An interesting Promotional Video of the Mercedes R 107

 Nothing new, but the graphics of some of the safety features are excellent. 

Now if I could just get my fuel system right!

Frantic Qualifying in Madrid: F1 Mercedes-Benz Saturday Spanish GP Update

• Kimi Antonelli qualified second with team-mate George Russell sixth for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix. 
• With overtaking predicted to be tough on Sunday, the team’s focus for Saturday was all about extracting the maximum from the W17 on the single lap.
• An interrupted FP3, with the session delayed due to barrier repairs, ended with promise as Kimi topped the times with George showing strong pace, albeit finishing P6 having not been able to complete his ultimate best lap.
• The story of qualifying was dictated firstly by being able to get the tires working on the out lap and then by being able to hold on to them as they threatened to overheat at the end of the push lap.
• Several challengers for pole emerged throughout and in the final moments of Q3, it was Lando Norris who claimed P1 by just 0.011s from Kimi. 
• George was improving on his final lap but suffered from overheating on the tires from turn 11 onwards and ultimately finished the session P6.
• Tomorrow’s 57-lap race will see the team’s tackle a Grand Prix around the fearsome Madring for the very first time with plenty of unknowns around performance, tire degradation, and strategy.

• Kimi Antonelli

  I put together a strong lap on my final effort, and I thought it might have been good enough for pole position. Credit to Lando (Norris) though. He and McLaren did a great job and managed to snatch it away right at the last.

  It was a very intense qualifying session where it was difficult to get the balance right with the tyres with the track being so hot. It was difficult to get the out-lap preparation right but then to also make sure you had it in the right window for all of your push lap. Overall, I think we did a good job and can be pleased with our efforts. 

  Tomorrow will be a big challenge for everyone with lots of unknowns. Whilst overtaking will be tough, I hope we can put Lando under pressure and see what we can do to fight for victory. Managing the tires will be key so let’s see what we can do.

  George Russell

  It was a tough qualifying session for me today. The main factor we were managing throughout all the sessions was ensuring we had the tires in the right window. I had a really good lap in Q1 and hoped that I had the same potential in my last lap of Q3. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a scrappy lap; I had a lot of understeer from turn 11 onwards and lost a couple of tenths from there. The tyres really struggle here with the heat and the long corners, so you can find yourself sliding around, losing more time, and being pushed further down the order. 

  Understanding the tyres more ahead of tomorrow will be crucial as while it didn’t all come together for me today, I hope tomorrow I’ll be able to make my way through the pack. We saw high tire degradation on Friday and if that repeats itself tomorrow, then there will definitely be opportunities for us to make good progress.

  Toto Wolff, CEO & Team Principal

  Coming into the weekend, we didn’t expect to be in the fight for pole. As we moved towards qualifying though we had shown good pace and thought that we may have an opportunity to get P1. We came close but in the final moments, Lando (Norris) pulled out the lap of the weekend so far. Credit to him and McLaren for that; we are still relatively satisfied with our performance though as it gives us a chance to battle at the front tomorrow.

  On George’s side, he never felt completely comfortable with the car. We were trying to add more front-wing as qualifying progressed to give him more confidence but that is not the best position to be in as a driver, particularly on a circuit where you want to be hammering in the laps and getting used to the car. That said, it was very close out there and the margins at the front were very small. 

  Overtaking will be tough tomorrow. It has not looked easy in any of the junior formula races but hopefully we get some good action tomorrow. There are several unknowns that could make for an interesting race too. 

  Andrew Shovlin, Trackside Engineering Director

  We expected this weekend to be more challenging than Monza, not because the car doesn't suit the circuit necessarily, but because this is a track that rewards downforce and we've gone nearly four months without introducing a major update. Even so, our pace through practice was encouraging and, heading into qualifying, we felt we were firmly in the fight for pole position.

  Traffic management was particularly difficult in the early stages because a competitive lap here relies on having a clean out lap. Once we came through Q1, though, we were able to build some rhythm and both drivers continued to find time as track grip improved.

  Kimi put together a strong final lap but ultimately fell just short of matching Lando (Norris). George also improved on his last run but suffered front washout in Turn 11 and then experienced higher tire temperatures through the remainder of the lap, which cost him grip and lap time.

  Making progress tomorrow will not be straightforward as overtaking looks very difficult. However, if the tyre degradation we saw earlier in the weekend remains a factor, it could create opportunities for us to be creative with strategy and put ourselves in the fight.

Mercedes-Benz F1 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid update Friday

 KIm Antonelli

• George Russell and Kimi Antonelli topped the times in FP1 and FP2 respectively as F1 made its debut at the 5.414km, 22-turn Madring in Spain.

• This weekend marks the sport’s first race in the Spanish capital since 1981 and the new circuit poses a fierce track for both car and driver.

• The first hour of running was all about building understanding and confidence; after initial sighter laps, both George and Kimi put in strong lap times to lead the way as most of the field focused on single lap work.

• With high tire degradation, the vast majority of the field opted for a second Medium tire in FP2, thus saving both sets of the Hard compound for Sunday’s race.

• Despite a red flag interrupting the second hour of running, both Kimi and George completed a decent program across both low and high fuel work.

• Kimi topped the times by virtue of his second effort on the Soft tire; George was P5 but only got one proper push lap in with his tires not fully ready at the start of the lap.

• Both drivers completed a mini long-run on the Medium compound to end the day and provide useful data and learning ahead of Sunday’s 57-lap Grand Prix.

Mecedes R 107 Base Price Annually Between 1972 to 1989

 

1972    350 SL 4.5    $10,540

1973    450 SL    $12,775

1974    450 SL    $15,540

1975    450 SL    $17,655

1976    450 SL    $18,000

1977    450 SL    $21,940

1978    450 SL    $21,945

1979    450 SL    $30,730

1980    450 SL    $30,730

1981    380 SL    $38,993

1982    380 SL    $38,990

1983    380 SL    $43,025

1984    380 SL    $45,820

1985    380 SL    $43,820

1986    560 SL    $48,200

1987    560 SL    $55,300

1988    560 SL    $61,130

1989    560 SL    $64,230

Spanish F1 Grand Prix Preview

 

Toto Talks Spain

Monza was one of our strongest weekends of the season and a significant result for everyone at Brixworth and Brackley. The team executed very well, the drivers delivered, and we extracted the maximum from our package. We can be pleased with that but it is already behind us. Our focus switched to Madrid as soon as we left Italy.

This weekend presents a completely different challenge. The circuit characteristics are much closer to somewhere like Budapest or Zandvoort. We are therefore expecting a very close-fought weekend. Our task is to understand the demands of the track in Madrid as quickly as possible and maximise our performance from the first session onwards. New circuits create opportunities and unknowns in equal measure.

Madrid is a global destination city and racing there is another significant step forward for our sport. The fact that an iconic capital like Madrid wants to join the calendar shows the strength of our sport and the momentum we continue to build around the world.

Third Driver Insight

Madrid presents a completely different challenge compared to anything we've faced so far this season. As a brand-new circuit for F1, everyone starts from the same baseline, which always makes for an exciting weekend. It's a track that will take some getting used to, with a mix of more conventional corners alongside unique features such as La Monumental, a long, heavily banked corner that will be fascinating from both a driving and engineering perspective. Finding the right balance between performance, stability and tyre management through that section will be a key challenge.

Drivers always enjoy the opportunity to tackle a new circuit because it's a chance to make a real difference and gain an advantage before experience levels begin to converge. We've spent a lot of time preparing in the simulator and analysing the demands of the track, so we'll arrive ready for the challenge. 

Racing in the heart of Spain's capital will also be a fantastic experience for the sport, and I'm sure Madrid will put on an incredible show for the fans.

Did you know?

• F1 returns to Madrid for the first time in 45 years with the Spanish capital hosting its first Grand Prix since Jarama hosted the 1981 Spanish Grand Prix. 

• The new Madring circuit is making its F1 debut in 2026, becoming the first new venue to join the calendar since Las Vegas in 2023. 
• At 5.416 km and 22 corners, Madring combines public roads with purpose-built sections, creating a unique street circuit.
• One of the track's most distinctive features is "La Monumental", a banked corner with a 24% incline inspired by Madrid's historic bullrings and designed to become the circuit's signature image. 
• The 2026 event marks the start of a 10-year agreement between F1 and Madrid, securing the race's place on the calendar through at least 2035. 

Mercedes 380 SL Vacuum Leak Solved

 

The offending rubber connector to the WUR

OK, after months of high idle, rough idle, strange behavior, the issue is solved. It happened over Labor Day, while staying in Oberlin and without my supply of parts and many of my tools. I had driven the car up to Oberlin from Centerville the prior Saturday, 220 miles. It was a bit nerve wracking, as my idle problems were on my mind, there were times of low power on acceleration, and a strange loss of power and rear noise when I got close to home,

I purchased some carb cleaner at Walmart at the beginning of the long weekend, sprayed it around the vacuum fittings and then focused around the WUR.  I posted above photo on Facebook, and got useful feedback, including reversing the check valve, and taking off the stay-ties, I carefully inspected the U-shaped hard rubber connector at the base of the WUR and discovered severer deterioration and a definite crack and split,

Next was cobbling together rubber and plastic connector bits from Advance Auto Parts. Once together,  I started the car and drove it.  No high idle, no inconsistent idle. Warm Up Regulator appeared to work OK. Still need to set duty cycle soon.