Nine years ago, Mercedes won its third championship title

Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, Toto wolff, Niki Lauda, ​​Paddy Lowe… All were gathered a few days after the events at Suzuka between Brixworth and Brackley in England for the celebrations of the new title won by the Mercedes AMG team F1 following the 2016 Japanese Grand Prix.

Crowned in 2014, for the first year of the era of V6 turbo / hybrid Power Units, the formation of Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe easily retained its crown in 2015 and 2016 against its rivals Red Bull Racing et Ferrari. “I am so proud to be part of this adventure, commented Lewis Hamilton, third at Suzuka, facing Mercedes employees. I'm incredibly proud to drive the cars you've built. For the last three years, Nico and I have had arguably the best cars on the grid, but also the best cars we've ever driven."

“We all owe you so much. We drivers are just a small link in the chain. All the hard work everyone has put in to get us to where we are is just remarkable. As a driver, this is what we dream of having, these racing beasts that have been built. It's humbling to represent you on the track and I'm excited to start a fourth together next year and we hope there will be many more beyond that. But, for now, it is important that we all enjoy this moment because, together, we created history. »

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Rosberg delighted for Mercedes before closing

The Briton was followed by his teammate Nico Rosberg a few moments later. “I have been here since day one of this project in 2010 and the journey we started together to be the best team in Formula One is truly phenomenal, while making history and the record books. What we've accomplished together is mind-blowing and I'm really, really proud to have played my small part in that. Thanks to all these people, our work as a driver is even more enjoyable on the track, which means a lot. Every weekend I arrive at the tracks very excited, knowing that I have the car to take pole and win the race. It's an unreal feeling. »

“It’s truly a great success. concludes Toto Wolff, boss of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport. I met Ross Brawn (the team was revived from the ashes of Brawn GP) a few weeks ago. We had coffee and he told me that what makes him so proud about this organization is that we could have easily slacked off. But all of us, together, have kept this momentum going for three years in a row and that is an achievement. »

After these celebrations and images of unity, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg continued their fierce battle for the title. Winner in Austin, Mexico City, and then São Paulo, the Briton would nevertheless lose the battle with his teammate in Abu Dhabi, despite a fourth consecutive victory on home soil in the final Grand Prix of the season. Announcing his retirement from racing the day after this world title, the German driver will have in any case contributed to the third world success of the brand with the star by winning at Suzuka, its last Formula 1 Grand Prix. The company would win five more between 2017 and 2021 before the introduction of the ground-effect single-seater era.