Mega Gallery & Report – The 45th edition of the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix!

Images and story by Marcel Hundscheid/Speed-O-Graphica.com

The AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix is one of the biggest events in the European historic motorsports scene. The 45^th edition saw more than 500 historic cars and drivers from 17 countries take to the mighty Nürburgring in front of 46,000 fans of the golden age of motorsport.

Read on, and enjoy our report and mega gallery.

Despite the poor weather conditions, especially on Friday and Saturday, the 45th edition of the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix attracted more than 46,000 spectators. Morning temperatures of Friday and Saturday in summerly August reached just between 9 and 11 degrees Celcius.

More than 500 historic cars and drivers from 17 countires entered the venue. Farthest from home were drivers from the United States, Brazil and Australia.

The programme extended from the early days of motor racing to the beginnings of Formula 1, endurance racing classics of the ’50s and through to sports cars and single-seater races. Drivers could compete in 20 races and regularity tests, celebrating an action-packed journey back into the history of motorsport.

In Germany the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix is noted as the most prestigious historic event on the inland motorsport calendar. It features three rounds of FIA-championships, including the FIA Masters Historic F1 Championship, FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship and the FIA Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior Cars. This year’s event also featured, for the very first time, two ‘Touring Car Classics’ for former DTM and STW-cars.

FIA Masters Historic F1 Championship

Eighteen former Grand Prix-cars entered qualifying including Tyrrells, Williams, Arrows, Fittipaldi, Brabham, Ensing, Shadow, Lotus, March, Ligier and Hesketh cars.

The battle for the pole was fought between Martin Stretton in his 1983 Tyrrell 012 and Michael Lyons in a Williams FW07/B. Stretton was just 0.7 second quicker than the Williams driver, securing him pole position for race 1.

After the start Stretton went straight on in the first corner. Lyons profited and took the lead. Within a blink of an eye he had a massive lead of 30 seconds. Stretton lost second place to Loic Deman, but after a spin of the Belgian Stretton regained second place. Gearbox problems forced Lyons to slow down and Stretton caught the experienced Lyons. This gave Stretton victory in race 1, as Lyons limped over the finish line in second.

However, as Stretton failed the ride-height check in post-race scrutineering, the Briton was disqualified and Lyons was declared winner.

Results race 1:

Michael Lyons Williams FW07/B
Loic Deman Tyrrell 010 + 30.375
Simon Fish Ensign N180 + 36.448

The second race on Sunday became a hunt for Stretton as the Tyrrell driver took the lead in front of Belgian Loic Deman. As Michael Lyons suffered from gearbox problems on Saturday he wasn’t able to compete in race 2. Stretton and Deman battled it out but the Briton proved to be too quick for the Belgian-driver.

An incident between Max Smith-Hilliard (Fittipaldi F5a) and Gregory Thornton (Lotus 77) brought the safety car to the track. After the restart Stretton could get away as Deman had to challenge Steve Hartley (Arrows A4) and Joaquin Folch (Brabham BT49C). Finally Stretton claimed victory in front of Deman and Hartley.

Results race 2:

Martin Stretton Tyrrell 012
Loic Deman Tyrrell 010 + 2.209
Steve Hartley Arrows A4 + 3.385

FIA Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior Cars

With 39 cars on the grid, the FIA Lurani Trophy provided one of the bigger fields over the weekend. Cameron Jackson from the UK claimed a demanding pole position in his Brabham BT2. None of the drivers could answer his dictating speed as he crossed the finish line first during race 1, with a lead of an impressive 37.5 seconds. Italian Manfredo Rossi di Montelera finished lonely in second with Briton Peter Morton crossing the chequered flag in third.

Results race 1:

Cameron Jackson Brabham BT2
Manfredo Rossi di Montelera Lotus 22 + 37.591
Peter Morton Envoyette 38.569

Sunday’s race was almost a copy from the race held on Saturday. Jackson drove in another league and after a lonely 12 laps he crossed the finish line first with an impressive 26.5 seconds lead over Manfredo Rossi di Montelera. Italian Piero Enrico Tonetti finished third.

Results race 2:

Cameron Jackson Brabham BT2
Manfredo Rossi di Montelera Lotus 22 + 26.543
Piero Enrico Tonetti Brabham BT6 + 37.419

FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship

Sport scars from the sixties and seventies filled the grid for their single 60 minute race on Sunday. One of the highlights in the 28-strong field was a splendid Porsche 917 driven by Frenchman Claudio Roddaro. Chassis 917-037 was built back in 1970 as a spare and used by Gulf Racing for the 1970 edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours. After being kept by several owners in Europe and the United States, the Porsche was brought back to Europe at the beginning of 2017 and was a welcome entry at the Nürburgring.

The 60-minute race saw an entertaining battle between the Lola T292 of Diogo Ferraro from Portugal and team mate Martin Stretton from the UK and the Lola T290 of Swiss-driver Michael Gans. The Swiss-driver drove a very strong race and Ferraro couldn’t make a pass during his stint.

After Stretton took over for his stint, Gans defended as hard as he could but finally the Briton saw a gap and claimed the lead. The race was red-flagged seven minutes early, when the McLaren M1A of German Harms Winter blocked the track. Ferrao and Stretton took victory in front of Gans and the Lola T70 Mk.IIB of Jason Wright.

Results:

Diogo Ferraro-Martin Stretton Lola T292
Michael Gans Lola T290 + 4.274
Jason Wright Lola T70 Mk.IIIB + 54.198

DRM Revival German Racing Championship

One of the crowd pullers are the cars of the former DRM (Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft)-Championship. With two races over the weekend, the crowd was pleased with a 32-cars field including former Group 5 flame throwing Porsche 935s and BMW M1s, a Ford Capri Zakspeed Turbo, and lots of other spectular cars.

German Wolfgang Kaufmann drove the bright orange Kremer Racing Porsche 935 K3 to the pole ahead of the BMW M1s of Swiss-driver Michael Kammermann and German Sebastian Glaser.

During the first race on Saturday evening Kaufmann proved to be in a class of his own. The German drove a demanding and lonely race. Just as in qualifying Kammermann finished second ahead of Sebastian Glaser.

Results race 1:

Wolfgang Kaufmann Porsche 935 K3

Michael Kammermann BMW M1 Procar + 9.275

Sebastian Glaser BMW M1 Procar + 9.757

The second race on Sunday afternoon became a hunt for the Porsche 934/5 of German Afschin Fatemi, who fought off the demanding Ford Capri Zakspeed Turbo of his fellow countryman Peter Mücke. German Sebastian Glaser managed to claim his second consecutive podium finish of the weekend with third.

Results race 2:

Afschin Fatemi Porsche 934/5
Peter Mücke Ford Capri Zakspeed Turbo + 2.281
Sebastian Glaser BMW M1 Procar + 5.643

Two-seater race cars and GTS up to 1960/1961

The atmospheric highlight of the weekend was the race of two-seaters and GTs up until 1960/61, held on Saturday night.

Following the traditional demonstration of the Le Mans start, the round of the stunningly beautiful endurance racing cars continued into dusk. In the perfectly-filled field of 50 cars, some true beauties were noted such as the Maserati T63, Maserati 450S, Alfa Romeo TZ, different Porsches and Jaguars and many more.

German Ulrich Schumacher drove his Maserati T63 to the pole position for the first race on Saturday evening. Belgian Michael Willms came just three tenths short in his Maserati 150S/200S. Schumacher drove a dominating race taking victory in the 65-minute race that finished practically in darkness.

Results race 1:

Ulrich Schumacher Maserati T63
Michael Gans Lotus 15 + 30.551
Steven Hart-Guillermo Fierro Maserati T61 + 1:59.965

The top three battled it out once again on Sunday as they raced over 30 minutes. Once again nobody could answer the speed of Schumacher, who managed to claim his second consecutive victory of the weekend in front of the German-Spanish combo of Hart and Fierro and Michael Gans.

Results race 2:

Ulrich Schumacher Maserati T63
Steven Hart-Guillermo Fierro Maserati T61 + 38.851
Michael Gans Lotus 15 + 41.281

Historic Grand Prix Cars up to 1960

The British HGPCA-organization brought some nice historic Grand Prix cars to the Eifel, including Ferraris, Maseratis, Lotus and many more. Another interesting entry was an Alfa Romeo P3 as well as a MG K3. Andy Willis from the UK drove his splendid Ferrari 246 Dino BHRO to the pole, in front of the Lotus 16 of Spaniard Joaquin Folch.

During the first race on Saturday an exciting battle for victory went down between Willis in his Ferrari and Spaniard Guillermo Fierro in his Maserati 250F 2523. After 11 laps it was Willis who crossed the finish line first, just 0.7 of a second earlier than Guillermo Fierro.

The second race on Sunday was an exact copy of the first race. Andy Willis claimed his second victory of the weekend in front of the Maserati of Guillermo Fierro.

Results race 1:

Andy Willis Ferrari 246 Dino BHRO
Guillermo Fierro Maserati 250F 2525 + 0.792
Joaquin Folch-Rusinol Lotus 16 365 + 45.212

Results race 2:

Andy Willis Ferrari 246 Dino BHRO
Guillermo Fierro Maserati 250F 2525 + 26.949
Joaquin Folch-Rusinol Lotus 16 365 + 41.065

AvD Touringcar & GT Trophy

49 classic touring cars filled the grid for their single 65-minute race on Saturday. This race featured lots of Alfa Romeos, Ford Lotus Cortinas and BMWs.

Two Ford Escorts dominated qualifying, led by German Sebastian Glaser in an Escort RS1600. During the 65-minute race there was an ongoing battle between the Escort of Sebastian Glaser and his fellow countryman Patrick Simon and the same car of Germans Heinz Schmersal and Mike Stursberg. After an exciting race Glaser and Simon scored victory just 0.6 of a second in front of Schmersal and Stursberg.

Results race:

Sebastian Glaser-Patrick Simon Ford Escort RS1600
Heinz Schmersal-Mike Stursberg Ford Escort RS1600 + 0.656
Markus Niestrath Alfa Romeo 1750 GTA + 1 lap

Formula 3 cars 1964-1984

Formula 3 fans could enjoy a vast field of cars including different Ralts, March, Chevrons and Martinis. Briton Christian Olsen drove his Martini Mk.39/Alfa Romeo to the pole position just 0.2 of a second quicker than German Thomas Warken in a Ralt RT3/84-Alfa Romeo.

On Saturday drivers had to battle in a classic Eifel downpour. Olsen drove without problems from the pole to victory. The Briton crossed the finish line first some 2 seconds earlier than Warken. Third place went to Italian Valerio Leone who drove an impressive race from 15^th place on the grid to the final spot on the podium.

In dry conditions on Sunday it was Olsen who once again proved to be racing in another league. The Briton scored his second victory of the weekend in front of his fellow countrymen Andrew Haddon and Simon Jackson.

Results race 1:

Christian Olsen Martini Mk.39
Thomas Warken Ralt RT3/84 + 2.334
Valerio Leone March 783 + 22.124

Results race 2:

Christian Olsen Martini Mk.39
Andrew Haddon Chevron B34 + 5.202
Simon Jackson Chevron B34 + 5.868

Gentlemen Drivers – GT up to 1965

Nearly 30 classic GTs from the roaring 60s entered the track on Saturday morning for their qualifying session. It was practically the only session that was held in dry conditions, giving Michael Gans from Switzerland and Andrew Wolfe from the UK a very narrow pole position. Britons Julian Thomas and Calum Lockie were just 0.05 of a second slower as Briton’s Rob Hall and Andy Willis followed in third with just 0,2 of a second. In the end the sixty-five minute race on Sunday became a prey for Gans and Wolfe.

Results race:

Michael Gans-Andrew Wolfe AC Cobra
Julian Thomas-Calum Lockie Jaguar E-Type + 7.808
Nicolai Kjaergaard Lotus Elan + 1:09.239

Touringcar Classics

Touringcar Classics is quite a young historic series, participating this year for the very first time. It brought back the cars and atmosphere of the DTM-championship from the 80s with some very interesting cars.

The aurally magnificent Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti, an Audi 80 B4 Prototype, Mercedes-Benz AMG C-Class, BMW M3 E30s, Ford Sierra RS Cosworths, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5 16V and BMW 635 CSis filled a 31 strong field.

The closest battle for the pole over the entire weekend was fought between the Audi of Anton Werner (GER) and the Alfa Romeo of Stefan Rupp (GER). Werner had an advantage of just 0.04 of a second that gave him the pole for the single race.

The series attracted well-known racers such as Roland Asch (DTM), Volker Strycek (DTM), Gianfranco Brancatelli (F1, ETCC and WTCC), Marc Hessel (DTM) and Harald Grohs (endurance racing). Stefan Rupp claimed a dominating victory in his Alfa Romeo, in front of the former DTM AMG C-Class cars of Jörg Hatscher and Thorsten Stadtler.

Results:

Stefan Rupp Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti
Jörg Hatscher Mercedes-Benz AMG C Class + 35.553
Thorsten Stadler Mercedes-Benz AMG C-Class + 58.165

Vintage Sports Car Trophy & ASC Trophy

The Vintage Sports Car Trophy & ASC Trophy ensured an excellent field of pre-war vehicles. The range of unique and perfectly-preserved cars extended from the oldest racing cars of the weekend from 1908 and 1909 to the compressor Mercedes-Benz in which Rudolf Caracciola won the Nürburgring’s inaugural race 90 years ago through to the cars from the early post-war era. Cars from this era drove 2 regularity tests over the weekend

Touringcar Revival (DTM/STW)

Finally the second regularity test was driven by former DTM and STW-touring cars. This event featured a stunning Audi 200 TransAm, several BMW M1 Procars, Mercedes-Benz C-Class DTM, Porsches, a Volvo 850 TR and many others.

Despite the typical Eifel weather conditions, the 45^th edition of the AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix proved to be a historic motorsport event not to be missed. We’re already counting sleeps to the 46th edition of this great event on the legendary Nürburgring. Just twelve months to go!

Enjoy the rest of the mega gallery below.

Images and story by Marcel Hundscheid/Speed-O-Graphica.com