George Russell brings back the red Mercedes that dominated the Targa Florio a hundred years ago

He must have felt the same thrill as Christian Werner, winner of the 1924 Targa Florio, when George Russell arrived in Brisighella, Italy, amidst a crowd, with the Mercedes Indy that conquered the Targa Florio a hundred years ago. The event of last May 15th delivered a dual message: Admiration from the organizers of the prestigious prize, which commemorates Lorenzo Bandini, for the young British Formula 1 driver racing with Mercedes. The second, surprising and unexpected, the discovery of the just-restored Mercedes Benz Indy with the mastery and expertise that distinguishes the Mercedes-Benz Classic department.

George Russell, who also drove on the Imola track, thanked the Municipality of Brisighella and the organizers of the Prize, expressing his surprise at the driving performance and power of this rare specimen representing a milestone in Mercedes-Benz's motorsport history. Its engine, just two liters with a compressor, already delivered over 120 horsepower for a car weight of just over a thousand kilograms. Among the curiosities accompanying the story of this car is its color. Seeing the restoration photos, one is struck by the image of a Mercedes-Benz Classic specialist painting the car red during reassembly. This curiosity also accompanied visitors to the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart, where the small Indy is usually exhibited on a platform reminiscent of the banked curves of tracks, alongside Mercedes' most famous racing and record cars.