The 1926 German Grand Prix was an auto race held at the AVUS track on 11 July 1926. It was the first ever German Grand Prix. The race was held in heavy rain, and was won by Germany's native son, Rudolf Caracciola.
Recognising a lack of available vehicles for the new Grand Prix formula (for example, the 1926 French Grand Prix had just three starters), the organisers decided to admit a diverse field vaguely described as sports cars. These were divided into three classes based on engine capacity: Class D (2L-3L), Class E (1.5L-2L) and Class F (1.1L to 1.5L). The race start was staggered, with class D released first, followed by class E, and finally class F, at 2-minute intervals.
The race was marred by an accident involving driver Adolf Rosenberger, whose car crashed into one of the marshals' huts, killing three people.
The German Grand Prix would not return to the AVUS track until 1959.
Classification
Pos No Class Driver Car Laps Time/Retired 1 14 E Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes 20 2:54'12.8 2 5 D Christian Riecken NAG 20 2:57'33.2 3 7 D Willi Cleer Alfa Romeo RLSS 20 3:00'16.8 4 20 E Pierre Clause Bignan 20 3:02'07.4 5 32 F Georg Klöbe NSU 20 3:07'27.0 6 16 E Max zu Schaumburg-Lippe OM 665 20 3:10'57.4 7 28 F Jakob Scholl NSU 20 3:11'54.2 8 37 F Franz Islinger NSU 20 3:13'58.8 9 23 E Hans Santner OM 665 20 3:16'54.2 10 54 F Josef Müller NSU 20 3:18'25.4 11 44 E Hans Bakasch Brennabor 20 3:21'26.2 12 41 E Edard Reichstein Brennabor 20 3:26'33.8 13 10 D Fritz Feldmann Hansa 20 3:27'45.8 14 9 D Erwin Orska NAG 20 3:28'11.0 15 25 E Fritz Mitzlaff Brennabor 20 3:29'01.6 16 42 F Hugo Urban-Emmerich Talbot 20 3:29'37.8 17 33 F Max Wälti Bugatti 20 3:31'17.8 DNF 24 F Hans Hanft Bugatti 17 DNF 31 F Hermann Friedrich Pluto 16 DNF 38 F Georg Kimpel Bugatti 16 Conrod DNF 15 E Josef Ludwig Bugatti 15 DNF 4 D Paul von Guillaume Austro-Daimler 14 DNF 18 E Otto Komnick Komnick 13 Conrod DNF 4 D Carl Deilmann Austro-Daimler 12 DNF 13 E Rudolf Breier Bugatti 9 DNF 36 F Jean Chassagne Talbot 8 Accident DNF 26 F Alfred Mederer Pluto 8 Accident DNF 40 F R. van Horn GM 8 Broken valve DNF 19 E Adolf Rosenberger Mercedes 6 Accident DNF 27 F Ferdinando Minoia OM 865 6 Tyres, engine DNF 1 D Hans Lohmann Komnick 6 DNF 2 D Hans Berthold NAG 5 DNF 8 D R. C. Krüger Alfa Romeo 3 Clutch DNF 45 F Willy Loge AGA 2 Radiator DNF 3 D Ernst Hofer Steiger 1 Radiator DNF 30 F Max Georg Fielder BFA 1 Flat tyre DNF 34 F Otto Fettkenheur Bob 0 Retired DNF 46 F Heinz Erblich Alfi 0 Retired DNS 11 D Wilhelm Heine NAG Accident in practice DNS 12 E Arno Hänsel Bugatti Engine DNS 21 E Hans Kolb Bugatti Engine DNS 35 F Luigi "Gigi" Platé Chiribiri Accident in practice DNS 39 F August Momberger NSU Engine DNS 43 F Cord von Einem Pluto EngineSources:
References