Mercedes MGP W01
Michael Schumacher testing the car at Jerez.
CategoryFormula One
ConstructorMercedes
Designer(s)
  • Ross Brawn (Technical Director)
  • Craig Wilson (Head of Engineering)
  • John Owen (Chief Designer)
  • Ian Wright (Chief Vehicle Dynamicist)
  • Russell Cooley (Chief Engineer)
  • Loïc Bigois (Head of Aerodynamics)
  • Ben Wood (Chief Aerodynamicist)[1]
Predecessor
SuccessorMercedes MGP W02
Technical specifications[2]
ChassisMoulded carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque
Suspension (front)Wishbone and pushrod activated torsion springs and rockers
Suspension (rear)Wishbone and pushrod activated torsion springs and rockers, same as the front
EngineMercedes-Benz FO 108X 2.4 L (146 cu in) 90° V8, limited to 18,000 RPM naturally aspirated mid-mounted
TransmissionJointly Xtrac 1044 with Mercedes AMG housing seven-speed semi-automatic carbon-fibre sequential gearbox with reverse gear hydraulic activation
Weight620 kg (1,367 lb) (including driver)
FuelPetronas
Tyres
Competition history
Notable entrantsMercedes GP Petronas F1 Team
Notable drivers
Debut2010 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last event2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
190300

The Mercedes MGP W01 (originally known as the Brawn BGP 002)[3] was a Formula One motor racing car designed and built by the Mercedes GP Petronas team for the 2010 season and was driven by the returning seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg.

Mercedes buyout and development

Schumacher at the Spanish Grand Prix.

The car was revealed at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valencia at the first official test of the year on February 1.[4] The team's silver livery was officially unveiled at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart on January 25, 2010 on the chassis of a Brawn BGP 001 following Mercedes's purchase of the championship winning team of 2009 marking the team's return to F1 after their last appearance since 1955.[5]

Some parts of the W01 were revised as part of the upgrade at the Spanish GP; increasing the wheelbase of the car to improve the weight distribution, as well as changing the engine cover design. The shorter wheelbase was used again at the next grand prix, deemed more suitable for the narrow streets of the Monaco GP circuit.

Racing history

Nico Rosberg finished on the podium at the Malaysian Grand Prix; Mercedes's first podium as a works entry since 1955.

The team's achievements in their first season did not come close to the results those of Brawn the previous year and of the Mercedes team in 1954 and 1955, with the Mercedes battling Renault for the title of 'best of the rest' behind the leading three teams of Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull. Rosberg finished on the podium three times, at Sepang, Shanghai and Silverstone. Schumacher's best finishes were three fourth places. He did not score a race win, podium, pole position or fastest lap for the first time since his début season in 1991, and also scored the worst finish of his F1 career at Valencia, where he finished fifteenth. Schumacher was penalised for dangerous driving after forcing his former Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello towards the pit wall at 180 mph (290 km/h) in Hungary. At the last race in Abu Dhabi Schumacher spun while trying to overtake Rosberg and was hit by Vitantonio Liuzzi's Force India.

The team finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship, with 214 points and this was the first Mercedes-Benz powered Formula One car to use non-Mobil branded fuel since 1994.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Points WCC
2010 Mercedes GP Petronas Mercedes FO 108X V8 B BHR AUS MAL CHN ESP MON TUR CAN EUR GBR GER HUN BEL ITA SIN JPN KOR BRA ABU 214 4th
GermanyMichael Schumacher 6 10 Ret 10 4 12 4 11 15 9 9 11 7 9 13 6 4 7 Ret
Germany Nico Rosberg 5 5 3 3 13 7 5 6 10 3 8 Ret 6 5 5 17† Ret 6 4

† Driver failed to finish, but was classified as they had completed >90% of the race distance.

References

  1. ↑ Straw, Edd (2010-02-04). "Mercedes MGP W01". Autosport. Vol. 199, no. 5. pp. 44–47.
  2. ↑ "Mercedes GP W01". f1technical.net. F1 Technical. 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
  3. ↑ "10 F1 Cars That Were Massively Disappointing". The Race. 11 February 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  4. ↑ Noble, Jonathan (2010-02-01). "Mercedes rolls out new car at Valencia". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  5. ↑ Elizalde, Pablo (2010-01-25). "Mercedes GP unveils car colours". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
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