Mercedes Benz W196 from 1954 with Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg at the wheel
In the run-up to the German GP at the Nürburgring, the two Mercedes drivers Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg were each given the opportunity to put a 1954 Mercedes Benz W196 car under the spoked wheels of the Nordschleife. Nico's single-seater was Juan Manuel Fangio's Spa-winning car and today has a 3-liter engine that can run on normal 98 octane petrol (with lead added).
The"Streamliner" has the original 2.5-liter racing engine. This requires special gasoline. The sensational, albeit unhealthy, smell immediately conveys the feeling of pure racing.
The "Schumacher car", the streamliner without a starting number, never raced; it was merely the test and training car of Messrs Fangio, Hermann and Kling.
Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher had a lot of fun with the unusual seating position in the W196. The legs had to be spread wide apart to operate the accelerator and brakes on the right and the clutch on the far left.
