The first Formula Vee series started 50 years ago in Austria - now it is returning to Zandvoort with international participation as part of the Gold Cup finale from August 5 to 7, 2016.
The story
During their visit to Daytona in 1964, Dr. Ferry Porsche and his Head of Sport Huschke von Hanstein became aware of the Volkswagen racers. They spontaneously decided to take twelve kits with them to Stuttgart. Dr. Carl H. Hahn, the sports-mad USA Volkswagen boss and later Volkswagen board member, and Jo Hoppen, the US racing manager with close ties to Volkswagen, provided collegial assistance with the export campaign.
The first independent Formula Vee racing events in Europe started in 1965.
One year later, in 1966, the rise of Formula Vau to one of the most successful European racing series began with the first race in Austria and with it the worldwide triumphal march. In the years that followed, the racing class with Beetle technology initiated by Porsche became the most successful junior series in the world with around 3,000 Formula Vau drivers competing on all continents - and many top drivers earned their first laurels at the wheel of the small monoposti - above all Niki Lauda, Keke Rosberg and Jochen Mass.
The anniversary years 2014 and 2015
Following the historical model, the Historische Formel Vau Europa e.V. (HFVE) Gold Cup marks the end of the club's sporting activities in each year. Over the course of three years, the athletes will compete for the Gold Cup in a total of six races. A motto fills the events with life.
To mark its 50th anniversary, the HFVE has organized six anniversary races over three years (2014 to 2016). In 2014, the HFVE celebrated the anniversary in style with two races with a huge starting field on the Grand Prix circuit in Hockenheim as part of the Rheintalrennen. The highlight was a presentation of the first Formula Vau cars from 1964.
Last year, rounds 3 and 4 of the Gold Cup were held at a meeting of Formula Vee legends on and around the race trackat the 2015 Historic Trophy Nürburgring. Among the legends was Manfred Schurti from Liechtenstein, one of the best Formula Vau drivers ever, who, now 74 years old, climbed back into his orange monoposto from 1970.
Grand finale 2016
After two exciting anniversary years, 2016 is entering the decisive rounds with many more highlights: At the Bosch Hockenheim Historic from April 15 - 17, 2016, Formula Vau will kick off the new season with a full field. In addition to the rounds of the international Formula Vau series, which will be held this year in Hockenheim, at the Nürburgring, in Zolder and at the Salzburgring, the third 50th anniversary season will include the grand finale of the Gold Cup with rounds 5 and 6.
Before that, however, all the active drivers and legends will meet at the Truck Race Trophy at the Red Bull Ring from April 29 to May 1 and show "the whole history of Formula Vee". At the end of July (July 29 to 31), they will then head to Le Mans for the first time. There, too, the Historic Formula Vau will be on show in demonstration runs at the Super VW Festival. One week later, from August 5 to 7, the final of the Gold Cup will take place in the dunes of Zandvoort with active drivers from all over the world. All with the special spirit, of course: "Born to be V"!
All further information can be found on the Formel V Europa e.V. website.
