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The Mercedes-Benz w196 was the Mercedes-Benz formula one entry in the 1954 and 1955formula one seasons. Successor to the w194, it won 9 of 12 races entered in the hands of Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling moss and captured the only two world championships it competed in.
Firsts included the use of desmodromic valves and Daimler-Benz developed mechanical direct fuel injection adapted from the db 601 high-performance v12 used on the messerschmitt bf 109efighter during world war ii.
The legendary 3-liter 300slr (sport leicht-rennen, eng: sport light-racing) was derived from the w196 for the 1955 world sportscar championship season. It's crash at le mans that year led not only to its own short-lived domination on the WSC circuit but spelled the end also for the w196, as Mercedes pulled out of competitive racing in 1955 and did not return for another three decades.
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.
