Gran Premio di Donington 1937

[sundance76]

In "When the Germans came to Donington", Rodney Walkerley describes the impression the German cars made on British journalists who had not yet witnessed them, being confident in the skills and machinery of British racers.

Away beyond the woods we heard the approaching scream of a well-tuned E.R.A. and down the winding slope towards us came Raymond Mays. He changed down, braked, skirted round the Hairpin and was gone.

"There's the winner," remarked one of my friends. "Knows this course backwards."

Half a minute later came the deeper note of a 2.9-litre Maserati, and "B. Bira" (Prince Birabongse of Siam, Mays’ nearest rival and a new star in the racing firmament) shot past us, cornering with that precision which marked him as the master he was.

"Or him," said another.

We waited again. Then they came.

Far away in the distance we heard an angry, deep-throated roaring – as someone once remarked, like hungry lions impatient for the arena. A few moments later, Manfred von Brauchitsch, red helmeted, brought a great, silver projectile snaking down the hill, and close behind, his teammate Rudolf Caracciola, then at the height of his great career. The two cars took the hairpin, von Brauchitsch almost sideways, and rocketed away out of sight with long plumes of rubber smoke trailing from their huge rear tyres, in a deafening crash of sound.

The startled Pressmen gazed at each other, awe-struck.

"Strewth," gasped one of them, "so that's what they're like!"

That was what they were like.

 

[330tr]

Che meraviglia...600 cv per 750 kg, e il volo sui dossi è realtà..

[leopnd]

Manfred Von Brauchitsch, Mercedes-Benz... Secondo posto...

[leopnd]

Rudolf Hasse, Auto Union... Quinto posto...

[leopnd]

Robin Hanson, Maserati... Ritirato...

 

[leopnd]

Percy Maclure, Riley... Ritirato...

[duvel]

Garages a Donington

 la W125 di Von Brauchitsch

[sundance76]

Manfred von Brauchitsch sulla Mercedes-Benz W 125 subito dopo la zona box: