Lurani Trophy Round 1; 6th – 8th May
Warm sunshine, two fantastic races at the front, and lots of smiles heralded the return to Hockenheim and to post covid post Brexit normality for Formula Junior racing on the Continent.
27 drivers from 12 countries, led by 2021 Lurani Champion, Roberto Tonetti, driving his brother’s light blue Brabham BT6 and Formula Junior returnee Manfredo Rossi Di Montelera, with an ex Andrew Hibberd 22, gave an enormous crowd, hungry for racing, a hugely entertaining weekend.
For both 25 minute races, Tonetti and Rossi were barely feet apart, swapping places throughout, but it was Tonetti who finally outfoxed the experienced Rossi, crossing the line just half a second apart on both days.
Philip Buhofer made it three different makes on the podium with a great race in his ex MRP Lola Mk 5A on Saturday, after front row man, multi times Le Mans winner, Marco Werner (Lotus 22) had clutch failure on the grid. For Sunday however, Marco was back in position and he had Stephane Rey’s Lola 5A to hunt down, but a brilliant drive by Nogaro GP, Stephane, just held off Marco for the third podium position.
Best Brit was Adrian Russell (Lotus 22) making his Lurani debut, and smiling from ear to ear all weekend, in 5th overall, while aggregate class winners were Malcolm Wishart from Glasgow in his beautiful red front engined Faranda (Class A), Erik Justesen U2 Mk2 (Class B2), Christian Lange in his Envoy Mk 1 (Class C2), Australian Marty Bullock in the Australian built Wren (Class D2), and Col. Bob Birrell in his Lotus 20 (Class D1).
The next Lurani round is Red Bull Ring on 10th – 12th June, after a non championship race later this month at Pau, and FJHRA/HSCC Silverline Championship races for both front and rear at Cadwell Park in early June.
by DCPR
