Mercedes SLR300 - last chance to see (and hear)

Journalist Jenkinson, who had passengered successfully for Eric Oliver during the World Sidecar Championship, had devised an extraordinarily method to memorize the bends, forks and dangerous downhill sections so that he and Moss could know exactly what the next second would bring.

It consisted of 3-metre-long notes written on three paper rolls that Jenkinson gradually unrolled to read the notes out to Moss, also making hand-signs, along the route.. So, the road-books and navigation notes that are used still today in rallies and historic regularity events came out of that record-breaking edition and out of Denis’ ingenious invention.

Another secret of the success of the 300 SLR n°722 was the rapidity of the single technical stop made in Rome for refuelling (260 litres of petrol in less than a minute), spark plugs replacement, oil top-up and windscreen cleaning, all operated by the assistance staff headed by Mercedes great Alfred Neubauer.

During that two-minute stop, Moss got out of the car, went to the toilet, and ate a banana and an orange, while Jenkinson remained in his seat, absorbed in the preparation of the notes on the paper rolls for the next section of the route.

The third secret of Moss’ success was his high-speed driving training: he had driven the 1955 Mille Miglia route in the 300 SL and SLR test cars fifteen times, had had two accidents and, during the race, he had multiple spin-outs and sideslips against straw bales. He even went off the road into a ditch while going down from Radicofani, fortunately with no consequences.

All in all, that record-breaking victory was due to the crew’s extraordinary skill and to the reliability of Mercedes, which defeated Ferrari even if Piero Taruffi had been in the lead until he had to surrender near Florence, owing to mechanical problems.

Fangio's 300 SLR came second, some 32minutes in arrears.

The Mille Miglia has now been revived as a gentlemans rally, and this year Mercedes entered the car in the event for the last time, appropriately driven by Moss and ex Formula One driver and Le Mans winner Jochen Mass. The 300 SLR no.722 has participated in the Mille Miglia for the last time as it will find its place in the new Mercedes-Benz museum by the end of this year.

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