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| Category | Grand Prix | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Mercedes-Benz | ||||
| Designers | Max Sailer Albert Heess Max Wagner Rudolf Uhlenhaut | ||||
| Predecessor | Mercedes-Benz W125 | ||||
| Technical specifications | |||||
| Chassis | Oval tubular frame | ||||
| Suspension (front) | Independent suspension with wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic dampers | ||||
| Suspension (rear) | De Dion axle, torsion bars, cockpit adjustable hydraulic dampers | ||||
| Engine | M154 &M163 3.0 litreV12 (60°)superchargedfront-engine,longitudinally mounted | ||||
| Transmission | Mercedes-Benz 5-speedmanual transmissionZFdifferential | ||||
| Weight | 980 kg (2,161 lb) (1938) 910 kg (2,006 lb) (1939) | ||||
| Tyres | Continental | ||||
| Competition history | |||||
| Notable entrants | Daimler-Benz AG | ||||
| Notable drivers | Manfred von Brauchitsch Rudolf Caracciola Juan Manuel Fangio Karl Kling Hermann Lang Richard Seaman | ||||
| Debut | 1938 Pau Grand Prix (non-championship) 1938 French Grand Prix (European Championship) | ||||
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| Drivers' Championships | 1[1] | ||||
TheMercedes-Benz W154 was a Grand Prix racing car designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut. The W154 competed in the 1938 and 1939 Grand Prix seasons and was used byRudolf Caracciola to win the 1938 European Championship.
The W154 was created as a result of a rule change by the sports governing body AIACR, which limited supercharged engine capacities to 3000cc. Mercedes' previous car, the supercharged 5700ccW125, was therefore ineligible. The company decided that a new car based on the chassis of the W125 and designed to comply with the new regulations would be preferable to modifying the existing car.
Although using the same chassis design as the 1938 car, a different body was used for the 1939 season and the M154 engine used during 1938 was replaced by the M163. As a result of the new engine, the 1939 car is often mistakenly referred to as a Mercedes-Benz W163.[2]
For the 1938 season, Grand Prix racing's governing body AIACR moved from aformula limited by weight to one by engine capacity. The new regulations allowed a maximum capacity of 3000cc with asupercharger or 4500cc without. This meant Mercedes-Benz's previous car, the supercharged 5700ccW125, was ineligible to continue. Its new car was based on the W125 chassis, with a supercharged 3000cc engine determined after both types had been tested.
The chassis was largely based on that of the preceding W125.[3] The frame was constructed using oval tubes made of nickel-chrome molybdenum to provide stiffness.
The suspension was also near identical to the W125. The rear consisted of aDe Dion tube, designed to keep the rear wheels parallel using a solid tubular beam. It also had hydraulic rear dampers, adjustable from within the cockpit during a race.
The bodywork of the W154 was aluminium, left unpainted like its predecessors, making it another of Mercedes' famedSilver Arrows.
| Technical data | W154/39 |
|---|---|
| Engine: | Front mounted 12 cylinderV engine |
| displacement: | 2962 cm3 |
| Bore x stroke: | 67 x 70mm |
| Compression: | 7.5:1 |
| Max power at rpm: | 476 hp (483 PS) at 7 800 rpm |
| Max torque at rpm: | 490 N⋅m (361 lb⋅ft) at 5 000 rpm |
| Valve control: | 2 overheadcamshafts per cylinder row, 4 valves per cylinder |
| Upload: | 2Roots compressor |
| Gearbox: | 5-speed manual |
| suspension front: | Double wishbones, coil springs, hydraulicshock absorbers |
| suspension rear: | De Dion axle, longitudinaltorsion bar, hydraulicshock absorbers |
| Brakes: | Hydraulic drum brakes |
| Chassis &body: | Cross-shaped oval tube frame with aluminum body |
| Wheelbase: | 272 cm |
| Dry weight: | About 900 kg |
| Top speed: | 310 km/h |
The new M154 engine was a 2,961 cc (180.7 cu in) capacity 67 mm × 70 mm (2.64 in × 2.76 in) supercharged V12, attaining an output between 425 and 474 horse power. In 1939, the 2-stage supercharged version recorded a test bed power of 476 BHP (483 PS) at 7,800 rpm. Each one of these engines reputedly cost 89,700 German reichsmarks in 1938 (USD $1 million today).
To compensate for the smaller engine compared to the W125, the W154 had an extra gear with a 5-speed manual transmission. The first gear was protected by a latch to avoid being engaged accidentally.To achieve an extremely low car, the engine is slightly off-set and the transmission tunnel passes next to the seat and not under the seat.In order to reduce the weight, it did not have a starter motor and an external starter was used to start it.
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The W154 made its debut in the opening race of the1938 Grand Prix season, in which it would win 3 of 4 championship races, in the non-championshipPau Grand Prix in early April. Cars were entered for both Caracciola and Lang. Lang crashed during practice and the team withdrew his car.René Dreyfus took pole position in aDelahaye, but Caracciola was second and managed to beat Dreyfus away from the line at the start of the race. Despite leading, Caracciola was suffering from an old leg injury, and when he pitted for fuel he handed the car over to Lang. Dreyfus took the lead and would not need to pit as his car's lower fuel consumption meant he could complete the race non-stop. Lang's car developed aspark plug problem and finished the race in second place, nearly two minutes behind.
The car's next outing was at the Italian North AfricaTripoli Grand Prix, again a non-championship race, was much more successful.Raymond Sommer was allowed to enter as Independent with a fourth factoryAlfa Romeo 158 quickly repainted inFrench racing blue. Mercedes wanted to do the same but a fourth W154 forRichard Seaman, that would be entered in fullBritish Racing Green instead of just some green markings, was denied. The three Silver cars that were entered for Lang, von Brauchitsch and Caracciola qualified first, second and third respectively. The gap from Caracciola to fourth placedClemente Biondetti was over three seconds. The cars retained these positions at the end of the race and although von Brauchitsch and Caracciola had both suffered engine problems, Caracciola still finished over eight minutes ahead of fourth placedRaymond Sommer.[4][5]
The first race of the European Championship was theFrench Grand Prix, held at theReims-Gueux circuit. Three cars were entered, for Caracciola, von Brauchitsch and Lang. A poor turnout meant that there were only nine competitors. Team managerAlfred Neubauer offered to enter a fourth W154 forRichard Seaman, but the organisers insisted on a maximum of three cars per team. Lang took pole position, with von Brauchitsch second and Caracciola third, ahead of the twoAuto Unions ofChristian Kautz andRudolf Hasse. The Mercedes-Benz cars led from the start. After two laps, four cars had retired, leaving only the Mercedes-Benz andTalbot cars in the race, the Talbots already a minute behind. Lang had difficulties in a pit-stop and Caracciola's engine started firing on only eleven of its twelve cylinders. This left von Brauchitsch to claim victory ahead of Caracciola and Lang. The only other finisher wasRené Carrièrè in a Talbot, ten laps behind.[6]
Three weeks after the French Grand Prix came the second race of the European Championship, theGerman Grand Prix. Four W154s were entered and they took the first four positions on the starting grid; von Brauchitsch took pole position from Lang, Seaman and Caracciola. At the start, Lang took the lead but on lap three his car's spark plugs oiled up and he had to make an emergency pit stop. Shortly afterwards, team manager Alfred Neubauer brought Lang into the pits so thatWalter Bäumer, a reserve driver for Mercedes-Benz, could take over. Lang's mechanical problems allowed von Brauchitsch to take the lead. Meanwhile, Caracciola had been struggling withabdominal pain and stopped on lap ten to allow Lang to take over his car. Von Brauchitsch came in for his second pit stop on lap sixteen, followed by Seaman in second position. During von Brauchitsch's pit stop, a mechanic spilt fuel over the car which was then ignited by a spark from the car's exhaust pipe. This allowed Seaman to exit the pits in the lead of the race. When his car's fire had been extinguished, von Brauchitsch also left the pits, only to crash his car later during the lap. Seaman continued on to win the race, followed by Lang in Caracciola's car. Lang's car, being driven by Bäumer, retired from the race with engine problems.[7]
Following the French Grand Prix, Mercedes-Benz travelled to Italy to contest two non-championship races on each side of the Italian coast - theCoppa Ciano atMontenero (Livorno) and theCoppa Acerbo atPescara. For the Coppa Ciano, Caracciola was entered in an experimental car with a larger saddle tank and a shorter tail section. Pole position went toCarlo Felice Trossi in aMaserati 8CTF, but he retired on lap eight with engine troubles. Caracciola retired due to a punctured fuel tank, leaving von Brauchitsch to win from Lang. After the race, von Brauchitsch was disqualified for receiving outside assistance, which left Lang as the winner. At the Coppa Acerbo, Mercedes-Benz failed to win the pole position for the second race in a row;Tazio Nuvolari took pole position in an Auto Union Type D. In the race, Nuvolari retired when hisdifferential broke, leaving Caracciola to win. The two other W154s of von Brauchitsch and Lang retired with engine problems. Lang's car caught fire after aconrod severed the fuel pipe to his car's engine; the fire burnt away all of thealuminium bodywork.[8][9]
The W154 was modified with a new lower front for the1939 Grand Prix season, in which it again would win 3 of 4 championship races.
Three of the W154 that remained after the war were shipped overseas for twoFormula Libre races in the 1951 "Temporada Argentina" series, the February1951 Buenos Aires Grand Prix (I) and1951 Buenos Aires Grand Prix (II). Drivers were Herrmann Lang, newcomerKarl Kling and home favoriteJuan Manuel Fangio. Only the modern superchargedFerrari 166 FL ofJosé Froilán González could beat the outdated Mercedes, but second-place finishes is not was Mercedes was aiming for. Mercedes discontinued the W154 programme[10] did not run the 1939 Tripoli winningvoituretteMercedes-Benz W165 in post-war Grand Prix, cancelled theMercedes-Benz W195 project in 1951 and built theMercedes-Benz W196 for 1954. In addition, theMercedes-Benz W194300 SL was entered in sportscar racing in 1952, winning major races.
After the war, the W154 designated as chassis nine was discovered inCzechoslovakia. This was the car with which Lang had won theCoppa Ciano in 1938.[11] The car was sold to Don Lee, an American racing team owner. During 1938, the rules for the Indianapolis 500 were modified to allow the European Grand Prix cars to compete, and in 1947, Lee entered his W154 withDuke Nalon as the driver. Nalon discovered thatRiley Brett, anOffenhauser mechanic, had obtained some Mercedes engine blueprints. Nalon was able to make copies and from these, the team was able to prepare the engine. The mechanics started the engine but left it running onidle which caused the fuel tocondense in the enginemanifold. Due to the engine being mounted at an angle, the rear cylinders filled up with fuel, breaking theconrods and onepiston. A new piston was hastilysand cast in time for the race.[10]
Although Nalon set the second fastest qualifying speed, the qualifying system meant that he would start the race from 18th position. During the race, the replacement piston failed after 119 laps and the car had to retire from the race.[10]
Nalon was not rehired for the 1948 race.Ralph Hepburn was to be the driver, having not found a drive for the previous season's race. Hepburn later decided to instead drive aNovi for team owner Lew Welch. Meanwhile, one of Welch's drivers,Chet Miller, had decided that the Novi was too difficult to drive. Miller agreed to drive the W154 for Don Lee. He qualified the car in 19th position, but come the race, had to rely on a relief driver after 29 laps.Ken Fowler took over on lap 30 and he handed it over toLouis Tomei on lap 50. Tomei continued through to lap 108, when the car had to retire with oil problems.[10][12]
In 1949, Don Lee sold his W154 toJoel Thorne, another team owner. Thorne had the Mercedes engine removed and aSparksstraight-six engine installed. The car'sbonnet no longer fit, so a new one had to be manufactured. Thorne drove the car himself, but failed to qualify for the race.[10][13]
Alfred Neubauer attended the 1949 race, in order to investigate the feasibility of a works Mercedes entry at Indianapolis. Neubauer studied Lew Welch's Novi team, and based on the information he had gained, Mercedes attempted to adapt the W154 for oval racing.
Mercedes also had the pre-war 1500ccVoiturette (F2)Mercedes-Benz W165 which won the 1939Tripoli Grand Prix and still was qualified for Grand Prix racing according to outgoing rules. The company studied concepts for a newMercedes-Benz W195 GP car but then waited for new rules to be published that were come in effect in 1954, for whichMercedes-Benz W196 was made.
Another target was an entry in the1951 Indianapolis 500. For twoFormula Libre races in the "Temporada Argentina" series that year, the February1951 Buenos Aires Grand Prix (I) and1951 Buenos Aires Grand Prix (II), three W154 cars were shipped there and entered, with Herrmann Lang, newcomerKarl Kling and home favoriteJuan Manuel Fangio driving. Only the modern superchargedFerrari 166 FL ofJosé Froilán González could beat the outdated Mercedes, but second-place finishes is not was Mercedes was aiming for. Mercedes discontinued the W154 programme.[10]
The ex-Don Lee W154 made one final appearance at Indianapolis in 1957. The car was now owned by Edward Shreve, and had aJaguarstraight-six engine fitted.Danny Kladis drove the car, but failed to qualify for the race.[10][14]
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Bold – Pole |
† The Grand Prix class was run at the same time as theVoiturette class.[5]
* Fowler and Tomei were relief drivers for Miller. Miller drove laps 1-29, Fowler drove laps 30-50 and Tomei drove from 51 to 108, when the car retired.[12]
| Year | Team | Engine | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Safety Auto Glass | Jaguar 3.4I6 | ARG | MON | 500 | FRA | GBR | GER | PES | ITA | |
| Danny Kladis | DNQ |
| Year | Event | Venue | Driver | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | Höhenstraßen Rennen | Kahlenberg,Austria | Hermann Lang | 1 | [15] |
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