It's bin along time comin'

[grober]

Since nobody else seems to have mentioned it. The official Mercedes team are on pole for the F1 Chinese Grand Prix--- the first time for 55 years! BBC Sport - Nico Rosberg takes landmark first pole in China for Mercedes
Could Michael Schumacher win this one?

 

[whitenemesis]

 

[redbaron]

Think I still see Mclaren as the "more" mercedes of the F1 teams... but non the less good to see the 3 fastest cars all with Merc (ilmor) power...

Feel sorry for Lewis as the gearbox is no fault of his own... find it odd that engines are "pool" based and gearboxes are instant penalty.

 

[st13phil]

The long straight in China means that top speed affects lap time significantly and so flatters the Mercedes aero package with its "interesting" use of the DRS system - especially in qualifying. Whether that will hold true for the race is a moot point.

Nevertheless it's an interesting grid, with Kimi ahead of the two McLarens

 

[Igurisu]

The qualifying was good to watch and some interesting grid positions. Its good to see the likes of Kobayashi and Raikonen up there. Hopefully they can keep some pace for the race and it should be interesting.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Shareholder calls on Mercedes to quit F1

A Daimler shareholder has called on the German car giant to pull its works Mercedes team out of formula one.
Fund manager Ingo Speich, of the Daimler shareholder Union Investment, said at Daimler's annual general meeting that he is disappointed Mercedes has lost ground to road car rivals Audi and BMW.
"Mercedes is no longer the measure of all things in the premium sector," he is quoted as saying by Die Presse.
Speich referred to "a lost decade" for Daimler, and called on the company to follow BMW's recent lead and pull out of formula one.
His speech reportedly received applause from other shareholders.
Mercedes is the biggest formula one team yet to follow the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull in signing a new Concorde Agreement beyond 2012.

 

[grober]

Google Translate
and
http://www.union-investment.com/international/index.html?nm_caller=nav

I would guess the future of the team will depend on them getting on the podium a bit more often --- otherwise???????? A good result here might be quite timeous

 

[st13phil]

If Daimler do pull out of F1 it won't be a great surprise. Success in F1 comes at a price (both in time and in money) that shareholders simply don't have the patience for.

Bernie and Max's dream was to bring in manufacturers with big money. Ford (through Jaguar) thought they could win a championship in 3 years. They failed at massive cost. Honda and BMW similarly. The manufacturers are blinded by the halo effect that wins at the top level can bring, but F1 ends up a millstone when the wins don't come on the track and the only real winner has been Bernie.

Much better to be just an engine supplier: you can limit your costs and supply more than one team thus improving your chances of glory.

 

[ShinyF1]

Bernie and Max's dream was to bring in manufacturers with big money. Ford (through Jaguar) thought they could win a championship in 3 years. They failed at massive cost. Honda and BMW similarly.

If only Honda had given it one more year...