The Mercedes became the most expensive formula 1 car in history

A Mercedes run by Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss could become the most expensive car prix in history at an auction this weekend.

The W196 R Stromlinienwagen, the “aerodynamic car”, will pass under the hammer in Stuttgart, Germany, on Saturday at an objective price of $ 52 million (€ 50 million).

To put the figure in context, that is almost double the current record of a Formula 1 car, which was established by another Mercedes, the W196 that was sold for $ 29 million for 10 years.

The award for the highest price never paid by a sports car also belongs to Mercedes, with a 1955 300SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sold for $ 140 million in May 2022.

One of the four complete examples that exist, the W196 R will be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s on behalf of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which has owned the car since 1965.

“Without a doubt, it is the most beautiful racing car in the world and of all time,” said Marcus breitschwerdt, head of the Mercedes-Benz inheritance Reuters.

“Nothing can be compared. It is simply a masterpiece of style and design. “

“It’s very fast. The maximum speed is actually beyond 300 km / h.

“I would not expect too much effort to return to driving condition. And we will gladly offer whoever buy the car to do it for them. ”

Mercedes won titles with the W196

Like the W196 that was sold in 2013, Fangio, a five -time world champion of Formula 1.

The Argentine led the chassis 00009/54, which is in auction this weekend, when he He won the 1955 Argentine Grand PrixA race that did not count for the World Championship.

Fangio’s teammate, Stirling Moss, ran the same chassis at the Italy Grand Prix in 1955, where she forced her to retire.

The car will be auctioned in its Monza free with the “streamliner” body and complete documentation.

The W196 made its debut in 1954, when Mercedes returned to Grand Prix Racing for the first time after World War II and participated in the World Formula 1 championship for the first time.

Derived by the W194, which had triumphed in the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1952, the W196 did not go on the track to the France Grand Prix, the fourth race of the 1954 championship.

The wait was worthwhile when Mercedes obtained a 1-2 end, with Fangio, who had joined the Silver Arrows at the beginning of the Maserati season, ending before the Karl Kling teammate.

The body “Augurio” with closed wheels proved to be formidable in Reims, a high -speed track with only three corners.

However, the open wheel version was favored in the slower circuits and the transmission body only appeared twice in the 1954 season, in the British and Italian Grands Prize.

Fangio finished fourth in Silverstone and won in Monza, claiming a third consecutive victory after triumphing in Germany and Switzerland to ensure his second world title.

The W196 remained so successful the following season, with Fangio winning in Argentina and Belgium, in addition to taking first place in the prize of great Dutch and Italians while Moss triumphed in the homeland in the British Grand Prix in Aintree.

The W196 transmitter made its last appearance in Italy when Moss led the chassis 00009/54, which was equipped with closed wheel body.

How Mercedes went from tragedy to succeed

But after winning nine of the 12 races of the World Formula 1 championship, he entered, the W196 retired abruptly at the end of the 1955 season when Mercedes left motoring after the tragedy hit Le Mans.

Driving a Mercedes 300 SLR, Pierre Levegh crashed into the crowd, committing suicide and 83 spectators in the process.

It is the most catastrophic accident in the history of motor racing. The incident led to national prohibitions to automotive sports in several European countries, including France, Western Germany and Switzerland.

Mercedes returned to Formula 1 as a motor manufacturer in 1994, winning the title of a builders and the titles of three drivers as a McLaren engines provider.

Silver arrows finally returned to the network in 2010When the Mercedes parent company, Daimler, bought a 45% participation at Brawn Grand Prix, which had won the drivers and builders titles the previous year.

From his return, Mercedes has won eight consecutive constructors between 2014 and 2021 along with the titles of seven drivers, Six with Lewis Hamilton and one with Nico Rosberg.

The W196 Streamliner is the first of the 11 cars that the Indianapolis Museum will sell at three auctions separated this year.