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The Story of the Mercedes-Benz CLR, the Silver Arrow That Took Flight at Le Mans

In the late 1990s, Mercedes-Benz and its partners at AMG were heavily involved in motorsport, and one of their main goals was winning the most famous of all endurance races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Mercedes-Benz CLR 8 photos
Photo: Daimler AG
1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR
The basis for this endeavor started in 1997 when the German manufacturer entered the FIA GT Championship and dominated the premier GT1 class with the epic CLK GTR. Soon after the season was completed, they started developing an upgraded racer that would not only attempt to retain its title in the aforementioned competition but return to Le Mans, a race last won by Mercedes back in 1989.

Engineers extensively improved the GTR’s aerodynamics for the 1998 season and replaced the 6.0-liter V12 with a 5.0-liter V8 derived from the unit used in the Le Mans-winning Sauber C9 and the subsequent Mercedes-Benz C11. It ditched forced induction but produced approximately 600 hp, with AMG determining that it would prove more reliable than the twelve-cylinder.

The upgraded car was dubbed CLK LM, and although it won every single race in the FIA GT Championship, it ultimately failed at Le Mans, where engine issues prevented both cars from completing the race.

Later that year, Mercedes-Benz acquired 51% of AMG shares from co-founder and owner Hans Werner Aufrecht. As part of the deal, the iconic German engineer founded HWA (the name is a combination of his initials), an independent division that took over the motorsport activities of Mercedes-AMG. The first task handed down to HWA was to create of a new race car that would finally triumph at Le Mans.

The Development of the CLR

1999 Mercedes\-Benz CLR
Photo: Daimler AG
Gerhard Ungar was the chief designer in charge of the CLR project, and because of the short amount of time available, he decided to base the new car on the CLK LM rather than build a new one from scratch.

The carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb chassis design was kept, but it received significant modifications, resulting in a much smaller cockpit.

The bodywork was drastically overhauled, and every square inch was designed for optimum airflow. Now 4 inches (10 cm) shorter in overall height than the CLK LM, it retained the CLK-Class taillights from its predecessor, adding a new pair of headlights and a wide front grille inspired by the new CL-Class.

For the powerplant, engineers remained faithful to the naturally aspirated V8 used a year earlier, but its displacement was increased to 5.7 liters to compensate for the air restrictor limitations in the new LMGTP category. It gained several minor upgrades to ensure that it would run flawlessly this time around, and was mated to the same Xtrac 6-speed sequential gearbox of the CLK LM.

1999 Mercedes\-Benz CLR
Photo: Daimler AG
For the revised aerodynamics, emphasis was placed on low drag, and extensive tests were carried out at the University of Stuttgart's wind tunnel. However, as we’re about to learn, these tests would prove ineffective as the aerodynamics became the Achilles' heel of the CLR.

In February 1999, the first series of tests commenced at the California Speedway in the United States. After about four weeks, the team moved to France, where testing continued on the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. After that, they got back to Germany where the Hockenheimring hosted the final sessions ahead of Le Mans.

On April 20th, the CLR was officially unveiled to the public, and by that time, it had covered 21,735 miles (34,979 km) without any major incidents. Naturally, everyone at Mercedes-AMG was confident that this was the car that would earn them the coveted Le Mans title. They announced that three cars would participate in the legendary race, and the driver line-up consisted of Christophe Bouchut, Jean-Marc Gounon, Bernd Schneider, Marcel Tiemann, Mark Webber, Nick Heidfeld, Peter Dumbreck, Pedro Lamy, and Franck Lagorce.

The Infamous Incidents

1999 Mercedes\-Benz CLR
Photo: Daimler AG
In France, during the qualifying session on the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe, the no. 4 CLR driven by Mark Webber at the time suddenly became airborne after attempting to overtake, flipping over and eventually landing on its wheels before crashing into the safety barriers on the side of the track. Fortunately, the driver was quickly taken out of the car by track marshals and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was eventually released, albeit with a sore neck, chest, and back.

The other two cars finished the session in fourth and sixth place, while Webber’s fastest lap before the accident was good enough for tenth.

Two days before race start, engineers managed to rebuild the no. 4 car using parts from a fifth test car. In the meantime, the Australian driver recovered from his injuries and was cleared to take part in Sunday’s main event.

During the warm-up, Webber’s CLR took flight once again after cresting a hill at the approach to the Mulsanne corner. However, this time it rose approximately 30 feet (9 m) above the track, plunging backward before twisting towards its right side and hitting the tarmac with the rear while inverted. It skidded on its roof into a run-off area where it came to a halt, and marshals were able to get the driver out. Miraculously, Webber escaped unharmed once again, but this time, the extensively damaged car couldn’t be repaired.

1999 Mercedes\-Benz CLR
Photo: Daimler AG
In the paddock, excitement quickly turned into panic as the team questioned whether to continue or pull out of the race. Engineers worked feverously to mitigate the issue, ending up stiffening the rear suspension and adding dive planes to the front fenders for increased downforce even though that meant sacrificing top speed. Drivers were also consulted on whether they believed the cars were too dangerous, but they eventually decided to carry on.

During the first five hours of racing, the two remaining cars performed well. The no. 17 BMW was in the lead with the no. 2 Toyota behind, followed by the no. 5 Mercedes in third and the second CLR in fourth.

It was the 75th lap when Peter Dumbreck and his no. 5 car were closing in on Thierry Boutsen's Toyota. With a speed of nearly 200 mph (322 kph), the two cars were nose to tail on the run-up from the Mulsanne corner to Indianapolis while the drivers were partially blinded by the setting sun ahead of them. It was during this epic battle for second that the CLR ran over a small curb and took flight, reaching a height of nearly 50 feet (15 m) and flipping three times before landing into the trees neighboring the track. It narrowly missed a marshaling post and a large advertising billboard bridging the track just ahead of it.

The Aftermath

1999 Mercedes\-Benz CLR
Photo: Daimler AG
Dumbreck was knocked unconscious after the initial impact but awoke and managed to get out of the car by himself before the marshals reached the crash site. He was eventually rushed to the hospital, where he was cleared a few hours later virtually unscathed.

Shortly after the accident, Mercedes pulled the only remaining car from the race and retired, with arch-rivals BMW crossing the finish line first the next day.

The incidents prompted Mercedes to shut down the CLR program and retire from endurance racing. It also led to several regulation changes dictating the design of Le Mans racing cars and modifications to the track itself to increase safety.

Christophe Bouchut stated years later that despite its flaws, the CLR was his favorite car to drive in 21 years of racing at Le Mans, praising its handling and technology. Then again, he (fortunately) didn’t record any flight time behind the wheel.

One of Mercedes-AMG’s most ambitious projects, the 1999 Mercedes-Benz CLR was ultimately a failure of epic proportions. However, what people seem to forget is that after all three horrific accidents, the drivers involved made it out without any major injuries. That goes to prove just how safe the car was, even though the main focus of development was performance.

To end on a light note, it never finished the lone race it was built for, but when flying cars become widespread, the German manufacturer can boast about (accidentally) designing the first one.

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About the author: Vlad Radu
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Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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