A1-Ring - 26/08/2001   Saturday An Austrian's View   Today, it is a parking lot. Most people walking down the hill towards the main entrance don't realise that until 1997, this used to be about 20% of the old Oesterreichring, the fast run up to the highest part of the track. It was this section that brought the average lap speed up to Silverstone levels. Today's kinder, gentler A1-Ring may be less charismatic, but it is financially much more successful. The changes were necessary to bring the Max & Bernie Show back and thus secure a much-needed source of revenue for this region. We have always turned to our mountains as sources of entertainment and revenue. With the changeable Alpine weather showing its friendliest face today, the Super Racing Weekend , a.k.a. Fastest Package Show on Earth, has come to town. The local race fans have turned out in encouraging numbers; there is hope for a good crowd race day. The Super Production qualifying sees 'usual suspect' Duncan Huisman in front for the first few minutes, but then Tommy Rustad takes control of the session and claims the first pole position for the Nissan Primera - a welcome change to the usual routine. There is a new contender in the hunt as well - well, maybe not all that new. The Peugeot 306 was the car to beat in the Belgian Procar, it didn't do much in Germany, now let's see what it can do in the ETCC in the twilight days of its racing career. It definitely sounds the part - noisier than any other SP car except the infernal Alfa 156. This is probably the spookiest part about the BMWs - they are so quiet. They can't be much louder than street legal 320s. Jean-Michel Martin has been racing touring cars since approximately the late 18th century. Today, he is referred to as "the best newcomer". The 306s have got the sound track right, but where are the Special Effects? The Super Touring field comes out for its qualifying session, and this does not look like a series in its last year. One would expect to see (and has often seen) a pitiful collection of walking wounded; but all the cars are beautifully turned out and are well presented. Super Touring is going out with flying colours. I would imagine that a few stalwart Super Touring manufacturers (Volvo! Ford! - yes I know it's the same these days...) will be kicking themselves for not taking part in this, or doing full seasons. The temperatures are soaring to new heights. The Austrian weather's friendly face (see above) isn't smiling anymore, it is grinning madly. As the touring cars are wheeled away from a foto shoot on pit lane, the MAC team mechanics have trouble wheeling Heinrich Szymanzick's Opel Vectra away: that car is all black, and so hot they can't touch it. The general mood in the paddock is relaxed and laid back - this isn't the weather for frantic activity. Scooters are out, quads are a must-have for 2001. One particularly impressive quad carries a Conrero decal. So that's what they meant when they talked of "extensive modifications" to their Riley & Scott! Why are there support races, anyway? It would be entertaining enough to let the teams race their quads. They are going three wide round the petrol station already. Also new for 2001: the six wheeled golf cart! Speaking of six-wheelers, the news is coming through that Ken Tyrrell passed away today, in his 77th year. He will be sadly missed. On a lighter note, there are support races after all, and the first of these finds me in the shade of the main grandstand - asleep. Sorry. Maybe Formula Volkswagen doesn't sound all that exciting (Formula this, Formula that...), maybe it's the four Aspirins... As one of the Formula Renault runners stalls his car on the drive all through the paddock to get to the track (they are located outside the actual motodrome, in the void beyond the grandstands), local hero Philip Peter watches on with a thin smile on his face that says "been there, done that". In the race, the Pole on pole (no really!) throws it away in the first corner, and the Championship leader never makes it past Turn 2. Carnage, mayhem, business as usual. Have you ever heard of Formula Chrysler? Neither have I. The promotors of this new series have managed to keep its existence a secret - even the official timetable only says "F.C.". In fact, this is the inaugural race of the latest single seater spec. racing series. Aren't there enough of those already? The cars are built by Reynard, powered by a 3.5l Chrysler engine, and look suspiciously like Formula Palmer cars. Eight cars make the grid; no less than three of the drivers are from Mexico. Chrysler is quite active in Mexican racing, this could be a scholarship of sorts. From Los Hermanos Rodriguez to Los Hermanos Gonzales? No "Speedy" jokes, please. They finish 2nd and 3rd. Of the eight, seven make it through Turn 1, six through Turn 2. Four runners take the chequered flag. There is still some work to be done. The sun is still glaring down mercilessly as Super Pole gets under way. The first pole position for a Ferrari F550 is enthusiastically celebrated by a group of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher (!) fans high up in the open grandstand on the outside of Turn 1. During the 'best of the rest' qualifying session, they ignore the Vipers and give the lone Lamborghini assorted fingers. They don't cheer for the JMB F360 because they don't recognise it as a Ferrari - it isn't red. They are also comprehensively drunk. A heated discussion ensues on the topic of the unique sound of a V12 vis-a-vis the engine note of other cars, e.g. the Lister (...hello??) - good to know F1 still has its fan base. Excuse me, folks, the Grand Prix is over, you can go home now! The old Proton 911 is spun violently a couple of times by whoever it is that pays the rent today (just jealous!), and who then tries to pass everything that looks remotely like a Lister. The ART-Lister still looks like a Lister-Lister, they probably couldn't get the elaborate paint job done in time. A shame. The track announcer is on Dieter Quester's case today; he drones on and on about how fast he is at an age where other people have long retired, that he has been in racing for 40 years now (over 40 years if you count his successes in power boating - he even attempts to give us a quick run down of Quester's career, year by year by year...wake me up when this is over.!), about his recent health problems and his swift recuperation (at his age!)... - if you want to tick Dieter Quester off big time you can do that by mentioning his name in connection with old age and decrepitude. Philip Peter gets a round of cheers as he manhandles his Porsche 996 to eighth on the grid; the fourth row is an N-GT lockout as Luca Riccitelli goes one better and puts the RWS Porsche on N-GT pole, and in seventh place overall, also to the delight of the locals ("Red Bull", Quester, does it get any better than that?). Call me biased, but the touring cars are being eclipsed by the GTs today. This place has never been much of a touring car venue, anyway; in fact, 2001 is probably the circuit's most 'high profile' year, with the ETCC and the DTM stopping over. Tarquini and his Honda seem to like it - they beat the Alfa Brigade to pole position on their first (and for the Accord: last) visit. The black Vectra has stopped out on the track and has to be pushed out of harm's way. Good thing Mr. Szymanzick has his fire-proof gloves on. Meanwhile the marshals are having some gear jammin', tire squealin' fun of their own as they bounce their Jeep Cherokees over the curbs and rumblestrips for no apparent reason, and the Safety Car does a burn-out (or something remotely similar) for the enjoyment of the Westtribüne. I'm pretty sure this isn't in the FIA rule book. The typical Italian is easily recognised by his immaculate attire: sharp creases even in his cargo pants. - Pardon me, it was Stephane Ratel. With the Austrian weather's friendly face probably still laughing in my sunburned face, I will be back tomorrow. Cy Bersdorf Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport