Mercedes was last sought to win Le Mans in 1999. However, it continues to do so that the German brand is not planning another attempt yet.
The FIA WEC World Cup, which is the famous 24 -hour in Le Mans, is experiencing golden times. This is best illustrated by the current starting list, which is teeming with resonant names.
In the royal class Hypercar have their cars brands such as Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, BMW, Alpine or now also Aston Martin. And since 2027, McLaren has been joined, which announced entry into this prestigious category.
But one famous brand is missing in the starting field – Mercedes. Except for the participation in the category LMGT3, which does not buy about the overall primacy, the Stuttgart car manufacturer in Le Mans does not participate.
According to Tota Wolff, who not only leads the Mercedes team in Formula 1, but also coordinates branding activities across Motorsport, however, the return to the highest league of endurance races has not yet planned – although it has been 26 years since the last attempt.
Recall that the last participation of Mercedes in Le Mans in 1999 ended with a fiasco. The then Mercedes-Benz CLR had major aerodynamic problems that caused three accidents, when the cars literally raised into the air. Only with happiness there was no tragedy.
Wolff in Bloomberg Hot Pursuit explained that although “Le Mans one of the largest races in the world” and describes himself as a racer, she is currently clear for Mercedes: “At the moment we focus on the main platform.
Yet, according to him, the uniqueness of some other races cannot be denied.
“Formula 1 is for me – of course I am biased – the best thing that exists. The best riders, the fastest cars, the best tracks. But if I had to say what is right behind it? Le Mans, Indy 500… for an initiated 24 -hour Nürburgring.
At the same time, however, he admitted that the return of Mercedes to Le Mans is unlikely to another reason: “Like Mercedes, we have tried it in the past. But it was not exactly the happiest period.”
A fundamental obstacle for him is the concept of so -called performance balancing between brands, known as Balance of Performance (BOP).
“We are in Mercedes. We don’t like BOP – we don’t like Balance of Performance. We don’t like someone assessing your performance, energy consumption, weight, riding abilities… You spend a lot of time, spend money and energy to build the fastest car – and then someone gives you ten pounds.
