Michael Schumacher Mercedes 2011 Brazilian Grand PrixMercedes-Benz will race as "Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team" during the 2012 season, the car maker announced on Monday.

AMG is the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz, which has a heritage going back more than 40 years.

"Our new team name fuses the proud traditions of AMG and the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows at the pinnacle of motorsport," said Mercedes' motorsport boss Norbert Haug. "These three letters are synonymous with high technology, sporting performance and excitement and this step is a further strong sign of the strategic commitment Mercedes-Benz has made to Formula 1. Sixteen of the 24 drivers on the grid at the season's final Grand Prix in Brazil have, or have had, a connection to Mercedes-Benz.

"In addition to the role of a works team, our commitment to Formula 1 comprises the customer engine program and supply of the official safety and medical cars."

Team principal Ross Brawn added: "We are very proud to reveal our new team name today. It adds another strong performance element to our team's identity and, by virtue of being shared between Brackley and Brixworth [the team's UK bases], will forge even stronger links within our team.

"At the factory, we have been focused for some time on the challenge of 2012, and our very clear ambition to move forward up the grid next year. As always, the winter development and manufacturing processes are a tradeoff between time for finding performance in the factory, and time for delivering that performance during preseason testing. We believe that the decision to run the car at the second winter test is the optimum compromise for our design and development program with F1 W03."