By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

The 21st edition of the ADAC Hockenheim Historic drew around 46,000 fans to the Hockenheimring for three days of historic motorsport. The attending crowd enjoyed more than 500 participants, with the emphasis this year on the various classes within the touring car categories.

The historic part of the program this year included Tourenwagen Golden Era, Class One Revival, Revival Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft, Golden Era Classic Cup, BOSS GP, Lurani Trophy, ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Pokal, Formula Vee, and Raceclub Germany. For fans of modern motorsport, there were also races of the Gebhardt Ginetta GT5 Challenge and the Velom Watches Supercup.

The Touring Car Golden Era always provides plenty of spectacle, with more than 50 iconic cars from the DTM era of the 1980s and the STW touring cars of the 1990s entertaining the crowd this weekend.

Add to this the names of a number of stars from that era, such as Altfrid Heger, Sebastian Asch, Kris Nissen, and Marc Hessel, who subsequently also claimed the leading roles, and the picture is complete. 68-year-old Altfrid Heger scored two consecutive start-finish victories in his Audi 200 M86, then drove home a start-win finish, although Ronny Scheer put him under pressure throughout the first race.

The Revival of the DRM Championship always draws large crowds to their feet with a rich reflection of all the fine things this popular championship offered in Europe during the seventies and eighties. In Hockenheim, a varied field of entries was once again on display, including former Group 2, 4, and 5 cars. Although two Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbos provided plenty of fireworks in Group 5, there were no Porsche 935s or BMW CSLs on the starting grid this time.

Peter Mücke and Ronny Scheer’s Zakspeed Capri’s clashed with Michael Kammermann in his BMW M1 Procar during the first race. The Swiss driver managed to break the Capris’ hegemony and claimed second place. However, he had to bow deeply to the 79-year-old Peter Mücke, who drove his Zakspeed Capri convincingly to victory.

During the second race, neither Kammermann nor Scheer took part. It then seemed as though Mücke could drive towards his second victory. However, bad luck struck, and the German was forced to pull his Capri to the side. The win subsequently went convincingly to the 2.4-liter Opel Kadett C Coupe of Giorgis Katzidis.

Single-seater enthusiasts were treated to the speed monsters of the BOSS GP Series and the significantly slower, but certainly no less spectacular, Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior cars during this edition of the ADAC Hockenheim Historic. In the BOSS GP, as expected, Ingo Gerstl took the overall victory twice in a Toro Rosso STR1. In the F1 class of the BOSS GP, these types of cars are only required to clock 15 minutes of race time, which has everything to do with the cost aspect. Gerstl was the only one to start the race this weekend with an F1 car. The other participants, however, had to complete the full race duration.

Alex Ames dominated the first race of the weekend in the Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior cars, impressively holding off Clive Richards. During the second race, it initially looked as though he would also claim the second race. However, as the condition of his tires deteriorated rapidly toward the final part of the race, Richards managed to close the gap. After a short but fierce duel, Richards struck on the very last lap and crossed the finish line first.

Enthusiasts of historic Formula 3 and Formula Ford cars were in for a treat thanks to the presence of the ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Pokal. Both races were won by Patrick Andriessen in a Ralt RT3/83, who came, saw, and conquered in a very dominant fashion. The Golden Era Classic Cup for historic Porsches featured the smallest field of participants this time around. The first race on Saturday was claimed by Marcel Müller, after pole sitter Thomas Zellweger had to pull his 997 GT3 Cup to the side after three laps. On Sunday, he redeemed himself by claiming the victory following an exciting duel with Müller.

What the public was eagerly awaiting were the former Class 1 DTM cars featured in the Class One Revival. It had been announced beforehand that no race would take place, but rather a high-speed demo for former DTM cars from the period between 1993 and 2020. It brought not only a number of DTM cars onto the track that make their appearance before the arrival of the current GT3 era, but also cars such as the Opel Astra Coupe V8, Opel Vectra GTS V8, and the Audi TTR.

The date for next year’s Hockenheim Historic-Das Jim Clark Revival has already been set. The 22nd edition will take place on the weekend of May 7 to 9, 2027, and we are already looking forward to it with great impatience.

Results ADAC Hockenheim Historic-Das Jim Clark Revival 2026

Tourenwagen Golden Era

Race 1

1. Altfrid Heger, Audi 200 M86
2. Ronny Scheer, Nissan Skyline, + 1.557
3. Sebastian Asch, Ford Sierra RS500, + 37.874

Race 2

1. Altfrid Heger, Audi 200 M86
2. Kris Nissen, BMW E30 M3 DTM, +25.776
3. Thomas Wandel, Audi 200, + 29.531

Revival Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft

Race 1

1. Peter Mücke, Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo Gr. 5
2. Michael Kammerman, BMW M1 Procar, + 8.283
3. Ronny Scheer, Zakspeed Ford Capri Turbo Gr. 5, + 24.434

Race 2

1. Giorgis Katzidis, Opel Kadett C Coupe,
2. Michael Sadurski, Opel Ascona 400, + 11.785
3. Eddy Althoff, BMW M1 Procar, + 23.925

BOSS GP Series

Race 1

1. Marco Ghiotto, Dallara GP2/11
2. Thomas Zeltner, Dallara GP2/11, + 0.506
3. Paul O’Connell, Dallara World Series V8 T12, + 10.268

Race 2

1. Simone Colombo, Dallara GP2/11
2. Paul O’Connell, Dallara World Series V8 T12, +5.764
3. Marco Ghiotto, Dallara GP2/11, + 12.631

Lurani Throphy

Race 1

1. Alex Ames, Brabham BT6
2. Clive Richards, Lotus 22, +5.412
3. Simon Jackson, De Tomaso FJ, + 23.675

Race 2

1. Clive Richards, Lotus 22
2. Alex Ames, Brabham BT6, + 0.842
3. Manfredo Rossi di Montelera, Lotus 22, + 22.470

ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Pokal

Race 1

1. Patrick Andriessen, Ralt RT3/83
2. Daniel Hornung, Dallara F388, + 6.815
3. Manfredo Rossi di Montelera, Argo JM10, + 10.926

Race 2

1. Patrick Andriessen, Ralt RT3/83
2. Manfredo Rossi di Montelera, Argo JM10, + 8.641
3. Elio Cocciarelli, Ralt RT3/84, + 12.394

Golden Era Classic Cup

Race 1

1. Marcel Müller, Porsche 997 GT3 Cup,
2. Jeremias-Morros, Porsche 996 GT3 Cup, + 52.434
3. Adrian Grenz, Porsche 911 RSR, + 1 lap

Race 2

1. Thomas Zellweger, Porsche 997 GT3 Cup
2. Marcel Müller, Porsche 997 GT3 Cup, + 1.424
3. Jeremias-Morros, Porsche 996 GT3 Cup, + 1:11.067

The post Report & Gallery: The ADAC Hockenheim Historic-Das Jim Clark Revival 2026 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

After having looked primarily at the origins of the DRM championship in our first part, in the second part we look back at the early years in which the championship caused a sensation.

The new DRM championship debuted in the World Motorcycle Championship support program at the Nürburgring. Hans-Joachim Stuck set the fastest time in the very first practice session of the championship, driving a Ford Cologne-entered Capri RS 2600.

In reality however, there was no 2.6-liter Ford engine under the hood, but rather a 2.940 cc six-cylinder that delivered around 300 hp. Ford had also used an aluminum cylinder head which saved a considerable amount of weight. Remarkable you might say, yet the regulations at the time offered sufficient scope for this type of application.

The then 21-year-old Stuck dominated the opening race and drove to the top step of the winner’s podium eight more times that year. Ultimately, the Bavarian managed to win nine of the ten races and went down in history as the very first winner of a DRM championship.

Results DRM Championship 1972

1. Hans-Joachim Stuck, Ford Cologne Ford Capri RS 2600
2. Klaus Fritzinger, Ford Capri RS 2600
3. Dieter Basche, GS Tuning BMW 2002

Ford scored again in the championship a year later thanks to Dieter Glemser, who clinched the title with a Zakspeed-entered Ford Escort RS1600. However Glemser did not dominate as strongly as Stuck did in his championship year. Fellow Ford driver Hans Heyer could not prevent Glemser from taking home the title, although the points difference at the end of the season was only one, in Glemser’s favor.

In addition, Glemser drove an Escort, while Heyer lined up with a Capri. The power unit used by Glemser was also not a standard Ford, but a 1786 cc BDA engine used in Formula 2, while the cylinder head with four valves per cylinder was developed by Cosworth, accompanied by two overhead camshafts.

Results DRM -Championship 1973

1. Dieter Glemser, Schwabengarage Zakspeed RTL Ford Escort RS1600
2. Hans Heyer, Ford Cologne Ford Capri RS2600 LW
3. Dieter Basche, GS Tuning BMW 2002

Glemser successfully defended his title in 1974, although the global oil crisis had far-reaching consequences for the championship. BMW and Ford announced they would reduce their racing activities following the business slump caused by the oil crisis. The ONS reacted by including only eight races in its DRM calendar.

Results DRM Championship 1974

1.     Dieter Glemser, Castrol Team Zakspeed RTL Ford Escort RS 1600
2.     Jörg Obermoser, Team Europa Möbel GS BMW Tuning BMW 2002
3.     Klaus Ludwig, Ford Cologne Ford Capri RS 3100

When the oil crisis of 1975 became history, the ONS increased the number of races again from eight to ten. However, when King Winter reigned in the Eifel, they were forced to cancel a race on the Nordschleife, resulting in a total of nine races in which points could be scored. At the end of the season, the championship went to Ford once again, thanks to Hans Heyer.

In 1975 Heyer lined up at the start with a Zakspeed-prepared Ford Escort RS, where he faced Klaus Ludwig as his most significant competitor. With three races remaining, Ludwig switched from the Escort to a Ford Capri RS 3100 in Division 1, thereby avoiding a direct duel with Heyer. However what Ludwig had hoped for failed, as he missed out on the title.

Results DRM Championship 1975

1.    Hans Heyer, Castrol Team Zakspeed Ford Escort RS Mk.II
2.    Klaus Ludwig, General Anzeiger Ford Capri RS3100
3.    Albrecht Krebs, Schnitzer/Rodenstock BMW 3.0 CSL

Effective January 1 1976, the FISA motorsport commission defined new technical regulations in its “Appendix J” to the Sporting Regulations. Modifications to racing cars were significantly restricted compared to their homologation models in Groups 2 and 4. Until then pistons had been unrestricted. From that moment tuners were only allowed to modify standard parts.

Organizers were not always happy with changes to the regulations and the ONS feared that there would not be enough cars on the starting grid at the start of the 1976 season. To prevent this they allowed older Group 2 cars that, however, complied with the new regulations in terms of weight and tire width.

In any case, this had the effect that the well-known participants appeared at the start with technical specifications that still conformed to the old regulations. The negative side of this decision was that the Ford Capri and BMW CSL would not participate in the DRM championship. To prevent this, older Group 2 cars were kept, which, however, met the new regulations in terms of weight and tire width.

Driving with narrower tires was not what the Fords and BMWs were built for. On the other hand, both brands had also announced a new model. Until 1976, Porsche effectively played no significant role. In that year however, the 934 appeared on the grid and immediately made its mark on the DRM championship by winning nine of the ten races in Division 1.

In the end not a single entered 934 managed to take home the title. Hans Heyer won five races and finished second four times with a Division 2 Zakspeed Ford Escort RS Mk.II. This was enough to clinch the championship.

Zakspeed was the team to beat, particularly in the early years of the DRM championship with four of the five Ford titles. In 1977, the ONS decided to amend the regulations again, whereby near-production touring cars were no longer welcome.

 Results DRM Championship 1976

1. Hans Heyer, Castrol Team Zakspeed Ford Escort Mk. II
2. Klaus Ludwig, Europamöbel Team Zakspeed Ford Escort Mk. II
3. Bob Wollek, Vaillant Kremer Team Porsche 934

In part 3 of our overview, we continue with the arrival of Group 5 cars, after which the popularity of the championship soared. Incidentally, not only in Germany but also far beyond.

The post Europe’s finest during the 70s & early 80s, the DRM-championship: part 2 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

The 17th edition of the Spa Summer Classic was on the calendar for the penultimate weekend of April. The main race of the weekend was the familiar Spa 3 Hours, a 3-hour endurance race for historic GTs and touring cars with a field of fifty-eight cars. Last year’s undisputed favorites, Palle Birkelund Pedersen and Alexander Weiss from Denmark, came to defend their title.

Just how determined both were to successfully defend their title became evident when Alexander Weiss rode the small but oh-so-fast 1720 cc Ginetta G4R to pole position once again. Alexander and Vincent Kolb had no answer with their mighty Cobra to the lightning-fast Weiss, who secured pole position by a margin of 5.910 seconds.

After the first lap it was already abundantly clear that if Weiss and Pedersen managed to bring the Ginetta to the finish line without problems, a second consecutive victory would be secured. And so it happened. The Danish duo did not encounter any difficulties during the race and drove to a controlled victory. After three hours of racing, Pedersen and Weiss held a twol-lap lead over the Ford Mustang of Andy Taylor, Dave Coyne and Mike Wright. The small Danish team once again demonstrated the true spirit of historic racing: achieving great results with a limited budget, optimal preparation, the necessary passion and conviction.

There is no shortage of diversity in the Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge. During this weekend in Spa too, the grid was packed with an array of touring cars and GTs. Daniel Schrey made his mark on the first two races with the bright yellow Porsche 935 K1. During the first race, David Verzijlbergen managed to keep the gap to the leader by no more than about five seconds with his BMW M3 E36. Schrey looked set to score three out of three on Sunday morning, but during the second lap of the final YTCC race the 935 suddenly stalled. The battle for the lead then took place between the BMW M3s of David Verzijlbergen and Sam Adriaans, which was ultimately decided in Verzijlbergen’s favor.

From Germany the Touring Car Legends had once again found their way to Spa. The public was treated to two races featuring mainly BMWs in a number of versions and a wide range of different Porsches. Markus Weege proved to be the fastest in his BMW E46 M3 during the first race of the weekend. Thomas Ardelt dominated the second race of the weekend with his Porsche 997 GT3 Cup.

Popular in Belgium as well as abroad is the Belcar Historic Cup from Belgium. For years this championship attracts interesting starting grids with a wide range of historic GTs and touring cars. During this weekend, Wim Kuijl proved to be a cut above the rest of the competition with his impressive Ford Capri RS3100 and won both races convincingly.

The British Classic Sports Car Club CSCC had brought two series down to Belgium: the CSCC Modern International & Ramair BMW Championship and the CSCC Classic & Morgan Challenge – British GTGT.

Nathan Wells faced little opposition during the first race of the weekend with his BMW M3 E46 GTR. Nigel Mustill and Craig Dolby drove a lonely second race of the weekend in their BMW GT3, where they encountered no opposition from anyone or anything. Louis Workman-Ruff drove his Morgan Plus 4 dominantly and convincingly, crossing the finish line as the winner twice.

The Spa Summer Classic guarantees an international character and to underline this once again, the FHR Historic Championship ’65 and ’81 were present from Germany. HC ‘65 had two half-hour races on the program, while HC ‘81 had a race that lasted 90 minutes.

Bas Jansen drove brilliantly in HC ’65 with his Shelby Cobra 289 and faced no opposition whatsoever. During the second race it was Jac Meeuwissen who set the pace. While the Dutchman had to watch Jansen take the victory unchallenged during the first race, he called the shots during the second with his Cobra Daytona Coupe.

In HC ’81 Maxwell Polzler and Nick Salewsky took home the victory with their Porsche 911 RS. After ninety minutes of racing, they crossed the finish line first although Daniel Schrey, this time in a Porsche 911 RSR, was flagged in second place just two seconds behind.

Touring cars and GTs from the seventies were combined with the European Championship for 1300 cc cars in the ETCC Seventies Revival by 1300 ETC. Daniel Schrey made his mark here with his well-known Porsche 935 K1, which he drove convincingly to victory twice.

The smallest cars of the weekend came from the Kampf der Zwerge, or Battle of the Dwarfs. A large field of Mini Cooper’s, Fiat Abarth’s and NSU TT’s battled for top honors. As is often the case in this series, the best duels were once again fought right to the finish line. During both races, Hans März fought a duel for the lead against Michael Männl and Gregor Nick that lasted until the finish. In both cases, März managed to win the races by the blink of an eye.

The 17^th edition of the Spa Summer Classic proved to be another very successful weekend for the Roadbook organization, thanks to the excellent spring weather, the well-filled starting grids and the large crowds that were present. We are already looking forward to the 18th edition in 2027.

Results Spa Summer Classic 2026

Spa 3 Hours

1. Palle Birkelund-Pedersen/Alexander Weiss, Ginetta G4R
2. Andy Taylor/Dave Coyne/Mike Wright, Ford Mustang, + 2 laps
3. Charles Faber-Castell/Andrew Newall, Shelby Cobra Daytona, + 2 laps

Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge race 1

1. Daniel Schrey, Porsche 935 K1
2. David Verzijlbergen, BMW M3 E36, + 5.750
3. Beat Gubler, Dodge Challenger, + 27.286

Youngtimer Touringcar Challenge race 2

1. Daniel Schrey, Porsche 935 K1
2. Malcolm Harding, Ford Escort Zakspeed Mk.1, + 26.202
3. Dimitri Galanidis, Porsche 996, + 48.610

Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge race 3

1. David Verzijlbergen, BMW M3 E36
2. Sam Adriaans, BMW M3 E30, + 0.702
3. Volker Schneider, Ford Sierra RS500, + 1.178

Tourenwagen Legenden race 1

1. Markus Weege, BMW E46 M3
2. Oliver Menzel, Porsche 997 GT3-R, + 8.720
3. Herwig Duller/Siegfried Kuzdas, BMW E46 M3, + 16.417

Tourenwagen Legenden race 2

1. Thomas Ardelt, Porsche 997 GT3 Cup
2. Markus Weege, BMW E46 M3, + 12.271
3. Oliver Menzel, Porsche 997 GT3-R, + 25.147

Belcar Historic Cup race 1

1. Wim Kuijl, Ford Capri RS3100
2. Luc Moortgat, Porsche 964, + 3.950
3. Michael Wittke, Porsche 911 RSR, + 31.678

Belcar Historic Cup, race 2

1. Wim Kuijl. Ford Capri RS3100
2. Luc Moortgat, Porsche 964, + 7.079
3. Tim Kuijl, Ford Capri RS3100, +8.622

CSCC Modern Int. & Ramair BMW Championship race 1

1. Nathan Wells, BMW M3 E46 GTR
2. Niall Bradley, BMW M3 E46, + 10.150
3. Graham Crowhurst, BMW M3 E46, + 14.503

CSCC Modern Int. & Ramair BMW Championship race 2

1. Nigel Mustill/Craig Dolby, BMW GT3
2. Jac Meeuwissen/Ties Meeuwissen, Ferrari 488, + 52.008
3. Stephen Nuttall, Caterham Seven, + 1:00.347

CSCC Classic & Morgan Challenge – British HTGT race 1

1. Louis Workman-Ruff, Morgan Plus 4
2. Colin Philpott, Jaguar XJS, + 46.513
3. Jason Kennedy/Louise Kennedy, Nissan Skyline GTR R32, + 1:02.677

CSCC Classic & Morgan Challenge – British HTGT race 2

1. Louis Workman-Ruff, Morgan Plus 4
2. Colin Philpott, Jaguar XJS, + 15.321
3. Jason Kennedy/Louise Kennedy, Nissan Skyline GTR R32, + 19.490

Historic Championship ’65 race 1

1. Bas Jansen, Shelby Cobra 289
2. Jac Meeuwissen, Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe, + 18.520
3. Christian Bock/Jan-Frederik Bock, Jaguar E-Type, + 48.559

Historic Championship ’65 race 2

1. Jac Meeuwissen, Shelby American Cobra Daytona Coupe
2. Bas Jansen, Shelby Cobra 289, + 10.617
3. Oliver Hartmann, Elva Mk. 8, + 33.816

Historic Championship ’81 race 1

1. Maxwell Polzler/Nick Salewsky, Porsche 911 RS
2. Daniel Schrey, Porsche 911 RSR, + 2.709
3. Markus Diederich/Ben Bünnagel, Ford Escort RS1600, + 1:10.414

ETCC Seventies Revival by 1300ETC race 1

1. Daniel Schrey, Porsche 935 K1
2. Cees Lubbers, BMW 3.0 CSL, + 22.226
3. Lex Proper, Porsche 911 IROC, + 1:25.459

ETCC Seventies Revival by 1300ETC race 2

1. Daniel Schrey, Porsche 935 K1
2. Cees Lubbers, BMW 3.0 CSL, + 6.503
3. Lex Proper, Porsche 911 IROC, + 1:21.750

Kampf der Zwerge race 1

1. Hans März, Simca 1200S
2. Michael Männl, Abarth 1000 TCR, + 0.501
3. Gregor Nick, Rover Mini Cooper, + 1.373

Kampf der Zwerge race 2

1. Hans März, Simca 1200S
2. Michael Männl, Abarth 1000 TCR, + 0.161
3. Gregor Nick, Rover Mini Cooper, + 0.850

The post Report & Gallery: The Spa Summer Classic 2026 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

We are pleased to present a new series on Motorspor Retro in which we look back on the life of a racing driver who is sadly no longer with us.  Accompanied by unique and historic photographic material from Dutch motorsport photographer Winau Berkhof, in this episode we look back at the life and racing career of Graham Hill.

Graham Hill (1929–1975) was a British Formula 1 icon, best known as the only driver to win the ‘Triple Crown of Motorsport’: the F1 World Championship (1962, 1968), Indianapolis 500 (1966), and 24 Hours of Le Mans (1972). Known as “Mr. Monaco” for his five wins there, Hill was a charismatic driver-turned-team owner who died in a 1975 plane crash.

Incidentally, it took a long time before Hill came into contact with cars, let alone motorsport. He was a late bloomer who initially had no interest in cars. He did not obtain his driving license until he was 24.

Hill was much more into rowing; he rowed at the Southsea Rowing Club and became a member of the London Rowing Club in 1952. In the period between 1952 and 194, he participated in twenty finals. At that time, the Briton did not yet have a real life goal.

His father was a stockbroker and through him, he began an apprenticeship with an instrument maker. He completed his compulsory military service with the Royal Navy. Two years later, he returned to his job with the instrument maker.

However, an advertisement in the monthly magazine Autosport for the Universal Motor Racing Club at Brands Hatch would bring about a radical turning point. A few laps in a 500cc Formula 3 car ensured that Hill would be given a very clear direction.

That same day young Hill became an instructor for the racing school at Brands Hatch. And if he did his best, he was even allowed to participate in a race. Subsequently he submitted his resignation to Smith’s Instruments.

Sometime later Hill met none other than Colin Chapman in a cafe. Without hesitation, he asked Chapman for a job as a mechanic. In 1956, he was allowed to participate in a number of races with a Lotus Eleven that he had worked on as a mechanic. Hill subsequently won four races.

Chapman was impressed and made Hill a full-fledged Formula 2 driver in 1957. With a Lotus 12 however, he didn’t stand a chance against the rear-wheel-drive Coopers.

On May 18, 1958, the then 29-year-old Hill lined up at the start of the Monaco Grand Prix for the first time. It was also the debut of Lotus in the pinnacle of motorsport. In those days the Lotus team was nothing like what it would eventually become: an amateur team that entered the race with substandard equipment and rarely, if ever, reached the finish line.

The following year, nothing would change for Lotus, and in 1960 Hill had had enough and left Chapman’s team. Consequently, Hill signed with BRM, which, as it later turned out, would be the right choice. Hill battled Jim Clark for the world title throughout that season, and the decision would not be made until the final race in South Africa.  Clark initially took the lead and built up a substantial advantage. Mechanical failure prevented him from reaching the finish line and claiming the world title, which subsequently went to Hill.

Although Hill and Chapman were not the best of friends, he was brought back to work on the development of the Lotus 49. In 1967, he was still struggling with the reliability of the Lotus 49.  In 1968, he initially battled Jim Clark for the world title. However, Clark tragically lost his life during a Formula 2 race at Hockenheim. Hill subsequently became 1^st driver at Lotus and claimed his second world title in 1968.

The Lotus 49 was anything but a safe car, which became all the more apparent when Hill crashed during the race at Watkins Glen and broke both legs. His career came to a sudden, temporary halt as a result, and although he returned later, he did not achieve the successes of yesteryear.

Chapman was convinced that Hill was past his prime, after which he placed him in Rob Walker’s team with the Lotus 72 for the 1970 season. Hill proved to be anything but fit, and he did not score points until towards the end of the season.

For the 1971 and 1972 racing seasons, he moved to Brabham. In 1971, he stood on the top step of the podium for the very last time, after winning the non-championship International Trophy at Silverstone with the Brabham BT34.

Just like many of Hill’s colleagues at the time, he did not race only in Formula 1. Hill competed in a wide range of diverse racing series. One of his highlights was winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans together with Frenchman Henri Pescarolo in a Matra MS670.  In 1966, he had also won the Indianapolis 500. Because he had also won the Monaco Grand Prix in 1963, he simultaneously claimed the Triple Crown, an unofficial title. To this day, no one has ever matched that achievement. Incidentally, he also won the Monaco Grand Prix in 1964, 1965, 1968, and 1969.

Finding a seat with a factory team proved to be more than a challenge. When that turned out to be more of a pipe dream than a reality, Hill decided to found his own team in 1973 under the name Embassy Hill. He secured sponsorship from Imperial Tobacco.  Initially the team raced with Shadow and Lola cars. From 1975 onwards, he entered the grid with his own design, although he failed to make an impact. In stark contrast to his five victories in the streets of Monaco was the harsh reality that he could not even qualify for the 1975 Monaco Grand Prix.

Hill subsequently decided to stop racing and focus on managing his team. In addition, he also had the up-and-coming talent Tony Brise under his wing.

On the evening of November 29, 1975, Hill was returning with his team from training at the Paul Ricard circuit. Hill was piloting his own aircraft, a twin-engine Piper PA23-250 Turbo Aztec. During the night approach in dense fog, the aircraft crashed north of London near a golf course. All occupants, including Hill, Tony Brise, and the members of the Embassy Hill Team, perished in the crash.

In this tragic way, the life of Norman Graham Hill, the only racing driver ever to win the Triple Crown, came to an abrupt end. Fate had not struck now on a race track where he had played the unpredictable game between life and death for years.

The post Gone But Not Forgotten: Graham Hill, Prototype Of A Gentlemen Driver appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

Throughout the history of motorsport, we have encountered various high-profile touring car championships over the years. However, there are only a few that have created a true cult following and remain a topic of conversation to this day.

In a series of articles, we look back at the origins of the renowned DRM championship from Germany, or the Deutsche Rennsport-Meisterschaft. It was the ancestor of the current DTM championship, which saw the light of day in 1984.

The DRM-championship was immensely popular, and in the late 1970s, it was Europe’s most important motorsport championship after Formula 1. However, the championship did not have a long life, as will become apparent from our description. At its peak, the DRM fell victim to changed regulations by the then FISA, and the starting grids became dramatically smaller in size in 1985.

In the 1970s, a great deal was possible in motorsport. An example was the American-Canadian CanAm championship, where regulations were virtually non-existent and it was effectively known as unlimited motorsports. Formula 1 gained access to slick tires from 1971, and it was notable that racing cars in general were increasingly equipped with spoilers. Within a few months, the previously used racing cars looked like relics of a bygone era.

In this environment, the German Racing Championship (DRM) was established. It represented a complete new beginning consistently abandoning old traditions.

Until 1970 Germany had the DARM Championship (Deutsche Automobil-Rundstrecken-Meisterschaft), or German Circuit Racing Championship. This championship was particularly known for its very complex regulations. Various classes were permitted that raced together for the championship. An example of this complexity was that GT car drivers earned “good points” if they drove faster than comparable touring cars.

However, it could get even crazier: Additional “bonus points” were awarded to drivers who covered at least 90 percent of the distance of the respective class winner and whose average speed was no more than 10 percent lower than that of the class winner. In theory, this ensured perfect equality of opportunity.

It hardly needs explaining that the car manufacturers were deterred by the high degree of complexity. In theory, a small car could even end up ahead of a much faster car on the track in the championship standings.

However when Hugo Emde, Bilstein’s sports and PR manager, Jochen Neerpasch, Ford’s sports director and Fritz Jüttner of Bosch joined forces, a new championship was born. This trio was able to carry enough weight to persuade the National Motorsport Commission in Germany (ONS) to implement new regulations in 1972.

The trio’s intention was to rekindle the automotive industry’s enthusiasm for a championship comprising a maximum of two different divisions. Under the new regulations, engine displacement was the decisive factor in determining which of the two divisions a car was classified into.

Division 1 was open to cars with an engine displacement between 2 and 4 liters. In the smaller Division 2, cars with an engine displacement of less than 2 liters were admitted. In this way, a clear distinction was also made between touring cars and GTs. Additionally, special touring cars from Group 2 and GTs from Group 4 were welcome in both divisions.

To give the new series even more substance, the ONS wanted top drivers to compete in Division 1 for the German car manufacturers BMW, Ford Cologne, and Porsche. At the same time, the name DARM (Deutsche Automobil-Rundstrecken-Meisterschaft) was changed to DRM, Deutsche Rennsport-Meisterschaft. Incidentally, in its early years, the championship consisted of a combination of circuit races and a limited number of hillclimb races.

To enhance the race days, the ONS launched the new circuit racing cup for up-and-coming drivers as a foundation for the major championship.

The ONS decided to retain the already thirteen proven classes. For cars like the Abarth 1000 TC, Alfa Romeo 1300 GTA Junior, Ford Escort 1300 GT, Morris Mini Cooper and NSU TT this meant that they had a platform too. Besides this these cars completed the racing program over a DRM weekend.

In the second episode, we take look at the inaugural season of the DRM Championship in 1972.

The post Europe’s finest during the 70s & early 80s, the DRM-championship: part 1 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

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.

The post For sale: The Ex-Moretti De Tomaso Pantera Group 4/5 appeared first on Motorsport Retro.