The Formula One season ended just a week ago, but the news has been piling up. In fact, much of the news coming through now is probably information that some put off announcing until after the season.
For instance, this morning the Mercedes GP team made an announcement that it would henceforth officially be named Mercedes AMG Petronas. AMG is the performance brand of Mercedes, and the team has decided this is a good way to emphasize the link to the sporting side of Mercedes.
“Our new team name fuses the proud traditions of AMG and the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows at the pinnacle of motorsport,” said Norbert Haug, the director of Mercedes motorsports. “These three letters are synonymous with high technology, sporting performance and excitement and this step is a further strong sign of the strategic commitment Mercedes-Benz has made to Formula One.”
Yesterday’s big news came in bundles from the annual Autosport Awards ceremony for the year’s standout performances, where fortunately, there were few surprises. It was clear which drivers should win what awards and Autosport did not get it wrong.
Sebastian Vettel won International Racing Driver of the Year. In an interview with Autosport he said it would be tough to repeat that feat next year.
“There have been very few mistakes over this year, nearly faultless, from all of us – so it is never easy. But we will have to push very hard,” he said. “People will catch up, and it will be very tight as it has been at times this year. But I am looking forward to it, and that is what it is all about.”
Jenson Button, who was the second best driver in F1 this year, won British Competition Driver of the Year.
And Paul di Resta, who scored the most points of the five rookies in F1 this year, won the Rookie of the Year award.
The documentary film about Ayrton Senna won the Pioneering and Innovation award.
The Red Bull RB7 won the Racing Car of the Year award – and it really was the best.
That sums up the awards and the F1 highs of the year.
Unfortunately today’s news is a low: Peter Gethin, the winner of the 1971 Italian Grand Prix, died at the age of 71 after an illness. Gethin drove for BRM, McLaren and Embassy Hill Lola. The Italian Grand Prix that he won had five drivers finishing within .61 seconds.