BPR Blues, How We Got What We Wanted But Lost What We Had
Photography by John Brooks
John Brooks was THE photographer on the scene in the days of the BPR and still ha an unrivalled archive of shots of the iconic era of GT1 racing – here’s an outstanding gallery of 1996 BPR gorgeousness together with a link to JB’s contemporary blog post lifting the lid towards the end of a second year of amazing GT racing, with huge, varied and spectacular grids, on what was going well, and what was beginning to go very badly wrong!
The Porsche 911 GT1 of Hans Joachim Stuck (GER) / Thierry Boutsen (BEL) leads a huge field of 43 cars at the start of the race
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Brands Hatch, England, 8 September 1996
Hans Joachim Stuck (GER) / Thierry Boutsen (BEL) Porsche 911 GT1 stunned the BPR regulars by taking pole position and the race win
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Brands Hatch, England, 8 September 1996
Ray Bellm (GBR) GTC Competition McLaren F1 GTR won the race.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Jarama, Spain, 14 April 1996.
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Christian Heinkele (FRA) / Tony Ring (SWE) / Henri-Louis Maunoir (SUI) Ferrari F355 had an off-track excursion on their way to 19th place.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd2, Monza, Italy, 24 March 1996.
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L-R: John Nielsen (DEN) / Thomas Bscher (GER) DPR won the race.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd2, Monza, Italy, 24 March 1996.
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Anders Olofsson (SWE) / Luciano della Noce (ITA) Ennea Ferrari F40 GTE failed to finish.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd2, Monza, Italy, 24 March 1996.
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Steve O’Rourke (GBR) / Guy Holmes (GBR) EMKA Racing Porsche 911 GT2 finished in 18th place.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd2, Monza, Italy, 24 March 1996.
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Jean-Marc Gounon (FRA) / Eric Bernard (FRA) / Paul Belmondo (FRA) Ennea Ferrari F40 GTE failed to finish.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd2, Monza, Italy, 24 March 1996.
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Cor Euser (NED) / Thomas Erdos (BRA) Marcos Racing International Marcos LM600 finished in 9th place and 7th in GT2.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd2, Monza, Italy, 24 March 1996.
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Podium and results:
1st: Ray Bellm (GBR) / James Weaver (GBR) GTC Competition, centre.
2nd: Lindsay Owen-Jones (GBR) / Pierre-Henri Raphanel (FRA) GTC Comeptiton, left.
3rd: Olivier Thevenin (FRA) / Michel Ferte (FRA) Pilot Racing, right.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Nogaro, France, 6 October 1996.
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Max Angelelli (ITA) / Anders Olofsson (SWE) / Luciano della Noce (ITA) Ferrari F40 GTE finished 4th
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Nogaro, France, 6 October 1996
Thorkild Thyrring (DEN) / Phil Andrews (GBR) / Jerome Policand (FRA) Superpower Engineering De Tomaso Pantera.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Nurburgring, Germany, 30 June 1996.
John Nielsen (DEN) DPR McLaren F1 GTR failed to finish.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd1, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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Anders Olofsson (SWE) / Luciano della Noce (ITA) Ennea Ferrari F40 GTE finished in 2nd place.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd1, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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Franz Konrad (GER) / Bob Wollek (FRA) Konrad Motorsport Porsche 911 GT2 Evo finished in 4th place.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd1, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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Michel Ferte (FRA) / Olivier Thevenin (FRA) RFR Sport Ferrari F40 LM crashed out of the race.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd1, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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Kurt Huber (SUI) / Hans Hauser (SUI) Callaway Schweiz Callaway LM600 finished in 21st place.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd1, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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Thomas Bscher (GER) DPR McLaren F1 GTR failed to finish.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd1, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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Jean-Pierre Jarier (FRA) / Altfrid Heger (GER) Roock Racing Porsche 911 GT2 Evo crashed out of the race.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd1, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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Thomas Bscher (GER) DPR McLaren F1 GTR failed to finish.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Rd1, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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James Weaver (GBR) GTC Competition McLaren F1 GTR won the race.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Paul Ricard, France, 3 March 1996.
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Ray Bellm (GBR) / James Weaver (GBR) / JJ Lehto (FIN) GTC Competition McLaren F1 GTR finished in 3rd place.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Zhuhai, China, 3 November 1996
Ralf Kelleners (GER) / Emmanuel Collard (FRA) Porsche 911 GT1 lead away at the start of the race.
BPR Global Endurance GT Series, Zhuhai International Circuit, China, 3 November 1996.
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