Mercedes AMG started the 2012 season the best way possible with Nico Rosberg's victory in China. Fitted with a tricky aerodynamic device called a double DRS, everyone expected the Mercedes W03 to be THE car to beat this year. Unfortunately, it was not the case...
Let the numbers do the talking. The team from Brackley, UK finished the season with a total of 142 points. However, 106 of those points were scored during the first 11 Grands Prix of the season (for an average of 9.6 points/race). After that, Mercedes scored just 36 in the remaining nine races (for an average of 4 points per race).
After the season was over, team principal Ross Brawn admitted that having spent so much time and efforts on that infamous double DRS was a mistake.
This is quite suprising as the technical staff of the team is one of the best in the business with veteran and highly qualified engineers such as Bob Bell, Geoff Willis, Aldo Costa and Loic Bigois
Nico Rosberg
9th in the Driver's Championship with 93 points
Best place in qualifications: 1st (once, China)
Best race result: 1st (once, China), 2 podiums
Retired 3 times (in the last 6 races)
Michael Schumacher
13th in the Driver's Championship with 49 points
Best place in qualifications: 2nd (once, China)
Best race result: 3rd (once, Valencia), 1 podium
Retired 7 times (4 imes in the first 7 races)
Racing in his 7th season in Formula 1, Nico Rosberg's breakthrough finally came as he scored first his maiden F1 pole and then his first F1 victory at round three in China. Then, the team suffered an unexplicable and big dip in performance, and the German driver struggled to finish in the points on a regular basis. On certain occasions, the poor Nico could do no better than fight against the Caterhams and the Toro Rossos...
With Lewis Hamilton as his new teammate next year, Rosberg will need to raise his game dramatically.
Ironically, Ross Brawn revealed that Schumacher's indecision about his future led the team to pursue Hamilton. The team needed a strong front runner for 2013, and Hamilton had a perfect career resumé. That pushed Schumacher into retirement, for good this time.
The seven-time World Champion climbed on the podium once this year, but also had all sorts of problems. He retired four times in the first seven Grands Prix and also mysteriously rear ended the cars of Bruno Senna in Spain, and Jean-Eric Vergne in Singapore.
Let the numbers do the talking. The team from Brackley, UK finished the season with a total of 142 points. However, 106 of those points were scored during the first 11 Grands Prix of the season (for an average of 9.6 points/race). After that, Mercedes scored just 36 in the remaining nine races (for an average of 4 points per race).
 |
| Nico Rosberg (Photo: Mercedes AMG) |
After the season was over, team principal Ross Brawn admitted that having spent so much time and efforts on that infamous double DRS was a mistake.
This is quite suprising as the technical staff of the team is one of the best in the business with veteran and highly qualified engineers such as Bob Bell, Geoff Willis, Aldo Costa and Loic Bigois
Nico Rosberg
9th in the Driver's Championship with 93 points
Best place in qualifications: 1st (once, China)
Best race result: 1st (once, China), 2 podiums
Retired 3 times (in the last 6 races)
Michael Schumacher
13th in the Driver's Championship with 49 points
Best place in qualifications: 2nd (once, China)
Best race result: 3rd (once, Valencia), 1 podium
Retired 7 times (4 imes in the first 7 races)
 |
| Michael Schumacher (Photo: Mercedes AMG) |
Racing in his 7th season in Formula 1, Nico Rosberg's breakthrough finally came as he scored first his maiden F1 pole and then his first F1 victory at round three in China. Then, the team suffered an unexplicable and big dip in performance, and the German driver struggled to finish in the points on a regular basis. On certain occasions, the poor Nico could do no better than fight against the Caterhams and the Toro Rossos...
With Lewis Hamilton as his new teammate next year, Rosberg will need to raise his game dramatically.
Ironically, Ross Brawn revealed that Schumacher's indecision about his future led the team to pursue Hamilton. The team needed a strong front runner for 2013, and Hamilton had a perfect career resumé. That pushed Schumacher into retirement, for good this time.
The seven-time World Champion climbed on the podium once this year, but also had all sorts of problems. He retired four times in the first seven Grands Prix and also mysteriously rear ended the cars of Bruno Senna in Spain, and Jean-Eric Vergne in Singapore.