The change in the weather in the Engadin came just in time for the weekend of September 18/19, 2021. While Saturday still offered absolutely perfect racing conditions for the participants and visitors of the Bernina Gran Turismo mountain race, whether on the track or in the garden of the restaurant at the height (2330 m above sea level) of the Bernina Pass, on Sunday it first turned into fog and later into rain, with temperatures around 15 degrees cooler.
Once again, the incredible mountain backdrop with its fascinating cloud formations, which changed shape and form from minute to minute, or rather from vehicle to vehicle, was a delight at this event.
Porsche in front
The two Porsche drivers Florian Feustel and Daniele Perfetti decided the overall victory between themselves. Feustel dominated the entire Saturday, but on Sunday morning Perfetti, who had to change a broken gearbox linkage on Saturday and missed one of the race runs as a result, turned the tables.
Thanks to cool and still dry conditions, he beat his rival, who was struggling with third gear, by almost half a second on the second day of the race.
Only the fastest time from four runs on the 5.2-kilometer-long and fairly fast hill climb from La Rösa to the Bernina Pass counted for the final classification.
Third place in the field of 17 Competition participants from six nations with a mandatory FIA racing license was secured by Thomas Kern in the Shelby Cobra 427. He, as well as fourth-placed Michael Erlich in the De Tomaso Pantera Group 5, only drove on Saturdays, but were still able to beat the Finn Kari Fazer in the Ford RS 200 and all other race participants to the places.
Jaguar most consistent
Overall victory in the regularity classification went to Kurt Engelhorn in a Jaguar D-Type.
The German is one of the initiators of the event and is based in the Engadin. The time-honored Hotel La Rösa, where the race starts, was taken over by him and extensively restored. So you could almost call it a home victory for him.
Fewer and fewer single-seaters
It was a bit of a shame that the number of genuine monoposto formula cars continued to decline, as was the case last year.
In recent years, there has always been a Formula 1 car in the mountain panorama, but for once the ex-Nannini DTM Alfa 155 pulled the chestnuts out of the fire - literally, so to speak, because in the second race the starting number 80 not only said goodbye with a lot of smoke, but also with fire and flames.
Fast pre-war cars
It was once again impressive to see how fast you can still be on the road in racing cars built 70 or more years ago.
Sue Darbyshire (GBR) drove the small and light 1929 Morgan Super Aero 3-Wheeler up the hill in 4:04.81.
Christian Traber needed just under eight seconds more in the 10 years younger but significantly heavier Talbot Lago T150.
Sue lost just 47.89 seconds to Daniele Perfetti's Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0L, which is 45 years younger and as strong as a bear. According to Adam Riese, the cars have become just about one second faster per year since then ...
Competition" ranking
| Rank | Start no. | Surname and first name | Vehicle type | Year of construction | FIA period | Best time | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Perfetti Daniele | Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 3.0L | 1974 | H2 | 3:16.92 | |
| 2 | 14 | Feustel Florian | Porsche 911 Carrera RSR IROC | 1974 | H1 | 3:17.07 | 0.15 |
| 3 | 8 | Kern Thomas | Shelby Cobra 427 | 1966 | GR | 3:30.79 | 13.87 |
| 4 | 15 | Erlich Michael | De Tomaso Pantera | 1975 | IR | 3:32.79 | 15.87 |
| 5 | 18 | Fazer Karl | Ford RS 200 | 1985 | J2 | 3:33.34 | 16.42 |
| 6 | 17 | Bonnier Johan | Porsche 911 SC RS | 1984 | J1 | 3:34.87 | 17.95 |
| 7 | 16 | McAlpine Andrew | Ferrari 308 Michelotto | 1977 | I | 3:44.12 | 27.20 |
| 8 | 10 | Kamata Matteo | Porsche 911 S | 1971 | G2 | 3:47.08 | 30.16 |
| 9 | 11 | Stoschek Michael | BMW 2002 | 1973 | H1 | 3:48.05 | 31.13 |
| 10 | 6 | Leimer Kurt | Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA | 1965 | F | 3:48.54 | 31.62 |
| 11 | 4 | Bert Nicolas | HW Alta-Jaguar | 1951 | E | 3:54.73 | 37.81 |
| 12 | 7 | Larsson Filip | TVR Griffith 200 | 1965 | F | 3:55.53 | 38.61 |
| 13 | 2 | Darbyshire Sue | Morgan Super Aero 3-wheeler | 1929 | C | 4:04.81 | 47.89 |
| 14 | 3 | Traber Christian | Talbot Lago T150 Monoposto | 1939 | D | 4:12.42 | 55.50 |
| 15 | 5 | Gorke Peter | Porsche 911 | 1965 | F | 4:13.22 | 56.30 |
| 16 | 9 | Fuchs Holger P. | Lancia Fulvia HF | 1970 | G2 | 4:17.27 | 1:00.35 |
| 17 | 1 | Roberts Tudor | Aston Martin Team Car LM2 | 1928 | C | 5:17.25 | 2:00.33 |
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