Zetsche: Last year we sold more cars than ever...

Success in Formula 1 as a marketing tool is translating perfectly into Mercedes' road car sales according to Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche, with El Confidencial reporting that growth in Mercedes' sales has been 20 per cent since the start of the new 'power unit' era."

Mercedes returned to Formula 1 as a constructor in 2010 and has won the last two titles with dominant performances on track. Accounts show that Mercedes sold 1,722,600 units in 2014, which is an all-time high and up from 1,565,600 in 2013.

Zetsche claims part of Mercedes recent sales success is linked their participation in F1, "Last year we sold more cars than ever."

"Certainly it's difficult to scientifically develop a correlation between our efforts and success in motor sport and our success on the business side."

"But I'm totally convinced that it is not by accident that in the last three years our brand has developed a fantastic momentum and coolness factor and this resulted ultimately in lots of sales."

"At the same time we took off in motor sport and I think that is not by accident, there is a strong correlation in both directions."

"The mindset is one important element and if you get a winner's mindset and you do not get arrogant, that gives you a lot of power and energy going forward."

Zetsche is convinced Formula 1 remains a useful marketing tool for Mercedes, "We are convinced that the Mercedes brand is defined on the one hand by its intelligence and coolness that is a factor that is based on rationality and on the other side emotions."

"Motor sport represents both. On the one hand it is pure emotion but on the other requires intelligence of the best technical solutions at the same time."

Team boss Toto Wolff, however, has gone on the record this week to question the size of the current F1 calendar, featuring an unprecedented 21 grands prix.

But Zetsche seems happy, explaining: "There are hundreds of millions of viewers of each race worldwide, and this is only comparable to events like the world cup or Olympics.

"The difference is that they take place every four years and yet we have 21 races this year. It is a great platform and therefore extremely important to us."