The Grossglockner mountain race was one of the most prestigious motor sports events of the 1930s. This year it will be revived with the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix to be held from 20 to 22 September 2012 and Mercedes-Benz will be there with some famous cars. In 1938, the brand took part for the first time.

As a classic car event, the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix on this unique High Alpine Road is a homage to the legendary “Mountain Grand Prix” races held there in the 1930s. 92 bends, 14 hairpins, almost 15 kilometres and an altitude difference of almost 1300 metres present a challenge for man and machine now as they did then.

As in the original race, the route is from Ferleiten to Fuscher Törl (Austria).

Mercedes-Benz is competing in this revival of the race with a Mercedes-Benz SSK, a model which was also very successful in mountain races from 1928 to 1935, and with a W 125 „Silver Arrow“ from the 1930s. W 125 racing cars already took part in the original events in 1938 and 1939, and in 1939 Hermann Lang drove one to victory.

In the 2012 Grossglockner Grand Prix the driver’s paddock will be established at the Ferleiten toll station in line with historical precedent. A maximum of 75 cars will take part. The field is limited to 50 pre-war cars, 5 Veritas cars and 20 racing cars from the 1950s. The post-war cars will participate as a homage to other famous mountain races.

After a practice run, the drivers will set their own time target in a “timed run” and must confirm this twice. They will therefore cover the route four times. The road will be closed to normal traffic for the duration of the event. There will be signposted areas for fans and spectators in immediate proximity to the action.

After the mountain prize, which will be competed for on the Thursday and Friday (20 and 21 September 2012), there is the option of booking an additional Rally Day for Saturday 22 September 2012. The rally route, known as the “Alpine Challenge” will cover 160 kilometres of mountains and valleys in the national park of Hohe Tauern, and will also include the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. Speed is not the primary consideration in this event, but rather driving pleasure and an appreciation of the scenery.

This is where many auto manufacturers to this day test their new prototype vehicles for brake endurance and high altitude testing, and it is good to see the history of Motorsport at the Grossglockner High Alpine Road is to be revisited.

Source: Mercedes / Grosser-Bergpreis