GermanyÂ’s Motorsport History

[Don Capps]

I read the Porsche reference as pertaining purely to their 1961-62 effort: in that respect it's accurate.

Less accurate is the oft-repeated claim that MB withdrew from racing due to the Le Mans disaster: at least this writer acknowledges the real reason, which was cost. MB's withdrawal had already been announced before Le Mans.

The only question regarding the Daimler involvement in motor racing for the 1956 season regarded the sports car effort, the Grand Prix effort already slated for being closed down at the end of the season -- although the door did remain slightly open for a possibly reduced effort for 1956. The Le Mans incident really affected only the fate of the sports car program that was being considered for 1956, eliminating that possibility. The financial issues and the need for those involved in the racing program to either return to or join the effort centered on the introduction of a new series of automobiles for the 1958/1959 timeframe was the impetus behind shutting down the racing department. That Daimler had achieved its purpose was simply icing on the cake.

The engine that Porsche built for TAG for McLaren was strictly a customer job, the company not having anything to do with TAG or McLaren outside providing literally what the customer ordered. Although Porsche built the engine, it was first and foremost a effort undertaken by TAG. In doing this, it was much along the lines of what Cosworth did for Ford, Ilmor for Mercedes or Chevrolet, and so forth.

The Porsche effort for the 718/2 series and the 804, in retrospect, seems not only snakebit, but also as barking up the wrong tree, the effort to stick with air-cooling the engine being a nice idea, but doomed when competing against the competition it was then facing. Also, it is interesting to note that Porsche was about the last to abandon the use of drum brakes in GP racing.

Interesting to note that Borgward is not mentioned, even in passing, given that it did have its brief moment in the sun during the latter part of the Fifties.

[BDunnell]

Interesting to note that Borgward is not mentioned, even in passing, given that it did have its brief moment in the sun during the latter part of the Fifties.

And let's not forget that it was in part in a Borgward that one of the leading British preparers of his day, Bill Blydenstein, made his racing name.

[Don Capps]

An interesting aspect of German motor sport history is that the occasion of the Coupe Internationale (AKA the "Gordon Bennett Cup") in June 1904 resulted in the formation of the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR) which changed its name to the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile after the conclusion of World War II.

Another interesting tidbit of the German racing past that has attracted much attention, perhaps far exceeding its actual importance, is the mythology that Alfred Neubauer helped create -- largely with the help of others who kept repeating it over and over and over without taking any effort to question its validity -- surrounding the use of silver rather than white for the color for the Daimler-Benz effort when it returned to Grand Prix racing in 1934. Despite there even being a symposium held by Daimler in July 2007 to discuss the matter, some still persist in thinking that the Neubauer mythology is true -- including some at Daimler unfortunately.

Using materials from the Daimler archives along with just the plain, simple business of historical inquiry, it is clear that the Mercedes W25 did not appear for either the AVUSrennen or the Eifelrennen in any color but silver. The entire legend about the white paint of the cars being stripped to "make weight," that is, get under the 750 kilogram maximum weight for the new Formule Internationale that went into effect that season, seems to be sort of harmless, retroactive story that was concocted for whatever reason by Neubauer.

In and of itself, the myth that Neubauer created and which was then proliferated and perpetuated by many others may seem to be rather small potatoes, but it is an excellent case study as to how automobile racing history can be distorted when non-historians are at the helm when it comes to how that history is passed on. When a few historians began to question the Neubauer story, the reaction was rather interesting, there being those who were interested in the quest, while others simply sat back and observed. I am still somewhat surprised -- perhaps perplexed and amazed would be better terms to use -- that there are still those who continue to believe and support the Neubauer mythology despite all the evidence to the contrary. Alas, as I mentioned, this includes several at Daimler, as witness the nonsense that their PR people put out regarding the paint scheme for the MB F1 machine last season. Of course, there is still a very strong element within the motor racing community to not let facts get in the way of a good story.

Oh, the Auto-Union Typ 1934 machines were always silver, by the way, just to add a bit of perspective to this issue. Plus, the labels "Type A", "Type B," "Type C," and "Type D" were applied retroactively to the Auto-Union machines during the immediate post-WW2 period and were not used concurrently while the cars were being campaigned.