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The champagne flowed and the celebrations were loud as the Mercedes crew in black “World Champions 2014” T-shirts celebrated the Formula One constructors’ title in Sochi yesterday. |
The ninth one-two of the season, with Lewis Hamilton beating Nico Rosberg, secured a first title as a works team for the Stuttgart manufacturer and its F1 racing team based in Brackley, England.
Hamilton’s victory was his ninth of the season and with Rosberg’s four wins, Mercedes have now topped the podium 13 times this year, bringing four years of domination by Red Bull to an official end.
The title is also reward after many ups and downs following a return to Formula One as a works team in 2010, when the team initially struggled despite persuading seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher out of retirement to partner Rosberg.
It initially seemed as if the modern Silver Arrows would never be worthy of the name taken from the classic Mercedes models of past motor-racing eras, but last season saw marked signs of improvement when Hamilton left McLaren to join Rosberg.
That has continued this year, with the team able to capitalize the most on widespread technical changes in F1 to take over Red Bull’s mantle as the team to beat.
After two constructors’ titles as engine supplier - with McLaren in 1998 and Brawn in 2009 - Mercedes’ decision to return as a full works team has now paid off.
The title comes without race engineer Ross Brawn who retired at the end of last year, handing over leadership to Toto Wolff as business director, and Paddy Lowe, as technical director.
But the Briton, who won five consecutive drivers’ titles with Schumacher at Ferrari and won the 2009 title with Jenson Button with Brawn GP after buying out Honda’s F1 team, was acknowledged by Wolff for his role in the triumph.
“We talked about Ross a lot and he has been so fundamental to the team - he built the foundation of the team,” Wolff said.
“This is his trophy, too. There are several hundred people in Brackley and Stuttgart who have played a part as well.”
Mercedes’ non-executive chairman Niki Lauda said: “It means a lot. I have to tell you I’m a little emotional.
“When we started this together - Ross Brawn, Toto Wolff and myself - it was hard work. It’s an emotional moment, but let’s think of the next race already.”
Amid the celebrations, thoughts also went out to Marussia driver Jules Bianchi who is in critical condition in hospital in Japan after crashing at last Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
The drivers and teams held a minute’s silence before the race to acknowledge the French driver.
“We don’t forget about Jules, this is still overshadowing everything we do,” Wolff said.
While Mercedes celebrate, there is little meanwhile to cheer for Ferrari - who top the all-time list of constructors’ titles with 16 wins - but in Sochi were again out of contention. Fernando Alonso managed to finish sixth while Kimi Raikkonen was 12th.
With three races left, the Italian team could go a season without a victory for the first time since 1993. They have had just two podium finishes this year, both from Alonso and lie a disappointing fourth in the standings behind Mercedes, Red Bull and Williams.
