The Red Bull Ring Classics from June 9 to 11, 2023 was billed as a "motorsport journey through time". Ten racing series and a whole armada of spectacular racing cars from all over the world were announced. Over 18,000 spectators came to celebrate the cars and racing drivers. The fact that some of the starting fields were less homogeneous and complete (e.g. Group C) than elsewhere could be tolerated, especially as there are not so many similarly large-scale alternatives in Austria, if at all.
On Friday, numerous motorsport fans had already gathered in the grandstand, the paddock and the fan zone. They were rewarded with the feeling of being transported back to the "good old days". A time when not everything was better, but some things were less complicated. The air smelled of petrol and tire rubber, and the atmosphere was action-packed and full of vocals. All these ingredients make up the special flair of the Red Bull Ring Classics.
With jewels from the past
On Saturday, the racing series with illustrious names such as Group C Supercup, Boss GP, Alfa Revival Cup, CanAm & Sportscars, Sports Car Challenge, 100 Miles of Red Bull Ring Classics, Youngtimer Touring Car Challenge, Dunlop Gentle Drivers '65, Super Sixties and Touring Car Golden Era fought their battles for the starting grid and points. The fans were up close and personal in the paddock as last-minute spare parts were fitted to every nook and cranny of the vehicles or, in some cases, courageous resuscitations of many an automotive diva were required.
During the race breaks, automotive jewels such as the Ferrari Sharknoses, Lotus models from ChromeCars in the legendary black and gold design or the 52-year-old BMW 3.0 CSL gave free rein to their horsepower during show runs. The next day is no less action-packed.
Highlights on Sunday
The program left nothing to be desired on Sunday either. When they weren't battling for victory on the race track, the fans got to see legends on four wheels in action. The two Ferrari Sharknoses, the Aston Martin Valkyrie and the ChromeCars Lotus John Player once again raced around the Red Bull Ring as part of the show runs. At 13:00 sharp, all eyes turned to the F4U-4 "Corsair" of the Flying Bulls fleet. The legendary fighter-bomber from the Second World War put on a great air show.
Former DTM driver Stefan Mücke made the trip to Spielberg despite being on crutches. "The atmosphere is sensational. There are so many fans there. It was packed in our pit lane during the Pit Lane Walk," said the German. He joked about his injury: "That's what happens when you think you can be just as fast on two wheels as on four." This did not dampen the enthusiasm of the fans - they were delighted to meet the father and son team Stefan and Peter Mücke in person at the autograph session in the Fan Zone. Altfrid Heger, Nick Padmore, Colin Caserani and Dan Setford were also available to sign autographs and take selfies in the Fan Zone.
V10 and V8 sound at the BossGP
The premiere of the Red Bull Ring Classics was a success. The Boss GP racing cars delivered powerful sounds, close battles for position and impressive "donuts" at the end of the race, thus generating enthusiasm among the spectators.
There were home wins for Ingo Gerstl (F1) and Stefan Eisinger-Sewald (Super Lights). Antonio Pizzonia (Open) and Simone Colombo (Formula) extended their lead in the standings. Fabian Vettel and Alexander Geier made successful debuts in the GP2 racing cars, with Vettel spraying champagne twice.
It was a shame that the previously announced historic Formula 1 cars did not make an appearance, with the exception of a few demo drives. This would certainly have been a lot of fun, especially on the former marquee track. But you can always improve ...
