2023-09-13 21:02:55
In 1984, Mercedes starred in one of the most famous races in history and, incidentally, one of the most brilliant marketing campaigns ever devised. It happened on May 12 at the Nürburgring circuit, and those who were lucky enough to witness that race will never forget it.
Named the Nürburgring Champions Cup, it remains, to this day, the race in which the largest number of Formula 1 world champion drivers have come together, both active and retired.
To promote the launch of the legendary Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16, with which the German brand wanted to definitively banish the bourgeois image it had and compete face to face with the BMW M3 E30 and the Ford Sierra Cosworth in various championships, Mercedes called a 12-lap race on the then new Nürburgring layout, which would serve from then on to compete in Formula One grand prix after its long variant had been discontinued after Niki Lauda suffered his terrible accident in it in 1976.
With the five-time champion and Mercedes ambassador, Juan Manuel Fangioacting as master of ceremonies, The grid was made up of 20 drivers, including no less than 12 Formula 1 champions. The mount was identical for all: the new Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16, with minimal modifications for the competition carried out by Gerhard Lepler, from Mercedes-Benz Sport-Technik.
In addition to the 12 who were already champions, in that race there were two drivers who would be champions in the future: Alain Prost and the then almost unknown Aryton Senna.
This is Nikki Lauda’s Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16
The Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16 modified by Sport-Technik had a slightly freer exhaust than the original, an improved suspension, front brakes with four-piston calipers, a shorter final group (4.08:1), cage bolt-on roll arrester, extinguishing system, Recaro racing seats with six-point harnesses, quick-release hood latches, central damper and Pirelli slick tires on flared throat rims.
The race was held on a wet circuit, and was anything but boring. Alain Prost, who started from pole, was hit hard in the rear by Elio de Angelis a few corners into the race. On the third lap, the young Ayrton Senna overtook the old professor in an aggressive maneuver that forced the French driver to leave the track. Lauda also fought for victory with the Brazilian, engaging in a tough fight during the final eight laps of the race, exchanging the lead on several occasions until Ayrton finally managed to get away from the Austrian and win that race by only 1.58 seconds ahead.
Photo courtesy of Motorsport Images.
The fate of the Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16 of the Champions Cup
After the race, 19 of the 21 prepared cars were returned to their standard specifications and sold as used vehicles, although the Mercedes E 190 2.3-16 Nürburgring used by Senna remained in the Mercedes Museum, while Lauda’s example passed into private hands just as the race ended.
After passing through the hands of several collectors, the 190 E and Nikki Lauda met again in 2016, at which time the Austrian autographed it. A year later, The car underwent a comprehensive tune-up by Mercedes-Benz Classic, in Stuttgart, and since then he has appeared in various events both separately and with Senna’s unit, in addition to having appeared in various specialized publications such as the British magazine evo o Petrolicious.
On September 15, the Mercedes 190 E 2.3-16 with chassis number WDB2010341A076359 will be auctioned at the event that RM Sotheby’s will hold in St. Moritz (Switzerland), where It is expected to reach a value of between 420,000 and 500,000 euros, which could make it the most expensive Mercedes 190 E in history.
In fact, the 2.3-16 rarely exceeds 50,000 euros, although some units of the 2.5-16 Evolution I have sold for figures close to 100,000 euros (the last one at Goodwood, last July), while the 2.5-16 Evolution II has been quoted above 400,000 euros on a couple of occasions.
Photo courtesy of Heinz Swoboda.
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