2019 Espíritu de Montjuïc

The 2019 season of Peter Auto’s historic racing series began with the Espiritu de Montjuic event at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. This event celebrates the legacy of the historic races that once took place on the Montjuic hill, featuring a variety of racing groups and vintage cars.  

The opening morning of the event was graced with spring weather, although rain and even snow on a nearby mountain arrived later in the weekend. 

Group C Racing 

Group C, a favorite era among sports car enthusiasts, featured prominently at the event. These cars, known for their power and ground-effect downforce, provided a spectacular show. The 20-car field included a mix of historic vehicles, from the Rondeau that won the first race under Group C regulations to a Peugeot 905 that won the last Le Mans race for Group C cars. Notable participants included Porsche 962s, Spices, Silk Cut Jaguars, and a rare Sauber C8 in Kouros colors. 

Qualifying was dominated by a C11 Sauber, but it encountered issues in both races. Mike Wrigley won the first race in a Chevrolet V8-engined Spice, while Dominique Guenat claimed victory in the second race with his Peugeot 905. 

Classic Endurance Racing 1 (CER1) 

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 917, a legendary car in motorsport history. Claudio Roddaro, driving a Gulf-liveried 917K, demonstrated why this car is so revered. His competition included David Hart in a Lola T70 Mk3B and Carlos Monteverde and Gary Pearson in a Ferrari 512 M, like in the old times.  

These three cars battled closely throughout the hour-long race. A puncture ended Pearson’s challenge in the Ferrari, allowing Roddaro to claim a deserved victory, which was a fitting tribute to the 917’s anniversary. 

Classic Endurance Racing 2 (CER2) 

The CER1 series focused on sports cars and prototypes from the 1960s, while CER2 includes cars from the next generation, specifically Group 6 cars from the 1970s, known for their open-top designs. 

Yves Scemama won the first position with a TOJ SC 304, followed by Henry Fletcher in a Chevron B26 and Maxime Guenat in a Lola T286. 

Endurance Racing Legends 

The Endurance Racing Legends series featured sports cars and GTs from the post-Group C era up to 2010. The standout car was Shaun Lynn’s Bentley Speed 8, which sliced through the field to win the first 30-minute race despite not participating in the rain-affected qualifying. Michel Lecourt finished second in a Ferrari 333 SP, while Xavier Micheron was third in a Ford V8-engined Lola. 

The second race saw more rain, and the Bentley did not participate. This allowed Raymond Narac, driving the Ferrari, to take victory, with Kriton Lendoudis in an Aston Martin DBR9 finishing second. 

Sixties’ Endurance 

This two-hour competition with a mandatory five-minute pit stop, saw the Shelby Cobras dominated the qualifying sessions, with eight of them in the top 12 spots on a wet track.  

Among the challengers, Sandy Watson and Andrew Kirkaldy’s Lotus Eleven managed to hold its ground against the Cobras. However, Gary Pearson, driving a Cobra formerly raced at Le Mans, and his co-driver Carlos Monteverde set the pace, with Henri Moser leading most of the first hour in another Cobra. David Hart and his son Olivier put up a strong fight in their Cobra, but a technical issue led to their disqualification. This allowed Christophe van Riet and Thierry de Latre du Bosqueau to secure the victory. 

The best-performing non-Cobra was a Jaguar E-Type driven by Carlos F. Cruz and Miguel Amaral. 

The Greatest’s Trophy 

The series features iconic GT cars from the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Ferrari 250 GTO, Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ, Bizzarrini 5300 GT, Maserati 300 S, and Porsche RSK, in two 30-minute races. 

The first race was won by Lukas and Martin Halusa in a rare Jaguar E-Type Lightweight Low Drag Coupé, followed by Carlos Monteverde and Gary Pearson in a Ferrari 250 GTO, and Yves Vögele in a Porsche 904/6. 

The second race was won by Christian Bouriez in a Bizzarrini 5300 GT, followed by the winning Jaguar E-Type from the first race, and Jan Gijzen in a Ferrari 275 GTB4. 

Heritage Touring Cup 

A one-hour race was held to compete for victory in this category dedicated to touring cars from the golden era of the European Touring Car Challenge, featuring Group 2 and Group A cars from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. 

Christian Traber won with the iconic BMW E9 3.0 CSL, followed by another BMW E9 3.0 CSL driven by Michael Erlich. Thierry de Latre du Bosqueau secured the final podium spot with his Ford Escort 1600 RS. 

2.0L Cup 

This year Espíritu de Montjuïc includes the 2.0L Cup, a serie for Porsches 911 short wheelbase powered by the 2.0 liter engine. La carrera tuvo una duración de 90 minutos y en la mayoría de los casos contó con cambió de piloto. 

La carrera la ganó el dúo formado por Andrew Smith y Oliver Bryant, dando 37 vueltas al Circuito de Barcelona. La segunda posición fue para Mark Sumpter, mientras que cerrando el podio cruzó el Porsche 911 2.0 SWB de Xavier Dayraut. 

Iberian Historic Endurance 

Lastly, to close a weekend filled with cars, the Iberian series for 60s and 70s touring and sports cars featured a notable lineup including Ford GT40s (especially the Roadster version), DeTomaso Panteras, and Ferrari 308 GT4s. 

In the first 50-minute race, David Hart and Olivier Hart won with their GT40, followed by Rui Macedo Silva and Pedro Macedo Silva in the Roadster, and Detlef Von Der Lieck and Ralf Kelleners in a DeTomaso Pantera. 

The second race was again won by David Hart and Olivier Hart in their GT40, followed by Pedro Macedo Silva and Rui Macedo Silva in a Shelby Cobra, and Pedro Bastos Rezende and Miguel Pais do Amaral in a Porsche 911 3.0 RS.