- George Russell: “It's hard to believe that races were held with these cars 70 years ago.”
- Halfway through the GT Sport season – Three questions for Christoph Sagemüller
- Elite Racing Circle: Debut of the Mercedes-AMG GT2 PRO in Asia
Formula 1
George Russell drives legendary Mercedes-Benz W196
Aintree, Great Britain, 16 July 1955: Stirling Moss celebrated his first Grand Prix victory in the Mercedes-Benz W196. He was the first Briton to win the British Grand Prix. His lead over second-placed Mercedes-Benz driver Juan Manuel Fangio was just two tenths of a second. Fangio secured the Formula 1 Drivers' World Championship ahead of schedule with second place. Seventy years later, the legendary Mercedes-Benz W196 returned to Aintree Raceway near Liverpool.
"I'm speechless. Just this feeling of driving the car that Stirling Moss won the British Grand Prix in – and then that sound! It's hard to believe that it was racing 70 years ago. Simply incredible! I was nervous at the start, but after just 100 metres I felt incredibly comfortable in the car. Everything happened intuitively. The gear changes were really smooth, and the sound when revving up – that was a very special experience."
George Russell, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 driver
Road to 2026: A new era of F1 technology begins
In 2010, Mercedes-Benz returned to the pinnacle of motorsport as a works team. This year also marked the beginning of a strong partnership between the team and PETRONAS. Driven by a shared focus on performance, innovation and sustainability, the team has so far achieved eight Constructors' and seven Drivers' World Championships, as well as 119 race wins, 131 pole positions and 279 podium finishes. From 2026, the regulations will require a new power unit with higher electrical output and 100% sustainable fuels, as well as a redesigned chassis that promises lighter and more aerodynamic cars. In the four-part series ‘Road to 2026’ on the team-website, fans can gain an insight into how Mercedes-AMG and PETRONAS are preparing for the new era of Formula 1.
GT Sport
210 days of motorsport in 2025 – Three questions for Christoph Sagemüller, Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport
Many racing series are currently taking a summer break. In the 2025 season, more than 300 Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams will once again be competing on the international stage with GT3, GT4 and GT2 vehicles from the performance and sports car brand based in Affalterbach. Numerous victories have already been celebrated, including in the DTM, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the GT World Challenge, the Asian Le Mans Series, the Super GT, the Super Taikyu Series, the British GT Championship, the Michelin Le Mans Cup, the International GT Open, the STT Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy and GT America. A particular highlight of the year was the brand with the star returning to Le Mans after 26 years and also competing in the world's most important endurance races in Bathurst, Daytona, at the Nürburgring and in Spa-Francorchamps.
Christoph, what is your conclusion at the halfway point of the year?
Christoph Sagemüller: "You can definitely say that the first half of the year has been successful, although we did have a few setbacks and disappointments. June was extremely challenging with three major endurance races. Our goal is clear: we are racers and we compete to win. Realistically, podium finishes at the Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps would have been possible. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to achieve that. Of course, you always need a bit of luck in a 24-hour race. This time, however, we had a failure rate that we hadn't seen in previous years – including some unfortunate and unavoidable causes. We are currently conducting our final analyses and have already got to the bottom of a few issues. However, this does not change the result. I am confident that we can rely on the competitiveness of our products across the entire range and across all platforms and racing series. We prove this week after week on a wide variety of race tracks around the world. There were also many positive moments in the first half of the season. We lead the DTM championship with Lucas Auer, but Maro Engel and Jules Gounon are also within striking distance of the top. We are scoring points regularly in the GT World Challenge Europe and are also among the front-runners there. And in the IMSA, we currently lead in all three classifications. This means that we are in a good position and that the base is right.”
What are the goals for the second half of the season?
Christoph Sagemüller: “A lot can still happen in the second half of the season, and in some series the competition is very close. In my opinion, consistency will be the key factor. Only if we continue to score points regularly and reliably will we remain in the title race. This applies to all our programmes worldwide. Together with my entire team, I am doing everything in my power to bring the DTM title back to Affalterbach after our last success in 2021 and to defend the three GTD titles in the IMSA. In the GT World Challenge Europe, we won six titles last year. We want to at least match these successes. In addition, we are focusing on the intercontinental manufacturers' title, which we have defended consistently since its introduction in 2019. We currently lead the standings by 29 points. Given the enormous level of performance in these international series, it is crucial to contest every single race as flawlessly as possible and with a perfect strategy. Our Customer Racing Teams and drivers are working hard and very intensively on this goal. Without their commitment, these successes would not be possible. Their dedication is the foundation of our global competitiveness.”
Speaking of global competitiveness, how is Mercedes-AMG Motorsport addressing the current economic issues?
Christoph Sagemüller: “We are in a very challenging time for the economy as a whole. Volatile markets and trade policy uncertainties – such as the tariff issue – are affecting the business model of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport as well as that of our customers and partners. In this environment, investments and commitments must be examined even more carefully than in the past. This made it all the more important to factor the economic conditions into our planning at an early stage. Over the past few months, we have been working hard to create an even more stable and resilient system. We benefit enormously from the close, trusting cooperation with our teams and stakeholders worldwide. This cohesion is a key factor in our long-term success."
Debut: Official Mercedes-AMG Racing Club fields GT2 PRO on the Asian continent for the first time
With the ‘Elite Racing Circle’, founded in 2024, GruppeM Racing, led by team boss Kenny Chen, has launched a new, exclusive AMG club sport programme. The Official Mercedes-AMG Racing Club is aimed at an elite circle of motorsport enthusiasts. Purchasing one of the 20 Mercedes-AMG GT2 PROs limited to worldwide production in the Elite Racing Circle edition grants membership in the Racing Club. Members receive access to top-level track events. Events are planned in America, Asia and Europe. The aim of the Elite Racing Circle is to build an exclusive network within an international high-performance community. The kick-off event took place from 11 to 13 July at the Fuji International Speedway in Japan – as part of the seventh and eighth rounds of the GT World Challenge Asia. The event also marked the Asian premiere of the Mercedes-AMG GT2 PRO. A total of six customers took advantage of the opportunity to drive the ultimate track day vehicle with 750 hp and Push 2 Pass function in six 40-minute sessions at the foot of Mount Fuji. They were coached by Mercedes-AMG drivers Ralf Aron (EST), Mikaël Grenier (CAN) and Jayden Ojeda (AUS). Each participant received individual racing gear matching the vehicle design. The Mercedes-AMG GT2 PRO and the drivers were accommodated at the race track in exclusively equipped facilities. Luxurious accommodation and exclusive evening events with fine dining rounded off the overall experience. The next round of the ‘Elite Racing Circle’ will take place in September as part of the IGTC in Suzuka.
Performance on two wheels: AMG x CANYON at the 24-hour bike race at the Nürburgring
Mercedes-AMG teamed up with bicycle manufacturer CANYON on 19 and 20 July to take part in the 24-hour bike race ‘Rad am Ring’ with two teams of eight. The event at the Nürburgring took place four weeks after the legendary 24-hour motorsport event and also covered the extremely demanding 25.378-kilometre combination of the Grand Prix circuit and the Nordschleife. A total of 155 teams lined up at the start. The two AMG x CANYON teams each completed 23 laps and finished 64th and 75th in the overall standings. Employees from both companies and visitors to the ADAC RAVENOL 24h Nürburgring were able to prove their performance on CANYON Zwift simulators and qualify for a place in one of the two AMG x CANYON teams. CANYON provided all team members with high-quality aero bikes, appropriate clothing and comprehensive support throughout the event.
Virtual Motorsport
Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Virtual Championship gets off to a successful start in Season One
Following last year's test phase with almost 200,000 participants, the Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Virtual Championship has now started its first official season. Season One kicked off in June with a revamped format, new titles and spectacular motorsport prizes. Once again, the virtual version of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 will be used. In addition to Assetto Corsa Competizione for PC, PlayStation and Xbox, Gran Turismo 7 for PlayStation and iRacing for PC, RENNSPORT for PC is also included for the first time. During the four-week qualifying phase from 13 June to 13 July, the format recorded an increase in participants of over 45 percent. The selection was once again made via a Hot Lap Competition, what means the fastest lap set. For the first time, it was also possible to qualify at on-site event activations – such as at the 24-hour race at Le Mans or at the Nürburgring – and win a so-called ‘Golden Ticket’. A total of 240 starting places were allocated from all online and on-site times. Half of these were drawn at random to give all participants a fair chance of progressing. Seven virtual race days will take place until 22 October, each consisting of a standard race and a gamified race with extra challenges and additional points. The best drivers can look forward to exclusive prizes that are not available for purchase: a Mercedes-AMG Motorsport GT Track Experience, a Mercedes-AMG Motorsport PETRONAS F1 Track Side Experience and a high-quality Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Gaming Bundle.
Continue reading...
