Mercedes Benz CLK-GTR AMG Mercedes Team sponsored by D2, Warsteiner, CLK Sportwear - FIA GT Championship 1997
Marking / livery in 1/24 scale manufactured by SK Decals (ref. SK-24197, also SK24197)

At the end of the 1990s, the BPR Championship came under the umbrella of the FIA, becoming the FIA GT Championship. This aroused the interest of Mercedes, who ordered AMG to build a car under GT1 regulations. Neither short nor lazy, and to speed up the development process, AMG bought the McLaren F1 GTR chassis number 11R from the Larbre Compétition team, dressed it in AMG bodywork and replaced the F1 GTR's BMW engine with one from Mercedes. In this way, the CLK GTR was ready in record time… just 128 days after design work began.

The CLK GTR made its debut at Hockenheim, Mercedes' home track, where Bernd Schneider took pole position, although the race did not go so well, retiring with brake problems, while the team's second car finished in first place 27. Despite the setback on its debut, the CLK GTR would finish the 1997 FIA GT Championship season on a high, winning six of the eleven races, and both the constructors' and drivers' championships by a wide margin.

Following the success of the CLK GTR, Mercedes-Benz modified the CLK GTR to suit the long straights of the Circuit de la Sarthe, for the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans, building a new chassis with revised bodywork. Fearing the V12 wouldn't last 24 hours, Mercedes replaced it with a modified version of the 5.0L M119 V8 engine used in the Sauber C9, and though it was stripped of its turbos, the increased revs allowed it to hit a few more than respectable 600 hp. The aerodynamics were also extensively modified, due to the need at Le Mans for high speed. Thus, among other details, the front brake cooling ducts were removed, the roof air intake was redesigned, and the front end was lowered. These changes allowed the CLK LM to be very competitive, taking pole position, although eventually various problems with the power steering oil pump caused both CLK LMs to retire from the race, with victory going to Porsche.

Mercedes then switched to using the CLK LM for the remainder of the 1998 FIA GT Championship. Mercedes' dominance was overwhelming, taking all pole positions and all championship victories, including 6 doubles.