REGULAR PARTICIPANT AT MARLBORO MASTERS OF FORMULA SINCE 1992

The predecessor of the Euro GT Series, the Ferrari – Porsche Challenge, participated at Marlboro Masters of Formula 3 for the first time in 1992. This year it will be the eighth time that this European series for GT cars, now as Euro GT Series, supports this world famous Formula 3 event at Circuit Park Zandvoort.

Zandvoort at the Dutch coast has always been a favourite place for European race drivers. The participants of the Euro GT Series and its predecessor the Ferrari – Porsche Challenge form no exception. In 1992, two years after the foundation of the Ferrari – Porsche Challenge, the GT cars gave their first magnificent show for many thousands of visitors to the Marlboro Masters of Formula 3. The teams came back no less than six times for this event and this year they are back again.

Stars of the show in 1992 were Ben Pon, Patrick Huisman, Michel Oprey (all Porsche 911), and David Hart (Ferrari 512 BBLM). It was the era of the Ferraris F40, 512, and 365, and the Porsches Carrera 2 and RSR. The winner’s trophy in Modified Class went to Cor Euser, driving a Ferrari F40, before Wolfgang Schrey (Porsche 911 Carrera). Winner in Standard Plus Class (for upgraded standard cars) was Lex Proper (Porsche 911 SC/RS) and first man in Standard Class (road legal cars) was Fred Spoor (Porsche 911 SC).

Also in 1993 some well known names were seen on the grid, such as Dick Waaijenberg, Duncan Huisman (both Porsche 911), and Klaas Zwart (Porsche 911 RSR). The Ferrari F40 was the car to beat but the Porsche 911 was a heavy contender due to the sheer number of this model on the grid. Victory in Modified Class went to Wolfgang Schrey (Porsche 911 Carrera) before Dutchman Rinie van der Velden (Ferrari F40). First place in Standard Plus Class went to Dutchman Lex Proper (Porsche 911 SC/RS) again and winner in Standard Class was Hein Hartman (Porsche 911 SC).

In 1994 Bert Ploeg (Ferrari F40, Netherlands), Frits Kroymans (Ferrari F40) and Franz Konrad (Porsche 911 RSR) entered the grid. Rinie van der Velden won again before Oliver Mathai (Porsche 911 RSR) from Germany. Standard Plus was won by German Frank Böhm (Porsche 911 RS) and Standard Class by Fred Spoor. All Marlboro Masters winners in 1994 won their Class Title that year.

The number of Classes was reduced to two for 1996, Class A (the old Modified Class) and Class B (standard road cars and Cup cars). It was the time of the bi-turbo Porsche 993 (GT 2) and the new Ferrari 355. Class A was won by Mike Hezemans with a home-made Porsche 993 bi-turbo. Second and third place were for Wolfgang (Porsche GT2) and his nephew Daniel Schrey.(with Wolfgang’s old RSR). Class B was won by Dr. Edgar Althoff (Porsche 911 RS) from Germany before Dutchman Menno Schaafsma (Ferrari 355).

Bert Ploeg’s determination in previous years was rewarded in 1997. He won four out of seven races that year including Marlboro Masters, and also the title in Class A. Second again was Wolfgang Schrey who adopted a new name (Miguel Monte) which nobody used. Newcomer Remco Papenburg (Netherlands) won five out of seven races that year in Class B and like Schrey won the Marlboro Masters race and the Class Title. Well known newcomer that year was Tony Ring with Ferrari 355 who became Eurosport commentator in his home country Sweden. Bert Ploeg won again in 1998 after a heavy battle with David Hart and Rene Snel (Netherlands), all with Porsche 911 GT2. Jos de Bock (Porsche 911, Netherlands) won Class B before German Peter Andersen (Ferrari 355).

In 2001 the GT cars joined the Marlboro Masters event under the new name of Euro GT Series for the first time. There were three Classes again, but with new star drivers such as Chaouki Chikhani, Rob and Arjan van der Zwaan, Rob Knook, and Klaus Abbelen nick-named Frikadelli (he owns a meat processing company in Germany). Klaus won Class A after a heavy fight with German Thomas Probst (both Porsche 911 GT2). The Zwaan brothers came home third with a Marcos LM600. Class B was won by German driver Johannes Paczynski (Porsche 935) and Class C by Dutchman Hans Ambaum (Marcos Mantis).

For the race in 2004 we see many regular old-time competitors on the grid again, such as David Hart (Chrysler Viper), Wolfgang and Daniel Schrey, Andre Wilke, René Snel, Chaouki Chikhani, Elmar Grimm, Dag von Garrel (all Porsche), Peter Andersen (Ferrari 348 GT Michelotto), Nico Verdoes (Marcos Mantis), Peter Brecht (Ferrari 360), and Cor Euser (Marcos LM600). It will be a nice battle again!