My purpose with automotive pictures has all the time been to seize all facets of automobile tradition. One thing I’ve needed to do for so long as I can bear in mind is shoot Nineties Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) race vehicles in motion.
This summer season, I lastly realised that long-time dream.
Yearly, Bellahøj Park in Copenhagen hosts the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix. As one of many few occasions of its sort in Denmark, it attracts hundreds of tourists. Having simply solely not too long ago found it, I made a decision to attend whereas on a household vacation.
When it’s on, the streets round Bellahøj Park are reworked right into a 2.4km racetrack with tight corners and difficult chicanes. The park itself turns into a hub for a wide range of extra actions.
I entered by means of one of many occasion’s a number of gates, which occurred to be closest to the Through Retro automobile present – an incredible place to begin.
This present space was full of vehicles from varied Danish golf equipment, together with Porsche, Lancia, Land Rover, MG, and others. Some golf equipment showcased fashions I’d by no means even heard of earlier than.
One instance was this superbly preserved Seventies Lancia Fulvia Sport, a glossy, fastback and sportier variant of the Fulvia Coupe.
One other standout was this J5 from Kellison, a California-based package automobile producer lively within the late Nineteen Fifties and Sixties.
Occasions like these all the time have particular vehicles on show, however for me, essentially the most pleasing a part of any automotive competition that centres round racing lies within the paddock.
The 2024 Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix featured seven lessons racing over its three days. These ranged from the Youngtimer class for contemporary hatchbacks…
…to the Components Junior class that includes single-seaters just like the Lotus 22 and Lola Mk5A, and the Sixty-Fivers for vehicles from the late Sixties. Japanese autos have been scarce, however I did spot a Datsun 240Z.
Whereas I’m a Japanese automobile fanatic at coronary heart, I have a tendency to understand classic occasions with traditional vehicles greater than anything; they only really feel ‘grown up.’ Possibly it’s as a result of I’m a father in my thirties, however there’s something about watching these automotive time machines scream previous that makes the expertise unforgettable.
For me, the occasion spotlight was clear: the Tourenwagen Legenden.
Earlier than the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix, my publicity to DTM races had been restricted to archived Eurosport replays and YouTube montages, typically set to German rock and roll music.
Whereas not essentially a nasty factor, it didn’t put together me for the thrill of seeing these touring vehicles fly previous in individual.
There was selection within the grid with Porsche 996 GT3 Cup vehicles, Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24s, BMW E30 M3s, and Mercedes-Benz 190 E EVO I and EVO IIs all racing collectively. It was a spectacle I didn’t anticipate to see.
Kristian Poulsen, winner of Friday’s race, pushed his BMW E30 M3 DTM to the restrict. Mechanical points prevented him from ending Saturday’s race, however Kristian secured second place on Sunday. This BMW was undoubtedly my favorite automobile of the whole weekend.
Although the DTM class was my spotlight, it was a blast to look at every kind of vehicles race across the avenue circuit.
Whereas placing this put up collectively, I realised it might be cool to shoot these iconic vehicles with period-correct analogue digital camera gear to seize their true essence. Trevor’s 35mm pictures has impressed me to discover this additional.
I have to be taught extra about taking pictures on movie, however till then, take pleasure in many extra photographs from the 2024 Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix beneath.
Alen Haseta
Instagram: hazetaa
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