The Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix 2012 was held 1-2 September at the seaside Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands. More than 30,000 spectators enjoyed the return of vintage grand prix machines to the ‘Circuit in the Dunes.’
Organized in cooperation with the Historische Auto Ren Club (HARC), the inaugural Historic Grand Prix Zandvoort celebrated the Grand Prix and Formula 1 history at the track that hosted the Dutch Grand Prix from 1948 to 1985.
Additional support series at the vintage race weekend featured historical sports cars, touring cars and GTs.
The Historic Grand Prix Car Association brought two grids to Zandvoort, one for rear-engined cars that raced between 1961 and 1965 and one for front-engined cars that raced before 1961. Additionally, the Masters Racing Series fielded the Grand Prix Masters, World Sportscar Masters, Gentlemen Drivers and Sports Racing Masters.
HARC Chairman Kees Kooij said, “I had not dared hope that the event such a success would be. This weekend we and Circuit Park Zandvoort and other stakeholders a wonderful foundation for the Historic Grand Prix 2013. It is unique that all sponsors of the event have already agreed that they want to participate again next year.”
Photographer Jurrie Vanhalle documented the Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix 2012 with the following 415-image gallery of pictures that capture the quality field and the historic Zandvoort circuit in the dunes. To see more from Jurrie, visit www.vjimages.be.
Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix 2012 – Photo Gallery
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Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix 2012 – Race Reports and Results
World Sportscar Masters – David Hart took victory in the World Sportscar Masters race at Zandvoort, the Dutchman triumphing in the one-hour thriller.
Hart took an early lead and spent the early laps fending off the challenge of the impudent Abarth Osella of Manfredo Rossi di Montelera, which stayed on the tail of Hart’s Lola T70 for the early laps. It was the ideal battle: a car with power good on some parts of the seaside track, a nimble car chasing it, which was faster through the corners. Rossi pitted first but the Abarth was found to have a fuel leak and the Italian lost time while the problem was fixed. That allowed Phil Hall (Lola T212) up to second place and the similar car of Steve Allen to third.
As Hart led, attention turned to the fifth placed car, the Lola T70 that had taken pole position. Started by David Coplowe, the Lola dropped over 40 seconds before Martin Stretton took over the car and set off in pursuit of glory. Stretton worked past the Hall and Allen Lolas and was up to second place but with 10 minutes to go, Hart clipped a backmarker, which damaged the left side of his Lola. The door flew open and the Dutch ace tried to continue holding it in place. That proved too difficult so a pit stop was needed which in turn dropped Hart over 30 seconds. With the door ripped off, he continued in the lead chased by an inspire Stretton who was within 10 seconds when he went off the road on the last lap.
With Stretton out, Phil Hall was gifted second in his Lola T212 and the recovered Rossi took third.
“I thought I had it under control,” said Hart, “but the backmarker didn’t see me and we touched. The door fell into the car and I tried to continue by holding it in place but it was impossible to drive like that. I had to pit.”
World Sportscar Masters – Top Five Results
1. David Hart, Lola T70 Mk3B
2. Philip Hall, Lola T212
3. Manfredo Rossi di Montelera, Abarth Osella PA1
4. Steve Allen / David Gathercole, Lola T212
5. David Coplowe / Martin Stretton, Lola T70 Mk3B
Grand Prix Masters – Manfredo Rossi took a second win of the weekend in GP Masters at Zandvoort as his Lotus 80 dominated the Formula 1 grid.
Starting from pole position, Rossi headed Christophe D’Ansembourg’s McLaren M26, which tried to stay with the Lotus over the early laps. However, when D’Ansembourg made a small error leaving the Hugenholtzbocht, he lost too much time and was unable to get back on to terms with the fleet Italian.
Behind the top two raged a wonderful battle between a fast-starting Ron Maydon (Amon F101) and Ian Simmonds (Tyrrell 012). For lap after lap, Simmonds tried to find a way past the Masters supremo, but Maydon defended stoically. Eventually, Simmonds found a way by on the outside at the Tarzan Hairpin and charged off in pursuit of D’Ansembourg, missing out on second place by six-tenths of a second but taking his first Masters podium. Maydon, meanwhile, lost out to Andrew Beaumont (Lotus 76/1) and then suffered a misfire on the last lap.
Rossi was a delighted victor in his Lotus 80, a car to new to him this season. “It’s been a great weekend,” he said. “The car has gone really well and two wins is a dream result.”
Grand Prix Masters – Top Five Results
1. Manfredo Rossi di Montelera, Lotus 80
2. Christophe D’Ansembourg, McLaren M26
3. Ian Simmonds, Tyrrell 012
4. Andrew Beaumont, Lotus 76/1
5. Ron Maydon, Amon F101
Masters Gentlemen Drivers GT – Former Le Mans winner Jan Lammers starred in the Gentlemen Drivers Pre-66 GT race at Zandvoort, guiding Michiel Campagne’s Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport to a win in the 90-minute race.
Car owner Campagne enjoyed an early battle with Tom Coronel, the WTCC star making his debut in David Hart’s AC Cobra. However, when a caution zone developed, Campagne was deemed to have overtaken a backmarker under the waved yellow flags and he was given a 20 second stop-go penalty. That dropped the car behind Coronel’s Cobra and after the pit stops, Lammers rejoined over 40 seconds adrift of the AC. However, some inspired driving by the ex-Formula 1 racer brought the car back into contention and he was helped further by the Cobra of Hart becoming stuck in third gear.
Hart/Coronel hung on to second behind Campagne/Lammers, while Alexander van der Lof/Hans Hugenholtz (AC Cobra) took third. Fourth and fifth, after a race-long duel, were the Lotus Elans of Nelson Rowe/John Watson and Graham Wilson/Andy Wolfe, while Peter Gerhards/Han In’t Veld (TVR Griffith) took sixth despite a pit lane penalty. Hart made up for his disappointment by winning the Sports Racing Masers race in his Lola T70 Spyder from Chris Jolly/Steve Farthing (Cooper Monaco), with Laurie Bennett’s third place earning the McLaren M1B driver his first Masters podium result.
Masters Gentlemen Drivers GT – Top Five Results
1. Michiel Campagne / Jan Lammers, Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
2. David Hart / Tom Coronel, AC Cobra
3. Alexander van der Lof / Hans Hugenholtz, AC Cobra
4. John Watson / Nelson Rowe, Lotus Elan
5. Graham J. Wilson / Andy Wolfe, Lotus Elan 26R
Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix 2012 – Additional Race Results
Grand Prix Cars Pre-1961 – Top Five Results
1. Julian Bronson, Scarab Offenhauser
2. Phillip Walker, Lotus 16 368
3. Adrian van der Kroft, HWM F2
4. Marc Valvekens, Gordini T16-31
5. John Bussey, Cooper T43
Grand Prix Cars 1961-65 – Top Five Results
1. Will Nuthall, Cooper T53
2. Max Blees, Brabham BT7A
3. Andy Middlehurst, Lotus 25 R4
4. Peter Horsman, Lotus 18/21
5. Rod Jolley, Cooper T45/51
Historic Formula Two – Top Five Results
1. Martin Stretton, March 742
2. Nick Fleming, Ralt RT1
3. David Methley, Chevron B35
4. Philip Harper, Ralt RT1
5. Hans Peter, Ralt RT1
NK HT and GTs – Top Five Results
1. Graham Wilson, Lotus Elan
2. Alexander van der Lof, Bizzarini 5300 GT
3. Michiel Campagne / Jan Lammers, Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
4. Alexander Schlüchter, Lotus Elan 26R
5. Rob Bergmans, Iso Rivolta
Sports Racing Masters – Top Five Results
1. David Hart, Lola T70 Spyder
2. Chris Jolly / Steve Farthing, Cooper Monaco T-61M
3. Laurie Bennett, McLaren M1B
4. Hans Hugenholtz, Ford GT40
5. Howard Jones, Lola T70 Spyder
[Source: Zandvoort Historic; Masters Racing Series; photos: Jurrie Vanhalle]
