DAYS OF THUNDER
- Jürgen Clauss
- Sep 25
- 5 min read
The Alpine A210 Returns to the Nürburgring
Flashback:
In 1967, the Alpine A210 #1725 roared onto the Nürburgring for the legendary 500 km race, wearing start number 1 with Henri Grandsire at the wheel. Fate was cruel that year, an engine failure ended the dream.
But Alpine spirit never gives up. In 1968, Grandsire brought the car back, now with start number 8.
This time, the blue Alpine-prototype danced through the Eifel and finished an impressive 4th overall. A proud moment for Dieppe’s racing team.
Now, 58 years later, history comes full circle.
From September 19–21 2025, during „Days of Thunder“ at the Nürburgring, the very same Alpine A210 #1725 will once again take on the Green Hell.
Behind the wheel this time - Jürgen Clauss, founder of alpineLAB and he could not be more thrilled:
“Driving this car where it made history is a dream come true. I can’t wait to unleash the A210 on the Nürburgring once more!”
The sound of its screaming four-cylinder will echo through the Eifel hills once again. The past will meet the present and the spirit of Henri Grandsire will ride along.
The Return of the Blue Arrows – Alpine A210 & A220 on the Nordschleife
On Saturday, September 20th, 2025, the Nordschleife will become the stage for one of the rarest moments in Alpine history: our A210 and an A220 lining up side by side.
Two purebred endurance prototypes, born in the 1960s, returning to one of the most demanding race tracks in the world, right where they belong.
The A210 — lightweight, aerodynamic and built for efficiency, carried Alpine blue to Le Mans and into the hearts of an entire generation.
The A220 — more powerful, more radical - marked Alpine’s bold step toward an overall victory.
Together, they tell the story of Jean Rédélé’s vision to challenge and beat the giants of motorsport with intelligence and engineering ingenuity.
When both prototypes take on the Nordschleife this September, it will be more than just a parade of historic race cars. It will be a moment that captures the very essence of Alpine: lightness, precision, passion and an unshakable will to forge new paths.
Friday – Arrival in the Green Hell
At the crack of dawn, I set off — Alpine A210 #1725 in tow, heading to the very place where she made history 58 years ago: the Nürburgring.
The roads were empty, the air crisp and cool and with every passing kilometer north, the anticipation grew.
We took our place in the historic paddock. The smell of fuel and engine oil was already hanging in the air and all around us stood the giants of a legendary era.
Big bangers from the CanAm series, brutal mid-engine monsters with staggering power and alongside them, the iconic Porsche prototypes: 917, 908, 910. A rolling history book , each car with its own legend.
And then there was us. The small, delicate A210. Slim, almost fragile compared to the muscle-bound machines.
But that’s exactly where her magic lies.
She isn’t loud, not built for brute force. Her strength lies in elegance, lightness, and intelligence.
At first glance, she may seem unassuming, but look closer and her true significance comes to light.
A masterpiece from Dieppe, created to outsmart the big names.
Unrestored, wearing the scars and battle marks of the late '60s with pride. Every crack, every scratch tells a story.
In the afternoon, right after the drivers’ briefing, the moment had come — 30 minutes of open track on the Grand Prix circuit. My first real chance to connect with this car.
What would she feel like? How does she steer, how does she brake, would everything hold up?
I eased into it gently. No risks, no over-eager heroics — just respect for her originality and the rare T58 Gordini engine. The brakes felt soft, the clutch needed some adjustment — but the engine… oh, the engine — it revved freely, eagerly, up to 8,000 rpm and showed no signs of stopping.
Lap by lap, we grew closer. I began to trust her and she began to trust me.
Soon, I had adapted to her character and then there was only one thing left: pure driving joy.
Back in the garage, grinning from ear to ear, one thing was clear to me:
As delicate and elegant as she may appear — she is a thoroughbred race car. A true one!
Saturday – The Return to the Nordschleife
"We can be heroes, just for one day"
Saturday morning, 9:30 a.m. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect — sunny, dry, the crisp Eifel air hanging in the sky. A day made for history. In the historic paddock, the smell of fuel was thick in the air. The cars were already lined up in front of the garages, mechanics leaning over engines and all around us: roaring, growling, life.
Right next to us, Jürgen Boden’s Alpine A220 came to life — a deafening sound that made the ground shake. Just a few meters away, a Porsche 908 and a 917 were gently revving their engines up to temperature. What a symphony! The paddock filled with fans, enthusiasts and onlookers — eyes shining as they took in this once-in-a-lifetime gathering of racing legends.
Then, it was time to get ready. Race suit, boots, helmet — everything had to fit perfectly before the marshals’ whistles signaled the start. Just before ten, the engines thundered to life, heart rates rising faster than the revs. Like pearls on a string, we rolled out of the paddock towards the pit lane of the Grand Prix circuit. No hesitation, no waiting — a flying start on the shortened GP loop, and then straight into the Nordschleife. The Green Hell.
We had slotted into the midfield, following the pace car. And just a few kilometers in, it became clear: This wasn’t a parade. This was a time machine. The A210 felt alive, alert, precise.
Every corner, every bump in the track spoke to me and I let her run free.
Schwedenkreuz, Fuchsröhre, Adenauer Forst — the Ring flew by, and I felt how truly at home this car is here. With every lap, trust grew. Braking points sharpened, racing lines became smoother.
This was no longer a demonstration. It was release. It was celebration. It was resurrection, all at once.
And when we charged down Döttinger Höhe at full speed, it hit me with full force:
“…behind the wheel of this car, you feel like the hero in your own film.”
When we finally pulled back into the pit lane after the last lap, everything went suddenly quiet in my head. The sun stood high over the Eifel, the engine ticked softly as it cooled down and I knew:
the circle was complete. The A210 is back. And for one brief moment, time stood still — past and present, merged into one.
