Yes, the year 1955 is a very special one to Hans Hermann. He had a contract for a year with Mercedes and drove mainly
sports car races with the legendary 300 SLR. On the 22nd May he should replace the injured Karl Kling and drive the Grand
Prix d'Europe. In these days this was the name of the Grand Prix of Monaco. Rudolf Caracciola instructed Hans Herrmann in the
secrets to drive a good round in the winding city course. His teammates are Fangio and Moss, both with a special version of
the Mercedes, the wheelbase has been shortened, to start the race. In the training a wheel blocked during braking and Hans
Herrmann is barely able to catch the car, instead of going in pit he tries to improve his lap-time... Already in the next
round the misfortune takes his run, again a wheel blocks while breaking and the car breaks out, jumps on the sidewalk and
drills in a stone balustrade. Hans Herrmann sits seriously injured in his racer and tries to come out, always with the
thought of the car can start to burn any time, which was not seldom at that times! But he has broken the right leg and could
escape only under efforts. Assistants rush to the scene of accident and bring him into hospital. There are further Injuries
found and he is flown to Munich on monday. There he remains in stationary treatment up to the 3rd July. In autumn the first
test drives are announced and his start is planned with the Targa Florio. Unfortunately, Hans Herrmann must recognise that
his recovery is not progressed so far yet that this allows him to drive a racer fast and safe. What follows, is the rejection
of him.
If we see the pictures of the accident years later, we find out, that he has had blessing in disguise, only one small piece
further and he would have been dead...
1955 comes, unfortunately, still for other bad news into the motor sport history:
I have taken a model of Cartrix and have stuck on the start number 4, as memory to a very special week-end and year in the career of Hans Herrmann.