The Schleizer Dreieck of today is one of the most beautiful natural race tracks in the world, comparable to Spa or the Isle of Man. Schleiz was founded as a motorcycle circuit for motorcyclists and the first race held there was in 1923.
Set in the old East Germany, the area harbours a hedonistic love of motorsport which even communism could not destroy.
The new track is a road circuit some 3.8 kms in length and quite wide; there is plenty of room to overtake and it is also one of the few tracks that run anti-clockwise. It has a varietyof corners spread over a height variation of nearly 70 metres with fantastic views even as you are racing. The new circuit is somewhat shorter than the old one but apparently still has the same appeal.
They also have a historic race meeting every year in July; heres some great pictures from last year's event.
Melkus RS 1000/1600 - A two seat gullwing door handmade sportscar from Heinz Melkus (a racing driver from Dresden, Saxony) launched in 1969, about 100 units made until production ended in 1980.
Powered by a 1 litre Wartburg 3-cylinder two stroke engine (circa 70 bhp in road trim and 90 in racing trim) installed behind the passengers-room
In the 1980s some were refitted with 1.6 litre 4 cylinder BMW M10 engine.
Saker GT, a Dutch sports racer:
Abarth 1000TC:
Lada, Lada, Lada...
Wartburg touring car:
Unknown (F3?) single-seat racer:
Zastava 1300:
ZAZ Sapo 968M:
Matra Murena:
Dacia 1310:
Triumph TR3A in the pit area:
Unknown Bentley special:
1960's Melkus racing car Die Zigarre" ("the cigar")
Dallara F3 car:
Possibly a Ralt, not sure:
Melkus-Wartburg formula junior single seater:
Porsche 911 2.4 Targa:
No comments:
Post a Comment