_______________________________ Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
When Lewis Hamilton took pole at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2023 , Rob Thomas was at home , watching the race , surrounded by his family , and their Romanian cats . It had been a year since the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team ( Mercedes-AMG ) had been on pole , and over half a season since the team experienced a win . “ One of the cats was on my lap , and when Lewis got on pole , I jumped up and the cat clawed my leg ; it was probably really confused about what was going on ,” he shares , elated by the memory . “ That emotion , you just don ’ t get it anywhere else ,” says the Chief Operating Officer . “ Everyone who works here lives for those moments .”
Rob , along with Graham Miller , Gordon Kelly and Darren Burton are some of the leaders that keep the wheels of the Formula One team spinning , both on and off the track . They sit down with Manufacturing Today to discuss the highs and lows of a career in motorsports , and , more importantly , the innovation invested that brings Mercedes-AMG to life . “ It ’ s a funny thing ,” Rob says , “ When you ’ re winning every year , you ’ re the one always being chased , and there is an ongoing pressure of whether you can win it again . Then in 2021 , we lost , and suddenly , we were the ones doing the chasing , and that ’ s a different motivation , which is quite exciting .”
Part of the sport ’ s exhilaration is the pace of continual improvement ; something in which Mercedes-AMG is particularly well-versed . The ability to pivot quickly to industry changes is what saw the team claim seven World Drivers ’ titles and eight World Constructors ’ Championships , all won consecutively . Although it ’ s been approximately two seasons since Mercedes-AMG took the lead in the world of Formula One racing , that hasn ’ t stopped the motorsport business from investing time and skills into producing an exceptional car .
Rob Thomas
COO , Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS
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