(Mercedes AMG F1 Team)
The Mercedes AMG F1 Team head back to work at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix hoping to reclaim the top step of the podium following a disappointing race at the Hungarian Grand Prix last time out despite the fact that Lewis Hamilton finished the race in third place while Nico Rosberg who leads the driver's championship by eleven points finished the race in fourth place.
The Brackley based outfit have taken victory in nine of the opening eleven Grand Prix of the season with Infiniti Red Bull Racing's Daniel Ricciardo won at the Canadian Grand Prix and last time out in Hungary. The team have done an absolutely sensational job this season in making sure that both driver's are up there competing for victories and podium finishes.
The team went on a dominant streak taking five consecutive 1-2 race finishes from the Malaysian to the Monaco Grand Prix while taking a sixth 1-2 of the season in Red Bull's back garden at the Red Bull Ring in Austria in June.
Both Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are looking forward to returning to on track action this weekend following the Summer break and they feel that Spa Francorchamps is the best venue to host Formula One's return. Last season, Nico Rosberg started the race from fourth place and finished the race in fourth place. Speaking to the Mercedes website ahead of the race this weekend, the German commented:
'It’s good to be back after the break and to see everyone
looking really refreshed and up for the fight in the remaining months of the
season.
The last race didn’t turn out how I had hoped after taking
pole in tricky conditions the day before, but I still managed to come away with
my championship lead intact and that’s a good place to be heading into the next
part of the year.
Although we have had a great start with plenty of good
results, that race showed that the other teams are never too far away. In
Formula One you just can’t afford to give away any advantage and I know that
both the team and myself will be working harder than ever to keep improving and
maintain our position right to the very end.
On top of that, the battle with Lewis has been so close all
season – so every last point will be crucial in that contest too. Next up, of
course, we have Belgium, which is definitely one of the most spectacular races
of the year.
The circuit is just unreal and it’s one I think every driver looks
forward to. My record there hasn’t been as good as at some other circuits in
the past, but I’m determined to change that and get the season kicked off again
in style!'
Lewis Hamilton comes back from his holiday following two storming recovery drives at both the German and Hungarian Grand Prix and at the Belgian Grand Prix last season the 2008 world champion finished on the podium in third place behind race winner Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. Speaking to the Mercedes AMG F1 website in the build up to this weekend's F1 return Hamilton said:
'The summer break was a good chance to relax and to reflect
on what’s been an incredible start to the year for us as a team. But personally,
I can’t wait to get back in the car and back into the battle for the
Championship.
I had some difficult weekends in the first part of the
season, but then a bit of good fortune at the last race in Budapest kept me
from damaging my car on the wall during that first lap, so hopefully that was a
sign that my fortunes are changing at just the right time. There were so many
positives to take from the opening eleven races, but both myself and the team
always want more and know we are capable of more.
The aim is to put the more difficult times of some of the
previous weekends behind us and to recreate the best moments at every race from
now on.
I love driving at Spa, so there are few better places to start. I had
good results there in 2008 and on my first visit to the circuit with this team
last year, plus the win in 2010 of course. I haven’t won there as many times as
I’d like but that win was a really special one, so I really want to add to that
ad that’s definitely the target this weekend.’
© Ben Johnston 2014
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