At the 1954 French Grand Prix, W196 debuted with a closed-wheel streamlined body designed specifically for the high-speed circuits of Reims and Monza. This more conventional open-wheel version was introduced at the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. The 1955 Formula 1 season was cut short after the 1955 Le Mans disaster, but W196 won every race except the Monaco Grand Prix.

This car, chassis 00013, one of the last built, was raced three times during the 1955 season. Juan Manuel Fangio drove this car to victory in the Dutch Grand Prix and to a second-place finish at the British Grand Prix. In the British Grand Prix at Aintree, against strong opposition from the Maserati 250Fs as well as the Vanwalls, Gordinis and Coopers, Stirling Moss was fastest by two-tenths of a second over his teammate Juan Manuel Fangio, with whom he had been swapping the lead throughout the race.