From June 10 to 12, 2022, the Austrian Historic, an event that brought numerous racing series to Styria, celebrated its premiere. The Masters Historic Racing with its four racing series, the Gentlemen Drivers, the Sports Car Legends, the Endurance Legends and the Racing Legends Formula One Cars 66-85, was at the start. The Lurani Trophy, the DMV Formula Vau and the Pre-66 Grand Prix Cars also made guest appearances in Spielberg.
On Friday, test drives were carried out within the individual series. Qualifying continued the following day, followed by the first races in the afternoon and a packed program on Sunday.
The Formula Vee had the most participants, whereas the other racing series sometimes had very small starting fields, which is certainly also due to the fact that this motorsport event was taking place for the first time. According to the organizers, around 8000 fans gathered at the race track in the Mur Valley over the course of the weekend. The "Pitlane Walk" during the lunch breaks gave them an insight into the work of the racing teams. Among the racing drivers were well-known names such as former Formula 1 driver Arturo Merzario, who famously provided first aid after Niki Lauda's accident at the Nürburgring in 1976. Marco Werner, multiple Le Mans winner in an Audi, could also be found in the pit lane. He competed in several series at the Austrian Historic.
Thrilling duel between Lotus and McLaren
In the Masters Historic Racing Formula 1 class, James Hartley in the McLaren MP4/1 was able to start the race from pole position thanks to his fastest qualifying lap time of 1:25.546. He was able to maintain his lead in the first third of the race, but without distancing Michael Lyons, who started alongside him in the Lotus 92. After a few laps, the latter began an overtaking maneuver, passed him and ultimately crossed the finish line as the winner. James Hartley had to settle for second place, with the German Marco Werner in a Lotus 87B completing the podium.
In the second race on Sunday afternoon, Michael Lyons started on pole, but had to relinquish the lead to James Hartley. The latter regained the position he lost in the first race a little late and won the second Formula 1 race of the weekend. Michael Lyons crossed the finish line in second place, ahead of Steve Brooks in the Lotus 91.
Small but fine starting field for the Gentleman Drivers
The Gentlemen Drivers had to make do with a race that lasted at least ninety minutes, which formed the Saturday finale. A total of seven cars - a Jaguar E-Type, a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, an Austin-Healey 3000, a Shelby American Cobra Daytona, a Lotus Elan 26R and two Ginetta G4Rs - made up the starting field. At the end of the race, Lee Mowle and Phil Keen triumphed in the E-Type, the Thomas/Lockie duo followed in the Cobra Daytona and Nyblaeus/Rosendahl came third in the Austin-Healey.
Unfortunately, you can only win without a defect...
The participants in the Masters Sports Car Legends competed in a sixty-minute race on Sunday morning. The starting field included various Lola and Chevron cars as well as a McLaren M1 A. Mark Shaw in the McLaren started the race from pole position, but retired on the fifth lap with technical problems. Andrew Willis took the lead in the Lola T210, sharing the cockpit with Graham Adelman, before their Lola also retired. The race was ultimately won by Marc Devis in the Chevron B19, with Julian Thomas and Calum Lockie in the Chevron B8 in second place. The podium was completed by Stephan Joebstl and the "defected" Andrew Willis in the Lola T212.
Déjà vu at the Endurance Legends
Two 40-minute races took place in the Master Endurance Legends on Sunday. The winner of the first race was Steve Tandy in the Peugeot 90X ahead of Keith Frieser in the Zytek 09s. Marco Werner, who drove a Lotus LMP2 B12/80 in this race, finished third. The GT class was won by Timo Scheibner, who finished sixth overall in an Aston Martin V12 Vintage. In the second race, the podium remained unchanged and once again Timo Scheibner's Aston Martin was the fastest of the GT cars, finishing sixth overall.
Formula Vau and Lurani Trophy provide variety
Formula Vau, which as already mentioned had the largest starting field of the first Austrian Historic, made two 25-minute appearances on Sunday. The first run was won by Mark Spanbroek in the Kaimann ahead of Manfred Nord in the Beach and Nick Wittkuhn, also in the Kaimann. Robert Waschak in the Austro Vau was ahead in the second run, followed by Calvin Stauff in the Autodynamics and Heike Volk in the Hick Mk 1.
The participants in the Lurani Trophy contested a 25-minute race on both Saturday and Sunday. The first race was won by Martin Bullock in a Wren FJ ahead of the two Lynx drivers Pierre Guichard and David Kent. In the second stint, Lee Mowle triumphed in the Lotus 20/22, the podium was completed by Gianluigi Candiani in the Branca FJ and Adrian Russell in the Lotus 22. Martin Bullock won the final standings for both races, followed by Pierre Guichard and Stephan Joebstl.
The Pre-66 Grand Prix cars were on the track for 25 minutes in each of the two races.
If the already promised continuation is held next year and even more classic racing cars roll onto the grid, the Austrian Historic in picturesque Styria has a good chance of establishing itself as a popular and important event in historic motorsport.
Detailed rankings of the individual races can be viewed on the following pages:
