primotipo…

Poster for the 1934 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring…

It’s famously the race in which Auto Union took their first GP win. Hans Stuck triumphed in the 4.4-litre V16 AU Type A from Luigi Fagioli, Mercedes W25A and Louis Chiron in a Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3.

Grid before the off. #6 is the Rudy Caracciola MB W25A, #20 Goffredo Zehender Maserati 8CM, #1 Hans Stuck AU Type A. Alongside him is the Ulrich Maag Alfa Monza, #9 Luigi Fagioli MB W25A and beside him Laszlo Hartmann’s Bugatti T51, the AU on the row behind Fagioli is August Mombergers, #3 is the Ernst-Gunther Burgaller AU Type A, Hans Ruesch in the middle, Maserati 8CM, and #15 is the Luigi Soffietti Alfa Monza.

All the fun of the fair. The Nurburgring paddock with only Louis Chiron’s Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Tipo B/P3 in the Eifel Mountains breeze

Pitstop for Stuck’s winning Auto Union Type A, vents and ducts all over, note the torsion bar IFS, swing-axle at rear.

The race was important to the German teams, keen to avenge their defeat at the French Grand Prix, Montlhery on 1 July, where Louis Chiron won in a reliable Alfa Tipo B. The Silver Cars dominated at the Nurburgring where the Alfas and Maseratis were also-rans.

The race was also important for Caracciola’s return to form after his Monaco accident the previous year, and subsequent death of his wife in a skiing accident. His form was confirmed with a forceful drive which ended in retirement. Quick at Montlhery on 1 July – Rudy’s comeback drive after 14 months out of the seat – he showed he was on-it at the Nurburgring.

Rudy Caracciola and Alfred Neubauer before the off, Caratch was back with a vengeance despite needing help getting in and out of the car. Once ensconced he was mighty fast

#22 Battilana Alfa Monza, #20 Zehender Maserati 8CM, #6 Caracciola MB W25A, #12 Maag Alfa Monza, #1 Stuck AU Type A, #11 Hartmann Bugatti T51, #9 Fagioli MB W25A then the Momberger and Burgaller AU Type A’s.

Fagioli’s Benz W25A, #2 Momberger’s AU and #15 Soffietti’s Alfa before the off. Fagioli was drafted into the team in the event Caracciola was not up to snuff after his convalescence. Luigi knew he had a fight on his hands within the team as Rudy was quick from his Montlhery return.

Stuck’s Auto Union lead early from Caratch’s Mercedes W25A and raced hard, breaking the lap record several times ahead of Fagioli Mercedes, Chiron Alfa P3, Moll Alfa P3 and Nuvolari Maserati 8CM. Rudy snuck past Stuck at the Karussell on lap 13 but the Benz’ eight-cylinder engine failed and he soon retired. Stuck regained the lead, the order was as above except that Momberger replaced Moll in the gaggle.

With four laps to go Stuck was concerned about his engine water temperature and signalled as such to his team, who waved him on, only to be told after the race that the team had changed the gauges. What he was reading was oil not water temperature!

Stuck and Auto Union took a great win, Auto Union’s first GP victory from Fagioli, Mercedes Chiron’s Alfa and Nuvolari in a Maserati 8CM but Caracciola was the star of the show and back with a vengeance!

Hans Stuck is a very happy chappy, after 4 hours and 38 minutes of hard work he won the race. Plenty of uniforms around in these shots even in 1934.

Credits…

Kolumbus.f1, Imagno, Science and Society Picture Library, Tony Turner

Etcetera…

After this article was first posted, my friend Tony Turner sent me these two marvellous photographs and this note.

“Back in 2016 I went for a holiday in Germany. It was only when I went for a stroll around our temporary base in Remagen that I realised that I was in the birthplace of Caratch – the street sign was a definite clue, the sculpture in a little park nearby definite confirmation. I suspect it features the later W125 rather than the 1934 W25. It seems his grandfather (?) founded a big hotel there, which was taken over by successive generations, so the name’s still quite well respected in the town.”

Tailpiece…

Momberger and Burgaller shared this Auto Union Type A, DNF after completing 20 laps. Auguste Momberger is alongside the cockpit.

Finito…