F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Mercedes offers glimpse into future high-performance Brackley HQ

Mercedes have unveiled their £70 million development plans to expand the F1 team's home in Brackley into a high-performance, sustainable headquarters campus.

Since 2017, Mercedes have completed more than 30 different projects to reshape the F1 outfit's design and production facilities at its Brackley site.

Various departments have been relocated around the campus to enable works to progress with the team's Clean Rooms, Race Bays, Machine Shop and Subassembly Workshops having now been moved into cutting-edge new facilities.

The team now enters a new phase of development that involves the purchase of adjoining land parcels, including a former railway cutting to enable the expansion of the site.

©Mercedes

Mercedes says the expansion will allow for the construction of showcase facilities for "employee health and wellbeing, new sustainability infrastructure and significantly improved vehicle flows" that will result in "a remarkable parkland campus fit for the winning F1 team of the future".

"Our campus was originally built to accommodate 350 people," explained Mercedes team boss and co-owner Toto Wolff. "Today, we are at 1,250.

"The development of the campus over the last five years was done at an astonishing pace.

"Now, what we are planning to do is to expand with multiple new buildings and creating a modern style campus. There will be breakout areas, restaurants, and a state-of-the-art gym and marketing building."

Mercedes' expansion plans will underscore the team's drive towards sustainability, with net zero buildings powered by 100% renewable energy from "onsite and offsite sources".

This green effort will include a push to make use of reusable and recyclable materials to help biodiversity in the area, with Mercedes setting a recycling target of 60% for office waste.

Mercedes' parking structure which it will share with Brackley Town Football Club will create a "nearly car free" environment embedded with a full array of solar powered charging stations for over 70 electric vehicles.

"This is all being done for our people," added Wolff. "Here, form follows function – not the other way round. It’s all being done to create a great place to work and spend time.

"We want it to become its own little village, with all the amenities and benefits that you would expect from a Silicon Valley-style environment."

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Marko hails ‘pure speed’ of Red Bull’s next champion in the making

Helmut Marko believes that Red Bull’s driver development programme, which has unearthed so many young…

13 hours ago

Horner: Red Bull can take on F1 engine giants, but time needed

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is confident that Red Bull Powertrains can compete with…

15 hours ago

Albon backs Colapinto despite crashes: ‘He’s a fantastic driver’

Alex Albon has defended his interim Williams teammate Franco Colapinto, arguing that the rookie’s costly…

16 hours ago

Happy 'Bert Day' to F1i founder Bertrand Gachot

Today, we at F1i.com raise a celebratory glass to our esteemed founder, Bertrand Gachot, who…

18 hours ago

McLaren’s 2024 Season: A triumph 26 years in the making

McLaren roared back to the pinnacle of Formula 1 in 2024, clinching their first Constructors'…

18 hours ago

Lawson opens up about online abuse following Red Bull promotion

Liam Lawson has revealed that he became the target of online abuse by fans of…

20 hours ago