The first parade of the "50 years of Formula Vee" anniversary celebrations at the Norisring almost literally fell through. A thunderstorm with deep black clouds was fast approaching as the cars lined up at the pre-start.
By the time the orange Beetle, which had been deployed as the safety car, completed its inspection lap, the first drops were already falling. In the meantime, day turned to night. A black monster was now hovering over Nuremberg, threatening to unload at any moment. And just as the small monoposti with their various shapes took to the track, heavy raindrops began to turn the race track into a swimming pool.
On their second lap, the little racers became colorful canoes with wheels and danced the bathtub tango together when the race had to be stopped by soaking wet marshals with dripping red flags. The canoeists floated the boats back to their tents.
Unfortunately, event schedules are so tight these days that a thunderstorm lasting just a few minutes can no longer be waited out in the dry. It was obvious that the rain would only last for a short time, as the sun was already sending its red rays back towards the Dutzendteich in the background.
Premiere at the Norisring in 1965
50 years ago, the Beetle monoposti, to which many racing drivers owed their careers, began their successful journey on this side of the Atlantic. In 1965, a new era was initiated at the Norisring with Formula Vee in Europe. At last there was an affordable formula with single-seater cars of equal value, which brought the qualities of the drivers to light.
Well-known names
In 1971, Eberhard Winkler fielded a two-car team with Kaimann 1300 and alternating drivers Rainer Braun and Manfred Jantke. Jantke was once again present at the anniversary and said that the Winkler team, with its perfection, always brought the best-prepared cars to the racetrack, always with the latest updates and polished to a mirror finish in the paddock.
The green Karringer with 4711 advertising and the name Jaap Luyendyk was Arie's father's car. The Dutchmen Jaap and Arie Luyendyk formed the first father-son team in Formula Vee in 1972. After his Super Vee European Championship title, Arie moved across the pond to the USA, where years later he won the famous Indianapolis 500 miles twice in 1990 and 1997. His father Jaap remained loyal to Formula Vee forever and still took part in historic Vee events at an advanced age.
Another famous name on the scene was Günter Schmid. He joined Formula Vee as a florist and took the wheel himself. He later managed his own ATS-Lola Formula Super Vee team with drivers such as Freddy Kottulinsky and Manfred Trinkt on the way to Formula 1.
The winning driver on site in person
Manfred Schurti from Liechtenstein was one of the best Formula Vee drivers ever. Now 74 years old, he once again climbed into his orange monoposto from 1970.
"I was asked by the "Historic Formula Vee Europe" association if I would take part in the event in Nuremberg. The first Formula Vau race in Europe took place at the Norisring in 1965. I was also there for the 40th anniversary of the Salzburgring and was allowed to drive my former car, but unlike the Norisring, this was a real race!" explains Schurti.
He says the following about his car, the Austro-V: "About 10 years ago, a certain Robert Waschak from St. Gilgen in the Salzkammergut (Austria) called me and told me that he had acquired my former Austro-V and asked if I could give him the name of the painter at the time, because he would like to restore this car to its original condition, just as I would have driven it back in 1970. I was also able to help him with various posters and photos. After a few years, he got in touch again and told me that the car was now finished and that his greatest wish would be for me to drive his car at the Salzburgring on the occasion of the Formula Vee event. Which I was delighted to do.
It was at the Salzburgring that I experienced the craziest race of my Formula Vee days. It was the last round of the Formula Vee European Championship in 1970. There were about ten cars close together on the last lap. I was at the front and came up with a plan. As cyclists do, I tried to get myself into a good starting position up to the last corner before the finish so that I could then attack from the slipstream on the home straight. I succeeded in this plan, but of course my opponents also tried to win and so we, the eventual runner-up and winner of the European Championship Erich Breinsberg and I, crossed the finish line with our wheels wedged together without taking even a millimeter off the gas. Breinsberg pushed me to the right into the crash barrier in front of the pits, which of course immediately slowed me down massively, but he flew over my wheels, rolled over and then landed upside down in the ditch, thankfully uninjured. I won the race, Breinsberg came second. Just to illustrate, 8 cars crossed the finish line within a second of each other. That's how hard and close the fight was in Formula Vee at that time."
Schurti's final words on his two most recent Formula Vee outings: "It was a great feeling, just like back then - only climbing in and out was a bit more difficult. But driving was as much fun as ever."
The speedy little racers certainly gave the audience at the DTM race at the Norisring a lot of pleasure and some people were probably surprised that a Beetle can run so fast.
50 years of the Formula Vau Europe Gold Cup
To mark the anniversary, the "Historische Formel Vau Europa e.V." association organized six anniversary races over three years. The dates are as follows:
- October 10-11, 2014: 1st and 2nd round of the 50th Anniversary Formula Vau Europa Gold Cup: Hockenheimring, Rheintalrennen
- June 5 - 7, 2015: 3rd and 4th round of the 50th Anniversary Formula Vau Europe Gold Cup: Nürburgring, Historic Trophy Nürburgring
- August 5 - 7, 2016: 5th and 6th round of the 50th Anniversary Formula Vau Europe Gold Cup: Zandvoort
