Lignières: Ideal terrain for Legends Cars 🎥

The popular sports event held as a pilot project on the small circuit of Lignières, initiated and organized by its operator TCS and the association Swiss Legends Racing, turned out differently than expected for some registered participants. Because in Switzerland nothing goes without the blessing of the umbrella organization when timekeeping and classifications are involved, Auto Sport Schweiz (ASS) enforced its regulations on site.

So some people whose car did not exactly comply with the LOC regulations had to make do with a free ride. And those whose cars fell outside the LOC framework were also not allowed to buy a day license, which was met with incomprehension by the many affected.

Successful race test drive of Thomas Zürcher
The fact that one or the other who nevertheless carried a transponder did appear in the official classification caused some surprise. Thomas Zürcher, for example, received a trophy even though, like others, his race car was only included in the demo field.

For the Bernese, the slalom on Saturday and the time trial on Sunday were a more welcome test under racing conditions with a view to 2021. Probably no one has ever been as fast as Zürcher in the Tatuus F4 with the newly developed LRM-Abarth turbo engine (currently still about 280 hp, later significantly more) in Lignières.

Legends Cars among themselves
The small loud Legends Cars with their tube frame chassis and 135 hp Yamaha FZ engines (850 cc) under the antique-looking silhouettes are also more likely to be classified as racing cars. Because they have their own timing system from Sägesser Motorsport due to their frequent starts in France, these drivers were able to hold at least two regular races among their peers.

The opportunity for low-cost motorsport with a lot of driving time at home was taken by more than 20 competitors in three classes on both days. Two fast people managed double victories.

No coffee trips from Kräuchi
Thomas Kräuchi was the fastest of them all both in the cleverly laid-out slalom over around 1.9 kilometers, consisting of two practice runs and three race runs with scoring of the best time, and in the hunt for the fastest lap time offered in two time slots. The coffee machine service technician from Mühleberg took over the lead in the standings from Frédéric Cotting with the two victories.

Last year's champion had to stay away from the action due to illness and thus had to accept two zeros after three victories. The duel for second place in the elite class was decided in favor of Kräuchi's team boss and vehicle rental company Urs Böhlen in the slalom, and organizer Alain Chatton in the time trial.

With their short wheelbase and on Toyo semislicks, the sequentially shifted Legends Cars are very agile - as Kräuchi's Onboard video from one of the three slalom races in Lignières.

Quicker Heller
In the juniors, Silas Heller relegated defending champion Daniel Kauter to second place in the slalom and thus celebrated his first class victory. Kauter returned the favor the other day with the fastest time on the circuit, which had been defused for safety reasons with a chicane before the hairpin. Second place went to Silas' brother Nils Heller.

Her father Bruno Heller is also getting faster and faster, although neither he nor any of the eight competitors in the best-filled Master class for over-50s had a stitch against a newcomer.

Debrunner came, saw and won
Jean-Claude Debrunner took national stage wins in a Dallara World Series in the early 2000s and made a comeback in 2019 in the Suzuki Swiss Racing Cup. He took a liking to the Legends Cars during test drives on the Anneau du Rhin, rented a car from Böhlen for Lignières and immediately set times at the highest level.

With a respectful distance, Bruno Heller and Stephan Bobst secured the places of honor in the slalom. On Sunday, the rapporteur placed himself on the podium in third place alongside Debrunner and the table leaders Heller.

You can find out what his verdict was after this race test in a separate experience report. In any case, it was a hell of a lot of fun.

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