The Team AMG Mercedes took the team trophy in the very first season of the FIA GT Championship. 1997 was the most successful year yet for the motorsport team from Affalterbach. That's why the objective for the 1998 season is now to defend the title. Before the start of the 1997 season the situation in motor racing was initially anything but clear. After the surprise departure of two competitors from the ITC, the AMG team was suddenly left without a stage on which to perform. The new FIA GT Championship opened up new prospects.

The Mercedes CLK-GTR was produced in record time - just 128 days from drawing board to finished product. It was a surprise to some competitors that AMG Mercedes was on the starting line in Hockenheim for the first race on 13th April 1997 - and even more surprising that the team started in pole position. As Norbert Haug, the head of Mercedes Motorsport, put it: "AMG won the first race before it had even started". Six wins and two two titles were to follow.

Anyone who walks through the extensive assembly workshops on the AMG site in Affalterbach is confronted by the evidence of past glories at every step: laurel wreaths adorn every wall. AMG can, after all, look back on many years of success. With four drivers' titles and five constructors' titles, AMG has had a significant part to play in making its partner Mercedes-Benz the most successful constructor and AMG the most successful team in both the German and the International Touring Car Championship.

No team is able to achieve this sort of success without a wealth of experience - and AMG now has some 30 years experience on which to draw. It was in 1967 that Hans Werner Aufrecht, a former Mercedes employee, and Erhard Melcher,who was his partner at that time, founded their own company in a small hamlet called Burgstall. They chose the name AMG, taking the initial letters of Aufrecht, Melcher and Grossaspach, the place where the company was founded. In 1976 AMG relocated to Affalterbach and on 1 July 1987 the 10th member of staff joined the company. Since then the AMG workforce has risen to over 400.

Growing, over the years this small fine tuning company has always been accompanied by a lucky star. Whatever the activity, whether customising private sports cars with the aim of improving the technology or the appearance or preparing and developing fast touring cars for victory on the racing circuit, the marque has always been one and the same: Mercedes-Benz.

While we're on the subject of motor racing, this is something in which Hans Werner Aufrecht has been involved since his very early days. It was a Mercedes 8-cylinder prepared by AMG that ploughed into the back of a McLaren MS, one of the CanAm series of sports cars, as it was eating up the laps around the Norisring. And in 1971 Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz surprised everyone when they steered a Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 to second place in the overall classification in the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps. This large limousine was powered by a 6.8 litre, 420 hp AMG-Mercedes Cylinder engine. AMG achieved further successes, such as the second place by Volker Weidler in the German Touring Car Championship of 1986 driving a Mercedes 190 E 2.5-1 6 with an AMG body for the Marko team.

The name of AMG also became more widely known through the exclusivity of the appearance and technical features of the Mercedes limousines customised in the Affalterbach works, many of which were supplied to customers in Saudi Arabia and Japan. The partnership between Mercedes-Benz and AMG, which was paralleled by a close friendship between the former head of Mercedes Werner Niefer and Hans Werner Aufrecht, led to a cooperation agreement in 1990. AMG took on responsibility for parts of the development and deployment of Mercedes touring cars. In addition, a range of specially designed vehicles, which were sold through the Mercedes dealer network, also attracted attention. This exclusive range of vehicles now includes the C43 and E55.

One of Hans Werner Aufrecht's guiding principles is: "You must never say why something can't be done. You must always ask yourself how it can be done". With Mercedes CLK-GTR, he and his racing team have shown that it can be done, even though many initially thought it to be impossible. Hans Werner Aufrecht's first action when the ITC came to an end was to inform his team that their jobs were secure. The message was clear; there would be no redundancies. The team then set to work, even though the relevant decision had not yet been taken by the Board and there was therefore no actual order from Mercedes-Benz. The job: to produce a car based on Mercedes CLK Coupe that is immediately recognisable as a Mercedes.

It was the Wednesday before Easter 1997 when the racing team was given approval for the project by the Daimler-Benz Board. On Good Friday, just ten days before the start in Hockenheim, the Mercedes CLK-GTR took to the road under its owner's power for the very first time. The Nurburgring saw the first win and the end of the season race in Laguna Seca saw the team take the title.

Calendar

	1998 RACING CALENDAR
	April 12	Oscherleben
	May 17	Silverstone
	June 28	Hockenheim
	July 5	Dijon
	July 19	Budapest
	August 23	Suzaka
	September 6	Donington
	September 20	A1-Ring
	October 18	Homestead
	October 25	Laguna Seca

Final Standings

		1998 FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP 1. Klaus Ludwig / Ricardo Zonta 77 pts 2. Bernd Schneider / Mark Webber 69 pts 3. Yannick Dalmas / Allan McNish 27 pts 4. Jorg Mueller 22 pts 5. Uwe Alzen 19 pts 6. Jean-Marc Gounon / Marcel Tiemen 17 pts

Mercedes CLR Technical Data

ENGINE

Type
Mercedes-Benz V12 derived from V12 engine for S 600 and SL 600. Cylinder angle: 60o; mid-engine longitudinally installed towards the rear, load bearing. Water cooling, dry-sump lubrication, electronically controlled ignition and injection system (Bosch Motronic).

Displacement
5,987 cc

Cylinder Head
Four valves per cylinder

Rated output
approx. 600 hp at 7000/min

Emission control
Closed-loop three-way catalytic converters

DRIVE TRAIN

Gearbox Unsynchronised, straight-toothed six-speed gearbox, manual sequential shift.

Power transmission
Multiple-disc carbon-fibre clutch, rear-wheel drive, differential with mechanical lock, steel drive shafts.

CHASSIS

Front wheel
Double wishbones with spring-bearing, multiply-adjustable gas pressure shock absorbers, manually adjustable stabiliser, spring retainers for level adjustment, spring actuation via pull rods.

Rear wheel
Double wishbones with spring-bearing multiply-suspension adjustable gas pressure shock absorbers, manually adjustable stabiliser, spring retainers for level adjustment, spring activation via pull rods.

Brakes
Dual-circuit brake system with tandem master brake cylinder, six-plunger aluminium fixed calipers, internally ventilated brake discs and carbon-fibre brake linings.

Steering
Rack-and-pinion steering, leather steering

FIA GT LAWS

Sporting regulations, technical regulations, homologation guidelines for GT vehicles-FIA has issued a very wordy tome for the GT Championship which, nevertheless, still gives the designers generous freedom, so guaranteeing plenty of variety on the track.

One major innovation affects all vehicles in the GT1 category: the so-called skid block. This is a three centimetre-thick block of wood the length of the wheelbase, between front and rear axsies. As also in Formula 1 racing, this is designed to increase the minimum ground clearance and so prevent the chassis touching the track too often. The consequence of this is that one or two of the vehicles will be higher in 1998. The extra ground clearance also means that the aerodynamic concept vehicles have a somewhat higher centre of gravity and that the down force is increased by the flow of air beneath the vehicles.

The FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) regulations describe a GT (Grand Touring Car) as a high-performance sports car for use on public roads, which has been specially tuned for use on the racetrack. The basis of the type approval as a racing car is however, by definition, the road-going vehicle which, like any other production vehicle, needs European Community Type Approval certification (alternatively USA or Japan). The EC type approval guidelines comprise of 34 individual criteria divided into four main subject areas: active safety, passive safety, environment and general vehicle. Vehicles in The GT1 category are permitted to submit the EC type approval at the racetrack during the first year's racing on condition that they can prove to the FIA Sport Homologation Committee before the first race that they conform on at least 16 individual points with the EC type approval regulations. These cover parts of the lighting system and the door fastening as well as the extent of the field of vision to front and rear. In the event that type approval has still not been submitted by the end of the year, a vehicle can be removed retrospectively form the points table and the manufacturer can expect to be banned for the following season.

Contrary to the type approval guidelines of other FIA categories, the FIA do not stipulate the minimum number of road-going vehicles to be built within one year. The FIA does, however, intend to check that any GT car entitled to race can also be purchased by individuals who have no interest in racing. The price for one of these super sports cars should not exceed a maximum level in comparison with its competitors. FIA reserves the right to determine which sports cars may be classified as GTs and which may not. A list of those vehicles accepted as GTs by FIA is published by the Motorsports authorities.

The designers still have plenty of scope, though. Contrary to Formula 1 or to the touring car racing series, the engine is not restricted to a certain size. In the interests of offering variety on the track, it is just as feasible to use a naturally aspirated engine of up to eight litres displacement. In order to bring the power-to-weight ratio of the vehicles into line, FIA stipulates the use of an air restrictor in every vehicle. The diameter of this depends on the weight of the vehicle and on its engine displacement, as well as on whether or not its power output is increased by a turbocharger. It also depends on whether an individual cylinder has two or four valves.

FIA has published a very detailed set of rules and regulations for GT vehicles and the GT Championship. The technical regulations are given in 17 paragraphs with multiple sub-paragraphs. The sporting regulations are described in 153 points. All these directions are then rounded off by the homologation guidelines.

All the rules are designed to create a balanced competitive field despite the sometimes very different technical concepts of the vehicles involved. They are also aimed at preventing the use of expensive and exotic technology. Except for the engine, ignition and injection controls, for example, no electronic aids for drivers such as ABS, ASR or active suspensions are permitted, even if such systems are to be found in the road-going vehicle.

The following summarised excerpts from the FIA guidelines should answer some of the most commonly asked questions.

Air Restrictor
The diameters of the air restrictors for GT1 and GT2 vehicles are defined in 20 tables according to vehicle weight and engine design, with the aim of evening out the power-to-weight ratio of differently constructed vehicles.

Brakes
ABS systems are not permitted. Carbon fibre brake disks are permitted in the GT1 category, but the G2 category stipulates the use of steel brake disks.

Electrical Systems
Windscreen wipers, starter and lighting must be operational throughout the race weekend, whilst the function of the standard lighting system, excluding only the registration plate illumination, must be ensured. Additional headlamps may be fitted or integrated into the bodywork as an additional safety measure in long-distance races.

Drivers
A vehicle may not be driven by more than three drivers in the course of any one race. Every driver in the race must have taken part in qualifying practice. New: It is no longer permitted, as it was at the beginning of the 1997 season, for a driver to change over from one to the other of the two vehicles entered per team.

Weights
The minimum weight in the GT1 category is 940 kilos, including skid block. The minimum weight in the G2 category is 900 kilos. An additional 100 kilos are permitted for four-wheel drive vehicles. Four-wheel drive is only permissible if the standard vehicle is also equipped. The sports authorities have the power to alter the minimum weight of a vehicle during the course of the season in the interests of achieving the highest possible concentration of power.

Speed in the pit lane
A speed limit of 60 km/h is in force during practice as well as during racing.

Transmission
It is forbidden to use semi-automatic or automatic transmissions or axie drive with electronic, pneumatic or hydraulic skid control. The installation of "traction control", an acceleration skid control system, is also not permitted.

Grand Touring Car
An open or a closed automobile with a maximum of one door on each side and a maximum of four seats which is appropriate to the road regulations, modified for high speed races on circuits.

GT1 and GT2
There are two categories within the FIA GT Championship: GT1 and GT2. Classification depends on the power-to-weight ratio of the type approval vehicle. GT1 vehicles have power-to-weight ratio of less than 3 kilos per bhp, GT2 cars of more than 3 kilos per bhp.

Fuel, Fuel Tank
All competing vehicles must use the standard petrol stipulated by FIA. The specification of this has been precisely defined and corresponds in principle to "lead-free super plus". Additives are not permitted. All fuel tanks must be located in the boot or in the same place as in the standard production vehicle and may have a maximum capacity of 100 liters. In the interests of improved power density, the sports authorities may redefine the tank size. During the race, vehicles may only be refuelled by the natural flow from containers no more than two metres off the ground.

Bodywork
Chassis and bodywork may be reinforced, provided that the materials used follow the standard design of the vehicle and are directly affixed thereto. The body across front and rear wheel wells may be widened by ten centimetres. The standard rear spoiler may be replaced, but additional spoilers are not permitted. The width of the complete rear spoiler is restricted to a maximum of two metres and should not protrude beyond the length of the vehicle when seen from above, nor should it at any point form the highest point of the vehicle.

Engine
The make and type of engine should match those of the production standard vehicle, as should the cylinder block, cylinder heads, valve angle, number and location of camshafts and the firing sequence. The engine air intake system must be fitted with air restrictor of the stipulated diameter. Turbochargers may be used in the category GT1, even if not available in the standard production vehicle. A turbocharger is only permitted in GT2 category if also available in the road-going version. The maximum permitted displacement is 4, 000 cc for turbocharged engines and 8, 000 cc in the case on naturally aspirated engines.

Press Conferences
FIA will select a minimum of three and a maximum of six drivers from each category to be available for a press conference on the Friday before each race. The three fastest drivers from each category will be available for TV interviews immediately after qualifying practice and after the race and then for a press conference in the media centre, to last a maximum of 30 minutes.

Points
Successful competitors (drivers and teams) will be awarded points in each category. As in Formula 1 racing, the allocation of points for the first six positions is 10-6-4-3-2-1. The most successful driver and the most successful team in each category will be awarded the title of FIA GT Championship at the end of the season.

Qualifying Practice, Warm-up, Race
On the day before the race there will be two qualifying practice sessions of 60 minutes each. The first fifteen minutes are reserved for GT1, the last fifteen for GT2. The thirty minutes in between are open to vehicles of both categories. A thirty-minute warm-up session begins two hours before each race starts. The race is over a distance of 500 or 1000 kilometres.

Vehicle Suspension System
The use of electronic driving aids such as active suspension system, anti-skid controls or four-wheel steering is not permitted.

Tyres
No more than four sets dry surface tyres are permitted for each vehicle in open training. There is no limit during warm-up or during the race. The maximum rim width for GT1 is 14 inches and 12 inches for GT2. The diameter of the complete wheel should not exceed 28 inches.

Presentation Ceremony
There are separate presentation ceremonies for the first three drivers in each category.

Skid Block
A skid block must be fitted over the length of the wheelbase between front and rear axies. This is made out of a material like wood, is 30 centimetres wide (tolerance +/- two millimetres) and 30 millimetres thick (tolerance +/- two millimetres). Eight precisely drilled holes, 50 millimetres across, mean that its thickness can be measured at any time.

Start Numbers
In order to differentiate between the two separately judged categories, the GT1 vehicles are given red numbers from 1 to 50, GT2 vehicles get black numbers over 51. The manufacturer's name or logo, together with the names of the drivers, should be clearly recognisable on the vehicles. For safety reasons, the slower GT2, vehicles are also differentiated by yellow instead of white headlamps.

Telemetry
The transmission of data from a moving vehicle to the pits is forbidden.