The World Sportscar Championship (named as World Championship for Makes for the mid '70s) was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992. The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid, to a professional racing series where the world's largest automakers spent millions of dollars per year. The official name of the series changed throughout the years, however it has generally been known as the World Sportscar Championship from its inception in 1953.
From 1976 to 1981 the series was open to Group 5 Special Production cars and other production based categories including Group 4 Grand Touring cars and it was during this period that the nearly-invincible Porsche 935 Turbo dominated the championship.
| MAKES | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | (DE) Porsche | 95 | (DE) BMW | 85 | (IT) DeTomaso | 18 |
| 1977 | (DE) Porsche | 140 | (DE) BMW | 55.5 | (IT) DeTomaso | 12 |
| 1978 | (DE) Porsche | 120 | (IT) DeTomaso | 8 | (US) Chevrolet | 4 |
| 1979 | (DE) Porsche | 140 | (IT) Ferrari | 30 | (IT) DeTomaso | 6 |
| 1980 | (DE) Porsche | 160 | (IT) Lancia | 40 | (IT) Ferrari | 12 |
| 1981 | (DE) Porsche | 100 | (DE) BMW | 52 | (IT) Ferrari | 15 |
| DIVISION1 (under 2.0lt) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | (US) Ford | 75 | (DE) BMW | 55 | (FR) Alpine | 12 |
| 1977 | (DE) BMW | 90 | (US) Ford | 32 | (IT) Fiat | 20 |
| 1978 | (DE) BMW | 120 | (DE) Porsche | 12 | (IT) Fiat | 10 |
| 1979 | (IT) Lancia | 50 | (DE) BMW | 32 | (US) Ford | (DE) Porsche | 30 |
| 1980 | (IT) Lancia | 160 | (DE) BMW | 59 | (DE) Porsche | 15 |
| 1981 | (IT) Lancia | 100 | (DE) BMW | 22.5 | (DE) Opel | 5 |
The European Touring Car Challenge, as it was originally known, was started in 1963 by Willy Stenger, who created the series at the behest of the FIA. Cars competed under FIA Group 2 Improved Touring Car regulations which allowed a variety of touring cars of different sizes and engine displacements to race together.
Following the 1973 oil crisis the '74-'75 seasons had few entrants. It was only in 1977 that the situation was normalised with the return of factory teams. Rules allowed Group 2 and Group 1B "National" cars to compete together.
| DRIVERS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | (DE) Hans Heyer | 76 | (BE) Alain Peltier | 68 | (DE) Klaus Ludwig | 56 |
| 1975 | (DE) Siegfried Muller (BE) Alain Peltier |
80 | (IT) Martino Finotto | 54 | (DE) Hans Heyer | 42 |
| 1976 | (BE) Jean Xhenceval (BE) Pierre Dieudonne |
125 | (BE) Hughes de Fierlant | 112 | (IT) Amerigo Bigliazzi | 78 |
| 1977 | (AT) Dieter Quester | 125 | (IT) Carlo Facetti | 119 | (BE) Jean Xhenceval (BE) Pierre Dieudonne |
119 |
| 1978 | (IT) Umberto Grano | 135 | (DE) Willi Bergmeister (CH) Jorg Siegrist |
96 | (IT) Carlo Facetti (IT) Martino Finotto |
83 |
| 1979 | (IT) Carlo Facetti (IT) Martino Finotto |
160 | (BE) Jean Xhenceval (BE) Pierre Dieudonne (BE) Raijmond van Hove |
134 | (IT) Umberto Grano (BE) Eddy Joosen |
111 |
| 1980 | (DE) Siegfried Muller Jr (DE) Helmut Kelleners |
107 | (IT) Umberto Grano | 88 | (AT) Harald Neger (AT) Heribert Werginz |
86 |
| 1981 | (IT) Umberto Grano (DE) Helmut Kelleners |
123 | (DE) Willi Bergmeister (ES) Jaime de Madrid |
69 | (IT) Enzo Calderari (IT) Marco Vanoli |
53 |
The series was founded in 1969 by John and Peggy Bishop and Bill France - racing debuted in 1971. It was originally aimed at two of FIA's stock car categories running at two different classes, the GT (Group 3 and 4) and Touring (Group 1 and 2) cars. The first race was held at Virginia International Raceway; it was an unexpected hit with both the drivers and a handful of spectators who attended.
For the following year, IMSA founder John Bishop brought in sponsor R. J. Reynolds and in 1975, introduced a new category called All American Grand Touring (AAGT). In 1977, the series would go through a series of major changes. IMSA permitted turbocharged cars for the first time as well as introducing a new category called GTX for cars based on the Group 5 rules.
| GTX class | GTO class | GTU class | |
| 1974 | - | (US) Peter Gregg Porsche 911 RSR | (US) Walt Maas Datsun 240Z |
| 1975 | - | (US) Peter Gregg Porsche 911 RSR | (US) Bob Sharp Datsun 240Z |
| 1976 | - | (US) Al Holbert Chevrolet Monza | (US) Brad Frisselle Datsun 240Z |
| 1977 | - | (US) Al Holbert Chevrolet Monza | (US) Walt Maas Porsche 914/6 |
| 1978 | (US) Peter Gregg Porsche 935 Turbo | (US) Dave Cowart Porsche 911 RSR | (US) Dave White Porsche 911 RS |
| 1979 | (US) Peter Gregg Porsche 935 Turbo | (US) Howard Meister Porsche 911 RSR | (US) Don Devendorf Datsun 240Z |
| 1980 | (UK) John Fitzpatrick Porsche 935 Turbo | (DR) Luis Mendez Porsche 911 RSR | (US) Walt Bohren Mazda RX7 |
| 1981 | (UK) John Fitzpatrick Porsche 935 Turbo | (US) Dave Cowart BMW M1 | (US) Lee Mueller Mazda RX7 |
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (translated as German Racing Championship) or simply DRM as it was known, was a Touring car and Sportscar racing series. It is the predecessor of the current DTM as Germany's top national series.
The DRM began in 1972 as a Group 2 touring car and Group 4 GT racing series. In these years, the same or similar cars were also entered in the European Touring Car Championship. Races were run separately as big Division 1 (for 2 to 4 liter) and small Division 2 (under 2 liter) in a sprint format.
In 1977, Group 5 cars were admitted into the series, making the series better supported with Gr.5 cars than the World Championship of Makes they were intended for. These fast and spectacular turbocharged cars with wide fenders and wings had many fans. Especially the Porsche 935 Turbo outpowered F1 cars. During common testing sessions at Circuit Paul Ricard, 935 passed them on the long Mistral straight. In 1979, the Rennsport Trophae (Racing Trophy) was introduced for the cheaper original series protagonists, the Group 2 and 4 cars. It consisted of combined races with the DRM until 1981.
| CHAMPIONS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | (DE) Dieter Glemser | (DE) Zakspeed Racing | Ford Escort RS | |||
| 1975 | (DE) Hans Heyer | (DE) Zakspeed Racing | Ford Escort RS | |||
| 1976 | (DE) Hans Heyer | (DE) Zakspeed Racing | Ford Escort II RS | |||
| 1977 | (DE) Rolf Stommelen | (DE) Georg Loos Racing | Porsche 935 Turbo | |||
| 1978 | (AT) Harald Ertl | (DE) Schnitzer Motorsport | BMW 320i Turbo | |||
| 1979 | (DE) Klaus Ludwig | (DE) Kremer Racing | Porsche 935 Turbo | |||
| 1980 | (DE) Hans Heyer | (IT) Lancia Corse | Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo | |||
| 1981 | (DE) Klaus Ludwig | (DE) Zakspeed Racing | Ford Capri III Turbo | |||
| RESULTS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | (DE) Dieter Glemser Ford Escort RS | 137 | (DE) Jorg Obermoser BMW 2002 | 132 | (DE) Klaus Ludwig Ford Capri II RS | 113 |
1975 |
(DE) Hans Heyer Ford Escort RS | 120 | (DE) Klaus Ludwig Ford Escort RS | 112 | (DE) Albrecht Krebs BMW 3.5 CSL | 102 |
1976 |
(DE) Hans Heyer Ford Escort II RS | 160 | (DE) Klaus Ludwig Ford Escort II RS | 115 | (FR) Bob Wollek Porsche 911 RSR | 114 |
1977 |
(DE) Rolf Stommelen Porsche 935 Turbo | 160 | (FR) Bob Wollek Porsche 935 Turbo | 152 | (DE) Manfred Winkelhock BMW 320i Turbo | 108 |
1978 |
(AT) Harald Ertl BMW 320i Turbo | 162 | (NL) Toine Hezemans Porsche 935 Turbo | 140 | (FR) Bob Wollek Porsche 935 Turbo | 131 |
1979 |
(DE) Klaus Ludwig Porsche 935 Turbo | 215 | (DE) Hans Heyer Ford Capri III Turbo | 177 | (DE) Manfred Winkelhock BMW 320i Turbo | 139 |
1980 |
(DE) Hans Heyer Lancia Beta Turbo | 156 | (DE) Hans-Joachim Stuck BMW 320i Turbo | 145 | (DE) Klaus Ludwig Ford Capri III Turbo | 143 |
1981 |
(DE) Klaus Ludwig Ford Capri III Turbo | 215 | (FR) Bob Wollek Porsche 935 Turbo | 179 | (DE) Manfred Winkelhock Ford Capri III Turbo | 174 |
