Donington treats in store

Those were disappointed not to see the GP Auto Union at Donington last year will be glad to know that Audi will bring their resuscitated Cand D-type cars to the HGPCA/VSCC affiliated Seaman Trophies Meeting on May 19/20. The VSCC says the only time these fabulous 180mph 6-litre V16 or 3-litre V12 cars raced in anger in this country was at the Donington circuit; Hans Stuck must have felt a different emotion when in 1936 he hoped to take the Shelsley Walsh record with an Auto Union but was defeated by rain. The handout also has it that Auto Union won the only two GPs ever to be held in this country pre-war, which is rather harsh on both the RAC which had previously organised two British GPs, and on Delage which, like the A-Us, won both of them.

The two-day Donington event will feature not only these exciting A-U runs but also racing Audis, including its 1999 and 2000 Le Mans cars. The racing will include pre-64 GT, pre-61 sportscars and 1950s and early ’60s GP motorcycles.

The new endurance race will be the Historic Seaman Memorial event. What a pity the Auto Unions, rare and valuable as they are, will not, presumably, join in this race which will have cars like those which competed in the 1937 and 1938 Donington GPs, such as Maserati, ERA, Alta and Riley. The VSCC is proud that this will be the first time Auto Union has returned to the circuit, though Tom Wheatcroft’s 1939 Auto Union is in the Donington Collection.

You can book now for this two-day festival via the VSCC (01608 644 777) or Donington (01332 811 027).