At Assen, the Ferrari 310B, the car the Ferrari legend drove during the 1997 F1 season, took to the track. Behind the wheel was 80-year-old Erich Zech, the current owner of the Ferrari.
Last weekend at Assen, the Racing Day took place, featuring not only David Coulthard – who did some demonstration laps – but also a Ferrari that took fans back in time: the 310B. This is the car with which Michael Schumacher won the Monaco Grand Prix 27 years ago.
The owner of the Ferrari is Erich Zech, born in 1944, who was present at the Racing Day last year but couldn’t take to the track due to some modifications the car needed before it could be driven. This year, Zech’s dream came true, and the emotional 80-year-old was able to drive his 310B.
“It was phenomenal. The thing that touched me the most was the reaction of the fans. They stood up and applauded, which was fantastic. What I love most is being able to show this car to people again. My main goal is to make the experience as close as possible to what it was like during Schumacher’s era.”
Zech’s tribute also included choosing a special helmet: a replica of the seven-time world champion’s, bringing those present back to the past with great emotion. The only difference? Schumacher drove this car at the age of 28, while Zech is 80.
“Unfortunately, that’s true!” he says, laughing with Motorsport.com. “But it’s something special, isn’t it? Driving a car like this is a challenge, but I still feel incredibly fit. I had to get a racing license to drive it, and for that, I had to pass a health check. It was a surprise even to me that I’m still in such good shape.”
Zech’s 310B is the only historic Ferrari that runs without the support of F1 clienti from Maranello, and getting it back in working order was very challenging. But it was worth it because, at the beginning of 2024, Zech was able to drive it for the first time at the Jim Clark Revival in Hockenheim.
“It was like Easter and Christmas came on the same day, it was so wonderful!” he smiles. “Hockenheim feels like a home event for me since I live only 30 km away. After Hockenheim, we took the car to Spielberg (where the photos for this article were taken), and then the Assen weekend was the third time we drove it. Honestly, I enjoyed Assen, especially because of the fans.”
Despite his advanced age, Zech has no intention of stopping: he would like to return to the TT Circuit during the Classic GP in September and next year during the Racing Day. “I’ve reached an age where you can’t say what tomorrow will bring, but if all goes well, I’d love to come back.”
The 80-year-old describes what happened as a dream come true. “I used to watch Schumacher’s races and even went to the Grand Prix when it was still at Hockenheim. I remember it well; those were good times for F1, even for the sound. When the races were abroad, we watched TV and crossed our fingers for him to win.”
Decades later, Zech himself drives the car of one of Formula 1’s greats.
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