130 Years of Motorsport at Mercedes-Benz: Celebrating Anniversaries in 2024

130 Years of Motorsport at Mercedes-Benz: Celebrating Numerous Anniversaries in 2024 and an Expanded Digital Motorsport Archive

A Rich Legacy in Motorsport

Motorsport success is part of the DNA of the Mercedes-Benz brand. This legacy dates back 130 years, when two vehicles with Daimler licence engines won the first automobile competition in history. On 22 July 1894, mobility pioneer Gottlieb Daimler and his son Paul witnessed the Paris to Rouen race. Paul Daimler, reflecting on this event 20 years later, described the spectacle of various types of vehicles, from heavy steam cars to light petrol cars, competing against each other.

Historic Milestones

Since this landmark race, Mercedes-Benz has consistently made motorsport history across various categories. The numerous anniversaries in 2024 include:

• 1924 Targa Florio: Celebrating 100 years since the victory at the grueling road race in Sicily.
• 1934 Eifel Race: Marking 90 years since the debut of the Mercedes-Benz W 25 at the Nürburgring.
• 1954 French Grand Prix: 70 years since Mercedes-Benz's return to Formula One with the W 196 R racing car, leading to Juan Manuel Fangio's World Championship win.

Expanded Digital Motorsport Archive

To honor these milestones, the Mercedes-Benz Group Archive has significantly expanded and restructured the motorsport history section of the digital multimedia archive and research system, M@RS. Initially covering the period from 1894 to 1955, the archive will continue to grow. It now includes a new category, “eras, racing series, championships,” which provides comprehensive overviews of Mercedes-Benz's motorsport history. The M@RS system, a benchmark for archive and media databases, has become even more user-friendly, offering detailed insights into drivers, vehicles, races, and rallies. Explore the archive here.

Key Anniversaries in 2024

• 1894 (130 years ago): The Paris to Rouen race marked the birth of motorsport.
• 1899 (125 years ago): The first "Nice Week" motorsport event saw victories for Daimler “Phoenix” vehicles.
• 1904 (120 years ago): The Gordon Bennett race brought prestige to Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft.
• 1914 (110 years ago): A one-two-three victory at the French Grand Prix in Lyon.
• 1924 (100 years ago): Christian Werner's win at the Targa Florio in Sicily.
• 1934 (90 years ago): The Mercedes-Benz W 25’s debut at the Eifel race.
• 1954 (70 years ago): The W 196 R’s successful entry into Formula One.
• 1964 (60 years ago): A one-two-three victory in the Argentine Grand Prix for touring cars.
• 1984 (40 years ago): Ayrton Senna’s win at the Nürburgring opening race.
• 1994 (30 years ago): Al Unser Jr.'s win at the Indianapolis 500 and Mercedes-Benz's return to Formula One.
• 1999 (25 years ago): Mika Häkkinen's second consecutive Formula One World Championship with McLaren-Mercedes.
• 2014 (10 years ago): The first double world championship for the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team.

Celebrating the Legacy

The rich history of Mercedes-Benz in motorsport is a testament to its pioneering spirit and relentless pursuit of excellence. As we celebrate these significant anniversaries in 2024, the expanded digital archive allows fans and researchers to delve deeper into the stories behind the brand’s legendary successes.

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