F1 Timeline: Mercedes' rise to dominance

Step #2: Bringing together the Dream Team

Ross Brawn brought Michael Schumacher out of retirement

With the team still in the very early stages of development, Brawn turned to his partner in crime with whom he had created a legendary partnership at Ferrari - probably the greatest driver of all time, Michael Schumacher.

Brawn persuaded Schumacher to come out of retirement, and they both went about working on the new project. A German legend driving a German car also helped with the sponsors, and Mercedes GP was finally on the grid with all the boxes ticked.

With Schumacher signed, Mercedes got hold of another German driver in Nico Rosberg to drive alongside him.

Schumacher, along with the driving duties, was pretty instrumental in setting up the operations and running of the team too (as it was revealed later). His inputs and feedback were said to have helped really propel the team forward.