2014 Review – Mercedes AMG F1: The Triumphant Duelists

The season /f1/actualite/19173-bilan-2014-caterham-f1-plus-detincelles-en-coulisses-quen-piste.html was one of triumph for the star-branded team. After expertly navigating the transition to hybrid power unit regulations, Mercedes dominated all its competitors comprehensively, with the championship boiling down to a duel between its two drivers. However, the team faced significant challenges: managing the crisis between Hamilton and Rosberg was not always exemplary, and recurring reliability issues disrupted its dominance.

THE DRIVERS

Lewis Hamilton, 1st in the overall standings (384 points)

And a second title, just like that! Having waited since 2008, Lewis Hamilton has finally added a second crown to his achievements. However, he nearly saw his teammate beat him to the punch. Despite eleven victories compared to Rosberg’s five, various mechanical issues during races (Australia and Canada) and qualifying sessions (Germany and Hungary) came to disrupt his march towards the world championship title.

But it was mainly an intense opposition from Nico Rosberg that caused him the most trouble. After the clash in Monaco, where a yellow flag caused by his teammate in qualifying prevented him from securing a probable pole position, he seemed very tense for eight races. In September, the nervousness shifted to the other side after the second clash in Belgium, where Nico Rosberg punctured his tire following a slight collision.

Lewis Hamilton drew from it a mental strength that allowed him to consecutively dominate Rosberg in Italy, Japan, Singapore, Russia, and the United States. From then on, the crown seemed promised to him. Unhindered by technical issues, he secured his performance in Brazil and Abu Dhabi to join Fernando Alonso among the ranks of double world champions. The crown of maturity for Lewis Hamilton.

Nico Rosberg, 2nd in the overall standings (317 points)

The fastest man of the season. Having secured eleven pole positions against his teammate’s seven, Nico Rosberg has proven that in terms of pure speed, he has nothing to envy in Lewis Hamilton. However, he needs to reassess his approach to managing pressure. Significant mistakes in Monza and Sochi gave Hamilton a clear path to calmly secure victory. The clash at Spa-Francorchamps left its mark. Initially inflexible, the German driver later admitted he hadn’t tried to avoid his teammate, resulting in a collision with serious consequences. This admission weakened his position both on the track and within the Mercedes team.

Before that, Nico Rosberg was a true world champion in the making. Brilliant victories in Monaco and Austria gave the impression that he could beat Hamilton fair and square. Unfortunately for him, the only time that happened during the season, in Brazil, it was already too late. Hamilton had irresistibly taken the lead in the championship. A technical issue in Abu Dhabi ultimately dashed his chances of winning his first world championship title.

L’EQUIPE

The triumph is complete for the Mercedes team. With 16 victories, including 11 one-two finishes, 18 pole positions, and 31 podiums, the W05 has become one of the best machines in history. The brand with the star has been in a league of its own after expertly negotiating the transition to hybrid turbo engines. This preparation began a long time ago when Ross Brawn was still leading the team. The British team manager had already demonstrated his ability to focus his team’s strengths on the new regulations in 2009, when the team bearing his name dominated by a wide margin.

But Ross Brawn was no longer there this season, and management sometimes seemed chaotic under the guidance of Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe. The W05 was very fast but not always reliable. In Canada, a brake issue on both cars ruined a probable double victory for the Silver Arrows. Technical problems during qualifying for Hamilton in Germany and Hungary, as well as during the race in Australia, were a blemish. The same for Rosberg, during the races in England, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi.

It was mainly the collision at the Belgian Grand Prix that set fire to the Mercedes house. A supporter of the all-out battle between its two drivers, the team management nearly got caught up in trouble. After Nico Rosberg’s admission, the intensity of the opposition decreased, allowing Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe to breathe. This spared them from having to justify an unmanageable fratricidal duel.

PERSPECTIVES

In 2015, Mercedes is expected to remain at the top of the leaderboard. Their lead was such that it will be difficult for their competitors to fully catch up. However, the team cannot rest on its laurels. Especially since both of its drivers, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, will aim for nothing less than the world championship title. And the fierce rivalry between them is not going to disappear over the winter…

Find all our reviews, team by team, of the season /f1/actualite/19173-bilan-2014-caterham-f1-plus-detincelles-en-coulisses-quen-piste.html:

– Caterham: Plus d’étincelles en coulisses qu’en piste

– Sauber: Une saison vierge de résultats

– Marussia: De la joie aux larmes…

– Lotus: Une saison dans les bas-fonds

– Toro Rosso: Des progrès malgré les défis à relever

– Force India: Une saison en net progrès

– McLaren: Année de transition après 20 ans avec Mercedes

– Ferrari: La fin d’une ère

– Williams: La saison du renouveau sportif

– Red Bull: Une saison en demi-teinte