At the final stage of circuit racing classic cars — Moscow Classic Grand Prix was attended by several well-known athletes. Mikhail Aleshin, appeared behind the wheel of his first «Formula», which once drove 14 years ago.
Moscow Classic Grand Prix is famous primarily by the fact that its organizers — the company «Old Time» — has become the first in modern Russia, who made the right retro-race: for the second year at Moscow route Moscow Raceway passes through three stages of ring events, and This year the composition and the number of participants is simply amazing!
The first phase took place in mid-June, and already a few weeks before the start of racing on Moscow rumors about participation in the race of about 100 participants, most of which are expected in Latvia and other Baltic States. And so it happened. Latvia, which preserved the culture of classical competitions, exhibited in the Grand Prix a couple of dozens of cars — mostly «Volga» and «Lada», trained and homologated for sporting requirements and participating in the Baltic and the Cup championship.
But on the third stage of the foreign participants was significantly less, and that is primarily due to difficulties in logistics and the border, as well as the distance from point to point. But the most amazing thing is that nonetheless the number of participants in the third stage has not decreased: 93 car came out at the start of two fundamentally different championships — «Sport» and «Time Attac.»
The difference is that if the offset «Sport» allowed only cars prepared for the special technical requirements (frame, sport seats and five-point belts, fire extinguishing system, and so on.), Then that's time-ATTAC can take part in almost any technically defective Vehicles suitable by year of release. Oh and one more difference — in the implementation of the start. If the «sport» is given macs start, and the cars are placed on the grid, the time starts ATTAC one on pitlane.
Compared with last year, this season there was a real «explosion»: such a number of Soviet-made cars on the same platform — and, of cars on track, beautiful, well-groomed and trained — for a long time no one saw. In general starts came out of the twenty-odd «Volga», «Muscovites» and «Lada» — restored, bright and proud of its name. And on the road, they showed a nice fight: overtaking turns, and even contacts. Of course, the speed of these vehicles can not be compared with the possibilities of the modern series, but the eyes and hearts rejoice at the sight of these rarities.
But most importantly, the whole point of the third stage was the fact that this time took a new class of vehicles — namely, «Formula» and the grid came 14 (!) Is quite exceptional cars built between 1974 and 1997. 12 of them — on the chassis of the «Estonia», and another two — Dallara.
Mikhail Aleshin spoke on the car «Estonia 25 P» equipped with 8-valve engine engine capacity of 1.6 liters and 160 hp, which stood in the VAZ-2108.
Here is what he said about his impressions:
«9 out of 14 cars that took part in the races belong to Eugene shamanic, and it was he who asked me to start in the Grand Prix. Well, since I had some spare time, I responded with great pleasure — even when the opportunity to drive a car, driving I was not sitting exactly half of his life, that is, 14 years? Last time I spoke to her in Russian championship in the class „Formula 1600“, but failed to win due to a technical descent in the last race.
Of course, over the past 14 years, all the feeling has faded, but I can honestly say I was expecting the worst. This machine is very cool set up and balanced, especially for that time, and now I realize that the «Formula», which technically is now almost 25 years, in some ways behaves much better than even cars of the modern youth classes. Of course, it is much less secure than modern machines, but we are on these races and not doing anything that could be dangerous.
In Moscow Classic Grand Prix for the first time I have been involved, but it's a cool event, and I love it here. The main thing is the thing that it was necessary to start and I'm sure that everything will develop, «Hurrah!»
In addition to Mikhail Aleshin on the route Moscow Raceway acted and several famous pilots, including Natalia Goltsova, which is involved in the class «National» car lada Kalina in Russia Series racing circuit (RSKG). On MCGP Natalia drive a car «Moskvich-412» and won its class.
The oldest was the legendary pilot Edgard Lindgren, a multiple champion of the USSR and Russia in highway-ring racing, which this year celebrated its 80th anniversary. Edgar L. not just on a par with young athletes rode this stage to «formula Estonia», but also won in its class of vehicles with engines of 1300!
