Next Month on the International Scene

September racing starts of promptly on the first of the month with a speed-feast at Brands Hatch for Formula Two, with supporting races, this being August Bank Holiday Monday, even though it is September 1st. On the following weekend are two very diversified meetings, the Italian Grand Prix and the 500 kilometres of Nürburgring. Naturally the Italian G.P. is at Monza and is the last of the European G.P. Championship races, thereafter the Formula One circus heading off to the New World of Canada, USA and Mexico. One thing is guaranteed at Monza and that is fast and furious racing, where engine power will be all important. Monza and the Grand Prix to the Italians is rather like Derby Day in England and the crowds will by large, enthusiastic and vociferous in their acclaim of their favourites. The whole atmosphere of Monza is one of speed, noise and enthusiasm and anyone contemplating a quiet study of the finer points of Grand Prix racing will be disappointed. It is the nearest approach to a Roman festival imaginable and some of the cutting-and-thrusting, slipstreaming and jousting, would do credit to an arena. Having missed the German G.P. Ferrari will do doubt try to make amends at Monza and will probably run a full three-car team with one of his Formula Two drivers backing up Amon and Rodriquez. All the Cosworth-powered cars will be there and the 450 b.h.p. B.R.M. might well come into its own on this super-fast circuit.

On the same day as the race at Monza the A.D.A.C. hold their 500-kilometre race at the Nürburgring for sports cars up to 2-litres with only one driver, which will mean the event is not an Alpine or Abarth benefit. For aspiring newcomers to International racing this is a good event in which to start and provides a splendid opportunity for coming to grips with the Nürburgring on a small scale before tackling the more serious 1,000-kilometre race in the spring. The weekend of September 13th/14th sees a great deal of activity on the International scene, although none of it is of Championship status. The French hold a Formula Two event at Albi on the rather flat and featureless airfield circuit, and the Italians hold a 500-kilometre race for sports-prototype cars on the super circuit at Imola, just east of Bologna. The Imola circuit is a natural road course with many climbs and descents, tricky fast corners, hairpins and climbing turns. It is not rugged road-racing like the Targa Florio or Mugello, which are long and rough, but is smooth and fast, but nonetheless interesting and exciting. Being on the Italian mainland and on public roads the entry will be limited to 2-litre cars. In Sweden there will be a mixed meeting on the rather featureless stadium circuit of Auderstorp, known as the Scandinavian Raceway, and in Germany on the equally featureless and uninspiring Hockenheim circuit there will be a big Formula Three meeting. The European Mountain Hill-Climb Championship, which Schetty has been dominating with the 2-litre flat-12-cylinder Ferrari, finishes on September 14th with the event in Austria at Gaisberg, just to the east of Salzburg, the hill being relatively easy and simple, compared with Trento-Bondone or Mont Ventoux.

In America the Can-Am series continues with a race at Bridgehampton and things appear to be improving in this McLaren benefit with the introduction of Ferrari, with the 612P, a 6-litre V12-cylinder car, the Chaparral 2H with its fibreglass monocoque, pivoted de Dion rear suspension and novel body shape, and the special open Porsche 917 trimmed off from Group 4 specification to the much more lax Group 7 trim. Serious racing continues in North America with the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park, Ontario, the race being held on Saturday for a change and experiment. As 4-w-d U.S.A.C. cars have performed well at Mosport this event may well see the new 4-w-d Grand Prix cars begin to make distinct marks on tradition. The final weekend of this busy month sees continued activity in the USA with another Can-Am race on the super speedway at Michigan, while Spain has a final fling with a three-hour touring car race on the Jarama circuit.—D. S. J.