Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

- EBIT of minus €1,005 million (Q1 2009: minus €1,426 million)
- EBIT includes special factors of minus €604 million for Chrysler and Daimler Trucks
- EBIT from continuing operations of minus €401 million (Q1 2009: minus €1,421 million)
- Industrial free cash flow increases to plus €1.4 billion due to active inventory reductions
- Net loss of €1,062 million (Q1 2009: net loss of €1,286 million)
- Operating profitability expected to improve gradually in the course of the year

Stuttgart, Germany, Jul 29, 2009 – Despite the ongoing worldwide recession, Daimler (stock-exchange abbreviation DAI) succeeded in improving its EBIT from continuing operations compared with the first quarter of 2009 to minus €401 million in the second quarter (Q1 2009: minus €1,421 million). This demonstrates the effects of the programs of measures that have been taken.


Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “Above all at Mercedes-Benz Cars, but also at Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Financial Services, we succeeded in improving earnings in the second quarter compared with the first quarter of 2009. This demonstrates that we are on the right track and that the measures we have taken are having positive effects. However, a comparison with the very good second quarter of last year shows that there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Second quarter of 2009 compared with Q2 2008

Daimler posted EBIT of minus €1,005 million for the second quarter of 2009 (Q2 2008: plus €2,053 million).

The earnings decline in the second quarter of 2009 compared with the second quarter of last year was primarily the result of lower unit sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Buses. An additional factor was the expenditure related to optimizing and repositioning the business operations of the subsidiaries Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation (€204 million) and Daimler Trucks North America (€13 million). Daimler Financial Services posted lower earnings due to the increased cost of risk.

Earnings were also reduced by lower interest rates for discounting non-current provisions as well as by currency effects (in total €214 million). Due to the significant increase in corporate insolvencies in Germany, annual contributions to the German Pension Protection Association can be expected to rise in 2009. The Group recognized proportionate provisions of €78 million for this purpose in the second quarter of 2009.

The fall in earnings was mitigated by the measures taken by the Group to reduce costs and improve efficiency following the onset of the global economic crisis.
In the context of agreements entered into with Chrysler, Cerberus and the US Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) concerning issues still open with regard to Chrysler, Daimler relinquished its 19.9% equity interest in Chrysler effective June 3, 2009 and undertook, as already reported at the end of April, to make three payments of US $200 million into Chrysler’s pension plans, one upon the signing of the agreements and one in each of the next two years. Those agreements resulted in a total expense of €387 million in the second quarter of 2009.

Earnings in the second quarter of 2008 were positively affected by the transfer of shares in EADS (€35 million). There was an opposing effect from charges of €373 million relating to Daimler’s equity interest in Chrysler (see page 11 for special factors).

The Group posted a net loss of €1,062 million (Q2 2008: net profit of €1,395 million) and earnings per share amounted to minus €0.99 (Q2 2008: plus €1.40).

Unit sales down by 31% in second quarter

In the second quarter of 2009, Daimler sold 391,500 cars and commercial vehicles worldwide, which was 31% fewer than in the same period of last year.

The Daimler Group’s second-quarter revenue decreased significantly from €26.0 billion in 2008 to €19.6 billion this year. Adjusted for the exchange-rate effects, revenue fell by 27%.

At the end of the second quarter of 2009, Daimler employed 257,400 people worldwide (Q2 2008: 275,000). Of that total, 162,800 were employed in Germany (Q2 2008: 168,300).

The free cash flow from the industrial business amounted to plus €1.4 billion in the second quarter of 2009, and was affected by the progress made with the reduction of working capital. At Mercedes-Benz Cars for example, vehicle inventories were reduced by about 44,000 vehicles in the second quarter, thus achieving the target that had been set. All the other divisions also reduced their stocks of vehicles.

The Group’s industrial net liquidity increased, also after taking account of the dividend distribution of €556 million in April, from €3.7 billion (end of Q1 2009) to €4.6 billion. This was primarily the result of the positive free cash flow in the industrial business in the second quarter of 2009.

Details of the divisions in the second quarter

In a still-difficult market environment worldwide, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 287,200 vehicles in the second quarter of this year (Q2 2008: 354,000). So although unit sales were 19% below the very good prior-year figure, the car division posted a significant 24% increase compared with the first quarter of 2009, due in part to the full availability of the GLKcompact sport-utility vehicle and the launch of the new E-Class. Revenue fell by 18% compared with the second quarter of last year to €10.6 billion.

The division’s EBIT amounted to minus €340 million and was thus significantly lower than in the prior-year period (plus €1,212 million), but substantially better than the result for the first quarter of 2009. The decline in earnings was mainly caused by the significant decrease in demand for automobiles and the resulting falls in unit sales in the NAFTA region, Germany and the other key European markets. Earnings were additionally reduced by ongoing price pressure and an unfavorable model mix.
There were positive effects on earnings from the measures implemented to optimize operations as well as from the actions taken to adjust personnel expenses.

As a result of the ongoing worldwide market weakness, Daimler Trucks’ second-quarter unit sales decreased by 56% to 54,100 units. However, the division’s market share increased in nearly all its major markets. Revenue fell from €7.4 billion to €4.2 billion.

The division’s EBIT was significantly less than the very high prior-year level at minus €508 million (Q2 2008: plus 608 million). The continuing decline in vehicle shipments was the main reason for the earnings trend in the second quarter of 2009. Other negative factors included the plan approved in May 2009 for the comprehensive realignment of the business operations of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and the actions initiated last year for the repositioning of Daimler Trucks North America, which reduced second-quarter EBIT by €204 million and €13 million respectively. Currency effects also had a negative impact on earnings. There were positive effects from adjusting personnel costs and from other measures that were taken.

Mercedes-Benz Vans significantly increased its unit sales compared with the first quarter to 41,900 vehicles, but was not able to approach the record figure for the prior-year period (Q2 2008: 78,600). Revenue of €1.5 billion was also significantly lower than in the second quarter of last year (€2.6 billion).
The division was also unable to escape the general market development and posted EBIT of minus €10 million for the second quarter (Q2 2008: plus €262 million). Positive effects resulted from efficiency improvements and the development of some currencies .

Daimler Buses sold 8,300 buses and chassis in the period under review (Q2 2008: 11,100). As a result of the recession, demand for chassis was particularly weak in Latin America. In addition to the ongoing contraction of markets in South America, Daimler encountered a sharp drop in demand also in Mexico in the second quarter, whereas unit sales in the United States increased compared with the prior-year period. In Europe, the division’s city-bus business remained stable, while demand for coaches weakened. Due to positive structural effects, revenue fell at a lower rate (-17%) than unit sales to €1.1 billion.

The division achieved EBIT of €49 million and was thus unable to match the excellent earnings of the prior-year period (€170 million). The decrease in earnings was primarily due to the substantial drop in demand.

At the end of the second quarter, Daimler Financial Services’ contract volume amounted to €60.3 billion, close to the level of a year earlier but 5% lower than at December 31, 2008. Adjusted for exchange-rate effects, there was a decrease of 6% from the level at the end of 2008. Compared to the second quarter of 2008, new business decreased by 16% to €6.5 billion.

The division posted second-quarter EBIT of €79 million (Q2 2008: €183 million). The decline in earnings was primarily due to higher expenses for credit risks as well as lower interest-rate margins. Expenditure was also incurred for the expansion of the direct banking business at Mercedes-Benz Bank, which is designed to enhance sales support for the automotive divisions.

Other business activities – in particular the investments in EADS and Tognum, which are accounted for using the equity method – have been included under the item “Reconciliation” since the beginning of 2009.

In the second quarter of 2009, Daimler’s share in the net profit of EADS amounted to €15 million (Q2 2008: €32 million). As a result of the agreements reached between Daimler, Chrysler, Cerberus and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), and the valuation of Chrysler-related assets, expenses of together €387 million were incurred.

Outlook

Based on the divisions’ planning, Daimler expects its total unit sales to decrease significantly in the year 2009 (2008: 2.1 million vehicles).

Mercedes-Benz Cars anticipates a revival of business in the second half of the year. Sales impetus will be provided not only by the full availability of the new E-Class sedan and E-Class coupe, but also by the new generation of the S-Class, which was launched at the end of June 2009. With the S 400 HYBRID and additional high-volume BlueEFFICIENCY models, the entire model range will be supplemented with particularly environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient drive systems. Furthermore, the GLK compact sport-utility vehicle has been available with the new four-cylinder diesel engine as an entry model since the end of March 2009, and the E-Class station wagon will be launched this autumn. With the smart fortwo, new sales potential will be utilized this year with launches in important growth markets such as China and Brazil.

However, Mercedes-Benz Cars will not be able to fully compensate for the weakness in the first half of this year of some major sales markets and market segments. Overall, the division’s unit sales will therefore be lower in 2009 than in the prior year. Lower volumes are anticipated above all in the markets of the United States, Western Europe and Japan. Unit sales should be partially stabilized by growth in the emerging markets, however, particularly in China. The division expects its total unit sales in the second half of the year to be higher than in the first half.
Based on the expected development of unit sales, Mercedes-Benz Cars anticipates a gradual improvement in profitability so that a positive operating result should be achieved in the second half of the year.

As a result of the continuing global economic crisis, Daimler Trucks expects its unit sales to fall significantly in full-year 2009. From today’s perspective, the division assumes that unit sales in the second half of the year will be at the same level as in the first half and that its market shares will at least remain stable. The decline in unit sales will also have an impact on the division’s earnings. The measures taken to reduce costs will only partially offset that negative effect. The expenses of the measures initiated to reposition and restructure Daimler Trucks North Americaand Mitsubishi Fuso will reduce EBIT in full-year 2009.

Due to the ongoing recession in major economies, the Mercedes-Benz Vans division expects unit sales in the second half of the year to be only slightly higher than in the first half. Based on the countermeasures that have been taken, the earnings situation is expected to improve slightly in the coming quarters.

Daimler Buses assumes that demand in its core markets will stabilize at current levels. EBIT is expected to be positive in the second half of the year, despite higher research and development spending for new products.

Daimler Financial Services anticipates rising credit defaults and continued high refinancing expenses in full-year 2009. The division strives to compensate for the increased costs at least partially through its efficiency programs. The operating result for the second half of the year is expected to be slightly positive. Full-year contract volume is likely to be lower than in 2008.

The Daimler Group assumes that its total revenue will decrease significantly in full-year 2009 (2008: €95.9 billion).

As a result of reduced production volumes and the targeted productivity advances, the Group assumes that the number of employees at the end of 2009 will be lower than a year earlier.

At the Group level, measures have been taken with the aim of reducing costs and avoiding additional expenditure in a total amount of €4 billion. As well as reducing labor costs, these actions include reducing fixed costs and further streamlining the Group’s organizational structures. The measures taken will supplement the existing efficiency-enhancing programs. In addition, projects are being examined and those that are not directly relevant to competitiveness are being postponed.

Based on these measures, which will have a full impact in the second half of the year, and due to the launch of the new E-Class, the Daimler Group anticipates a gradual improvement in its operating profitability in the course of the year.
The special items shown in the following table affected EBIT in the second quarters of the years 2009 and 2008:

Copyright © 2009, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

- More than 40,000 vehicles delivered to customers
- E-Class sedan is the global market leader in its segment
- Two new fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines now available in the sedan
- New E-Class station wagon to be launched in fall 2009

Stuttgart, Germany, Jul 27, 2009 - The new E-Class has gotten off to a very successful start, with more than 40,000 units delivered to customers since the market introduction in spring 2009. Mercedes-Benz expects sales of the new E-Class to receive a further boost in the coming months from the vehicle’s introduction in key markets including the U.S. and China and the launch of the new station wagon in fall 2009. The station wagon will celebrate its world premiere at this year's IAA in September. Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars: “The fact that the E-Class sedan already became the global market leader in May demonstrates how well it is being received by our customers. The new coupe is also extremely popular, thanks to its dynamic design and the new generation of efficient engines. We are very delighted with this positive response because the E-Class has always been of great importance for Mercedes-Benz. It's an exemplary embodiment of the brand’s basic attributes of safety, comfort, and quality. The new E-Class also sets the standards when it comes to economy in the upper-range segment.”


The new E-Class models have outstanding fuel economy. The sedan's four- and six-cylinder engines have direct injection systems and consume far less fuel than their predecessors despite their greater output. This month also marked the sales release of two new four-cylinder engines, which combine higher fuel efficiency with the level of driving comfort that is typical of Mercedes-Benz. The two new units round out the Mercedes-Benz engine range in the business class. The E 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY with 100 kW/136 hp consumes 5.2 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers.

And the new E 200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY with direct injection delivers 135 kW/184 hp and consumes only 7.2 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. The model program of the sporty coupe also includes two new four-cylinder engines that require significantly less fuel while offering a clear increase of output and torque. The E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY coupe consumes just 5.1 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers while emitting only 135 grams of CO2 per kilometer, which makes it one of the most economical automobiles in its class.

The special characteristics of the new E-Class include not only a high level of environmental friendliness, but also a unique combination of driver assistance systems. Approximately a dozen different assistance systems are available to customers, including new Mercedes-Benz developments such as Lane Keeping Assist, Speed Limit Assist, and Night View Assist. These technologies make the E-Class a “thinking” partner that can not only see, feel, and respond to dangers by means of its “reflexes,” but also act independently to prevent accidents or minimize their effects.

The new E-Class is the successor of an internationally successful Mercedes-Benz model. About 1.5 million sedans and station wagons of that predecessor model, the 211 series, have been delivered to customers since its market launch six years ago. Over the past 60 years, the eight generations of the E-Class sedan have thrilled ten million customers worldwide, making it the most successful business sedan in the world.

Copyright © 2009, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Budapest, Hungary, Jul 26, 2009

LEWIS HAMILTON
- MP4-24-04
- Started: 4th
- Finished: 1st
- Fastest lap: 1m22.479s (4th)
- Pitstops: two (Op-Op-Pr)
- 2009 points: 19 (8th)

After qualifying fourth, Lewis made a good start but was able to benefit from KERS to charge down to the first turn alongside Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel. He out-braked Mark Webber to briefly hold second before losing traction at the exit and ceding the place back into Turn Two. Nonetheless, he kept up the pressure to pass the Australian around the outside of Turn Two five laps later.


He immediately started to close the gap to leader Fernando Alonso, and took the lead on lap 12 when the Spaniard was the first to pit.

Lewis changed tyres on lap 20 and spent the majority of the second stint establishing a cushion over Raikkonen. With a comfortable margin, he switched to Primes on lap 46 and finished 11 seconds ahead of the Finn. It was Lewis’s first win of 2009 and his 10th career victory in Formula 1.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be back on the top spot after what feels like such a long time and such a struggle,” he said afterwards. “This was one of my best races – I never gave up and, more importantly, neither did anyone in this team. I’m so proud of all the guys. We didn’t expect to win today – we didn’t think we quite had the overall pace – but the car was just perfect to drive, it felt fantastic for the entire race.

“We need to take as much as we can from this weekend. We’ll continue to push because that’s the only way this team knows. Now we want to be winners on a regular basis.

“Finally, my thoughts are with Felipe today. Despite our celebrations, it’s important to remember that there’s a guy lying in a hospital bed tonight, and I think I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that we all had Felipe in our hearts and minds today and we wish him a speedy recovery.”

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
- MP4-24-03
- Started: 6th
- Finished: 5th
- Fastest lap: 1m22.958s (8th)
- Pitstops: two (Op-Op-Pr)
- 2009 points: 9 (12th)

Starting from sixth on the grid, Heikki maintained that position off the grid and steadily progressed upwards, picking up places to briefly run first due to the virtue of his lengthy first stint. Stopping on lap 21, switching to a shorter middle strategy and fitting to his second set of Options, he rejoined behind Mark Webber and spent the entire stint chasing the Australian. Switching to Primes on lap 44, he was unable to vault Webber and also let through Nico Rosberg, who had been closely following the duo. He finished fifth – his third points finish of the season.

“This was a great race for the whole team and particularly for Lewis,” said Heikki. “Hopefully next time it will be me! This victory proves just how much the team has improved the performance of our car during the past few months: this is the result of the hard work of every single man and woman in our team – and this victory must be especially sweet for all of them. Our thoughts are also with Felipe – I want to wish him all the best and hope he’ll be back in Formula 1 soon.”

COMMENTS

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
“Even as recently as four weeks ago, I don’t think many people would have believed you if you’d told them that we’d win the Hungarian Grand Prix in dominant fashion, but that’s exactly what we did today. And the fact that we did just that is a fantastic testimony to what can only be described as a superhuman team effort. Yes, 2009 has been a very hard year for us, but no-one at Woking, Brixworth or Stuttgart ever gave up; we all kept pulling together, we all kept our spirits up, and above all we all kept working. I’m immensely proud of every single one of them.

“And, today, Lewis, who has also never stopped pushing all year, was simply magnificent: there’s no other word. He was in the groove all afternoon, he delivered breathtaking speed where it mattered, and he controlled the race like the winner he is.

“So, going forward, what can I say? We had the strongest car at the Hungaroring this afternoon – and, although it’s an idiosyncratic circuit, we’re confident that we’ll have a reasonable package for Valencia, too. But motor racing is an unpredictable business and the only thing you can bet your house on is that we’ll never stop working. And, more than that, we’ll grow stronger as a result of the difficulties we’ve faced: we’ve learned lessons this year, and for next season we’re aiming to build a car that’s capable of challenging for the world championship from the start of the season, not halfway through it!”

NORBERT HAUG
Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“A sensation! Lewis was a class of his own – a historic win, the first with the KERS Hybrid in Formula 1 – the Silver Arrows are flying again! Unfortunately, Heikki got stuck in traffic, but he was fast and with his fifth place we scored as many points today as in the previous nine races together. We think of Felipe – he would have been capable of being among the best or even to fight for a victory today, as Kimi showed. We wish him a good recovery. Thank you to all our team members who worked so incredibly hard for this success. Now is the summer break and you deserve it.”





Copyright © 2009, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Budapest, Hungary, Jul 25, 2009

LEWIS HAMILTON
- MP4-24-04
P3 programme
- 1m21.009s (19 laps, 1st)

Lewis completed three runs this morning. Starting on Prime tyres, he ran a four-lap stint (1m22.280s fastest time) to measure the changes made to the car overnight. He declared himself more satisfied with the car’s rear-end and completed two further runs – a single lap of 1m22.074s (the run was cut short following Adrian Sutil’s crash into the tyre barrier) and a five-lap run on the Option (1m21.009s). He finished the session fastest overall.


Qualifying
- Q1 1m20.842s (2nd)
- Q2 1m20.465s (2nd)
- Q3 1m21.839s (4th overall)

With a change in weather conditions making the circuit trickier to drive, both drivers struggled for pace this afternoon. Lewis ran three laps on the Prime before switching to Options and setting a 1m20.842s, second fastest. He completed two single-lap runs on Options (1m21.064s and 1m20.465s) in Q2 to again finish second. Into Q2, despite some confusion over the overall positions following a brief failure of the timing system, he set a 1m21.839s to line up fourth, on the dirty side of the track, for tomorrow’s race.

“It was so hard out there this afternoon,” said Lewis. “Maybe we could have been closer to the front because my final lap wasn’t a great one, but fourth is a good position from which to start tomorrow’s race. We’re still not quick enough and need to keep pushing but, nonetheless, it feels great to be back up there competing for the first few rows on the grid.

“I have a few cars to try and boost past so I hope there’s some good grip on my side of the grid – it would be fantastic to get the lead into the first corner.

“Finally, I want to send my best wishes to Felipe. It looked quite a big crash so I just hope he’s okay.”

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
- MP4-24-03
P3 programme
- 1m21.655s (20 laps, 4th)

Three runs for Heikki too this morning. Two four-lappers on Primes (1m22.833s and 1m22.414s bests) and a final run on Options (four laps, 1m21.655s. Like Lewis, Heikki declared himself satisfied with the changes made to MP4-24 overnight. He ended the session fourth overall.

Qualifying
- Q1 1m21.750s (15th)
- Q2 1m20.807s (7th)
- Q3 1m22.095s (6th overall)

Again struggling with grip in Q1, Heikki ran first on Primes (1m22.340s) and then Options (1m21.750s) to finish 15th. He completed two runs on Options (1m21.428s and 1m20.807s) in Q2 to comfortably graduate into Q3. For the final session, Heikki’s best lap placed him sixth overall, on Options, with a 1m22.533s.

Heikki said: “It was harder to find grip on the track this afternoon, and the car was sliding around quite a bit. It was better on heavier tanks, but it was still difficult to get enough heat into the tyres. At one point, I overcooked them – it was tricky to get the right balance, so sixth was the best I could do today.

“The most encouraging thing about today is that we’re much closer to the front. With the same upgrades as Lewis, we’ve made great progress, and it shows the incredible efforts of everybody in the team. I don’t know if any other team in the paddock could have made such a big step. We should all be encouraged by that – but the work starts again to get us back to the very front.

“I really hope that Felipe is okay. I really hope he isn’t injured as it reminds me of my accident in Barcelona last year.”

COMMENTS

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
“Both Lewis and Heikki drove solid laps in Q3, and the result was our best overall qualifying performance of the year so far. We believe we have a good race strategy, and we should therefore be competitive tomorrow. Our goal is to have a car, or ideally cars plural, in podium positions by flag-fall – and that looks possible.

“Felipe’s accident was very unpleasant to watch on the TV monitors, and we all very much hope that he’s sustained only minor injuries from which he’ll make a full and fast recovery.”

NORBERT HAUG
Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“First and foremost, our thoughts are with Felipe Massa who suffered a terrible accident in Q2, which was beyond his control. Hopefully he will recover soon.

“After such a shocking accident, it is difficult to go back to evaluating the performance immediately after qualifying, which turned out to be due to a malfunctioning timing system – more of a guessing session.

“But Lewis and Heikki did great laps and the team has made big steps forward during the last month. Starting from the second and third rows – even if both our drivers will be positioned on the less grippy side – is a good basis for tomorrow’s race. I obviously hope that Lewis and Heikki will be able to ‘do a Nurburgring’ on their colleagues ahead of them by making up, in the best case, respectively three or five places to the first corner.”




Copyright © 2009, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

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Budapest, Hungary, Jul 24, 2009

LEWIS HAMILTON
- MP4-24-04
P1 programme
- 20 laps
- 1m22.554s (3rd)
P2 programme
- 36 laps
- 1m22.079s (1st)

How was today?

“Firstly, I love driving here: it’s quite a complex circuit, very technical, lots of bumps and you need a good rhythm. It’s definitely in my top five tracks on the calendar. We’ve refined the improvements we had at the Nurburgring and they seem to be working, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do to beat the Red Bulls particularly. Nevertheless, it’s encouraging to be able to push the car – I’m happier with it than I’ve been all season.”


Where is MP4-24 lacking pace?

“Over the bumps and at the exits of corners: unlike the Red Bulls and the Brawns, we’re just not able to get the power down as early as them. It’s the speed out of the corners onto the straights where we lose out. Still, the guys at the factory have done an incredible job; I’m looking forward to seeing them next week, just to express how thankful I am for all the hard work they’ve been doing.”

What do you expect for qualifying?

“The front row would be beautiful but, to be honest, I’m just aiming to get into Q3. The car is much more competitive – we’ve come from 2.5s off but we’re still about four to five tenths off the leaders, so we’ve got to keep working to make that up before we can start thinking about winning.”

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN
- MP4-24-03
P1 programme
- 21 laps
- 1m22.278s (1st)
P2 programme
- 36 laps
- 1m22.126s (2nd)

A great result in both sessions – what’s made the difference for you?

“I’ve got the full upgrade package that Lewis raced at the Nurburgring and the car now feels much better to drive. We’ve got a new floor, new front wing, updated bodywork and some small changes to the suspension. It’s a big package – and I know how hard the team has worked to get everything here. There are still components arriving at the circuit today!”

How different does the car feel with the upgrade package?

“The grip level is so much higher now. Stability under braking is much better, and the guys have done a fantastic job to improve the balance at the rear. We still have to keep working hard to make further improvements – but this is a great starting point.”

How positive do you now feel ahead of qualifying?

“I still think we need to look at the data and analyse the strength of the opposition. Of course, it would be fantastic to carry this over into qualifying and the race, but we need to be realistic: I’m sure tomorrow morning will give us a much clearer idea of the position of the Brawns and the Red Bulls. But after today’s performance, I’ll definitely be going for it.”

COMMENTS

MARTIN WHITMARSH
Team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes

How have you managed to achieve such impressive improvements recently?

“The new aero package that Lewis’s car was fitted with in Germany was originally intended for Hungary, but as things turned out we were able to introduce it one race early on one car only. Here, in Budapest, we’ve been able to use it on both cars. It’s a pretty major change, which has taken us down a different aerodynamic route from the one we initially followed with MP4-24’s design, and I think it’s fair to say that that new direction appears to be a fruitful one. In addition, we’ve also made a few extra aero mods over and above the original Hungary aero package, and both drivers have clearly benefited from those mods today. As a result, MP4-24 is now generating a significant amount more downforce than it was at the beginning of the year – and, combined with what was always a pretty sound mechanical package, the result is the performance step we’ve seen today.”

What are Lewis and Heikki saying about the car today?

“A racing driver will always drive up to and including his car’s limits. So, whenever you extend those limits by improving his car’s performance, his initial reaction on his first outing will always be a very positive one, simply because he’s been enjoying exploring new, higher, limits. On his second outing, by which time he’ll have encountered those new, higher, limits, he’ll be making fresh observations. As a result, his feedback will be less positive than it was after his first outing. But that’s exactly as it should be: you want your drivers to be insatiably ambitious, and ours are.”

What can we expect for the rest of the weekend?

“This morning was basically a test session in which we did some disciplined development work and gathered some useful data. This afternoon we turned our attention to trialling race fuel loads and doing tyre comparisons. There were no big issues, and our drivers both performed well. We learned quite a lot today, in fact. For tomorrow, we hope to be able to improve our car’s ride a little, and to continue to optimise its set-up and thereby find a little more speed. We know what programme we were on today in terms of tyres and fuel loads, but we don’t have the same information about our competitors, so it would be foolish to make predictions about the rest of the weekend. Suffice it to say that we hope to qualify well with both cars, from which platform there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to race competitively on Sunday.”

NORBERT HAUG
Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“Quite a constructive first day on this demanding track. Clearly, our KERS Hybrid is a big help around this circuit – particularly in the first sector. But, in addition, it’s obvious that our car in total has improved a lot since Silverstone two races ago. Now we need to continue in the same direction tomorrow and on Sunday in order to finally bring home a creditable and respectable result.”




Copyright © 2009, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

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- The city of Athens is buying 108 Mercedes-Benz Econic vehicles featuring innovative, ecofriendly natural gas technology for use in refuse collection

- This underlines the Greek capital’s commitment to social responsibility and protection of the environment

- The ecofriendly gas drive system performs outstandingly well on emissions, producing up to 90 percent fewer particulate emissions and up to 100 percent less CO2 than an advanced diesel vehicle, for example – thereby making a substantial contribution to improving air quality

Stuttgart/Athens, Germany/Greece, Jul 24, 2009 – The Mercedes-Benz Econic NGT – the ecofriendly special-purpose vehicle for municipal services, collection operations and distribution – keeps city centres cleaner and more pleasant thanks to its low-emission drive system. Recently, the city of Athens decided to deploy the Econic featuring a gas drive system. The Greek capital has ordered 108 new vehicles for urban waste disposal.


In addition to exemplary particulate emission levels, including a reduction of up to 90 percent in soot and particulate matter, the Econic NGT scores highly on its carbon footprint, delivering a 25 percent reduction when run on fossil natural gas and a 100 percent saving with regenerative biogas. Smog-forming pollutants such as NOx are also significantly lower. The Econic with gas drive system therefore fulfils the stringent EEV (Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicle) emission standard, which is much stricter than the current Euro 5 emission standard.

The Econic with gas drive system is also pioneering when it comes to noise emissions. Due to its high octane rating, combustion of natural gas is much quieter than petrol or diesel. As a result, these vehicles are quieter than conventional petrol or diesel vehicles. The natural-gas Econic systematically helps attain environmental targets.

Special-purpose vehicle for municipal use

As a special-purpose vehicle designed for specific applications such as municipal services, collection and distribution, the Mercedes-Benz Econic offers a range of characteristics unlike any conventional truck. It is suitable for waste disposal as well as for use as a firefighting vehicle, tanker or transport vehicle in the distribution sector. Benefits include low access through a wide-opening, fully glazed folding passenger door and a level cab floor based on a low-floor concept. There is also space for up to three passengers.

The lightweight aluminium space cage cab with a low-reaching windscreen provides excellent frontward and all-round visibility coupled with ample headroom for the driver and passengers alike to facilitate entry and exit. The Mercedes-Benz Econic is exemplary in terms of environmental technology, ergonomics, handling and comfort alike.

Copyright © 2009, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Ladies and gentlemen, dear visitors & friends, Mercedes-Benz-Blog is back in business after a long and well-deserved summer rest. At the moment, it is certainly crucial to catch up with all the important news that appeared during the halt, among which we will include:

- Athens chooses the ecofriendly Mercedes-Benz Econic NGT
- F1 Budapest 2009:the complete story, day-by-day
- New E-Class Successfully Launched
- Second-quarter operating result better than in the first quarter despite worldwide recession
- Digitised: The work of photographer Zoltán Glass
- Mercedes-Benz Has the Most Satisfied Customers in the Premium Segment
- Daimler Heritage: TOPICS FOR SEPTEMBER 2009
- The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate: Intelligent (E)state-of-the-art
- Mercedes-Benz Cars Sells 93,900 Passenger Vehicles in July – New E-Class Successfully Launched
- Mercedes-Benz Professional Training: Providing Drivers with a Wealth of Knowledge for 40 Years

So, let's get it started!

Adrian Dorofte,
Editor In-Chief, Mercedes-Benz-Blog


Copyright © 2009, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.