Two Summers The Mercedes-Benz W196R Racing Car

‘Two Summers’ offers a fresh, revealing and highly personal window into the culture of Grand Prix racing as it was during the 1954 and 1955 championships. The core of this book is devoted to individual portraits of the twelve races that comprised the 1954-55 seasons in which the W196R participated. Of those races, Fangio won seven and Moss won two.
With its carefully-crafted observations and conclusions, given added drama by its richly-detailed illustrations, there are numerous examples of the energy and dynamic nature of these racing seasons – not the least being abundant evidence that Fangio was indeed the ultimate master of the art and science of racing a Grand Prix automobile, and that the W196R was the instrument with which he honed his skills. This book captures the decisive moments when victory – hanging in the balance – was tilted towards Fangio by his own steady hand on the wheel and iron discipline.
The W196R’s racing days may be long gone, but it remains a shining star of Mercedes-Benz’ participation in motor sport heritage events world wide.
It’s this timeless appeal of the W196R that gives this book its vitality, charm and enduring attraction.

Features

• Details the designing and developing of the W196R
• A tribute to Karl Kling’s contributions to the development and testing of the W196R
• Explores the design and features of the W196R’s 8-cylinder engine
• Details Alfred Neubauer’s successful signing of Juan Fangio and Stirling Moss
• Includes the full story of the W196 victory of the in its debut race – the 1954 French Grand Prix
• Dramatically captures the exciting press debut of  the W196R in 1954
• A portrait of the skill and courage of legendary Grand Prix drivers
• Complete results of all Grand Prix races in 1954 and 1955
• Includes a balanced review of the W196R’s defeat in the 1954 British Grand Prix
• Page after page of great racing stories and photographs