Auto unions to run at Donigton park

Donington park will reverberate to the sound of raucous Auto Union V16 and V12 engines for the first time in more than 60 years when, following years of negotiation by the VSCC, Audi Tradition demonstrates 1937 C-type and 1938 D-type models at its Richard Seaman Trophy meeting on 19-20 May. All Silver Arrows spectaculars are special, but this should be a coup indeed, because Audi intends to bring the very cars in which Bemd Rosemeyer and Tazio Nuvolari won the three-hour, 250mile contests pre-war. “This will be a dream come true for many people, particularly those fortunate enough to have seen the Auto Unions here in the 1930s. The cars did not race anywhere else in Britain, so we’re all delighted,” said Donington owner Tom Wheatcroft. Expanded to two days, the annual event is a joint venture between the

VSCC, which attracted a record attendance when Mercedes-Benz ran a prewar grand prix racer, an Fl McLaren and a Penske Indycar at the Seaman meeting in 1999, and the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association. No drivers have yet been nominated for the 550bhp and 450bhp monsters, but ex-Ferrari Fl star Michele

Alboreto is a strong possibility. Audi’s sporting heritage will also spotlight its sensational 720bhp IMSA quattro, last year’s Le Mans-winning R8 prototype and ground-breaking championship-winning rally and touring cars. MP