By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

In our fifth part of our retrospective about the origins of Formula 3 1971-1984 and the major F3-constructors, we take a closer look at Cooper, Crossle and Dallara.

Cooper

Cooper was no stranger to the world of single-seaters, as evidenced by the models that had already competed in F1 and F2. The moment the new F3 chapter began, Cooper started producing customer cars. Ken Tyrrell operated the factory car for Jackie Stewart, who was then still at the beginning of his career.

What did not benefit Cooper was the departure of Jack Brabham, who had played a major role in the development of the cars. Brabham was in turn replaced by Bruce McLaren who did not stay for long, as he founded his own team.

Cooper experienced this firsthand, as their F2 and F3 cars were anything but competitive, with the result that customers stayed away. Cooper eventually withdrew completely from racing in 1969.

Cooper’s first F3 was the T72 from 1964, designed by Eddie Stait and Neil Johanssen. A BMC 998 cc four-cylinder engine served as the power unit, producing 88 hp. Cooper fielded the T72 in the 1964 British Formula 3 season. The T72 won no fewer than nine of the ten races that year, driven by Jackie Stewart and John Taylor. Incidentally, Stewart won the championship that year.

A year later, Cooper introduced an improved version of the T72, which was known as the T76. It was powered by a 1.0-litre Cosworth MAE or BMC four-cylinder engine. Partly due to the success of the earlier T72, Cooper was able to sell nineteen cars. However the T76 was nowhere near able to match the great success of the T72, as the other manufacturers had not been idle and had closed the gap with Cooper. In addition, Jackie Stewart had moved to Formula 2.

The next variant in the lineup was the T83 from 1966, itself once again an evolution of the T76. The rear suspension had undergone a complete metamorphosis to match the geometry of the Cooper T81 F1. Cooper also used a number of other parts from the T81. Ultimately, the T81 proved to be an unmitigated disaster, particularly when the car got up to speed. Only seven cars were built by Cooper.

Cooper built just two cars of the 1967 T85. As with the T83, the suspension was inboard, and otherwise the T85 closely resembled the earlier variant. Notably, there is no known information as to whether the T85 was ever used in races.

© Winau Berkhof / Dutch Racing Press

Crossle

Crossle was an Irish constructor that was certainly no stranger to motorsport. In addition to single-seaters used in F2, F3, and F5000 among others, Crossle also built sports cars, although its era in Formula 3 was short-lived and anything but successful. Dating from 1964 was the Crossle 6F of which three were built. Five years later the 17F appeared, though it was never fielded outside the Irish mainland. The reason lay primarily in a lack of development time. Finally, in 1973, the Crossle 26F was spotted. This was derived from the 22F with which Crossle competed in F2. However the 26F was never entered in a race. Thus an end came to a far from successful period. In stark contrast were Crossle’s FF1600 and FF2000 cars, which were not only very successful but were also built in large numbers.

Dallara

Dallara would leave an indelible mark on Formula 3, as would later become apparent. Giampaolo Dallara started his career at Ferrari, although he later also worked for Maserati and Lamborghini. In the late 1960s, De Tomaso had recruited him for their F1 and F2 cars. It was not until 1972 that Dallara decided to found his own company, Dallara Automobili. In 1974, he began the development of the Iso-Marlboro IR F1 car for the Williams F1 Team. Among other things, he was responsible for the racing versions of the Lancia Stratos and Beta Monte Carlo.

In this serie, we look at the development up to 1984, although Dallara also achieved success outside its own country in Italy, particularly after this period.

Dallara’s first home-developed F3 car dated from 1981 and was given the typical designation 381, featuring an aluminium monocoque and standard suspension. Incidentally, the 381 was rarely seen outside Italy and was known for its high speed on the straights. A year later, the 382 followed, which was itself a slightly modified variant of the earlier 381. The geometry was adjusted to accommodate the Pirelli tyres. Other modifications included reprofiled sidepods, while Dallara had reinforced the engine bay.

The successor to the 381 was the Dallara 382 which achieved considetable success in Italy, as did the national F3 championships in Germany and England, where it was extremely competitive against Ralt and Reynard. The Dallara 382 was succeeded a year later by the 383, which featured a number of minor improvements over the earlier model. The 383 was fielded almost exclusively in Italy. Like the earlier 383, the 384 was a car characterized by minor modifications and, with the exception of just one victory, could be considered barely successful in Italy itself.

In the next episode of our series about the origins of Formula 3 1971-1984 we take a closer look at Eifelland, Ensign and GRD.

The post Formula 3, The Origins, 1971 – 1984, Part 5 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Images and information thanks to Sam Hancock unless otherwise mentioned

The BMW M1 is one of the iconic sports cars with which this German manufacturer made a name for itself in the seventies and eighties. Sam Hancock is offering one of the fifty-four M1 Procars built, and to be precise, the thirty-sixth one that was built.

The BMW M1 was originally planned to meet Group 5 regulations. Due to changed regulations from the FISA (Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile), as a result of which the M1 fell under Group 4.

However, BMW could only homologate the M1 after 400 cars had been built, and instead of delaying their racing program, a marque championship was proposed strictly limited to M1 racing cars.

The M1 offered by Sam Hancock is one of the fifty-four original M1 Procars ever built. With chassis number 4301195, it is the thirty-sixth in the series that was immediately sold to Joe Crevier.

Joe Crevier raced this M1 in races of the 1981 IMSA season and the 1982 24 Hours of Daytona, among others. During the first race, the Riverside 6 Hours, Crevier finished 11th overall and 3rd in the IMSA GTO class without qualifying.

Crevier qualified 28th overall at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1982. Together with Fred Stiff and Dennis Wilson, they crossed the finish line in 13th place in their class. This M1 subsequently moved to Europe and had several owners. Graber Sportsgarage from Switzerland fully restored the car. Chassis 4301195 was regularly seen at historic races between 2013 and 2019.

Sam Hancock is a professional racing driver, coach and advisor to private clients on classic car transactions and historic racing programmes. Besides this, he sells exceptional vehicles for private collectors.

More about this iconic BMW M1 can be found here.

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By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

In this second and final part of the Porsche 911 GT1, we take a look at the different versions that were built in very limited numbers.

Porsche only released three variants of the 911 GT1, presented in 1996, 1997, and 1998 respectively. The first version was the GT1/96, two of which were built by Porsche for public use and based on the 993. Due to crash regulations for the road-legal homologation, the body shell of the 993 was adapted, right from the front to the B-pillar. From the B-pillar back, a tubular space frame was fitted. In addition, both the headlights and the taillights were a direct reference to the 993.

Porsche entered the 911 GT1 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as for the American IMSA championship, the European BPR Global GT Series and the FIA ​​GT Championship. In their first attempt in 1996, Porsche failed to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The factory entered 911 GT1’s finished 2^nd and 3^rd behind the Joest Racing TWR Porsche WSC95.

Twenty-one examples of the second variant, the GT1/97, were available, easily recognizable by its fried-egg headlights reminiscent of the 996. In 1997, Porsche presented the 911 GT1 Evo, which stood out with its significantly modified bodywork. This variant also featured a new floor pan under the front end, which generated improved downforce.

Although the track width remained the same as the GT1/97, the Evo received a new front axle. Bob Wollek drove the Evo for the first time in Weissach on March 7^th, 1997. Between 1997 and 1998, Porsche built a total of 21 Evos, a limited number of which were road-legal and cost 1,550,000 Deutsche Marks at the time.

When Mercedes-Benz arrived on the scene with the CLK GTR, it became clear that the 911 GT1 was no match for this kind of power. Porsche responded with the introduction of the GT1/98. Just a single road-legal version of this car had to be built due to a change in FIA regulations. This version immediately stood out because it was even flatter than the previous 911 GT1 versions. Nevertheless, Porsche had to bow to Mercedes for the entire 1998 FIA GT Championship season.

Porsche also failed to win in 1997. As a result, they decided to radicalize the GT1 even further. They ditched the hybrid chassis and opted for a carbon fiber structure. The tubular frame remained behind the rear bulkhead. All these modifications led to the third version of the 911 GT1, the GT1/98. Porsche has released little technical data about the GT1/98.

However, Porsche had its sights set on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998. Thanks in part to its reliability, Porsche won the world’s most important 24-hour race on its third attempt with the 911 GT1. Laurent Aïello, Allan McNish and Stéphane Ortelli drove the nr. 26 911 GT1 to victory. With just one lap behind Jörg Müller, Uwe Alzen and Bob Wollek gifted Porsche a double victory by finishing second with the nr. 25 911 GT1.

Although the requirement to develop a road-going version for new racing versions was abolished in 1999, the by now aging 911 GT1 stood no chance against cars like the Mercedes CLR, BMW V12 LMR and the Audi R8C and R8R. We have to be realistic, but without racing, there would never have been a 911 GT1, let alone a road-legal version. Yet, that final version was desperately needed to get the 911 GT1 homologated for track use by the FIA.

With the arrival of cars like the Mercedes CLK GTR, it simultaneously became clear that Porsche no longer had an answer and was announcing its departure from the world of endurance racing. Then-project leader Norbert Singer indicated that the departure was partly due to a literal cost explosion in the GT class.

Despite the limited success of the 911 GT1, Porsche had once again proven itself among the greatest in endurance racing. Fortunately, a very limited number of 911 GT1s have been preserved for posterity. During the last editions of the Spa Classic and Le Mans Classic, the public was able to enjoy this unique GT which although short-lived, once again made Porsche history.

The post 911 GT1, Porsche’s Absolute Weapon: Part 2 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

In this story, we take a closer look at Porsche’s ultimate weapon for the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the 911 GT1.

In 2018, Porsche celebrated its 70th anniversary, which also marked 20 years since the 911 GT1 won at Le Mans. Besides the racing version, Porsche also developed a very rare road-going version for homologation purposes.

Development of the 911 GT1 began back in 1991. When Porsche withdrew from Formula 1 that year, the renowned Stuttgart brand suddenly found itself without a racing program and therefore decided to focus on a GT program based on its iconic 911. They entered into discussions with the FIA and ACO, with the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans also facing challenges.

Porsche bridged the gap with a number of distinctly different cars, again with considerable success. With both the Porsche 962 Dauer and the LMP2 Spyder, they managed to win three times in the Sarthe, although the name Porsche AG never appeared on the entry list during that period.

Porsche customers competing with the 911 GT2 during that period, facing a powerhouse like the McLaren F1 GTR, didn’t stand a chance. Porsche responded with the 911 GT1, thanks to their development manager Horst Marchart and race director Herbert Ampferer.

The 911 GT1 clearly distinguishes itself from the 911 in terms of its bodywork. The GT1 version is flatter and wider, and uses carbon-reinforced plastic. Furthermore, the 911 GT1 incorporates design features from the 993 and 996.

Porsche decided to use a hybrid chassis for the crash tests. The steel sheet front end is taken from the production Porsche Carrera 993. A tubular frame is placed behind the cockpit. The final 911 GT1 is flatter than the production 911 and 21 centimeters wider.

Porsche based the 911 GT1’s power unit on that of the 956/962, which produced 600 hp. While Porsche traditionally placed the power unit in the rear, the 911 GT1 became the first 911 with a mid-mounted engine.

Porsche developed the 911 GT1 in an incredibly tight timeframe. At the same time, it would become one of the rarest Porsches ever, with only 24 built. The 911 GT1 joins the ranks of extremely rare Porsches, including the Porsche 356 America Roadster (16 cars), the 911 SC/RS (20 cars), the 924 Carrera GTS (50 cars), and the 964 Turbo S (86 cars).

Join us in our 2nd part featuring the different versions of the 911 GT1 and its racing career.

The post 911 GT1, Porsche’s Absolute Weapon: Part 1 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Images and information thanks to Mitchell Curated

Mitchell Curated is offering this De Tomaso Pantera Group 4/5, one of the most unique sports cars of the ‘70s, for sale.

The De Tomaso Pantera has earned a spot amongst the icons of its era, and this former Moretti and MOMO Group 4/5 Pantera, which also competed in the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans, is particularly special.

Alejandro de Tomaso, an Argentinian racing driver and enthusiast, founded De Tomaso in 1959. Although the company was originally Argentinian, the factory was located in Modena, Italy and the Pantera would be essentially an Italian-American combination, partly due to Ford’s acquisition of the Ghia design house and the American Tom Tjaarda. Gian Paolo Dallara designed the chassis and De Tomaso used a Ford 5.7-liter V8, good for 330 hp.

This Pantera, chassis 02343, is one of only fourteen built by De Tomaso in Group 4 configuration. It was piloted by MOMO founder Gianpiero Moretti, including in the 1973 World Sportscar Championship.

It would gain even more distinctive characteristics with an upgrade to Group 5 specifications in 1976 and it is the only Group 5 variant produced by De Tomaso itself. In this configuration, Ruggero Parpinelli competed in the Giro d’Italia.

Mitchell Curated is offering this exceptionally beautiful and unique race car. Click this link to find out more about this stunning car.

Ben Mitchell founded Mitchell Curated in December 2022, a specialist in the sourcing and sale of historic and competition cars.

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By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

We continue our story recounting the Capri’s racing history in the European Touring Car Championship.

During the summer of 1973, Neerpasch’s influence at BMW became abundantly clear. The ETCC had implemented FIA ​​Group 2 regulations, which distinguished two divisions. Division 1 for engines under 2 litres, and Division 2 was engines above 2 litres. Because the regulations provided sufficient flexibility, Cosworth had ample opportunity to develop a power unit based on the existing Essex V6 engine of the production version, which became known as the GAA. Cosworth had developed new cylinder heads, thanks to Keith Duckworth, which had two intake and two exhaust valves and double overhead camshafts driven by exposed belts mounted at the front of the engine.

BMW hadn’t been sitting idle either, and had the even more powerful 3.5-liter version of their six-cylinder engine at their disposal, which it had equipped the CSL with in response to the 3.4-liter GAA engine used by Ford. The GAA engine, with its 3.4-liter displacement and a ZF five-speed gearbox, produced approximately 450 hp. Due to the size of the larger engine, Ford initially placed the radiators in the trunk. When it became apparent that this location didn’t provide optimal cooling, they were moved to the rear fenders.

To get the whole package homologated, both brands were required to develop a production road-legal version equipped with an engine displacing more than 3 liters. BMW cleverly handled this by increasing the engine displacement of the production CSL to 3,003 cc. Ford, in turn, released a series of 250 Capri RS3100s equipped with an engine measuring just under 3,100 cc.

The battle between the two rivals in the ETCC intensified, and when Ford made a step forward, BMW promptly responded. For example, Neerpasch at BMW responded to the latest development of the Capri by equipping the CSL with a revised top end, wider tires, and a rear spoiler that spanned the entire rear. The 3.5-liter engine was equipped with a double overhead camshaft with four valves per cylinder, making its performance practically equal to Ford’s GAA.

The 1973 oil crisis then turned motorsports upside down. As a result, both Ford and BMW paused and significantly curtailed their activities. The Ford and BMW factory teams for example only started two of the six scheduled races that year.

BMW entered just a single BMW CSL for the second round of the ETCC championship at the Salzburgring, with Hans-Joachim Stuck and Jacky Ickx. Ford on the other hand, entered two Capris. Jochen Mass and Niki Lauda drove the first car during the 4-hour race, while Dieter Glemser and Toine Hezemans piloted the second Capri. Because both Capris retired prematurely due to engine problems, BMW easily took victory.

BMW and Ford each entered two cars for the six-hour race at the Nürburgring. Both Capris were defeated in qualifying by the BMW of Ronnie Peterson and Hans-Joachim Stuck. The race turned into a war of attrition for BMW, with both cars retiring prematurely due to mechanical failures. Ford had to watch helplessly as Jochen Mass somersaulted in one of the Capris. The second Capri managed to secure second place despite a broken differential.

Ford was still waiting for a first win for the new Capri and entered two cars for the races into the races Zandvoort and Jarama. BMW decided not to field a factory team for these races and relied on privately entered CSLs. Toine Hezemans and Dieter Glemser formed a team for Ford, as did Jochen Mass and Rolf Stommelen.

During the race at Zandvoort, Hezemans was comfortably leading in front of his home crowd until BMW privateer Urs Zondler rear-ended the unfortunate Dutchman. Hezemans however refused to give up and literally used his teeth to repair the powerline to the fuel pump, which had been cut off, by using the wiring from his taillights. With five laps down, Hezemans resumed the race, though he was unable to prevent Jochen Mass and Rolf Stommelen from securing victory in their Ford Capris.

The 1974 season finale took place in Jarama, Spain, and although Ford had already secured the manufacturers’ title early on, the drivers’ title was still to be decided. Hans Heyer was in the best position for Ford, driving an Escort prepared by Zakspeed.

For the 4-hour race, Ford entered a single RS 3100 driven by championship leader Hans Heyer, who in turn was joined by Klaus Ludwig and Toine Hezemans. Heyer had the last-minute option to either start his usual Escort or share the Capri with Ludwig and Hezemans. The Dutchman drove both cars at Jarama, taking the Capri to pole position. Heyer decided to drive the Capri anyway. The trio drove more or less unchallenged to victory.

Besides the ETCC, Ford also competed in other series, such as the renowned German DRM Championship and the 1000 km races of the World Championship. Rolf Stommelen triumphed at the DRM Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring with the Capri RS 3100, ahead of Toine Hezemans. That same year, Stommelen also won the support race during the German F1 Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, which was also part of the DRM Championship. Thanks to Klaus Ludwig, Ford also took victory with the Capri RS 3100 at the DRM race in Hockenheim.

Ford competed for the last time at the 1974 6 Hours of Kyalami with the RS 3100. Jochen Mass and Toine Hezemans drove the Capri to fifth place, simultaneously taking victory in the touring car class. Two remaining factory cars were later entered in local races, but were not very successful.

The deployment in South Africa also marked the end of the Capri RS3100’s use as a factory car, partly due to the struggling economy. BMW, on the other hand, deployed the CSL with great success both in Europe and across the Atlantic.

Enthusiasts of historic touring cars from the 1970s can still thoroughly enjoy cars like the Ford Capri around the world. Fortunately, these cars remain cherished by drivers who raced them extensively back then, as well as the younger generation of drivers who seem to be increasingly interested in all the beauty that historic motorsport has to offer.

The post Ford Capri RS: European Touring Car Legend Part 2 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

In this look at a European touring car legend, we examine the development of the racing versions of the Ford Capri RS 2600 and RS 3100, which would achieve considerable success during the early 1970s.

Ford launched their Capri in 1969, which at the time was known as the Colt, essentially a nod to its big brother and inspiration, the Mustang. While the Mustang offered a wide range of engines for sporty drivers seeking high performance, the Capri lacked a comparable option for highly sporty pursuits.

During this preliminary production run, Ford battled Mitsubishi in court over the Colt name. Ford ultimately lost, forcing the company to change the name to Capri. Thus, the Capri was unveiled at the 1969 Brussels Motor Show.

Car manufacturers had been finding it difficult to develop powerful engines within the regulations of the time. However, this changed with the advent of homologation specials – cars with powerful engines that were suitable for the track and simultaneously complied with regulations. These special vehicles were produced in limited numbers and were fully road legal.

Jochen Neerpasch began his racing career in the 1960s. His greatest success came in 1968, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona with a Porsche 907. That same year, Ford asked him to establish a racing division. At Ford, he had a lot of success with racing versions of the Escort and Capri.

Ford began development of the RS Capri in late 1969, aiming to create a car that excelled both on the track and the road. The RS2600 would be developed by Ford’s competition department in England and was produced in Cologne, Germany and introduced in Geneva in March 1970 as a very special edition of the Capri.

The European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) was the platform where car manufacturers could compete against racing versions of production cars intended for everyday use. Before BMW entered the ETCC, the Ford division in Cologne had steadily developed the Capri into a competitive racing car. Ford introduced aluminum cylinder heads developed by Harry Weslake and subsequently fitted to the V6 engines that were also used in the production cars.

The 2.6-litre six-cylinder was then enlarged to the maximum displacement in the 3-litre class and by 1972 a coil-sprung rear end was added. Joy and sorrow are unfortunately very close together, and when Ford took victory on its debut at the 4 Hours of Monza, the joy was overshadowed by the announced departure of Jochen Neerpasch to arch-rival BMW where he would found the now legendary “M” Motorsport division.

Neerpasch was then succeeded at Ford by Mike Kranefuss, who was well aware that the successes of 1971 and 1972 were not to be taken for granted and that BMW was more than a formidable opponent. To ensure that Ford could at least hold its own against BMW, Cosworth was approached to develop a completely new power unit for the 1974 season.

In the second part we continue our story with Capri’s racing in the European Touring Car Championship.

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By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

Over the first weekend of October we attended Super Spa 2025, promoted by the Roadbook team.

This was the fourth time the event ran, with the first being in 2022. After modest beginnings,  Super Spa has grown into a three-day, fully-fledged historic and modern motorsports event. As usual, we’re focusing primarily on the historic series that were present throughout the weekend.

The ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Pokal for single-seaters was present from Germany, with the Formula Ford 1600 Championship and Ferdinand Cup for historic Porsches making their way from France. The Fast Seventies Benelux, a series for historic GTs and touring cars, was also present from the Netherlands.

Weather conditions were less than ideal during the three-day event. Heavy rain, strong winds, and temperatures that barely rose above 10 degrees celsius made things even more challenging for the drivers.

Fast Seventies Benelux brought out a field of historic GTs and touring cars from the seventies. Although Hans de Graaf was fastest in qualifying with his Porsche 911 RSR, he was defeated in both races by the Ford Escort RS Mk.1 of Marcel Frijlink.

The Formula Ford 1600 championship saw Maxime Lebreton take home the victory after a thrilling battle with Armand Dousse, both steering Van Diemen RF90s. The Frenchman retired two laps from the finish in the second race on Sunday in wet conditions. Axel Castillou, in turn, drove a controlled race and pedalled his Ray 92F to victory.

Porsche enthusiasts were treated to the presence of the Ferdinand Cup, the world’s largest championship for the various models that rolled out of the Zuffenhausen factory. Mathieu Bastin drove his Porsche 996 Cup to pole position, but in the first race, in wet conditions, he had to concede defeat to Sebastien Mathieu, who took the checked flag with a considerable lead in the same model.

During the second race, rain fell heavily again. This time, Christophe Terriou handled the conditions best and drove his Porsche 911 to the finish unchallenged.

The ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Pokal, open to historic single-seaters, including Formula 3 and Formula Ford single-seaters, had its final two races of the season at Spa and staged an exciting battle to determine the 2025 champion.

Although pole sitter Elio Cocciarelli pulled away after the start in the pouring rain, Daniel Hornung moved up from third place. A thrilling battle for victory then unfolded, with Hornung emerging victorious.

During the second race, the weather gods showed their better side. Hornung started from pole but made a mistake immediately after the start, dropping back to fifteenth place. Cocciarelli didn’t hesitate, taking the lead and holding on to it. The Italian triumphed to clinch the championship.

After three days, Vincent Collard, the organizer, could look back on a successful event. We’re certainly curious to see how Super Spa develops and are already looking forward to the fifth edition in October 2026.

Results Super Spa 2025 (historic series)

ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Pokal

Race 1

1. Daniel Hornung, Dallara F388
2. Elio Cocciarelli, Ralt RT3/84, + 0.862
3. Wolfgang Henseler, Dallara F386, + 18.902

Race 2

1. Elio Cocciarelli, Ralt RT3/84
2. Ralf Goral, Opel Lotus Mk.II, + 5.279
3. Patrick Andriessen, Ralt RT3/83, + 30.393

Fast Seventies Benelux

Race 1

1. Marcel Frijlink, Ford Escort RS 1600 Mk.1
2. Hans de Graaf, Porsche 911 RSR, + 51.107
3. Geert Boels, Ford Escort RS 2000 Mk.1, + 1:16.803

Race 2

1. Marcel Frijlink, Ford Escort RS 1600 Mk.1
2. Hans de Graaf, Porsche 911 RSR, + 2.984
3. Jan-Willem Oosterhagen, Ford Escort RS2000 Mk.1, + 8.452

Formula Ford 1600

Race 1

1. Maxime Lebreton, Van Diemen RF90
2. Arnaud Dousse, Van Diemen RF90, + 0.610
3. Antoine Weil, Van Diemen RF92, + 1.365

Race 2

1. Axel Castillou, Ray 92F
2. Arnaud Dousse, Van Diemen RF90, + 2.111
3. Antoine Weil, Van Diemen RF92, + 3.720

Ferdinand Cup

Race 1

1. Sebastien Mathieu, Porsche 996 Cup
2. Bastien Mathieu, Porsche 996 Cup, + 14.543
3. Christophe Terriou, Porsche 911, + 43.723

Race 2

1. Christophe Terriou, Porsche 911
2. Bastien Mathieu, Porsche 996 Cup, + 12.816
3. Damien Gault, Porsche 996 Cup, + 41.712

The post Gallery & Report: Super Spa 2025 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Images and information thanks to Fiskens

This 1988 Porsche 962, chassis 962-010, is available for sale by the renowned Fiskens from the UK. The car is the very last works chassis used by the Porsche factory team and was driven by Derek Bell, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Klaus Ludwig to second place in the 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Porsche built the car to compete at Le Mans, and adapted numerous modifications including new KKK turbochargers, a new exhaust system and new Bosch Motronic MP1.7 management system. It was also equipped with carbon front anti-roll bars and titanium at the rear, a reprofiled nose and larger, lower rear wing.

It was one of three 962s entered into the 24 Hours of Le Mans by Porsche in 1988, and the only official appearance by the marque that year as they had decided not to take part in the World Championship. The trio went up against fierce competition from Jaguar, who had five cars in the running.

The battle unfolded between the ‘010’ pedalled by Bell, Stuck, and Ludwig, who sat on pole thanks to a ripper lap by Hans Stuck sitting in front of a high-boost engine, and the Jaguar of Jan Lammers, Andy Wallace, and Johnny Dumfries. It was a close call, and just as Ludwig was in the lead, things went wrong. A lack of fuel caused Ludwig to stall in the Porsche corners. By relying solely on the starter motor, he managed to get ‘010’ back to the team.

The race resumed with the car two laps down. By midnight, ‘010’ was in fourth place. Five hours later, it was leading again – until a broken water pipe caused it to lose several laps. Rain overnight helped the Porsche claw back some of the deficit and they brought it back to just a minute, but in the dry morning conditions they couldn’t catch the Jaguar in Jan Lammers’ hands and had to settle for second place.

The car then raced at the Norisring in the Supercup championship, and would also run in the ADAC Supercup series before being returned to Le Mans “langheck” specification and sold to Porsche Kremer Racing. They displayed the car in their showrooms briefly, selling it to Kerry Morse half a year later.

‘010’ has recently run in demonstration events at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Silverstone Festival and others, and even been reunited with Derek Bell. It is presented in its original Le Mans paint and in impressively original condition.

Click this link to Fiskens to learn the car’s full story.

Images and information thanks to Fiskens

The post For sale: The Very Last Works Porsche 962 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid/Speed-O-Graphica

The traditional Spa Six Hours took place on the last weekend of September, organised by Roadbook under the direction of Alain Defalle and Vincent Collard. The three-day event is one of the annual highlights of the European historic motorsport calendar, with the highlight being the six-hour endurance race on Saturday afternoon.

Although the number of participants shrunk slightly compared to last year, there were no fewer than 16 Ford GT40s among the favorites. However, no one anticipated the strength of a small Ginetta, driven by a trio of likeable drivers from Denmark who had won the Spa 3 Hours and the evening race during the Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring earlier this year.

In addition to the six-hour endurance race, the Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge, F3 1000 cc European Trophy, Historic Grand Prix Car Association, Pre War Sports Cars, RAC Woodcote Trophy & Stirling Moss Trophy, Classic Sports Car Club & British HTGT Competition, Historic Championship ’65 & ’81, Alfa Revival Cup, GT3 legends and Classic GP – Historic F1 Pre-1986 were all scheduled during the three day event.

Most of the attention naturally focused on the six-hour endurance race that started at 4:00 PM on Saturday afternoon. As expected, pole position went to a Ford GT40 during qualifying. The fastest car was the #25 GT40 of Christian Albrecht and Seb Perez, who were 0.427 seconds faster than the #20 GT40 of Michael Funke, Luco Sanchez, and Nick Salewsky.

The entire top ten was claimed by GT40s, with the first car to break the streak the #2 Ginetta G4R, driven by an all-Danish team: Palle Birkelund-Pedersen, Alexander Weiss and Nicolai Kjaergaard. The small British sports car set the 11th time overall.

After the lights turned green, the #40 GT40 leapt to the lead, but after a safety car intervention and several exciting duels, the #20 GT40 of Funke, Sanchez, and Salewsky claimed it. Thanks to Nicolai Kjaergaard, the Ginetta had worked its way up from 11th to 8th place. In the second hour, the #20 GT40 remained in the lead, about four seconds ahead of the GT40 of pole-sitters Albrecht and Perez. However, halfway through the race, the #2 Ginetta surprisingly took the lead, 55 seconds ahead of the #7 GT40 of Martin Stretton and Diogo Ferrao.

In the fourth hour of racing, the #30 GT40 of Marcus Count Oeynhausen, Nico Verdonck, and Andrew Newall led the standings, over a minute ahead of the #3 GT40 of Nikolaus Ditting and Sam Hancock. The Ginetta dropped back to a strong fifth place, a lap down on the leading GT40.

The #7 GT40 of Martin Stretton and Diogo Ferrao then steadily worked its way to the top of the standings, and by the fifth hour of the race, the British-Portuguese combination had taken the lead.

The small Danish 1.720 cc Ginetta was impressively in second place overall, and its fuel consumption was much lower than that of the thirsty V8 in the GT40. At that point, everything looked like the Pedersen-Weiss-Kjaergaard combination would make history by taking the lead and winning the coveted Spa Six Hours.

However, disaster struck during the fuel stop. One of the 4 available fuel pumps broke down, and as a result the queue with cars grew. The Danish team waited for six minutes but did not change their strategy, while Stretton and Ferrao intelligently changed theirs. The Danes, with their Ginetta, were in line for a broken pump and had to join the back of one of the other lines. Victory was gone! Nevertheless, the achievement of the small team run by family members and friends remains great and had it not been for the fuel pump problems they would have won the race by a lap.

Besides the iconic endurance race, the program included much more. Three races were scheduled for the Youngtimer Touring Car Trophy. The British team dominated the first race on Friday with a complete top three, led by Alex Taylor in a TVR Tuscan.

The British team once again put in a strong performance in the second race, with Piers James Masarati taking the win in his Porsche 964 Turbo, although he only held Switzerland’s Felix Haas from taking victory.

Brittania rule would also be demonstrated during the final race of the weekend for the ever-popular Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge, organised by Randal Lawson and his team. Stephen Scott Dunwoodie held off Felix Haas and drove his Ford Sierra Cosworth to victory.

A welcome addition were the 1-litre F3 cars, the so-called “Screamers,” thirty of which lined up for the first race of the weekend. Peter de la Roche proved too strong, as the Briton outclassed the competition with his Alexis Mk.17.

The battle for victory in the second race was a different story altogether. The top three ultimately crossed the finish line within two seconds of each other, with Ross Drybrough taking victory in a Merlyn Mk.14A.

The historic single-seaters from the Historic Grand Prix Car Association always bring out a large field and interesting races. During the first race, the battle for the lead was between Rüdiger Friedrichs and Tim Child, but the Briton ultimately took a convincing lead and took victory.

The second race had a completely different story. While Friedrichs managed to break away immediately after the start, it was Michel Kuiper, who, despite a failed start, fought back from seventh place. The Dutchman caught up with Friedrichs, but ultimately decided to take the risk and settled for second place.

The oldest cars on display during the event, both on and off the track, were from the Pre-War Sports Cars. The forty-minute race was convincingly won by Rüdiger Friedrichs and Charlie Martin in a 1932 Alvis Firefly Special.

While in the past, we were able to admire up to fifty iconic Le Mans cars from the 1950s on the combined grid of the Stirling Moss Trophy and the RAC Woodcote Trophy during previous editions of the Spa Six Hours, we’ve unfortunately seen a negative trend in recent years. Only fourteen cars were on the starting grid for this edition of the Spa Six Hours. Frederic Wakeman and Chris Ward won the Stirling Moss Trophy, while Paul Pochciol and James Hanson triumphed in the RAC Woodcote Trophy.

The Classic Sports Car Club and British HTGT Competition were brought together for the occasion. Steve Osbourne dominated both races in a Jaguar E-Type. In the HTGT, Philippe Vermast won the first race in a Triumph Vitesse, and Jon Wolfe won the second race in a TVR.

From Germany, the Historic Championships of ’65 and ’81 were merged into a single grid. Francois Rivaz was fastest in the 90-minute race in HC ’81 with a Chevron B19. Oliver Hartmann did the same in HC ’65 with his Elva Mk.8.

The Italian Alfa Revival Cup was also one of the series that compensated for the loss of Masters Historic Racing. Alfa Romeo Giulia and GTAm enthusiasts were treated to a field of around twenty cars. The battle for victory was between the GTAms of Ambrogio and Daniele Perfetti, with the former crossing the finish line first after just over an hour of racing.

The most modern cars competing in this edition of the Spa Six Hours were the GT3 Legends. Although the starting field of 15 was rather limited, the spectators were at least able to enjoy the first-generation GT3s. Graham Davidson drove his Aston Martin V12 Vantage to victory in both races without any opposition.

Due to the cancellation of Masters Historic Racing, the historic Formula 1 cars were initially absent from the program. However, Diogo Ferrao collaborated with Vincent Collard of Roadbook with the intention of organizing an F1 race. The plan was to organize two races back-to-back: Spa, followed a week later by Estoril.

Unfortunately, only six cars were on the starting list at Spa, only three of which ultimately taking to the track. Paul Tattersall took the win on Friday, being the only one to cross the finish line. On Saturday, it was the experienced Michael Lyons who, after the lights turned green, immediately disappeared over the horizon and secured the victory.

The Spa Six Hours remains one of the most coveted historic endurance races in Europe. The grandstands were certainly packed during Saturday’s endurance race. We’re already eagerly anticipating the 2026 edition, which will undoubtedly go down in history just like editions before.

Results Spa Six Hours 2025

Spa Six Hours

1. Ford GT40, Martin Stretton/Diogo Ferrao
2. Ginetta G4R, Palle Birkelund-Pedersen/Alexander Weiss/Nicolai Kjaergaard, + 1:28.464
3. Ford GT40, Michael Funke/Luco Sanchez/Nick Salewsky, + 1 lap

Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge

Race 1

1.  Alex Taylor, TVR Tuscan
2.  Piers James Masarati, Porsche 964 Turbo, + 37.291
3.  Mike Manning, Ford Sierra RS500, + 55.991

Race 2

1.   Piers James Masarati, Porsche 964 Turbo
2.   Felix Haas, Morgan MMC4, + 0.424
3.   Ashley Shelswell, Ford Sierra XR4i, + 1.656

Race 3

1.   Stephen Scott Dunwoodie, Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth
2.   Felix Haas, Morgan MMC4, + 1.405
3.   Piers James Masarati, Porsche 964 Turbo, + 4.553

F3 1000 cc European Trophy

Race 1

1.       Peter de la Roche, Alexis Mk. 17
2.       Charlie Martin, De Sanctis, + 29.972
3.       Jason Timms, Brabham BT21, + 38.241

Race 2

1.   Ross Drybrough, Merlyn Mk.14A
2.   Jason Timms, Brabham BT21, + 1.214
3.   Christoph Widmer, Brabham BT18A, + 1.987

Historic Grand Prix Car Association

Race 1

1.   Tim Child, Brabham BT3/4
2.   Rüdiger Friedrichs, Cooper T53, + 12.256
3.   Maxime Castelein, Lotus 18 915, + 15.799

Race 2

1.   Rüdiger Friedrichs, Cooper T53
2.   Michel Kuiper, Brabham BT4, +1.520
3.   Maxime Castelein, Lotus 18 915, + 23.080

Pre-War Sports Cars

1.   Rüdiger Friedrichs/Charlie Martin, Alvis Firefly Special
2.   Robert Beebee/Joshua Beebee, Frazer Nash TT Rep, + 1:18.234
3.   Alexander Hewitson, Riley 12/4 TT Sprite Rep, + 1:42.639

Stirling Moss Trophy

1.   Frederic Wakeman/Chris Ward, Cooper T38
2.   John Spiers, Lister Knobbly, + 29.466
3.   Guillaume Peeters/William Nuthall, Lotus XV, + 1:35.361

RAC Woodcote Trophy

1.   Paul Pochciol/James Hanson, Jaguar D-Type
2.   Miles Griffiths, Kieft Bristol, + 5 laps

Classic Sports Car Club & British HTGT Competition

Race 1

1.   Steve Osbourne, Jaguar E-Type
2.   Philippe Vermast, Triumph Vitesse, + 31.178
3.   Nicolai Kajergaard, Lotus Elan, + 41.817

Race 2

1.   Steve Osbourne, Jaguar E-Type
2.   Jon Wolfe, TVR, + 23.319
3.   Dean Halsey, Datsun 240Z, + 1:13.604

Historic Championship ‘81

1.   Francois Rivaz, Chevron B19
2.   Luco Sanchez/Michael Funke, Ford GT40, + 6.796
3.   Michael Wittke, Porsche 911 RSR, + 33.247

Historic Championship ‘65

1.   Oliver Hartmann, Elva Mk.8
2.   Rüdiger Friedrichs, AC Cobra 289, + 11.802
3.       Reinier van Abbe, Ford Mustang, + 2:10.745

Alfa Revival Cup

1.   Ambrogio Perfetti, Alfa Romeo GTAm
2.   Daniele Perfetti, Alfa Romeo GTAm, + 4.176
3.   Roberto Restelli, Alfa Romeo GTAm, + 37.417

GT3 Legends

Race 1

1.   George Davidson, Aston Martin V12 Vantage
2.       Christoph von Oeynhausen, BMW Z4 GT3, + 28.703
3.   Julian Thomas, Audi R8 GT3, + 46.682

Race 2

1.   George Davidson, Aston Martin V12 Vantage
2.       Christoph von Oeynhausen, BMW Z4 GT3, + 18.103
3.       Christian Albrecht, McLaren MP4/12C, +28.531

Classic GP-Historic F1 Pre-86

Race 1

1.   Paul Tattersall, Ensign N179
2.   John Spiers, March 761, + 1 lap
3.   Michael Lyons, Hesketh 308E, + 5 laps

Race 2

1.   Michael Lyons, Hesketh 308E
2.   John Spiers, March 761, + 41.499
3.   Paul Tattersall, Ensign N179, + 1:53.015

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