The 1979 season saw some changes: under-2000 turbo cars had to be a lot heavier (885 kg instead of 735 kg) though this did not really change matters: it still took a turbo car to win. Ertl switched to Zakspeed and had a misarable season; Winkelhock had more luck at Schnitzer but when reliability problems were sorted Heyer normally was the fastest man in division 2 - and Winkelhock's new lowline from mid-season could not change that. Höttinger's semiworks 320 turbo was too late and unreliable, though the engine was a hammer - it was the future BMW F1 engine, no less.
The champion however came from division 1 this year, and it was Klaus Ludwig; his love affair with Kremer and their new "K3" car would only last one year, but what a year it was: he won all races but one, Loos with his superteam Wollek-Fitzpatrick-Schurti had only one win while the Liqui Moly Joest team had encouraging speed but not a single win. The shape of things to come was the entry of a little overbored Capri at the 1000 km race and the last Hockenheim DRM round; the third place for Heyer in that last race between the Porsches gave food for thought.
A nice trick was the inclusion of the "Rennsport Trophäe" for Group 2 and 4 cars, which would insure full fields. Apart form the expected group 2 Escorts and BMW 320's and some Porsche 934's there were some smart people who knew the Escort being homologated in group 4 for rallying - with a 2-liter engine and lower weight. It could be used for the track, of course, and it was. Later in the season, with a "ONS National" homologation, the Procar BMW M1 could be used as well, and with its big rear wing (homologated!) it was formidable opposition for the 1976 Porsche. While Boller won many races in his 2.0 Escort it was Dören with the MM 934 who took this title.
The races: |
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