Mercedes

**Mercedes** are a German ex-F1.5 constructor. They have completed a total of 3 seasons in Formula 1.5 and celebrated two constructors champonships and drivers championships in 2010 and 2011. Since 2013, they are no longer present in Formula 1.5 and have instead gone to win multiple Formula 1 championships.

## History

Mercedes has participated in F1.5 as a constructor over 3 seasons in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Winning both the constructors and drivers titles back to back in 2010 and 2011 with Nico Rosberg.

Mercedes has been an engine supplier in F1.5 for many years though supplying Sauber in 1994 to begin with. Mercedes power has been a big advantage during the turbo-hybrid era, as the results will show you further down.

## Year-by-year chart

**Bold** indicates Drivers' Champion

 Mercedes does not participate in F1.5 from 2013 onwards

# Mercedes as an engine manufacturer

## Mercedes as an engine manufacturer

### Teams Supplied

Sauber (1994)
 McLaren (1995, 2004, 2013- 2014, 2021- Present)
 Force India (2009-2018)
 **Mercedes** (2010-2012)
 Williams (2015- Present)
 Lotus (2015)
 Manor (2016)
 Racing Point (2019- 2020)
 Aston Martin (2021-2022)

## History

### First engines (Sauber and McLaren 1994-1995)

#### 1994 (Sauber)

Mercedes power joined F1.5 in 1994 with Sauber, a deal that nearly happened in 1993 but with Illmore engines branded as Mercedes. The 1993 deal fell through due to issues with the wording of the deal. Mercedes got the deal in 1994 after a great performance from Sauber in 1993. It was a successful year for the Sauber- Mercedes partnership with Sauber finishing the season 4th with 57 points scoring 9 podiums, 4 poles and 2 wins. The first podium of the season came in Mercedes' first race with Sauber, and their first win came in round 3 at San Marino.

The deal did not continue in to 1995, with Mercedes not impressed with the results by Sauber.

#### 1995 (McLaren)

For 1995 season onwards, McLaren ended their engine deal with Peugeot Sport and started an engine full-works partnership with Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines for the first time, after the German manufacturer spent one year in partnership with the Sauber team. The partnership included free engines from Mercedes-Benz that built and assembled by Ilmor Engineering, Mercedes-Benz official team vehicles, financial support, also earned full-factory support from Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz and also Mercedes-Benz and Ilmor staff would work with the team at their Woking base.

The partnership ended the year with McLaren 2nd in the constructors championship with 5 wins. McLaren and Mercedes moved to F1.0 from 1996 onwards until 2004.

### Returning to F1.5 (McLaren 2004)

McLaren returned to F1.5 in 2004 which also meant the return of Mercedes power. The season would once again see McLaren finish 2nd in the constructors, but with Mercedes best point tally at that time scoring 162 points, however this was also down to a different point scoring system used in 2004 from 1995.

### A second return to F1.5 pre turbo-hybrid era (2009-2013)

#### 2009 (Force India)

Mercedes and Force India agreed a 5 year deal to supply power units to the Indian squad starting in 2009. The deal also included McLaren-Mercedes gearboxes, hydraulic systems and the KERS feature. The season saw the team finish fourth with 2 wins and 4 podiums.

#### 2010-2012 (Force India and Mercedes works team)

In 2010 Mercedes supplied their works team for the first in F1.5 history as well as supplying Force India, this was the first time in Mercedes' F1.5 history they had also supplied 2 teams during one year.

Force India would repeat their result from the previous year, finishing fourth. However they did double their ammount of podiums to 8 but failed to win any races. Mercedes would go on to win their first Constructors and Drivers titles with the works team and Nico Rosberg. Mercedes scored 558 points over the 2010 season, 10 pole positions, 21 podiums and 13 wins.

2011 was a great year for Mercedes power with Force India finishing the constructors 2nd with 12 podiums and 4 wins. Mercedes would repeat their 2010 success in 2011, winning both championships with 537 points with 23 podiums and 11 wins. Which meant Mercedes power took 35 podiums out of a possible 38 during the year.

2012 saw Force India clinch the constructors and drivers championships, becoming the first Mercedes customer team to win the championship. The team scored 483 points over the season with 13 podiums and 6 wins. The Mercedes works team dropped to third in the standings after two back to back constructors and drivers titles. The team still enjoyed success though with 5 wins and 17 podiums over the year. The Mercedes works team moved into F1.0 from 2013 onwards.

#### 2013 (Force India and McLaren)

2013 may have seen Mercedes' team leave the tier, however McLaren returned which meant for the that two Mercedes powered teams were still on the F1.5 grid.

Force India failed to keep the title from the previous year, falling to second clinching 6 wins and 15 podiums to finish the season runners up in the constructors title. McLaren won the title for the first time with their Mercedes power unit. McLaren would also win the drivers title with Jenson Button, meaning that for four years running Mercedes power won both drivers and constructors titles. McLaren took 571 points over the season with 7 wins and 24 podiums. This was Mercedes' new highest total of points for one team. This would go onto be beaten though during the turbo hybrid era.

### Turbo Hybrid Era (2014-)

#### 2014 (Force India and McLaren)

2014 was the start of the turbo hybrid era, which saw Mercedes power dominate F1.0 however in F1.5 Force India fell down the pecking order to third in the constructors picking up just two wins over the season, the lowest for the team since 2010. McLaren faired better to finish 2nd in the constructors picking up 7 wins.

For 2015, McLaren ended their engine deal with Mercedes which included buying back the 40% stake that Mercedes held in the team.

#### 2015 (Force India, Williams, and Lotus)

In 2015 Mercedes powered three teams at once in F1.5 for the first time in their history. Force India remained a customer team, with Williams and Lotus joining the rosta.

Force India finished third for the second consecutive year picking up 10 podiums and 2 wins. Williams rejoined the F1.5 grid after a year in F1.0 in 2014, last time the Williams team competed in F1.5 was with Cosworth engines. The 2015 Williams was enough to take Mercedes power back to winnning championships with Williams taking 522 points over the season including 12 wins. Bottas would also take the drivers title. 2015 also saw Lotus join Mercedes power but failed to secure a top 3 spot in the championship, finishing fourth with one win in the season.

Lotus was taken over by Renault at the end of the season and therefore moved over to Renault power for 2016 onwards.

#### 2016 (Force India, Williams, and Manor)

Force India returned to championship winning ways in 2016, winning both the drivers and constructors title. The team scored 561 points with 22 podiums and 9 wins. The team narrowly missed out on scoring Mercedes power best point tally for one team in a season by just 10 points. Williams were runners up in 2016 behind Force India with 499 points with 7 wins and 18 podiums. Manor joined the grid in 2016 after taking over a previous team, and joined Mercedes power however the team failed to score well finishing 8th in the championship. Manor failed to score any podiums during the year, becoming the first team with Mercedes power to do this in F1.5.

Manor went bankrupt at the end of the 2016 season.

#### 2017- 2018 (Force India and Williams)

With Manors departure from the F1.5 grid, Mercedes were back to powering to only two teams across 2017 and 2018.

2017 was another great year for Mercedes power with Force India scoring the double again, taking both constructors and drivers title. The team scored 616 points over the season, a record that as of February 2023 is still unbeaten for most points in a season. The team scored 8 wins and 27 podiums over the season. Williams were runners up again to Force India scoring 4 wins and 10 podiums.

Regulation changes into the 2018 season which saw F1.5 become more areo based, saw Mercedes powered teams pegged back a little. Force India fell down to second in the standings scoring 427 points with 5 wins and 15 podiums. Williams fell to the back of the grid finishing 7th and last in the championship, scoring 99 points.

Force India went into administration during the 2018 season, but were brought out by a consortium to become Racing Point. F1.5 continued the 2018 season under one name and changed to Racing Point for the 2019 season.

#### 2019- 2020 (Williams and Racing Point)

Williams' struggles continued into 2019 once again finishing last in the championship with an even lower points tally of 30 points. Racing Point fell from Force India's second place in 2018 to third in 2019, however this could be part blamed on the use of a 2018 modified chassis being used by the team to help with costs during the transition to the Racing Point team.

2020 was a heavily affected season by the COVID-19 pandemic with the calendar being shortened to 17 races from 23. Williams' total points for the season fell again to 20 points and finishing 8th and last with Ferrari being included in the 2020 grid. Racing Point finished the season second with 367 points. The team actually scorded 382 points but had a 15 point reduction from the FIA after breaking the technichal regulations. The 15 point reduction actually cost them the championship.

Racing Point left the grid at the end of the season after being brought out by Aston Martin.

#### 2021- 2022 (Williams, Aston Martin, and McLaren)

Williams made progress with their 2021 car finishing 7th in the championship beating Haas. The team increased the points share from the previous season scoring 63.5 points. 2021 also marked Williams' return to pole position and return to winning at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. Aston Martin took over the Racing Point team to finish 5th with only one win over the season. McLaren also returned to Mercedes power in 2021, a deal which got them to 2nd in the constructors standings after a close fight with Ferrari. McLaren did clinch the drivers title with Lando Norris though.

2022 saw a big regulation change which was set to mix up the pecking order. Williams fell back to last place in the championship scoring 129 points with two podiums over the season. Aston Martin increased their points to finish the season third with six podiums, but failed to win any races. It was the same story for McLaren who lost out in the constructors to Alpine, but did win the drivers title with Lando Norris.

#### 2023 (Williams and McLaren)

In 2023 Aston Martin were promoted to F1.0 which meant Mercedes would only power two teams for the 2023 season. Williams took the first podium for Mercedes' power at the opening race in Bahrain, With McLaren taking two double podiums (four total) in Australia and Azerbaijan in which Norris won both. The first pole came for Albon in the Williams at Australia and Norris took pole for McLaren at Azerbaijan.

## Results

1. ↑  Season in progress, results are correct as of Austrian GP