Most people only think of Mercedes-Benz as a brand for luxury cars and the Maybachs you see on the road. But his story in motorsport is very different and much deeper. It goes back to the 1950s. The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team’s journey doesn’t really begin in today’s Formula 1 paddock. It begins like a legend, where speed, innovation, and ambition first came together in what we now know as the Silver Arrows.Now, before we get into how Mercedes built an empire of their own, let’s see why Mercedes has the upper hand this season.The 2026 season introduces another major regulatory overhaul to Formula 1, giving teams a new opportunity to realign. This time around, Mercedes approached the changes with a very different mindset, avoiding the pitfalls of 2022.Mercedes developed a completely new aerodynamic philosophy, focusing on creating a car that performed consistently on a variety of circuits and conditions. This wider operating window allowed them to extract performance more reliably, something that had been missing in previous years.
Mercedes F1 2026 (Image credit: F1)
In the 2026 Formula 1 season, Andrea Kimi Antonelli currently leads the World Drivers’ Championship with 72 points. Driving for Mercedes with team-mate George Russell, the 19-year-old Italian has made a record-breaking start to the year, taking back-to-back victories in China and Japan. By winning in Japan, he became the youngest driver in F1 history to lead the standings. His victory in Shanghai was the first for an Italian driver in 20 years, since Giancarlo Fischiella in 2006.On 1 February 2024, Mercedes confirmed that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving after 12 years with the team, having activated an exit clause to sign a multi-year contract with Scuderia Ferrari starting from the 2025 season. Later that year, on 31 August 2024, Mercedes named junior driver Kimi Antonelli as his replacement. On 19 December 2024, Valtteri Bottas was confirmed to return to Mercedes as a reserve driver. However, his second stint with the team was short-lived, as he left before the 2026 season to join the newly formed Cadillac F1 Team. But the 19-year-old has proved his mettle in the first three rounds of the Grand Prix.Mercedes achieved three back-to-back podiums in F1 almost 4 years later, which Hamilton did in almost every race for Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes era (2014–2021): A period of unprecedented dominance
After returning to Formula 1, Mercedes had a period of dominance, largely due to team hero Lewis Hamilton. The period between 2014 and 2021 represents the peak of Hamilton’s dominance in Formula 1 with Mercedes. In those eight seasons, Hamilton won six world drivers’ championships (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020), establishing himself as the defining driver of the hybrid era. The only seasons where he fell short came in 2016, when teammate Nico Rosberg pipped him to the title, and in 2021, when he lost to Max Verstappen in a dramatic and controversial final.
Lewis Hamilton in Mercedes (Mercedes/F1 Image)
By 2019 and 2020, Hamilton’s dominance reached another level. In 2019, he achieved a record-breaking number of points for a single season, demonstrating complete control over the championship. The 2020 season further cemented his legacy, as he equaled Schumacher’s record of seven world titles and surpassed 91 victories at the Portuguese Grand Prix to become the most successful driver in terms of race victories.The 2021 season, however, brought the most dramatic title fight in Formula 1 history. Hamilton achieved the milestone of winning his 100th race but ultimately lost the championship to Max Verstappen in a controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, marking the end of his unbroken run at the top.But it wasn’t just Hamilton’s era. This was the era of Mercedes, when Formula 1 moved from raw speed to balanced energy management. From here, Mercedes took a decisive lead. Their power unit was not only the most powerful on the grid but also the most efficient in energy use and deployment. Unlike conventional engines, hybrid units rely heavily on energy recovery systems. Mercedes quickly perfected this balance. Their engine can produce strong straight-line speed while using less fuel, allowing drivers to push longer without compromising race strategy. Performance also means better thermal management and reliability, two factors that often decide championships over long seasons.This particular element of the engine was fully understood by Hamilton, which he quickly adapted to season after season. This period was known as the Mercedes-Hamilton era, when other teams were competing for second place as Mercedes always had the upper hand, until 2021, when the real decline of Mercedes and Hamilton began.
2022 – The miscalculation that changed everything.
When Formula 1 introduced ground-effect aerodynamics in 2022, it fundamentally changed how cars generate performance. Instead of relying primarily on wings, cars now generate most of their downforce from airflow under the floor. This meant that teams had to rethink everything from the shape of the car to the suspension to the airflow management.Before the teams could fully adapt, Mercedes suffered a psychological blow after losing to Red Bull in 2021, where Max Verstappen won his first championship in the final. The Mercedes era fell apart, and then aerodynamic changes hit the team.Mercedes chose not to follow the traditional design route. Instead, they introduced one of the most radical concepts in modern F1, the “zero side pod” design, where the heavy side structure was almost completely removed.From an engineering point of view, the idea was truly innovative. Traditional side pods guide airflow around the vehicle, but they also create drag and can disturb clean airflow to the rear. In theory, the concept could have ushered in an entirely new design philosophy, giving Mercedes an advantage similar to the one it gained in 2014.Usually, if a concept doesn’t work, teams can gradually change direction. Mercedes couldn’t, because their design was too much and different. Technically, Mercedes lost performance. But psychologically, they lost something even bigger, control. They bet on a revolutionary idea, but in Formula 1, revolution only works if it’s controllable.This four-year stint was not his only downfall. Before winning back-to-back championships, when they returned in 2010, they weren’t even close to contending for the title. But where were they long term?
Origins: 1950s Dominance and Withdrawal
Mercedes’ dominance actually dates back to the 1950s. He entered Formula 1 in 1954, and Juan Manuel Fangio won the championship that year and again in 1955. However, the team withdrew from motorsport after the tragic accident at Le Mans in 1955. Mercedes returned as a works team in 2010, signing the 7-time champion. Michael Schumacher And Nico Rosberg. Although the results between 2010 and 2013 looked modest, the period was a carefully planned rebuild.
Mercedes Formula 1 car of the 1950s (Image: f1)
Behind the scenes, Mercedes was building a long-term system rather than chasing short-term success. This foundation laid the foundation for their dominance in the hybrid era. The results were in favor of the team winning a record 7 championships, until they suffered a psychological setback in 2021.After a period of dominance, Mercedes returned to racing for three consecutive seasons from 2022 to 2025, and then something happened that completely shocked the Formula 1 world.
Hamilton exit: Why it changed everything at Mercedes
When Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes, it wasn’t just a routine driver move, it was the turning point of an era that defined modern Formula 1. Hamilton and Mercedes weren’t just successful, they were interdependent. Over the course of nearly a decade, they formed one of the most dominant partnerships the game has ever seen. But beyond the stats, Hamilton was central to how Mercedes operated. He wasn’t just driving the car, he was shaping its progress. His feedback influenced design philosophy, race strategy, and even team confidence.
Lewis Hamilton Championship (Image: F1)
Now, in 2026, Mercedes’ aerodynamic and engine package is completely under their control. Drivers Andrea Cami Antonelli and George Russell have been active in the engineering process, and the results are visible to the world, with both drivers leading the Grand Prix.Mercedes in F1 is truly the story of the rebirth of an empire. First, they dominated the era of raw speed, then retreated after a tragic accident. When they returned, they learned and created a seven-year reign of dominance, followed by a psychological setback. Now, they are experiencing another rebirth, with a completely different composition within the team.
