But I think the 196 Mercedes, technically, was so far ahead of anything else in the ‘50s that you might have to say, that would be it.

Bobby Rahal, the entrepreneurial 55-year-old American-born racing icon of Lebanese ancestry, has won the Indianapolis 500 both as driver, piloting a March in 1986, and as team owner with a Honda, helmed by Buddy Rice in 2004.  Rahal has also driven open-wheelers to three CART championships, and earned sports car victories at Daytona’s 24 and Sebring’s 12 Hour in Porsches, respectively co-driven with Brian Redman and Jochen Mass.

“You can make a case in every era which car is the greatest,” says Bobby, catching him on his mobile during a cricket match in the UK.  “I’m particular to Ford GTs, but I’m not sure you could say that’s the greatest car ever.  You’d also have to think, maybe the Chaparral, maybe not always the most successful car, but look at the technology it had—automatic transmission, composite tub totally different than anything else, the wing. It set a trend that would be followed for years to come.  It’s tough.

Cars that maybe set a standard that wasn’t the standard at the time.  But I think the 196 Mercedes, technically, was so far ahead of anything else in the ‘50s that you might have to say, that would be it.  I have not driven it, but when you look at it, compared to what it was racing against, the 196 Mercedes was pretty much the dominant car for several years.  Moss and Fangio drove them and won everything in sight.  I know what I’ve read, and how domineering the car was.”  

Click on the links to see the cars:

Maserati 250F
Auto Union Type C
Lotus 49
Porsche 917
AC Cobra
Toyota TS010 Group C

Back to introduction:

Cast your vote HERE