Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd

Type	Subsidiary
Founded	11 October 1983; 41 years ago (1983-10-11) (as Ilmor)
Founder	Mario Illien Paul Morgan
Headquarters	Brixworth, Northamptonshire , United Kingdom
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Markus Schäfer [de] (chairman) Hywel Thomas [ja] (managing director)
Parent	Mercedes-Benz AG

Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) is a company that builds powerful engines for Formula One race cars. It is owned by Mercedes-Benz. HPP is known for creating some of the fastest and most reliable engines in Formula One history.

This company has supplied engines to many famous F1 teams. These include McLaren, Force India, Williams, and the official Mercedes factory team. Their engines have helped teams win many championships. They have won eleven Formula One Drivers' Championships. They also won eleven Formula One Constructors' Championships. Besides F1, HPP also makes special engines for the Mercedes-AMG ONE sports car.

How HPP Started

A 2004 McLaren car with a Mercedes-Ilmor V10 engine.

The company began in 1983. It was first called Ilmor. It was started by two engineers, Mario Illien and Paul Morgan. The name "Ilmor" came from parts of their last names.

Ilmor first built engines for IndyCars. These are another type of fast race car. Later, in 1993, Daimler-Benz (which became Daimler) bought a part of Ilmor. By 2005, Daimler owned the whole company. They changed its name several times. Finally, in December 2011, it became Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains. This happened when the Mercedes F1 team also changed its name.

A small part of the original Ilmor company, which worked on special projects, became a separate company. It is now called Ilmor Engineering Ltd again. It is completely independent of Mercedes.

HPP's Formula One Journey

The Mercedes-Benz team has raced as a constructor and engine maker since 2010.

Ilmor first joined Formula One in 1991. They supplied engines to the Leyton House team. In 1992, they also supplied engines to the Tyrrell Racing team. Their engines helped these teams score points.

In 1993, Ilmor made engines for the Sauber team. Mercedes-Benz was involved, but the engines were officially called "Saubers." The Sauber team did surprisingly well. This convinced Mercedes to officially join Formula One in 1994.

Partnering with McLaren

Force India was a team that used Mercedes engines.

In 1995, Ilmor became the main engine partner for McLaren. This was a very successful partnership. They won their first race together in 1997. Mika Häkkinen won the Drivers' Championship in 1998 and 1999. The team also won the Constructors' Championship in 1998. Later, in 2008, Lewis Hamilton won the Drivers' Championship with a Mercedes-powered McLaren.

Sadly, in 2001, Paul Morgan passed away in a plane accident. After this, Mercedes-Benz increased its ownership in Ilmor. The company was then renamed Mercedes-Ilmor Ltd.

Modern Hybrid Engines

In 2014, Formula One introduced new rules for engines. Mercedes created a new type of engine. It was a 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine. It also used a special hybrid system. This system recovered energy from braking and heat.

This new Mercedes engine was very powerful. Mercedes-powered cars quickly gained a big advantage. Since 2014, Mercedes engines have been incredibly successful. They have helped cars get pole position in many races. They have also won many races.

Helping During the Pandemic

In March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mercedes HPP helped out. They worked with a university to make breathing aids. These devices helped patients stay out of intensive care. Mercedes HPP designed a device in just one week. They started making hundreds of these devices every day. They used the same machines that usually make parts for Formula One engines.

Formula One Engine Success

Mercedes HPP engines have powered many teams to victory. Here is a summary of their success with different teams:

Constructor	Season(s)	Total wins	WCC	WDC	First win	Last win
Sauber	1994	0			–	–
McLaren	1995–2014, 2021–2025	78	2 (1998, 2024)	3 (1998–1999, 2008)	1997 Australian Grand Prix	2025 Hungarian Grand Prix
Brawn	2009	8	1 (2009)	1 (2009)	2009 Australian Grand Prix	2009 Italian Grand Prix
Force India	2009–2018	0			–	–
Mercedes	2010–2025	106	8 (2014–2021)	7 (2014–2020)	2012 Chinese Grand Prix	2025 Canadian Grand Prix
Williams	2014–2025	0			–	–
Lotus	2015	0			–	–
MRT	2016	0			–	–
Racing Point Force India	2018	0			–	–
Racing Point	2019–2020	1			2020 Sakhir Grand Prix	2020 Sakhir Grand Prix
Aston Martin	2021–2025				–	–
Total	1994–2025	193	11	11	1997 Australian Grand Prix	2025 Hungarian Grand Prix

Types of Formula One Engines

Over the years, Mercedes HPP has developed many different engines for Formula One. These engines have changed as the rules of the sport have evolved.

See also

In Spanish: Mercedes-Benz en Fórmula 1 para niños

• Mercedes-Benz in motorsport