Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team: History, Wins & Championship Stats

The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team is a German Formula 1 constructor based in Brackley, Northamptonshire, England. Competing under a German licence, Mercedes has fielded a factory Formula 1 team on two separate occasions — a brief but utterly dominant spell in the mid-1950s, and its current era since 2010 — while also serving as one of the sport's most influential engine suppliers throughout the decades in between.

The Original Silver Arrows (1954–1955)

Mercedes-Benz first entered Formula 1 as a full constructor in 1954, fielding the legendary W196 for Juan Manuel Fangio. The team was immediately and overwhelmingly dominant, with Fangio winning the World Drivers' Championship in both 1954 and 1955. Mercedes withdrew from motorsport entirely at the end of 1955 following the tragic 1955 Le Mans disaster, not returning as a full constructor for more than half a century, though the "Silver Arrows" nickname from this era endures to this day.

Years as an Engine Supplier (1994–2009)

Mercedes returned to Formula 1 as an engine supplier in 1994, initially with Sauber before forming a long and highly successful partnership with McLaren from 1995, during which Mercedes power helped McLaren to three Drivers' Championships and one Constructors' title. In 2009, Mercedes began supplying engines to two further teams: Force India, and the newly formed Brawn GP — an operation with roots stretching back through Honda Racing F1, British American Racing, and originally Tyrrell Racing, founded by Ken Tyrrell in 1958. Remarkably, Brawn GP won both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in its very first season in 2009 with Jenson Button, becoming the first team in Formula 1 history to achieve that feat on debut.

The Modern Mercedes Era Begins (2010–2013)

Mercedes acquired the Brawn GP team in November 2009, rebranding it as Mercedes GP Petronas for the 2010 season and retaining its Brackley base, close to Mercedes' Formula One engine plant in Brixworth. The team built steadily through the following seasons under the technical leadership that had delivered Brawn's championship-winning car, laying the groundwork for a period of Formula 1 dominance unlike anything the sport had seen.

Total Dominance in the Turbo-Hybrid Era (2014–2021)

The introduction of turbo-hybrid power units in 2014 triggered the most successful period in Mercedes' Formula 1 history. Under Team Principal Toto Wolff, Mercedes won eight consecutive Constructors' Championships from 2014 to 2021, with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg sharing seven Drivers' Championships between 2014 and 2020 — including seven consecutive years in which the team won both titles simultaneously. This run stands among the most dominant stretches by any constructor in Formula 1 history.

A New Chapter (2022–Present)

Mercedes' championship run ended as Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen adapted more effectively to new aerodynamic regulations and budget cap rules from 2022 onward, and the team has spent recent seasons working to reclaim its position at the front of the grid. Heading into 2026 with rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, Mercedes has emerged as a genuine championship threat once again under new technical regulations, continuing to draw on its fully integrated Brackley-Brixworth operation as it targets a return to the top of both championships.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Full name: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team
• Base: Brackley, Northamptonshire, England (chassis); Brixworth, Northamptonshire, England (power unit)
• Founded (current era): 2010; earlier factory era 1954–1955
• Previous names: Brawn GP, Honda Racing F1 Team, British American Racing, Tyrrell
• Team Principal & CEO: Toto Wolff
• 2026 Drivers: Kimi Antonelli, George Russell
• Engine: Mercedes
• Constructors' Championships: 8 (2014–2021)
• Drivers' Championships (current drivers, combined): 0
• Race victories: 136
• Pole positions: 148