Hockenheim (September 15th)
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The Hockenheim circuit was the scene of another International Group 4, 6 and 7 Preis der Nationen race. Porsche entered a works 3-litre 908 for Herrmann, backed by a host of private Porsches including Siffert in a 910. Hawkins and Nelson had their Ford GT40s, and Piper, who holds the outright record for the circuit, his Ferrari P3/4. Other fast cars included the Lola T70 Chevrolet GTs of de ‘Udy and Prophet. Garner was running a brand new McLaren M6B of John Woolfe Racing, and there was even a Lamborghini Miura entered by the German concessionaires for Mitter.
In practice Piper was fastest and equalled his own record, 0.4 sec. quicker than Herrmann; third fastest was the German Dechent, having his first run in an ex-works 2.2 Porsche 907, and then came de ‘Udy, who drove the fastest Group 4 car but could not start as his c.w.p. broke. The 5-litre McLaren of Gardner was in various initial sorting problems.
From the start, the race turned out to be a tremendous battle between Herrmann and Piper, with Hawkins hanging on in third place, while behind them Pilette in the Team VDS 2.5 Alfa Romeo 33, Gardner and Prophet were battling out fourth place. Gardner fell out on the fourth lap with a bad oil leak, while Piper moved into the lead. Prophet was the next retirement of importance, with a seized gearbox. Then Piper had the tail-spoiler from the Ferrari come loose; officials black-flagged him but he continued, now well behind Herrmann, and Hawkins also got by. Herrmann came home to give Porsche another good win, while Piper nipped by Hawkins on the last lap and had the consolation of another new record. Pilette brought the Alfa home in fifth place but two laps behind, followed by Siffert and Dechent.