In mid-August, the Nürburgring will turn into a time machine - for the 50th year: The Oldtimer Grand Prix will present the spectators with a packed programme on the occasion of its anniversary, which will probably thrill everyone who has anything to do with automobile and motorsport history: Pre-war racing cars and Formula 1 icons will take to the track, as will touring cars from the DRM and DTM. Little runabouts from the junior classes of the 1950s will be on the grid as well as beefy sports cars and prototypes that still thrill with their sound and performance today. And in many a race, vehicles can be seen racing on the track that are otherwise well protected in private or museum collections. For many races, the organisers also announce "full house" - the starting fields are often booked up to the last seat. A worthy backdrop, then, for the event that has long since developed into a classic in its own right over five decades.
Sports car classes: Legends and shining eyes
One of the jewels in the programme of the Oldtimer Grand Prix is the race of the sports cars up to 1965, whose first race on Saturday evening marks a highlight of the weekend. The race will thrill with a line-up of four dozen sports cars: Porsche and "Gullwing" Mercedes will be in a fight with Aston Martin and Lotus, Maserati and Ferrari - a fascinating display of vehicles that are considered by many to be among the most beautiful racing cars ever built. Just how rapidly the sports car class has developed can be seen in the course of the CanAm&Sportscars / Group-C-Classics. The models come from McLaren, Lotus and Lola, for example, and never fail to impress with their performance and sound.
Formula History from Entry Level to Grand Prix Sport
Formula history occupies a large space in the programme. With well over 40 entries, the class of the "little runabouts" is at the start - the Formula Junior cars from the years before 1963. These "forefathers" of the junior formulae also stand for the time when the formula engines moved behind the drivers and thus made an important step in the evolution of racing cars. The somewhat younger junior formulae are also represented in the AvD Historic Race Cup. Here, more than 30 racing cars from Formula 2, Formula Ford and comparable series will compete, which were held between the mid-1970s and the end of the 1980s. The up-and-comers from these series then found themselves in the cockpits of Formula 2, for example, whose cars represent a novelty in the programme of the Oldtimer Grand Prix: The British HSCC Formula 2 presents these great 70s racing cars. Historically, a double race series, which also comes to the Nürburgring from the British Isles, looks back at least another decade: the HGPCA (for "Historic Grand Prix Cars Association") comes up with almost 50 racing cars from Formula 1 prehistory and early history. Here, too, the evolution from front to rear engine can be studied on a living object - and this year even more vividly. On Saturday, the rear-engine and front-engine starting fields will each run a separate race, only to unite in a single giant field in the second race on Sunday: the legendary front-engine Maserati 250 F, the Ferrari 246 Dino and other Grand Prix icons will then clash with the early Formula 1 racing cars from Cooper, Lotus, Brabham and Co. A very special treat also awaits the spectators in a special demo race, which will be run on Saturday and Sunday: Formula 1 and Formula 2 cars will then be on display - from well-known global brands such as Ferrari and Dallara to unknown formula forges such as Rial or Maurer.
Touring car and GT classes: Top line-up and star meetings
In the touring car and GT races, too, there will be a lot of action in fully occupied starting fields and a reunion with legendary cars. One of the absolute highlights for many visitors will be the race of the "Golden Era of Touring Cars", in which a number of old warhorses will be involved: Harald Grohs, Kris Nissen and Olaf Manthey will each drive a BMW E30 M3, Roland Asch and his son Sebastian will sit in a Ford Sierra and Mercedes-Benz 190 Evo 1. Ex-DTM driver Volker Schneider will also be driving a Sierra, while Kurt Thiim will start in a Volvo 240 GRA. Of course, the almost 60 racing cars will also include Audi, Alfa Romeo, Opel and other unforgettable models that shaped the great DTM era from the 1980s onwards. The DRM revival will also be a spectacle with a huge starting field full of remarkable cars: Group 5 bolides such as the legendary Ford Turbo-Capris, Porsche 935 K3 or BMW 320 Turbo will lead the field of four dozen vehicles from the legendary German Racing Championship. In addition, the races of the FHR present themselves in top form, with the HTGT ("Historic Touring Car and GT Trophy") and the Dunlop Gentle Drivers '65, two starting fields with great cars. Here, racing cars such as Ford GT40, early 911 Porsche, BMW 2002, Alfa Romeo 1750 and others are gathered, which always thrill with their action-packed races.
Don't miss it: Experience tour through the paddock
Visitors to the Oldtimer Grand Prix will not only encounter legendary vehicles on the race track. It already starts on the parking areas directly at the Grand Prix circuit, which are partly used for the big brand club meeting. This meeting of enthusiasts continues in the infield in the Mercedes Arena, where top brand clubs will set up their lovingly maintained Porsches, Maseratis and Ferraris. The latter will also enrich the weekend in the form of the FCD Racing Series with runs with modern super sports cars on the race track. In the Grand Prix paddock, in addition to the cars from all the weekend's races, the large marquee awaits, which will serve as a meeting place for drivers, fans and officials. The catering and dealer stands are also worth a visit - and especially two event partners: Junghans will present the two special watch models created especially for the event anniversary. The Official Timing Partner of the Oldtimer Grand Prix is located in the tent next to the podium. Only a few metres further on, media partner Motor Klassik will be present with its tent, where the vehicles of the demo run "OGP Legends" will also be presented. Last but not least: the Historic Paddock. This is where the participants of the "Vintage Nürburgring" are accommodated, who are not racing their pre-war racing cars, but are showing off their automotive treasures in special runs on the Grand Prix circuit and on the Nordschleife.