F1 bosses convinced Mercedes to save German GP
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admits that a pitch from Formula 1 chiefs Chase Carey and Sean Bratches convinced the Stuttgart manufacturer to support the 2019 German Grand Prix.
Mercedes was announced as the title sponsor of next year’s Hockenheim race when the 2019 calendar was revealed, after the German venue concluded a one-year extension with Liberty.
Wolff has always maintained that Mercedes would not get involved in promoting or supporting its home race.
However he insists that circumstances have changed, and that his bosses were convinced by Carey and Bratches that their input would make a difference.
“In Hockenheim on Sunday morning some of our board members were there and Chase and Sean pitched it very well,” he said when asked by Motorsport.com.
“We had full grandstands, lots of action, and enthusiastic crowds at Hockenheim, and they asked if we were able to bridge the [financial] gap.
“When they left we gave it some consideration, and had some negotiations over the shutdown. And then I pitched it back to the board and the board decided, ‘We do it, we want to keep the German GP.’”
Wolff confirmed that Mercedes will see how the 2019 event goes before deciding on a longer-term involvement with the race.
“I think it’s about finding out how we can best activate the German GP next year and see how to maximise it for the fans, for Mercedes people and for us," he said.
"We will try to put on a good show, display cars, and decide whether it works for us and whether we want to continue or not. We have an option for 2020.”
Smoke flares are ignited in the crowd
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images
Haas: Rivals protesting us because they can't beat us
F1 rivals question Mercedes' third car idea
2023 Ford GT Mk IV unleashed with bigger engine making 800+hp
Ford is introducing the most extreme version of the GT to date. There have been more than a few retro-flavored special editions of Blue Oval's supercar and the new Mk IV joins them.
New docuseries is publicity that IndyCar deserves and needs
That’s the verdict from two of IndyCar’s biggest stars, Helio Castroneves and Josef Newgarden, following the announcement of the “100 Days to Indy” series on the CW Network. David Malsher-Lopez reports.
Kevin Magnussen to partner father Jan in Daytona 24 Hours
Racing father and son Jan and Kevin Magnussen are to team up again in next month’s Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in a Porsche 911 GT3 R in the GTD class.
Trackside view: What the brave new world of LMDh really looks like
As the future of sportscar racing in Europe has witnessed a tantalizing drip-drip of Le Mans Hypercars from Toyota, Glickenhaus, Peugeot, Ferrari and Vanwall, across the pond in America the LMDh era arrived with a big bang at Daytona last week as Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche all hit the track together for the first time.
Why Mercedes believes it can make the step F1 needs to fight Red Bull
The 2022 Formula 1 season was Mercedes' leanest for a decade, achieving just a solitary pole and grand prix win. Yet the team is confident it has got the tools it needs to cast that disappointment aside and return to the front of the field again next year.
How BRM's one-off F1 double defied its rollercoaster history
It’s 60 years since BRM achieved its goal and Graham Hill led the team to a world title double. But that was just part of the remarkable story of a unique team that at times overstretched its resources and had its fair share of disappointments.
The bold F1 DRS experiment that could end the debate forever
OPINION: The effectiveness of DRS in Formula 1 remains a topic of debate as the winter break gives a chance for reflection on the racing we saw in 2022. For all of its detractors, perhaps an experiment where DRS is cast aside and the impact this has on racing is in order to truly understand its merits in modern F1.
The sliding doors moment that saved Red Bull and Porsche
OPINION: Everything looked set for Red Bull and Porsche to join forces for the 2026 season, before the marriage between both parties was called off. While at the time it looked like a major coup for Formula 1 in gaining both VW Group powerhouses Audi and Porsche for 2026, Red Bull and Porsche have really been spared a potentially fractious relationship.
How Tyrrell’s post-Stewart era descended into a fight to survive
Glory days for Tyrrell became increasingly infrequent after Jackie Stewart’s retirement. But in the latest instalment of his history of the team for Autosport's sister title GP Racing, MAURICE HAMILTON recalls how Ken Tyrrell’s plucky and defiantly small team stayed bold enough to innovate – springing a surprise with F1’s first six-wheeled car
How departing F1 boss Brawn views F1’s new rules - and the future
Multiple-title-winning designer and team boss Ross Brawn is finally leaving Formula 1 after nearly 50 years in motorsport. But he still has plenty of insights on what’s working and what comes next, as he revealed to Motorsport.com in a far-reaching exclusive interview in Abu Dhabi.
The key F1 management call Ferrari must make to avoid more defeat
OPINION: Mattia Binotto’s departure from Ferrari will naturally bring a range of changes across the Formula 1 team. But how the changes shape up and the impact they could have is set to be dictated by a key direction Ferrari’s top dogs will need to pick
The difference between Mercedes’ stumble and the fall of F1 giants
OPINION: Mercedes endured its worst season of the hybrid Formula 1 era, but was mercifully spared its first winless campaign in over a decade late on. It has owned up to the mistakes it made which led to its troubled W13. And while its task to return to title-challenging contention is not small, its 2022 season seems more like a blip than the beginning of a downward spiral.