Year 2010 brings to the grid two of the most iconic names in Formula 1. Mercedes GP makes its reentry into F1 after 55 years by taking over the 2009 title winners Brawn GP. Following this take-over was probably the most controversial and shocking casting coup ever in Formula 1. Michael Schumacher left his worshippers shell-shocked as he signed up with rivals Mercedes after a three year break. The McLaren Mercedes-Ferrari rivalry was scorching hot and more often then not, Michael gave the Tifosi a reason to stand tall. The lethal Ross Brawn-Mercedes-Schumacher combination will be the one to watch out for in the 2010 season.

Mercedes had supplied engines to the Ross Brawn headed team for the 2008 season, powering them all the way to the top of the Constructors Championship. Brawn GP stormed its way through the 2009 season, accumulating up valuable points and acclaim. Ross Brawn entered his team officially on the 17th March 2009, and in the first race of the season, the Australian GP, racked up the top row of the grid in qualifiers and went on to bag the 1-2 finish. The result was not a flash in the pan, as Brawn GP continued its top class performance through the season, upsetting the usual monotony of the McLaren-Ferrari dominance. At the end of the season, Brawn GP stood tall, having won, both, the Constructors and the Drivers Championship (Jenson Button).

Mercedes then took over the team in December 2009, in partnership with Aabar Investments at a reported £110m for a 75.1% stake. Ross Brawn in partnership with Nick Fry will hold on to the remaining 24.9%. Mercedes GP had previously competed in the Formula 1 for two seasons, 1954-55, and had been quite successful. Jaun Manuel Fangio and Sterling Moss were in the Driver’s seat, steering the Mercedes GP team to the Championship wins. The team withdrew after the 1955 season, and, was not a part of the F1 scene till the 1993 season when they supplied engines to Sauber. Then they went on to buy a small stake in McLaren, whilst supplying the engines to them. The partnership won three Drivers Championships and one Constructors Championship. Mercedes has also supplied engines to 2009 Championship winners Brawn GP and new entrants Force India.

Michael Schumacher is probably the most iconic driver in the history of F1 and is a name recognizable to laymen and folks across the world. The seven time Drivers Championship winner started his career with Jordon-Ford team in 1991 Belgian Grand Prix, replacing the imprisoned Bertrand Gachot. He then went on to race for Benetton and Scuderia Ferrari, bagging the Drivers and the Constructors Championships for both the teams. A little known fact is that Michael Schumacher started early with The Mercedes junior racing programme in the World Sports-Prototype Championship and a clause in his contract stated that if Mercedes ever enters a team in F1, he shall join it. We wonder if this is the reason Schumacher agreed to desert his Ferrari fans to join the Mercedes GP team.

Michael Schumacher has had a brilliant racing career, and at the end of 1996 season, he announced his retirement. At that point of time, he was statistically the greatest driver ever to grace the grid. Setting records for most number of wins, fastest laps, pole positions, championships, points accumulated and the dazzling 2002 season in which he finished on the podium for every race in the season. Well, Schumi’s career is also peppered with controversy and has been sledged quite a number of times for his aggressive driving. He was also disqualified for the 1997 season for the crash with Villeneuve’s Williams in the final race at Jerez, Spain.

Filipe Massa’s head injury in the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2009 called for Michael Schumacher to step into his place for the remaining season. Schumacher was not cleared to race as he too was suffering from a neck injury sustained in a bike crash earlier that year. The Tifosi were disappointed when their hero was not going to scorch the tracks again, but that is nothing compared to the shock that they felt when they heard that ‘their boy’ was abandoning them and shifting to Mercedes. Loads of people will shift their loyalty, but the same number will be highly critical of the move.

All in all, when the five lights go off for the 2010, we will be treated to some explosive racing, arguably the best ever experienced!