1957 German Grand Prix race report continued
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Nurburgring Natters
Before the start it was clear that the works Maseratis were going to refuel for the tanks were not full, indicated by the curvature of the rear transverse leaf-spring, compared with the private owners.
The Lancia/Ferraris were so full of fuel that the tails were nearly touching the ground. Coopers were seen to be cutting holes in the bodywork to get at the oil and fuel-tank fillers. Neither Salvadori nor Brabham reached refuelling distance.
The programme gave the right speed for the 1956 lap record but the wrong time, half a second being knocked off during printing.
The Cooper wishbones broke because the telescopic shock-absorbers were “bottoming” down the dips and the whole load was being taken on the point of attachment half way along the wishbone tubes.
The Maserati tactical move of running a light fuel load and changing tyres paid off; the Lancia/Ferrari tyres were a bit thin after 300 miles.
The Nurburgring made Mr. Vandervell realise rather forcibly that the Vanwalls are far from perfect, but it’s not the first time a good car has been found wanting in the Eifel mountains.
Pre-race form indicated that the Formula II-winning Porsche could he expected to be in the fifth or sixth place overall; as things turned out it was 12th. The ways of motor-racing are strange indeed.
Serious Formula II racing has given one win for Ferrari and one for Porsche, next time it must be Cooper; and where is the “wonderful” Lotus ? They were not even entered at the Nurburgring.
As in the French and British Grand Prix races the Lancia/Ferraris finished second, third and fourth. Could it be that they lack a World Champion driver?
Notes on the Cars at Nurburgring
The Vanwall team had four cars available, all as raced at Aintree, though the faulty throttle ball-joints had been replaced by stronger ones. Moss kept to the same car all the time and Brooks and Lewis-Evans changed cars after the second practice, the latter already having changed his first car for the spare car.
The Maserati team consisted of the three regular lightweight-chassis 1957 six-cylinders and the old “hack” chassis with the ducted radiator bodywork, the first three drivers keeping to their own cars in practice and the race, and sharing the “hack” car with Scarlatti in practice. The Centro-Sud long-nosed car was covered in blue stripes representing American colours, while the car Bueb drove at Reims was painted all white for Herrmann. The regulations insisting on National colours, Godia had the bonnet of his car painted yellow and Gould repainted his car a sort of black/green. Being a last-minute entry Halford left his car red.
The Scuderia Ferrari had three coil-sprung and unequal-length wishbone front suspension cars, with narrow bodywork and exposed exhausts, and a spare car in the form of the “Special” with Super Squalo front end and altered weight distribution, normally driven by Hawthorn. As with the Maserati team the three Ferrari drivers kept to their own cars throughout practice and the race, showing an improved stability in team management.