On September 5 and 6, you can once again hear the sonorous rumble of engines in the valley near Ferleiten at the start of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. 75 racing teams with historic vehicles - all automobile classics with a great history - will be at the start next Friday and Saturday for the revival of the three old "International Grossglockner Hill Climb Races" for automobiles.
Tradition
As the Grossglockner Grand Prix and "Grand Prix of Austria", the event is held today as a safe regularity event in memory of the legendary races of 1935, 1938 and 1939 on the almost 14 km long hill climb track.
Challenging track layout
92 bends, 14 hairpin bends and a legendary 14-kilometer route lie ahead of the teams from nine nations on the dream panoramic road of the Alps in Salzburgerland. The legend of the Grossglockner High Alpine Road attracts Swedes, Italians, Czechs, Swiss, Dutch, French, Belgians and Germans to the mountain alongside a large number of Austrian starters.
Two Le Mans winners at the start
Much to the delight of the organizers and the host communities of Fusch/Bruck a.d. Glocknerstrasse, Zell am See and Kaprun, two world champions and Le Mans winners will also be taking part.
Jochen Mass and Klaus Ludwig will be coming to the Grossglockner Grand Prix 2014 as high-profile celebrity guests. Mass - runner-up in the Formula 2 World Championship in 1973 - Formula 1 legend in the era of Gilles Villesneuve and Rolf Stommelen won the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Sauber Mercedes team in 1989. Jochen Mass contested a total of 105 Grand Prix races in his Formula 1 career, scoring 71 world championship points in the process. This made him the most successful German Formula 1 driver until the Michael Schumacher era.
Klaus Ludwig is regarded as an endurance specialist. He won the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans three times - in 1979, 1983 and 1984. He is also considered almost unbeatable at the Nürburging in the 24 Hours (victories in 1982, 1987, 1999) and is a five-time DTM champion. Klaus Ludwig is coming to the Grossglockner for the first time; Jochen Mass is already a big fan of the event.
Broad field of participants
Over 30 pre-war vehicles built between 1920 and 1940, sports and racing cars from the 1950-1965 and 1966-1975 eras will be on display.
Fast Porsches, including the Porsche 904, 910 and 356, as well as the classic 911 series, Mercedes-Benz Gullwing and 300 SL Roadster, and long-forgotten brands such as Austin Healey, Talbot (with a Grand Prix racing car from 1957), Riley, Alvis and MG.
Legendary brands such as Bugatti, Aston Martin, Lancia, Bentley and Maserati are included. A special Maserati is the Model 4 CM from 1935, one of the original vehicles that took part in the first race in Ferleiten in 1935.
The Mercedes-Benz SSK from 1929 with a displacement of 7.2 liters is mighty. Even more powerful will be the Delage, which comes with its owner from Sweden, was built in 1924 and boasts more than 21 liters of displacement from 12 brutal cylinders.
On Friday and Saturday
The field of participants will take to the mountain stage for the first time on Friday, August 5 at 4 p.m. on a closed road. The Grand Prix will open at 3.00 pm in the paddock in Ferleiten at the ticket office.
On Saturday, the race starts at 9.00 am and then again at 4.00 pm. The classics and oldies will be chasing the exact time at one-minute intervals. The time from the first ascent has to be confirmed as precisely as possible several times - not easy with 14 kilometers of ascent.
With shelter
For the first time, the "International Grossglockner Grand Prix" offers visitors and spectators a cozy paddock tent in Ferleiten, where you can sit comfortably, the cars are presented by a presenter in close proximity to the tent and there is also plenty of catering with local specialties and drinks.
The Grand Prix, which also bears the title "Grand Prix of Austria", attracts many interested people and families to Ferleiten. Admission is free.
More information and a detailed timetable can be found on the event website.