Mercedes-Benz W196 - Open Wheel

Open Wheel

Attractive as it was, the streamlined Monza body was not suitable for twistier tracks, leading to defeat at its second race at Silverstone. A conventional open-wheel-version was introduced at the Nürburgring. Fangio, who had already won the first two GPs of 1954 with a Maserati, won this and the two following GPs, securing his 2nd World Championship.

At the 1954 Spanish Grand Prix in late October the low-mounted Mercedes air-intake clogged with leaves, costing the race and leading to its relocation atop the hood.

In the shortened 1955 Formula One season, abbreviated after the 1955 Le Mans disaster, the W196 won all but the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix, Hans Herrmann crashing in practice, and the other three team Mercedes cars failing to finish. A highlight for driver Stirling Moss was his finish 0.2 seconds ahead of stable mate Fangio at his home event, the 1955 British Grand Prix, his first GP win, a race where Mercedes romped home with a 1-2-3-4 finish.

After capturing all three world championships it competed in, Mercedes withdrew from motorsport at the end of the 1955 season. Despite its good track performance, drivers Fangio and Moss described the car in Motor Sport magazine as being "a bit difficult to drive, with a tendency for snap oversteer".