Mercedes have won the 2014 Formula One constructors’ championship following their one-two finish in the Russian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton gave the team their 13th victory of the season, while team mate Nico Rosberg made it a one-two for the team.
It is the first time Mercedes have won the title, which was first awarded in 1958, three years after their first Formula One team left the sport. However the Brackley-based team previously won the championship in 2009, as Brawn GP.
But in acknowledging the team’s triumph Mercedes motorsport director Toto Wolff also paid tribute to Jules Bianchi following his serious crash in last week’s Japanese Grand Prix.
“This is a great moment for our team but, first of all, we must not forget what happened last week,” said Wolff. “While we celebrate a hard-earned achievement today, we will not forget what happened to Jules in Suzuka and we will not forget the battle he is fighting at the moment.”
“We are split in two today, celebrating a moment that we have worked so hard for, but this will never take away the sadness at the events of last weekend.
“Looking at this achievement, it’s incredible: I have to pinch myself that we are now part of Mercedes-Benz history. Today, our team won the first ever Formula One constructors’ title for Mercedes-Benz and I feel proud and honoured to be part of this group.”
Wolff also gave credit to former team principal Ross Brawn, who stepped down from the role before the beginning of this season.
“The foundations of this success were built by Ross and he played such an important role in the team to prepare this success,” said Wolff.
“We have been able to continue that work, making the right decisions, putting the right resources in place and putting the team on an upward slope; today’s achievement is the result of that. Well done to every single member of the team in the UK and Germany for this world championship.
“Of course, the focus will now shift to the battle for the drivers’ title and this will stay as intense as ever for the final three races. We have a healthy lead over [Daniel] Ricciardo in third place but nothing will change in our approach: we want Lewis and Nico to race each other hard and respectfully, as they have done so far this year.
“They have both made a massive contribution to our success and huge credit goes to both of them for the constructors’ title today. ”
Formula One constructors’ champions
Rank | Team | Championships |
---|---|---|
1 | Ferrari | 16 |
2 | Williams | 9 |
3 | McLaren | 8 |
4 | Lotus | 7 |
5 | Red Bull | 4 |
=6 | Cooper | 2 |
=6 | Brabham | 2 |
=6 | Renault | 2 |
=9 | Vanwall | 1 |
=9 | BRM | 1 |
=9 | Matra | 1 |
=9 | Tyrrell | 1 |
=9 | Benetton | 1 |
=9 | Brawn | 1 |
=9 | Mercedes | 1 |
2014 Russian Grand Prix
Image © Daimler/Hoch Zwei
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
12th October 2014, 13:35
Good for them. It was a given after 1 race, but still a splendid effort.
alanore
12th October 2014, 13:38
Its impressive how good this season has been even with the total dominance of the silver arrows
Dom (@3dom)
12th October 2014, 17:56
We can thank an epic season-long battle between two talented fierce competitors for making sure that 2014 has maintained overwhelming interest even in the face of the domination by Mercedes. Thanks to Mercedes for letting them race
Overwatch (@overwatch)
12th October 2014, 18:36
It’s funny that after that race it was McLaren in the lead of championship…
dan
12th October 2014, 13:41
Well done to the best team in f1. Hamilton just needs to win 1 of these next 2 and he can come 2nd in 2 even double points. Please keep the car reliable for the deserved champion, 9 wins now for Lewis.
Rosberg tut tut could have won if you kept it together after first lap i doubt Ham could overtake as it would be hard. Ham was so slow on primes he must have just been stroking it home he was even slower than Bottas aswell as Nico. Primes just ran and ran was a boring race.
Calum (@calum)
12th October 2014, 13:41
Of course we knew the writing was on the wall as soon as the cars were launched:
2014 – RedBull RB10.
BasCB (@bascb)
12th October 2014, 14:15
indeed.
OOliver
12th October 2014, 13:42
Seems like Putin just won the constructors championship.
JCost (@jcost)
12th October 2014, 13:42
Congrats to them. Let’s hope their life is a bit harder next season.
Mashiat (@mashiat)
12th October 2014, 13:42
I was already 30% sure this would happen since 2013.
pSynrg (@psynrg)
12th October 2014, 19:03
@mashiat Since 2013? I was hovering between 19.74% and 32.113%. Great that you just knew precisely what the probability was…
Mashiat (@mashiat)
13th October 2014, 2:51
@psynrg I meant to say beginning of 2013. And also, I found my probability hovering at around 30.1335, but I decided to just round it off to the closest whole number.
icemangrins (@icemangrins)
12th October 2014, 13:58
Congratulations to the team. It’s no brainer that they will carry this form next year.
Manohar shekhawat (@manohar)
12th October 2014, 14:03
what a day for them.. Redbulls streak came to an end finally. time for some vodka now!
trublu (@trublu)
12th October 2014, 14:07
Alonso says he’s not moving to a team with a Merc engine and that when his team is announced it would seem like it had always been obvious. That pretty much narrows it to McLaren unless there’s a chance he somehow stays at Ferrari and Kimi goes on holiday.
Nick (@nick-uk)
12th October 2014, 16:18
I’m pretty sure Ferrari would rather sack Kimi and pair Alonso with Vettel. Kimi has 47 points… Even Massa at his lowest did better than that by 3 races to go. Kimi has been a complete joke this year.
Woody (@woodyd91)
12th October 2014, 16:29
But there is no way that Alonso would team up with Vettel, unless for his own ego he would like to beat Vettel in the same car, however given that he likes the No.1 spot in any team he goes to this is very unlikely. It’s either Mclaren or WEDC for Alonso, He tried to force Lewis out at Merc but that didn’t/wasn’t going to happen, he had the same amount of chance of going to Red Bull so there is only Mclaren left. It looks as if he has been out moved and out smarted by all the drivers he thought he could out move and out smart. It’s Mclaren or F1 retirement.
Nick (@nick-uk)
12th October 2014, 16:49
I agree he has a lack of real options but given that Vettel has been outclassed comfortably by Ricciardo I would have thought he wouldn’t mind being with Vettel. His need to be no.1 is holding him back if it is affecting where he goes. Everyone knows he is good. Surely he himself would relish the chance to go against Vettel in the same car.
UnitedKingdomRacing (@unitedkingdomracing)
12th October 2014, 14:15
The third world championship in motorsport decided this weekend. Did that happen before?
HK (@me4me)
12th October 2014, 15:31
Congrats to them, and congrats to Ross Brawn.
ColdFly F1 (@)
12th October 2014, 16:06
@me4me, +1.
Big congrats to MB.
But also to Ross Brawn – he’s done it with Ferrari, Honda/Brawn and now Mercedes. Who’s next?
struthio
12th October 2014, 16:45
wasn´t he also involved in the 1995 benetton title as technical director?
ColdFly F1 (@)
12th October 2014, 16:55
Wolff pays tribute to Brawn after constructors’ triumph
sebsronnie (@sebsronnie)
12th October 2014, 18:29
And Benetton if I’m not mistaken.
Sam Andrew
12th October 2014, 16:37
Would be nice to see Merc wrap up the drivers championship at the next race, and then all team pressure will be off Lewis and Nico to go wheel to wheel for the final two races of the season.
dan
12th October 2014, 16:44
They can’t wrap it up at the next race.
Matthew Coyne
12th October 2014, 16:44
This is a mathematical impossibility?
Even if Lewis wins in Austin and Rosberg retires there are still 75 points available through Brazil and Abu Dhabi double points and Lewis can only have a maximum advantage of 43 going into those races.
BBt67
12th October 2014, 18:41
“This is a mathematical impossibility?”
No, if one of them wins it is a done deal. Merc get the drivers Championship. Or have I missed something (Like the stupid double points meaning its still possible for Ric)
Sam Andrew
12th October 2014, 22:06
Ricciardo needs to outscore Hamilton by 18 pointsto stay in contention, so barring unreliability you would expect Merc to have the drivers champs tied up at the next race too, and then the Lewis and Nico are free to knock each other off at the following two races :)
matt90 (@matt90)
12th October 2014, 17:03
Do you mean to pull far enough ahead of Ricciardo to be guaranteed a Merc champion?
Sam Andrew
12th October 2014, 22:08
Yup Ricciardo needs 18 more points than Ham at the next race to keep the possibility alive of a non Merc car winning the title.
Dom (@3dom)
12th October 2014, 18:36
Great for Toto Wolff to not only acknowledge how great it feels for the team’s hard work to pay off by winning Mercedes’ first even WCC but also how everyone is still thinking of Jules Bianchi and wishing him the best.
After such a sobering accident I feel glad that they didn’t win it last weekend. When so many people work so hard for something it really is important that that they can celebrate their achievement. But Jules will be in all our minds long beyond when we find out the outcome of his terrible accident, and it’s good that this is recognised also
tmax (@tmax)
12th October 2014, 18:38
Congrats to Mercedes and Congrats to Ross Brawn….
I would also want to take a moment to give a shout out to Michael for the support services he had provided to rebuilding the team along with Brawn since 2010. It is sad that he is not conscious enough to understand this championship win !!!!
RL
13th October 2014, 3:55
I believe this is only the second time as Mercedes Benz powered constructor has won the WCC. There have been plenty of near misses, all provided by Mclaren (1999, 2005, the 2007 DQ, 2008, 2010). I’m happy for MB, as I’ve been a fan of them since 2000, I’m sad though as a Mac fan that it took them being their own constructor to achieve it.
Bruno (@brunes)
13th October 2014, 3:57
I would love to see Daniel win the tittle at Abu Double.
72defender (@72defender)
17th October 2014, 20:02
-1.