Story by Marcel Hundscheid – Speed-O-Graphica.com, images by Trevor Noble

The annual Oldtimer Grand Prix at the legendary Nürburgring is a must-see event. The event attracts hundreds of participants from Europe, the United States and Australia. This year´s 43rd edition saw some unique cars on and off the race track from the golden era of motorsports.

From August 7th until August 9th the 43rd edition of the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix was held on the Nürburgring. 52.000 spectators were treated with a true festival of motorsports featuring hundreds of iconics cars from the past decades. The AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix has build a well known reputation over the years and is regarded as one of the must see historic motorsports events on the European continent.

Over the three days over 20 races and regularity tests were held including Formula 1 cars, touring cars, GTs, sports cars and single seaters from the golden era of motorsports. Besides a great variety in cars several stars from the motorsports scene were present and participated in the programme.

Triple Le Mans winner and Audi factory driver Andre Lotterer drove an Audi 100 Coupe in the popular DRM (Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft) Revival. Six-time Le Mans Jacky Ickx was present as a guest from Porsche Classic signing lots of autographs. Over the weekend spectators could enjoy the FIA Masters Historic Formula 1 Championship, FIA Lurani Trophy, FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship, Jaguar Heritage Challenge, Touring Car Revival 2015 Regularity Test, Revival Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft, AvD Touring car and GT Trophy, Formula 3 cars 1964-1984, two seat sports cars and GTs, Historic Grand Prix Cars until 1960, Masters Gentlemen Drivers and the Vintage Sports Car Trophy.

FIA Masters Historic F1 Championship

Twenty-eight epic F1 cars entered the grid on Saturday for their first race of the weekend including different Tyrrell’s, Williams, Lotus, Arrows and lots of other icon’s from the golden era of F1 racing. Seen for the first time were a ATS HS01, Merzario FIA 3 and a Hill GH2 Ford. Belgian Loïc Deman claimed pole position in a Tyrrell 010 by 1.4 seconds in front of Briton Michael Lyons in a Hesketh 308E. Deman powered his Tyrrell 010 in Candy liverie into the lead, followed by Michael Lyons Hesketh. Lyons couldn’t catch Deman, as Andy Wolfe couldn’r match the speed of the Hesketh-driver in his Tyrrell 011. Deman grabbed victory in front of Lyons and Wolfe. The second race on Sunday looked very similar as Loïc Deman scored his second consecutive win of the weekend. Michael Lyons and Andy Wolfe finished second and third just as they did on Saturday.

FIA Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior cars

Popular with both drivers and spectators are the Formula Junior cars entered for the FIA Lurani Trophy. For the 43rd edition of the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix, thirty-seven cars filled the grid including amongst others different Lotus, Brabham, Cooper, Lola and Elva single seaters. During the first race on Saturday a great fight for victory was fought between Gregory Thornton (Lotus 22), Andrew Hibberd (Lotus 22) and John Fyda (Brabham BT6). In the end it was Thornton who finished first, just 0.164 second in front of Hibberd. John Fyda scored third place finishing just eight tenths of a second slower than Hibberd. On Sunday the race was completely different from the day before. Gregory Thornton dropped out after just six laps. Andrew Hibberd scored victory as John Fyda finished second, almost fourteen seconds slower. Mark Pangborn finished in third place with a Lotus 20B.

FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship

The FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship is a series for Le Mans-style sports cars and Group 4 period cars from 1962 up to 1974. Twenty-seven classic sports cars were entered including amongst others different Chevron, McLaren and Lola cars. Nick Padmore drove the Max Smith-Hilliard Chevron B19 to pole position. Michael Gans scored a second time on the grid, nearly two tenths of a second slower than Padmore. The first race was won by Michael Gans in a Lola T290. Mark Piercy finished second also in a Lola T290, Nick Padmore crossed the finish line in third position in a Chevron B19. For the second race on Sunday Andy Wolfe took over Michael Gans Lola. Due to contact between Max Smith-Hilliard (Chevron B19), Martin O’Connell (Chevron B8) and Mike Wrigley (Chevron B16), the safetycar had to be deployed. After the restart Gans crossed the finish line first as Mark Piercy finished second in a Lola T210. Jason Wright claimed the final position on the podium in a Lola T70 Mk.IIIB.

Revival Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft 1972-1981

On of the true crowd pullers during the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix are the touring cars and GTs that participated in the DRM championship. Best known for the races with epic Group 5 cars such as the Ford Capri Zakspeed, Porsche 935 and BMW M1 Turbo, the organizers managed once again an interesting field of cars. Le Mans winner and Audi factory drive Andre Lotterer claimed pole position in a Porsche 935 K3, beating Peter Mücke in the Ford Capri Zakspeed by 0,792 second. The most interesting Porsche on the grid, Lotterer’s 935 K3 and Christian Traber’s 935 as well as the 935/5 driven by Jörg Hübner had to withdraw after a handful of laps. In the end Peter Mücke scored a smashing victory over the BMW M1 Procar of Axel Heinrich with a difference of nearly 26 seconds! Michael Kammermann finished third in his BMW M1 Procar. German touring car legend and multiple Le Mans winner Klaus Ludwig finished fourth in a Porsche 930 Gr. IV. The race on Sunday was a 100% copy of the first race as Peter Mücke scored his second consecutive win of the weekend, in front of the BMW M1 Procar’s of Axel Heinrich and Michael Kammermann.

Two seat sportscars and GTs unti 1960/1961

Forty-five iconic sportscars and GTs until the early sixties were present for their first race of the weekend, traditionally started during sunset. Amongst others a unique Ferrari 250 GT Breadvan was entered, including several Porsche 356s, classic Mercedes and Lotus cars and a couple of very tasty Maserati’s. Tony Wood was quickest during qualifying resulting in a pole position for his Lister Chevrolet Knobbly. Just 0,7 seconds slower was Mark Lewis in his Lister Chevrolet. Julian Majzub put his unique Sadler Mk.III third on the grid. During the first race Majzub proved to be the man to beat crossing the finish line first after 28 laps. Tony Wood scored a second place, Mark Lewis claimed the final spot on the podium. On Sunday the fight for victory was once again fought between these three drivers. This time it was Tony Wood claiming victory, just 0,8 seconds in front of Mark Lewis Lister. Julien Majzub had to settle for third place.

Historic Grand Prix Cars until 1960

The Historic Grand Prix Cars until 1960 gave spectators a taste of Grand Prix racing from the early years of single seater racing, presenting a nice field of 27 cars, including Maserati’s, Ferrari’s, Cooper’s etc. For this race Julian Bronson drove his Scarab Offenhauser to the pole. Guillermo Fierro scored a second time in a Maserati 250F 2523, as Tony Wood drove his Maserati TecMec to a third place on the grid. The first race was quite close as Julian Bronson scored victory, just 1.276 seconds in front of Guillermo Fierro’s Maserati. Steven Hart finished third in his Maserati 250F CM7. During the second race on Sunday Julian Bronson scored his second victory of the weekend. This time he managed to create a gap of no less than 8.309 seconds in front of the Ferrari 246 Dino of Tony Smith. Guillermo Fierro scored his second consecutive podium of the weekend, finishing third.

Jaguar Heritage Challenge

Jaguar Cars Ltd. manufactured the legendary E-Type between 1961 and 1975. Over 14.000 were produced from both the 3.8 liter Series 1 and 4.2 liter Series 1. It was without doubt one of the top sports cars from the 60s. To pay tribute to the car and its design 18 classic ‘Cat’s’ gathered for their single race on Saturday. Sandy Watson and Martin O’Connell were quickest and claimed pole position just 0,4 seconds in front of Count Marcus von Oeynhausen. The count proved to be the man to beat claiming a crushing victory over Jamie Boot with a gap of more than 1 minute! Harry Wyndham finished third.

Formula 3 1964-1984

Back in 1964 a one-litre F3 category was introduced based on Formula Junior rules. From 1971 new regulations allowed 1.6 litre engines, from 1974 the 2.0 liter engines were introduced. In the Formula 3 1964-1984 thirty-two F3 cars from the past battled it out, such as different Ralt’s , Toyota’s, March, GRD, Cooper, Ensign and Tecno’s. Pole position was claimed by Thomas Warken in a Ralt RT3/84-Toyota, just 0,1 seconds in front of Valerio Leone in March 783-Toyota. The first race on Saturday saw Valerio Leone claiming victory in front of Michael Ringström in a March 753-Toyota. Pole sitter Thomas Warken finished third in the end. The second race on Sunday was an exact copy of the first race as Valerio Leone scored his second victory of the weekend. Michael Ringström and Thomas Warken finished second and third.

Gentlemen Drivers (GTs until 1965)

As usual the Gentlemen Drivers with GTs until 1965 always provide some very good racing featuring classic Gran Turismo’s such as the AC Cobra, Jaguar E-Type, Ginetta’s, Bizzarrini’s, Lotus, Morgan’s etc. George Nolte and Audi factory drive Frank Stippler were the quickest in their Bizzarrini 5300 GT from the 31 car pack. Michael Gans and Andy Wolfe scored the second time on the grid in their AC Cobra, just 0.255 seconds behind the big Italian. After the 60 minute race it was Andrew Haddon who scored the overall victory in his AC Cobra. Michael Gans and Andy Wolfe finished second, Jamie Booth drove his TVR Griffith to a third place.

AvD Touringcar and GT Trophy until 1965 / 50 years Alfa Romeo GTA

Thirty-nine classic touring cars and GTs filled the grid for the AvD Touringcar and GT Trophy until 1965, as well as the anniversary grid for 50 years Alfa Romeo GTA. Nicolai Kjaergaard drove a lonely thirty lap race in his Lotus 26R as he drove in a league of his own, crossing the finish line first. Two minutes behind the Danish driver, Malte Fromm finished second in a Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAM. Third place went to the Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAM of Markus Niestrath.

AvD Historic Marathon / Nürburgring Trophy

Traditionally held on Friday are the grids of both the AvD Historic Marathon and Nürburgring Trophy, raced on the legendary Nordschleife and open to touringcars and GTs from the sixties. This year fifty cars were entered for the race including lot’s of Porsche’s, AC Cobra’s, Alfa Romeo’s, Ford Mustang’s and lot’s of other beauties. The four hour endurance race on Friday was won by Marcus von Oeynhausen and Audi factory driver Frank Stippler in a Jaguar E-Type. Allen Tice and Chris Conoley claimed second place in a Marcos 1800GT as Andrew Haddon and Martin Stretton finished third in a AC Cobra. The Nürburgring Trophy was won by Mark Bates and Sean McInerney in a Porsche 911 RSR. Second place went to Mike Stursberg and Olaf Manthey in a Ford Escort RS1600. The final place on the podium was claimed by Klaus Dieter Frers and Frank Stippler in a Porsche 911 Carrera RS.

We can´t wait until the 44th edition of the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix gets underway in an unique atmosphere on one of the world´s most legendary racetracks.

© Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica.com

The post Mega Vintage Festival: Oldtimer Grand Prix Nürburgring appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Robert Weber

Thanks to AUTOMOBILSPORT, we enjoy a chat with three Porsche legends – Herbert Linge, Egon Alber and Hans Hermann – to uncover the groundbreaking development that was the Porsche 550 Spyder.

After a very short time, the Porsche 550 Spyder proved to be a groundbreaking development for the then fledgling sportscar company from Stuttgart. Back in the day, Herbert Linge was a real multitasker, acting as a racing driver, co-driver, mechanic and maintenance man all rolled in to one. Egon Alber was a mechanic and engine specialist who played a big part in developing and then racing the car. And driver Hans Hermann used his success in the Spyder to kick-start a career that took him into the cockpit of a Mercedes-Benz grand prix car. The three Porsche legends caught up for a chat with AUTOMOBILSPORT.

Light, durable, and reliable; those were the main strengths of the Porsche 550 Spyder. On twisty tracks and narrow streets, the car was in its element. As important as the car’s physical strengths was the team it had working on it in the background. “We were all roughly the same age,” recalls Egon Alber, now 85 years old. “We’re all within two or three years of each other. And still young.”

In the early 1950s there wasn’t much structure to start with, the three of them agree. “But this was definitely good for us,” says Alber. “A lot of it had to do with the fact that the war hadn’t been over for that long. We had to grow up incredibly fast because, in a lot of cases, fathers and brothers were gone. These were wild times, but they opened up new chances and opportunities for us to make a difference. And as a team that’s what we did.”

The show must go on

“Porsche was a family,” says Linge. “In the truest sense of the word. Everyone who worked there belonged there; and we could all rely on each other. After important races and events Ferry Porsche, and later Ferdinand Piëch, would often invite all of the mechanics to their houses. It was always a nice to way to show thanks and recognition.”

Opportunities to sit down together and relax were a rarity back then. “We didn’t often have the chance to sit around and do something relaxed together,” recalls Linge. “It just went on and on, from testing to racing, from developing one car to the next. There just was no standstill.”

Linge would even drive to, from and at Le Mans. “The race finished Sunday afternoon. But lunchtime Monday I was back at the factory. At Le Mans, I would take off before the last cars were loaded because the next day I would have meetings at work in Stuttgart. Back then, this was how we operated.”

“Ferry Porsche once said ‘Whenever I look into your department, not matter what time, no matter if it is a Saturday, a Sunday or a holiday, there is always someone around, working’! It had to be that way. At that time, as Porsche was growing – and celebrating the production of our 500^th car, other manufacturers like Veritas and Borgward were closing down. When Ferry Porsche told us in a critical hour that he wasn’t sure if things would carry on, we just carried on. And we all made it carry on!”

And suddenly there was light

In a similar vein, Alber has his own particular memories of the Porsche 550 Spyder: “We once had a Spyder engine on the dyno, one with a loud exhaust. And the dyno didn’t have a cabin. It was one of those periods where we had heaps and heaps to do and not that many people. I sat down on my wooden chair right near the engine, with the control panel – and then I fell asleep, right next to the thundering engine. At 4am suddenly there was light! My colleague Eberhard Storz had arrived and shined a torch right into my eyes.”

Talking about this and other anecdotes from back in the day is amusing for Hermann, Alber, and Linge. They are all united in the firm belief that the hard work and self sacrifice is one of the reasons Porsche was so successful at the time.

Reliability doesn’t come easily

“For me as a racer, it was crucial to be sure that the guys had tightened up every bolt,” says Hermann with a grin. I spent three years with Abarth and it wasn’t the case. I always say that at Abarth I spent more time retiring than driving. I once stopped because there was no fuel in the car. In Italy there was a completely different mentality. Everything was a little chaotic and relaxed. Here in Stuttgart, I simply knew I could rely on the team around me.”

The 550 Spyder played a crucial role in Hermann’s driving career. In 1952, he started driving several Porsche 356s at reliability trails. “For races, you needed a different licence,” he recalls. “In the trials you had to finish in the top three to get points for a racing licence.”

After a driving observation session at the Nürburgring, and with the right licence, Hermann found himself part of the Porsche team. And in the same year, he started a race in a 550 Spyder as part of the German Grand Prix meeting at the ‘Ring. “It was a seven-lap race, and after seven laps, I was first across the line.”

It didn’t take long for Hermann to be taking part in big international events, he and the little 550 racing against strong opposition. “In 1954 I drove at the Mille Miglia with Herbert Linge. We were first in class and sixth overall – and you have to remember that more than 200 cars started.”

“The Mille Miglia was the first event where Mercedes started to take notice of him,” recalls Linge, pointing at Hermann. In the same year, the young driver drove a third Mercedes Grand rix car at Reims (Hans jumps in: “Fangio, Kling and me… with the fastest lap) and he took Linge with him. “Hans wanted me to come and talk with the guys from Mercedes, who I knew from Mexico in 1952 when they won first time out with the ‘Gullwing’,” adds Linge.

In 1954 Hermann was a works driver for both Porsche and Mercedes, with great success. A year later he made the full switch to Mercedes, “and then Stirling Moss came into the team and shortly after it was all over. However, it was already decided before the terrible accident at Le Mans in 1955 that Mercedes would stop at the end of the season, so the good engineering staff could work on the road cars.”

“And do you remember when we were stuck on the Futa Pass,” asks Linge with a cheeky grin. “One year it snowed during the Mille Miglia and the distributor got wet inside. We had to stop on top of the pass. Hankie out, opened the distributor, dried everything and off we went. Nothing could ever stop the little Spyder!

Originally Published in issue 6 of AUTOMOBILSPORT

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Sit down with John Hotchkis Sr. and his sons John Jr. and Mark to get to know their majestic Wynn’s Porsche 962 IMSA GTP race car and the adventures they had campaigning it the ’80s.

“It’s this amazing amount of G! It just sucks right on down and you go ’round corners at 160 miles an hour. My God almighty you’re stuck to the track and if you ever lift you’re going to go into the next county.” – John Hotchkis Sr.

Hotchkis racing was one of the Camel IMSA GTP series’ most successful privateer racing teams, and their ride of choice was this Wynn’s Porsche 962.

They campaigned it in the IMSA Camel GTP challenge from 1986 to 1991 with John Hotchkis Sr. and Jr. handling driving duties and taking it to a best finish of third.

From there they took it to the Historic Sportscar Racing series, picking up a few wins along the way. It’s still with the family today, which is unique for a car like this, and even better – it’s still occasionally run in historics with Mark Hotchkis at the wheel!

Enjoy the film, which is packed with some awesome footage and the recollections of the three men who spent serious time at speed in the car.

“They drop the car down and you leave and you think “This is the stupidest thing in the world!” As you get through the gears, second and third gear, there’s a little valve in your head that goes *click* and now you’re racing. When you come in from an hour of that your adrenaline is so high that when you step out of the car your feet don’t touch the ground.” – John Hotchkis Sr.

The post The History of the Hotchkis Racing Porsche 962 IMSA GTP Race Car appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Image: Auctionata

Auctionata’s Ferrari-Only sale was held last weekend, on Saturday the 26th of September, and saw 27 Ferraris auctioned to a company record of €4.5 million.

The auction became the company’s highest grossing sale when it achieved sales of €4.5 million across 18 cars.

Leading the sale was a personal favourite – a 1991 Ferrari F40 – which sold for €1,085,660 to reach another Auctionata milestone as the most valuable car that the company has sold.

The ex-Michael Schumacher 1997 Ferrari F310B that we featured saw a hammer price of €850,000 and is currently under conditional sale. There it’s joined by a few other big ticket items, like the 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/2 Shortnose, which may see the results improve even further.

For more information, read on, or head to the Auctionata website here.

Auctionata achieves multi-million euro result and new company record in first “Ferrari Only” auction

· Highest grossing auction in company history with an overall result of €4.5 million
· Highest auction sale for a Ferrari F40 from 1991 for €1.1 million

On Saturday, September 26, the leading online auction house Auctionata has reached another milestone: In its first “Ferrari Only” livestream auction, 27 selected vehicles from the renowned Italian manufacturer were auctioned off. With an overall result of around €4.5 million, “Ferrari Only” is the highest grossing auction in the history of Auctionata. The highest price of the evening was achieved by a 1991 Ferrari F40, which sold for nearly €1.1 million to a floor bidder in Munich, thereby setting a new record as the most expensive car that Auctionata ever sold (all results including buyer’s premium of 12%).

Auctionata also achieved excellent results with a Ferrari 512 TR, which found a new owner for €199,920 and thus exceeded its estimated price of €160,000 by far. A Ferrari 458 Speciale from 2015 with an estimated price of €240,000 was also highly sought-after and was ultimately sold for €373,184. Moreover, a Ferrari 512 BB from 1977 reached a final price of €434,264, while the keys to a Ferrari 599 GTO from 2011 will be exchanged for €599,760 (all prices including buyer’s premium of 12%). Wolfgang Jochum, Head of the Classic Cars department at Auctionata comments: “The successful outcome of our first “Ferrari Only” auction shows that we have established ourselves in the top segment of luxury cars and that we have reached a new milestone in the history of Auctionata”.

Moreover, with the first “Ferrari Only” auction in Germany, Auctionata broke new grounds with its livestream auction format: Using a split screen technology, the auction was broadcasted live on www.auctionata.com from two separate locations simultaneously: While auctioneer Philipp von Hutten brought down the hammer at Auctionata’s auction studio in Berlin, all of the 27 cars were presented live in a temporary auction room at a helicopter hangar in Munich. The auction show was hosted by Horst Lichter, famous German TV Chef and knowledgeable Ferrari lover, Auctionata co-founder Georg Untersalmberger, and Ferrari expert Zeljko Pape from the local cooperation partner Schaltkulisse, who kept the audience in the physical and virtual auction room highly entertained at all times. In addition to the numerous online viewers, more than 350 potential bidders followed the livestream in the online auction room, while more than 150 participants, among them 13 of the 27 successful bidders, were present in the auction room in Munich.

The post F40 Leads Successful Auctionata Ferrari-Only Sale appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Dyson Racing’s 962, chassis 101, is Porsche’s first customer 962. For Rennsport Reunion V, they restored it and took it out to the track.

And thanks to RxSpeed’s latest, we get to spend some quality time with it!

“There was a lot of power, and man, it showed up in a hurry!”

The car’s debut took place in the 1984 Daytona 24 Hours, where Michael and Mario Andretti drove it for the Porsche factory. From there it went to Holbert Racing, who secured the 962’s first IMSA GTP win when they were victorious at Watkins Glen.

Holbert Racing sold the car on to Bruce Leven and Bayside Motorsports. They raced it in early 1985 before finally selling it to Rob Dyson of Dyson Racing so that his team could move up to IMSA GTP after racing in IMSA GTO for the previous two years.

Winning their debut race at Lime Rock Park with Drake Olson at the helm, 101 started a serious relationship between Dyson Racing and 962s. Over eight seasons they’d go on to buy and race three more of the cars and become one of the most progressive and expert teams in the field when it came to developing them.

Rx Speed’s latest shows the car getting ready for Rennsport Reunion, testing for the event at Lime Rock Park.

The post The Dyson Racing Porsche 962-101 from Restoration to Racetrack appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Images via Fiskens

One of three works Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 factory entries into the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona, this beautiful machine is up for sale at Fiskens. And we would very much like to have it, please!

Alfa Romeo entered three Works Tipo 33/2s into the ’68 24 Hours of Daytona. They finished an impressive 5th, 6th and 7th outright, just behind Porsche, who claimed a dominant first win in the race and finished 1-2-3 with their 907 LH Longtails.

This car, 019, would stay in the States after Daytona and compete in the Watkins Glen Six-Hour in the care of John Martino. From there the car moved between a handful of American racers before Yoshijuki Hayashi purchased it for his collection in Japan.

He kept the car for some years before selling it to Shiro Kosaka who owned Gallery Abarth. Kosaka displayed it proudly in his museum until it was purchased in 2001 by its current owner.

Its current owner returned it to the United Kingdom, giving it a “significant yet sympathetic” restoration and returning it to race condition. Since its completion 019’s been back on the track racing at historic events like the Le Mans Classic.

This beautiful and historics Works Alfa is in race-ready condition and up for sale at Fiskens. Hit this link to their site for more information.

Images via Fiskens.

The post We Would Like to Buy this Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 Daytona Coupe appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Image: The Cahier Archive

It’s one thing to become a Formula 1 World Champion, and another thing entirely to forge them. Sir Frank Williams and his Williams Formula 1 team have spent the past four decades doing just that.

In this episode of Legends of F1 we sit in on a chat with Frank, his daughter Claire and Patrick Head about his incredible life in Formula 1.

It would be close to impossible to overstate the impact that Frank Williams and his Williams Formula 1 team have had on the sport. They’ve secured the Formula 1 Constructors’ Championship nine times, won 114 races, seen Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve claim seven drivers’ championships and built race cars that smashed the boundaries of what was possible in Formula 1 and changed the direction of the sport for good.

The man himself is no less impressive. Just making it into Formula 1 in the first place requires overcoming all but impossible odds. Sir Frank built Williams from nothing and has steered it successfully through nearly four decades of Formula 1’s tumultuous ebb and flow.

That he did so, and achieved some of the team’s greatest successes, after surviving the spinal chord injury that saw him paralised from the neck down is only more imperssive, and absolutely inspirational.

This chat with Steve Rider, joined by Claire Williams and Patrick Head, is wonderful, and well worth enjoying. Take a few minutes over the weekend to relax and get to know one of Formula 1’s most endearing, and enduring, legends.

Legends Of F1 – Frank Williams by AutoDocumentary

The post F1 Legends: Sir Frank Williams appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid/Speed-O-Graphica.com

A historic event not to be missed is the great Spa Six Hours, unique in the world of historic motorsports as it features a six hour endurance race for GTs and touring cars from the sixties.

On top of this it offers an action-packed program including over 600 historic sport cars, Formula 1, GTs and Grand Prix cars from the fifties, sixties and seventies. Check out our mega gallery and report.

Spa Six Hours 2015

In september Spa-Francorchamps hosted the 23rd edition of one of the greatest historic motorsports events in Europe, the Spa Six Hours. The event is organized by the Roadbook organization, led by Alain Defalle and Vincent Collard. For the 2015 edition, 104 teams entered the grid for the six hours endurance race. On Saturday evening the honours went Roger Wills from New Zealand and Briton James Littlejohn in their Ford GT40.

As usual the event saw unique cars and drivers from across the globe. For the 23rd edition we noted entries from besides Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK, amongst others also from Australia, Chile, Italy, Japan, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland and the United States.

Amongst the 104 entered teams no less than 12 GT40’s were present, as well as several Jaguar E-Types, Ford Mustang’s, different Lotus and MG’s, AC Cobra’s, Porsche 911’s, TVR’s and many many more. For the 23rd edition of the Spa Six Hours the Ford GT40 of count Markus von Oeynhausen and Michael Funke scored pole position. During the first hour it was a true battle between the different GT40’s entered for the race. The quickest GT40 challenger was the AC Cobra driven by Dutchmen David Hart, Alexander van der Lof and Nicky Pastorelli. The Cobra was in second place as the pole sitting Ford made an attack during the fifth hour and claimed the runner up spot. After a long six hours race it was the nr. 34 GT40 of Roger Wills and James Littlejohn claiming the overall victory.

FIA Masters Historic F1 Championship

An epic grid of 30 Formula 1 cars from the 70s and 80s found their way to the Ardennes including different Arrows, Tyrrell’s, Lotus, March, Shadow and Williams single seaters to name just a few, all fitted with the well known Cosworth 3.0 litre engine. Most remarkable car was the Ligier JS/17driven by Briton Rob Hall, equipped with a remarkable twelve cylinder Matra engine. This car was without doubt the best sounding F1 car of the field. The fight for pole position proved to be a local battle between Loïc Deman (Tyrrell 010) and Christophe D’Ansembourg (Williams FW07C). In the end Deman scored the best starting position on the grid as he crossed the finish line just 0.243 seconds quicker than his fellow countryman D’Ansembourg.

As the weather conditions were nice on Friday, race day on Saturday proved to be the opposite. As the grid left the pitlane for their line up a heavy burst of rain hit the track. The race was red flagged immediately as each car was equipped with slicks. It was decided to use full wets and after two laps behind the safetycar the race finally started. During the opening laps the battle between the Belgian’s continued, led by Loïc Deman. Later on D’Ansembourg was passed by Steve Hartley in his Arrows A4. After eight laps Deman claimed victory, followed by Hartley and D’Ansembourg.

On Sunday the second race proved to be a true Belgian battle between Deman, D’Ansembourg and Jean-Michel Martin, father of BMW DTM-driver Maxime Martin. Loïc Deman proved to be to quick for Christophe D’Ansembourg as he proved to be too quick. Deman scored his second victory of the weekend, as D’Ansembourg scored a second podium , finishing in second place. Jean-Michel Martin drove his Tyrrell 009 to the final spot on the winner podest.

FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship

The sound and sight produced by fourteen Lola T70’s, several Lola T210’s and 212’s, Chevron’s with and without a roof, a pair of Ferrari 365’s and McLaren M1’s to name just a few was deafening. Fifty-five sports cars from the 60s and 70s formed an epic site on the Ardennes rollercoaster. During the 40 minute qualifying session on Friday evening, the Lola T70 Mk.IIIB of UK residents Jon Minshaw and Phil Keen grabbed the pole with a 2:28.225 lap time. The Lola T70 Mk.IIIB of Chris Beighton and Jon Finnemore needed almost 3.5 seconds more for a lap and claimed 2nd best place on the grid. Their single 61 minute race on Sunday proved to be the battle of the Lola T70’s. During the opening laps the two front starting Lola’s battled it out but as the race progressed Minshaw and Keen managed to create an ever growing gap. The fight for second place was far more exciting as Dutchman David Hart fought his way into the top three, overtaking Finnemore and during the final stages of the race Daniel Gibson (Lola T70 Mk.IIIB). Jon Minshaw and Phil Keen scored overall victory, David Hart crossed the finish line second, third place went to Daniel Gibson.

Masters Gentlemen Drivers Pre-66 GT

The sight of a posse classic GTs from sixties remains awesome. The Masters Historic Racing organization from the UK provided a single 90 minute mini-endurance race, featuring nearly 40 classic pre-66 GTs. The class structure is split by year and engine capacity, bringing AC Cobra’s, Bizzarrini’s, Jaguar E-Type’s, Lotus and Ginetta’s, as well as Morgan’s and Austin Healey’s to Spa. German drivers Georg Nolte and Michael Funke drove their Bizzarrini to the pole, just 0.5 of a second quicker than the AC Cobra Daytona Coupe of Briton’s James Cottingham and Tim Summers. The first part of the race was led by their stunning AC Cobra Daytona Coupe. Due to a crash the safetycar had to be deployed resulting in a reshuffled field. After 90 minutes of racing it was the Gans-Wolfe AC Cobra claiming a comfortable win over the AC Cobra of fellow countrymen Nigel Greensall and Karsten Le Blanc. German Count Marcus von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpf finished the race third in his Jaguar E-Type.

Masters Pre-66 Touring Cars Championship

One of the smaller grids of the weekend came from the Masters Pre-66 Touring Cars Championship featuring 22 cars such as the Ford Falcon, Ford Mustang, Ford Lotus Cortina, Alfa Romeo Giuletta and Mini Cooper. The battle for pole position was fought between the Ford Falcon’s of Phil Gardiner and Phil Keen, and Leo Voyazides and Simon Hadfield. In the end it was the Ford of Gardiner and Keen that proved to lap the Spa-Francorchamps track quickest, resulting in the pole position. Early in the race it was Leo Voyazides leading the pack but after the driver change it was Phil Keen who grabbed the lead. Keen and Hadfield battled it out lap after lap but in the end it was Keen who took victory during the race. Simon Hadfield finished second, French touring car and GT specialist Eric Helary grabbed third place.

Masters 70s Celebration

New on the Spa Six Hours poster was the Masters 70s Celebration. We have to go back to the 70s, when touring car development moved forward from Group 1 to Group 2 with the introduction of the European Touring Car Championship. Nowadays for all these groups, 70s Celebration was introduced, allowing cars as the Ford Cologne Capri, Ford Escort and BMW CSL to battle with cars as the Triumph Dolomite, Porsche 911 etc. For the occasion of the Spa Six Hours, the Historic Touring Car Challenge from the UK and the German DRM Classic Cup were brought together with the 70s Celebration. The result was a very mixed field of touring cars and GTs including a Porsche 935, Alfa Romeo Montreal, a screaming Mazda RX3 and two unique Mazda R100’s, all equipped with typical rotary engines. As expected, Italian Manfredo Rossi di Montelera’s Porsche 935 lapped the Ardennes rollercoaster in a 2:38.647 lap time. Chris Ward from the UK drove his splendid sounding Ford Broadspeed Capri to a second place on the grid. The race saw some controversy regarding pitlane infringements resulting in very unhappy drivers. In the end it was Chris Ward who claimed victory in the Ford Broadspeed Capri, followed by Manfredo Rossi di Montelera drove his powerful Porsche 935 to a second place. German Achim Heinrich finished third in an immaculate BMW M1 Procar.

Historic Motor Racing News U2TC

The Historic Motor Racing News U2TC from the UK brought everybody back to the days of the European Touring Car Championship between 1963 and 1965. Touring cars from the particular period unter 2.0 liters are allowed such as the Ford Lotus Cortina, BMW 1800, Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and Austin Mini Cooper S. Thirty-one cars entered the track for their qualifying session. The battle for the pole proved to be an epic one. Richard Shaw from the UK managed to score the pole position in his BMW 1800 TiSA just 0,006 of a second quicker than the Ford Lotus Cortina of fellow countrymen Grant Tromans and Richard Meaden. Richard Shaw drove a lonely race on Saturday as nobody could answer the speed of his BMW. German Horst Baumann finished second in a Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA. UK resident’s Carlos Monteverde and Gary Pearson scored a third place in their Ford Consul Cortina.

Historic Motor Racing News Pre-63 GT

Back in 2009 Historic Motor Racing News formed the Pre-63 GT grid allowing cars that have become rarer in historic racing because of the competition they encounter from highly developed cars and replicas. Sixteen cars entered their single qualifying session on Friday, won by the Jaguar E-Type of James and Jeremy Cottingham.      . Martin Hunt and Patrick Blakeny-Edwards claimed a demanding victory on Sunday in a AC Cobra, finishing 52 seconds in front of the Austin Healey 3000 Mk.2 of Karsten Le Blanc. The Morgan +4 Supersports of Gabriel and Dion Kremer crossed the finish line in third place.

Woodcote Trophy and Stirling Moss Trophy

The Woodcote Trophy and Stirling Moss Trophy is perhaps the best way to relive the spirit of post war racing and the Le Mans 24 Hours during the fifties. The Woodcote Trophy is supported by the British Automobile Club and open to post war racing cars until 1955. The Stirling Moss Trophy is supported by Sir Stirling Moss himself and features sports cars built before 1960. The combined grid brought fifty sports cars to the Ardennes track. Jon Minshaw and Phil Keen drove the Lister Knobbly to the overall pole position and at the same time the pole in the Stirling Moss Trophy. In the Woodcote Trophy it was the Jaguar C-Type of Chris Ward scoring the fastest time. Minshaw and Keen drove a lonely race on Sunday as nobody could answer the speed of the Lister. They scored a crushing victory over the Ferrari 246S of Bobby Verdon-Roe and Gregor Fisken. Dion Kremer drove his Lotus 17 Prototype to a third place in the rankings. Patrick Blakeny-Edwards and Frederic Wakeman won the Woodcote Trophy in a Cooper T38. Chris Ward finished second, Carlos Monteverde and Gary Pearson grabbed third place in a Jaguar D-Type.

Historic Grand Prix Cars Association

For the fans of Grand Prix cars from the 1920s through to the 1960s the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association brought a fantastic grid of over 50 iconic single seaters from the early days of Grand Prix Racing. The two races on Saturday and Sunday provided the opportunity for the comeback of the Talbot 26SS at Spa. Sixty-eight years ago this car beared number 32 during the Belgian Grand Prix, driven by Frenchman Yves Giraud-Cabantous. Briton’s Miles Griffith and Peter Horsman fought a close battle for pole position. In the end it was Griffith in his Brabham BT4 claiming the pole with a 0.9 second advantage over the Lotus 18/21 of Horsman. The first race on Saturday was won by Horsman as Griffith had a gearbox problem. Griffith however managed to finish second, in front of the Brabham BT11A of Jon Fairley. Griffith’s technical problems were solved on Sunday. He scored a crushing victory over Peter Horsman as he finished 36 seconds earlier than the Lotus driver. Briton Andy Middlehurst drove his splendid looking Lotus 25 R4 to a third place.

British Sports – GT & Saloon Challenge

The British Sports – GT & Saloon Challenge accepts a great variety of cars, as long as they are built between the forties and the seventies to meet at Club events. No less than 66 cars filled the grid on Friday morning. Pole position went to the Opel Manta of Jack and David Tetley. Sìmon Cripps claimed second spot on the grid in a MG B GT V8. Their single race of the weekend was won by Briton Laki Christoforou in a Ford Escort Mk.1, after he fought a close battle with the Chevron B8 of fellow countrymen Robert Beebee and Steven Brooks.

Historic Sports Car Club

A wide variety of cars participated in the Historic Sports Car Club (closed wheel race). The HSCC was created back in 1966 by a group of enthusiasts due to the lack of races for sports cars in their original specs. Featured were Historic Road Sports, 70s Road Sports, Historic Touring Cars, Guards Trophy, Pre 80 Endurance Series, Super Touring Cars and the Jaguar Heritage Challenge. Sixty-nine cars, presented in a wide variety entered qualifying. Pole position went to the Lola T290 of Mark Richardson, followed by the Chevron B16 of Samuel Carrington-Yates and David Carrington-Yates in second place. Samuel Carrington-Yates and David Carrington-Yates won the first race on Saturday, Martin O’Connell claimed second place in a Chevron B8. Peter Hallford and Phil Keen scored a third place in a Chevrolet Corvette. O’Connell scored victory on Sunday during the 2nd race of the weekend. Joe Ward finished second in the great looking Vauxhall Firenza Baby Bertha. Peter Hallford and Phil Keen scored their second third place of the weekend in the Corvette.

Once again the Spa Six Hours proved to be an event not to be missed. Almost every aspect of historic motor racing was presented in a beautiful setting from touring cars and GTs to Formula 1. Year after year, Roadbook organizers Vincent Collard and Alain Defalle manage to create this unique event. A special thank you goes to press officer Jean-Marc Hardy for his great help over the very busy weekend. We’re looking eagerly towards the 24th edition of the Spa Six Hours in September 2016!

© Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica.com

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Images and story by John Young

Porsche Rennsport Reunion V was held at Laguna Seca in California last month.

The home of the famous Corkscrew saw hundreds of classic Porsches take to the track along with thousands in the Porsche Corral and visitor parking areas. At times it was so big it was almost too much. As a Porsche lover, the ‘kid in a candy shop’ analogy comes to mind.

1. The sense of history

You’d have been blind not to be taken aback by the history on show at Rennsport.

At Porsche’s own display, lined up were the first Porsche to take a class win at Le Mans in 1951, the first Porsche to win outright in 1970 and the latest winner from 2015.

The Chopard Marquee was dazzling. Rows and rows of Porsches with amazing history and provenance. The official program described it as “a collection of Porsche race cars unequalled in history.” It wasn’t an overstatement.

2. The legends

As at previous Rennsport events, Porsche ensured that many of the legendary drivers who had helped build the company’s reputation were there in force. ”Isn’t that Derek Bell?” “Is that Hurley Haywood about to do a parade lap in that 917?” “Is that Mark Webber over there?” The answer was always yes.

3. All the things that started with 9

Like 911s of all ages, more than you could possibly count. 911s so old, they were among the first to wear the famous script on the right hand side of the engine cover. 911s so new, you probably haven’t seen one on a street yet. And just about every other 911 in between.

And then there were examples of 904, 906, 908, 912, 914, 917, 934, 935, 936, 956, 962 and 918. Not forgetting water pumpers including 924, 944 and 968.

4. The 917s

We expected to see plenty of 917s at Le Mans Classic in 2014, but this aspect of that fabulous event was a tiny letdown. Rennsport made up for it with a rare opportunity to see three Gulf liveried 917s side-by-side, along with the ex-Mark Donoghue Sunoco car.

As usual at Monterey events, Bruce Canepa arrived with something pretty special, this time entering a 962 and 917 004/017, the first 917 to complete an entire race. Currently in its Gulf livery as raced at the Brands Hatch 1000 on April 12, 1970, the car has just been the subject of a major restoration. We recently read it could be yours for a lazy 20 million or so…if it’s not already sold.

5. Not everything started with 9

Chances are that you’ve never seen so many 356s in the same place. Not just at the event, but all around Monterey. Then there was the racing, in a field that included 24 Porsche 356s doing battle.

Of course, there are other Porsche numbers with special places in history. Like 550, RS60 and 718. They were there too.

6. The Porsche Club Corral

Simply amazing. The Porsche Club of America was celebrating its 60^th year, and enthusiasts had travelled from far and wide to visit Rennsport.

The display of their cars in the centre of the circuit was something to behold, with 1,400 cars lined up by era and model. If you couldn’t find your favourite Porsche there, well, you don’t have a favourite model Porsche.

7. The racing, part 1

Motorsport Retro about just that – retro motor sport. So if you love vintage racing and you love Porsches, Rennsport Reunion will never let you down. Not for a minute. There were seven grids of Porsches from the Gmund era to the present.

At the Rolex event every August, drivers are on notice about pushing their cars too hard. From where we stood, guys seemed to be trying just that little bit harder at Rennsport, as one or two found out to their cost.

Australian Ron Goodman, for example, had shipped his pre-A 356 to the US in time for the Dana Point concours where he won his class. He raced successfully at the Pre-Reunion and Reunion events, but came unstuck in a big way in his Saturday morning Rennsport race. But he’ll be back.

There were gorgeous little early 911s racing, cars with period history that still get thrashed on the track on a regular basis. Mid to late sixties race cars with serious factory pedigree, like 904s, 906s and a personal favourite, 908s… all were there.

8. The racing, part 2

If you like your racing Porsches big, serious or new, you would have been right in your element at Rennsport V. Group 6, called “The Stuttgart Cup”, included GT3s, Cup cars and at the sharp end, rare prototypes and four 962s.

Group 7 was for the current GT3 Cup Challenge, which made an awesome sound as they roared past. Not exactly retro, but what an incredible noise.

9. The Porsche stuff

There was a mammoth volume of Porsche gear for sale from more vendor outlets than you can count. It ranged from the great to the good to the not-so-good to the downright tacky. Whatever. Chances are not too many visitors went home empty handed.

Lerve was in the air, as the old song said. The spirit of the meeting was one of friendship, family and fraternity. A huge gathering of enthusiasts had come along to immerse themselves in Porsche culture. There was so much of it to see and feel, it was almost overwhelming. But not quite.

For Porsche enthusiasts, Rennsport Reunion is a must-do event.

John Young

The post 9 Moments We Won’t Forget From Rennsport Reunion V appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Images thanks to Cars International

Born out of the most radical rule changes that Formula 1 had seen in years, Williams’ FW20 was as ferociously competitive as it was resilient. This Williams FW20 was 1997 Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve’s ride during that season, and it’s currently up for sale at Cars International.

Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia. 6-8 March 1998. Jacques Villeneuve by Martyn Elford/LAT Photographic

Villeneuve used the car, chassis 05, for nine races during the season on the way to fifth in the drivers title. It was his ride for his two most successful races that year – third in the German Grand Prix, and another third in the Hungarian Grand Prix, helping Williams-Mecachrome to claim third in the constructors’ title and making it the most successful of the FW20s built.

It will be sold with a comprehensive history file including certificate of authenticity, engineering notes, historic documentation from the Williams archive, and photographs.

Williams F1

FW20-05 is currently presented out of its period livery, dressed in its BMW livery of the early 2000s, and will be sold without an engine. This makes it a great buy and a tremendous value for money at its asking price of £67,500 GBP.

A Formula 1 car of this calibre is a rare find at any time, and one with this rich history at this price is particularly special. Hit this link to Cars International for the full information, and read on for more of its story.

Images thanks to Cars International

1998 Williams/Mecachrome FW20 chassis number 05

If F1 cars could talk the Williams FW20 would have a fair few words to say! Famed for its controversial red ‘Winfield’ livery, which shocked the nation and the fans when it first arrived on the scene, the car was the first to be designed by Patrick Head and his newly formed design team using the Williams-Mecachrome engine after Renault withdrew their factory engine supply.

Piloted by French Canadian Jacques Villenueve the reigning F1 World Champion was back to defend his title. An interesting fact Jacques was one of only three drivers ever to win the Indy 500, CART and the Formula One World Championship (with Williams in 1997.) He was no slow coach, in fact more a superstar! But in 1998 with the rule changes, the new design team, tyre and engine supply changes it was an uphill challenge from the start.

Despite all the odds and the famous Spa Francorchamps pile up where 13 cars all crashed at the first corner in torrential conditions – Jacques Villenueve and team mate Heinz Harold Frentzen finished consistently in the points throughout the year enabling Williams to finish third in the overall Constructors Championship. One of the reasons Williams is the second most successful F1 team in history.

FW20 – Chassis 05, is now available for purchase directly from the factory, via their authorised agents, Cars International. Chassis 05 was piloted in nine Grands Prix in 1998 by Jacques Villeneuve where he picked up Six point finishes and two podium results. The car, now in showcar format is currently wearing a more traditional Williams blue and white livery but it could easily be returned to its original ‘Winfield’ red livery and rebuilt to running specification.

For a modest £67,500 you could be in possession of this rather special part of Williams F1 history. For the full listing click here.

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Hop on board a very special Porsche 934.5 with Grand-Am and ALMS sports car champion Leh Keen and blast past absolutely everyone and everything at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.

The name may sound a little too close to that of a radio station, but Porsche’s 934.5 is actually a very rare and special race car. As you may have guessed, it’s a mix of the 934 and 935 – each a world beater in its own right.

Both 934 and 935 were based on Porsche’s first turbocharged 911 – the 930. The 934 was built for, but ultimately not allowed to compete in, Group 4 racing. When IMSA turned it away from the 1976 series it went off to stomp the SCCA Trans-Am series instead.

The 935 was built for Group 5 racing, when IMSA allowed turbocharging for the first time in 1977.

At the end of 1976, Porsche decided to stick the two cars together to produce the 934.5. They took ten 934s, with KKK-turbocharged three-litre flat sixes, that had been upgraded for IMSA competition, and gave them the wheels and aerodynamic developments of the 935.

The International Motor Sports Association took one look at the 934.5 and said “Nope!”, so Porsche went straight back to SCCA Trans-Am racing, where they won six of the season’s eight races and claimed the championship.

Until it was taken away from them, at least. At the conclusion of the series an objection to the 934.5 was raised, and SCCA stripped Porsche and Peter Gregg of the title, giving it to runner-up Ludwig Heimrath.

Bummer. Porsche, justifiably, boisterously celebrated their victory anyway.

In this video the 934.5 shows-off its world-beating potential, monstering everything in its path thanks to some very tidy steering and race craft by Leh Keen, who passes a chunk of the field before popping in to the pits, quickly fixing an issue with the clutch, and then going on another passing spree.

The post When You Absolutely Have to Pass Absolutely Everyone: Porsche 934.5 On-Board appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Artworks by Tom Havlasek

We are big fans of the classic motorsport art of Tom Havlasek here at Motorsport Retro. It’s been a little while since we last laid eyes on his ravishing retro artworks, so we caught up with him to bring you up to date!

Born in Brno, Czech Republic, just outside of the famous Brno Circuit, Tom Havlasek has had motorsport pumping through his veins since childhood. Growing up he found his other great life passion – art – and inevitably combined the two to create the wonderful works you see before you.

His work is colourful and expressive, and captures the aesthetic and passion of the golden age of motorsport beautifully.

“Liveries express the soul of the freak sitting behind the wheel.”

Recently he was part of a project to create a new BMW ‘Art Car’ for BP Autosport team driver Mi Vi. The car turned out brilliantly, and will race on the Nurburgring in this year’s VLN series, as well as the Hankook series 12 Hours of Brno.

Enjoy these shots, which take you behind the scenes into his studio and show off his art.

Check out more of Tom’s work on his website here and Facebook page here. He is also available for commissions, meaning that you could organise your very own art car.. we’re tempted.

The post Retro Art: Catching Up with Tom Havlasek appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Image: Fiskens

Sporting a silhouette we’ll not forget, this 1972 BMW 3.5L CSL Batmobile is in race-ready condition, with a grand period career behind it, and is up for sale at Fiskens.

This 1972 BMW 3.5L CSL Batmobile began its life as a CS race car run by Faltz-Alpina Racing, and was upgraded to full Batmobile specs through its long racing career.

While under the Faltz-Alpina Racing Team banner in 1972, the car competed in German and European championship races. Later in the year it was sold to Josef Benedens, who had it upgraded to Group 2 CSL Batmobile Specification by Manfred Nicht.

He continued racing it in the German/European Championship through to 1975, selling it to German racer Peter Herk. Herk continued to develop the car, upgrading it to Group 5 specs and and racing it alongside a few other drivers in the American IMSA series. Once its period career concluded, he continued to race it in historic events through the ’80s and ’90s.

The naughties saw the car return to Europe, where it was taken to QM Engineering in the United Kingdom. At this point it was decided to return the car to Group 2 specifications so that it could run competitively in Europe.

Various sections of the body shell, including the front panel, wings and sections of the boot floor had been removed or modified for Group 5 regulations, so they were replaced. The body shell was stripped back to metal, revealing its many liveries along the way, and its new owner decided to return the car to its ’73/74 livery.

In terms of mechanicals, the engine, gearbox and differential were completely rebuilt and suspension, brakes and fluid lines were replaced. All of the major bits were kept for spares or historical significance.

At this point it was ready to race again, and it was taken to historic events in the United Kingdom.

The current owner purchased the car in 2010, sending it to Schirmer Race Engineering in Germany for further work, including another rebuild of the engine.

It’s currently in race-ready condition, with just a few hours on the engine, and is ready for the next chapter in its racing career. It’s sold with spares, its old Group 5 bodywork, HTP papers and a full-to-bursting history file with photos, documentation, period stickers and results.

BMW’s 3.5L CSL in ‘Batmobile’ configuration is an icon of the sport, and we hope to see this particularly nice one return to its home on the track soon! For more details head to Fiskens’ website here.

Images via Fiskens

The post Put Out the Bat Signal: 1972 BMW 3.5L CSL Batmobile For Sale appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Unique & Limited‘s time-travelling motorsport art takes tales of motorsport’s history and brings them to life with modern technology and awe-inspiring artistic ability. You definitely need to see these.

We first came into contact with Unique & Limited’s work when they released 2014’s Silver Arrows project. Since then, they’ve been very, very busy.

The team, headed by Jan Rambousek, have defined a new aesthetic by recreating historic moments in motorsport with a mix of original photography and advanced 3D graphics. They produce ultra high-resolution artworks that capture moments in motorsport history in a fidelity that was not possible at the time, allowing us to relive those moments today!

Their original Silver Arrows Project recreated twelve moments from significant races in the history of Germany’s Silver Arrows. It was internationally acclaimed, and so the team has continued to develop their ideas and techniques with new works.

In the time since they’ve created collections for the Ferrari 250 GTO, Porsche 917, Maserati 250F, Bugatti T35 and an aviation-themed collection called ‘The Flying Heroes’.

The artworks are absolutely stunning, and do a magnificent job of bringing life to moments in motorsport history at an exceptional resolution and with unparalleled detail.

Works are available in limited edition prints from www.unique-limited.com. Head over there and check ’em out!

And read on for more information from Unique & Limited.

The post Unique & Limited’s Time Travelling Motorsport Art is Astonishing appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Team Motorsport Retro enjoyed a thrilling weekend at the recent NSW Prod Sports round at Sydney Motorsport Park. MSR founder Rich Fowler teamed up with Craig Drury to drive his wonderful Lotus Exige to a class victory and surprising fourth place outright.

Friday: Practice – Finding a sweet set up.

After getting a little lost at the previous round in August, where we finished second in class, we arrived at Sydney Motorsport Park with a back to basics set up. Craig and I found the car to be better straight away, but it was still understeering in the quick stuff and bit oversteery in the slower corners. We made some tyre pressure changes, a small roll bar change and played with some ride height over the course of the day, and by the end felt the car was both quicker and more confidence inspiring. Things we looking good as we were both consistently in the 1min 41 bracket. We were having fun too.

Craig keeping the flying Lotus on track

Saturday: Qualifying and Sprint races – Off to a flyer

After risking one more set up tweak on the car, Craig and I were ready for each of our qualifying sessions.

My session was first and we bolted a brand new set of Hankook slicks on the yellow machine. I felt that the change to the car was better and really tried to push for a few quick laps. My first flying lap was as quick as the car had been all weekend and the next lap was quicker still at 1:38.9, so I came into the pits to chillax, as I didn’t think I could go any faster! The time put us ahead of the other Lotus’ and the adrenalin rush nearly blew my head off.

Video – Rich qualifying

Craig was flying in his session too, reporting that the car was like he remembered it “when it was running on Michelins” meaning it was well balanced, confidence inspiring and capable of delivering a lap time in the low 1 minute 40s.

Sports cars everywhere – Porsche, Lotus, Porsche, Ginetta, Ford GT 40 all feature in Prod Spots racing

In my sprint race, I lined up 7th, got a good start, snuck up the inside of a Porsche at turn 2 and managed to keep some of the quicker Lotus cars behind me to arrive 8th at the flag.

….shame about the P Plate. My hiatus from racing means I’m still a few races away from getting my full license back

Craig also had a cracker sprint race, rocketing off the line and finishing ninth after some hard racing with the slower class A cars and the other class B boys.

Sunday: One hour Enduro – Better than we expected

Car owner Craig started the race from 12th on the grid, got a blinder and set up our class victory with a furious first few laps on cold tyres that included some uncompromising passing moves. He then drove like a man possessed setting our teams fastest race lap and then bringing the Lotus safely into the pits just before the halfway mark on lap 15.

Rich in open space during the 1 hour Enduro

Our pitstop was an absolute shocker. We got the belts twisted, so needed to unbuckle and start again, eventually getting away in around 8th place.

Craig extends the gap of the Magaitis/Levis Lotus Exige

I was feeling really at home in the Lotus, with the glorious music from it’s 220HP 2.0 litre Honda buzzing behind my head, I pinned my ears back and attacked.

One by one I started picking cars off and along with some attrition from the class A and GT cars at one point (I subsequently discovered) we were actually running third on the road!

With the temperatures of car and driver running hot and the tyres going away I crossed the line thrilled that we had achieved a great effort on track, but worried our poor pitstop had cost us a class win.

Once back in the pits I was greeted by a grinning Craig and our family crew. We were then congratulated by good sport and fellow Lotus racer Justin Levis, who informed us that we had taken the class win!

We were thrilled.

Video: One Hour Enduro highlights

It was a truly magic weekend. One that reminded my why I love racing. The camaraderie and spirit of our very small team and fellow competitors, the joy of working to make the car go faster, the desire to compete and push your own personal limits and just the sheer fun of being wide open in a great car on a good track.

I cant wait to be back behind the wheel.

Team selfie – Calvin, Uli, Ray, Rich and Craig

Special Thanks:

Thanks to Penrite Oil for the fantastic lubricants and to Derek at European Autotech for some good advice. If you would like to be involved in our racing adventures email rich@motorsportretro.com

Images: Action shots by Rob Annesley at shotbyrob.com.au

Race Results

Via Natsoft

The post Motorsport Retro takes first win in Lotus Exige appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Patrick Depailler in Monaco, 1978, thanks to the Cahier Archive

There’s no dry line here! Patrick Depailler tackles Circuit Île Notre-Dame, Montreal, since renamed to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, in absolutely appalling conditions to give us all a lesson in master car control.

The video is from 1978 ahead of the season finale Canadian Grand Prix which, appropriately, would see Gilles Villeneuve secure his maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix victory in his Ferrari.

Depailler himself would have a very exciting race, qualifying lucky thirteenth before storming up to fifth by the sixth lap, falling back again with technical troubles and finally fighting his way through the order to finish fifth.

In the clip Depailler masterfully slides his Tyrrell 008 across the mirror-like surface of the circuit, showing no particular concern for the apparent complete absence of grip. The soundtrack of the Tyrrell is magnificent, Murray Walker adds some perfect period personality, and the vision is spectacular.

If only modern motorsport was this sideways!

The post Video: A Lesson in Car Control with Patrick Depailler appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Images thanks to Classic Throttle Shop

Sporting one of the most distinctive shapes in motor racing, and a set of silverware from motorsport’s great races to match, Porsche’s 911 RSR is a dream car.

This 1988 Porsche 911 RSR Recreation, up for sale with our friends at Classic Throttle Shop, will let you live the dream without subjecting yourself to the nightmarish price tag.

Inspired by the #8 911 RSR that raced in the 1973 Targa Florio, this recreation is the result of meticulous sourcing and research, attention to detail and very fine craftsmanship.

Starting with a mint condition 1988 911 3.2 Carrera, the car was painstakingly reconstructed over 16 months by ZAG Automotive in Sydney. The goal was to build a nuanced and driveable machine that was as close to that #8 car as possible in looks and excitement behind the wheel.

Hanging over the back wheels is a 993 Varioram motor with a custom exhaust and muffler, and high flow catalytic converters. It puts power through the mighty 911 G50 transmission to a factory LSD, and 930 Turbo brakes with brake booster handle and balance the stopping power.

The handling package is completed by front struts with raised spindles and Bilstein shocks. Light coil over springs were added to the original torsion bars front and rear, which they did on the original RSRs to make the car easier to tune for specific races.

Metal RSR guards, RSR bumpers front and back, fibreglass ducktail, custom Fuchs wheels, refurbished and backdated instrumentation as well as period-perfect Martini stripes and period decals give the car its exceptional good looks.

With its perfect period aesthetic, exceptional attention to detail and all of the right shiny bits under the skin, this is a car we could spend many happy hours in, both on the road and on the track.

It’s up for sale at Classic Throttle Shop. For more information give them a call on (02) 9922 2036, send an email to
sales@classicthrottleshop.com or head to their website here.

Images thanks to Classic Throttle Shop

The post For Sale: Porsche 911 RSR Recreation appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Images thanks to Auctionata

Coming up on Saturday, December 12, Auctionata’s inaugural Porsche-only sale, hosted by Dr. Ulf Poschardt, will put a stunning collection of classic air-cooled 911s under the hammer.

Hosted by Dr. Ulf Poschardt and held in Hamburg’s Prototyp car museum, the auction will be available worldwide via livestream at www.auctionata.com as well as through Auctionata’s iPhone app ‘Auctionata Live’, which you can grab from the App Store here.

It will put 25 classic Porsche 911s under the hammer. The cars are all 911s with the ultimate configuration of the air-cooled 6-cylinder boxer motor, and most of them are unrestored, original cars.

Headlining the auction is a 1989 Porsche 959 which was delivered from the factory to its owner-collector. The car is in near-mint condition with a scant 8,300 kilometers on the clock, and its bidding will start at €600,000.

It’s joined by a 935 which was built from a 1977 Porsche 930 Turbo for the racing team of Norm Goldrich. In 2000 it was given extensive revisions and improvements, a little bump for the engine to a 3.2-litre turbo that cranks out 610 horsepower and 800NM of torque, which is plenty to push around its featherweight 1086kg weight. It’s been racing in the historic motorsport scene for the past decade and is good for Group 5 racing. It will be sold with an awesome Magirus race car transporter, and you’ll need to put up somewhere from €120,000 for it.

We’re fans of the 1965 Porsche 911 SWB Coupe race car, which comes from the model’s first year of production. In the ’90s it returned to Germany where it was remodeled by Bienert to the specifications of Walter Röhrl, who also performed testing duties, so that it could obtain an FIA pass for historic racing. Röhrl raced the car in the Bavaria Classic in 1996, and the car bears his signature thanks to his role in developing and driving it.

Its current owner converted it from a circuit configuration to one for use in rallies, and kept all parts that were changed to be sold with the car. It’s even sold with an identical 1:40 scale model of the car!

Another highlight is a 1970 911 ST Group IV Special GT, which is one just just 10 built. Wrapping up the feature cars is an original, unrestored 911 Turbo 3.0 from 1975. This classic’s a little more affordable, and bidding will start at €90,000.

You’ll also be able to pick up an unrestored ’74 Carrera 2.7 with an original RS engine, a 911 Coupé from the 911’s first production year, a mint example of the breathtaking 911 Speedsters from 1989 and a 30-year anniversary 911 from 1993 – one of just 911.

The auction will once again be livestreamed from two separate locations – the Prototyp museum in Hamburg where the cars are hosted, and the Auctionata studio in Berlin where the auction itself will be held. It’s available to bidders worldwide and can be followed live at www.auctionata.com as well as through Auctionata’s iPhone app ‘Auctionata Live’, which you can grab from the App Store here.  It will be broadcast on Saturday, December 12, 2015 from 6 pm CET.

Images thanks to Auctionata

Auctionata presents “Porsche Only”: 25 sports cars from the 911- era will go under the hammer on December 12th

To celebrate the grand finale of this year’s auction season, the leading online auction house Auctionata, is getting ready for another superb selection of unique classic cars, this time from Porsche’s 911-era. In its first ”Porsche Only“ auction on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 6 pm CET, Auctionata will present 25 vehicles from Porsche’s most successful production series of all time, whose prime development spanned more than four decades. All of the 25 classics, with a total estimated value of 6.3 million euro, are equipped with an air-cooled, 6-cylinder boxer engine and are in great, for the most part, unrestored, original condition. The auction, hosted by German author and Porsche-expert Dr. Ulf Poschardt, will be broadcasted via livestream from Hamburg’s Prototyp car museum on www.auctionata.com, and will be accessible to bidders worldwide.

Amidst the 24 Porsche 911s, a Porsche 959, probably the best known offshoot of the 911, is expected to be the outstanding highlight of the auction. As one of the most famous developments of the Porsche AG, and built on the basis of the Porsche 911, the Porsche 959 was presented in a version ready for series production on the IAA in 1985. Just in time for the 30-year anniversary, Auctionata will auction a model from 1989, which is in almost mint condition with a mileage of only 8,300 km. The vehicle has been in the possession of a collector since its initial delivery, and will enter the auction with a starting price of €600,000. Another star is a 911 ST, Group IV Special GT from 1970, only 10 of which were ever built. With an empty weight of 930 kg and 230 PS strong, the Porsche has a 2.3 liter boxer engine, and an astonishing power-to-weight-ratio of 4.04 kg/PS. It will go under the hammer with a starting price of €650,000. In 1975, Porsche began the production of a new top model of the 911 series – the Turbo 3.0. Due to its short production time from 1975 to 1977, only 2,800 vehicles were manufactured, making the car a coveted collector’s item. A model in unrestored original condition from the first production year will be offered with a starting price of €90,000.

Further highlights include an unrestored 1974 Carrera 2.7, with original RS-engine and unwelded body, an unrestored 1965 Porsche 911 Coupé from the first production year of the 911 series, and one of the first 1,000 ever produced 911s, a 1989 Speedster in mint condition with only 30,000 km, as well as an anniversary model from 1994, whose production was launched on the 30-year anniversary of the Porsche 911 in 1993, and was limited to 911 vehicles.

The post Original Unrestored Air-Cooled 911s at Auctionata’s Porsche Only Sale appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid/Speed-O-Graphica.com

Sit back, relax and spend a few minutes with the beautiful Lola T70.

Designed way back in the last century, the sleek lines of this immortal sportscar keep attacking historic motorsport fans around the world. In the European historic motorsports scene the car is a real crowd puller and on several occasions more than a dozen fill the starting grids. Check out our report and fetaured gallery.

Designed by Eric Broadley back in 1965 and built in Slough, England, the Lola T70 was up against the almost unbeatable Porsche 917 and Ferrari 512M sports cars.

In its inaugural year, 1966, the car proved to be in a class of its own as it entered the Can-Am championship. Fifty years after the introduction at the 1965 London Racing Car Show, the T70 remains iconic in the history of sportscar racing.

Broadley established Lola Cars back in 1958 and gained success in designing and building single seaters for Formula Junior, Formula 2 and Formula 3. This success led to a contract with Ford on their GT40 project. As Broadley was unhappy with the fact that he couldn’t build cars he desired, he stopped working for Ford and started to create the fastest sportscar of that particular era.

By that time both Ford and Chevrolet offered V8 powerplants. Broadley combined the 500 hp engine with a light, mid-engined design. Together with World Champion John Surtees, Broadley developed the Lola T70 into one of the most successful sportscars from that time.

Lola’s first T70 was presented at the London Racing Car Show in January 1965, using an aluminium tube and steel-chassis, along with a fiberglass body. Seventeen Mk.1s were produced equipped with n 5359 cc/327 cu in Chevrolet V8 engine, creating 400 hp/298.3 kw.

The car made its racing debut at Silverstone driven by John Surtees in pouring rain. As Surtees spun more than he led, it was agreed to fit the T70 with a rear spoiler.

An upgraded version of the initial Lola T70 Mk.I was the Mk.II that appeared in 1966.

The Mk.II was even 32 kg (70 lbs) lighter as Broadley used much more aluminium in the chassis. Most of the 33 chassis built were run with the small block V8 engines. The Mk.II would go into history as Lola’s most successful T70. Denny Hulme scored 11 victories in Europe, in the USA the T70 Mk.II won the USSRC championship in both 1966 and 1967. John Surtees won the 1966 Can-Am Championship, winning 3 out of 6 races.

The Mk.II used wider wheels, consolidated radiators including a large cooling unit in the nose as well as revised suspension points. Besides the use of much more aluminium, Broadley used riveting, instead of welding, to shed further weight.

In the end Broadley managed to reduce to overall weight just a little more than 100 pounds. The T70 Mk.II would prove to be one of the most successful sports cars in history.

The Mk.II was entered in the newly formed CanAm series. The car dominated nearly every race it entered, scoring five wins in six rounds. Lola’s success came to a halt in 1967 as McLaren entered the CanAm series and would dominate the championship. A T70 would claim just a single victory in that particular year.

Lola introduced the T70 Mk.III Coupé featuring more horsepower and improved performance. Initially Lola used a 327 small-block Chevrolet engine, followed by an upgraded 350 Chevrolet engine. The straight back end of this version gave the car the nickname of ‘breadvan’, resembling delivery trucks from the particular era.

Tony Southgate designed the new sleek body of the Mk.III, made to follow Group 4 regulations. In Le Mans, the T70 Mk.III could reach top speeds of 200 mph on the Mulsanne straight. The new T70 Mk.III Coupe was a very aerodynamic car, created by using a wind-tunnel. Thanks to its high tail the car produced considerable downforce. After the installation of a roof and a windscreen, the car was eligible for Group 4.

Sad to say but the Mk.III Coupé wasn’t much of a success. It appeared backed by the Lola factory at Le Mans, driven by John Surtees and David Hobbs. In the end, the car lasted only 25 laps, powered by an Aston Martin V8.

A slightly updated version was the Mk.IIIB introduced back in 1969.

The car featured a ‘squared off’ bodywork, was equipped with bigger brakes and used a 5 speed Hewland 600LG gearbox. Besides this the Mk.IIIB variant used a full aluminium monocoque.

The 4.995 cc Chevrolet V8 was equipped with fuel injection and produced about 450 hp. The Mk.IIB could easily be recognized by the lower nose, equipped with two headlights on either side. Back in 2005 Lola Cars announced an authentic and limited continuation series of the original T70 Mk.IIIB.

© Marcel Hundscheid/Speed-O-Graphica.com

The post Immortal designs of the sixties: Lola T70 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Niki Lauda in the 1985 Monaco Grand Prix, thanks to the Cahier Archive

Head back to 1985 and settle in for a wonderful lesson in Formula 1 thanks to Niki Lauda and the classic documentary, Niki Lauda Explains Formula 1.

Directed by Francis Megahy, this 1985 documentary sees the three-time Formula 1 World Champion explaining the sport in impressive detail, while providing his own unique insight along the way.

He discusses the development of Formula 1 cars and the engines that power them, looks at driving techniques and even examines race strategy. We get a peak under the skin of Lauda’s 1982 McLaren, a behind the scenes look at the McLaren factory and explore the McLaren pits.

It even has a nice little pre-Top Gear bit where they pit the McLaren F1 car against a 1.6-litre Ford Sierra, “amongst the most advanced road cars in volume production”, driven by ’76 World Champion James Hunt and a Porsche 928 driven by John Watson for a lap of Silverstone.

Going into remarkable depth, and illustrated beautifully by Lauda just off the back of winning the 1984 championship, this is a fascinating look at the sport in its high-power turbo era with a dominant team and dominant driver.

Get comfortable, and enjoy.

The post Niki Lauda’s Formula 1 Master Class appeared first on Motorsport Retro.