Michael Lyons proved victorious in a closely contested second Masters Racing Legends race at Hockenheim, as the first seven were covered by less than six seconds when the red flag came out three minutes from the end. In his Lotus 92 that also won the post-82 class, Lyons came through to pass early leader Mike Cantillon’s Tyrrell 010 on lap 6 and proceeded to keep the Tyrrell at bay until Mark Hazell – driving a strong race in third – beached his Williams FW07B on the outside of the entry to the Parabolika, as a result of contact with Ken Tyrrell’s Tyrrell 011. On countback, Hazell still kept his third place, however.

“A little bit of sweat was lost!” Lyons joked. “The guys worked really hard to make the car better and better. I was impressed by Mark Hazell, and together we closed on Mike, and I managed to pass when he made a mistake, but after that Mike and I were side by side towards the flag!”

“My tyres went off in the heat, but with the problems I’ve had all weekend, I’m just happy to be on the podium”, said Cantillon about losing his Williams FW07C in qualifying. “The guys worked all night to get the Tyrrell ready after it was brought in from the UK overnight, so all credit to them.”

Ken Tyrrell narrowly missed out on the podium but was in the mix all race, while in fifth and sixth Matt Wrigley (Penske PC3) and Nick Padmore (Lotus 77) warred over the pre-78 class win while keeping a close watch at the four cars in front. Behind the pair, Steve Hartley finished a fighting seventh, having fought his McLaren MP4/1 up all the way from the back.

“It was a great race”, said Wrigley. “So good to be able to see seven cars all together. Padmore hounded me all race, so I had to keep it tidy...”

“In a straight line it didn’t have any go,” Padmore rued. “Frustrating, but it is what it is.”

When reverse polesitter Max Werner (Hesketh 308C) dropped out at the same time that Hazell found himself on the Parabolika kerb, Jonathan Holtzman was elevated into third place in the pre-78 class, his popular Tyrrell P34 sixwheeler finishing 13th overall.

“Unfortunately, there are some guys around that hit you while trying to repass you”, Holtzman said about his eventful race. “But a great track, first time here, hard to go fast…”

On a bright Sunday afternoon, twenty-one 1966-’85 Formula One cars got going under the watchful eyes of the many thousands of spectators that again had flocked to the Hockenheimring for the third day of the Bosch Hockenheim Historic. Marco Werner was missing, his engine issues from the previous day proving terminal. On the reverse grid for the first few rows, Max Werner’s Hesketh 308C started from pole, with Mike Cantillon’s Tyrrell 010 besides. Steve Hartley’s McLaren MP4/1 was right at the back.

Werner led away from Cantillon, Mark Hazell’s Williams FW07B, Ken Tyrrell’s Tyrrell 011, Matt Wrigley’s Penske PC3 and Michael Lyons in the Lotus 92. Race 1 winner Nick Padmore was seventh in the Lotus 77. Hartley was already up into 14th. Soon though, Cantillon hit the front, as Hazell and Tyrrell began to pressure Werner, as Lyons passed Wrigley for fifth. Next time around, as Cantillon roared off, Hazell was second, followed through by Lyons, with Tyrrell in fourth ahead of Wrigley, the order of the pursuers completely shuffled around.

Cantillon, who had started from the back in race 1 to climb his way up to sixth, was unable to shake off Hazell, however, the Williams driver really on it. Pole sitter Werner was now seventh ahead of Warren Briggs (McLaren M29), Simon Fish (Arrows A4) and Steve Hartley having their own fight, the McLaren MP4/1 now the fastest car in the field and soon past Briggs and Fish. James Hagan in the other Tyrrell 011 was 11th ahead of Pierre-Brice Mena (Fittipaldi F8) and Mark Higson (McLaren MP4/1B).

Four laps into the race, Cantillon had eeked out a 1.3-second lead as Hazell was now pressured by Lyons, and coming into the stadium the Lotus 92 grabbed second spot. Behind Ken Tyrrell, the fight was truly on for the pre-78 class lead, Wrigley for now keeping Padmore at bay. Five seconds behind the pair, though, Hartley’s McLaren was already looming in the distance.

On the next lap, Lyons had the bit between the teeth to cut his deficit to Cantillon, and braking for the Parabolika entry, the Lotus 92 passed the Tyrrell 010. For the rest of this tour and the one following, however, Cantillon declined to be dropped and kept hounding Lyons. Hazell, meanwhile, continued to be pressured by Tyrrell who for now was unable to find a way past. At close quarters, the top-seven now within five seconds, Wrigley and Padmore still warred over the pre-78 class lead while Hartley had hooked on to their tails.

Five minutes remained in this tense race, and the gaps remained close, but then two cars caused the premature end of the race, as the red flag came out on lap 9. Max Werner’s Hesketh had pulled off at the Spitzkehre, while Mark Hazell beached his Williams FW07B on the kerbs at the entry to the Parabolika as a result of contact with Tyrrell’s Tyrrell. On countback, however, he was allowed to keep his spot on the podium, where his OC Racing mechanic was on hand for the trophy reception.

So Lyons was declared the winner ahead of Cantillon and Hazell, as Wrigley won the pre-78 class from Padmore, with Jonathan Holtzman in the Tyrrell P34 taking third in class while finishing 13th overall after an eventful race while fighting Toni Seiler’s Shadow DN1 and Peter Williams in the Lec CRP1.