The Mercedes-Benz name resonates with automotive excellence, and its racing heritage is a cornerstone of this reputation. Few machines embody this legacy more profoundly than the W 196 R, a car that redefined Grand Prix racing in the 1950s. Its story is one of innovation, dominance, and the thrilling personalities who piloted it to victory, etching r mercedes benz into the annals of motorsport history.
The W 196 R emerged as a marvel of engineering and design, immediately setting itself apart from its contemporaries. Its streamlined body was a departure from the norm, a breathtaking sculpture of speed. Low and wide, the coachwork flowed with uninterrupted curves, eschewing unnecessary ornamentation. The design language was defined by a prominent open-mouth grille, essential cooling inlets sculpted into the rear haunches, and subtle character lines elegantly molded above the front wheel arches. This design element became a hallmark across the 300 SL lineage, establishing a visual link and a proud lineage within r mercedes benz sports-racing cars. The W 196 R’s body was, and remains, a stunning embodiment of aerodynamic artistry, a visual feast rivaling the most captivating sports racers and supercars of its time in sheer aesthetic appeal.
These groundbreaking streamlined bodies were meticulously handcrafted in extremely limited numbers by the Mercedes-Benz racing department. Employing Elektron magnesium alloy, a material even lighter than aluminum, they achieved a remarkably light shell, weighing in at just over 88 pounds. While the open-wheel variants also utilized lightweight alloy, production of the coachwork later transitioned to steel bodies manufactured at Sindelfingen.
Throughout the 1954 and 1955 racing seasons, the streamlined enclosed-wheel body and the open-wheel grand prix-style body were strategically deployed, depending on the track and conditions. Internally, the enclosed-wheel coachwork was designated Stromlinie, meaning Streamline, leading to these cars being known today as Streamliners or Stromlinienwagen (streamlined car). Coupled with its formidable mechanical specifications and the aerodynamically efficient, lightweight body, the W 196 R possessed blistering speed, exceeding 186 mph. This made it one of the fastest Grand Prix cars ever conceived, solidifying r mercedes benz‘s position at the forefront of racing technology.
1954: The Realization of a Perfect Plan for r mercedes benz
Alfred Neubauer, the legendary and long-serving manager of the Mercedes-Benz racing team, understood that even the most advanced machine needed exceptional talent behind the wheel to achieve victory. Early in the W 196 R’s development, the strategic decision was made to assemble a dream team of drivers. While German veterans Karl Kling and the promising Hans Herrmann were initially signed, the brightest star to join the team was undoubtedly the Argentinian maestro, Juan Manuel Fangio.
In the late 1950s, Juan Manuel Fangio’s fame transcended the boundaries of motorsport. The five-time Formula One champion became a global icon, his name synonymous with speed and skill, much like Lewis Hamilton in contemporary times. Grandstands around the world echoed with the passionate chants of “FONN-GEE-OHHH!” whenever he raced.
However, in early 1954, before achieving this global celebrity status, Fangio was a talent on the cusp of greatness. His credentials were already impressive, highlighted by his first Drivers’ Championship for Alfa Romeo in 1951. But the subsequent disbanding of the Alfa Romeo team in 1952 and the FIA’s temporary shift from Formula One to Formula Two racing saw Ferrari dominate the following two years. Fangio persevered with Maserati, achieving victories in sports car racing, but further championships remained elusive. As he entered his early forties, some began to wonder if Fangio’s peak years were behind him.
Fortunately for Fangio, his exceptional abilities had not gone unnoticed in Stuttgart. Alfred Neubauer, always seeking the best drivers, vividly remembered Fangio’s remarkable performance for Alfa Romeo at the 1951 Swiss Grand Prix – a dominant display that included pole position, fastest lap, and a first-place finish. Neubauer reached out to Fangio’s agent, and a contract was secured for the 1954 season with r mercedes benz. However, as the 1954 season commenced, the new r mercedes benz challenger was still under development. This led Fangio to continue racing for Maserati in the first two rounds of the 1954 Formula One season, where he remarkably won both the Argentine and Belgian Grands Prix. Following the Belgian Grand Prix triumph, Fangio officially joined the r mercedes benz team.
July 1954 marked the highly anticipated debut of the new r mercedes benz race cars at the French Grand Prix in Reims. The team unveiled a trio of W 196 R Streamliners, and their very presence was awe-inspiring, unlike anything seen before in Formula One. Team drivers Fangio, Kling, and Herrmann qualified in 1st, 2nd, and 7th positions, respectively. Herrmann went on to set the fastest lap of the race, while Fangio and Kling secured a dominant 1-2 finish. This race was a resounding victory for r mercedes benz upon their long-awaited return to Grand Prix racing.
Fangio secured pole position for the British Grand Prix in late July, but rain-soaked conditions resulted in a 4th-place finish. The team rebounded strongly at the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in early August. They entered a four-car team, comprising three open-wheel cars and one Streamliner. This race marked the debut of the open-wheel configuration of the W 196 R. Fangio again claimed pole position and went on to win, with Kling finishing 4th, both driving open-wheel cars. At the Swiss Grand Prix three weeks later, a three-car team, all open-wheel, achieved similar results, with Fangio once again victorious and Herrmann securing 3rd place, further cementing r mercedes benz‘s dominance.
For the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in early September, r mercedes benz entered two Streamliners and one open-wheel car, based on testing that suggested the closed-fender coachwork would be faster on the high-speed circuit. During the race, a young British privateer named Stirling Moss, driving a Maserati 250F, led for an impressive 19 laps before retiring due to a cracked oil tank. Fangio, in a Streamliner, and Herrmann, in an open-wheel car, cruised to 1st and 4th place finishes, respectively. The performance of the talented Englishman, Moss, likely caught the attention of Rudolf Uhlenhaut and Alfred Neubauer, always on the lookout for future stars for r mercedes benz.
Two weeks later, the W 196 R cars participated in a non-championship race, the Berlin Grand Prix, held at the AVUS circuit. With no championship points at stake, this event was primarily a public relations showcase for enthusiastic German fans. Three Streamliners, piloted by Kling, Fangio, and Herrmann, effortlessly swept the podium, achieving a 1-2-3 finish for r mercedes benz.
At the Spanish Grand Prix in late October, the final race of the year, Fangio achieved a team-best 3rd place finish among three open-wheel entries. The legend of Juan Manuel Fangio grew, and his second Drivers’ Championship was secured. The immediate and potent impact of the r mercedes benz W 196 R Silver Arrow was undeniable, successfully thwarting Ferrari’s ambition for a third consecutive Formula One championship.
Amidst this period of immediate dominance for the W 196 R, chassis number 00009/54, a car of particular historical significance, was completed. Originally built as an open-wheel monoposto on the 1954-specification 2,350-millimeter long-wheelbase chassis, and designated with a ‘54’ suffix in its chassis number (cars from 1955 featured a ‘55’ suffix), chassis number 00009/54 began testing on December 15, 1954. For chassis number 00009/54, and for the victorious r mercedes benz racing team as a whole, even greater achievements were on the horizon in the season ahead.
CHASSIS NUMBER 00009/54 IN COMPETITION: OPEN-WHEEL FOR r mercedes benz
For the 1955 season, the W 196 R underwent further development to maintain its competitive edge. The engine received numerous enhancements, including a new intake manifold, and the decision was made to utilize the open-wheel grand prix bodies for almost all of the 1955 races. These revised cars were approximately 70 kilograms (154 pounds) lighter than their 1954 predecessors. Further testing revealed that the 1954 W 196 R’s performance had been somewhat compromised by its Continental tires. Consequently, the tire manufacturer was tasked with developing an improved product, and their off-season development proved to be a crucial improvement for the updated car, demonstrating r mercedes benz‘s commitment to continuous improvement.
The Rennabteilung (racing department) continued to pursue top driving talent, recruiting the rising 25-year-old British star from Monza, Stirling Moss, to join their stable of drivers. Moss would later become a celebrated figure in his own right, one of the most renowned British racing drivers. Although his career was tragically cut short by an accident in 1962, he remained a passionate advocate for motorsports and a staunch supporter of the automotive world throughout his life, even serving as a brand ambassador for r mercedes benz in his later years. His lifelong contributions to the sport and the British motoring scene were recognized in 2000 when he was knighted by the future King Charles.
But in the early 1950s, Moss was still developing as a privateer, a journey that began with his victory at the 1950 Tourist Trophy. To realize his ambition of securing a spot on the r mercedes benz team, in 1953 he acquired and raced a true Formula One specification car, the Maserati 250F. Despite the 250F’s occasional unreliability, Moss demonstrated considerable potential during several impressive qualifying sessions. Neubauer took note, particularly after the events of the 1954 Italian Grand Prix. By December 1954, Moss was hired by r mercedes benz and began practicing in the W 196 R, immersing himself in the car’s intricacies and marveling at the Rennabteilung’s highly professional team environment.
Moss later wrote about the r mercedes benz team, “Their thoroughness and thoughtfulness amazed me from the very beginning. It was like being in a different world…Every course where the cars raced was analyzed mathematically…Neubauer himself used to mark and time gearchanges, lap after lap…Drivers were listened to and respected, which often doesn’t happen on other top teams…Nothing was too much trouble—and they were willing to try anything which might improve performance.” This quote perfectly encapsulates the r mercedes benz ethos of relentless pursuit of perfection.
There was no doubt that r mercedes benz‘s unwavering commitment had yielded remarkable results in 1954, and it was poised to achieve even greater success with Moss joining the team. However, it was Fangio who once again set the winning tone, securing victory at the opening round of the 1955 Formula One season at the Argentine Grand Prix on January 16, 1955. With the next Formula One points event not scheduled until late May, the team remained in Argentina to conduct live-action testing during the Buenos Aires Grand Prix. The Formula Libre race’s open regulations made it an ideal testing ground for Formula One teams, including r mercedes benz.
The Formula Libre Buenos Aires Grand Prix on January 30, 1955, marked the first race for the historically significant chassis number 00009/54, driven by none other than Juan Manuel Fangio as car #2. According to Rennabteilung build sheets and recent confirmation from r mercedes benz, chassis number 00009/54 was equipped with a “Sport 59” engine, believed to be code for the 3.0-liter M196 engine, and fitted with an open-wheel monoposto body. One of the team’s primary objectives for this non-Formula One event was to test this new iteration of the M196 engine, which was intended for use in the upcoming W 196 S sports car, the legendary 300 SLR. Moss, Kling, and Herrmann joined Fangio, each racing an open-wheel car, in this crucial testing and development race for r mercedes benz.
