Mercedes Benz Grand Prix Af Frankrig 1954 poster – 1954 French Grand Prix – Hans Liska

Mercedes Benz Grand Prix Af Frankrig 1954 poster

This is a reproduction of the fabulous Frankrig 1954 poster created by the great Austrian artist and illustrator Hans Liska. The stunning poster depicts Fangio in his Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow taking the chequered flag as it speeds across the finish line. The poster was created as a Mercedes promotional poster, known as a victory poster. Mercedes used victory posters to advertise their team’s successes as a way to promote the automobile brand.

This Frankrig victory poster was designed in 1954 following the Mercedes team’s success at the 1954 Frankrig Grand Prix. The race was won by the Argentina racing driver Juan Manuel Fangio in the new Mercedes W196. Fangio’s teammate Karl Kling took second place. Mercedes were keen to promote such victories and regularly produced posters to proclaim their motor racing success.

The French Grand Prix Frankrig 1954

The 1954 French Grand Prix was held on 4 July 1954. Once again it took place at the Reims-Gueux circuit in France. It was the fourth race of the season in the World Championship of Drivers and it featured the dominant return to racing of Mercedes. Mercedes had signed up the now legendary Argentian racing driver, Juan Manuel Fangio from Maserati. He was to join the three German drivers Hans Herrmann, Karl Kling and Hermann Lang to make up the new Mercedes team.

The weather was overcast at best and wet for much of the race. The Frankrig Grand Prix was a grueling 61 lap race event, covering a distance of over 500km and it was a dominant display by the Mercedes team. In practice, Fangio had recorded a practice lap of 124.31 mph. The race was eagerly anticipated.

According to the race report on Wikipedia, Fangio and Kling led away and continued to race side by side around the Rheims track. The Ferrari drivers simply couldn’t cope with the pace. José Froilán González retired after 12 laps and Mike Hawthorn’s car blew up spectacularly. Former Ferrari double World Champion (1952 & 1953) Alberto Ascari drove a Maserati, as the Lancia D50 was not yet ready for racing, and lasted only 1 lap after starting on the outside of the front row. Herrmann set the fastest lap before retiring with engine problems, but Fangio and Kling continued their duel until the last lap when team orders were put in force and Fangio led Kling over the line by a mere 0.1 seconds-half a car length.  Of the twenty-one cars that started the race, only six finished! The race was a great victory for the Mercedes Silver Arrows!

Despite the fact that Mercedes took both first and second places and there was only half a car length between the two at the finish line. Liska has only featured Fangio in the victory poster.

Grand Prix Af Frankrig 1954 poster – As seen on Friends

In the 1980s this Frankrig 1954 Grand Prix poster featuring the Argentinian racing hero Juan Manuel Fangio became a star in its own right. In the TV sitcom Friends, the poster can be seen hanging on the wall in Joey’s apartment. It can be seen clearly in Series 7 Episode 1 of the epic show.

The posters are available in a range of sizes from A4 (210x297mm) through to extra large A1 (594x841mm). If you love Mercedes, this poster will look great hanging on your wall. If you love motorsports this poster will look great hanging on your wall, If you’re a fan of Formula 1, this poster will look great hanging on your wall. If you love Friends this poster will look great hanging on your wall. If you’re a fan of F1 and Friends, well… Look it’s just a great looking poster. Order yours today!

Our posters are carefully and professionally created from vintage originals. Whilst great care is taken in the production of these posters, we also try to maintain a vintage feel, so there may be small imperfections, fold marks, scuffs, tears or marks that were part of the original poster master. If these do appear they should be visible on the larger views of the item on this listing. The originals of many of the posters we offer can cost many thousands of pounds, so whilst these posters look great, especially framed and mounted on a wall, they are intended as fun, affordable reproductions and not intended fine art prints.