For many fans of historic racing, the Hockenheim Historic is the starting point for the new season. On April 21-23, 2017, it was that time again, the parking lots around the Hockenheimring filled up and the club car parks were in high demand.
In mixed, but only slightly damp weather, 18 races in nine classes were on the program. The races were complemented by presentations of road and racing vehicles.
The pearl with an international pedigree
The BMW M1 was designed as a Group 4 racing car, but as the successor to the successful 320 Group 5, the Bavarians would also have liked to have a Group 5 version of the new medium-sized sports car. So they teamed up with the March Formula 1 team and agreed on a division of labor in which March would take care of the chassis and bodywork, while BMW would boost the 3.5-liter to 850 hp.
March built two cars that were based on an aluminum monocoque and were significantly modified aerodynamically, i.e. they were wider than the standard M1 and had significantly more spoilers.
However, BMW was unable to supply the engine, so the first races had to be completed with the normal in-line six-cylinder engine. The approximately 480 hp it could produce was not enough for victories, and the first car failed at Brands Hatch and Vallelunga.
The outings of the second car were also not crowned with success, once the drive shaft broke, once a suspension, then again the electrics caused problems. As BMW was still unable to supply a turbo engine, the Americans installed a Chevrolet-Traco V8 engine for 1980. However, the 700 hp did not make the car any more stable.
The car never actually arrived, so to speak. So it was all the better that the American BMW March M1 with Chevrolet engine at least managed to finish the second round of the Autopassion Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge in Hockenheim, in third place behind the BMW M1 of Andreas Heinrich, which had already dominated the first round, and the DeTomaso Pantera driven by Ralf Kelleners.
Anyone who saw Jan Bot Jr.'s race to catch up in the BMW March M1 in the second race will certainly remember it for a while.
Swiss driver Michael Kammermann was unable to confirm his second place in the first race in the second race and finished sixth.
In general, the diversity of the vehicle field was impressive, including a TVR Tuscan from 1989, a Dodge Charger, a Dodge Challenger and a Renault-Alpine A310 Group 4 from 1979. And not forgetting, of course, the Zakspeed Capri!
A rare encounter
It was Count Giovanni Volpi di Misurata who founded the Scuderia Serenissima in the late 1950s. Depending on the situation, racing cars from various manufacturers were used, and a Ferrari 250 GTO was converted into a Breadvan according to his own ideas.
In 1963, the company began producing its own racing and sports cars, but series production never materialized. The Serenissima 308 Jet Competizine was equipped with the company's own eight-cylinder engine, which was also used in Formula 1. In fact, the sports car's engine was even removed once for a Formula 1 race, implanted in the monoposto and removed again after the race.
Presumably for the first time ever, the Serenissima M1AF Formula 1 and its GT brother 308 Jet Competizione were to meet on the circuit at the Hockenheimring. The union was at least partially successful, with both cars doing laps as part of the "Scuderia Serenissima Presentation", allowing spectators to enjoy some real rarities.
The late brakers of the Formula Junior
As usual, the largest and most balanced starting field was to be found in the FIA Lurani Trophy with the Formula Junior dugouts.
Around 30 racing cars with front or mid-engines started the first race, which was won by Philipp Buhofer in his Lola Mk5A with a lead of around seven seconds over Manfredo Rossi Di Montelera in the Lotus 22.
The "D2" class was won by Bruno Weibel in a Lotus 20, who also finished first in the second race.
This second race, however, saw Rossi Di Montelera as the winner, followed by John Fyda and Pierre Tonetti in identical Brabham BT6s. Philipp Buhofer finished sixth despite setting the fastest race lap, which was obviously not a smooth run.
Compared to Formula Junior, the podium ceremony of Formula 3, held as the AvD Historic Race Cup, looked much more manageable. Just eight cars made it to the finish in the first race without any problems. The winner was Thomas Warken in the Ralt RT3/74 Alfa Nova. He also dominated the second race, in which as many as 11 cars saw the checkered flag.
Swiss dominance in the CanAm
Just a dozen cars took part in the race for the Canadian-American Challenge Cup. As a result, the usual CanAm thunder was kept to a minimum and a small-capacity Lola T294, driven by Swiss driver Felix Haas, won both races.
Second place in the first race also went to a Swiss driver, Philipp Brühweiler in a Chevron B19, while the German Henry v. d. Amalien in a McLaren M8C/D saved the Big Bangers' honor by finishing second in the second race, nota bene one of eight drivers to take the chequered flag.
Incidentally, it was interesting to note that the fastest CanAm cars lapped the Hockenheimring at roughly the same speed as the best Formula 3 and BMW M1 drivers, i.e. with times of around 1:45 to 1:48. Completely different vehicle concepts therefore lead to the same result.
More variety among the younger drivers
Once again, it was the Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge races that provided the most colorful starting fields.
The UPS4ALL YTCC races in particular provided an impressive variety, from the Mazda RX3, Datsun 240Z and Porsche 944 S2 to the Chevrolet Camaro, Saab 99 EMS, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 and Toyota Supra.
It was to be expected that a Porsche would lead the field in each case, but the Toyota Supra remained hot on the heels of the Zuffenhausen-based cars.
Alfas among themselves
In the Scuderia Alfa Classica races, the classic cars and youngtimers from Milan were among themselves. The majority of the starting field consisted of the 155, 75 and GTV6 models, but there were also Giulias, an Alfasud Sprint and earlier GTVs to be seen.
At the top of the podium after both races, however, was a driver of a GTV6 from France.
Well frequented paddock
The paddock was well frequented, at times you almost had to make your way through the enthusiastic fans. You almost had the feeling that the 20,000 or so spectators were all trying to make a pilgrimage between the waiting cars at the same time. There was also plenty of entertainment on offer, such as the opportunity to have a shave in the mobile barbership.
The open grandstands were also comparatively well filled, even if some spectators probably remember a lot more people in the past.
Not historic enough?
Whether the Hockenheim Historic can still live up to its name had to be questioned, at least in part, when looking at the program. The Lotus Cup Europe, the Boss GP and the STT may provide exciting races, but only a few of the cars on show are truly historic.
On the other hand, other series that people had grown fond of in the past were missing in Hockenheim, such as the midgets or starting fields with touring cars from the sixties. The program also hardly matched the nickname "Jim Clark Revival", as the formula cars of the sixties (with the exception of Formula Junior) were missing, as were the sports and touring cars that the Englishman once drove.
Scoring panic at the end
The Sunday program fell apart a little because some fields were merged or many cars were unable to start due to technical problems. As a result, many visitors left earlier than they had actually planned.
For future editions of the Hockenheim Historic, we would like to see more and fuller historic racing fields and a wider range of vehicles.
