A Full Recap of Mercedes’ F1 Success Story

The Mercedes-Benz involvement in Formula 1 has a rich history, marked by both success and innovation in the sport. Let’s go through the full Mercedes’ F1 success story to recall their brightest moments in the number one motor sports competition. Are you team Red Bull rather than Mercedes? Don’t miss our article about RedBull highlights in F1!

Mercedes’ F1 Success Story: First Steps

Mercedes-Benz made its initial run into Formula One in the 1950s. The company enjoyed immediate success, with Juan Manuel Fangio winning the Drivers’ Championship in 1954 and 1955, driving a Mercedes W196. 

The team went on to perform at the legendary Le Mans race and was one of the favourites to win the 1955 race when a tragedy happened. One of Mercedes cars, driven by Pierre Levegh, got involved in a chain of events that made it crash into the barriers and explode. 83 spectators died, mostly due to the Mercedes’s bonnet acting as a guillotine and decapitating people. The team withdrew from the race despite having a comfortable lead over their opponents from Jaguar. After the disaster in 1955, Mercedes withdrew from motorsport completely, including Formula 1. The company did not actively participate in F1 for several decades.

Mercedes’ F1 Success Story as Engine Supplier

For almost 40 years, Mercedes did not participate in F1. In the 1990s, they went to IndyCar as an engine supplier and won the 1994 Indy500 race as well as the entire championship. In 1995, they returned to F1 as Sauber’s engine supplier and began providing engines to McLaren Team in the following year, creating the successful McLaren-Mercedes collaboration.

Mika Häkkinen, Kimi Raikkonen, and Lewis Hamilton achieved notable successes with Mercedes-powered cars by winning three titles (1998, 1999, 2008) and one Constructors’ title in 1998. You can bet on them to win the Cup again at online gambling sites in Ireland.

Full Works Team

Mercedes-Benz returned as a full works team in 2010, purchasing the Brawn GP team who just won both titles in 2009. The team was rebranded as Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team. In the early years, despite signing Nico Rosberg and bringing back Michael Schumacher, the team faced challenges, but significant progress was made by 2012. Rosberg managed to win the Chinese Grand Prix and Schumacher took his last pole-position in Monaco. In 2013, Hamilton replaced the retired Schumacher. The season was an upgrade compared to previous ones as they took 2nd in the Constructors’ championship.

Mercedes’ F1 Success Story: The Dominance Era

The real turning point for Mercedes was the hybrid era that came in 2014 with the introduction of hybrid power units. The team, led by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, achieved unprecedented dominance, winning both Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships for multiple consecutive years. 

The team’s success was attributed to a combination of powerful and efficient Mercedes power units and a highly effective aerodynamics package. For three seasons Mercedes drivers had to fight between each other for titles as no one was remotely close to them. Hamilton took the 2014 and 2015 titles and Rosberg in 2016.

Lewis Hamilton’s Success 

Whilst at Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton has been a crucial part of Mercedes’ success. Always leading the odds at 20BET, he has become one of the most successful drivers in F1 history, winning multiple championships with Mercedes. In total he has won 6 titles for the team – more than anyone else for one single constructor. 

2017 and 2018 were somewhat shaky years with Ferrari catching up. Self-elimination in Singapore 2017 and Germany 2018 saw Hamilton taking the initiative in the title races and winning at the end of each. 2019 and 2020 were a breeze to Hamilton as he took those with several races to spare. 

Only in 2021 Mercedes and Hamilton faced worthy opponents in Red Bull and Max Verstappen. At the end of 2021 season, which by many regarded as one of the best ever in F1, Mercedes took the Constructors’ title but the Drivers’ title slipped away on the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Recent Seasons

As of now, Mercedes remains a front-running team in F1. The team continues to be a strong contender, with Lewis Hamilton as one of their lead drivers. However, the landscape of F1 can change rapidly as was shown last season. In 2023 Aston Martin and McLaren showed that they can challenge Mercedes not only for finishing places in a race and for championship ones. 

In 2024, Mercedes are not regarded as favorites to win titles by online sportsbooks in Ireland, but they still can make an impact if they come up with a car that is faster and more reliable than whatever Red Bull can create.

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