Master ceremony, special exhibition and Jugend forsch(t)
In the 2015 anniversary year, the first international Formula Vee championship was held. It was won by Joe Welzel (DRM PRT, 483 points) ahead of Marco Wittkuhn (Kaimann, 405 points) and Leo Sommer (RSM-Tasco, 396 points).
The class winners are:
- Class 1: Manfred Nord (Beach)
- Class 2: Stephan Gremler (RPB)
- Class 3: Marco Wittkuhn (Kaimann)
- Grade 4: Leo Sommer (RSM Tasco)
- Grade 5: Wolfgang Rafflenbeul (Royale)
- Grade 7: Joe Welzel (DRM PRT)
In addition to the 10 races of the Formula V series, 2015 featured the races of the Gold Cup, the anniversary series at the Nürburgring with the return of Formula V to the Nordschleife as a highlight, appearances at the Norisring as part of the DTM with a major gathering of legends, and participation in the Hamburg Stadtparkrennen and the Rossfeldrennen. An average of 40 drivers started in the 12 scoring races of Formula V and the Gold Cup (2014: 38), with a total of 77 in 2015. For the Norisring anniversary race, the entry list was also very well filled with over 50 entries. A big thank you goes to all active participants and the many volunteers in the club who made this possible. Sincere congratulations to the winners and place-getters of the 2015 anniversary activities. Traditionally, the honoring of the champions will take place at the annual general meeting of members, which this time will be held on February 20, 2016, at the ZeitHaus in Wolfsburg.
There is also currently a special exhibition there on the „complete history of Formula V“ – shown in six outdoor display cases with the support of Historic Formula V Europe. „Between the (anniversary) years,“ an early Apal, an RPB as another representative of the single-carburetor era, a twin-carburetor MoTuL, another MoTuL Super V, the ex-Helmut Koinigg Kaimann, and a modern Merlin Formula V are exhibited outdoors in the Autostadt.
In 2016, the action continues on the race tracks with many new highlights: In addition to the series races in Hockenheim, at the Nürburgring, the Red Bull Ring, and the Salzburgring, the Gold Cup Final with international participation will take place in Zandvoort in August. The Austrian anniversary (the first Formula V series in Austria took place in 1966) will be celebrated with a major demonstration as part of the Truck European Championship weekend at the Red Bull Ring from April 29 to May 1, 2016. In addition, Formula V will appear in France for the first time: at a presentation in Le Mans in August.
That the Formula V, despite its history spanning over 5 decades, is not only something for older gentlemen, but also attractive to the motorsport youth, is shown by the enthusiasm of the young up-and-coming talent for the Historic Formula V. With Sarah and Benjamin Havermans (Lux), Fiona Hasler (CH), Nick Ohlinger, Sascha Hofbeck, and Robin Kluth (all D), quite a few young drivers are already successfully active in the series. To ensure this can continue, the club will sponsor 10 driver training courses for club members under 25 years of age with 200 euros each in 2016. Encounters between Formula V legends who have been practicing the sport for over 40 years, the large number of „late-blooming“ competitors in their 40s and 50s, and young up-and-coming grassroots motorsport athletes are thus permanently secured on and off the tracks. For the time being, experience often still wins: in 2014, club champion Manfred Benninger was a proud 81 years old. Just like veteran Fred Hoenle, who has been racing Formula V since 1969, he is a regular visitor to the winner's podium. However, that young competitors can also drive Formula V quite fast was repeatedly demonstrated in the past season by Robin Kluth, who overwhelmingly swept the Mathé Cup at the races in Austria. The „young wild one“ – he is also under 30 – has evolved into a regularity specialist. His lap times often differ by only a few hundredths: from „bold youth“ to „youth researches“ – that seems to be the trend. That youth female power is also well represented is shown by Sarah Havermans in Class 2 and Fiona Hasler in Class 4. The continuation of the cross-generational V-duels is thus assured. So that the motto „born to be v“ can be carried forward with tradition and experience and at the same time with youthful enthusiasm.
More at: www.formel-vau.eu