Mercedes GP was born when Brawn GP's amazingly successful combined inaugural and valedictory year in F1 prompted the car manufacturers' großen Käse to buy a controlling interest in the team at the end of 2009.

The takeover was not intended to cause any undue instability, however; the new team would continue to be based in Brackley, less than 30 miles from Mercedes's F1 engine factory in Brixworth, giving the whole operation a distinctly German flavour.

The team pulled off a bit of a coup - or scored a massive own goal, depending on where your loyalties lie - by signing Michael Schumacher on a three-year contract, which sees the seven-time champion reinstated as the sport's undisputed number-one villain and, dare we say, wanker.

Sponsorship for 2010 comes from Malaysian oil company Petronas, whose turqoise logo should clash nicely with the dreary grey livery traditionally favoured by Mercedes.