1926 German Grand Prix

The 1926 German Grand Prix was an auto race held at the AVUS track on 11 July 1926. It was the first ever German Grand Prix. The race was held in heavy rain, and was won by Germany's native son, Rudolf Caracciola.

Recognising a lack of available vehicles for the new Grand Prix formula (for example, the 1926 French Grand Prix had just three starters), the organisers decided to admit a diverse field vaguely described as sports cars. These were divided into three classes based on engine capacity: Class D (2L-3L), Class E (1.5L-2L) and Class F (1.1L to 1.5L). The race start was staggered, with class D released first, followed by class E, and finally class F, at 2-minute intervals.

The race was marred by an accident involving driver Adolf Rosenberger, whose car crashed into one of the marshals' huts, killing three people.

The German Grand Prix would not return to the AVUS track until 1959.

Classification

Pos	No	Class	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/Retired	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNF	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	Sources:
14	E	Germany **Rudolf Caracciola**	Mercedes	20	2:54'12.8
5	D	Germany Christian Riecken	NAG	20	2:57'33.2
7	D	Germany Willi Cleer	Alfa Romeo RLSS	20	3:00'16.8
20	E	France Pierre Clause	Bignan	20	3:02'07.4
32	F	Germany Georg Klöbe	NSU	20	3:07'27.0
16	E	Germany Max zu Schaumburg-Lippe	OM 665	20	3:10'57.4
28	F	Germany Jakob Scholl	NSU	20	3:11'54.2
37	F	Germany Franz Islinger	NSU	20	3:13'58.8
23	E	Germany Hans Santner	OM 665	20	3:16'54.2
54	F	Germany Josef Müller	NSU	20	3:18'25.4
44	E	Germany Hans Bakasch	Brennabor	20	3:21'26.2
41	E	Germany Edard Reichstein	Brennabor	20	3:26'33.8
10	D	Germany Fritz Feldmann	Hansa	20	3:27'45.8
9	D	Germany Erwin Orska	NAG	20	3:28'11.0
25	E	Germany Fritz Mitzlaff	Brennabor	20	3:29'01.6
42	F	Germany Hugo Urban-Emmerich	Talbot	20	3:29'37.8
33	F	Germany Max Wälti	Bugatti	20	3:31'17.8
24	F	Germany Hans Hanft	Bugatti	17
31	F	Germany Hermann Friedrich	Pluto	16
38	F	Germany Georg Kimpel	Bugatti	16	Conrod
15	E	Germany Josef Ludwig	Bugatti	15
4	D	Germany Paul von Guillaume	Austro-Daimler	14
18	E	Germany Otto Komnick	Komnick	13	Conrod
4	D	Germany Carl Deilmann	Austro-Daimler	12
13	E	Germany Rudolf Breier	Bugatti	9
36	F	France Jean Chassagne	Talbot	8	Accident
26	F	Germany Alfred Mederer	Pluto	8	Accident
40	F	Germany R. van Horn	GM	8	Broken valve
19	E	Germany Adolf Rosenberger	Mercedes	6	Accident
27	F	Italy Ferdinando Minoia	OM 865	6	Tyres, engine
1	D	Germany Hans Lohmann	Komnick	6
2	D	Germany Hans Berthold	NAG	5
8	D	Germany R. C. Krüger	Alfa Romeo	3	Clutch
45	F	Germany Willy Loge	AGA	2	Radiator
3	D	Germany Ernst Hofer	Steiger	1	Radiator
30	F	Germany Max Georg Fielder	BFA	1	Flat tyre
34	F	Germany Otto Fettkenheur	Bob	0	Retired
46	F	Germany Heinz Erblich	Alfi	0	Retired
11	D	Germany Wilhelm Heine	NAG		Accident in practice
12	E	Arno Hänsel	Bugatti		Engine
21	E	Germany Hans Kolb	Bugatti		Engine
35	F	Italy Luigi "Gigi" Platé	Chiribiri		Accident in practice
39	F	Germany August Momberger	NSU		Engine
43	F	Cord von Einem	Pluto		Engine