The man who brought Mercedes back to motor racing has passed away

Jurgen Hubbert, the former boss at Mercedes, died this week at the age of 81. Hubbert worked for the Stuttgart-based marque from the 1960s and had a prominent role in the company's management from the late 1980s. Under his leadership, Mercedes returned to the world of motorsport.

After the tragic accident at Le Mans in 1955, in which Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh and 82 spectators died, Mercedes turned its back on motor racing for more than 30 years. It was Hubbert who took the courageous decision to return in 1987.

They did so initially in the DTM and Group C (Le Mans) and from the early 1990s also as an engine supplier in Formula 1 and IndyCar. With Hubbert at the helm, they won three world titles as McLaren's engine supplier. The last one with Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

Hamilton therefore had some nice words for the late German on Instagram. "I am very saddened by the news about our friend and family member. He was a racer at heart. I enjoyed our chats and his enthusiasm for racing. His commitment to Mercedes and the team over the years was inspiring."