How much marketing shapes our knowledge. Take Mercedes-Benz, for example: since its return to Formula 1 a good 25 years ago, the company has placed its successes in formula racing at the center of its public image. Successes on the racetrack - keyword: Silver Arrows before and after the Second World War - are actively marketed as historical continuity of the company's own racing history. Mercedes-Benz also has a long and successful history in endurance racing after the Second World War, but this has since been somewhat forgotten. Peter Schröder has now devoted himself to this chapter and written a book about Mercedes-Benz endurance racing between 1950 and 1964.
Endurance races - forerunners of the rally
Endurance races are the forerunners of today's rallies. They were endurance races over long distances, the purpose of which was to prove reliability. The Monte-Carlo Rally, which was organized as a rally, is certainly one of the best known. This means that the participants set off from various fixed starting points in Europe and were awarded points according to the difficulty of the journey.
The Liège-Rome-Riège rally was organized in a completely different way: a non-stop ride in which the participants had to cover the specified route as quickly as possible. This included crossing the Alps over various passes by day and night. From 1950 in particular, this developed into a very specific form of motorsport, from which rallying developed from the 1960s onwards, leading to the heyday of Group B in the 1970s and especially the 1980s.
184 pages on the track
The book is divided into three main chapters: the races in which Daimler-Benz took part in Europe, Africa and Central and South America. The company was invited to participate by the organizers, which is rather surprising given the status of the young Federal Republic of Germany after 1945, but underlines the nimbus of Mercedes-Benz. Schröder then presents the individual participations of Daimler-Benz in the three chapters. With a few exceptions, these were not factory assignments at the beginning.
Rather, Daimler-Benz supported the involvement of private drivers by setting up and preparing the vehicles and making them available to promising candidates. All against the background that race director Alfred Neubauer was more interested in Grand Prix racing and the start of series production and the development of new models had a high priority. An introduction is followed by a brief section on the initial situation in Europe, before moving on to the first outing at the rally in Monte-Carlo.
Mission after mission
The author not only describes the individual races, but also begins well beforehand. This includes anecdotes about the initiators of a mission as well as the considerations as to which vehicle should be entered and is likely to have the greatest success. This in-depth approach results in a well-rounded picture of the respective event. The reader becomes aware of who was involved in the race, why, for example, the respective vehicle was used and what prospects of success were expected in Stuttgart. It should be noted that the British competition in particular was feared there and that expected defeats could damage the brand's reputation.
Interestingly, the organizers are not neglected either. Schröder lists some of the most interesting passages of the invitations in detail, in which the value of the event, but also the unconditional participation of Daimler-Benz would be desirable in flowery words. Last but not least, the drivers also play an important role. Initially still private drivers, the whole touring car sport changed to dedicated works entries with works teams after the exit from the Grand Prix circus at the latest.
The vehicles used
The use of the 300 SL fleet at the Carrera Panamericana in 1952 and the picture of the Kling/Klenk team with the cracked windshield due to a collision with a vulture are unforgettable. When the windshield was replaced, Kling insisted that the mechanics also install some bars over the windshield to protect it from further impacts. With the 300 SL, Mercedes-Benz once again had a sporty all-purpose weapon that would also prove its worth at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
But the 300 SL was not yet the preferred sports car for long-distance racing. At the beginning of the fifties, the 170 was initially used in Europe - sometimes even as a diesel. Simply to be able to avoid the much more powerful British main competitors in the same displacement class. Later, the Ponton was used. And from the end of the 1950s, the 220 SE was a guarantee of success on the gravel roads of Europe, Africa and America for many years. The vehicles used were of course prepared and modified in the factory to meet the requirements of the individual competitions, but basically they were still very close to series production. A fact that was later continued on the 300 SE. Drivers such as Eugen Böhringer, Hans Herrmann, Dieter Glemser and the well-known women's team Ewy Rosqvist and Ursula Wirth wrote their names on the winners' lists.
Well researched
Peter Schröder did extensive research in the Daimler-Benz archives. This benefits the quality of the book. Invitations to tender, invitations, press releases, background information and internal meeting minutes turn simple races into exciting stories with great attention to detail. Exciting stops at filling stations are described for longer than boring sections of the race. Individual mechanic performances are honored more than bad driver deployments. It is this variety and the individual presentation of each race that make this book so exciting. Schröder gives the reader an exciting look behind the scenes and provides an authentic and suspenseful story for every single race.
Background
In the post-war period, Daimler-Benz wanted to open up new markets such as Africa and South America. From the 1950s onwards, the company used endurance events on transcontinental routes several thousand kilometers in length to successfully demonstrate the durability and endurance of new vehicle models in front of an international audience. Over the years, these teams, initially supported by local factory representatives, became official factory teams that drove to impressive victories with meticulously planned and elaborate logistics and outstanding drivers. This era of Mercedes-Benz history, which is hardly known today, offers triumphs and dramas on dusty tracks. The book describes politics and strategies as well as the grueling efforts of man and machine on material-murdering stages.
Conclusion
Fortunately, even today there are still authors who do not shy away from research and the elaborate preparation of the results in book form. The "long-distance drives" of Mercedes-Benz between 1950 and 1964 are thus an interesting chapter of motorsport history from Stuttgart-Untertürkheim that deserves to be told. Over 180 pages, the reader is given direct access to an almost forgotten chapter of Daimler-Benz. The comprehensive race descriptions are complemented by extensive photographic material and additional information such as press releases, event invitations and, last but not least, the well-written text to create a gripping report. Connoisseurs will notice a few mistakes here and there regarding the competing vehicles. One example is the confusion of a Porsche 550 with a 356 SL (Gmünd Coupé). But this does not detract from the depth of the book.
The only thing missing are the race statistics at the end of the book. This is because the results of the individual races are not always as clear as a list of results can be. On the other hand, the cover promises an introduction to a very special racing story. And when you get to the end, you certainly won't be disappointed. Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts are offered a very special volume of pictures and history. And readers who are simply fans of historic motorsport can also enjoy it. At a price of € 39.95, this book is definitely worth reading.
Bibliographical details
- Title: "Mercedes-Benz - Endurance racing 1950-1964"
- Author: Peter Schroeder
- Publisher: Heel-Verlag
- Edition: 1st edition February 2022
- Format: 217 x 25 x 297 mm, hardcover,
- Scope: 184 pages, numerous images (color and b/w) and illustrations
- ISBN: 978-3-96664-371
- Price: EUR 39.95
- Buy/Order: Online at amazon.de, online at Heel-Verlag, or in a good bookstore
