Mercedes reveals plans for a ‘Silicon Valley-style’ campus at its Brackley F1 factory

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Mercedes has unveiled the next stage in a £70m renovation of its Formula 1 factory in Brackley, UK, as the team works hard on and off the track to return to winning ways.

Mercedes moved to the site in 2010, when they returned to F1 as a works team after acquiring Brawn GP, ​​with the earlier forms of Honda and British American Racing, dating back to the early 21st century, also based there.

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Having carried out 30 different projects to revamp the design and production facilities at its factory since 2017, Mercedes is now working to an expanded “Silicon Valley-style” parkland campuswhich will house modern buildings, restaurants, gyms and more.

The team’s Net Zero goals lie at the heart of the plans, with power to come from 100% renewable energy through on-site and off-site sources, while a new relocated parking garage, which will turn the campus into a zone pedestrianized, it is configured to incorporate a complete solar array.

Mercedes’ upgraded facilities will also be more efficient in the way they are used, with the team targeting a 50% reduction in water consumption per person per day and achieving more than 60% recycling of office waste.

“Our campus was originally built to accommodate 350 people,” said Mercedes team principal and CEO Toto Wolff. “Today, we are 1,250.”

The new phase of development will see the team make a £30m investment commitment, having purchased the Brackley site outright in 2022.

“The development of the campus over the last five years has occurred at an astounding rate,” Wolff continued. “Now what we plan to do is expand with several new buildings and create a modern-style campus. There will be rest areas, restaurants and a state-of-the-art gym and marketing building.”

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The campus developments will include the creation of a new Health and Wellness Centre, a Gateway Marketing Building at the entrance to the site, as well as a new parking structure, part of which will be shared with Brackley Town Football Club.

This will provide match day enhancements for the community and allow for a near ‘car free’ environment on campus. The parking structure will also feature a full solar array, to enable charging of more than 70 electric vehicles through Mercedes’ own renewable energy infrastructure.

Wolff added: “This is all being done for our people. Here, form follows function, not the other way around. Everything is being done to create a great place to work and spend time. We want it to become its own little town, with all the comforts and benefits you would expect from a Silicon Valley-style environment.”

In addition to its Brackley headquarters, Mercedes has a dedicated engine facility, Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains, located some 27 miles to the north in the village of Brixworth.

For more information on the development of the Brackley headquarters Click here.