Following in the tire tracks of the 1450 S and 1834 S, the Atego race truck represented the third stage in the Mercedes-Benz race truck development program. In 1998, its first season, Ludovic Faure drove the Atego to the European Truck Racing Cup title in the “Super Race Class” for purpose-built race trucks. In 2000 the Atego finished runner up in the standings. Mercedes-Benz withdrew from truck racing at the end of the 2001 season.