The legendary Porsche 550 Spyder stands out on the front page of the new Atomobilsport and is also the subject of the cover story, which is divided into many interesting articles. There are also reports on various events, such as the Concourso d'Eleganza, the Spa Classic and many more. And two articles commemorate the motorsport legends Manfred Winkelhock and Stefan Bellof, who tragically passed away far too early 30 years ago.
Art on slicks
The Concourso d'Eleganza in Como is one of the most attractive events in the automotive scene worldwide, and is also spiced up with that "certain something" that we all love so much about Italy. Automobilsport takes a look at the special features and highlights of the event.
The "black summer"
30 years ago, a series of tragic accidents in the World Sportscar Championship sent motor sport into a state of shock. Within just a few weeks, lightning struck several times. On September 11, 1985, Manfred Winkelhock had an accident in Mosport, followed shortly afterwards by Stefan Bellof on September 1. What was soon referred to as the "black summer" not only shook Germany to the core, but also caused grief and bewilderment worldwide. This article remembers two extraordinary racing drivers who left their mark on the premier league of motorsport.
Modena's forgotten artists
Legend has it that the racing driver Piero Droge came to Modena as a South American immigrant, where he founded a coachbuilding business. In reality, however, Droge was Italian by birth. He was born on August 8, 1926 in Signale Monferrato, Poemont. His parents later emigrated with him to Venezuela. Poero began racing in South America in the 1950s. It was not until the end of the decade that he returned to his homeland. Read the article to find out his whole story and that of the extraordinary drug Carrozzeria Sport Cars.
The legendary Porsche 550 Spyder
Porsche was once again a car manufacturer in its infancy when the legendary Porsche 550 Spyder was born. It wasn't long before the 500 Spyder had to prove itself as a racing sports car. It not only dominated in its weight class but also triumphed against significantly more powerful cars. Its success continued for many years, making the 550 Spyder the greatest racing car of all time.
Of course, it wasn't long before the first Porsche 550 Spyder tried its luck at Le Mans, by far the most popular motorsport race of all. The Porsche 550 A had begun its career in 1956 with a sensational success at the Targa Florin. And it wasn't long before it achieved its first class victory at Le Mans.
Hans Hermann, Egon Alber and Herbert Linke are all Porsche 550 legends. In the article "Wild times", they reminisce about the time when they were still in the cockpit themselves or were up close and personal on all fronts as co-pilots, mechanics and customer service staff.
Herbert Linge also raced together with Huschle Hanstein in the Porsche 550 Spyder, for example 60 years ago, when they finished eighth overall in the 12 Hours of Sebring and took second place in their class. Automobilsport brings the Porsche back to Herbert Linge and puts the driver of yesteryear behind the wheel once again.
But the fame of the 550 Spyder also has a dark side. Almost exactly 60 years ago, James Dean lost his life in a tragic accident, making the car even more famous.
The "little ones" made it big.
Formula 1 made a guest appearance on the streets of Phoenix for the first Grand Prix of the modern era. The race took place on a monotonous street circuit that attracted few fans. Nevertheless, 25 years ago we saw one of the most exciting starts to the F1 season. McLaren and Ferrari traveled to Arizona as favorites, but the stars were shaken up by underdogs: a Minardi took the front rows of the grid, followed by a Dallara and a Tyrrell! In the race, the Tyrell with a young Frenchman at the wheel put on a spectacular show.
Automobilsport also reports on the highlights of the motorsport calendar over the past few months. These include the Spa Classic, the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Eifel Rallye, the Ennstal Classic, the Silverstone Classic and many more.
