Mercedes and Benz Racing 1900-1955: An Appreciation

Mercedes and Benz Racing: The First 55 Years of the Rennabteilung

Step into the thrilling world of Mercedes-Benz racing, where innovation, speed, and daring drivers shaped motorsport history. Mercedes and Benz Racing unveils the extraordinary story of the Rennabteilung--the legendary Mercedes-Benz racing department--from the birth of motor racing in the early 1900s to Daimler-Benz’s dramatic withdrawal from Grand Prix and sports car competition in 1955.

This sweeping history spans the golden era of motorsport, from Grands Prix and endurance epics like the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Carrera Panamericana to record-breaking hill climbs and land speed challenges across Europe, the USA, and South America.

Meet the fearless pioneers who pushed the limits of engineering and courage--Emil Jellinek, Ferdinand Porsche, Camille Jenatzy, Christian Lautenschlager, Barney Oldfield, Alfred Neubauer, Rudolf Caracciola, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, and many more. Explore the legendary machines that redefined speed, including the Blitzen Benz, W25, W125, W154, W196, and the iconic 300 SLs and SLCs.

Packed with over 1,200 rare and evocative period images, many published for the first time, this nearly 600-page collector’s edition is a treasure trove for motorsport enthusiasts. With its engaging storytelling and immersive format, Mercedes and Benz Racing is more than a book--it’s a high-octane journey through one of the most exhilarating chapters in automotive history, capturing the passion, ambition, and relentless pursuit of speed that defined Mercedes-Benz as a true racing powerhouse.

Roy Smith is a retired company director with a lifetime passion for motor sport. He began writing in the 1960s for club magazines, recording details of interviews with notables of the time.

A 40-year business career in sales and marketing developed an attention to detail that is crucial to writing a work such as this and his previous works about the development of the first turbo Formula 1 car, the complete history of the Alpine Renault sports prototypes (for which he was awarded the Guild of Motoring Writers Mercedes Benz Prize and the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy in 2010), a comprehensive study of the racing legend Amédée Gordini and the definitive work on Alpine Renault berlinettes. He has written and continues to write many specialist articles for websites and magazines in the UK, and internationally as a UK historic correspondent.

His aim in this book is, as before, is to record another first in English for future generations.