Full starting fields with fascinating historic racing cars await visitors to the BELMOT Oldtimer Grand Prix from August 9 to 11 at the Nürburgring. Even though the entry deadline for the twelve racing series, invitational races and driving events is still running, the first organizers are already reporting “full house”. Numerous historically valuable racing cars from over 100 years of motorsport will be there, quite a few of them interrupting their stay in the protected environment of museums and exhibitions especially for the classic car Grand Prix. Among the highlight races will be the field of Formula 1 cars from the early Grand Prix years, in which the organizing British drivers' association HGPCA reports great interest. Of course, the sports cars of the 1950s are also a racing jewel, which, especially on Saturday evening, will give an idea of how things once went at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. The spectacular sports cars and GTs of the CanAm & Sportscars promise plenty of action, with cars with up to nine liters of displacement to marvel at (and listen to). The touring car and GT races are also extremely well-staffed, covering all the important eras from the 50s and 60s through the DRM era to the DTM and STW of the 90s and 2000s.

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The oldest vehicles of the weekend, which are housed in the historic paddock of the Nürburgring in proper style, are over 100 years old. Although they no longer compete for race wins in the “Vintage Sportscar Trophy”, they do so to the delight of the spectators. A whole group of American La France models have announced their participation, the oldest of which dates back to 1918 and is therefore almost ten years older than the Nürburgring itself! Of course, the classic sports cars of the 20s and 30s, such as the BMW 328, supercharged Mercedes and Bentley and Alfa Romeo models, will also be there. he historic range extends from aged and beautiful pre-war racing cars to the sports prototypes of the 1990s and 2000s. They will be battling it out in the “Historic Championship CanAm & Sportscars” for the race wins in the two races on Saturday and Sunday. he large-volume prototypes at the front of the field, such as the McLaren M6B and M8C, which originate from the former CanAm, promise to be a spectacle for the eyes and ears. Vehicles from the USA have also been announced: the three Shadow prototypes from the 70s have up to nine liters of displacement. he power development of the top of this starting field will be extremely impressive. But people in this country also knew what to do with sports prototypes - as demonstrated by the Zakspeed-Ford Probe from Group C from 1989, which has registered.

Racing highlights from the 50s and 60s
He starter fields from the 50s and 60s are also “not to be missed”. The more than three dozen vehicles of the British HGPCA are impressive: they bring the early Grand Prix years back to life at the Ring and allow a great look into the nursery of today's Formula 1, in which the monoposti were still front-engined in the 50s. It was only at the beginning of the 60s that the engine was moved to the rear and a new era began. he front-engined cars à la Maserati 250F, Ferrari 246 Dino and Cooper Bristol will be competing separately from their rear-engined counterparts in the first race on Saturday. he latter include the contemporary models from Lola, Cooper and Heron as well as the early Lotus. n Sunday, it will be a special spectacle when the early formula cars roll onto the grid in a joint race. nd while we're on the subject of a spectacle, the races of the two-seater sports cars and GTs up to 1971 will be even more of one. Despite the fact that entries have only just started, it is foreseeable that the 47 available starting places will be filled to the last seat - and with hand-picked racing icons that will make the experts' tongues wag: extremely rare and otherwise well-kept sports prototypes such as the Maserati 450 S will be back on the racetrack and will meet up with rivals befitting their status. Port cars such as the Ferrari 250, Porsche 904 and Mercedes 300 SL will be at the starting line, as will legendary GTs such as the Porsche 356A. he race on Saturday evening lasts until dusk and is the atmospheric highlight of the race weekend.

Offspring formulas of the past
The formula races dedicated to the former junior classes are a little more “modern”. Long-time visitors to the classic car grand prix will be particularly excited to see a field of starters that is new to the weekend's program and can virtually claim “home rights” at the Nürburgring. he historic Formula Vee saw the light of day in this country in 1965. n August 1 (almost exactly 59 years before the OGP weekend), it held its second race on German soil on what was then the southern loop of the Eifel circuit. he historic racing series now competes in its season races with over 40 vehicles from all periods and expects a similarly packed starting field at the Oldtimer Grand Prix. hese fantastic vehicles, which were originally powered by the 1200cc and 1300cc engines from the VW Beetle, taught their trade to icons such as Keke Rosberg and Nelson Piquet, Jochen Rindt and Niki Lauda: it is still regarded today as the largest one-make formula ever created. The ADAC Graf Berghe von Trips Cup also heralds an exciting and diverse field of starters, with young monoposti from the 70s and 80s in particular, and Formula 3 racers as the main focus among the three dozen cars. And some of them have a dazzling history. o example, the former Formula 3 cars of ex-Formula 1 star Nicola Larini, Kris Nissen, Emerson Fittipaldi and sports car ace Marco Werner can be seen at the Ring.

Huge crowds and huge action: the touring cars and GTs are on the move
He touring car and GT races at the Oldtimer Grand Prix are as historically exciting as they are full of motorsport action. he two starting fields in particular, in which points are awarded for the German Historic Car Championship, will easily reach the limits of the number of starters permitted by the DMSB track approval. he somewhat older vehicles in the HC'65 will be taking part in two sprint races at the weekend, which will see a reunion with legendary racing cars: Justin Healey and Jaguar E-Type, for example, or Ford GT40, Falcon and Mustang - here it is mainly the touring cars and GTs of the 50s and 60s that drive their way into the hearts of the spectators. Several Porsche 356s have also been announced, as well as early 911s, Lotus models and many more. he Porsche 911s will be a common sight in the younger HC '81 field, where they will be up against the Ford Capri and BMW M1 Procar. The touring car classes are also well represented here, with the “dog bone” Escort, BMW 2002, Alfa Romeo 1750 GT-Am and the first generation of the VW Golf competing.

RM and DTM: Traditionally full grandstands at the “made in Germany” highlights
The grandstands are definitely full when the two highlights of the weekend's touring car and GT racing program are on the grid: he “Golden Era” touring cars focus on former DTM cars, but related series such as STW, BTCC and the German DTC are also represented with former participant vehicles. n order to put the spotlight on these lower-displacement racers, there will be a special “Golden Era Special” on Saturday morning entitled “Iconic Two Liters”. n the joint races of the entire starting field, there will be a reunion with many former motorsport stars and unforgotten vehicles from the Ford Sierra RS 500 and the 190 Mercedes to the Audi 200 and BMW M3 E30. ast but not least: the DRM revival race! he two races on Saturday and Sunday always ensure full grandstands at the Nürburgring and prove that this predecessor series to the DTM has lost none of its popularity. MW 2002 and 320 Group 2, Ford Escort RS200 and Opel Kadett compete here in the touring car classes, while the mighty GTs dominate at the front of the field: more venerable Ford Capri Turbo battling against de Tomaso Pantera, BMW M1 and Group 5-2002 as well as Porsche 934 and 935 - all still spectacular cars. he program at the classic car grand prix also builds a bridge to more recent sports car history: the drivers of the FCD Racing Series are responsible for this, who cultivate Germany's best club racing with Italian luxury sports cars under the aegis of the Ferrari Club.