F1 2014: Mercedes on the attack

Even before heading into the off-season, there were rumors swirling about Mercedes already showing a spectacular affinity for the new engine formula. Many dismissed the claims as sheer nonsense, others (mainly Red Bull’s detractors) held onto a quiet modicum of hope that it would be true. How the hopeful would be rewarded.

Straight from the start of pre-season testing, the silver arrows looked to be in an entirely different league from the rest of the field. Their dominating speed was matched only by their unrivaled reliability. Though Bahrain and the Australian Grand Prix would reveal glitches in the machine of last year’s runner-up, there can be no mistaking the likelihood that Mercedes AMG Petronas are already looking likely to cart off with the championship.

F1 Shuffle (Part 3)

So far we’ve talked about the two biggest seat swaps happening in the sport. Perez up and Hamilton down. So where does that leave the rest of the grid? Let’s start with the re-retirement of this guy.

Unretired seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher is leaving Mercedes… And F1… Again.

When Schumi first left Ferrari at the end of 2006, many viewed it as the end of an era. It’s never easy to let go of a champion, especially not when they helped return Ferrari to top form like Schumacher did. And when he came back in 2010, there certainly was a high level of excitement and expectations. Schumacher himself seemed confident, stating that he expected to be judged by his success.

F1 Shuffle (Part 2)

The ascendancy of Sergio Perez through the ranks of F1 teams is certainly a good thing, and he definitely houses a talent that Sauber’s cars cannot match, but for every driver who is lucky to make a good move, there is usually an unlucky driver who is forced out of his seat. Unfortunately, this concept doesn’t apply to the driver who vacated his seat at McLaren: 2008 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. Rather, Hamilton just made a poor career move in abandoning his seat at one of F1’s most stalwart teams as he made way to the lackluster Mercedes AMG team.

Hamilton has chosen to leave team McLaren and move to Mercedes.

It’s common for drivers to switch teams, especially when they’re offered a handsome fee to join one of the top teams, but Hamilton has done something rather odd; he’s switched from the team that is currently 2nd in the constructor’s cup down to the 5th place team.