130 Years of Motorsport


Milestones on the Nürburgring


11 October 2020

In 2020, Lewis Hamilton celebrates his seventh Formula 1 World Championship title with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, equalling all-time record holder Michael Schumacher. On the way to this success, he reached another remarkable record set by the German Formula 1 legend. As Formula 1 celebrates a surprise comeback at the Nürburgring in autumn 2020, the Eifel Grand Prix becomes the stage of a historic triumph for Hamilton. In the Mercedes F1 W11 EQ Performance, he celebrates his 91st victory at the pinnacle of motorsport, matching the record held by Schumacher since 2006.

29 May 2016

The Mercedes-AMG GT3 makes its debut in 2016 and right away celebrates a historic quadruple victory in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. The win in the 44th edition of the endurance classic goes to Adam Christodoulou, Maro Engel, Manuel Metzger and Bernd Schneider from Mercedes-AMG Team Black Falcon. They are followed by Mercedes-AMG Team HTP-Motorsport, HARIBO Racing Team-AMG and their sister car. The sensational quadruple triumph represents the biggest single success of a manufacturer in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring to date.

19 May 2013

The success story of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing begins in 2010 with the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. In spring 2013, the first Customer Racing car with the three-pointed star makes history at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. Jeroen Bleekemolen, Sean Edwards, Bernd Schneider and Nicki Thiim celebrate the first victory for Mercedes-Benz in the world's biggest endurance race with team Black Falcon. The quartet prevails after a long interruption due to heavy rain and fog during the night. Another Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, entered by ROWE Racing, finishes on the podium in third place.

27 July 2008

Five DTM championships make Bernd Schneider the most successful driver in the history of the series, even 16 years after his retirement. In his final season, Mr DTM works his magic once again on the seventh race weekend at the Nürburgring. On the way to his 43rd victory, he defies the typical Eifel weather behind the wheel of his AMG-Mercedes C-Class. In the tyre gamble in changing conditions, the Mercedes-Benz teams make all the right calls. Schneider leads a four-way victory for the cars with the three-pointed star ahead of Paul di Resta, Jamie Green and Gary Paffett. His sixth success in the Eifel mountains is also the last of his exceptional DTM career.

29 June 1997

The era of the FIA GT Championship is crowned with great success for Mercedes-Benz with two world championship titles in 1997 and 1998. In the first season with the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, Bernd Schneider is the man of the hour. On his way to the championship, he wins five races, including the fourth race of the season at the Nürburgring together with Klaus Ludwig. The duo is victorious in the 4-hour race on the GP circuit after 147 laps with an average speed of 167.299 km/h. In the sister car, Alessandro Nannini and Marcel Tiemann make for a one-two for Mercedes-Benz with second place.

4 September 1988

At the pinnacle of sportscar racing, Mercedes-Benz is immediately successful on its comeback. With the Sauber-Mercedes team, the brand competes in the World Sportscar Championship according to Group C regulations. With Mauro Baldi, Jochen Mass and Jean-Louis Schlesser at the wheel, the Sauber-Mercedes C9 is victorious on its debut at the season opener in Jerez, Spain. In late summer, Mass and Schlesser repeat their success on home soil at the Nürburgring. In the 33rd edition of the Nürburgring 1000 km race, they brave the cold, rain and fog to win after 200 laps at an average speed of 154.359 km/h.

1 May 1988

In 1988, Mercedes-Benz officially returns to international motor racing. The success story of the Mercedes-Benz 190 E in the DTM begins at the Nürburgring. On the third race weekend of the season, the prestigious touring car series, which at the time is held under Group A regulations, makes an appearance in the Eifel mountains. Two races over 22 laps each are scheduled on the Grand Prix circuit. Frenchman Dany Snobeck wins the second race driving a Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-16, celebrating the first of a total of 51 victories for the model in the DTM after the brand's official return to racing.

12 May 1984

40 years ago, a new era begins at the Nürburgring. In May, the internationally acclaimed inauguration of the Grand Prix circuit takes place with a competition of a high-calibre field of 20 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-16s, including nine Formula 1 world champions as well as the future champions Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna. The Frenchman takes pole position. However, victory in the Nürburgring Champions "Mercedes-Benz Cup" goes to Senna in front of a crowd of approximately 120,000. The Brazilian wins the 12-lap race on the new 4.542-kilometre circuit ahead of Niki Lauda and Carlos Reutemann.

29 May 1955

In 1955, Juan Manuel Fangio again claims the Formula 1 World Championship and is part of another historic triumph for Mercedes-Benz as well. A high-quality line-up of three Mercedes-Benz 300 SLRs is involved in the 18th International Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring. After 10 laps and 228.1 kilometres, which corresponds to an average speed of 130.4 km/h, Fangio wins the sports car competition. In the sister car, Briton Stirling Moss finishes a close second. Karl Kling comes home fourth.

1 August 1954

With the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R, the brand launches a new car for the 1954 Formula 1 season. On the way to his second world championship title, Mercedes-Benz driver Juan Manuel Fangio also wins the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in summer. The Argentinian starts the over 22 laps or 501.82 kilometres race from pole position and wins with an average speed of 133.400 km/h. On his way to fourth, team-mate Karl Kling sets the fastest lap of the race in 9:55.1 minutes, achieving an average speed of 138.0 km/h.

24 July 1938

Mercedes-Benz is represented with four W 154 Rennwagen cars at the 11th edition of the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring as part of the European Grand Prix Championship. After the one-two victory in the previous year, the Silver Arrows are once again successful in their home race in the Eifel mountains. After 22 laps and a total time of 3 hours and 51 minutes, Richard Seaman leads a one-two-three ahead of Rudolf Caracciola and Hermann Lang. It’s the Briton's first success in international racing.

25 July 1937

Mercedes-Benz enters five W 125 Rennwagen in the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring as part of the European Grand Prix Championship, The eventual race winner Rudolf Caracciola starts the 500 km race from third on the grid behind his team-mates Hermann Lang and Manfred von Brauchitsch. At the finish, Caracciola leads a one-two for the Silver Arrows ahead of von Brauchitsch. The race winner covers the 22 laps of the Nürburgring, which at the time is 22.810 kilometres long, with two pit stops at an average speed of 133.2 km/h.

03 June 1934

Mercedes-Benz enters Grand Prix racing with the W 25 Rennwagen. At the time, white is the established colour for German racing cars in international competition. According to the legend, the white paint is removed from the W 25 at the Eifelrennen on the Nürburgring to achieve the maximum weight of 750 kilograms stipulated in the regulations. The bare aluminium sheet of the bodywork is revealed. It’s the birth of the Silver Arrow and also the first chapter in its success story. Manfred von Brauchitsch wins in the Mercedes-Benz W 25 after 15 laps around the Nordschleife with an average speed of 122.5 km/h - a new track record.

19 June 1927

The Nürburgring is officially opened in the summer of 1927 after a construction time of around two years. At the inaugural race, over 80,000 spectators witness Rudolf Caracciola win the sports car race in a Mercedes-Benz Type S. The German covers the race distance of 12 laps at an average speed of 96.5 kilometres per hour. He sets the fastest lap of the race, for which he requires a time of 17 minutes and 11 seconds on the then 28.265 kilometres long Nürburgring.

22 July 1894

130 years ago, the Paris-Rouen drive marks the birth of motor racing as the first automobile competition in history. Organised by the Parisian daily newspaper Le Petit Journal, 102 vehicles with different types of drive are on the entry list for the event, including eleven with a Daimler licensed engine. A field of 21 participants set off on Sunday, 22 July 1984 to compete over a distance of 126 kilometres. Victory in the world's first automobile race is also a victory for the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft. The cars in the top four positions are powered by engines developed by the Stuttgart-based company.