Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn is delighted at finally being able to uphold a promise he once made to Nico Rosberg.
For Brawn, Sunday’s triumph in China was one of many victories he has been able to savour throughout a brilliant career that has seen him at Benetton, Ferrari and his own team for a year in 2009 prior to Mercedes’ takeover.
Naturally, it was still a considerably significant achievement, but more so for Rosberg who finally stood on top of a podium for the first time in 111 grands prix and in his seventh season in Formula One.
The wait for a victory has been a long time coming for the 26-year-old German. So too for Mercedes after their return to the sport at the start of 2010. That followed a 55-year hiatus, bowing out of the sport in 1955 with the drivers’ title courtesy of the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio.
“All wins are very special to be honest,” said Brawn. “But as someone reminded me, I was one year old when we (Mercedes) last won a race, so this is a very special victory.
“It’s made all the sweeter because it is Nico’s first, and I am really delighted. That’s because I told him once it was my ambition to help him win his first race, and we’ve achieved it.”
The question now is whether it was a one-off, or has Rosberg opened the floodgates to more success? “He’s pretty composed anyway, but it will be fascinating to watch, to see what this does with Nico, his approach,” added Brawn. “But I have to say he’s very professional, so I don’t expect a huge change, but certainly it will be a boost for him.”
With Mercedes, it is all about the management of the tyres, a feat they achieved superbly in Shanghai, in contrast to the opening two races in Australia and Malaysia.
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