Michael Schumacher almost came all the way from P23 to earning a championship point, but had to settle for a scoreless eleventh-place finish at the 2012 Japanese Grand Prix. Mercedes AMG Petronas teammate Nico Rosberg never set a lap after a collision in the first corner that also knocked out championship frontrunner Fernando Alonso.
Schumacher got engaged in a tight matchup against the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo at the end, but the Australian edged him out by 0.85 seconds to claim the final championship point at stake in the race.
With Alonso getting eliminated, Sebastian Vettel won the race and inched closer to the lead in the championship race. Only four points separate him from Alonso now (190 to 194), with Kimi Raikkonen a distant third at 157 points. Felipe Massa took second place, and Kamui Kobayashi took the last podium slot. He also became the third Japanese driver to claim a podium finish, and he did it in his home race, to boot.
"I have mixed feelings after the race here in Japan, because it’s obviously unfortunate to come so close to scoring points and not manage it, after a race which went better than we expected," said Schumacher. "
I had a good start to the race but unfortunately it ended fairly quickly today," said Rosberg. "In the first corner Grosjean spun into Webber and that also led to my accident. I began to brake but Senna crashed into me from behind which destroyed my rear tyre and meant that I had to retire."
The team is already looking forward to a stronger performance for the Korean Grand Prix, and hopefully, there will be some championship points gained next weekend.
In the UK, Mercedes-Benz relied on the social media and microblogging platform Twitter to determine the outcome of its latest TV spots for the new A-Class.
The series of ads cover 3 TV spots that aired during The X Factor over the weekend, with the first ad airing during the first commercial break on the Saturday airing, and the second spot in the next break. The third spot will then air during the Sunday episode.
The campaign, through Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, called upon Twitter users to vote for what actions the central characters in the ads should perform next, using the hashtag #YOURDRIVE. That will determine the outcome for the third spot, which runs 90 seconds and features a recap of the initial two spots.
The spots feature a professional driver and a musician (Kane Robinson) going to some secret performance, all the while being pursued by police, vans and helicopters and all.
Using social media has proven to be an excellent way to engage younger audiences, which the A-Class is targeting. By putting the outcome in the hands of the viewers, the campaign becomes more memorable and brand-building becomes more participatory and thus more effective.
"It’s a modern Mercedes-Benz that encourages people to do what we know they enjoy―to get involved," said Mercedes-Benz UK marketing director David George. "In doing so, we hope to really cut through, and create a positive, lasting impression on their view of the brand."
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