Maiden Mercedes podium: The Australian Grand Prix was staged on Sunday, a full 1,120 days after the Albert Park Circuit last hosted the event. The third race of the 2022 season produced a satisfactory result for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, with a P3 and a P4. In his 63rd F1 race and his third as a Mercedes driver, George Russell not only delivered the team’s second podium of the season but also his first in a Silver Arrow. Team-mate Lewis Hamilton finished the Grand Prix directly behind him in fourth place. The two drivers had once again got the maximum out of the car at this early stage of the campaign. The fourth round of the season takes place at Imola on the weekend of 22 ‑ 24 April. The curtain-raiser to the European phase of this year’s World Championship will also feature the sprint format for the first time this season.
Podium number three in Rome: The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship returned to the Italian capital last weekend with two action-packed races. As usual, Rome provided a fantastic backdrop for the all-electric racing series and plenty of excitement for the spectators gathered in the stands. The Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team added to its points haul in both World Championships over the course of the race weekend in the ‘Eternal City’. For Stoffel Vandoorne, the double bill on one of his favourite tracks could hardly have got off to a better start, booking his seventh Formula E pole position in Saturday’s qualifying. After a thrilling last few laps in the race itself, he took third place for his ninth podium finish in the all-electric series. It was also a third podium finish for Stoffel in the Rome E‑Prix. On Sunday, the Belgian had to settle for fifth after untimely safety car deployments deprived him of another potential podium finish. His team-mate Nyck de Vries crossed the finish line seventh in Sunday’s E-Prix after a strong fightback, but a retrospective time penalty then bumped him out of the Top Ten rankings. After five races of the season, the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team leads the Constructors’ Championship ahead of Porsche and DS Techeetah. The sixth round of the season takes place on 30 April on the iconic Monaco street circuit.
Team Korthoff Motorsports successfully defend lead in the GTD class at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach: Following the Rolex24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, the third round of the 2022IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship was held at Long Beach last weekend. In the 100-minute race on the Californian street circuit, Team Korthoff Motorsports, who came away from the two previous events with a class podium on each occasion, once again managed to chalk up vital points towards the team championship with a P6 in the GTD class. Having already contested the first two rounds as a twosome, Stevan McAleer (GBR) and Mike Skeen (USA) in the number 32 Mercedes-AMG GT3 put in another strong performance to defend their lead in the drivers’ and team championships. Philip Ellis (SUI) and Russell Ward (USA) in the #57 of WINWARD Racing meanwhile took 14th place in the same classification. WeatherTech Racing were the only Mercedes-AMG Customer Sports team to compete in the GTD Pro class: Cooper MacNeil (USA) and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) in the number 79 GT3 finished the race in fourth place.
Customer Racing teams make a successful start to the new GT Cup Championship season: There were no fewer than four Mercedes-AMG GT3s and three Mercedes-AMG GT4s in the line-up for the GT Cup Championship season opener at Donington Park in the UK. In the first of four sprint races, Ian Loggie (GBR) in the number 16 RAM Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3 produced an outstanding lights-to-flag victory. In the third race, the Scot picked up from where he had left off the previous day, securing another podium finish with second place. In the four races contested, the five Customer Sports teams registered one overall win, three further podium finishes in the general classification and three class victories.
Class victory and podium in GTC Race opener at Oschersleben: The first three rounds of the 2022 GTC Race series, which were contested on Saturday and Sunday as part of the ADAC Racing Weekend at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, ended with a class win and a podium for the Mercedes-AMG Customer Sports contingent. Julian Hanses (GER) in the number 85 CV Performance Group Mercedes-AMG GT4 took first place in the GT4 classification in Race 2 on Sunday. In the third race, Robert Haub (USA) in the #20 Mercedes-AMG GT4 of Drago Racing Team ZvO secured another GT4 class podium for the brand.
Class win for Mach One Engineering at New Zealand Endurance Championship finale: Making a series debut in the finale of the New Zealand Endurance Championship at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park south of Auckland, local favourite Jono McFarlane (NZL) produced a class win in Saturday’s one-hour race. Driving the #22 Mach One Engineering Mercedes-AMG GT4, McFarlane secured victory in the GT4 category on his first ever outing in the series.
Mercedes-AMG E-Sports Team Williams Esports in podium finish at iRacing Nürburgring 24h: At the fourth iRacing Special Event of the year – the Nürburgring 24h – Daniel Bozga (BEL), Atte Kauppinen (FIN) and Sota Muto (JPN) controlling the number 2 virtual Mercedes-AMG GT3 of Mercedes-AMG E-Sports Team Williams Esports mounted an impressive charge through the field to secure a podium spot. On the 25.9km track, which combines the fearsome Nordschleife with sections of the Grand Prix circuit, the driver trio started from 14th position on the virtual grid. Over the course of the 24-hour race, they steadily worked their way forward to eventually cross the line in third place. Yoep de Ligt, Sam Kuitert (both NED), Alexey Nesov (FIA) and Dylan Scrivens (USA) at the wheel of the #90 Mercedes-AMG E-Sports Team URANO eSports made their contribution to a solid all-round result in the sim racing event with a P4 finish.
Social Media News
#F1RaceDebrief: After the race weekend at Albert Park, Motorsport Strategy Director James Vowles takes a look back at the Australian Grand Prix and addresses the most important questions arising from the third round of the season.
Watch video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XK1Pbimw8w
