Hard on the heels of the French endurance marathon at Le Mans the BPR Global GT Series resumes its course at the Nurburgring this coming weekend.
Jurgen Barth and his merry team have rounded up the usual suspects but the series is in the unusual position of having the McLaren teams at a psychological disadvantage. The comprehensive drubbing of Honest Ron of Woking's finest by the panzers from Stuttgart will have surely left some scars. It has been 18 months since the F1 GTR burst onto the scene and began the complete domination of class 1 GT racing. There have been occasions when their supremacy has been threatened but the very British virtues of steadfastness, a refusal to panic and sheer "bottle" have helped either the GTC or DPR teams hold off the challengers. This may be about to change.
Lotus quite wisely, with hindsight, opted to withdraw from Le Mans and focus on improving reliability and increasing speed ( also saving valuable funds). The 'Ring will suit their package right down to the ground, with the emphasis being on handling and preserving tyres and brakes, virtues that the Esprit has in spades. Jan Lammers will be on the pace as ever but there is still the question of the second driver in the lead car with the withdrawal of Perry McCarthy (jumped or pushed?) after achieving the runner up spot in the last round at Silverstone - sometime 1995 pilot Chris Goodwin is the likely choice. In any case the second car of Mike Hezemans and Alex Portman is getting closer as each race goes by to the team leader and could finish well up in Germany.
How well the McLarens will do in the Eifel mountains will largely depend on the prevailing weather conditions. In discussing this with the wily old fox Keith Greene at Goodwood last weekend he suggested that you could either require Barbour and wellies or thong and factor F50, or if so inclined both! In my personal case it was considered that the Barbour was most appropriate whatever the conditions as the Germans are still sensitive over BSE and the sight of me in a thong could well cause unrest. The factor of the climate will almost certainly decide the result within the McLaren camp. If it is hot as at Jarama and Le Mans then Michelin and GTC will be in the driving seat but if the temperatures are low then the Goodyears and DPR will be favourite as evidenced at Silverstone. The other unknown is how much the cars, drivers and teams have had taken out of them by their exertions in France.
The other front runners, Ferrari ENNEA, were quickest here last year and the Gounon, Bernard and Belmondo car is due a win but their Achilles heel, fuel consumption, will probably settle the question of an outright win for them.
There are some new boys for this term led by the Lister Storm. This team sporting the colours of Newcastle United is taking part in their first BPR round having been given the all clear by the organisers after Silverstone. The world's fastest humbug will be steered by Geoff Lees and Tiff Needell and is a welcome addition to the ranks. Returning to the series since Monza last year is the De Tomaso Pantera now run by Superpower Engineering and John McDonald ( no doubt doing a bit of scouting for uncle Bernie ) which will be driven by Thorkild Thyrring, who assures me that he is still world famous in Denmark. Again it is good to have the team along and if they get a bit more power they could be on the pace. Andy Wallace who drove the car in the first three races last season reckoned that the handling was pretty good.
There are also new entries from Callaway Schweiz and Luigi Racing with a Viper but these have shone to date and are unlikely to trouble the quick boys. Being Germany there seem to a million Porsches on the entry list some of which we have seen before but the only notable addition is the second Freisinger car for Hans Joachim Stuck Jnr. and Fulvio Ballabio which should not lack in horsepower department.
Down in GT2 there will be the usual struggle of the Porsches led by the Roock Racing entry of series leaders Eichmann and Ruch joined by the quick Belgian Michel Neugarten. The opposition will come from the team that emerged victorious in the last two rounds, Cor Euser and Thomas Erdos in the Marcos LM600. Due for a victory soon after their annus horribilis is last years darlings Enzo Calderari and Lilian Bryner and I would put them up as my tip for class honours.
With the Diablo series as a support the meeting will be a fine antidote to the football, particularly for the Germans licking their wounds after England's triumph at Wembley tonight.................................and so if you are in the vicinity get along. You know it makes sense.
Remember multi sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.
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