The Malaysian Grand Prix holds the unique distinction of being the only Grand Prix circuit at which the Safety Car has not been officially deployed in the past ten years - in spite of often unpredictable weather conditions. With Mercedes-AMG once again supplying both the Official F1™ Safety Car and Official F1™ Medical Car for 2012 - the 17th season in which it has done so - it’s the perfect opportunity to look at how often this race-changing factor comes into play…
How much was the Safety Car used in 2011? Last season saw the Safety Car deployed for 4.9% of the season - a total of 12 deployments, over seven races, for 61 laps or 284.3 kilometres. This compares to 21 deployments in 12 races in 2010, for a total of 7.8% of the season over 452.3 kilometres. This reduction was in spite of a significant increase in on-track overtaking through the combination of the Pirelli tyres and DRS rear wing system. However, while there was an overall reduction in Safety Car deployments, the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix featured five Safety Car phases over 32 laps, or 139.6 kilometres: this represented 45.7% of the race distance, a record in Formula One.
Which races feature the highest and lowest probabilities of Safety Car deployment? The races with the highest historical probability of Safety Car deployment are in Singapore and Korea: every race held at these venues has seen at least one deployment (four races in Singapore, two in Korea). Canada (14 deployments in last nine races) and Monaco (13 deployments in last ten races) also feature prominently. As for the lowest likelihood, aside from the Indian circuit which has only hosted a single race, this is in Malaysia (no official deployments in the past ten years), Bahrain (one deployment in seven races) and Hungary (two deployments in last ten races).
Wasn’t the Safety Car deployed during the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix? The Safety Car was indeed deployed on lap 32 of the race, before the event was red flagged on lap 33. However, the official race results only run to lap 31, so the Safety Car deployment is not considered for statistical purposes.
Which cars are used for the Official F1™ Safety Car and Official F1™ Medical Car? The Official F1™ Safety Car is the SLS AMG, with a 6.3-litre V8 engine developing a peak output of 420 kW (571 hp) at 6800 rpm and maximum torque of 650 Nm at 4750 rpm. The engine, power train, suspension and braking system of the Safety Car are the same as those found in the standard production SLS AMG. The Official F1™ Medical Car is the C 63 AMG Estate, which produces 358 kW (487 hp) - an extra 30 hp compared to the standard model thanks to forged pistons, connecting rods and lightweight crankshaft from the SLS AMG. These components are three kilograms lighter than standard. The first Mercedes-AMG Safety and Medical Cars were the C 36 AMG, which was first used in 1996, although an AMG E-Class Coupe was occasionally used as the Medical Car as early as 1984.
111 years of sporting success
March 25 1901 was a Monday - a strange day for a motor race, to modern eyes. But in spite of inclement weather in the South of France, the second day of the 1901 Nice Speed Weeks saw the race for “speed cars” held over a route from Nice to Salon, and back; a total of 392.5 km on open roads. This was the first major outing of the year for the new Daimler competition vehicles, newly christened ‘Mercedes’ after one of the daughters of importer Emil Jellinek.
The new cars had attempted to race in Pau the previous month, but had failed shortly after the start. However, the Nice-Salon-Nice race proved more successful: driver Wilhelm Werner (mechanic to the Baron Henri de Rothschild) led by 12 minutes at the halfway point, and eventually won - after a bruising 6 hours, 45 minutes and 48 seconds of racing - by the healthy margin of 26 minutes and 10 seconds (by way of comparison, this would represent a lead of nearly 6 minutes in a 1.5 hour modern Grand Prix!), at an average of 58.1 kph.
Sunday marks the 111th anniversary of the first competition success for a Mercedes vehicle; in the intervening years, Mercedes - which became Mercedes-Benz in 1926 - has set new benchmarks in every series in which it has raced. Last Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix marked the 89th Formula One victory for Mercedes-Benz power, and the 36th win for the current generation of V8 engine, continuing a heritage that is longer than any other in the sport.
For Mercedes-Benz Classic, the year 2012 is all about “60 years of the SL” – even at the Techno Classica trade fair in Essen. Eight of the coveted sports cars from different eras will grace the exhibition hall in Essen from the 21 to 25 March 2012. The exhibit will cover a broad range of vehicles, from the 300 SL (W 194) racing car built in 1952 to the newest member of the SL family: the R 231 SL.
“This year marks the 24th anniversary of the Techno Classica, one of the highlights in the Classic calendar,” says Michael Bock, head of Mercedes-Benz Classic. “We would like to invite all fair visitors to join us in celebrating the anniversary of the SL-Class.”
In the 4,500 square metre exhibition area occupied by Mercedes-Benz Classic in Hall 1 of the Messe Essen, the Mercedes-Benz brand will bring to life the fascination associated with all aspects of its unique history. This time the prized SL models from the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection will take centre stage.
Mercedes-Benz Classic will present its complete line-up at the Essen trade fair. For example, a variety of commercial vehicle model series will be on display. No matter whether a classic or a young classic car, all Mercedes-Benz vehicles have a place in the multifaceted history of the automobile. Not only Mercedes-Benz Classic, but also some of our long-term partners will equally be exhibiting their offerings at the Techno Classica. Authorised Mercedes-Benz dealers Leseberg Automobile (Hamburg), Rosier Classic Center (Oldenburg) and Autohaus Weicker (Kelkheim) will present their specialist expertise in classic vehicles, both in the workshop and in the form of vehicle sales.
A true icon in Mercedes-Benz history will be presented at the Techno Classica: the oldest SL still in existence. The first 300 SL (W 194), the premier vehicle from 1952, no longer exists. It was always under factory ownership and was scrapped in the 1950s. But the second vehicle built, with chassis number 194 010 00002/52, is still around and has been under factory ownership ever since its manufacture. The “/2” stamped on various parts serves as proof of its authenticity. During the extensive restoration by Mercedes-Benz Classic, all parts of the fully dismantled vehicle were inspected. Some parts were restored to as close to the original condition and highest level of quality possible. “One clear requirement was to maintain the original condition and patina of the sports car. Now the 300 SL shines like new – yet still proudly displays traces of its exciting life story,” says Michael Bock.
The vehicle also exemplifies the overall preoccupation of Mercedes-Benz Classic in maintaining authenticity. During restoration of the 300 SL, every effort was made to keep and recondition as many of the original parts as possible. This is often more complex than reproducing them, but it is necessary when it comes to maintaining the historical condition and thus authenticity. And even if reproduction of a part is necessary, then it must always meet the original specifications. The Classic division of the original manufacturer has access to extensive technical documentation and, in such case, can apply the original methods and materials used. Thus the vehicle once again conforms to the original standard.
The appearances by Mercedes-Benz clubs at Techno Classica in 2012 will once again clearly demonstrate the connection with historic vehicles from Mercedes-Benz. The presentations by the clubs will be integrated in the overall exhibition of Mercedes-Benz Classic. This year, all 17 of the German Mercedes-Benz clubs officially recognised by Mercedes-Benz will present themselves and their various activities.
The Techno Classica in Essen is the world’s largest trade fair for classic vehicles. It will be held from 22 to 25 March (preview on 21 March). Founded in 1988, the event has become the leading international trade fair for vintage vehicles and young classics. Alongside passenger cars, the show also features racing cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. This year, over 1200 exhibitors from some 30 countries will be present in Essen; the organisers expect around 180,000 visitors from more than 40 countries.
Mercedes-Benz SL vehicles on exhibit at the 2012 Techno Classica
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing car (W 194), 1952
The roots of the SL are in motor sports. With its victories in international competitions, including the Mille Miglia, the 24 hour race of Le Mans, and the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico, the 300 SL (W 194) racing car from 1952 is considered the standard for all sports cars bearing the distinguished SL abbreviation, which stands for “super light”. The oldest SL still in existence will be on exhibition at the Techno Classica. The second vehicle built, bearing the chassis number 194 010 00002/52, has been under factory ownership since its manufacture and underwent extensive restoration by Mercedes-Benz Classic in 2011.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198), 1955
In 1954, with the development of the series production W 198 sports car based on the 300 SL racing car (W 194) of the same name, Mercedes-Benz managed to build the European dream car par excellence of the 1950s. The rare aluminium-bodied “Gullwing” model, which will be on display at the 2012 Techno Classica, plays up the sporty standard of the vehicle: only 29 of the particularly light version of the production sports car developed for motor sports were ever built.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198), 1956
Based on the legendary “Gullwing”, the open 300 SL Roadster (W 198) made its début in 1957. The open two-seater design of the vehicle body became a typical defining feature of the SL family. The preproduction vehicle from 1956 will be on display. This specimen, which at the time was used in races, has been owned for a good while now by rally legend Eugen Böhringer.
Mercedes-Benz 230 SL (W 113) “Pagoda”, 1963
In 1963 the 230 SL appeared as the first model of SL series W 113. Its exterior features bold, straight lines as well as the distinctive SL face with the large central Mercedes star. The high windows of the inward dipping hard-top roofline and the narrow pillars that bear the weight of the removable hard-top convey an air of lightness and are reminiscent of temples in the Far East. The car thus quickly earned the nickname “Pagoda”.
Mercedes-Benz 500 SL Rally (R 107), 1980
To this day, more R 107 vehicles have been produced than any other vehicles in the SL series, in part due to its long production life of 18 years. The car also almost became a rally champion. A 500 SL series car was built for the 1981 season, and the driver contract with Walter Röhrl had already been signed, but then the company withdrew from the rally sport at the end of 1980 before the season even started. The original vehicle will be at the trade fair.
Mercedes-Benz 500 SL (R 129) from Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, 1991
In March 1989 Mercedes-Benz débuted the R 129 model, which features numerous technical innovations and has carried the SL into the new millennium. Thanks to its harmonious and successful design, the SL quickly found many fans in prominent circles. The vehicle on exhibit, a 240 kW (326 hp) 500 SL, was driven by Lady Diana from January 1992. She was the first member of the British royal family to personally drive a foreign automobile.
Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG (R 230) Safety Car, 2009
After 12 years of production and two model refinements, the R 129 was replaced in 2001 by the R 230. The SL now featured a steel folding roof for the first time. Thus it became an open car and coupé all in one. The transformation takes just about 16 seconds at the touch of a button. In 2008 and 2009 the SL 63 AMG, with a powerful 386 kW (525 hp), 6.3 litre V8 engine, became the Official F1™ Safety Car for Formula 1. This SL reminds us of the motorsport roots of the SL family and will be on exhibit at the 2012 Techno Classica. It was extensively modified for circuit use, which included reducing its weight, and it does not have any roof mechanism and no fixed soft top, for example.
The new Mercedes-Benz SL (R 231), 2012
In the spring of 2012 the R 231 finally arrived on the market as the next generation of Mercedes-Benz SL-Class vehicles. The new SL is now made almost completely out of aluminium for the first time ever and weighs up to 140 kilogrammes less than its predecessor. The designers drew on tradition, but also incorporated new perspectives and visionary ideas when designing the latest generation of the SL. The result was classic, balanced proportions typical of the SL: the long bonnet is followed by a recessed, compact cabin. Fine details, a prominent tail-end and an air inlet grille with chrome fins from the Mercedes-Benz design trove emphasise the fact that this car is part of the SL legend.
Two SL models form the centrepiece of the Mercedes‑Benz Classic stand at the Retro Classics 2012 show: a 300 SL racing car (W 194) from 1952 – one of ten being built at the time – and a new SL from the R 231 model series. Ever since the automotive icon’s inception, the letters “SL” have always stood for “Super Light”.
“60 years ago – on 12 March 1952 – the first SL was unveiled to the press on a section of what is now the A 81 motorway near Stuttgart, marking the birth of the SL legend – a legend that is showcased impressively at Retro Classics in Stuttgart by the forefather model from 1952 and the latest SL model,” says Michael Bock, head of Mercedes-Benz Classic.
Retro Classics is the biggest show of its kind for classic cars and motor-vehicle culture in southern Germany, and is being staged in Stuttgart for the twelfth time. Around 1300 exhibitors are displaying more than 3000 vehicles here between 23 and 25 March 2012 (preview day on 22 March). The Mercedes-Benz Classic stand is at the heart of the event. In an area covering some 540 square metres in Hall 1, the collection vehicles and the range of vehicles and spare parts from the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center complement each other perfectly.
Alongside the two exhibited vehicles, the assembled display of spare parts from numerous SL model series – W 198, W 113, R 107, R 129 and R 230 – provides a striking insight into the SL’s thrilling model history and, at the same time, shifts the focus onto the topic of originality, since almost all spare parts are still available for classic Mercedes‑Benz cars – ensuring that the vehicles remain in tip-top and original condition.
The Mercedes-Benz Classic offering at the show is rounded off in Hall 7, where numerous brand clubs are exhibiting in an area of around 1740 square metres. Visitors to this part of the show can witness the fans’ affinity to the long line of products that have made automotive history ever since Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz came up with their groundbreaking inventions in 1886.
Mercedes-Benz Classic has destroyed the replica body of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. The courts have ruled that it is not legal to market the body, which was seized by German customs officials.
The body shape of the legendary gullwing model has been trademarked by Daimler AG. Anyone building, offering or selling replicas of the vehicle is in breach of the Company's rights. This even applies if the replicas do not incorporate any logos or trademarks of the Company. Daimler AG has long taken a tough approach to vehicle replicas.
As a work of applied art, the body of the 300 SL has been under copyright protection for a number of decades. The employees who designed the famous gullwing model in the 1950s granted Daimler AG comprehensive exploitation rights. The body shape has also been trademarked by Daimler AG, as recently confirmed by the Stuttgart regional court (case no. 17 O 304/10, final and binding judgment dated 9 December 2010, following withdrawal of an appeal).
A case had arisen in which a company based in Germany had built an unlawful replica of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198 series). The first step in destroying the replica was to separate the chassis from the body. The Mercedes-Benz used-parts centre, which is also responsible for scrapping all Mercedes-Benz prototypes from the development units, then destroyed the body on behalf of Daimler AG. The certified equipment used in the centre includes two presses, each applying over 30 tonnes of pressure. The replica sports car had a fibreglass body weighing precisely 148 kilograms, which the compressor smashed into small pieces. This dramatic end to the unlawful body was officially documented with a signed and stamped 'confirmation of scrappage'.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198 series) is one of the best known cars in the world. It was launched on the market in 1954 as a coupé with distinctive gullwing doors. In 1999, an international panel of judges voted it 'sports car of the century'. Today, the original gullwing model and its roadster variant, which was introduced in 1957, are two of the most coveted vehicles on the international classic car scene. All the major car collections worldwide feature the 300 SL – an icon of design and engineering expertise.
Readers of the German classic car magazine “Motor Klassik” have voted Mercedes-Benz vehicles the winners in a grand total of four categories in the “Motor Klassik Awards 2012” competition. The SLS AMG and the G‑Class, as well as two classic SL model series, each took the majority of votes in their respective categories. In issue 1/2012, “Motor Klassik” invited readers to cast their votes for the “Classic of the year” in 16 different categories. Awards were made in six chronologically arranged categories across the full spectrum of classic (“oldtimer”) and modern classic (“youngtimer”) vehicles, with a further prize for racing cars. On top of the classic car poll as such, awards were made to current vehicle models with the major potential to become classics of the future, as well as for outstanding personalities, events and auctions.
Among all the vehicles in the current Mercedes-Benz portfolio, the readers of “Motor Klassik” selected two models that, while generally already deemed to be classics, still have a long future ahead of them. The winner in the category “Off-road vehicle of 2012” was the G-Class, which has been part of the Mercedes-Benz model range since 1979 and is still considered the ultimate cross-country vehicle. Its exceptional status as an off-road icon can be attributed to a constant and systematic process of further development over more than three decades. The latest generation of the G-Class thus offers an impressive package of state-of-the-art powertrain engineering and high-quality interior appointments. At the same time it has managed to maintain those highly prized virtues that have marked this model out from the very beginning, such as its extreme robustness and excellent off-road capability.
Another vehicle that, in the opinion of readers, already has the qualities and fascination to make it a classic model is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG super sports car, honoured in the category “Sports car of 2012”. With its exciting design and gullwing doors, it is evocative of the legendary 300 SL sports car of the 1950s. On top of which it features a stunning array of superb technology. Highlights include its aluminium spaceframe body, a 6.3-litre AMG V8 front mid-engine with 420 kW/571 hp, a seven-speed dual clutch transmission in a transaxle configuration and an aluminium double-wishbone sports suspension. It is a high-tech combination that ensures driving dynamics of the very finest.
Appropriately enough, as we mark the 60th birthday of the SL, readers also voted two of the sports cars from this exceptional Mercedes-Benz model family among their favourite classic cars: in the category “Classic of 1947-1961”, the winner was the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, the famous Gullwing Coupé of the W 198 model series. The production-model sports car was derived from the then W 194 racing sports car with which Mercedes-Benz re-entered international motor racing after the end of the Second World War and which was to prove so successful in international motorsport. This was the vehicle responsible for creating the aura of legend around the SL that still exists today. The series-production Gullwing model, built from 1954 to 1957, was a dream car in its own lifetime – and has remained so ever since. A total of 1,400 units were built. The closed sports car was then succeeded by the 300 SL Roadster (W 198 II).
The Mercedes-Benz 500 SL from the R 107 model series came out tops in the category “Classic of 1980-1991” in the “Motor Klassik Awards” competition. This lovely Roadster, with its powerful V8 engine (177 kW/240 hp), celebrated its premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1980. Compared with the 450 SL, the model that it replaced, the new top-of-the-range model had a light-alloy V8 engine. This was complemented by interior appointments that were on a par with those of the then just recently introduced S-Class. From its launch until 1989, a total of 11,812 units of the 500 SL were built. The model series R 107 was altogether extremely successful and went on to be built for 18 years from 1971 until 1989 – quite possibly a record. Over this period, a total of 237,287 units of this open sports car model were produced.
The decisions made by readers of “Motor Klassik” represent at the same time a clear signal from lovers of classic cars: Mercedes-Benz vehicles of years gone by are among the key icons of automotive history. And every current model already has the genuine potential to become a classic of the future.
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