| Mercedes-Benz | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Background | ||
| Based |  Stuttgart, Germany
| |
| Founded | Karl Benz; Gottlieb Daimler (1926) | |
| Key People | Dieter Zetsche | |
| Industry | Automobiles | |
| Formula E Record | ||
| Début | 2019/20 | |
| Total Entries | 0 (0 Starts) | |
| Wins | Poles | FLs |
| 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total Points | 0 | |
| Current Season | ||
| Team(s) | Mercedes-Benz EQ Formula E Team Venturi Racing[1]
| |
| Car | Mercedes-Benz EQ Silver Arrow 01 | |
Mercedes-Benz, frequently referred to simply Mercedes, are a German automotive manufacturer and largest part of the Daimler AG group.[2] Based in Stuttgart having originally been founded as Benz & Cie. in 1883, Mercedes are the largest luxury vehicle brand and manufacturer in the world, with a renowned reputation in motorsport.[2]
Mercedes are set to join the ABB FIA Formula E Championship as a full manufacturer entry in 2019/20, partnering with HWA Racelab.[3] On the eve of the 2019 Valencia Test it was announced that the Stuttgart based manufacturer would also be supplying Venturi Racing as a customer team.[1]
Background[]
The origins of Mercedes can be found in the early 1880s, when Karl Benz founded Benz & Cie. in 1883, which resulted in the creation of the first petrol fuelled car, the Benz Patent Motorwagen.[2] The car debuted in 1886, while, a few miles away, Gottlieb Daimler and engineer Wilhelm Maybach worked together to retrofit a stagecoach with one of Benz's engines later that same year.[2] The two groups soon came together to release the first "Mercedes", built by Benz's factory and marketed by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (Daimler Motors Corporation).[2]
Brands and Battles[]
DMG would officially merge with Benz's group on the 28 June 1926, with Mercedes adopted as the name of the new firm alongside Benz.[2] The new entity, Mercedes-Benz, would go on to build the model 770 or 'Großer Mercedes' during the 1930s, which became infamous for its use by the Nazi Party.[2] The group would subsequently become a crucial part of Nazi Germany's war effort during the Second World War, before reviving its automotive business during the 1940s.[2]
Mercedes sought to rebuild its reputation by entering various motorsport series during the 1950s, and duly won two Formula One World Championships in 1954 and 1955.[2] However, the group would cease their motorsport programmes in the aftermath of the 1955 Le Mans disaster, which saw a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR smashed into a crowd and killed 80 spectators.[2] Indeed, Mercedes would not return to factory racing until the mid-1980s, joining the World Sportscar Championship and the DTM.[2]
Racing Reputations[]
Mercedes would also move into Formula One during the 1990s, buying the engine division of Ilmor to develop engines for McLaren.[2] The group also built engines for IndyCar, and would duly claim the 1994 Indy 500 and CART World Series crowns courtesy of Al Unser Jr.[2] However, Mercedes would have to wait until 1997 to return to the winner's circle in F1, with Mika Häkkinen leading their charge to the constructors title with McLaren.[2]
Mercedes would power McLaren, and later Brawn, to several Championships in the early 2000s, while also merging popular Mercedes tuners AMG into the group.[2] Mercedes racing programmes were hence divided off to "Mercedes-AMG", with the majority of the day-to-day running of those programmes taken over by AMG's successors HWA.[2] The Mercedes AMG subsequently became a brand for all of Mercedes high-performance cars, while HWA ran the group's factory DTM and GT3 entries.[2]
In 2010 Mercedes finally committed to F1 full time, with Mercedes-AMG buying the Brawn F1 team.[2] That purchase, combined with the signing of Lewis Hamilton and the switch to hybrid engines in 2014, would lead to one of the most dominant periods in F1 history.[2] Indeed, between 2014 and 2018 Mercedes would win five consecutive drivers and constructors Championships, matching the record of rivals Ferrari.[2]
Formula E History[]
Mercedes first became interested in joining the ABB FIA Formula E Championship during the 2016/17 season, and duly signed a pre-agreement with Formula E Holdings to hold an entry for the 2018/19.[4] This agreement was signed ahead of the 2016 Hong Kong ePrix, before being re-affirmed at the 2017 Montreal ePrix I, where Mercedes acted as a partial sponsor.[5] This ultimately resulted in Mercedes' long-term racing partners HWA joining FE during the 2018/19 season as a customer team, with Mercedes taking over their entry, with their own powertrain in 2019/20.[6]
Products[]
Mercedes are yet to enter the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, but began development on their first FE powertrain ahead of the 2019/20 season.
References[]
Videos and Images:
References:
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alex Kalinauckas, 'Venturi switches to Mercedes powertrain, retains drivers', motorsport.com, (Motorsport Network, 03/10/2019), https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/venturi-mercedes-powertrain-massa-mortara/4552030/, (Accessed 03/10/2019)
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 'History: Corporate History', mercedes-benz.com, (Daimler AG, 2019), https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/mercedes-benz/classic/history/corporate-history/, (Accessed 05/02/2019)
- ↑ 'Mercedes EQ Formula E Team gear up for Formula E fight', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E 17/05/2018), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2018/may/mercedes-eq-formula-e-team-gear-up-for-formula-e-fight/, (Accessed 17/05/2018)
- ↑ 'Mercedes takes option on season five entry', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 04/10/2016), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2016/october/mercedes-takes-option-on-season-five-entry/, (Accessed 04/10/2016)
- ↑ 'Mercedes-Benz to enter Formula E in Season 6', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 24/07/2017), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2017/july/mercedes-benz-to-enter-formula-e-in-season-6/, (Accessed 25/07/2017)
- ↑ 'HWA AG join the Formula E grid for Season 5', fiaformulae.com, (FIA Formula E, 09/05/2018), http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2018/may/hwa-ag-join-the-formula-e-grid-for-season-5/, (Accessed 09/05/2018)