Mercedes to do car-test comparison at Nordschleife
As part of a high-performance demonstration, four Mercedes-AMG vehicles will go up against Michael Schumacher in a Formula 1 Silver Arrow. The vehicles will start at different times in front of the Mercedes-Benz grandstand but will cross the finish line simultaneously. The Mercedes-AMGs will be driven by: Formula 1 star Nico Rosberg, DTM record-breaking champion Bernd Schneider, ex-Formula 1 and DTM driver Karl Wendlinger and by the official driver of the Formula 1 Safety Car Bernd Maylander.
The first vehicle to go out on track will be an A 45 AMG driven by Bernd Maylander, followed by: Karl Wendlinger in the E 63 AMG S, Nico Rosberg in the SLS AMG Black Series, and Bernd Schneider in an SLS AMG GT3.
Finally, Michael Schumacher will set off in a Formula 1 Silver Arrow on the 20.832km lap around the Nordschleife (excluding grand prix circuit). On this special occasion, the Formula 1 record world champion will be the first driver to cover the Nordschleife in a state-of-the-art Silver Arrow since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1954.
Michael Schumacher: “This Mercedes AMG Performance Drive will be simply great, affording spectators at the 24-hour race a really top-class spectacle. Driving around the Nordschleife in a Formula 1 car will be an unforgettable experience both for me and for the motor racing fans. The legendary Nordschleife, famous throughout the world, is the perfect place for this demo, and the Mercedes-Benz vehicles taking part are all fascinating, powerful cars, a unique parade for all the spectators and car enthusiasts gathered there as they hurtle past."
Nico Rosberg: “The Nurburgring will play host to two super motor racing events with the 24-hour race and this year’s Formula 1 Grand Prix. Our Mercedes-AMG Performance Drive on the Nordschleife with five Mercedes-Benz cars makes a fantastic warm-up for both events. It will be interesting to see how long Michael can delay starting before catching up with us at the finish. As for me personally, I am, of course, really looking forward to the German Formula 1 race in the Eifel (5th-7th July, but this too is going to be a fantastic weekend and I hope that many of the fans present for the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring will be on hand to cheer us in our Silver Arrows."
The vehicles and their drivers
Car: Mercedes-Benz A 45 AMG (360bhp, 0-100km/h: 4.6secs), Driver: Bernd Maylander.
Car: Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG S (585bhp, 0-100 km/h: 3.6secs), Driver: Karl Wendlinger.
Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 (more than 500bhp), Driver: Bernd Schneider.
Car: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series (631bhp, 0-100 km/h: 3.6secs), Driver: Nico Rosberg.
Vehicle: MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W02 (approx. 750bhp, 0-100 km/h: 2.7secs), Driver: Michael Schumacher.