Spa 24 hours 1983


The #1 BMW Italia car. Strolling trhough the pitlane: the Schnitzer team...
... with the Stuck/Grohs/Brun car. SJA Racing with Boutsen, Ballot-Léna and Sabine - the Dakar man.
The lead Jaguar of Walkinshaw/Dieudonné. The interesting back of the car...
... and the even more interesting engine bay. The second car of Brundle, Percy and Calderari.
The Lucky Strike team, with a battered 528 which would finish a creditable 7th. The Hartge car of Vojtech and Enge.
The shape of things to come - one of the TWR Rovers. And this is the other one.
Tassin, Heyer and Hahne shared this car. Schlesser, Xhenceval and Bourgoignie had the #22.
CC Racing in trouble with the Mustang... ... the engine...
... and it was able to take the start.
... but the car looked the part...
Yet another Bastos car: Guitteny, Bleynie and Guérin. Waterloo Motors' BMW with Snobeck/Cudini and Peltier.
Like every year, there was a Camaro from Holland; Moritz shared with Oeberius Kapteyn and Witmeur. Splendid view; and the Alfa GTV6 of Lombardi, Naddeo and Marazzi.
Autolodi's Alfetta...
... Luigi's #42 car...
... together with #43... #44 is yellow too, but is in fact a Jolly Club car, just like its neighbour #45. In the background maybe #40, another Jolly club car.
... together with #43...
#48 is the Dutch DNRT Mazda.
Some cars of the IMC Toyota team, at the front Close/Ide/Janssens.
Tension rises...
.. and there they go!
The usual picture of the start of Spa - a little messy this time, it seems.
An early retirement was this BMW of Bos/Duby/Krucker: this lost wheel meant the end.
Another non-finisher: the CC racing Mustang.
Pitstop for the #1 car of Kelleners/Grano/Cecotto - they would retire too. Brun/Stuck/Grohs in one Schnitzer BMW...
Two Capris of team "Michel Vaillant".
Quester/Winkelhock/Rossi in the other Schnitzer BMW.
Jaguar was unlucky at Spa: #6 retired with back axle problems, #7 with gearbox failure. But they would be back...
And the car lost its way sometimes...
For years, a 450 SLC Mercedes raced at Spa - with little result. This time, it raced until 3 hours before the end.
The Dutch camaro had seen better days - it retired in the 1rst hour.
The Kissling Manta met the guardrails in the early hours of the race. Joosen, Metge and Soper drove this Rover.
Soon, there were troubles. But #20 reached the podium in the end.
Walter Brun looking in despair - the car retired in the third hour. #44 in for a refuelling stop.
More early retirements: 6th hour, Delcourt, Vanoli and Baert... ... at the same time as Snobeck, Cudini and Peltier.
In the night, on the SJA car, I guess the brake pads are changed. But car #19's differential cried enough.
Up on the jacks: a routine stop for number 1. This car retired early in the morning.
The Hartge team retired late in the race, first this one... ... and two hours later this car.
One of the last retirements was the proud number 1, Kelleners, Grano and Cecotto. The Luxemburg Capri of Feider/Wolff/Beauchef.
One year old and already outdated: the 528i of Raes/Verhaegen/van Rompuy. Fermine/de Liedekerke/Katsers retired.
The Van Hove car retired.
Seikel/Schörg/Nowal retired as well. Carlier/Nève/Martin retired too.
The Danish Toyota retired too. The 5-cylinder Audi 80 (called "4000") finished 16th. The car is blue, actually...
The Capris were still alive, though outsiders now. #32 finished 12th overall. This car was third in class, 11th overall with Micangeli, Gallo and "Spiffero".
Tenth: this opposite-lock BMW of Hesnault, Rousselot and Dermange. Another Capri finished 9th with Hanon/Van De Velde.
Fine result; 7th overall for "Davit", Boucher and Hoebeke. 6th overall and class winners: Rinaldo Drovandi, Gianfranco Brancatelli and Emilio Zapico with the Autolodi car.
Fourth as the swansong: a nice result for the good old Capri, with veterans Semoulin/de Dryver/Pirenne. Third: Rover Vitesse, Allam/Lovett.
Schnitzer finished second with Quester/Winkelhock/Rossi derspite this hairy driving style of Winkelhock. Another victory for Juma: Tassin/Heyer/Hahne.

Race result

1983 Pictures

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