Mercedes-Benz in Formula One facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mercedes

Full name	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team
Base	Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (1954–55) Brackley (chassis) and Brixworth (power units), England, UK (2010–present)
Team principal(s)	Toto Wolff (Team Principal & CEO)
Technical Director	James Allison
Website
Previous name	Brawn GP
Formula One World Championship career
First entry	1954 French Grand Prix
Last entry	2019 Monaco Grand Prix
Races entered	227
Engines	Mercedes
Constructors' Championships	8 (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Drivers' Championships	9 (1954, 1955, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
Race victories	115
Podiums	236
Points	5685 (5824.14)
Pole positions	127
Fastest laps	84
2023 position	2nd (409 pts)

Mercedes-Benz, a famous German car brand, has been a big part of Formula One racing for many years. They've been involved as both a team that builds and races cars, and as a company that makes powerful engines for other teams. The current team, called Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, is based in England but races under a German licence. People often call Mercedes-branded teams the "Silver Arrows".

Before World War II, Mercedes-Benz was already winning big in car races. They joined Formula One in 1954. Their driver, Juan Manuel Fangio, won their first race and then went on to win the championship in both 1954 and 1955. However, Mercedes-Benz stopped racing after 1955 because of a terrible accident at the Le Mans race.

Mercedes came back to Formula One in 1994 as an engine maker. They worked with a British company called Ilmor, which later became Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains. They had a very successful partnership with the McLaren team until 2009, winning many championships. In 2010, Mercedes bought the Brawn GP team and renamed it Mercedes. Since 2014, when new rules brought in turbo and hybrid engines, Mercedes has been one of the most successful teams ever. They won seven straight Drivers' titles from 2014 to 2020 and eight straight Constructors' titles from 2014 to 2021. These are both records in Formula One!

Mercedes as a Racing Team

Early Grand Prix Racing (1930s)

Mercedes-Benz was a dominant force in Grand Prix racing during the 1930s. Their cars, known as the Silver Arrows, were very fast. They won many championships, with Rudolf Caracciola winning three titles for Mercedes-Benz.

Juan Manuel Fangio driving the W196 at the Nürburgring during the 1954 German Grand Prix

First Era in Formula One (1954–1955)

In 1954, Mercedes-Benz returned to racing, now called Formula One. They had a very advanced car called the Mercedes-Benz W196. This car could race with open wheels or with covered wheels for better airflow.

Juan Manuel Fangio, a champion from 1951, joined Mercedes-Benz. In their first race back, the 1954 French Grand Prix, they won with Fangio and Karl Kling finishing first and second. Fangio went on to win three more races that year and became the champion.

Their success continued in 1955. Mercedes-Benz kept improving their car and dominated the season. Fangio won four races, and his new teammate, Stirling Moss, won the 1955 British Grand Prix. Fangio and Moss finished first and second in the championship. However, after a tragic accident at the Le Mans race, Mercedes decided to leave all motorsport, including Formula One, at the end of the season. During this time, Mercedes won 9 races.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team (2010–Present)

Before the 2010 season, Mercedes-Benz's main company bought a part of the Brawn GP team. They also made a deal with Petronas, an oil and gas company, to be their main sponsor. The team was renamed Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team. Ross Brawn stayed on as the team boss.

This team has a long history. It started as Tyrrell Racing in 1970, then became British American Racing (BAR), then Honda Racing F1 Team, and finally Brawn GP. Brawn GP used Mercedes-Benz engines and, surprisingly, won both the Drivers' and Constructors' championships in 2009 with Jenson Button. This was amazing because they won both titles in their very first season!

Nico Rosberg scored Mercedes's first podium finish as a works team since 1955 at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix

For 2010, the Mercedes team hired German drivers Nico Rosberg and the legendary seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, who was returning to F1. The team wasn't as competitive as Brawn GP had been. Rosberg got on the podium three times, finishing third in Malaysia, China, and Great Britain. Schumacher had a tough return, not getting any wins or podiums. The team finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

In 2011, the team continued to improve. Schumacher and Rosberg scored points in many races. Schumacher even finished fourth in Canada. The team again finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship, but still without any wins or pole positions.

Michael Schumacher at the 2012 Monaco Grand Prix

For 2012, the team changed its name to Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team. At the third race in China, Rosberg achieved the team's first pole position since 1955! Even better, Rosberg won the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix, giving Mercedes its first win in 57 years! This was also the first time a German driver won a Grand Prix in a German car. Later that year, it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would join Mercedes from 2013. In 2013, Toto Wolff became a key leader in the team.

In 2013, Rosberg won the 2013 Monaco Grand Prix, giving the team its first win of the season. Hamilton then got his first win for Mercedes at the 2013 Hungarian Grand Prix. The team finished second in the Constructors' Championship, showing great progress.

Dominating the Hybrid Era (2014–2021)

Mercedes kept both Hamilton and Rosberg for 2014. This year saw big rule changes, especially with new V6 turbo hybrid engines. Mercedes completely dominated! Rosberg won the first race in Australia. Then, in Malaysia, Hamilton led every lap and won, with Rosberg finishing second. This was Mercedes' first 1-2 finish since 1955. They repeated this amazing result many times.

At the 2014 Russian Grand Prix, Mercedes won their first Constructors' Championship as a factory team. Hamilton won the last race of the season and became the World Drivers' Champion. In 2014, Mercedes had 18 pole positions, 16 wins, and 11 1-2 finishes out of 19 races. They were incredibly fast!

Rosberg (left) and Hamilton (right) at the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix

In 2015, Hamilton and Rosberg stayed with the team. Mercedes continued their amazing performance. They won their second Constructors' Championship in Russia. Hamilton then won his second straight Drivers' Championship in the USA. Mercedes again had 18 pole positions, 16 wins, and 12 1-2 finishes in 19 races.

The 2016 season was another strong year. Mercedes won the Constructors' Championship for the third time in a row. They won 19 of the 21 races and got 20 pole positions. Rosberg won his first and only Drivers' Championship, beating Hamilton. He then surprised everyone by announcing his retirement from F1.

For 2017, Valtteri Bottas joined Hamilton. Mercedes won the Constructors' Championship for the fourth time. A week later, Hamilton won his fourth World Championship. Mercedes finished 2017 with 12 wins and 15 pole positions.

Bottas at the 2019 Japanese Grand Prix

In 2018, Hamilton and Bottas continued as teammates. Mercedes won their fifth straight Constructors' title in Brazil. Hamilton won 11 races that year. This made Mercedes only the second team in F1 history to win five drivers' and constructors' titles in a row.

Bottas at the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix

The 2019 season saw Mercedes continue their dominance. In the first race in Australia, Bottas won, and Hamilton finished second, giving the team a 1-2 finish. Mercedes won 10 of the first 12 races. They went on to win both the drivers' and constructors' titles for the sixth year in a row.

For 2020, Mercedes introduced a clever system called "Dual-Axis-Steering" (DAS). This allowed the driver to change the angle of the front wheels while driving. It helped warm up the tires better on straight parts of the track. The team won both championships again. Before a race in 2020, Hamilton had to miss it due to illness, and George Russell filled in for him.

Lewis Hamilton after a controversial victory at the 2021 British Grand Prix

In 2021, Hamilton and Bottas stayed together. This season was a very close fight for the drivers' championship. Hamilton lost the title on the very last lap of the final race after a controversial safety car restart. He finished second in the championship, but Mercedes still won the Constructors' title for a record-extending eighth year in a row.

Challenges with New Rules (2022–2024)

George Russell driving the Mercedes W13 at the 2022 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

For 2022, George Russell joined Hamilton. New rules brought back "ground effect" to car design. Mercedes tried a very different design, but it caused problems like "porpoising" (the car bouncing up and down at high speed). The team worked hard to fix these issues.

Despite their struggles, Mercedes cars were very reliable. They often finished on the podium. At the 2022 French Grand Prix, Hamilton was second and Russell third, a double podium for the team. Russell then got his first ever pole position in Hungary. He also achieved his first Formula One win in Brazil, with Hamilton finishing second.

Mercedes finished third in the Constructors' Championship in 2022. Russell finished fourth in the Drivers' Championship. Hamilton finished sixth, which was the first time in his career he didn't get a pole position or a win in a season.

In 2023, Mercedes continued to struggle with their car design. They changed their Technical Director to try and improve things. Mercedes finished second in the Constructors' Championship, but they didn't win any races, which was disappointing. Hamilton finished third in the Drivers' Championship, getting six podiums. Russell had a tougher season, finishing eighth.

The team has said their 2024 car will be very different. They hope to catch up to the fastest teams and fight for wins again.

Preparing for the Post-Lewis Hamilton Era (2025–)

On February 1, 2024, Mercedes announced that Lewis Hamilton would leave the team after 12 years. He will join Ferrari from 2025. On August 31, 2024, Mercedes announced that young driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli would replace him.

Mercedes as an Engine Supplier

The Mercedes-Benz FO110J V10 engine built in Brixworth.

Mercedes-Benz returned to Formula One as an engine supplier in 1994. They partnered with Ilmor, a British engineering company that built their engines. This company is now called Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains.

Mercedes first supplied engines to the Sauber team. Then, in 1995, they started a very successful 20-year partnership with McLaren. In 2009, they also began supplying engines to Brawn GP (which later became the Mercedes factory team) and Force India (now Aston Martin F1). In 2014, Williams also started using Mercedes engines.

The long partnership with McLaren ended in 2015 but restarted in 2021. Mercedes also supplied engines to the Lotus F1 Team in 2015 and Manor in 2016.

For the 2024 season, Mercedes supplies engines to Aston Martin F1, McLaren, and Williams, in addition to their own team.

Mercedes Junior Team

The Mercedes Junior Team helps young, talented drivers develop their skills. Many of these drivers hope to reach Formula One one day. Here are some of the current and former members:

Current Drivers

Driver	Year Joined	Current series	Titles achieved as Mercedes Junior Team member
Andrea Kimi Antonelli	2018	Formula 2 Championship	Italian F4 Championship ADAC Formula 4 Championship Formula Regional Middle East Formula Regional European
Alex Powell	2019	Italian F4 Championship Euro 4 Championship	none as Junior Team member
Frederik Vesti	2021	European Le Mans Series	none as Junior Team member
Yuanpu Cui	2021	F4 British Championship	none as Junior Team member
Luna Fluxá	2022	Karting	none as Junior Team member
Kenzo Craigie	2023	Karting	none as Junior Team member
Doriane Pin	2024	F1 Academy	none as Junior Team member
James Anagnostiadis	2024	Karting	none as Junior Team member

Former Drivers

Some drivers who were part of the Mercedes junior team have gone on to race in Formula One. George Russell is currently racing for Mercedes. Esteban Ocon is another former junior driver who is in Formula One for 2024.

Driver	Years	Current series	Titles
Pascal Wehrlein	2014–2018	Formula E	2015 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
Esteban Ocon	2015–2019	Formula One	2015 GP3 Series
George Russell	2017–2021	Formula One	2017 GP3 Series, 2018 Formula 2 Championship
Paul Aron	2019–2023	FIA Formula 2 Championship	none as Junior Team member
Daniel Guinchard	2022		none as Junior Team member

Team Sponsors

Mercedes has many important sponsors that help fund the team. In 2009, there was a problem with a planned sponsorship deal, but it was resolved.

On December 21, 2009, the team announced that Petronas, a big oil and gas company from Malaysia, would be their main sponsor. This deal was worth a lot of money each year. In 2022, Mercedes and Petronas announced they would continue their partnership for many more years.

The team's cars are traditionally silver, like the "Silver Arrows" nickname. Over the years, Mercedes has partnered with many well-known brands. These include Monster Energy, Puma, Qualcomm, UBS, Epson, Bose, Hugo Boss (later replaced by Tommy Hilfiger), Tibco, CrowdStrike, Marriott Bonvoy, Ineos, AMD, and TeamViewer.

Mercedes also had a partnership with a cryptocurrency company called FTX. However, Mercedes stopped this deal in 2022 when FTX faced financial problems.

Racing Record

• Constructors' Championships winning percentage: 53.3%
• Drivers' Championships winning percentage: 52.9%
• Winning percentage: 50.7%

(Bold indicates championships won.)

Year	Name	Car	Engine	Tyres	No.	Drivers	Points	WCC
1954	Daimler-Benz AG	W196	M196 2.5 L8	C	N/A	Juan Manuel Fangio Hans Herrmann Karl Kling Hermann Lang	N/A
1955	Daimler-Benz AG	W196	M196 2.5 L8	C	N/A	Juan Manuel Fangio Hans Herrmann Karl Kling Stirling Moss André Simon Piero Taruffi	N/A
1956 – 2009: Mercedes-Benz did not compete as a constructor.
2010	Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team	MGP W01	FO 108X 2.4 V8	B	3. 4.	Michael Schumacher Nico Rosberg	214	4th
2011	Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team	MGP W02	FO 108Y 2.4 V8	P	7. 8.	Michael Schumacher Nico Rosberg	165	4th
2012	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W03	FO 108Z 2.4 V8	P	7. 8.	Michael Schumacher Nico Rosberg	142	5th
2013	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W04	FO 108F 2.4 V8	P	9. 10.	Nico Rosberg Lewis Hamilton	360	2nd
2014	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W05 Hybrid	PU106A Hybrid 1.6 V6 t	P	6. 44.	Nico Rosberg Lewis Hamilton	701	1st
2015	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W06 Hybrid	PU106B Hybrid 1.6 V6 t	P	6. 44.	Nico Rosberg Lewis Hamilton	703	1st
2016	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W07 Hybrid	PU106C Hybrid 1.6 V6 t	P	6. 44.	Nico Rosberg Lewis Hamilton	765	1st
2017	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport	F1 W08 EQ Power+	M08 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t	P	44. 77.	Lewis Hamilton Valtteri Bottas	668	1st
2018	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport	F1 W09 EQ Power+	M09 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t	P	44. 77.	Lewis Hamilton Valtteri Bottas	655	1st
2019	Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport	F1 W10 EQ Power+	M10 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t	P	44. 77.	Lewis Hamilton Valtteri Bottas	739	1st
2020	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W11 EQ Performance	M11 EQ Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	44. 63. 77.	Lewis Hamilton George Russell Valtteri Bottas	573	1st
2021	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W12 E Performance	M12 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	44. 77.	Lewis Hamilton Valtteri Bottas	613.5	1st
2022	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W13 E Performance	M13 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	44. 63.	Lewis Hamilton George Russell	515	3rd
2023	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W14 E Performance	M14 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	44. 63.	Lewis Hamilton George Russell	409	2nd
2024	Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team	F1 W15 E Performance	M15 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	44. 63.	Lewis Hamilton George Russell	573*	1st*
Source:

* Season still in progress.

Drivers' Champions

The following drivers won the Formula One Drivers' Championship while racing for Mercedes:

• Juan Manuel Fangio (1954, 1955)
• Lewis Hamilton (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
• Nico Rosberg (2016)

Esports Racing

Mercedes also has an Esports team that competes in virtual Formula One races.

Year	Name	Car	Engine	Tyres	No.	Drivers	Points	WCC
2017	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team	F1 W08 EQ Power+	M08 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t	P	72. 29.	Brendon Leigh Harry Jacks	N/A
2018	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team	F1 W09 EQ Power+	M09 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t	P	72. 12.	Brendon Leigh Daniel Bereznay	382	1st
2019	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team	F1 W10 EQ Power+	M10 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t	P	72. 95. n/a	Brendon Leigh Patryk Krutyi Daniel Shields	83	8th
2020	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team	F1 W11 EQ Performance	M11 EQ Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	72. 94. 20.	Brendon Leigh Bono Huis Bardia Boroumand	107	4th
2021	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team	F1 W12 E Performance	M12 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	34. 95.	Jarno Opmeer Dani Moreno	295	1st
2022	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team	F1 W13 E Performance	M13 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	34. 26. 25.	Jarno Opmeer Dani Moreno Jake Benham	158	4th
2023-24	Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports Team	F1 W14 E Performance	M13 E Performance 1.6 V6 t	P	5. 25. 15.	Jarno Opmeer Jake Benham Daniel Bereznay	197	4th
Source:

* Season still in progress

See also

In Spanish: Mercedes-Benz en Fórmula 1 para niños

• Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, the company that makes Mercedes-Benz's Formula One engines.
• Mercedes-Benz in motorsport, learn about Mercedes-Benz in other types of racing.