Mercedes-AMG Unveils Special Heritage Livery

GruppeM Racing will contest this weekend’s Repco Bathurst 12 Hour with a special livery commemorating 130 years of motorsport activities for Mercedes-AMG.

The No. 130 Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo, which will be driven by Maro Engel, Felipe Fraga and David Reynolds, has been decked out in a special white, silver and black design that pays tribute to the brand’s long history in racing.

Mercedes-AMG’s era of competition began with a race from Paris to Rouen in July 1894 and has since included victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Nürburgring 24, Mille Miglia, Formula 1 and more.

The white front represents a nod to the brand’s early racing days, when white was Germany’s national racing color, while the silver is a tribute to the ‘Silver Arrows’ that dominated shortly before and after the Second World War.

The exposed carbon fiber pattern on the rear, meanwhile, is meant to symbolize Mercedes-AMG’s current exploits in sports car racing as well as F1.

Mercedes-AMG factory driver Engel will race the livery in various championships throughout the course of the year, while the brand is planning special festivities for a number of events, including the N24 and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Gounon to Attempt Mount Panorama Lap Record Run

Fellow factory driver and defending Bathurst winner Jules Gounon, meanwhile, will attempt to break the unofficial Mount Panorama lap record ahead of the race.

The current record was set in 2019, when Luke Youlden lapped the track in a time of 1:58.694 in a Brabham BT62.

In order to beat the record, Gounon will get behind the wheel of a modified and unrestricted Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo.

The car features a tiltable rear wing and DRS system, modified front section and adapted side skirts and carbon brake discs, which are not permitted under GT3 technical regulations.

The unrestricted, 6.2-liter V8, meanwhile, is said to produce around 650 horsepower.

“The legacy of 130 years in motorsport is an extremely huge and valuable one,” said Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport Christoph Sagemueller.

“Successfully carrying this into the future is a responsible duty for all of us.

“I am delighted that we get this anniversary underway during the 12-hour race at Bathurst and hopefully also honour it with a record lap.

“Moreover, we are heading to the iconic Mount Panorama as the defending champions for the second consecutive time.

“Of course, we want to defend this title and thus add another milestone to our 130-year-long motorsport heritage, living up to the motto ‘Defining Motorsport since 1894’.”