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== Background ==
[[File:D2 Mannesmann DTM Mercedes W202 Goodwood 2010.jpg|thumb|left|The Mercedes-AMG DTM
Following the [[1955 Le Mans disaster]], Mercedes-Benz had withdrawn its [[factory-backed]] race team from all motorsport activities.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.autoweek.com/racing/a2145596/walk-through-125-years-mercedes-motorsport-history/|issn=0192-9674|title=Walk through 125 years of Mercedes motorsport history|first=Robin|last=Warner|date=31 July 2019|magazine=[[Autoweek]]|access-date=1 September 2022|archive-date=17 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617201017/https://www.autoweek.com/racing/a2145596/walk-through-125-years-mercedes-motorsport-history/|url-status=live}}</ref> It was not until 1985 that Mercedes reintroduced itself to motorsport, entering the [[1985 World Sportscar Championship]]. Starting off as an engine supplier to [[Sauber]], this partnership bloomed into a full-time [[factory-backed]] effort. Despite Mercedes winning the [[World Sportscar Championship]] twice in 1989 and 1990, they eventually withdrew at the end of 1991 following disappointing results.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Hemmings Motor News]]|first=Kurt|last=Ernst|date=11 June 2015|title=Six decades on, a look back at the tragedy of the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans|issn=0049-1845|access-date=31 August 2022|url=https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2015/06/11/six-decades-on-a-look-back-at-the-tragedy-of-the-1955-24-hours-of-le-mans|archive-date=24 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124003653/https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2015/06/11/six-decades-on-a-look-back-at-the-tragedy-of-the-1955-24-hours-of-le-mans|url-status=live}}</ref>
However, Mercedes saw success elsewhere, with a burgeoning touring car program in the [[Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft]], where the [[Mercedes-Benz W201#190 E 2.3-16 and 2.5-16 Cosworth|190 E]] and its Evolution I and II siblings were climbing up the ranks. The [[1991 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft|1991 season]] would see the 190 E Evo II take the honours in the constructors' championship. [[Klaus Ludwig]] piloted the car to the 1992 drivers' championship, with the 190 E being replaced by the [[Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W202)|W202 C-Class]] following the conclusion of the 1993 season. The
Without a top series to compete in, Mercedes-Benz looked towards the [[BPR Global GT Series]], which had recently become an [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]]-sanctioned championship, the [[FIA GT Championship]], where Mercedes-Benz saw an opportunity to go against manufacturers such as [[Porsche]] and [[McLaren]].<ref name=wrong/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.motor1.com/news/582706/mclaren-f1-911-gt1-clk-gtr/|work=[[motor1]]|date=28 April 2022|first=Anthony|last=Alaniz|title=McLaren F1, Porsche 911 GT1, Mercedes CLK GTR Compared In Detailed Video|access-date=31 August 2022|archive-date=15 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615121246/https://www.motor1.com/news/582706/mclaren-f1-911-gt1-clk-gtr/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[McLaren F1 GTR]] was the dominant car in this series, and in order to defeat it fellow German marque Porsche built a dedicated racecar,<ref name=911gt1/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/05/24/all-the-gt1s-every-make-and-model.html|work=Daily Sportscar|title=All The GT1s: Every Make & Model|date=24 May 2020|access-date=1 September 2022|first=Graham|last=Goodwin|archive-date=27 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427120654/http://www.dailysportscar.com/2020/05/24/all-the-gt1s-every-make-and-model.html|url-status=live}}</ref> the [[Porsche 911 GT1|911 GT1]]. It became the first of the manufacturer’s “homologation specials”, with [[Norbert Singer]] modifying a [[Porsche 962]] chassis to accommodate the front fascia of a [[Porsche 993]], leaving other things such as the suspension and engine largely intact.<ref name="911gt1">{{cite web|url=https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-evolution-of-the-street-legal-911-gt1-the-most-outrageous-porsche-of-the-90s-179710.html|title=The Evolution of the Street Legal 911 GT1, the Most Outrageous Porsche of the '90s|first=Vlad|last=Radu|date=21 January 2022|access-date=31 August 2022|work=[[autoevolution]]|archive-date=25 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220525151131/https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-evolution-of-the-street-legal-911-gt1-the-most-outrageous-porsche-of-the-90s-179710.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-official-pictures/porsche/956-962/|magazine=[[Car (magazine)|car]]|issn=0008-5987|first=Ben|last=Pulman|title=Porsche 956/962: all but perfect|date=2 May 2019|access-date=1 September 2022|archive-date=16 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516063930/https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-news/first-official-pictures/porsche/956-962/|url-status=live}}</ref> Only two units of the 993-based 911 GT1 were actually completed by the end of 1996. Seeing this, [[Mercedes-AMG|AMG]] was tasked by [[Mercedes-Benz]] with creating a car akin to the 911 GT1, an almost purebred racing machine with a resemblance to a road car.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.autozeitung.de/porsche-911-gt1-strassenversion-auktion-183590.html|newspaper=[[Autozeitung]]|language=de|date=31 January 2022|first=Johannes|last=Riegsinger|title=Porsche-Hyper-Flunder der 1990er-Jahre|access-date=4 September 2022|archive-date=7 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007221513/https://www.autozeitung.de/porsche-911-gt1-strassenversion-auktion-183590.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="hagerty">{{cite web|url=https://www.hagerty.com/media/motorsports/uplifting-tale-of-mercedes-troubled-clk-race-car/|title=The "uplifting" tale of Mercedes' troubled CLK race car program|date=4 October 2019|first=Nathan|last=Petroelje|access-date=31 August 2022|work=[[Hagerty (insurance)|Hagerty]]|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924024454/https://www.hagerty.com/media/motorsports/uplifting-tale-of-mercedes-troubled-clk-race-car/|url-status=live}}</ref> The CLK GTR was the result, sharing nothing mechanically except the headlights, rear taillights and grille with the road-going [[Mercedes-Benz C208|Mercedes-Benz CLK]].<ref name="ae">{{cite web|url=https://www.autoevolution.com/cars/mercedes-benz-clk-gtr-amg-1998.html#aeng_mercedes-benz-clk-gtr-amg-1998-69-v12|work=[[autoevolution]]|date=28 June 2021|access-date=1 September 2022|title=Mercedes Benz CLK GTR AMG specs & photos - 1998, 1999|archive-date=9 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609225357/https://www.autoevolution.com/cars/mercedes-benz-clk-gtr-amg-1998.html#aeng_mercedes-benz-clk-gtr-amg-1998-69-v12|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="scd">{{cite web|url=https://sportscardigest.com/mercedes-benz-clk-gtr/|work=Sportscar Digest|title=Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR – The Glorious Return to Top Tier Racing|first=Djordje|last=Sugaris|date=14 December 2020|access-date=1 September 2022|archive-date=23 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123192656/https://sportscardigest.com/mercedes-benz-clk-gtr/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The CLK GTR was developed in a mere 128 days, this development time hastened by the purchase of McLaren F1 GTR chassis #11R from then-reigning [[FIA GT Championship]] champions [[Larbre Compétition]]. The car served as AMG's mule,
==Specifications==
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The CLK GTR debuted at Mercedes' home track, the [[Hockenheimring]], at the [[1997 FIA GT Hockenheim 4 Hours]]. [[Bernd Schneider (racing driver)|Bernd Schneider]] qualified on pole and took the fastest lap, but had to retire due to braking problems. The sister No. 10 CLK GTR only mustered a 27th-place finish, also battling mechanical woes.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Road & Track]]|url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a22073254/the-mercedes-clk-gtr-was-homologated-six-days-before-its-first-race/|date=6 July 2018|first=Chris|last=Perkins|title=The Mercedes CLK GTR Was Homologated Six Days Before its First Race|access-date=1 September 2022|archive-date=9 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309040319/https://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/a22073254/the-mercedes-clk-gtr-was-homologated-six-days-before-its-first-race/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="winding">{{cite web|url=https://windingroad.com/articles/news/classic-mercedes-benz-clk-gtr/|work=Winding Road|title=Classic: Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR|first=Ronan|last=Glon|date=2 February 2015|access-date=1 September 2022|archive-date=19 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619031720/https://www.windingroad.com/articles/news/classic-mercedes-benz-clk-gtr/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="sotheby">{{cite web|url=https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/MO18/Monterey/lots/r0144-1998-mercedes-benz-amg-clk-gtr/699386|work=[[RM Sotheby's]]|date=24 August 2018|title=1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR|access-date=1 September 2022|archive-date=14 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214121749/https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/mo18/monterey/lots/r0144-1998-mercedes-benz-amg-clk-gtr/699386|url-status=live}}</ref> Still, the pace of the car was promising, and after intense development over the summer break, Mercedes would score their first 1-2 finish at the [[1997 FIA GT Nürburgring 4 Hours]] with Schneider and [[Klaus Ludwig]] taking the win.<ref name=winding/>
The rest of the season saw the CLK GTR take three more 1-2 finishes, and wins at the [[1997 FIA GT Sebring 3 Hours]] and [[1997 FIA GT Laguna Seca 3 Hours]] would secure Mercedes the constructors' and drivers' championship with Schneider in their maiden season.<ref name=winding/><ref name=scd/> Mercedes opted not to enter that year's 24 Hours of Le Mans, as AMG understood that the V12 in the CLK GTR was better tailored to the 4-hour sprints of the FIA GT Championship rather than the 24-hour gruel of the [[Circuit de la Sarthe]]. Instead, Mercedes and AMG decided to develop a [[bespoke]] car for next year's [[24 Hours of Le Mans]], an evolution of the CLK GTR dubbed the [[Mercedes-Benz CLK LM|CLK LM]], LM for Le Mans.<ref name=scd/><ref name=winding/>
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