GROUP C - MERCEDES- SAUBER

At the height of 1982 the Group C reborn in the category of sport cars, dominated to that date by Porch, with a first regulation that limited the weight to a minimum of 800 Kg In 1984 this changed to 850 Kg and in 1989 to 900 Kg As for the capacity of the fuel tank, it limited it to 100 liters, with a maximum consumption of 60 liters / 100 km.

The designer Peter Sauber of Hinwil-Switzerland, began the construction of the Sauber C6 using Ford-Cosworth engine and BMW components in the chassis part. You get a machine that is launched since the 1985 season. In its evolution called Sauber C7 the Cosworth engine was replaced by a BMW M1 of 3500 cc.

It is also from 1985, that maintains contacts with Mercedes-Benz for the use of its engine of 8 cylinders M 117 of 5000 cc of cilindrada, that will use for records of 1976, the one that finally is placed in the Sauber C8 with double turbocargadores of which about 700 HP are obtained.

The following year it was possible to see the C 8, with the advertising support of Ives Saint Laurent and in mid-1987 to the C 9, under the brand "Kuoros - Mercedes".

OFFICIAL RETURN OF MERCEDES-BENZ

It was in 1988 when Daimler-Benz decided to officially return to the races in groups A and C and in the latter case, he changed his role of customer service Sauber by associating with him.

This association had its first reward with victory in Jerez, followed by four consecutive victories. The cars were entrusted to the pilots Mass, Schlesser, Baldi, Johansson, Streiff Acheson, and Weawer.

1988

The 800 Kilometers of Jerez
1 Schlesser Baldi Mass with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9, average speed 151,186 km / h.

CSR Grand Prix in Brunn
1 Schlesser Mass with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9, average speed 171,175 km / h.

The 1000 Kilometers of the Nürburgring
1 Schlesser Mass with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9, average speed 154.397 km / h.

The 1000 Kilometers of Spa Francorchamps
1 Baldi Johansson with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9, average speed 163,533 km / h.

The 360 ​​Kilometers in Sundown Park
1 Schlesser Mass with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9, average speed 193.34 km / h
2 Baldi¬ - Johansson with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9 4.25 sec

1989 - THE "SILVER ARROW" RETURNS WITH ITS SILVER COLOR

The 480 km from Suzuka
1 Baldi Schlesser with Mercedes-Sauber C 9, average speed 170,596 km / h
2 Acheson with Mercedes-Sauber C 9, 6.18 sec

24 Hours of Le Mans
1 Mass Reuter Dickens with Mercedes-Sauber C 9, 389 laps, 2 Baldi Acheson Brancatelli with Mercedes-Sauber C 9, 384 laps.

The 480 Kilometers of Jarama
1 Schlesser Mass with Mercedes-Sauber C 9, average speed 139,719 km / h.

The 480 Kilometers of Brands Hatch
2 Baldi Acheson with Mercedes-Sauber C 9, average speed 178,827 km / h
3 Schlesser Mass with Mercedes-Sauber C 9 in one revolution

Trophy of the Automobile Club of Germany at the Nürburgring
1 Schlesser Mass with Mercedes-Sauber C 9, average speed 172,725 km / h
2 Baldi - Acheson with Mercedes-Sauber C 9 2,078 sec

The 480 Kilometers of Donington Park
1 Schlesser Mass with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9, average speed 162,746 km / h,
2 Baldi - Acheson with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9 51,894 sec.

Francorchamps Spa Cup
1 Baldi Acheson with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9, average speed 183,005 km / h.

Hermanos Rodríguez Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez Trophy, Mexico
1 Schlesser Mass with Mercedes "Sauber" C 9, average speed 168,788 km / h.

The M 117 engine evolves and the M 119 appears with the technology of 8 cylinders 4 valves to the head and greater power, obtaining by short lapses about 925 HP.

In two years, its pilots ran 18 races with this engine now called C 11, winning 16 and becoming World Champions in 1989 with Schlesser and 1990 with Schlesser, Mass, and Baldi.

1990

The 480 Kilometers of Suzuka
1 Schlesser Baldi with Mercedes Benz C 9, average speed 176,031 km / h
2 Mass Wendlinger with Mercedes Benz C 9 32,333 sec

The 480 Kilometers of Monza
1 Schlesser Baldi with Mercedes Benz C 11, average speed 210,532 km / h
2 Mass Wendlinger with Mercedes Benz C 11 18,013 sec

The 480 Kilometers of Spa Francorchamps
1 Mass Wendlinger with Mercedes Benz C 11, average speed 178,916 km / h

The 480 Kilometers of Dijon
1 Schlesser Baldi with Mercedes Benz C 11, average speed 182,044 km / h
2 Mass Schumacher with Mercedes Benz C 11 3,841 sec

The 480 Kilometers of the Automobile Club of Germany at the Nürburgring
1 Schlesser Baldi with Mercedes Benz C 11, average speed 181,377 km / h
2 Mass Schumacher with Mercedes Benz C 11 22,832 sec

The 480 Kilometers of Donington
1 Baldi Schlesser with Mercedes Benz C 11, average speed 166,649 km / h
2 Mass Frentzen with Mercedes Benz C 11 2 min. 22.215 sec. behind.

The 480 Kilometers of the Montreal Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
1 Schlesser Baldi with Mercedes Benz C 11, average speed 153.461 km / h.

Hermanos Rodriguez Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez Trophy, Mexico
1 Mass Schumacher with Mercedes Benz C 11, average speed 172.19 km / h.

The group that surrounded Peter Sauber also included the Mercedes Benz Junior team consisting of Schumacher, Wendlinger, and Frentzen.

The regulation changed again in 1991 and the use of superchargers was no longer allowed and the cylinder capacity was limited to 3500 cc and the weight to 750 Kg.

Peter Sauber continued with the development of the C 291 with the assistance of Mercedes Benz with an M 291 V12 - 650 HP engine, but it is Jaguar who wins the title of World Champion. The car is a winner in the last race of the year 1991 in Autopolis - Japan with Michael Schumacher and Wendlingen at the wheel.

When his successor was replaced by C 292, the Board of Directors of the Mercedes Benz decided to retire from the races in Group C.