Sunday race action - Nico Rosberg of Mercedes AMG Petronas at the 2012 European GP. Image courtesy of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team.The following is a feature by Austinite Mike Boone. Mike is an avid F1 fan and he prepared this information to educate guests at tonight's networking event with EuroCircle at Javelina. We think it will be a great primer for new F1 fans, so we'll have copies to distribute at the event.

// What do you need to know about the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 team? Here are some helpful facts:

The first Mercedes involvement in Formula One came four years after the first race in 1954. Mercedes has also served as an engine provider to other teams with their engines winning two constructors and four driver’s championships. The current team has been competing since 2010 after the purchase of Brawn GP.  As a constructor Mercedes have won two drivers championships and ten races in Formula One.

Mercedes' drivers for 2012 are Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, although it is now known that Schumacher is retiring at the end of 2012 while Lewis Hamilton, currently at McLaren Mercedes is joining Rosberg at Mercedes AMG Petronas.  Also, Mercedes AMG currently supply McLaren and Force India with engines.

The name for the Mercedes constructor in was changed for 2012, the team removed the GP from their name and added AMG, the high performance division of Mercedes.

At the China race this year Nico Rosberg won first pole position for Mercedes since Fangio last did it in 1955.  Rosberg went on to win the Chinese Grand Prix this race which was the first win in China, in 57 years.

// About the Team

Full name: Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team (2012 – )

Base: Brackley, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom

Team Principal: Ross Brawn

CEO: Nick Fry

Technical Director: Bob Bell

Website: www.Mercedes-AMG-F1.com

Previous name: Brawn GP Formula One Team

// 2012 Formula 1 Season

Drivers: #7 Michael Schumacher and #8 Nico Rosberg

Test Driver: Sam Bird

Chassis: Mercedes F1 W03

Engine: Mercedes-Benz

Tires: Pirelli

// F1 World Championship Career

Debut: 1954 French Grand Prix

Latest Race: 2012 European Grand Prix (photo above was taken there)

Races completed: 57

Constructor's Championships: 0

Drivers' Championships: 1954 and 1955

Race Victories: 10

Pole Positions: 9

Fastest Laps: 9

The information above was compiled from the Mercedes AMG Petronas website and Wikipedia.