0 24h Race at Nürburgring: Special test comparison between a Formula 1 Silver Arrow and Mercedes-AMG cars

As part of the programme for the 24-hour race on 19th May 2013, Mercedes-Benz will put on a special event highlight for fans at the Nürburgring: during a high-performance demonstration, four Mercedes-AMG vehicles will go up against Michael Schumacher in a Formula 1 Silver Arrow. The vehicles will start at different times in front of the Mercedes-Benz grandstand but will cross the finish line simultaneously. The Mercedes-AMGs will be driven by: Formula 1 star Nico Rosberg, DTM record-breaking champion Bernd Schneider, ex-Formula 1 and DTM driver Karl Wendlinger and by the official driver of the Formula 1 Safety Car Bernd Mayländer.

The first vehicle to go out on track will be an A 45 AMG driven by Bernd Mayländer, followed by: Karl Wendlinger in the E 63 AMG S, Nico Rosberg in the SLS AMG Black Series, and Bernd Schneider in an SLS AMG GT3.

Finally, Michael Schumacher will set off in a Formula 1 Silver Arrow on the 20.832km lap around the Nordschleife (excluding grand prix circuit). On this special occasion, the Formula 1 record world champion will be the first driver to cover the Nordschleife in a state-of-the-art Silver Arrow since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1954.

Michael Schumacher: “This Mercedes AMG Performance Drive will be simply great, affording spectators at the 24-hour race a really top-class spectacle. Driving around the Nordschleife in a Formula 1 car will be an unforgettable experience both for me and for the motor racing fans. The legendary Nordschleife, famous throughout the world, is the perfect place for this demo, and the Mercedes-Benz vehicles taking part are all fascinating, powerful cars, a unique parade for all the spectators and car enthusiasts gathered there as they hurtle past.”

Nico Rosberg: “The Nürburgring will play host to two super motor racing events with the 24-hour race and this year’s Formula 1 Grand Prix. Our Mercedes-AMG Performance Drive on the Nordschleife with five Mercedes-Benz cars makes a fantastic warm-up for both events. It will be interesting to see how long Michael can delay starting before catching up with us at the finish. As for me personally, I am, of course, really looking forward to the German Formula 1 race in the Eifel (5th-7th July, but this too is going to be a fantastic weekend and I hope that many of the fans present for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring will be on hand to cheer us in our Silver Arrows.”

The vehicles and their drivers

Car: Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG (360bhp, 0-100km/h: 4.6secs), Driver: Bernd Mayländer.
Car: Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG S (585bhp, 0-100 km/h: 3.6secs), Driver: Karl Wendlinger.
Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 (more than 500bhp), Driver: Bernd Schneider.
Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (631bhp, 0-100 km/h: 3.6secs), Driver: Nico Rosberg.
Vehicle: MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W02 (approx. 750bhp, 0-100 km/h: 2.7secs), Driver: Michael Schumacher.

~ Official photos and details courtesy of Mercedes-AMG GmbH and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS ~

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: 24h Race at Nürburgring: Special test comparison between a Formula 1 Silver Arrow and Mercedes-AMG cars

0 Michael Schumacher to drive 2011 Formula 1 Silver Arrow on Nürburgring Nordschleife

On Sunday 19th May 2013 before the start of the 24-hour race around the Nürburgring, seven-time Formula 1 world champion Michael Schumacher will take to the track. Schumacher will post a demonstration lap on the Nürburgring’s legendary Nordschleife in a MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W02 to say ‘thank you’ to his fans for their years of loyal support during his F1 career. This will be the first time since Juan Manuel Fangio’s victory on 1st August 1954 that a modern Formula 1 Silver Arrow has driven on the Nordschleife at the Nürburgring.

Schumacher covered part of the Nordschleife in the last Formula 1 grand prix at the Nürburgring in July 2011, however, that was in a Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow Stromlinie W196. The W196 was the first Formula 1 Silver Arrow that took Mercedes-Benz to two world titles with Juan Manuel Fangio in the 1954 and 1955 seasons. During this period, including his success at the Nürburgring, Fangio achieved eight wins in all.

Long before the start of the Formula 1 world championship in 1950, however, there has been a close connection between Mercedes-Benz and the Nürburgring; an icon was born on 3rd June 1934 when the Silver Arrow had its first outing on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife in the International Eifel Race. The car was silver because mechanics had worked through the night to strip away the white paint of the brand new Mercedes-Benz W25 racing car, so as not to exceed the maximum permissible weight. The next day, Manfred von Brauchitsch won the W25’s debut race, beginning the legend of the Silver Arrow.

Michael Schumacher brought his F1 career to a close last year at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS. In April this year, Schumacher and Mercedes-Benz announced a long-term partnership that goes far beyond motor racing and Formula 1. The record-breaking champion will represent the brand as an ambassador and provide back-up for issues relating to future developments. Intelligence Drive – the safety and convenience system introduced by Mercedes-Benz – is part of his brief.

Michael Schumacher: “I have a lot of fond memories of the Nürburgring and am really looking forward to giving fans and friends from my home town of Kerpen, which is quite close to the Nürburgring, something to remember as they see me drive by. But it will be a fantastic experience for me too, driving along the Nordschleife in a state-of–the-art Formula 1 Silver Arrow, particularly in view of the fact that the Silver Arrow’s legend began here. Posting a lap in a modern Silver Arrow on the most beautiful and most testing circuit in the world, what a brilliant mix – it’s every motor racing driver’s dream!”

Credits: Daimler AG

Copyright © 2013, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

Detail: Michael Schumacher to drive 2011 Formula 1 Silver Arrow on Nürburgring Nordschleife