Mercedes teams up with Tour de France winners Ineos

Mercedes has announced a new partnership with Ineos Sports sailing and cycling teams to support Mercedes-Benz Applied Science (MBAS).

The reigning Formula 1 world champions are diversifying its engineering efforts with Ineos following the initial success of its new MBAS division to exploit its aerospace and motorsport technology to provide mutual performance gains.

“When Sir Jim Ratcliffe approached us with the concept of bringing together the three organisations, all with proven track records of excellence and high ambitions for the future, we immediately saw the opportunity to grow and diversify our business - and to learn from some of the most successful teams in world sport,” Toto Wolff, Mercedes team principal, said. “"We are very excited about this agreement's potential in the months and years ahead.”

18 engineers in MBAS are currently helping develop a racing boating with Team Ineos UK and Great Britain’s most successful ever Olympic sailor Sir Ben Ainslie in his bid to win the iconic America’s Cup in 2021 by using the same methods and engineering which goes into building Mercedes’ F1 cars.

The new partnership also spreads to its cycling team – who took over as Team Sky sponsor last March - and clinched victory at this year’s Tour de France with Egan Bernal.

After setting up MBAS in March, Mercedes has become the latest F1 organisation to expand its technological involvement and reach following McLaren Applied Technologies, Red Bull Advanced Technologies and Williams Advanced Engineering.

“As with cycling and sailing, Formula 1 is a sport that successfully blends human and machine performance, so we are in a strong position to learn from each other,” Sir Jim Ratcliffe, founder and chairman of Ineos who is also Britain’s richest man, added.

“Collaboration and innovation is a key part of success across our sports teams, which is strengthened by this partnership with Mercedes.”