Misplaced Pages

#443556

46-779: Meant to replace Sauber's previous effort, the SHS C6 , the C7 would continue Sauber's initial failed development of the BMW M88 3.5L I6 engine in the SHS C6. Debuting at the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans , the fourth round of the World Sportscar Championship , the Sauber C7 finished an impressive 9th, behind eight Porsche 956s . The C7 would appear again at Fuji, where it would finish 10th overall. However, development of

92-429: A BMW M88 3.5L I6. Debuting at the 24 Hours of Le Mans , the car finished a distant 23rd. The only other finish for the year was a 17th at the 1000km Spa , leaving the teams with no points in the 1985 championship. Roland Bassaler would continue into 1986, again starting at Le Mans where he failed to finish, then followed by a 17th-place finish at Brands Hatch . Roland Bassaler would then score their only points at

138-400: A chicane sequence, followed by a more tight and twisty "stadium" section (so called because of all the grandstands situated there) named Motodrom . This made the setting up of racing cars difficult, since a choice had to be made – whether to run low downforce to optimize speed through the straights and compromise grip in the stadium section, or, run more downforce to optimize grip through

184-565: A fine seventh position. Early in the race Brun had a dreadful accident on the run up to the Karussel, destroying the car and blocking the track. Brun escaped with minor injury, suffering a broken arm in the accident. The car was refitted with a Cosworth engine for the 24 Hours of Le Mans were the car was driven by the Canadian drivers Villeneuve , Heimrath and Deacon. The raced was a disaster as they retired with an overheated engine before

230-634: A quarter-mile track for drag racing . It hosts one of the largest drag racing events in Europe, known as the NitrOlympx , and was one of the last Top Fuel circuits to race to 0.25 mi (0.40 km) before the FIA switched the nitro categories to the now-recognised 1,000 ft (300 m) distance in 2012. The Hockenheim Circuit hosted the German Grand Prix for the first time in 1970 when

276-561: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This motorsport-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sauber SHS C6 The Sauber SHS C6 was a Group C prototype racing car built by Swiss manufacturer Sauber and engineering firm Seger & Hoffman (hence the unique SHS designation), intended for competition in the World Endurance Championship and Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft series. Seger & Hoffman left

322-711: Is only used for two events in August, the Public Race Days and the NitrolympX  [ de ] main event a week later. Originally named the Nitrolympics and featuring Top Fuel dragsters, it was renamed to NitrolympX. When the Hockenheimring was shortened in 2002, the drag strip was moved back, closer to the new tall Tower stands that allow an unusual view along the drag strip. Even though

368-581: The 1983 season. Brun initially took over GS-Sport's BMW M1s and the Sauber SHS C6, modifying the later into what became known as the Sehcar C6. The Sehcar made its debut at Silverstone , were Brun hired Hans-Joachim Stuck as his co-driver. The race only lasted 32 laps after a gearbox failure. The car was fitted with a BMW engine for the race at the Nürburgring . Stuck qualified the car in

414-533: The 1992 German Grand Prix , the Ostkurve was changed yet again, from a quick left turn into a more complex right-left-right chicane, after Érik Comas crashed there in 1991 . The second chicane was renamed after Ayrton Senna , after his death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix . This version used to be quite large, with a very long and very fast section going through forests essentially consisting of four straights of roughly 1.3 km (0.81 mi), separated by

460-610: The 24 Hours of Le Mans at the end of competition story. Hockenheimring The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg ( German: [ˈhɔkŋ̍haɪmʁɪŋ ˌbaːdn̩ ˈvʏʁtəmbɛʁk] ) is a motor racing circuit situated in the Rhine valley near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg , Germany, located on the Bertha Benz Memorial Route . Amongst other motor racing events, it has hosted

506-615: The FIA to greatly improve spectator viewing, safety, and security at the track, claiming that the track was no longer suited to modern Formula One racing. In the early 2000s, F1 officials demanded the 6.823 km (4.240 mi) track be shortened and threatened to discontinue racing there, threatening to relocate to other tracks such as the EuroSpeedway Lausitz and sites in Asia . The state government of Baden-Württemberg secured

SECTION 10

#1732794580444

552-738: The German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, plus either the European Grand Prix or the Luxembourg Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. From 2007, the Nürburgring and Hockenheimring alternated hosting the German Grand Prix, starting with the Nürburgring in 2007. Ongoing deficits of the Formula One races, amounting to up to 5.3 million Euro per race that had to be covered by the local communities, made it likely

598-479: The German Grand Prix , most recently in 2019 . The circuit has very little differences in elevation. The circuit has an FIA Grade 1 licence. Originally called "Dreieckskurs" (triangle course), the Hockenheimring was built in 1932. The man behind it is Ernst Christ, a young timekeeper who felt that a racing track should be built in his hometown of Hockenheim. He submitted the plans to the mayor and they were approved on Christmas day, in 1931. This first layout of

644-483: The Nürburgring with a 12th-place finish, in an event which was actually won by a Sauber C8 . After the 1986 season, Roland Bassaler would stop participating in the World Championship, but continued to race in the 24 Hours of Le Mans until 1988, scoring no finishes in the two attempts. Roland Bassaler would again bring his SHS C6 chassis out of retirement for a second time in 1993, again to participate in

690-498: The World Endurance Championship for Manufacturers . With 1982 over, Sauber decided that the SHS C6 needed improvement, and decided to develop a replacement, the Sauber C7 , and to use a BMW motor in place of their Ford Cosworth they had used for the bulk of 1982. As they were no longer needed for 1983, the two SHS C6 chassis were retired. Walter Brun would take over the ailing GS-Sport company and rename it Brun Motorsport for

736-473: The World Sportscar Championship 7th overall. However, the team would fold soon after, thus bringing the C7's career to a quick end after only just over a full season of use. Sauber would return to sportscar development after a year off with their partnership with Mercedes-Benz and the Sauber C8 , which carried over a large number of design traits from the C7. This sports car racing -related article

782-549: The C2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans . The car was still outfitted with a 3.5L BMW I6, although the bodywork was radically different from how the SHS C6 had started life in 1982. Unfortunately the car would not finish due to an accident. In 1993, the Group C was cancelled, however, this car was last time entered by Roland Bassaler in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994. The car, entered in the top LMP1/C90 class (including ex-Group C cars),

828-463: The C7, of which only one chassis existed, came to a halt after the brief 1983 season. Sauber would begin a brief hiatus from sports car racing, forcing the team to sell their lone C7 chassis to El Salvador outfit Fomfor Racing, who took the car to the United States to participate in the 1984 IMSA Camel GT championship . The team retained the economical BMW M88 motor for the first five races of

874-752: The F1 drivers decided at the French Grand Prix to boycott the allegedly dangerous Nürburgring unless major changes were made. The next year the German Grand Prix went back to the Nürburgring until the 1976 German Grand Prix . From 1977 to 2006 , the Hockenheimring hosted the German Grand Prix with the exception of 1985 , when the race was held at the reconfigured Nürburgring. In July 2006, Bernie Ecclestone announced that from 2007 onwards, there would be only one Grand Prix per year in Germany. Since 1995 , there had been two Grands Prix every year in Germany;

920-661: The NitrolympX had retired in 2007. As the dragstrip can only be prepared for professional drag racing after the last major circuit event, mainly the Formula One race, the grip is often sub par compared to permanent drag strips that host two Euro Championship events each year, like Santa Pod Raceway in England or Tierp Arena in Sweden. The best performances on the full quarter-mile were significantly below those in Santa Pod, and

966-522: The best ET was set in 2005: 4.873 sec. and 458 km/h by Brady Kalivoda (USA). In 2012, some Pro classes could not find traction as Formula One had demanded a new surface. In subsequent years, the organizers provided a better track, with support from Santa Pod personnel and machinery. In 2016, Hockenheim, and mainland Europe, finally saw the first 3-second Top Fuel 1000 ft passes, with 3.939 sec. and 486.91 km/h (302.55 mph) by Anita Mäkelä (FIN). An overall European record for Super Street Bike

SECTION 20

#1732794580444

1012-453: The changes and stated their preference for the old circuit. The change in the track layout also saw the installation of a new memorial to Jim Clark. This is located at the outside of the current track's turn 2, where the old track continued out into the forests, and the new shortened track turns to the right. The new track has a seating capacity of 120,000, due to new large grandstands sponsored by Mercedes-Benz . The complex also features

1058-556: The chassis. Launched in the 1982 season, the SHS C6 first ran at the World Endurance Championship 1000km Monza where it unfortunately failed to finish due to fuel pump failure. Following this, the car appeared in its first Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft at the Nürburgring , where it again failed to finish due to an accident. Brun and Sauber's luck however would increase as the year went on, with an SHS C6 finishing 13th at Silverstone , earning its first WEC championship points, although its second entry failed to finish. However, for

1104-462: The circuit was just over seven and a half kilometres long and consisted of the original two long straights, with the Ostkurve in the forest and the original hairpin inside Hockenheim joining them together. In 1965, when the new Autobahn A 6 separated the village from the main part of the track, a new version of Hockenheim circuit was built, with the "Motodrom" stadium section, designed by John Hugenholtz , who also designed Suzuka . After Jim Clark

1150-715: The contract between the Hockenheimring and Formula One Management would not be extended after the Grand Prix of 2010. However, in October 2009 the contract for the circuit to hold the German GP was extended to 2018, with the FOA agreeing to cover any losses the event incurs. Neither Hockenheim nor the Nürburgring hosted a Grand Prix in 2015 or 2017 after the Nürburgring failed to complete an agreement with Formula 1's commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone . From 1986 to 1988,

1196-437: The end of the race. Prost ran out at the end of the 1986 race , pushing his McLaren towards the line before giving up. He was placed 3rd when he ran dry and was eventually classified 6th, gaining a valuable championship point that would help him with his second World Championship . Many problems came to light during the 2000 German Grand Prix , which was won by Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello from having started 18th on

1242-413: The evening had even fallen. The team also entered a second Sehcar at Le Mans for Brun, Stuck and Harald Grohs . This car was fitted with a Porsche engine but did not start the race as the car was not prepared properly. The Sehcar Porsche returned at the 1984 1000 km of Monza were the car was driven by Clemens Schikentanz and Huub Rothengatter . After an engine failure the car once again did not start

1288-441: The financing for the redesign by Hermann Tilke for the 2002 German Grand Prix . The stadium section remained mostly intact, despite a new surface and a tighter Turn 1 ("Nordkurve"). However, the circuit was dramatically shortened, with the long, forested straights section chopped off in favour of more tight corners. More than half of the first straight and almost all of the straight between the Ostkurve and Senna chicane were cut and

1334-464: The first forest straight, showing vulnerable security facilities in the forest and leading to the deployment of the safety car that neutralized a comfortable lead for the two Mercedes-powered McLarens . Later on, French driver Jean Alesi collided with Brazilian Pedro Diniz in the braking zone for the third chicane and his car spun uncontrollably down the track, which caused him to suffer dizziness for three days. These events prompted much protest from

1380-477: The grandstands. It hosted first ever World RX of Hockenheim , round 2 of FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2015 as supporting event of DTM. WRX also combined with the DTM for an event there in 2017. Official record lap times are only set during the race. The fastest ever lap on the track is 1:11.212 set by Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari SF71H during qualifying at the 2018 German Grand Prix . As of October 2024,

1426-430: The grid. The race finished in changeable weather conditions, with pouring rain in the stadium sector and almost completely dry forest straights. All the overtaking moves that took place during the race were in the chicanes of the forest sector, meaning hardly any spectators saw most of the best action. Midway through the race, a former Mercedes-Benz employee, who had been dismissed, breached the track's security barriers on

Sauber C7 - Misplaced Pages Continue

1472-523: The next few WSC and DRM races, neither SHS C6s would be able to finish, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans . Following Le Mans though, Brun and Sauber would improve again, as they finished 7th at Norisring , 4th at Hockenheimring , and 8th at Hockenheimring again in DRM, then followed by a 9th at the 1000km Spa and 5th at 1000 km Mugello in WEC. With these results, Sauber managed to finish tied for 5th in

1518-527: The old course either for future F1 events or for historic car events. There was and still remains a great deal of criticism of the track redesign, in terms of ruining the previous unique technical challenges of the old Hockenheim circuit and delivering a new homogenised "assembly line" circuit without the character of the previous layout, whilst being beset by the perceived problems of other Tilke circuits. Several drivers and team principals, including Ron Dennis , Jarno Trulli and Juan Pablo Montoya , criticised

1564-419: The project later in 1982, leaving the car completely under Sauber's control. Following Sauber's return to sportscar racing with Group 5 BMW M1s , Peter Sauber decided to return to the top echelon with the creation of a new scratch built sports car in association with Team GS-Sport, who would run the team. Among the more notable features of the SHS C6 was the large "whaletail" rear wing, centrally mounted on

1610-469: The race. At Silverstone Schikentanz and Rothengatter finished in 15th position, which was the first finish for the Sehcar in a World Sportscar Championship race. At Spa-Francorchamps the car was driven by Didier Theys , Boy Hayje and Pierre Dieudonné . After another engine failure the team did not start the race. Theys and Dieudonné returned at Imola were a crash ended their race after 99 laps. This

1656-401: The rest was connected with a new long straight called the "Parabolika", with a small kink being added between the first straight and the new one. A small right-left-right complex was added to the remaining part of the final straight, with a new grandstand overlooking it. In an extremely controversial move, the old forest section was torn up and replanted with trees, eliminating any chance of using

1702-518: The run off was cut in half it remains one of the longest in drag racing. The NitrolympX usually host most European Drag Racing Championship , sanctioned by FIA or FIM, plus jet dragsters and other entertaining events on the Saturday night show that draws 40,000 spectators. The drag strip in 2008 was christened Rico Anthes Quartermile after the German former Top Fuel driver and long-time organizer of

1748-526: The season, with a best result of 7th at Road Atlanta before the team dropped out of the championship. They would make one final appearance at the series finale at Daytona , except now using a Chevrolet 6.0L V8 in place of the BMW motor, where the team would finish 11th overall. Fomfor Racing attempted to continue into 1985, appearing for only two races, in Miami for IMSA where they did not finish and Mosport for

1794-597: The stadium section and compromise speed on the straights. The long track length also meant that a typical Formula One race had only 45 laps, limiting the spectators' experience of the race to only that many passes through the stadium. During the mid-1980s "turbo era" of Formula One where fuel was restricted to either 220 (1984–1985), 195 (1986–1987) or 150 (1988) litres for races for the turbo powered cars, Hockenheim also saw drivers, including World Champion Alain Prost , at times fail to finish due to simply running out of fuel near

1840-519: The start–finish straight was used for 1/8 mile drag racing. In 1989, a proper drag strip was built by connecting the Opel-Kurve and the first turn entering the Motodrom section. The finish line was at the beginning of the forest, with a very long run-off on the straight in the forest. Competitors had to travel around the full race track in opposite direction to return to the paddock. The drag strip

1886-411: The track was around twelve kilometres long and consisted of a large triangle-like section, a hairpin in the city and two straights connecting them. In 1938, the circuit dramatically shortened, from twelve kilometres down to just over seven and a half, and the Ostkurve corner, which lasted until 2001, was introduced for the first time. In that year, the track was also renamed to "Kurpfalzring". The track

Sauber C7 - Misplaced Pages Continue

1932-481: Was damaged by tanks during World War II . After the war, the track was repaired, and renamed to "Hockenheimring". Former DKW and NSU factory rider and world record setter Wilhelm Herz became the manager of the track in 1954 and promoted the track successfully; Grand Prix motorcycle racing events were held, with the German motorcycle Grand Prix alternating between the Hockenheimring and other tracks. This version of

1978-405: Was fitted with a 3.5L Ford Cosworth engine (the same as in 1982-1984), rebadged as Alpa LM (however, it was actually the same as 1993, except for the engine) and painted blue instead of red. The car retired after a suspension accident on the 64th lap. In 1995, the car didn't participate due to the final cancellation of Group C cars at Le Mans. In fact, the car was the oldest car to ever participate at

2024-427: Was killed on 7 April 1968 in a Formula 2 racing accident, two fast chicanes were added and the track was lined with crash barriers in 1970. A small memorial was placed near the first chicane (which was named after him), at the site of his accident. In 1982, another chicane was added at the Ostkurve ( east curve ), after Patrick Depailler was killed there in 1980, and the first chicane was made slower as well. For

2070-411: Was set by Garry Bowe (GB) with 7.04s 340.69 km/h (211.69 mph). The DTM ( Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters ) series has regularly raced at the Hockenheimring since its revival in 2000. In most years, the DTM has competed there twice during a season. Located in the stadia section of the track, the rallycross track uses a section of track from turns 11 to 16, combined with a dirt section in front of

2116-476: Was the last appearance of the Sehcar at a World Sportscar Championship event. In 1983, the FIA split the Group C category into two classes, with the lower class designated Group C Junior and intended for less wealthy private teams. For the 1985 season, French racer Roland Bassaler, needing a cheap chassis for competition in the class (which was now designated as Group C Junior), decided to buy an SHS C6 and install

#443556