F1 2015 team preview: Mercedes - MotorSportsTalk

Mercedes AMG Petronas

Drivers
No. 44 Lewis Hamilton
No. 6 Nico Rosberg

First Race: 1954 French Grand Prix
Grands Prix: 108
Pole Positions: 35
Fastest Laps: 25
Race Wins: 29
Constructors’ Championships: 1
2014 Championship Result: 1st (701 points)

Mercedes enters the 2015 season facing a race to repeat last year’s record-breaking campaign that comprised of 16 wins and 18 pole positions. The W05 Hybrid was the class of the field, taking to the new technical regulations seamlessly and leaving the rest of the grid trailing in its wake. The challenge in 2015 is to build upon this. Both Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have admitted that they are wary of Ferrari and Williams’ pace, yet in winter testing, it appears that the Silver Arrows have lost none of their advantage.

This could turn out to be another season of devastating dominance from Mercedes. It may be an ominous forecast, but the stiffest challenge that Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg will face for the title this year will be each other – and we all know how explosive that was last year.

LEWIS HAMILTON No. 44

Hamilton’s title victory last November was nothing short of sensational. After overcoming all of the pitfalls that were laid in front of him, he picked up 193 of a possible 200 points to finish the season. The Briton now has a chance to truly establish himself as one of F1’s all-time greats by securing a third world title, but Rosberg will be hungry to get his own back after losing out last season. Hamilton knows he is the quicker driver though, and in reality, the biggest rival that Lewis faces this year is Lewis himself. He needs to put the off-track dramas and fame to one side and let his racing do the talking. He is the favorite for 2015, though.

NICO ROSBERG No. 6

Seems hard to believe, but 2015 will already mark Rosberg’s 10th season in Formula 1. His ninth was his best yet, as he made the leap from race winner to title contender, but the measure of his 2015 season will be how well he can convert his qualifying performances into results on Sundays. He finally experienced the pressure cooker of a yearlong championship fight last year, and having lost one he now knows what he must improve upon in order to win the inter-team battle that will likely determine the World Champion.

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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”