drivers’ Championship that season.
In 2017, Lewis took the World Title with two races left to go in the season and ended the year setting records once again with most pole positions with 11 and most race wins with ten victories. The following year, Hamilton’s battle with Ferrari’s Vettel continued, but it was much closer this time. However, Lewis Hamilton came out on top and gained his fifth Drivers’ Championship title, ending the season with 11 wins and 17 podiums. In 2019, Hamilton equalled his previous season’s records.
In 2020, Lewis Hamilton showed his adaptability during unprecedented times with the disturbance of the COVID-19 pandemic to the world and the Formula One calendar. Lewis Hamilton proved his worth as one of the greatest and most successful drivers in the history of Formula One by surpassing F1 legend Michael Schumacher’s record of F1 race wins. He equalled his record of world titles when he won his seventh Driver’s Championship at the Turkish Grand Prix.
After a season-long battle, Hamilton failed to secure the Drivers’ Championship after a season-long battle with Red Bull’s Verstappen. However, he helped Mercedes win their record-breaking eight consecutive Constructors’ title. Although Hamilton didn’t win the title, hemadermula One became history again. In 2020, Hamilton became the first driver to reach 100 wins and 100 pole positions in Formula One’s history.
2022 hasn’t been the most accessible season for the Mercedes F1 team or Hamilton. To date, Hamilton has yet to win a race with Mercedes, making it his worst season performance with Mercedes so far. With only a few more races in the 2022 season, Hamilton is in sixth place behind teammate George Russell. The Mercedes F1 team is third in the Constructors’ standings, behind Red Bull and Ferrari.
George Russell
Like many other Formula One drivers, Russell also began his career in motorsport with karting. During his karting career, George Russell won national and international championships, including the British Open Championship in 2009 and the CIK-FIA European Championship in 2012. Russell went on to compete in the Formula Renault 2.9 Alps series and the BRDC Formula 4 Championship. He also won the McLaren Autosport Award, and after one year in Formula 4, he went into the FIA Formula 3 European Championship for two seasons.
In 2017, George Russel became a member of the Mercedes F1 team’s junior programme, and he began testing with Mercedes and driving in two FP1 sessions for Force India. In 2018, George Russell competed in the FIA Formula 2 Championship and was crowned the winner that same season. 2019 George’s talents were recognised, and he was named Williams’s next driver for 2019, finally moving to Formula One. George drove for Williams for three seasons, putting in many impressive performances during his time. During his time with Williams, Russell stood in for Hamilton at Mercedes in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix.
At this race, he earned his first F1 points and scored the fastest lap. In his last season with Williams, Russell raced an impressive lap at the Belgian Grand Prix and scored his first F1 podium. Mercedes AMG Petronas noticed George Russell’s determination, and he was announced as Valtteri Bottas’ replacement for the 2022 season. George Russell has had a very successful year in his debut season with Mercedes. He is fourth in the Drivers’ standings with 203 points and one podium finish.
Mercedes Team Principal 2022
Toto Wolff
Toto Wolff is the Team Principal and CEO of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team. The Austrians have always loved motorsport, competing in racing at 17 and winning the 1994 Nürburgring 24 Hours. Toto’s racing career was short-lived, and three years later, he turned his focus to the business and investment world. In 2002, Toto Wolff became a racing driver management company co-owner alongside two-time Formula One World Champion Mika Häkkinen. Toto also went back into racing, participating in the FIA GT World Championship and the 24 Hours of Bahrain.
In 2009, Toto Wolff invested in the Williams F1 Team and by 2012, he was the Executive Director. Less than a year later, Toto was appointed Managing Partner of the Mercedes F1 Team and acquired a 30% stake in the team. Toto Wolff became the Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, putting him in charge of Formula 1 and Formula E for the company. As of 2020, Toto has a one-third stake in the team, alongside INEOS and Daimler AG. Under Toto Wolff’s leadership, the Mercedes F1 Team has won eight consecutive Constructors’ Titles and seven successive Drivers’ Championship Titles.
Past Mercedes F1 Drivers
Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss was a British racing driver regarded as the most significant driver to have never won the World Championship. During his Formula One career, Moss had sixteen victories, pole positions and 19 fastest laps in 66 Grand Prixs. 1955 Moss won the British Grand Prix in Aintree, his home race for Mercedes, beating teammate Fangio. Stirling Moss’s career was growing in length. However, an accident in 1962 put an end to his thriving career. Although he recovered from his accident, Moss’ pace wasn’t the same, so he decided to retire from the sport he loved. To this day, Stirling Moss is still regarded highly in the motorsport world.
Nico Rosberg
Expectations were high for Nico Rosberg when he joined Formula 1 as the son of Finnish F1 World Champion Keke Rosberg. Nico began his career in motorsport at the age of six, and by 16, he was racing in International Formula Super A. At just the age of 17, Nico Rosberg’s talents were recognised, and he was awarded an F1 test with the Williams F1 Team. After making a name for himself in the Formula 3 Euro Series and GP2 Series, Williams offered Nico a full-time drive in F1.
In 2006, Nico Rosberg made his F1 debut for Williams and proved his worth by achieving the fastest last of his debut Grand Prix, making him the youngest driver to achieve this. In 2010, Nico signed up for the Mercedes F1 Team, and after only three races with the Silver Arrows, he finished on the podium. He would repeat this two more times in his debut season for the Brackley team. In 2012, Nico Rosberg secured his first F1 pole position and first win at the Chinese Grand Prix.
In 2014, Rosberg had another very successful season, with Mercedes winning the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix for the second year in a row and finishing the year with five race wins, 15 podium finishes and five fastest race laps. In 2016, Nico Rosberg’s determination finally paid off, and he was crowned the World Drivers’ Champion for the first time in his F1 career. Nico Rosberg announced that he would retire from Formula One just days later.
Valtteri Bottas
In 2017, Mercedes replaced World Champion Finnish driver Rosberg with Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas. Bottas won two Championships in Formula Renault 2.0 in his youth, taking both the NEC and European titles. Valtteri Bottas went on to win the Formula 3 Masters in Zandvoort two years in a row, a feat that has yet to be beaten. Similar to Rosberg, Williams also gave Bottas his first test drive, and he was also given the role in 2011. In 2013, he made his F1 debut with Williams at the Australian Grand Prix and earned his first F1 points at the United States Grand Prix.
In 2014, Bottas showed his skill by making six podiums and finishing fourth position, one place behind Lewis Hamilton. He also helped to secure third place for Williams in the Constructors. Bottas claimed his first pole position and race win in his first year with Mercedes, finishing the season with four pole positions, three race wins and placing third in the drivers’ standings. Valtteri showed his team fighting spirit by helping Mercedes achieve another Constructors Title in 2018, and he finished the season with seven of the fastest laps and eight podiums.
2019 was Valterris’s most successful season in F1, with him ending the season in P2 and winning four races, five pole positions, and 15 podiums. Bottas repeated this success in 2020, finishing in P2. In 2021, Bottas helped Mercedes hold onto the Constructors title after they lost the Drivers’ Championship. However, the Finnish driver was replaced the following season by Russell after five years with the Siler Arrows.
Mercedes F1 Car 2022
Mercedes W13 was released at the beginning of the 2022 season with notable differences. Mercedes’s more recently used black colour was switched to silver, representing their nickname as the “Silver Arrows.” New regulations meant significant changes to the F1 cars for this season, and they promised closer racing between drivers.
However, the Mercedes W13 doesn’t seem to have lived entirely up to the expected standards, with the W13 unable to keep pace with Red Bull’s RB18 and Ferrari’s F1-75. Although we won’t know until the end of the season what the W13 was able to do in the 2022 season overall, at the moment, it is potentially the worst car Mercedes has had in over eight years.
Mercedes F1 Achievements
Most Consecutive Constructors Titles
The Mercedes F1 team has won the most consecutive Constructor’s Titles in Formula One history. Between 2014 and 2021, Mercedes won the Constructor’s Title eight times in a row, dominating Formula 1 for nearly ten years.
Most Wins in a Season
The Mercedes F1 team has the most wins in any season of Formula One, with a record-breaking 19 wins in 2016, achieved by their drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. They also have the second most wins, with 16 wins out of 19 in 2014 and 2015.
Most one-two Finishes in a Season
In 2015, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton had 12 one-two finishes, a record that has yet to be broken.
Most Championship Points in a Season
Mercedes holds the record for most championship points in a season, with 765 points in 2016.
Most Podiums in a Season
Mercedes holds first, second, third and fourth place for the most podiums in a season. Mercedes had the most podiums in a season, 33 in 2016.
Mercedes F1 Domination
Since Mercedes’s return to Formula One, they have dominated the race tracks. Let’s take a look at the team’s successes since its re-emergence.
2010-2011
The Mercedes F1 team placed fourth in the constructors’ championship in its first two seasons back in Formula One, with drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg behind the wheel.
2012
The Mercedes F1 works team won their first race at the Shanghai Grand Prix, with Rosberg behind the wheel of the innovative F1 W03. This was also driver Nico Rosberg’s first win of his Formula One career. Mercedes placed fifth in the constructors championship, and driver Michael Schumacher competed in his last F1 race at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
2013
After a successful season that included three wins, eight pole positions, and nine podium finishes, the Mercedes F1 team placed second in the Constructors Championship. This was Mercedes’ best result since they began in 2010. 2013 welcomed British driver Lewis Hamilton, who had his first win with Mercedes that same year at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
2014
2014 saw the start of Mercedes AMG Petronas’ dominance in Formula One. After a successful season, which saw a record-breaking 16 out of 19 races won by Mercedes and 11 one-two finishes, Mercedes took home their maiden Constructors’ Title with three races left. Lewis Hamilton was crowned the Drivers’ Championship for the second time in his career and first time with Mercedes. This was Mercedes’s first Drivers’ Championship since Fangio during the mid-1950s.
2015
Mercedes competed against their 2014 performance in the 2015 season, winning their second successive championship double and 16 out of 19 races. 2015 sees Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton again show off their unbelievable driving and teamwork with a record-breaking 12 one-two finishes in the season. Lewis Hamilton wins his third Drivers’ Championship and second for Mercedes AMG Petronas.
2016
Mercedes AMG Petronas proved that their success is not short-lived and showed just how much of a serious contender they are by breaking their record yet again, winning 19 out of the 21 races in the 2016 season. This record still stands and has yet to be broken. Mercedes claimed their third constructors’ crown in a row, and Nico Rosberg took the driver’s title soon after he announced his retirement from Formula One.
2017
With Nico Rosberg retired, Mercedes is challenged to find a suitable replacement. Lewis Hamilton became Mercedes AMG Petrona’s number one driver, and Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas replaced Nico Rosberg. With close competition from Ferrari, Mercedes emerged victorious with their fourth consecutive Constructors Title and Drivers’ Title from Hamilton. Bottas proved his with three wins in his debut season for the team.
2018
The spotlight was on Lewis Hamilton throughout the 2018 season. He won 11 races, securing a fifth consecutive Championship double for Mercedes. Valtteri Bottas failed to win a race in his second season driving for Mercedes, with attention focused on teammate Hamilton. However, he did earn valuable points for the team. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel challenged the driver’s title throughout the season.
2019
Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton worked well as a team during the 2019 season, with five one-two wins. During the season, Hamilton got his 100th podium with Mercedes AMG Petronas and Mercedes’ 100th race win at the Mexican Grand Prix. Mercedes won their sixth Constructors Championship title, and Hamilton secured his sixth Drivers Title.
2020
Even with the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in only 17 Grand Prix for the 2020 season, Mercedes were again victorious. The Mercedes AMG Petronas team won 13 races, ending the season with 573 points. Lewis Hamilton’s performance crowned him Drivers’ Champion for the seventh time in his career, tying him with Schumacher’s record of seven Drivers’ Championship titles. With 11 wins from Hamilton and two from Bottas, Mercedes hold on to their Constructors title for the seventh consecutive year.
2021
For the fifth season in a row, drivers Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas are Mercedes teammates. The 2021 season was filled with tension and controversy between rivals Mercedes and Red Bull. The boiling point hit at the season’s final race at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when both Mercedes’ Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen were tied on points going into the final race. Hamilton failed to fight off Verstappen in the controversial final last lap and came second in the Drivers’ Championship, with teammate Bottas in third place. The combined effort from Mercedes drivers secured the team’s eight consecutive Constructors titles.