The Mercedes Formula 1 team is not currently fighting for any of the two championships for the first time since 2013. However, the team’s recent run of eight consecutive titles has been incredibly historic and the brand remains one of the biggest in the world.
Of course, Mercedes’ Formula 1 history isn’t as straightforward as other constructors, such as Ferrari, McLaren or even Williams. Mercedes has been on and off in Formula 1, but was successful in all facets, as a constructor in the 1950s, winning two titles with Juan Manuel Fangio, and with its dominance from 2014 to 2021.
Of course, Mercedes won titles with McLaren in between those two eras. The McLaren-Mercedes cooperation won three Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championships with Mika Hakkinen (1998, 1999) and Lewis Hamilton (2008) and several Grands Prix. Moreover, that team won a World Constructors’ Championship in 1998, with Hakkinen and David Coulthard.
A Mercedes-powered car also won the two World Championships in 2009, when Brawn GP stunned the racing world with a Mercedes V8 on the back of its cars. The following season, Mercedes bought Brawn and started its new run as a constructor (entered for the first time since 1955) with Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg as drivers.
Before entering F1 in 2010, Mercedes had won in 1994 and 1995 with Fangio, but abandoned motor racing after the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans’ tragedy, when more than 80 spectators and Mercedes’ driver Piere Levegh died.
After its return in 2010, the team found some success in 2012, with Nico Rosberg winning the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton joined in 2013 as Schumacher retired and the team improved, winning three races in 2013 and finishing second in the World Constructors’ Championship.
The 2014 F1 season saw the start of a new era in the series, with the introduction of turbo-hybrid engines, in which Mercedes excelled at and dominated easily from 2014-2016, with Hamilton winning in 2014 and 2015 and Rosberg taking the title in 2016.
Aerodynamic changes for 2017 brought Ferrari closer to Mercedes, and perhaps even ahead of the German squad. With Valtteri Bottas taking the place of the retiring Rosberg for 2017, the team had a successful run until 2021, with Lewis Hamilton breaking huge records, such as the most wins and Pole Positions for a driver in F1 history and equalling F1’s record of most Drivers’ Championships (seven, tied with Schumacher).
Who has driven for Mercedes in Formula 1 and what helmets did the drivers use?
In 1954, Juan Manuel Fangio, Hans Hermann, Karl Kling and Hermann Lang drove for Mercedes.
The 1955 drivers’ lineup had Fangio, Hermann, Kling, Stirling Moss, Andre Simon, and Piero Taruffi.
From 2010 to 2012, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg drove for Mercedes F1. Schumacher wore his usual red helmet for Mercedes, although he had some special helmets for certain races, and Rosberg wore a beautiful yellow design.
Rosberg and Hamilton were teammates and rivals from 2013 to 2016, with Rosberg changing to a black helmet in 2014 and Hamilton using his usual yellow F1 helmet in 2013 before switching to white in 2014.
Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas had a successful run as teammates from 2017 to 2021, with Hamilton wearing several helmets in that span, but mostly yellow, white and black. On Bottas’ side, he wore mostly blue helmets with white and black details.
Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are currently driving for the team. Hamilton is wearing a neon yellow helmet in 2022, while Russell’s initial helmet was black, but he changed to light blue in the middle of the season.
Mercedes F1 drivers have won a total of nine World Drivers’ Championships. Fangio won two in the 1950s, Hamilton won six (some would argue he has seven with the team), and Nico Rosberg won in 2016.
Mercedes F1 ranks third among teams in terms of WDCs, behind Ferrari (15) and McLaren (12).
In terms of World Constructors’ Championships, Mercedes is tied with McLaren with eight, behind Ferrari (16) and Williams (nine).
With 124 victories, Mercedes is third in F1 history behind Ferrari (242) and McLaren (183).