A good morning to us all, for today is the most sacred of holidays and traditions. Today is, of course, Group C-smas, the day when we celebrate all that is wonderful from the world of Group C and GT1 racing. First up is the simply perfect bellow emanating from this Sauber Mercedes C11.
As much as the story of Group C and GT1 racing revolves around Le Mans, in its debut year the Sauber Mercedes C11 never actually turned a wheel in anger around the vaunted 24-hour race at the Circuit de la Sarthe. That doesn’t mean it’s not a champion, as it very much won the 1990 Group C championship, in part with a young Michael Schumacher at the wheel before his Formula One-dominating days. Instead, in a very German move, Mercedes withdrew from the 24 Hours of Le Mans because it wasn’t part of the World Endurance Championship that year. Competing in a strictly unnecessary race was simply illogical.
But that doesn’t mean this glorious car, with its glorious engine, is anything short of perfect. I mean, just listen to it. It’s an unearthly snarl from which dreams are made of.
Merry Group C-smas, everyone. We’ll be doing this all day.