Sauber C9 fixed for Group C finale

Nearly two decades after it won the Wheatcroft Gold Cup in the hands of Jochen Mass and Jean-Louis Schlesser, the ‘Silver Arrows’ Sauber Mercedes C9 will return to Donington Park (October 4/5) to compete in the final Group C races of the season.

Xtec Engineering has been busy repairing the car, which was damaged in a first-corner accident at Silverstone in July, for its Australian owner Rob Sherrard. “The C9 was back from the repair shop at the beginning of September to be ready for Donington,” said Sherrard, who will share it with fellow Australian Wayne Park in the 90-minute two-driver race at Donington.

In 1989, Mass and Schlesser headed a Mercedes one-two in the 480km World Sportscar Championship race at the Leicestershire track.

In a 90-minute race on Saturday and Sunday’s 30-minute sprint race, the Mercedes will go up against the Jaguars of Gary Pearson and Chris Buncombe and the Nissan of Andy Purdie, although the Nissan of Peter Sowerby will be missing from the grid having been put up for sale.

The HSCC’s Donington Collection Meeting features a double header for the Lurani Trophy Formula Junior series and a race for the GT and Sports Car Cup series, as well as a full weekend of HSCC races.

Round six of the Lurani Trophy will include another full grid in the category’s Golden Jubilee season, with title contender Urs Eberhardt pitching his Lotus 27 against the similar car of Michael Hibberd and the Lotus 22 of Edwin Jowsey.