My aim with automotive photography has always been to capture all aspects of car culture. Something I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember is shoot 1990s Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) race cars in action.
This summer, I finally realised that long-time dream.
Every year, Bellahøj Park in Copenhagen hosts the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix. As one of the few events of its kind in Denmark, it attracts thousands of visitors. Having just only recently discovered it, I decided to attend while on a family holiday.
When it’s on, the streets around Bellahøj Park are transformed into a 2.4km racetrack with tight corners and challenging chicanes. The park itself becomes a hub for a variety of additional activities.
I entered through one of the event’s several gates, which happened to be closest to the Via Retro car show – a great place to start.
This show area was filled with cars from various Danish clubs, including Porsche, Lancia, Land Rover, MG, and others. Some clubs showcased models I’d never even heard of before.
One example was this beautifully preserved 1970s Lancia Fulvia Sport, a sleek, fastback and sportier variant of the Fulvia Coupe.
Another standout was this J5 from Kellison, a California-based kit car manufacturer active in the late 1950s and 1960s.
Events like these always have special cars on display, but for me, the most enjoyable part of any automotive festival that centres around racing lies in the paddock.
The 2024 Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix featured seven classes racing over its three days. These ranged from the Youngtimer category for modern hatchbacks…
…to the Formula Junior category featuring single-seaters like the Lotus 22 and Lola Mk5A, and the Sixty-Fivers for cars from the late 1960s. Japanese vehicles were scarce, but I did spot a Datsun 240Z.
While I’m a Japanese car enthusiast at heart, I tend to appreciate vintage events with classic cars more than anything else; they just feel ‘grown up.’ Maybe it’s because I’m a father in my thirties, but there is something about watching these automotive time machines scream past that makes the experience unforgettable.
For me, the event highlight was clear: the Tourenwagen Legenden.
Before the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix, my exposure to DTM races had been limited to archived Eurosport replays and YouTube montages, often set to German rock and roll music.
While not necessarily a bad thing, it did not prepare me for the excitement of seeing these touring cars fly past in person.
There was variety in the grid with Porsche 996 GT3 Cup cars, Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24s, BMW E30 M3s, and Mercedes-Benz 190 E EVO I and EVO IIs all racing together. It was a spectacle I didn’t expect to see.
Kristian Poulsen, winner of Friday’s race, pushed his BMW E30 M3 DTM to the limit. Mechanical issues prevented him from finishing Saturday’s race, but Kristian secured second place on Sunday. This BMW was undoubtedly my favourite car of the entire weekend.
Though the DTM class was my highlight, it was a blast to watch all kinds of cars race around the street circuit.
While putting this post together, I realised it would be cool to shoot these iconic cars with period-correct analogue camera gear to capture their true essence. Trevor’s 35mm photography has inspired me to explore this further.
I need to learn more about shooting on film, but until then, enjoy many more photos from the 2024 Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix below.
Alen Haseta
Instagram: hazetaa
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