GT World Challenge Europe: Mercedes-AMG Motorsport celebrates podium and early drivers’ championship victory at the Nürburgring

 #6 GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros

• Jules Gounon (AND), Daniel Juncadella (ESP), and Christopher Lulham (GBR) secured third place for Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing in the three-hour race of the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup. The team had started from fifth on the grid. Having started the race from seventh, Lucas Auer (AUT), Maro Engel, and Luca Stolz (both GER) of Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER secured fourth place, thereby clinching the drivers’ championship in the Endurance Cup ahead of the season finale.
• Lucas Auer initially crossed the line in sixth place. As penalties were imposed on two rivals at the end of the race, the #48 Mercedes-AMG GT3 moved up to fourth place. With a 27-point lead, the three Mercedes-AMG Performance Drivers have therefore been confirmed as champions even before the last race. They are the first drivers in the series’ history to secure the Endurance Cup title ahead of schedule.
• For Maro Engel and Luca Stolz, this is their second drivers’ title in the endurance standings of the European continental series, following their victory in 2018. Lucas Auer is celebrating his first title in the Endurance Cup, having already won the overall and sprint class championships alongside Maro Engel in 2024.
• The Mercedes-AMG Team GetSpeed had a run of bad luck. In qualifying on Sunday morning, the #17 secured the best starting position of all eight Mercedes-AMG GT3 cars. Maximilian Götz (GER), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Fabian Schiller (GER) started the race from second on the grid. During the second pit stop, the team lost second place when the engine failed to start straight away. The #17 Mercedes-AMG GT3 finished in fifth place. “I feel sorry for the team. They put in a very strong performance, secured a good starting position in qualifying and were unlucky during the second pit stop when the engine didn’t start straight away. That set the team back and robbed them of the chance of a possible victory,” said Stefan Wendl, Head of Customer Racing at Mercedes-AMG Motorsport.
• A number of incidents led to repeated neutralisations throughout the race, meaning that the outcome was ultimately decided by strategy. The three Mercedes-AMG Performance cars initially crossed the finish line in fifth (#3), sixth (#48), and seventh (#17) places. In the final standings, they finished third, fourth, and fifth.
• In the Bronze Cup, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams secured a one-two finish. Reece Barr (IRL), Charles Dawson, and Kiern Jewiss (both GBR) from 2 Seas Motorsport had already secured pole position in their class and went on to take the race win. Marvin Dienst (GER), Gabriele Piana (ITA), and Rinat Salikhov (FIA) claimed second place for Winward Racing. The #177 from Grupo Prom Racing Team finished the race in eleventh place in the Bronze category.
• The GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros celebrated another podium finish in the Silver Cup. Anthony Bartone (USA), César Gazeau, and Aurélien Panis (both FRA) took third place in their category in the #6 Mercedes-AMG GT3. 
• In the Bronze Cup, the Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing Teams secured a one-two finish. Reece Barr (IRL), Charles Dawson, and Kiern Jewiss (both GBR) from 2 Seas Motorsport had already secured pole position in their class and went on to take the race win. Marvin Dienst (GER), Gabriele Piana (ITA), and Rinat Salikhov (FIA) claimed second place for Winward Racing. The #177 from Grupo Prom Racing Team finished the race in eleventh place in the Bronze category.
• A number of incidents led to repeated neutralization's throughout the race, meaning that the outcome was ultimately decided by strategy. The three Mercedes-AMG Performance cars initially crossed the finish line in fifth (#3), sixth (#48), and seventh (#17) places. In the final standings, they finished third, fourth, and fifth.
• “We put in a fantastic performance as Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. Every single result contributed to this great team effort. And it was anything but easy: already in qualifying, we saw just how close the field was and that strategy and tyre management would be crucial. To have all three Pro cars in the top-five is fantastic. Each of them would have deserved a place on the podium. Congratulations to Mercedes-AMG Team Verstappen Racing on their first Endurance Cup podium, to 2 Seas Motorsport and Winward Racing on their one-two in the Bronze Cup, and to GetSpeed Team Bartone Bros on their class podium in the Silver Cup. I would also like to congratulate Mercedes-AMG Team MANN-FILTER on securing the championship early. The team has done an incredible job in the three races so far.”
  Stefan Wendl, Head of Customer Racing, Mercedes-AMG Motorsport

A task Soon after my 2014 purchase of my 1982 380 SL -- Changing all belts

 In 2014 I didn't have the wealth of material available now on Youtube and the Internet. Just a Haynes Manual to 1980 and a Chilton to 1984. If you are newer to this task, you should also consult  this link: https://tonk.ca. The latter ill prove to be invaluable, as you will find all the nuts and bolts you will need to turn to move the accessories so that the belts will come off the right way.

There are plenty of parts suppliers on the web, and always Ebay for hard to find parts (stay away form Chinese parts of at all possible and buy German if you can -- also your M-B dealer can be helpful). For things like belts I look to Rockauto, as many of these belts can be quite inexpensive there.  Just be careful about shipping.

Personally I had some struggles with a number of the accessories, and with each passing year my challenges increase due to a drop in vision.

If a project says two hours, plan on four!

Mercedes-Benz F1 Racing -- A look Back at the Season So Far, August 26, 2026

 

Kimi Antonelli, Hywel Thomas, George Russell, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team

The new era of regulations has begun, marked by Kimi Antonelli (ITA) and George Russell (GBR) celebrating by popping champagne corks on the podium in Melbourne on 8 March. Six months later, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team is leading both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships.

“If someone had offered us this position at the start of the season, I would have accepted it immediately. However, given how competitive our car was this year, I think we should have scored more points. Nevertheless, we’re looking forward to the second half of the season and the chance to make up for some of those missed opportunities.”
James Allison, Technical Director, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team

Following George’s victory at the season opener in Australia, him and his team-mate secured another seven Grand Prix wins across the first eleven races of the season. After the summer break, the team achieved their second-best points total of the season so far at Zandvoort, marking the start of the second half of the season. However, previous years have shown that even the largest lead can disappear quickly. 

“If we can keep improving the car while ensuring clean execution and reliability, we will put ourselves in the strongest possible position for the final push for the championship.”
James Allison, Technical Director, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team

Appearance of the week: Debut for the new Official FIA F1 Safety Car at Zandvoort
Five weeks after its unveiling as the new Official FIA F1 Safety Car in Hungary, the Mercedes-AMG GT63 PRO 4MATIC+ made its debut at the Dutch Grand Prix. In Hungary, the Safety Car had not yet been deployed onto the track. In Zandvoort, the moment finally arrived: Bernd Mayländer (GER) led the field through the formation lap due to the track still being slippery at the start. Following the early race interruption, the car completed a further lap at Circuit Zandvoort to safely return the 21 remaining cars to their starting positions. 

 

 

1952 Mercedes-Benz 170 V customer service vehicle (W 136)

 

1952 Mercedes-Benz 170 V panel van with “Sindelfingen body”, formerly a service vehicle for Mercedes-Benz Customer Service in Switzerland.

Service is blue: The paintwork on this Mercedes-Benz 170 V panel van still catches the eye today. In the 1950s, people knew straight away: this colour stood for Mercedes-Benz service. That’s because, back then, the brand’s customer service vehicles were painted in “Mercedes blue”. This stylish compact van was put into service in Switzerland in 1952. Icons such as the 1955 “Blue Wonder” racing car transporter also featured this color. 

Sheet metal, wood, carpet: Back then, the customer service vehicle was usually loaded up with tools and spare parts when on the road. The van body with a left-hand-opening rear-end door offered plenty of space for this: a visible wooden framework supported the elegantly shaped sheet metal cladding. Inside, the wooden arches were connected on each side with five slats, which ran right up to the cab wall. Additional equipment could be stowed under the carpeted load compartment floor. That’s also where the spare wheel for the 170 V was stowed. 

Sindelfingen elegance: There was a silver-colored badge on the driver’s door, directly above the wing, which was painted light grey. It had “Sindelfinger Karosserie. Daimler-Benz A.G.” (Sindelfingen body. Daimler-Benz A.G.) written on it and the Mercedes star gleaming in the center. The badge paid tribute to the brand’s tradition of high-quality factory-built bodies dating back to the 1930s. 

Comfort in action: The customer service engineers sat in the cab on a bench seat upholstered in light grey imitation leather. The transmission tunnel was also trimmed in imitation leather. The pedals were surrounded by carefully fitted mats made of hard-wearing fabric, which were cut to fit the footwell exactly. The light grey painted dashboard featured the speedometer with odometer in the center in front of the driver, with an instrument cluster for the fuel gauge and oil pressure to the left of it, and the clock to the right. The buttons on the various controls were finished in ivory-colored plastic. The black horn ring inside the black steering wheel was also used to operate the turn signal indicators: classic direction indicators with a flashing function were fitted at the front, in front of the doors, while the rear featured more modern turn signal lights. 

Eyewitnesses to post-war reconstruction: This elegant 170 V panel van was the direct descendant of automobiles that marked the resumption of series production at Mercedes-Benz after the Second World War, amidst the difficult conditions of post-war reconstruction. It all began in May 1946 with some very simple vehicles, which were, however, urgently needed at the time: pickups, panel vans and ambulances, all based on the 170 V. The first saloon cars began to appear again from 1947 onwards. The 170 V (W 136), launched in 1936, was one of the most significant vehicles for Mercedes-Benz – economically, technically and strategically – in the entire pre-war period, and was therefore ideally suited for the resumption of production. 

Mercedes-Benz 170 D panel van with “Sindelfingen body”. Front cover of the 1952 brochure featuring an illustration by Hans Liska.

Efficient with diesel: The general situation began to improve gradually from 1948 onwards, particularly as a result of the currency reform in the Federal Republic of Germany and the launch of the Marshall Plan by the United States of America. This was also reflected in Mercedes-Benz’s range of light commercial vehicles. The efficient 170 D was added to the W 136 range in 1949. It was also available ex factory as a panel van and as a chassis for bodies made by independent body manufacturers. With its 29 kW (40 hp) 1.7-litre OM 636 diesel engine, it was the ideal solution for the needs of many tradesmen and craftsmen during the era of the West German “economic miracle”, which began in the early 1950s. 

Small-batch production with petrol engine: Both the 170 V and the 170 D were produced in 1952 as panel vans with Sindelfingen bodies. More than 500 units of the diesel version were produced. By contrast, only 35 units of the more powerful and dynamic petrol-engined version (33 kW/45 hp at 3,600 rpm, top speed 116 km/h) were built. This means that the 170 V, featured in the new special exhibition “130 Years of Commercial Vehicles”, is not only a testament to the 1950s, but also an extremely rare find. In the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz used various models from the W 136 model series as customer service vehicles.

Moka -- clips of a light brown 1972 Mercedes 350 SL R 107 on film -- 2017 -- MOKA

Moka (2016) is a Franco-Swiss psychological drama and thriller directed by Frédéric Mermoud. It is adapted from the 2006 novel of the same name by Tatiana de Rosnay (author of Sarah's Key). Set against the scenic backdrop of Lake Geneva (spanning Lausanne, Switzerland, and Évian, France), the film explores themes of grief, revenge, guilt, and moral reconciliation.

At the heart of this film is a moka brown 1972 450 SL Mercedes-Benz. It is the vehicle that killed the son of the film's main character. An object of undeniable beauty, it is owned by a woman cosmetologist whose daughter is troubled and whose partner is unreliable and shady. In 2016, the car looks far better than the private lives of people who drive it. What you see in the car is not a reflection of reality.

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Plot Synopsis

Following the tragic hit-and-run death of her teenage son in Lausanne, Diane Kramer is consumed by grief. Frustrated by the police's slow progress after six months, she takes matters into her own hands. A private investigator provides her with a crucial clue: a witness saw a blonde woman driving an old, vintage mocha-colored ("moka") Mercedes coupe.

Diane checks herself out of a psychiatric care facility, purchases an illegal handgun, and tracks the car across Lake Geneva to the resort town of Évian-les-Bains in France. Using the pseudonym "Hélène," she locates the vehicle's owner, Marlène, a blonde beauty salon proprietor.

To get close to Marlène, Diane pretends to be a prospective buyer interested in purchasing the classic Mercedes. As she integrates herself into Marlène's life, the simple desire for violent retribution gives way to a complex web of relationships. Diane meets Marlène's daughter, Élodie, and Élodie’s volatile boyfriend, Vincent.

As Diane investigates further, she uncovers the truth of the incident: while Marlène owned the car and was present during the accident, it was actually Vincent who was driving during the hit-and-run. Rather than descending into a violent Hollywood-style climax, the narrative turns inward, forcing Diane to confront the realities of loss, accountability, and forgiveness.

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Key Characters

• Diane Kramer (Emmanuelle Devos): A devastated mother driven by an unwavering obsession to find the person responsible for her son's death. Her grief borders on cold detachment as she assumes a false identity to seek closure.
• Marlène Mangin (Nathalie Baye): A weary, glamorous salon owner who owns the mocha Mercedes. Outwardly self-assured yet harboring secrets, she becomes both an adversary and a figure of strange empathy for Diane.
• Élodie (Diane Rouxel): Marlène’s vulnerable daughter, who is caught in an abusive relationship and unaware of the full scope of her mother's actions.
• Vincent (Olivier Chantreau): Élodie’s aggressive boyfriend, a local petty criminal who was behind the wheel on the night of the fatal accident.

Film Criticism and Reception

Moka received generally positive reviews from critics, particularly for its understated direction and central performances.

• Chabrolian Atmosphere: Critics frequently compared Mermoud's direction to the psychological thrillers of Claude Chabrol (notably his 1969 film This Man Must Die) and the literary style of Patricia Highsmith. Reviewers noted how the serene, glacial beauty of Lake Geneva served as a stark contrast to the quiet tension of the plot.
• Lead Performances: The chemistry and performance pairing of French cinema veterans Emmanuelle Devos and Nathalie Baye were universally praised. The New York Times awarded the film a "Critic's Pick," highlighting both actresses for doing career-high work in their slow-burn cat-and-mouse dynamic.
• Subversion of Revenge Tropes: Rather than relying on traditional action or sensationalized violence, critical analysis emphasized the film’s restraint. Critics appreciated that Moka prioritizes character study and emotional resolution over standard thriller twists.
• Accolades: The film won the Variety Piazza Grande Award at the 2016 Locarno International Film Festival.

 

Oil change on Mercedes 380 SL -- Sometimes it is harder than you think, if you get in your own way!

Even before I purchased my 1982 Mercedes 380 SL in 2014, I had changed oil many, many times on my cars. And indeed, one of the first things I did after getting the car home was change fluids, including oil. My first time on this car must of been not eventful, as I do not remember anything about doing it. However, I must have noticed the rather antiquated oil filter system that was on this car.  Antiquated and over engineered. Much later -- perhaps in 2024 -- I ran into big trouble doing an oil change. 

I usually get my Mann filter from Rock auto and it comes with a rubber sealing gasket, a drain plug copper gasket, and two small gaskets to use on the center bolt. Often the filters come two ended, so make sure that the larger diameter hole is the one you use to push up to the filter assembly on the block

Anyway, on one fateful day I drained the oil, removed the filter with a 17 mm socket, and then put the whole thing back together. I suffer from brain fog (I guess that is what it is) in old age, and promptly cross-threaded the bolt into a metal connector that screws into the block housing. I didn't quite realize what I had done, filled up the car with 9 quarts of oil, and started the car up.

9 quarters gushed on to the driveway - I major problem for weeks, and I set off a search for both chemicals to get the oil off the concreate and a new connector. The connector was not easy to find. Not on Ebay. Not on online parts suppliers.  Finally, I visited Gina at Bob Ross Mercedes and she found one for about $30, as I recall.

The problem was getting the old adapter -- the thing that the long bolt screws in to. First, I needed a 32mm 12 point socket.  With a ratchet and even small breaker bar, the adapter did not move! So then my friend Cliff got under the car pushed the socket at short breaker bar up to ensure a good fit, and I used the handle off my hydraulic jack to try to turn it.  Only after I leaned on it did it move, with a loud "crack!"  I thought I broke to socket, but actually we succeeded in getting the adapter to move. The rest was routine. But I did use tide, other detergents, and chemicals I no longer recall cleaning off the driveway that for a time was both an embarrassment and testimony to folly.