Next month will witness a momentous occasion in endurance racing history, as Mercedes’ famous ‘Silver Arrows’ return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time in more than a quarter-of-a-century.
The renowned German manufacturer has not competed at La Sarthe since 1999, ten years after winning the twice-round-the-clock contest, when the #63 Sauber-Mercedes C9 led home the sister #61 car. Among those behind the wheel of the victorious #63 C9 was Jochen Mass, who sadly passed away earlier this month.
The brand’s customer team in the FIA World Endurance Championship, Iron Lynx, will field three cars at Le Mans on 11-15 June, with its two full-season entries set to be accompanied by a third Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 for the model’s debut in the sport’s showpiece event.
In recognition of the Stuttgart-based marque’s long-awaited comeback, all three cars – the #60, #61 and #63 – will make a visual statement by featuring a design concept synonymous with the three-pointed star. The livery is unmistakably reminiscent of the iconic C9 – from the silver base tone to colour-coded door mirrors.
“For Mercedes-AMG, the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a significant moment,” acknowledged Head of Mercedes-AMG Motorsport, Christoph Sagemüller. “In 1989, Mercedes-Benz celebrated a major success with a one-two finish. We are paying tribute to the legendary Sauber-Mercedes C9 and that triumph in a very special way.
“The three Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 cars represent the present in customer racing, but with their special Silver Arrows design inspired by the past, they also pay homage to a piece of history. I am delighted that we are able to continue this history at Le Mans.”
“The FIA WEC project and the collaboration with Iron Lynx has been intense from the beginning,” added Head of Mercedes-AMG Customer Racing, Stefan Wendl. “We are very proud of where we are right now, because there is a clear trend and a continuous learning curve.
“We can build upon this foundation and continue to develop. A race like the 24 Hours of Le Mans is not just about fast lap times, but also about the perfect co-operation between team, technology and drivers. It will be an intense task, but one that we are looking forward to.”
The #60 Mercedes-AMG LMGT3 will be crewed by Italian trio Matteo Cairoli, Matteo Cressoni and Claudio Schiavoni – Le Mans veterans all. The #61 entry will be piloted by Martin Berry – who made his FIA WEC bow in last weekend’s TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps – experienced Mercedes-AMG Performance Driver Maxime Martin and Lin Hodenius, who at just 18, will be the youngest competitor on the grid.
The #63 car – whose participation was secured by Iron Lynx’s LMGT3 title triumph in the European Le Mans Series last year – will be shared by father-son duo Stephen and Brenton Grove alongside Mercedes-AMG Performance Driver, Luca Stolz. The event will mark the maiden Le Mans appearance for the two Australians, who joined the FIA WEC field for the first time at Spa.
"We are absolutely honoured to partner with Mercedes-AMG for this amazing initiative,” commented Iron Lynx Team Principal and CEO, Andrea Piccini. “We all grew up watching the Silver Arrows compete and dreamed about their outstanding drivers and great races. To now be part of this legacy is nothing short of amazing and is a milestone to remember for our team.
“We have been working hard since the start of this project to make progress, improve and be competitive, and we will continue to do so in the weeks ahead of the race to give our absolute best on-track. We believe Le Mans will welcome the Silver Arrows with incredible passion, and we cannot wait to be there to experience it.”
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