Revealed! Mercedes GP's MGP W02 2011 Formula 1 Car

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

Taking over the team which was the 2009 Formula 1 Constructor Champion, Daimler-Benz rebirth of the Silver Arrows was a little off target. For what was essentially a first season, Mercedes GP would not win a 2010 grand prix event but did achieve a rather stout 4th place in constructor points after 2010 with driver lineup Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. 

Ahead of the physical launch of the 2011 Formula 1 race machine for Mercedes GP, a sneak preview image of the MGP W02 car has been presented with the above picture. Conforming to new rules allowing a driver-adjustable movable rear wing element and the optional inclusion of KERS, the MGP W02 will also be noted as excluding F Ducts (now banned by the FIA).

Set to be put through its paces at Valencia, Spain with returning Mercedes GP pilots Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, one of the goals for the Formula 1 team will certainly be to capture a first win for the Silver Arrows since 1955 Italian Grand Prix.

Michael Schumacher's Back in Formula 1 for 2010 at Mercedes-Benz GP Team

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP Petronas


As Mercedes-Benz bought up controlling stake in the 2009 championship contractor Brawn GP, the newly established Mercedes Grand Prix team (or Mercedes GP Petronas following a recent sponsor addition to the team) started with a clean driver slate for 2010 as both Rubens Barrichello and 2009 F1 Driver's Champion Jenson Button transferred to new teams. Adding Nico Rosberg exactly one month earlier (November 23rd), rumours immediately surrounded who will fill the second seat.

Appearing to be wild speculation at the time, Mercedes Grand Prix was mentioned to be wooing 91-time grand prix winner and 7-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher. Those rumours turned true today for an early Christmas announcement as Michael Schumacher returns to Formula 1 after 3 seasons off from the series. It's with little surprise that the newly commissioned Mercedes Grand Prix team could lure the 7-time World Champion driver from his uneasy retirement. Last season, Schumacher was slated to return last season in a relief effort for Ferrari filling in for their injured driver Felipe Massa. Those plans were derailed only by an incident riding a Superbike.

Completing an all-German driver lineup for a German-owned team, Schumacher's signing with Mercedes GP Petronas also reunites the legendary driver with his former technical director Ross Brawn. Traveling with the Michael Schumacher's landmark move from Benetton to Ferrari, Brawn was behind every victory the driver claimed in Formula 1. Schumacher's move to Mercedes-Benz is also one of nostalgic. In 1990, the Mercedes-Benz factory's revived Silver Arrows effort allowed than unknown German Michael Schumacher to have his first step on the world stage.


Photo Credit: Mercedes GP Petronas

A major score for Mercedes as well as to fans that followed the multiple record-holding F1 driver as he set those marks, Michael Schumacher's return to formula 1 has more than a few fans happy. In an interview on the Formula 1's official website, CEO of Formula One Management Bernie Ecclestone commented "I think it is fantastic for Formula One that he turned into a ‘comeback kid’." shortly following Schumacher's announcement. Other supporters to Schumacher's comeback even included his rival Jacques Villenueve who said in a Autosport.com interview "I don't see any reason why he shouldn't get back to be his old self again".

Turning 41 years old in January 3rd of 2010, Schumacher's reentry into Formula 1 will make him the eldest driver of on the circuit. In spite of modern preconceptions that auto racing is a young person's sport, improved safety and physical fitness regimes have veteran drivers in sports car racing and particularly NASCAR showing that age is only a meaningless number. In fact, Formula 1's past reflects three drivers over the age of 40 winning the World championship title. 40 or older for all five of his championships, the original F1 superstar Juan Manuel Fangio won his final championship at 46 years old. Therefore, it should no be a terrific shock if Michael Schumacher could storm to his 8th Formula 1 championship in 2010.

Mercedes Grand Prix Hires Nico Rosberg; Schumacher in Other Car?

Photo Courtesy of Brawn GP/Mercedes Grand Prix


Buying and rebranding the 2009 Constructor champion Brawn GP, it would have been thought that Mercedes Grand Prix would be a turn-key operation for the 2010 Formula 1 season. The reality is that the reformulated team was in immediate need of two new drivers after Rubens Barrichello and 2009 F1 driver's champ Jenson Button sought other race teams for 2010.

Filling the seat of Mercedes Grand Prix's first silver arrow race car is second-generation F1 driver Nico Rosberg. Having competed 4 seasons with Williams F1, Nico Rosberg's best finish in 70 Formula 1 races came with a 2nd place in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Rosberg's crowning career achievement was winning the GP2 series title in 2005 finishing ahead of Finland's Heikki Kolavainen and American Scott Speed. "I am really happy to be a part of the Silver Arrows re-launch in 2010 as a driver for Mercedes. No other brand in Formula 1 can look back on such a long and successful tradition in motor racing" Rosberg commented with the announcement. A German native with a German-owned F1 operation, the pairing is definitely a pleasing sight to Deutschland nationalists.

Amongst the most popular rumour for the second seat has 7-time Formula 1 Champion Michael Schumacher returning to the circuit. Involved in the Sauber Mercedes-Benz sports car team in 1989 and 1990, the reuniting of the two German motorsport names would certainly for a head turner for the 2010 Formula 1 tour. Schumacher had planned to run races for Ferrari in 2009 to substitute for the injured Felipe Massa but was himself sidelined by a motorcycle accident. Though Schumacher's manager confirmed meeting with Mercedes Grand Prix management, the driver's representative expressed that the chances of Michael Schumacher running for the team is 'highly unlikely'.

The 2010 Formula 1 Driver Grid So Far

Since the checkered flag dropped on the 2009 Formula 1 season, the green flag flew to what has been one of the wackiest F1 off-seasons in recent history. Besides the addition of four new teams and the changing hands of the 2009 F1 constructor's championship, the driver's roster for the 2010 F1 circuit is a massive musical chair game including as much as four F1 World Champions. Red Bull Racing has is the only who has committed to the 2010 campaign with the same driver lineup from the 2009 year.

As of November 25th of 2009, the following list is the present complexion of the 2010 Formula one team rosters:

Mercedes Grand Prix (Formerly Brawn GP)

1. Nico Rosberg
2. ? (Michael Schumacher or Nick Heidfeld)


Red Bull Racing

1. Sebestian Vettal
2. Mark Webber


McLaren

1. Jenson Button
2. Lewis Hamilton


Ferrari

1. Felipe Massa
2. Fernando Alonso


Renault

1. Robert Kubica
2. ? (Romain Grosjean or Adam Khan)


Scuderia Toro Rosso

1. Sébastien Buemi
2. ? (Jaime Alguersuari, Daniel Ricciardo or Brendon Hartley are rumoured for the second seat)


Force India

1. ? (Neither Force India seat has been filled for the 2010 F1 season)
2. ?
Test and Reserve Driver Role. (Paul di Resta or JR Hildebrand have been invited by Force India to test for a role with the F1 team)


AT&T Williams F1

1. Rubens Barrichello
2. Nico Hülkenberg


Lotus F1 Team

1. Unknown (Lotus mentioned to have signed driver but name hasn't been revealed. Jacques Villeneuve Alex Yoong, Kobui Kobayashi and Jarno Trulli has been linked)
2. ?


Manor Grand Prix

1. Timo Glock
2. ? (GP2 series Lucas di Grassi is been mentioned)


Team USF1

1. ? (Argentina Touring Car champ Jose Maria Lopez is all but officially confirmed to drive first car. Rumours have also placed Jacques Villeneuve in Team USF1)
2. ?


Campos Meta

1. Bruno Senna
2. ? (Pedro De La Rosa has been courted. Driver of Campos sold GP2 team Vitaly Petrov could be a possibility)

2009 F1 Champion Button Driving for McLaren in 2010

Photo Provided by Brawn GP/Mercedes Grand Prix

As the 2009 Formula 1 season ended just under a month ago, some radical off-season deals for the 2010 tour is already set to reform the grand prix starting grid. With the surprising announcement that Brawn GP operation morphing into Mercedes Grand Prix last Monday, indications pointed that the 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button would be housed under the new Silver Arrows banner for 2010. However, two days later, broadcasts proclaimed the reigning Formula 1 champion Button would be driving for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes outfit in 2010. Spending 7 seasons inside the team that evolved from BAR to Honda to Brawn GP in 2009, Jenson Button responded in a in Vodafone McLaren Mercedes' official release by saying “It’s always a difficult decision to leave a team when you’ve been there for so long. But life is all about challenges – and, most important of all, it’s about challenging yourself. So, although I won the World Championship with Brawn GP last year, and I’ll never forget that, I was always adamant that I wanted to continue to set myself fresh challenges."

Teaming up with 2008 F1 champ Lewis Hamilton for an all-British driver lineup, Hamilton has been very complimentary to the entrance of Jenson Button into the McLaren F1 team. In Lewis Hamilton's words, “I already know Jenson, and we get on very well together. We both really want our team to succeed. Although we’ll be pushing each other hard, I’m sure we’ll very quickly establish a great working relationship. He’s an exceptional driver: very controlled and very smooth, and he has a real depth of knowledge and experience."

Considering the timing of Jenson Button's move to McLaren and the intricacy of Formula 1 contracts, it would be safe to believe that the planned to switch teams well before the Mercedes-Benz buy-in to Brawn GP was made official.

Mercedes-Benz Buys Majority Stake In Brawn GP; Becoming Mercedes Grand Prix in 2010

Image Acquired From Brawn GP/Mercedes Grand Prix


Winning the 2009 Formula 1 constructor champion by winning 8 times in their first season with Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello driving, Brawn GP was the Cinderella story of modern auto racing. Spun off the less than successful factory Honda Formula 1 team, former Ferrari and Renault technical director Ross Brawn retained the personal of the past team but sought the power of a Mercedes-Benz powerplant. As Brawn GP reveled as their Mercedes-Benz engines, few would have known that the German automaker wished to end their customer relationship. Instead, Mercedes-Benz (under parent company Daimler AG) decided to evolve their customer into their new factory team for 2010.

Announced Monday, Daimler AG, partnered with Abu Dhabi-based principal investment firm Aabar Investments PJSC, bought over 75.1% controlling interest to the one-year Formula 1 entrant Brawn GP. Renaming the team Mercedes Grand Prix, minority team owner and team leader Ross Brawn will continue to have an important presence in the new team.

While Brawn GP gains the factory support of Mercedes-Benz, The German auto giant also announced a change in their 14-year relationship with McLaren Mercedes Formula One. With Mercedes-Benz already possessing a 40 percent stake in this previous partnership, a preparation has been made for McLaren to buy back Mercedes-Benz's share of the team by 2011. However, as the auto manufacturer divests their interest from McLaren, Mercedes-Benz has also entered into a long-term engine supply deal for the Mclaren F1 team through the 2015 season.