When old racing buddies meet up
01/31/2023
Initiator Lukas Baumgartner explained: "The reason for our meeting is the outstanding success we have achieved together. The real impetus, however, was a small, blue and inconspicuous booklet. At the end of 1991, Sauber and Mercedes mechanics signed this booklet and decided that a meeting should take place every ten years.
Last Saturday's event was the third after 2001 and 2011, and the meeting took place again on January 28, 2023, two years later than planned due to the Covid pandemic.
Everyone who was a member of the team at the end of 1991 or who made a decisive contribution to the team's success in that year and worked at least 50% of their time for Group C is always invited.
The aforementioned blue booklet from 1991 reads: "I hereby undertake to pay the deposit of CHF 100 (DM 120) to attend the above-mentioned party." Signed by all those who were racing weekend after weekend in Group C with the Sauber-Mercedes team. What a great effect such a small blue booklet can have.
The third meeting last Saturday was very emotional with many of the main characters of the time such as Karl Wendlinger, Jean-Louis Schlesser, Jochen Neerpasch, Peter and Christiane Sauber, Beat Zehnder and Leo Ress.
The main event from that time was certainly the unforgettable victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 10/11, 1989, in which the Junior Team, led by Jochen Neerpasch, helped to launch Michael Schumacher's great career.
And now the never-ending story with all its ups and downs is about to enter the next round with Audi, the third German premium manufacturer. They won Le Mans with Mercedes and celebrated a one-two victory with BMW at the Canadian GP in Montreal (2008). And what will Audi achieve now? The only logical step up would be the F1 World Championship title.
