Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 2013

[Joie de vivre]

Well I think the lack of fuel is the result of their strategy which was based on assumption that the main part of the race will be in the wet. But instead track was dry way before the expected and this is what happened.

[Mika1]

I'm not sure who in the team has the final say son strategy offered to the drivers but they should be replaced.

In Australia they tried to do 1 less pit stop and here they tried short fueling...to me this screams that whoever makes these calls is not confident in the cars pure performance and is relying on "trick" strategy that is normal seen by the likes of force India/sauber.

Oh yeah, trick strategies all the time and finishing third and fourth. That's not even possible, why can't people admit Merc build a good car?

[John192]

I'm not sure who in the team has the final say son strategy offered to the drivers but they should be replaced.

In Australia they tried to do 1 less pit stop and here they tried short fueling...to me this screams that whoever makes these calls is not confident in the cars pure performance and is relying on "trick" strategy that is normal seen by the likes of force India/sauber.

Oh yeah, trick strategies all the time and finishing third and fourth. That's not even possible, why can't people admit Merc build a good car?

I'm not denying they built a good car..far from it..what i am suggesting is that the car has taken a massive step forward but the teams strategic thinking has not.

he past two races i think the strategy has let the team down not the car

[Mika1]

I'm not sure who in the team has the final say son strategy offered to the drivers but they should be replaced.

In Australia they tried to do 1 less pit stop and here they tried short fueling...to me this screams that whoever makes these calls is not confident in the cars pure performance and is relying on "trick" strategy that is normal seen by the likes of force India/sauber.

Oh yeah, trick strategies all the time and finishing third and fourth. That's not even possible, why can't people admit Merc build a good car?

I'm not denying they built a good car..far from it..what i am suggesting is that the car has taken a massive step forward but the teams strategic thinking has not.

he past two races i think the strategy has let the team down not the car

Agreed, they have to improve in this area.

[clipsy1H]

i still don't get it.... why you say Nico had his chance?? so how is that?? is a 2 laps race or what?? if you miss one chance in 56 laps mean that you should back off on last laps or what??
In a race you can have 1 chance or more that's not the point! the point is: Mercedes fail again! today Lewis could fight with Red Bull for win and at the end they put Lewis in an embarrassing position.

This is a question from press conference... i feel sad for Lewis because he was faster today but with this end
Q: (Livio Oricchio - O Estado de Sao Paulo) Lewis, we could hear at the end of the race while Nico was parking the car, 'remember this one,' he said to the team. Will you remember it too?
LH: "Of course, of course. How can I forget?"

i mean ***? if in China Lewis on P3 and Nico on P4 he will let him pass?? that's awkward doesn't matter if you are fan one of these guys we want to see racing. I really hope for the good of this sports that in China both cars on podiums and not any friendly move. (and also i hope Mercedes can fill cars with enough fuel , not like last year)

[OppositeLock]

I think it is reasonable to ask for a 1-2...
We have good tyre management, enough down-force and a DRD.

My view on the Team orders incident is this: I think it was the right call by Brawn because Nico had his chances to overtake and stream away from Hamilton, and he couldn't. That is because Hamilton could go faster too. The problem was that if they both went faster they would both run out of fuel.

With the Pirelli tires, races can be won in the closing laps. The drivers conserve the tires in the hopes of making a final push. We'll never know if Rosberg could have challenged the Red Bull's and maybe forced a mistake. Mercedes should have let both drivers know the strategy and avoided any confusion. Communication.

[Shakeman]

i still don't get it.... why you say Nico had his chance?? so how is that?? is a 2 laps race or what?? if you miss one chance in 56 laps mean that you should back off on last laps or what??
In a race you can have 1 chance or more that's not the point! the point is: Mercedes fail again! today Lewis could fight with Red Bull for win and at the end they put Lewis in an embarrassing position.

This is a question from press conference... i feel sad for Lewis because he was faster today but with this end
Q: (Livio Oricchio - O Estado de Sao Paulo) Lewis, we could hear at the end of the race while Nico was parking the car, 'remember this one,' he said to the team. Will you remember it too?
LH: "Of course, of course. How can I forget?"

i mean ***? if in China Lewis on P3 and Nico on P4 he will let him pass?? that's awkward doesn't matter if you are fan one of these guys we want to see racing. I really hope for the good of this sports that in China both cars on podiums and not any friendly move. (and also i hope Mercedes can fill cars with enough fuel , not like last year)

Nico had his chance in qualifying and all those laps up to the point team orders were in set in place.

How can 3-4 be considered a fail? The team orders were an entirely sensible option as the team was responsible for under filling the cars. It was a call that could've been a masterstroke but ultimately meant they had to give up the fighting 10 laps before the end.

In an interview on Adam Cooper's blog it appears to indicate LH was more under fuelled than NR.

Nico was talking to Brawn on the radio when he said the "remember this one" quote and in interviews afterwards it was clear someone had reminded him who was boss. I don't recall at the LH quote you've written and it certainly wasn't in response to Nico's radio. The team made it clear that team orders will be even handed and anyone leading at the time of team orders will not be overtaken presumably unless there's mechanical issues or the second car is under threat from another car behind. So if LH is leading NR in China expect the same.

There was LH radio transmissions that weren't broadcast of him asking to let Nico through and Brawn refused him and told him to do as he says. LH was put in his place too by Brawn. The Merc team management is strong and setting the boundaries with these drivers unlike the carnage at RB. The Merc team orders situation is over but let's watch the RB situation rumble on through the season.

I don't see any fail other than the gamble with under fuelling the cars which may not have made any difference to the finishing positions as the RBs looked like they were that bit more racy.

[astracrazy]

i mean ***? if in China Lewis on P3 and Nico on P4 he will let him pass?? that's awkward doesn't matter if you are fan one of these guys we want to see racing. I really hope for the good of this sports that in China both cars on podiums and not any friendly move. (and also i hope Mercedes can fill cars with enough fuel , not like last year)

Nico had 3-4 chances to overtake Lewis, couldnt so the team called it off. Its fair enough. nico said he was faster then he should of overtook him when he had the chance - not moan when they tell him to hold position saying he can because he couldnt.

Hamilton means if the rolls were reversed and he was asked to stay behind nico then he would without it being an issue.


Yesterday it was night and day between a brat at red bull who doesn't respect his team and a team principle who has no control, and at mercedes where its the complete opposite. Ross showed who was boss and the drivers listened which means its a much smaller issue than what red bull have

[Dragonfly]

I read in another place that Toto Wolf had said their pass and re-pass in the DRS zones was a tactic to tow each other. If true, Nico has never been given a chance to pass and go ahead.

[Vasconia]

I read in another place that Toto Wolf had said their pass and re-pass in the DRS zones was a tactic to tow each other. If true, Nico has never been given a chance to pass and go ahead.

Wow, this sounds quite stupid, I mean team’s attitude but this could explain why Nico didn’t overtake Lewis. Each time he overtook Lewis in the first straight I was thinking if he was dumb or something like that, it was so clear that the clever strategy was to wait until the second straight that Nico’s attitude was complicate to understand.

I don’t understand Lauda and Toto either, this decision could be an error from Brawn but you can not say this in public.

[El_KaPpa]

Helmut Marko says internal discussions will take place ahead of next month's Chinese Grand Prix in a bid to resolve the situation, with the pair on uneasy terms after the race.

"The team will have a word because we have to control the drivers," he added. "It’s not like at Mercedes where it’s a clear number one. We treat the drivers the same."

http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/2923 ... f-control/

[FoxHound]

I read in another place that Toto Wolf had said their pass and re-pass in the DRS zones was a tactic to tow each other. If true, Nico has never been given a chance to pass and go ahead.

So what? What's the big deal about Nico being instructed to hold position when a team mate is saving fuel ahead of him?
In the next race it will be the same for Nico if he finds himself of Hamilton.

At the very least Mercedes have in the past allowed there drivers to race each other, which is far more than can be said of what goes on at Red Bull. I think Marko knows that, and he is trying to deflect all the negative attention elsewhere....and failing miserably.

[gray41]

Trophy is back. =D>

[lewishamilton90]

Dès le 25ème tour on m’a demandé de lever le pied parce que j’allais plus vite que prévu ! C’est incroyable, quelle bonne surprise pour nous. Si j’avais eu assez d’essence, je suis sûr que la situation aurait été différente. J’en suis même certain."
http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/Hami ... 58516.html

[spadeflush]

Dès le 25ème tour on m’a demandé de lever le pied parce que j’allais plus vite que prévu ! C’est incroyable, quelle bonne surprise pour nous. Si j’avais eu assez d’essence, je suis sûr que la situation aurait été différente. J’en suis même certain."
http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/Hami ... 58516.html

Please post in English.

"From the 25th round I was asked to slow down because I was going faster than expected! It is amazing what a nice surprise for us. If I had enough gas, I'm sure the situation would have been different. I am certain."

Things looking good indeed.