Rapporto 2005/ 04 Zolder

FIA-GTC’65: Leo Voyazide not to beaten

Leo Voyazides (GB) Ford GT 40 P
Sean Walker (GB) Gold Bug-Lotus Elan.

In the year of 1965, when the first races were held on the new race course of Zolder, the Scuderia Filipinetti appointed the pilots Herbert Müller and Ronnie Bucknum to drive a Ford GT 40 P in the 24-Hours-Race of Le Mans. The mid-engine car prepared by Shelby American was just one of 3 specimens which all did not reach the finishing line.

Exactly 40 years later, Leo Voyazides (GB) made sure that this failure was compensated in the third event of the FIA-GTC’65. He won both races in Zolder with the same Ford GT 40 P. “I bought the Müller/Bucknum car last year in the USA and haven’t competed with it in that many races,” said Voyazides.

Even during the qualifying session, the Ford GT 40 pilot set the records straight and was in his best lap over a second faster than Sean Walker (GB) in his “Gold Bug” Lotus Elan. Walker started in an Elan which was similar to his father’s vehicles of 1964 and 1965. “At that time we developed the cars together with Colin Chapman,” reported Ian Walker who had accompanied his son together with his wife. Amongst the “Gold Bug” drivers were Lotus company drivers Jim Clark, John Whitmore and Peter Arundell. “I am starting with the same car under the same applicant like 40 years ago, which is really extraordinary,” stressed Sean Walker. “And he has the same sponsor like 40 years ago as well,” his mother added.

Walker started next to Voyazides from the front row and reached the 3rd. position in the first race. But during the technical scrutineering that followed up, it was found out that the brake pads in Walker’s Elan were bigger than what was stated in the Homologation papers. The same was ascertained for two further Elans. All three were disqualified. Nevertheless Walker was allowed to hold on to his 3rd. position.

He was seething when he started in the second race. But he drove a lonely race between the leading duo who were far ahead and his pursuers. “My race was boring because I didn’t have any playmates,” Walker summarized. “But the 3rd. position was a great satisfaction after all the trouble regarding the brakes. And what was the result – in comparison to the race yesterday, I was two-tenths of a second slower in each lap. But this could also have been because of the conditions today.”

	Michael Menden
	Peter Dunn (GB) Marcos 1800 GT

The only FIA-GTC’65 driver who could keep up with top-of-the-class Leo Voyazides was Hans-Jürgen Malsbenden (D) in his Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. The open Corvette which is maintained by Total Performance was therefore the fastest GT because the Ford GT 40 belongs to the GT-Prototype category. Malsbenden, who had started from the third row, had fought his way to the 2nd. position, tried to cause trouble for Voyazides. “He kept looking in his rear mirror. But from half-time onwards, it became more and more difficult. It was as if I was driving on black ice,” commented Malsbenden. The German was lacking only 5,5 seconds behind the winner at the finish. Followed by Michael Menden after the disqualification of Walker from the 3rd position and just before the FIA-GTC’65 title defender Bo Warmenius in the fastest Lotus Elan.

In the class up to 2,5 litres cubic capacity, there was no getting pass the Marcos lightweights. Peter Dunn (GB) won before Allen Tice (GB). Due to too high coolant temperature, Tice had to retire in the second race, Dr. Armin Zumtobel (D) in a Porsche 911 could achieve the 2nd. position.

	Michel Reitz (F) Austin-Healey 3000

By achieving the 16th. position in the overall classifications, Michel Reitz (F) in a Austin-Healey 3000, displayed a strong performance in the category of cars built till 1961. He won before Rinus Sinke who also drove a Big Healey. For the cars up to 1,3 litres cubic capacity, the result was quickly achieved when Walter Antonacci (I) had to head for the pit due to tyre defects. From then on Reimer Stöhrmann (D) drove lonesome laps in his Lotus Elite S2.

Walter Antonacci (B) Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider
James Willis (GB) MG Midget Coupé

In the second race, Antonacci turned the tables around and won in his class. But he had to give in by 2,2 seconds to James Willis (GB) in a MG Midget Coupé, who had started in the GTP category.

Even at the leading positions, the race developed into one of the most thrilling happenings of the weekend. Hans-Jürgen Malsbenden won the starting duel against Leo Voyazides who did not start off optimally. But Malsbenden could not shake him off and had to let himself be overtaken by the Ford GT 40.

	Ludovic Caron (F) AC Cobra Daytona Coupé
	Jamie Boot (GB) im TVR Griffith
	Jörg Krag (DK) Shelby GT-350

A large crowd fought for the 4th. position. In the end Ludovic Caron (F) in a AC Cobra Daytona Coupé, who had started from the 14th. position, secured this position. Followed very closely by Bernard Peruch (F) in an open AC Cobra for the 5th. position. Peruch had banished Michael Menden to the 6th. position. Andre Bailly managed to jump to the 7th. position from the end of the field. In the first race he had to retire with his AC Cobra just like Jamie Boot (GB) in a TVR Griffith, who came in 9th. after Hans Jörg Krag (DK) in a Shelby GT 350. Peter Dunn in a Marcos 1800 GT secured the 10th. position.

The top position for cars built until 1961 went to Rinus Sinke. The winner of the first race, Michel Reitz slid with his Austin Healey 3000 at the end of the Lucien Bianchi Bocht into the tyre pile. The race organisation sent in the Safety Car, which also led the field over the finishing line.