Mercedes's final year in Group C

[H16]

What kind of engine powered the final Sauber/Mercedes in 1991? I know the formula was 3.5 atmo but I am unsure what they ran. Didn't Michael Schumacher set fastest lap with it at Le Mans?

[Dr. Austin]

I am pretty sure that Mercedes ran a flat (but not boxer) 12 in the C-291. They had all sorts of engine failure problems and didn't discover until late in the season that the engine blocks themselves were improperly cast. Since Mercedes knew they were pulling out, they refused to invest the millions in new blocks and the failures continued.

The last 1991 race was at Autopolis. Schumacher and Wedlinger just wanted to get on the plane out of Japan and get their miserable season over with, so they agreed to run flat out, try to break the thing, and get out of town. Well, it didn't break, and Mercedes had their swan song victory.

[Dr. Austin]

This one i can't take any credit for as it is a minichamps.

[Aysedasi]

Schuey did set the fastest lap in '91 - 3:35.564 (lap 102) - 141.129 mph.

This was in a C11, of course - chassis 05. Running a 5.0 litre turbo.

Fritz Kreutzpointner wheeled out the 3.5 atmo C291 (chassis 03) and did one lap - in 6:55.969 - what a waste!

[Aysedasi]

FK's lap was in practice, of course!

[Aysedasi]

While we're on the subject of Le Mans 1991, what other very significant event had occurred alongside the Mulsanne Straight by the time of the race week?

(LM Teazer 2.5!!)

[SL]

91 was the 3.5 year. Teams had to enter a 3.5 car in all events to be awarded points, or be fined. Both Jag and Merc had very fast 3.5's with Pug. But they were high reving F1 engines, sure they could do 4 hour events, just.

To comply with the reg's Jag and Merc entered thier first string cars the 3.5's. As a back up they also entered their back up cars the low reving V8 / V12's.

Both teams ran their first string cars in practice and an hour or two in the race before withdrawing and depending on the old endurance racers to last the distance. This was expected to be a head to head Jag / Merc. Unfortunatly nobody told Mazda of the plan who thrashed their car to the limits for 24 hours and won.

SL

[SL]

While we're on the subject of Le Mans 1991, what other very significant event had occurred alongside the Mulsanne Straight by the time of the race week?

Not the Chinese restraunant opening was it ?

Or was that the first year of plastic beer glasses in the bar ?


SL

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by SL


Not the Chinese restraunant opening was it ?

Or was that the first year of plastic beer glasses in the bar ?


SL

You got it again! Le Shanghai des Vingt Quatre Heures! Now I like Chinese food as much as anyone, but that was sacrilege!

By the way, neither the Merc nor the Jag atmo cars ran in the race itself in '91. Obviously, the C291 didn't qualify anyway, and TW withdrew the atmo Jag (even though it could have started from pole) as the turbo C11 had qualified faster. I think Tom was somewhat miffed about that! (There was also some issue about who was to drive it - I think Warwick was slated to do so, and whether the driver would be permitted to switch to another car - I'd have to check up on that one).

[Dr. Austin]

Whenever they started the Mazda after a pit stop, they just stood on the gas, in gear, and hit the starter button! It is true they drove the Mazda absolutely flat out until the Mercedes broke, and then they backpetalled the rest of the way just hoping they had enough left to bring it home.

Even with the additional weight and restrictions, the C-11 was still the class of the field. Except for that alternator bracket....

And the Peugeots looked and sounded sweet, but they can never get those little things to last 24 hours.......

It was a wierd race, but I believe it will go down as one of the classsics. All the group C LeMans were classics.

[Aysedasi]

Johnny Herbert only had just enough to bring it home - he collapsed at the end.

And for those who take credit away from Mazda for the fact that the car was allowed by the ACO to run lighter than the Jags and Mercs, don't forget that the car ran more laps in the end than the winning Jag in 1990.