Breaking news

Formula 1

New bosses not reason for Mercedes boost - experts

Schumacher and Berger thinks that Mercedes boost in speed is not new bosses influence

GMM

Edited: Mar 13, 2013, 1:04 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 W04

Mar.13 (GMM) Mercedes' new bosses are not responsible for the German marque's apparently sudden speed boost.

That is the claim of former team driver Michael Schumacher, referring to the removal of Norbert Haug and the installation of new co-owners and chiefs Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff.

The Brackley based team had a very strong end to the recent pre-season period, but Schumacher said: "I see it more to do with the background.

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 W04

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1 W04

Photo by: XPB Images

"(To do) with the engineers, the infrastructure of the team itself. And I think these steps were taken some time ago," added the great German.

Although team boss Ross Brawn's future now appears very clouded, Schumacher is undoubtedly referring to the Briton's decisions to bring in the likes of technical boffins Bob Bell, Aldo Costa and Geoff Willis.

Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger agrees.

"I do not think those two (Lauda and Wolff) have been able to have any influence on the performance of the car," he told APA news agency.

"Why? Because this (2013) car predates their time. But we must not underestimate the impact of fresh wind."

Another pundit, the 1996 world champion Damon Hill, thinks Mercedes' boosted form is due to the team spending more time than usual last year designing the 2013 car.

"I think Ross Brawn had decided 'Listen, this year is a write-off'," he told the Sun.

"By the looks of things they'd been focussing on 2013 (last year) and pretty much shelved 2012. They'd looked worse than they are," added Hill.

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Ferrari must give Alonso good enough car - Berger

Next article Experts doubt Vettel to make Ferrari switch

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

GMM



The season is still very long - Rosberg

Formula 1

Formula 1

The season is still very long - Rosberg



Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes

Formula 1

Formula 1

Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes



Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position

Formula 1

Formula 1

Chinese GP

Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position

More from

Nico Rosberg



Nico Rosberg compares Ferrari’s clashes to his own Mercedes F1 rivalry: “The instructions are not clear enough”

Formula 1

Formula 1

Mexican GP

Nico Rosberg compares Ferrari’s clashes to his own Mercedes F1 rivalry: “The instructions are not clear enough”



James Vowles faces "tough moment" as Nico Rosberg calls Williams woes "a shocker"

Formula 1

Formula 1

Spanish GP

James Vowles faces "tough moment" as Nico Rosberg calls Williams woes "a shocker"



Kimi Antonelli could get "more and more panicked" in F1 title fight, says Nico Rosberg

Formula 1

Formula 1

Spanish GP

Kimi Antonelli could get "more and more panicked" in F1 title fight, says Nico Rosberg

More from

Mercedes



Kimi Antonelli: "Weird" spin and car instability cost F1 Brazilian GP win

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

43 min

Kimi Antonelli: "Weird" spin and car instability cost F1 Brazilian GP win



Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc summoned to stewards after F1 Brazilian GP

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

1 h

Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc summoned to stewards after F1 Brazilian GP



"He really wanted it" – why Russell was furious over aborted Brazil ‘pole’ lap

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

"He really wanted it" – why Russell was furious over aborted Brazil ‘pole’ lap

Latest news



LIVE: NASCAR Cup season finale at Homestead lap-by-lap updates

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Homestead-Miami

11 min

LIVE: NASCAR Cup season finale at Homestead lap-by-lap updates



Kyle Larson wins 2026 NASCAR Cup championship with Stage 1 clinch at Homestead

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Homestead-Miami

15 min

Kyle Larson wins 2026 NASCAR Cup championship with Stage 1 clinch at Homestead



Kimi Antonelli: "Weird" spin and car instability cost F1 Brazilian GP win

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

43 min

Kimi Antonelli: "Weird" spin and car instability cost F1 Brazilian GP win



Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc summoned to stewards after F1 Brazilian GP

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

1 h

Kimi Antonelli and Charles Leclerc summoned to stewards after F1 Brazilian GP

Feature

Discover prime content



"He really wanted it" – why Russell was furious over aborted Brazil ‘pole’ lap

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Stuart Codling

"He really wanted it" – why Russell was furious over aborted Brazil ‘pole’ lap



What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Brazilian GP

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Brazilian GP



How F1’s rules got to be so complex

Formula 1

By Pat Symonds

How F1’s rules got to be so complex



A water park, “not a rock star” and Toto Wolff’s words – Is Kimi Antonelli really a different F1 champion?

Formula 1

By Ronald Vording

A water park, “not a rock star” and Toto Wolff’s words – Is Kimi Antonelli really a different F1 champion?

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe