Miguel Sánchez
PHOTOS SPIRIT OF MONTJUIC 2019: UNAI ONA / TEXT: MIGUEL SÁNCHEZ
Between 1969 and 1975 the F1 engines roared four times on the mountain of Montjuic. Its layout was a challenge for the teams of the moment. Of its almost 4 kilometers, half were very fast, while the rest linked short straights with tight curves. All in all, hell for any track engineer. A puzzle where you don't know how to adjust the car.
Of all that, only memories remain; F1 hasn't been on the asphalt of Barcelona's mountains for decades. However, the echoes of those races still resonate in the memory of many motorsport fans today. Preserving the memory of those days, there have already been 8 editions of the Spirit of Montjuic.
Three days of competition and classics in which, although now the stage is the Circuit de Catalunya, the spirit remains exactly the same. In fact, the Montjuic spirit It is undoubtedly one of the best automobile events on the national scene. And it's not just our opinion; the figures support it. Some 27.000 attendees according to the organization, 9 competition categories, a large meeting of motor myths, almost 300 cars with racing history on asphalt ...
We approach this spectacular rolling museum through the Unai Ona lens.
BEFORE THE RACE… A LITTLE TROPHY IN THE SPIRIT OF MONTJUIC
The most impressive thing about the Spirit of Montjuic is seeing - and hearing - on the track many of the legends responsible for decorating many walls. Just as it is nothing like seeing a boat on the dock to take a hit of the sea while you luff its bow, it has nothing to do to contemplate a Ferrari 250GTO in static to listen to its 12 cylinders at a gallop. However, before giving you a summary of the races we will comment on some trophies of the Spirit of Montjuic and its elegance contest.
The award Best of the show it was for a 962 Porsche 1985C, a Le Mans legend devised by Norbert Singer as an evolution of the 956. Another Porsche - this time a 917 de 1970- rose with the award Mechanical Fascination. Something totally justified when we talk about what for many is the most mythical racing Porsche of all time. Although if we talk about a unique Porsche that passed through the Spirit of Montjuic ... We must mention the 911 Grand Raid 4 × 4.
This model created by Antonio Zanini for Baja Aragón in 1989 won the trophy Unconditional Passion. By the way, another all-wheel drive was the one that won the category Mechanical Adventure: The Nissan Patrol Dakar 1991 piloted by Miguel Prieto.
In addition, SEAT Historic Cars celebrated the 50 years of the 1430 and 850 Sport Convertible within its official space. Anyway, the facilities of the brand are close ... And that is noticeable. A national point that is always liked by fans of the classics that filled the Spirit of Montjuic.
CLASSIC ENDURANCE RACING AND GROUP C: THE MOST POWERFUL
Friday is not the busiest day for the public, but it is the most suitable for mechanical fans. While several cars are already doing free practice on the track, in the paddock you can watch the set-up before the race weekend. Open engines, parts scattered on the ground, oil cans lying around ... That really has charm. It's like when you were little you would spy on the neighbor's changes of clothes, but more metallic.
The 64 registered in the category Classic Endurance Racing they forced it to be divided into two sections. In the first, a Porsche 917 won, while in the second it was a TOJ SC 304 that lowered the checkered flag first. This category brought together the Vehicles with a history of endurance racing between 1966 and 1981. Outcome? Well, a magnificent concentration of myths among which we saw a Ferrari 512M, numerous Shelby Cobra, some FordGT40, a McLaren M8C, a spectacular Lancia Beta Rally Montecarlo ...
And that's not to mention the always striking De Tomaso Pantera and the long string of 911s scattered throughout the track. Of course, putting the military on the hard line of the competition ... We loved the selection of participants in the category Group C Racing (1982 - 1994).
A Jaguar The French brand's history of endurance competition with this 9-cylinder vehicle without a turbo is very curious.
CATEGORIES WITH GT AND COMPETITION TOURS
European Touring Car Championship cars produced between 1966 and 1984. What a business card, huh? This is what we could find within the category Heritage Classic Cup. Thanks to her, we saw several BMW 3.0 CSLs on the track - in fact one of them was the winner - along with others such as the 635CSi. In addition, it is necessary to review the wide participation of Ford models, highlighting quite a few Capri along with some Escort RS.
In the Sixtie's Endurance The most veterans gathered, giving shelter to endurance sports cars prior to 1966. Here came some of the highlights of this Spirit of Montjuic. From a spectacular Ferrari 250GTO in silver to two Shelby Daytona through a beautiful E-Type even more stylized than the series.
This was precisely the winner in the first round of the The Greatest's Trophy. Heir to the old Nastro Rosso trophy, it is no longer reserved only for Italian models. By the way, in the second race the winner was a Bizzarrini 5300GT. Always striking as the origin of its mother house, ultimately the product of labor disputes at Ferrari. Let's not forget: a lovely Giulia TZ with its unmistakable Zagato-modeled rear.
THE MOST MODERN AND THE VERSATILITY OF THE 911 (901)
At the legal level, the only requirement for a car to be a classic is its age. However, we all know that beyond the laws there are other types of considerations. That is why there are many cars that are classics without being more than 30 years old, and some that already are from the day of their presentation. In the Spirit of Montjuic they seem to have this idea clear and for that reason they offered us the Endurance Racing Legends.
Here the most modern are collected. GT and endurance prototypes from the 90s to the present day. Very good idea to create this category in which we could admire a Ferrari 333SF and a Bentley Speed 8 among others.
By the way, if the 911 has boasted about something over the decades, it has been its versatile nature. Although during the week it can be used for a certain type of day to day ... Sunday can become a circuit animal. Just that is what we saw in the 2.0 Cup. A trophy dedicated solely to the 911 with which an idea was settled: no Porsche fan can be disappointed in the Spirit of Montjuic.
Well, not from Porsche ... Not from any other brand. And it is that the Spirit of Montjuic is a true past. We will repeat!
