Report & Gallery: Relive the Nürburgring Classic 2022

Submitted by Marcel Hundscheid on June 7, 2022

By Marcel Hundscheid / Speed-O-Graphica

The Nurburgring was the setting for the traditional Nürburgring Classic on the penultimate weekend in May, a three-day event for fans of historic motorsport.

The organization had also managed to create the perfect timeline from the 1950s and 1960s to the early 1990s. In this era, a range of competitions and racing cars were presented, with a number of historic Formula 1 cars making their appearance over the weekend as a tastemaker.

After an absence of no less than three years, the renowned Nürburgring Classic returned to the historic motorsport calendar. Ten different series were on the program, varying from touring cars, sports cars, GTs and demo runs with Formula 1 cars. Besides all of this, youngtimers, CanAm bangers, sports cars and touring cars filled the great circuit over the three days. Below we will highlight amongst others some of the stunning F1 cars that could be seen.

From 1970 to early 1975 Scuderia Ferrari used the Ferrari 312B in the Formula 1 World Championship. The car was the successor of the earlier Ferrari 312, appearing in 1971 as practically a new car equipped with 2,992 cc flat 12 engine with shorter stroke. Besides this the 312 B2 featured an innovative rear suspension with twin struts and spring/damper groups mounted above the gearbox.

Scuderia entered the 312 B3 in the Formula 1 World Championship from 1971 until 1973 scoring 2 victories. In 1973 the B2 was succeeded by the 312 B3.

Benetton B192 chassis B192-08

Pictured here is the Benetton B192 from 1992 driven by both Michael Schumacher and Martin Brundle. Rory Byrne and Ross Brawn designed the B192 around a carbon-fibre composite monocoque, powered by a 3,494 cc Ford Cosworth HB6.

Nowadays the car is owned and driven by Lorina McLaughlin. She runs the Historic Formula One Race Car Entrants (THE FORCE). The Benetton B192 was one of the last successful F1 cars of the era with a clutch pedal and manual gearbox.

Steve Nichols and Jean-Claude Mignot designed the Ferrari 643 for the 1991 Formula 1 season. Powered by a Ferrari Tipo 291 3,499 cc V12 and a seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox, the engine generated 710 hp at 13,800 rpm.

Although the Ferrari 643 looked to be very promising it was the Williams FW14 and McLaren MP4/6 that had the upper hand in the championship. Due to technical difficulties and relations between Ferrari’s F1 management and Alain Prost during that period, that the French world champion was fired as a works driver.

In CanAm and Sportscars, this remarkable McLaren M8F appeared on the grid. A closer look revealed that the nose section was used in 1973 by Team VDS in the Interserie. The same nose section was used by Peter Hoffmann in 1980/1981 on his McLaren M8FP. The livery presented on the car was used by David Hobbs back in 1973 on his McLaren M20 in the CanAm championship.