“Grand Prix – Icons of the Premier Class of Motorsport” To Open At Nationales Automuseum On 12 April

EWERSBACH, Germany -- The Nationales Automuseum The Loh Collection moves seamlessly from its successful “100 Years of the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the Myth, the Heroes, the Cars” and “Ferrari – Masterpieces for the racetrack and road” exhibitions with the special “Grand Prix – Icons of the Premier Class of Motorsport” exhibition which opens on 12 April 2025. The only one of its kind in the world, the museum brings motoring history to life and explains the technological developments of the last 120 years. “Grand Prix – Icons of the Premier Class of Motorsport” covers everything from the pioneering days of motorsport to the more recent past of Formula One, featuring world stars such as Louis Chiron, Rudolf Caracciola, Tazio Nuvolari, Juan Manuel Fangio, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Ayrton Senna, Mika Häkkinen, Michael Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton. Cars exhibited range from pre-war racers, technological innovators of the early Grand Prix years and Silver Arrow-era Monoposti to a unique cross-section of Formula One history now spanning 75 years.

Early-20th-century to modern Grand Prix cars

The unrestored winning car from the first Monaco GP (Bugatti Type 35 B) is on display, as is the most successful Formula 1 Ferrari of all time, which Michael Schumacher drove to eight victories in 2004. An Alfa Romeo P3, Tazio Nuvolari’s car that beat the Silver Arrows at their home race in 1935, an Alfa Romeo 16C Bimotore and two pre-war Silver Arrows (Auto Union Type D and Mercedes-Benz W154) are also exhibited. The Formula 1 exhibits also include the Maserati 250F that won its fifth world title at the Nürburgring in 1957 as well as the cars that won the title for James Hunt, Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Räikkönen. The technology ranges from that of the Gordon Bennett race car of the early 20th century to what’s found in the Formula 1 champion of today, with its highly efficient hybrid powertrain.

“Top-level motorsport has always represented the pinnacle of technology. That’s what makes it so fascinating,” said the museum’s founder, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Friedhelm Loh. “This is why Grand Prix racing has captivated a huge global audience for more than 120 years. Each car has made history and continues telling many stories still today. Races from the past remain with us, and that is part of the magic of the sport,” explained Friedhelm Loh. “For us at the Nationales Automuseum, it’s all about sharing history, stories and the tales of people and engineering. The exhibition has been curated in exactly that spirit. It is unique. After all, it is only through the exciting combination of people and technology that the achievements of this outstanding chapter in the history of the automobile can be fully appreciated.”

From a 16.3-litre engine to advanced hybrid drive

From a technical point of view, the special exhibition is packed with highlights, including large-volume four-cylinder engines (one with a capacity of 16.3 litres) and early twelve-cylinder and supercharged cars from the pre-war period, some of which even had two engines. They range from the filigree 1.5-litre V12 to the three-litre V8 used in Formula 1 for decades, and the modern 1.6-litre turbocharged six-cylinder with energy recovery and power assistance.
Alongside the world-championship-winning cars, vehicles such as the 1984 Tyrrell 012 and Niki Lauda’s “company car” round off the exhibition. It was with the lightweight Tyrrell that the young German talent Stefan Bellof made a lasting impression in the premier class at one time. In addition, two cars driven by three-time Formula One champion Niki Lauda are part of a special exhibition at the Nationales Automuseum. The first of these is the Ferrari 312 B3-74, with which the Austrian laid the foundations for his world championship titles. The second is his BMW M1 Procar which draws attention to an interesting sidelight in the history of Formula One: at the end of the 1970s, many Formula One drivers competed in European Grand Prix events with other well-known racing drivers, each at the wheel of an M1 Procar. Along with contributing to Lauda’s first title win, the Marlboro livery – another display – proved to be a decisive career move for Ron Dennis, who was to become McLaren’s boss.

Illustrated, exciting and informative: the exhibition book

These and many other interesting stories from Grand Prix sport are told in the book “Grand Prix – Icons of the Premier Class of Motorsport,” which was published alongside the exhibition. It was written by Jörg Walz, a well-known author and expert on motor racing. Detailing the cars on display, it provides comprehensive information on many aspects of motorsport’s premier class. The book is lavishly illustrated and is a publication of the Motorbuch publishing house. Furthermore, the Nationales Automuseum shop offers model vehicles and automobilia specially created for the Grand Prix exhibition.