Why the Mercedes CLRs kept taking off at Le Mans 1999 - Chain Bear explains

Mercedes' most recent appearance in the Le Mans 24 Hours will forever be famous for the sight of its cars taking to the air. 20 years on from the 1999 event, which Mercedes eventually withdrew from following its third airborne accident of the week, Chain Bear explains in great detail the factors behind the design of the spectacular-looking CLR that were ultimately the three-pointed star's downfall

[@ibrahimaamir1470]

1980: I bet there will be flying cars in the future 1999: flying cars

[@bezlistosnypozeraczkebabow6513]

haha funny

[@user-kk5jt1ed3p]

FEAR YOUR DREAMS, SON

[@thethirdman225]

the gamer guy 14 The first flip I remember seeing was Manfred Winkelhock at the Nordschleife in 1980.

[@alexandru.g8746]

1939: Kars in space

[@fastinradfordable]

@@thethirdman225 then the future had already happened lol

[@bernardguynunns5658]

Car has three suspension settings: 1. Highway 2. Sport 3. Aerial

[@dkahardian9153]

@@mistaowickkuh6249 while this CLR has Aerial suspension setting, the Tesla Roadster that Elon Musk Launched back then has the Orbital suspension setting. might be the only car that has the fancy Orbital Suspension Setting.

[@Eng586]

5. Rocket League

[@shazzamjf]

@@mistaowickkuh6249 pahaha gold!

[@javidfarhan1675]

*plane

[@JeiHS]

6. Half flight setting (Mercedes SLR300 only)

[@kurumi394]

Mercedes: *sends a German craft flying in French territory* France: *sweats intensely*

[@dfsdfsdfasdfsdfsdfaasdf]

luftwaffe moment

[@HeatherJWilburn]

France proceeds to slowly take out a white flag

[@ashflame6888]

AHAHAHAHAHAHHH

[@harryag.]

Lol

[@badcornflakes6374]

Should we wave the white flag sir?

[@johnsamuel6096]

*How others see Le Mans:* Race circuit *How Mercedes sees le mans:* International airport

[@the911collection]

This is your captian speaking, the mercedes airlines flight from le mans to Stuttgart will depart shortly

[@AdvaitVaze]

And ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately we have stalled and ended up side down.....

[@eddiehardt1260]

We have arrived back at our starting location: Le Mans International Airport. Thank you for flying with Mercedes Air

[@tanushtejas8276]

Hahaha 😂

[@r4rq291]

This is all wrong... It is obvious they were testing their DAS system to place it in f1 :eyes:

[@BrianKongXD]

Imagine he landed it and kept on racing That would be hell of a moment

[@villcrs4110]

Screaming yeeeeeeeeehaaaaaahhhh while or rotation

[@BenKill]

I believe there's a Porsche GT1(if I'm not wrong) car, which flipped and landed again, but spun out and went into the wall.

[@Randomii666]

Even if somebody managed to flip a car like that and land on it's wheels, it would be undriveable. The impact would destroy the suspension and most likely bend the chassis so bad, the wheels wouldn't even touch the ground, or atleast beyond the point of being able to steer.

[@Randomii666]

@@mokubakaiba1751 Monster truck is not a lmp car 🙄

[@Henrque123]

@@Randomii666 well, if the landing occurs in the right angle and momentum it can be smooth enough to not ruin the suspension... I guess

[@zepedro2111]

"For sure Mercedes had aimed high but the car had aimed somewhat higher" hahahaha :D

[@rubenteixeira6653]

Portugal gang

[@michaelfinlay1412]

777 likes

[@philipserrano2121]

XD

[@joshuadrain3902]

It went Concorde mode it would be funny if someone added a Pratt and Whitney jet turnine engine and some control surfaces to make it fly like the Concorde

[@74braven]

It’s all how the car was designed. It needed more downforce at the front of the car

[@kentuckyblugrass]

"Mercedes had aimed high but the car had aimed somewhat higher." When I heard that the coffee I was drinking shot out of both my mouth and my nose.

[@russellwinfree7587]

Sneakily a masterfully crafted statement! 😂 I legit did a double-take, stopped the video, rewind, and watched him say it again!!! 😅

[@Yaro2]

That was great writing, I like this channel!

[@radityaindera3442]

You can see that a mile away when he said the first sentence

[@adfggffffffddffd]

I like how it took 3 cars to flip through the air for Mercedes to realize there was something wrong with their design.

[@Richard-Gore]

I think they know their design is too aggressive after 1st crash. I'm rather curious why they can't do more to fix the car, like extend the length of rear suspension or something. Maybe they were already not the fastest cars, to fix the problem completely will make it much slower. So they only add the little frong wing only, and pray for miracle that never happened.

[@llSuperSnivyll]

Because third time's the charm.

[@R4M_Tommy]

@@Richard-Gore they knew after the 2nd, because they didn't believe the 1st happened. No footage, light damage and the driver's word for it. Also, the car was still the fastest after they modified it (not enough) after the 2nd crash.

[@grandadmiralthrawn8116]

@@Richard-Gore I think it's because it was too late to fix any Fundamental flaws with the design so they put a bandaid on it and hoped for the best, which of course wasn't enough.

[@QuantumWaveMaster]

didn't you watch the video?

[@thatlithuanianboi6812]

Webber: Your car flips Mercedes: He is delusional, get him out of here

[@Ethan-ck6iz]

You didn't see the car in the air because it's not there!

[@MuhtasimDishan88]

Tell me how does a Le Mans Prototype race car lift off and flip in the air?

[@spartacussmith7070]

Look at that glow, that's a Mercedes CLR ionizing the air!

[@austinburton194]

ThatLithuanianBoi 3.6 flips.. not good.. but not terrible

[@sessna]

The cars fuel was red bull dum dum.

[@theheftheftyguy]

Vettel: I can spin my car Webber: I can flip mine

[@xCmOn3yx777]

Kubica: I can... your uber is here "sorry for the delay i was day dreaming and the Williams autopilot took a wrong road.... to victory lane"

[@Jimmy-lm2eg]

Hamilton: I can Call FIA

[@Ferdi-px6se]

@@Jimmy-lm2eg lol 🤣

[@chrisg.2962]

Webber: "it's happening again!"

[@Chevroletmontecarlo]

Mercedes: i can do both

[@didho5907]

"I ordered my new amg gtr with the backflip package pre-installed" is a joke that runs around the merc dealership I work at

[@MephLeo]

Hey, at least Mercedes comes with turning lights from the factory, unlike BMW.

[@bluesrike]

I'm surprised that your co-workers even know about this story. They would have to be pretty interested in motorsports for them to make a joke like that.

[@Ricky911_]

If I had a nickel for every time Mark Webber's car took off and flipped, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice

[@sevegarza]

You’d have 3 nickels actually. Don’t forget Webber’s F1 crash in 2010. Mark should’ve become a pilot.

[@kirisaki.777]

@@sevegarza wait mark webber flipped his racing car 3 times..?

[@sevegarza]

@@kirisaki.777 Correct. He backflipped his 1999 Le Mans Mercedes car twice and his 2010 Red Bull F1 car once.

[@GY9944]

Plot twist: Mercedes wanted to relive the glory days of Luftwaffe

[@LuizAlexPhoenix]

The French instinctively raised the white flag.

[@MaDKrEvEdKo]

THAT'S A GOOD ONE

[@PlittHD]

As it turns out they had DAS Steering back then but had it set to "airplane"

[@jayjones7003]

Learn how to spell first but pretty funny tho😂😂

[@floridaman54]

At the 4 hours of Silverstone, they will go flying again

[@tomquinlan1415]

Guy flips car twice at 300kph Yeah thats probably fine, send the car out again Wtf were they thinking?? Those drivers were so lucky to survive

[@andraskanalas2876]

@@afoxwithahat7846 don't think it was 'go out and don't worry about crashing into trees at 300kph+' strong mate. they were really stupid

[@ulrichkalber9039]

actualy the Chassis is strong, the skulls and bones of the audience however…. THEY got lucky.

[@BigUriel]

You try telling your boss that you spent millions of his money building a handful of cars that flip at high speeds and you've got no idea why!

[@Firemarioflower]

Back in those times drivers weren't pussies but REAL MEN.

[@theephemeralglade1935]

"What was that? It flipped?! Scratch Dietmar off of the chalkboard. Tell Hans to get his helmet. Greta, how many drivers do we have left?"

[@firellamasv2563]

I imagine people in the race saying something like this"IS THAT A BIRD IS THAT A PLANE NO THAT'S A MERCEDES

[@gioprox5207]

*Mark Webber was not the Impostor*

[@chrislfc2317]

He was trying to OVERtake the Toyota. Ok, I'm out

[@astronot1997]

Same comment on another air Mercedes video

[@yayabelico]

Crish :D nice copied comment word for word

[@Galahad993]

That wasn't even funny

[@wilbo_baggins]

Reminds me of what you could do with the 2j in gran turismo.

[@fartvader84yearsago8]

*Webber flies 2 times Redbull: He is the chosen one!!

[@izzurumusic]

Fart Vader you just right

[@haikalhadi6455]

Fart Vader how about Valencia 2010?

[@SonicZR1]

tfw wings give you Red Bull

[@afiqnordin2966]

"Redbull gives you wings" weber: thats bull-

[@The_Observant_Eye]

red bullshit: Ferrari. *double-take*

[@tanall5959]

Redbull gives you wings, but Mercedes gives you *BIRDS* !

[@BigSmoke-jm7xc]

merc gives you das

[@PG-20]

No...Webber got his wings at Valencia in 2010

[@treatb09]

mercedes gives you wings

[@kpb811]

Mercedes cars take flight: People: nah, they lost now Mercedes: wings come out from the side

[@arctus4272]

Lewis : *pulls steering wheel to turn it into a airplane*

[@vasishtvasudevan4059]

Cars2 theme starts playing

[@aloskss]

*_giornos theme_*

[@Reragi]

*flicks cover on dashboard and presses a big red button* *giant jet engine comes out the back*

[@felixyu4979]

Red Bull gives you wings

[@m1st87]

I love how chain bear explains everything in very precise technical terms while always maintaining it easy to understand for anyone.

[@wipplewopple1876]

Man, the Germans really like sending Mercedes engines airborne in Western Europe, huh?

[@vitorbravo5535]

You win

[@mobin5547]

Bf 109's

[@ryanm.191]

Wipple Wopple this is an underrated comment

[@Matsumoto77]

Great comment, but.... Mercedes never made aircraft engines during WW2, only junkers and BMW IIRC

[@zyoungson215]

They all got shot down

[@fastpace101]

Webber got his red bull credentials that day. Badum tss.

[@eamonahern7495]

Very clever!

[@F1ll1nTh3Blanks]

I just got that. 🤣

[@tdonohuel]

And then again in Valencia 11 years later

[@angelpiretgonzalez8968]

Is the same Webber?

[@JamesLivas]

@@angelpiretgonzalez8968 yep

[@DanielLaixer]

Wadsworth Constant in effect Here starts the explanation 3:50

[@immortalsofar5314]

You'd be amazed at what can fly in the right conditions. I once saw an inflatable river raft with 8 people lift 6' above the water in a head wind, hover for a bit and then flip over dumping everyone out before landing again.

[@Chris5685]

"Okay, 160 knots, V1." "What? Oh, shi-" "Rotate. V2." "AAAAAH WHAT THE FU-" "Positive rate, gear up."

[@rickyboy199554]

I was just thinking this ahah

[@ulrichkalber9039]

he probably only came down because the "gear up" did not work...

[@Sandux930]

FLAPS!

[@TheShukladhvaj]

😂

[@evanwalters3333]

"sink rate! pull up!"

[@arnaldojatoba6704]

If it was a gymnastics competition, I would give 10/10 for the backflip.

[@talhakelleci8260]

But it wasnt a gymnastic competition so its totally irrelevant.

[@geometryjosh21]

@@talhakelleci8260 i really hipe you won't get r/whooooshed...

[@JackRabbitSlim]

@@talhakelleci8260 r/whoooooosh

[@arnaldojatoba6704]

@@talhakelleci8260 Still, a 10/10 backflip.

[@edgiestofcars]

talha kelleci that’s the joke

[@heavierthanairfilms]

The Porsche 911 GT1 also experienced a similar flip at Road Atlanta, so GT1 had well and truly gotten out of hand aerodynamically by then.

[@bryanmartinez6600]

They can use the Jeep sticker. "If you can read this flip me over"

[@clutchyfinger]

You can simulate this happening perfectly in Project CARS 2. If you have the front rebound forces very high, with a high rear downforce balance, the air can get uder the car and...well fill in the blank lol.

[@Wirenfeldt1990]

Well.. i know what i'm doing tomorrow..

[@mosca3289]

Wouldn’t high compression and low rebound damping on the front end tend to jack up the front of the car and encourage a flip?

[@GeoSnipesW]

@@mosca3289 was thinking the same thing

[@mickeymouze5]

I did this in assetto corsa with the URD Mercedes Clr was crazy

[@gustavoflorio5383]

You mean "the air CAN'T get under the car"... meaning that there is a diminished flow speed which increases the pressure culminating in a "lift" resultant force.

[@coydog7902]

This video is fake the Mercedes actually switched to creative mode

[@Vykk_Draygo]

Why.

[@hop6649]

Vykk Draygo youre dumb af

[@markcyrusleano777]

Vykk Draygo wooosh

[@driiiboi7861]

its a reference to Minecraft obviously

[@Fireheart318]

@@markcyrusleano777 r/wooshwithfouros

[@phucn4459]

Me: Guys you know how paper flips when dropped? Mercedes: You mean car?

[@drivingparadox]

Very well narrated and put together. Thank you.

[@chipsnever957]

Im glad there now exists a video that clearly states it was the CLR that was flip happy, not the CLKGTR. Im sick of seeing blame pointed where it doesnt belong all the time. 😐

[@Raprada]

Wait someone blamed the CLK GTR? That's facepalm worthy for sure 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@coydog7902]

r/facepalm

[@chiefdenis]

@@Raprada i see it a lot and it's definitely facepalm worthy

[@chapulimholorado]

I also saw this happening a lot (mainly 10-12y ago when I was more into watching racing videos) and even remember the CLR being referred to as "CLR-GTR" in the title of one video. The CLK GTR and the CLK LM are quite similar although a trained eye shouldn't have trouble distinguishing them, but I've been always puzzled how many people mess up "CLK GTR" and "CLR" so often...it seems to be more about supposed appeareance similarities than name similarities, but the GT1 cars are SOOO different from the CLR!!! Totally don't get it about how it happens so much!!!

[@gintautassickus6390]

A good pilot can fly anything that should fly. And with some difficulty-what shouldn't.

[@The_Observant_Eye]

sees the first line: *nods head* sees the second line: *double-take, then cackles madly*

[@the911collection]

This is your captian speaking, the mercedes airlines flight from le mans to Stuttgart will depart shortly

[@kastro4460]

Fellow War Thunder player?

[@richmondneo1]

*its better to fly badly than to fall well*

[@maxedout1046]

@@kastro4460 Do not stand near the bomb.

[@calvinrideout3339]

KZbin: how many ads u want? Him: yes

[@_BangDroid_]

He needs all that ad revenue to buy tissues to blow his blocked nose..

[@hiiambarney4489]

What ads? :D

[@jayjaysylvester560]

KZbin Vanced; what is ads

[@roberthanson579]

Thanks! Not only a good analysis of these Mercedes, but a good lesson on aerodynamics in general.

[@ElAzul57]

Man it’s good thing this Mercedes didn’t kill anyone like back in the day

[@Themayseffect]

FIA just moved the spectators out of the way lol.

[@themagicslinky1773]

@@Themayseffect wooosh

[@Marc-zi4vg]

Mercedes reading this comment: *50s accident flashbacks*

[@jetaddict420]

@@themagicslinky1773 unnecessary use of woosh

[@k0to536]

honestly

[@benruether8294]

Some say there is still an airborne CLR to this day that is floating around in the atmosphere.

[@PhilbyFavourites]

Ben Ruether: I like that Mr Clarkson 🤓🤓🤓🤓

[@rey_azteca_009]

🤣🤣

[@boataxe4605]

It just got into an accident with Musk’s Tesla roadster just off of Mars.

[@rayhanaryap8322]

@@BerryMyDick ok mister-cannot-even-make-a-joke. Whatever.

[@cresbalundo8845]

Ok Wait whats that in the sky ITS COMING TO ME

[@smithnjefferson]

Great subject title, that was a very memorable event. Thanks for the story.

[@mow_mooow6451]

Me : I can do a bottle flip challenge 😁 Webber : old my beer

[@lewisleonard6689]

Webber had a thing for doing backflips in cars he did it in F1 aswell.

[@samghost13]

I will never forget that one

[@christopherortiz9330]

Yeah, he just didn't get to do a full one in 2010 lol

[@venkatvutukuri7650]

@@christopherortiz9330 infact he did it... in the redbull powerhouse, monaco lol

[@AJBa83]

Expansion into non-F1 racing? Chainbear Cinematic Universe?

[@eliasjuvan1228]

yes

[@laletemanolete]

He has donde Formula E too

[@decdeclanlan]

He’s done many formula e videos...

[@nickz4993]

Hamilton dies in Endgame

[@nyx7255]

Yeah i noticed, i was like.. "wait.. he sounds like chainbear and the visuals he uses in this, are very similar to the ones he uses in his F1 channel"

[@Centzzzz]

People : "I hope he have flying cars in the future" Mercedes in 1999 : 9:25 _"Hold my bumpers"_

[@michaelfreund]

incredibly well done presentation, fascinating! thanks!

[@dfury4874]

1925: "I bet there will be flying cars in the future!" 1999:

[@nizmo370z4]

You mean 1955

[@magcs6233]

Nizmo370z it’s actually 1985

[@depressednugget5984]

@@nizmo370z4 ooh dark!!

[@EmpecheMode]

Mercedes : making their cars fly at Le Mans since 1955.

[@eins2001]

The 55 crash was not Mercedes' fault.

[@dern1kl4us95]

Ouch

[@Vacaneu]

Yes the track was not wide enough for a car which I forgot avoid the SLR and the slowing down jag

[@a.ndy.nonymous]

Wait didn't like a BUNCH of people die when it happened in 1955? o.O

[@EmpecheMode]

@@a.ndy.nonymous 84 people yeah.

[@pearlbluesoul]

Two things: I knew a guy who used to run formula, Atlantic and IndyCar, he explained a lot about aerodynamics, and there were two aspects of this that people may find useful…. If they were running under body downforce, it behaves very similar to a magnet; great up close, not very great far away. And, the amount of pressure you generate is specifically dictated by the distance to the road surface. The closer the venturi tunnels are to the ground, the better it produces downforce. In this case, we see the effects of that full force: once the body got far enough away, it stopped production entirely and rapidly. This could be due to the pitch of the road and dirty air from the leading driver more so than the pitch in role of the chassis. I would doubt the suspension had enough pitch and roll in that spec - necessary to handle the weight of the downforce generated - to cause it to pitch and roll that violently. The second compounds over the first, which is that an order to generate under body, downforce, the bottom of the vehicle has to be completely flat with as few open pockets as possible. This means that there is no place for air to escape under the car once it gets there, and this is by design. Once the front end had enough air, moving underneath it, as you said, it became a lifting device instead by virtue of the fact there was no place for air to go, and it began to create an air cushion more rapidly.

[@Centzzzz]

**Mercedes Car flips for the second time** The team : _"I'LL FKING DO IT AGAIN"_

[@fritzfragemann8187]

red bull job interview: C. Horner: "So Mark, what do you do in your free time?" Webber: "Well, mostly flying."

[@Stoplookingatmytoes]

Literally finished my university dissertation on this exact topic a few weeks ago. If people want more technical information then this paper provides an excellent overview: Dominy, R. G. and Ryan, A. and Sims-Williams, D. B. (2000) 'The aerodynamic stability of a Le Mans prototype race car under off-design pitch conditions.', SAE 2000 transactions : journal of passenger cars : mechanical systems., 109 (6). pp. 1454-1460.

[@MicrosoftSam92]

I really like that a PhD in aerodynamics(?) has a rage face as user profile pic on youtube. Congrats on your dissertation!

[@TheEagleofSteel]

You should apply for a job at Williams. They could use your help.

[@fermiLiquidDrinker]

Good luck on defending your thesis! I hope I'll be able to give your dissertation a read sometime

[@hank1556]

Mercedes should hire you

[@ThePhilterExperience]

That's really impressive! Awesome work you did

[@lamest2023]

Thanks for the video great commentary and explanation of why that race car went airborne. 👍🙋

[@B2BWide]

This wasn't the first time that a race car flew away during an endurance race. In 1953 John Fitch made quite similar attraction with his Briggs Cunningham C5-R at Reims. Umberto Maglioli followed him and couldn't believe when the Cunningham took off, flew above the trees and telegraph posts then smashed to its wheels near the track in the fields. Fortunately Fitch had just minor injuries. In WW2 he was a fighter pilot and I guess he was the only fighter pilot who took off with a race car (and crashed that).

[@Sanmibor]

Mercedes and Le Mans together were "benchmark" for safety measures in motorsport. The famous 1955 disaster defined the whole destiny of motorsport and safety on tracks.

[@Dani-it5sy]

Well it took them a staggering 40 years until the safety on and round the track started to get to an acceptable level. Not impressed if your story is correct..

[@nawzy202]

1955 wasn't Benz fault as it was proven later on

[@theant9821]

Other than a few circuits adding a chicane before the pits nothing really changed. Like the Goodwood chicane I don't think motorsport should be unnecessarily dangerous but i do think it shouldn't abandon sport in pursuit of safety. Safety is nice but people don't race or watch racing because its safe. So its of secondary importance to the sport itself. If we only did what was safe we'd never have done anything, and we'd be extinct while we were still cavemen.

[@tintintonker1105]

the 1999 CLR is like my music teacher, very pitch sensitive.

[@shq_main2853]

There’s the door, LEAVE.

[@wumpascott]

More

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Great video. Keep up the good work.

[@Quixpeed]

watched live back then, it was really a jaw dropping moment

[@CertifiedIndustryProfessional]

“Like a ghost through a tennis racket” God damn that’s brilliant!

[@FaithlessEmoRacing]

And this is why modern Prototypes have squares cut out above their wheels. To release the build up of pressure in a situation like these.

[@y_fam_goeglyd]

Thought I'd check to see if anyone else had already said that. Dumbreck was incredibly lucky that the owner of the trees (local govt? I honestly don't know) had cut down a bunch of them recently and he landed where they had been. When I heard that on the weekend, my blood ran cold!

[@jstoli996c4s]

In addition, the front overhangs were shortened to reduce front lift.

[@abcdefgh-xf2th]

@@chrisdeo wrong. cars must have it as a safety measure. one would also release pressure to reduce drag behind the wheel (cut out wheel arch), not on top of it.

[@texasflysuperstar]

This is an old aero trick. The Dodge Daytona used this back in the day for added down force.

[@shepdgc.og.soldier7732]

They are already in use but you are correct.

[@TH3GR33NG33K]

Excellent engineering explanation! Thank you. Cheers!

[@brnrubber303]

10 ads in 10 minutes? Get the hell outta here.

[@fouronetwo813]

There's 0 on it now

[@Death_Sweet]

Who else was expecting footage

[@brian9377]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2OUi52tj6ydn7M

[@maccer8330]

Well i came here after watching the actual Footage of the crash

[@TheSubieFan]

Well this is chain bear who I'm a big fan of. It's actually kind of cool because he does these videos for all-sorts of big companies and has to keep the copyright friendly.

[@USConnexion]

Me and that's why I gave him a thumbs down 👇

[@datboi1026]

Honestly, not really. But it would’ve been cool.

[@mikkihintikka7273]

"2020 we will have flying cars" mercedes: makes their cars fly in 1999

[@FreddyFen]

improvise.adapt.overcome

[@pex_the_unalivedrunk6785]

Toyota: *It's over Mercedes, I have the high ground* Mercedes: *you underestimate my power* Annnd then we all know what happens next...long story short, attempting to jump over your opponent is never a good idea.

[@PiousMoltar]

Toyota: It's over Mercedes, I have the high ground Mercedes: We can go higher! Toyota: Sure, but you forgot about the "ground" part.

[@thethirdman225]

@Chain Bear This is quite good as far as it goes - and it goes a lot further than most on this subject. Pitch sensitivity is one part of the problem. Static aerodynamic stability is the other part. As far as what initiated the take off is concerned, everything that matters has been covered. The only caveat I have is that you said the lift at the front of the car overcomes the _downforce_ but in fact the change in pitch angle probably does that anyway. What happens then is that the lift generated by the front of the car becomes greater than its _mass._ What happens after that is the bit people miss. Pretty much all racing cars these days have a rearward weight bias. Even the front engine Nissan GTR that flipped at the Nurburgring with tragic results a couple of years ago was probably running a rearward weight bias. These days it's usually a function of all the heavy components being placed at the back. Rearward weight bias is generally desirable in vehicle dynamics... as long as the vehicle stays on the road. You quite rightly pointed out that once the car starts to lift, the centre of aerodynamic pressure shifts forward. That is a classic illustration of dynamic instability. However, since the aerodynamic centre of the car is already forward of the centre of gravity, the car is statically unstable as well. Were it not for that fact, I believe the car would simply come crashing back down onto the road. That may have just as catastrophic results as flipping but the point, of course, is that this shouldn't happen at all. Just to attempt to make this a bit clearer, when the CoG is forward of the aerodynamic centre, the vehicle is stable and should return to its original trajectory. That is called positive stability. When the CoG is aft of the aerodynamic centre, the vehicle is unstable and its trajectory is difficult to determine but it will be unlikely to return to its original trajectory. That is called instability. It's known in aerodynamic circles as divergence or flutter. This phenomenon has been tested in aircraft since 1914, long before they could travel as fast as a modern racing car. The trigger of the flip is well discussed but the static instability of the car is what causes it to tumble. To me this represents poor design.

[@jiggmin1234]

I knew Webber had launched in a Mercedes at Le Mans, but didn't know that he did it TWICE in the same weekend lol. Imagine the onboard footage if they had lol

[@GTChucker86]

Jiggmin1234 Its funny enough that Webber is now notorious for flipping cars. Hell he flipped Redbull in 2010

[@fishsticks1195]

One year at Petit Le Mans a Porsche GT1 flipped in the exact same way.

[@jstoli996c4s]

Fishsticks yes, that was 1998, so that was actually a precursor to the Mercedes acrobatics the following year.

[@Hellisoy]

And a BMW V12 LMR crashed aswell

[@notaname8140]

Jann Mardenborough also had a very similar crash in 2015 in a GT-R GT3, over the hill before flugplatz at the Nordschleife, sadly that one killed a spectator

[@jstoli996c4s]

Hellisoy yep, that was 2000.

[@pepsiman9840]

that wasnt as bad since it was due to close drafting behind the opther car, the mercedes was even worse because it flipped on its own

[@zeroofficial6853]

You, my friend, are incredibly good at explaining information. If only I had you as a teacher in school... 😤

[@iikeli727]

How many ads can you fit on a video?

[@rocklobster3333]

Webber is a pro at doing backflips with racecars

[@someguy43210]

He can do backflip himself as well, when he won Monaco.

[@mastergamingnic1681]

‘He was outta the race before the race even started’ Alonso: **Mclaren Honda memories intensifies**

[@nicholasschmid4249]

CLR goes like: „wheeeeee" Human: „Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Oh its a CLR"

[@adamchurvis1]

This also happened with a CanAm car at Le Circuit in Mont Tremblant, Quebec back in the seventies, before I went there for racing school. Le Circuit has the largest altitude difference of any racetrack in North America -- 85 feet! -- with at least one decreasing-radius off-camber turn that I clearly remember. As we walked the track on the first day the instructor showed us where the car caught air on a short but steep hill in the middle of a turn and flew like a paper airplane right through the tree tops for about a hundred feet.

[@sullivangate]

"We just witnessed am exciting 24 Hours Of Le Mans" We did?

[@ArtoriusBravo]

GT and lmp2 were amazing

[@ZeZeBatata69]

We did, but not on the LMP1 class.

[@scrabsdead]

luckily he told me beacuse i didn't know

[@cyjan3k823]

Lmp1 is good for speeeeed But it was good anyway with GTE

[@russotusso1695]

GTE Am was fucking lit m8. Tho it did die out little bit when Corvette supun.

[@amonstar1241]

Ooooooh Chain Bear does non F1 videos, the expansion begins

[@youngrody2386]

first lemans, after that, rallying

[@cf6282]

Rallying would be interesting. High speeds, bumpy roads, how to control all that. So many obstacles very near by.

[@grdprojekt]

*cough * Formula E *cough *

[@youngrody2386]

@@grdprojekt "So what the pit crew usually does is take out the battery and place another one in it instead, and it takes about 30 seconds!"

[@youngrody2386]

@@cf6282 while tryong to get the fastest time possible. An insane motorsport indeed

[@spartonboat1]

This is a perfect case of young engineers refusing to learn from the proven approaches developed years earlier. The Mercedes Sauber C9 (may have been pre-C9) also took off and flew, because of very high speed, in the 1980's during testing. Mercedes then changed the C9 aerodynamics, to avoid flying, but began to overheat and blow tires, due to excessive down-force. Finally, Mercedes dialed in the C9, which then became the fastest car at LeMans, hitting slightly under 240mph (400kph) at the end of the Mulsanne Straight. Eventually LeMans installed a Chicane at the end of the Straight, to slow down the Mercedes. Had the CLR adopted the configuration of the C9, which was already very fast, they could have avoided all the taking off in flight problems. But..., they had to find out on their own. P.s., at least one C9 sits in the MB Museum in Stuttgardt.

[@chevy8018]

Hard to focus on the video when you have an ad popping up every 60 seconds. But, from what I could see it was a very informative video.

[@blackheart1842]

CLR: my people need me. *take off into the sky*

[@aydankhaliq2967]

I need to go back to my planet SISU.

[@karlrazon2384]

Red Bull secretly gave Mark Webber wings 😂.

[@idabe170]

1950: "i bet we will have flying cars in the future 1999: "well yes, but no"

[@CM303898]

I had no idea they reduced the height of the Mulsanne Crest as a result of the crashes! Seen the footage a thousand times. There's even footage that shows Webber's car on its head (but not the actual crash).

[@glennotropolis]

A mix of spa and monza is the BEST analogy for the circuit The perfect description

[@gordo43]

I have a clear memory of watching that race. During the race, the Merc was on a part of the track with no spectators, but there were cameras. It reached the top of a small hill, and just kept rising. It DID NOT flip. However, it brushed against some trees, which made it spin like a frisbee. After reaching a height of perhaps 20 or 25 feet, it drifted off the track and landed, still on its wheels. By the time the "rescue team" arrived, the driver was sitting on a large rock near the car, shaken but uninjured. Perhaps the most amazing thing I have ever seen, in many years of watching or attending motorsports. (Does anyone remember "Speed Week" in the Bahamas?)

[@taitheguy85]

Feel like I remember that happening to me - in that same car, on that same track in gran turismo. Was the video game really that accurate??

[@kimf.wendel9113]

Forgot to mention that a large portion of the Circuit de la Sarthe (especially the high speed areas) are public roads, with bumps and crests and the like, not smooth and soft racetrack tarmac, but gritty and grindy rough road tarmac that isn't leveled to ensure stability. Which is also why there are hills.

[@thealgxrhythm]

Nobody: Mercedes-Benz CLR: *YEET*

[@Fishbone8891]

I like how you just barely mention that Adrian Newey told them to withdraw. If one of the leading aerodynamic engineers of our time told you to withdraw, probably because he saw a problem, you should really listen.

[@gadarares2246]

Just saw the video and I had exactly the same thought hehe.

[@Hernandeces]

Well, I think he was working for some team at the time, so they wouldnt listen to a competitor telling them to withdraw...one rival less to beat i guess

[@notaname8140]

​@@Hernandeces He was with McLaren, who at the time were officially partnered with Mercedes and racing in F1 as McLaren-Mercedes

[@GTChucker86]

Adrian Newey was working with Mercedes at the time. He’s not a competitor he’s on the same team

[@qoxx]

There's a video of Mercedes Benz CLK GTR in your ads.

[@anishadamane4179]

Mercedes Benz always wants to be above competition

[@dazleeders]

Red Bull missed a prime marketing opportunity

[@aslamnurfikri7640]

They get it later in Valencia 2010 though

[@JamboP26]

So the Porsche GT1 flip at Road Atlanta would've been a combo of crest & slipstream? Fascinating

[@jstoli996c4s]

James P yes the hump on the backstretch was quite high at the time, and certainly contributed to the Porsche backflip.

[@LTJ4CK]

Amazing video ; well explained! Thanks!!!

[@ago7212]

Good vid to explain in detail what happened. I wonder who the race engineer for Mercedes was at the time?

[@babis_mousto8866]

The Delorean see's the mercedes and cry's in a corner .

[@liamsstudio_44]

Wait a minute is that...It can’t be It’s doc brown in the GRAND STANDS

[@BramMichaelson]

How did you animate those graphics.. very nicely done. Adobe Animate?

[@user-pu5ri7up5b]

Congratulations Mercedes, this isn't a failure at all you merely are in the preliminary stages of developing a flying car that will utilize the driver to take off while driving. Keep up the good work.

[@llamarrari1668]

"The best or Nothing"

[@sessna]

10 ads?

[@brammachiels2755]

The Toyota TS020 had already the wheel arch cut-outs in 1998. I wouldn't also say that the CLR was expected to "flatten" the competition. After '98 and Porsche's exit, the Toyota's were pretty much the car everyone had their money on. And rightfully so, if you compare the TS020 chassis to anything else in that time, the TS020 remains a timeless beauty and a remarkable piece of design.

[@damionlee7658]

Now for a follow up looking at how a similar effect caused the early Audi TTs to fly.

[@felipenachmanowicz9393]

Dude, they had to have cars flying THREE times before they pulled them off. That is bananas, how is ONE CAR FLYING not too many cars flying?!?!?

[@leinadyon]

There's a video on your ads sir