Mercedes-Benz have earned considerable F1 success over two spells separated by more than half a century. Here, we chart their journey in photographs.

The Mercedes-Benz team has had two distinct spells in F1, both of them extremely successful. First there was a two-year assault in the fifties that heralded back-to-back world titles, but was ended abruptly by the appalling Le Mans disaster of 1955.

Juan Manuel Fangio, racing manager Alfred Neubauer and Stirling Moss led the Mercedes-Benz assault in 1955. | © The Cahier Archive 2017 Juan Manuel Fangio, racing manager Alfred Neubauer and Stirling Moss led the Mercedes-Benz assault in 1955. | © The Cahier Archive 2017

Then, more than half a century later, the Silver Arrows returned to Formula 1 as a factory team and soon established themselves as the sport’s dominant force. Since the new hybrid engine formula was introduced in 2014 Mercedes have been unstoppable, winning three drivers’ and three constructors’ titles in succession.

Like Fangio, Hamilton has won two world titles for Mercedes. | © The Cahier Archive 2017 Like Fangio, Hamilton has won two world titles for Mercedes. | © The Cahier Archive 2017

But it is difficult to draw any links between the Mercedes-Benz of Fangio and that of Hamilton. The similarities are largely cosmetic – name, logo, livery – with no equivalent of Enzo Ferarri, Frank Williams or Colin Chapman who led the outfit from the beginning.

Still, Mercedes are a significant player in modern grand prix racing and, given the cost of competing at the sharp end of the grid, one of the few teams with a realistic shot at world titles.

Hamilton and Bottas have made for a strong pairing in 2017. | Sutton Images Hamilton and Bottas have made for a strong pairing in 2017. | Sutton Images

There is every chance they will add to their haul in 2017 and continue to strength their status within the sport. While they can’t match Ferrari for prestige, they can certainly take it to the Scuderia on the circuit.

BETWEEN TITLES AND TRAGEDY

Mercedes-Benz had competed with great success in the pre-war European Championship, where the great Rudolf Caracciola taking home the title in 1935, 1937 and 1938.

Led by their larger-than-life racing manager Alfred Neubauer the marque first entered Formula 1 part-way through the 1954 season, debuting at the French Grand Prix with the distinctive W196 ‘streamliner’.

The W196 looked more like a sportscar than an F1 racer, largely because it was. | © The Cahier Archive 2017 The W196 looked more like a sportscar than an F1 racer, largely because it was. | © The Cahier Archive 2017

This was a successor to Mercedes’ sportscar efforts and as such looked almost nothing like a traditional F1 car, particularly with its coupe shape and enclosed wheels. This version was used three times in 1954 and once in 1955, while a more conventional model was also deployed elsewhere.

The team won on debut thanks to the great Juan Manuel Fangio. The Argentine had driven the first two races for Maserati – winning both – but for the trip to France he switched to Mercedes. He won three more times in the remaining five events to secure his second world title with ease.

The Mercedes cars of Moss (#10) and Fangio (#8) on their way to a dominant win at Zandvoort in 1955. | © The Cahier Archive 2017 The Mercedes cars of Moss (#10) and Fangio (#8) on their way to a dominant win at Zandvoort in 1955. | © The Cahier Archive 2017

Fangio’s 1954 title thus goes down in history as the only one to be achieved with two different teams. Mercedes also fielded Karl Kling in six events that season with a best finish of second, while Hans Herrmann drove five times with a best finish of third.

In 1955 Mercedes could count on Fangio for the full campaign. Piloting an evolution of the W196, 'El Maestro' was rarely troubled on his way to the title. The Argentine won four times from six races and finished second in another.

The running order throughout 1955 tended to be Fangio followed by Moss. | © The Cahier Archive 2017 The running order throughout 1955 tended to be Fangio followed by Moss. | © The Cahier Archive 2017

His chief threat came from the young Stirling Moss, who took the first of four successive runner-up finishes in the world championship that year. Moss secured one victory in 1955, triumphing on home turf at the British Grand Prix. Mercedes-Benz locked out the rostrum that day, with Fangio second and Kling third.

Moss on his way to victory at the 1955 British Grand Prix. | Sutton Images Moss on his way to victory at the 1955 British Grand Prix. | Sutton Images

But 1955 had not been a happy year for Mercedes-Benz – far from it, in fact. While the F1 programme had yielded another title there had been unprecedented disaster at Le Mans. While contending for the win one of their cars had crashed heavily, sending large amounts of debris flying into the spectator area.

84 people died, including the Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh, while an estimated 150 more were injured. The very future of motor racing came into question.

Fangio was part of an all-star Mercedes line-up at Le Mans. He would never contest the race again after 1955. | Getty Image Fangio was part of an all-star Mercedes line-up at Le Mans. He would never contest the race again after 1955. | Getty Image

While the sport survived the disaster had a profound effect on the entire Mercedes team and, at the season’s end, they withdrew from racing altogether. It would be 55 years before the factory squad returned to Formula 1.

THE LONG ROAD BACK

But the marque was not wholly absent from grand prix racing during this period. Mercedes first returned to F1 as an engine supplier in 1994 by teaming up with Sauber, with whom they had already enjoyed great success with in sportscars.

Karl Wendlinger drives a Mercedes-powered Sauber in 1994. | Sutton Images Karl Wendlinger drives a Mercedes-powered Sauber in 1994. | Sutton Images

That pairing lasted just a year, however. In 1995 they jumped ship for the McLaren team and began a fruitful 20-year relationship that yielded three drivers’ titles and one constructors’ crown, as well as several very near misses.

Mika Hakkinen won two drivers' titles in Mercedes-powered McLarens. | © The Cahier Archive 2017 Mika Hakkinen won two drivers' titles in Mercedes-powered McLarens. | © The Cahier Archive 2017

In 2009 they also supplied Brawn GP and took a title double, with Jenson Button securing the drivers’ championship thanks to six wins from the opening seven races.

Jenson Button was 2009 champion in a Brawn-Mercedes, though the three-pointed star was absent from the livery. | Sutton Images Jenson Button was 2009 champion in a Brawn-Mercedes, though the three-pointed star was absent from the livery. | Sutton Images

This laid the foundations for a new factory effort. Following the 2009 campaign, Mercedes-Benz purchased Brawn GP and entered F1 as a full constructor once more.

BACK WITH A VENGEANCE

Having decided to return to the sport with all guns blazing, Mercedes pulled of a major coup by signing Michael Schumacher for 2010.

Schumacher cut his teeth on the Mercedes sportscar team and returned to the marque almost 20 years later. | Sutton Images Schumacher cut his teeth on the Mercedes sportscar team and returned to the marque almost 20 years later. | Sutton Images

The German had retired three years earlier but, having almost subbed for Felipe Massa at Ferrari in 2009, caught the bug once more. Sensing an opportunity, Mercedes convinced him to make a full-time return with the Silver Arrows.

On paper, the combination of Schumacher's experience and Rosberg's potential looked hugely impressive. | Sutton Images On paper, the combination of Schumacher's experience and Rosberg's potential looked hugely impressive. | Sutton Images

His team-mate was Nico Rosberg, who had shown much promise at Williams and now had the opportunity to establish himself at the front of the grid.

But the team could not carry on the success enjoyed by Brawn. In 2010 they scored just three podiums – all courtesy of Rosberg – and finished fourth in the constructors’ standings.

Rosberg had the edge over his illustrious team-mate throughout their time together. | Sutton Images Rosberg had the edge over his illustrious team-mate throughout their time together. | Sutton Images

2011 was even more disappointing as the team failed to score a single podium, again taking fourth in the standings. Meanwhile McLaren – who were still a customer team – scored six wins and ended the season as constructors’ championship runners-up.

On paper, 2012 was a better year. Rosberg finally bagged his first race win at the Chinese Grand Prix, while Schumacher returned to the podium at last with third at Valencia.

Rosberg finally broke his duck at the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix. | Sutton Images Rosberg finally broke his duck at the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix. | Sutton Images

But this belied an underwhelming campaign. The team scored points just once in the final six races to end 2012 fifth in the constructors’ standings, more than 200 points in arrears of McLaren who won seven times. Four of those wins came courtesy of Lewis Hamilton.

Given the gap in performance and results, it was therefore a huge shock when Lewis announced he was leaving the team who’d backed him since childhood to join the Silver Arrows in 2013. The 43-year-old Schumacher was moved aside to make way for the Brit, ending a disappointing comeback.

Schumacher's F1 comeback with Mercedes did not pan out as many had expected. | Sutton Images Schumacher's F1 comeback with Mercedes did not pan out as many had expected. | Sutton Images

But the decision would prove to be correct. In 2013 Rosberg won at Monaco and Silverstone while Lewis triumphed at the Hungaroring, helping the team to finish as constructors’ world championship runners-up. What’s more, they were well prepared to take the lead in F1’s new era.

THE HYBRID REVOLUTION

F1 witnessed radical change in 2014, with sweeping changes to the sport’s engine regulations shaking up the competitive order.

No one capitalised on this better than Mercedes-Benz. Over the next three seasons they would sweep the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, take 51 wins from a possible 59 and start on pole an astounding 56 times.

Mercedes' enjoyed total dominance between 2014 and 2016. | Sutton Images Mercedes' enjoyed total dominance between 2014 and 2016. | Sutton Images

This represents one of the most dominant periods in F1 history. For three seasons, it was taken as a given that Mercedes would win every race.

The team began 2014 with a car that was streets ahead of the competition. By the time the European portion of the campaign began they had a qualifying advantage of more than a second.

The championship was thus a battle between their two drivers. Reliability issues hampered Hamilton in the first half of the campaign, allowing Rosberg to build a lead of 29 points by the Austrian Grand Prix.

Rosberg looked on course to win the world title in mid-2014. | Sutton Images Rosberg looked on course to win the world title in mid-2014. | Sutton Images

But between round 13 in Italy and the finale in Abu Dhabi Lewis won six out of seven races, making the Brit the first Mercedes driver in more than half a century to clinch the world title.

2015 was a more straightforward triumph for Hamilton, who won 10 from the first 16 grands prix to wrap up the championship with three rounds to spare. Beaten for a second time, Rosberg looked to be a spent force.

Hamilton has helped to redefine the Mercedes brand in grand prix racing. | Sutton Images Hamilton has helped to redefine the Mercedes brand in grand prix racing. | Sutton Images

But the German bounced back with three successive wins to close 2015, then won the first four races of 2016.

Hamilton responded with six wins from seven mid-season races, but a combination of the odd lacklustre weekend and a crucial DNF in Malaysia handed Nico the advantage. Lewis won the final four races, but that wasn’t enough to deny Rosberg a hard-fought title. A week later, the 31-year-old announced his retirement from the sport.

Rosberg announced his retirement within a week of clinching the world title. | Sutton Images Rosberg announced his retirement within a week of clinching the world title. | Sutton Images

The team have finally faced proper competition in 2017 with Ferrari matching the Silver Arrows for pace, but their drivers remain firmly in the hunt for the world title. If they can secure this year's championship, it would be the team's most satisfying to date.

Mercedes are in the thick of a title battle with Ferrari this term. | Sutton Images Mercedes are in the thick of a title battle with Ferrari this term. | Sutton Images

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Images from the Cahier Archive can be found in Formula One: The Pursuit of Speed: A Photographic Celebration of F1's Greatest Moments, published by Aurum. Click here for buying options.