Grossglockner Grand Prix 2012

from :http://www.sportscardigest.com 

The Grossglockner Grand Prix 2012 was held 20 to 22 September on the unique Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria. The Grossglockner mountain race was one of the most prestigious motor sports events of the 1930s. This year it was revived and held as a classic car event.

The 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix was a homage to the legendary “Mountain Grand Prix” races held there in the 1930s. With 92 bends, 14 hairpins, almost 15 kilometres and an altitude difference of almost 1300 metres, the event presented a challenge for man and machine now as they did then. As in the original race, the route was from Ferleiten to Fuscher Torl in Austria.

Mercedes-Benz, who took part in the race for the first time in 1938, shipped over several cars for the revival, including a SSK, a model that was successful in mountain races from 1928 to 1935, and with a W 125 Silver Arrow Grand Prix car from the 1930s. W 125 racing cars took part in the original events in 1938 and 1939, and in 1939 Hermann Lang drove one to victory.

In the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix the driver’s paddock was established at the Ferleiten toll station in line with historical precedent. The field was limited to 50 pre-war cars, 5 Veritas cars and 20 racing cars from the 1950s. The post-war cars participated as an homage to other famous mountain races.

After a practice run, the drivers set their own time target in a “timed run” that had to be confirmed twice. They therefore covered the route four times. The road was understandably closed to normal traffic for the duration of the event.

After the mountain prize, competed for on the Thursday and Friday (20 and 21 September), there was also the option of booking an additional Rally Day for Saturday 22 September 2012. The rally route, known as the “Alpine Challenge” covered 160 kilometres of mountains and valleys in the national park of Hohe Tauern, and also included the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. Speed was never the primary consideration in this event, but rather driving pleasure and an appreciation of the scenery.

The spectacular views from these photos say it all. Seeing these breathtaking cars blitzing through an equally breathtaking location was destined to be nothing short of an unforgettable experience. Since many important old Mercedes like these don’t get used very much, it’s a blessing to get to see them in action, especially on their old stomping grounds.

1928 Mercedes SSK at the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix

Mercedes-Benz Classic at the Grossglockner Grand Prix 2012. 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK.

Mercedes-Benz Classic at the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix. Jochen Mass in the 1937 Mercedes-Benz W125.

1928 Mercedes-Benz Type SSK.

1928 Mercedes-Benz Type SSK on the Edelweiss at sunrise.

1937 Mercedes-Benz W 125

1928 Mercedes-Benz Type SSK driving down to the valley.

Jochen Mass in the 1937 Mercedes-Benz W 125

Grossglockner Mountain Grand Prix History

The first Grossglockner mountain race took place in 1935. The route was covered only once and immediately rated, the winner being Mario Tadini in an Alfa Romeo. The next two events were held there in 1938 and 1939, and in the “Mountain Grand Prix” the drivers were required to absolve two runs of the pass road. The event was seen as Europe’s longest and most difficult mountain race. The initial plan was to include the complete, almost 38-kilometre long stretch of the high alpine road from Fusch to Franz-Josefs-Höhe, including two tunnels. However, the route was eventually shortened to around 15 kilometres.

Mercedes-Benz first took part in 1938, with Hermann Lang and Manfred von Brauchitsch driving W 125 cars. In adverse weather with fog and rain they achieved 2nd and 3rd place behind Hans Stuck driving an Auto Union. The following year, Hermann Lang emerged the winner of the Grossglockner race, ahead of Hans Stuck and Hermann Paul Müller in Auto Union cars. This brought him the title of “Mountain Champion” six weeks after having already won the Vienna mountain race. Manfred von Brauchitsch had bad luck owing to the changeable weather: on his very first run he encountered a bank of fog in his Silver Arrow and came fourth. In the Grossglockner race the W 125 cars entered by the Mercedes-Benz racing team competed in their mountain racing versions for the first time, with a modified cooling system and lower final drive ratio.

Training for the Grossglockner mountain race on 6 August 1939. The eventual victor, Hermann Lang (starting number 128) with a Mercedes-Benz W 125 mountain racing car with a 5.6-litre engine, attempting to improve traction with twin tyres on the rear axle. Directly behind the vehicle stands a W 154 that was only ever used in training, next to which is another W 125 with the starting number 127 which was driven to fourth place in the race by Manfred von Brauchitsch.

Training for the Grossglockner Mountain Race on 28 August 1938. Hermann Lang in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 with additional slide carburetor, starting number 83. In the race the starting number 83 was worn by the winning Auto Union driven by Hans Stuck. Hermann Lang, with the starting number 82, finished second.

Grossglockner Mountain Race, 28 August 1938. Manfred von Brautisch in a Mercedes-Benz W 125, starting number 81. He came in third.

Training for the Grossglockner Mountain Race on 6 August, 1939. Manfred von Brautisch in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 mountain racing car with a 5.6-litre engine, starting number 127, attempting to improve traction with twin tyres on the rear axle. He came fourth in the race.

Grossglockner Mountain Race, 6 August 1939, in difficult weather conditions. Manfred von Brautisch in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 mountain racing car with a 5.6-litre engine, starting number 127. He finished fourth.

Grossglockner Mountain Race, 6 August 1939. The eventual victor, Hermann Lang (starting number 128), with a Mercedes-Benz mountain racing car with a 5.6-litre engine.

Grossglockner Mountain Race, 6 August 1939. The eventual victor, Hermann Lang (starting number 128), with a Mercedes-Benz W 125 mountain racing car.

Grossglockner Mountain Race, 6 August 1939. The eventual victor, Hermann Lang (starting number 128), with a Mercedes-Benz W125 mountain racing car.

[Source: Daimler AG]