The Mercedes MGP W02 is a Formula One racing car, the second car designed and built by Mercedes Grand Prix after buying 2009 World Constructors' Champions Brawn GP. The car was driven by seven-time World Drivers' Champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg in the 2011 Formula One season. The car was unveiled at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain on 1 February 2011. Two days before the car was unveiled, Mercedes released a render of the car showing a more traditional approach to the airbox than the one Mercedes used on the MGP W01 chassis and a darker silver livery. Both Schumacher and Rosberg drove the car on the first day of the Valencia tests.
The MGP W02, driven by Michael Schumacher in the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix
The 2011 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on 11 September 2011 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza in Italy. It was the thirteenth round of the 2011 Formula One season and was also the sixtieth time the Italian Grand Prix had been held at Monza. The 53-lap race was won by Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel, the World Drivers' Championship leader, after he started from pole position. Jenson Button finished in second place for McLaren, and Fernando Alonso completed the podium in third position for Ferrari.
Karun Chandhok drove for Team Lotus in the first free practice session.
Sebastian Vettel took pole position, at a circuit where Red Bull Racing have never had a front row start before, by half a second from Lewis Hamilton.
Pastor Maldonado crashed in Q1 breaking the car's nose, but still managed to set a fast enough time to progress to Q2, eventually qualifying fourteenth.