If someone told you that you could come and watch race cars on a Tuesday evening, in the city, on a velodrome oval, you’d probably think they were pulling your leg. Well, let me tell you something: this is exactly what happens once a year, right in the middle of Zürich, Switzerland.
The event itself is called Indianapolis Oerlikon, and although I understand where they’re coming from with the name, it couldn’t be farther from Indianapolis. If anything, it feels more like Bristol Speedway, with that unmistakable short-track vibe. Holding the event at a city velodrome is special enough in itself, but Oerlikon Velodrome (Oerlikon is a city quarter of Zürich) is hallowed ground, having been home to cycling since 1912 and having hosted multiple UCI championships over the years. Seeing the city welcome classic racing cars and motorcycles into the oval for show runs is amazing. No wonder a capacity crowd of 5,000 spectators turns out for the spectacle every year.
The doors open around two hours before the main event gets underway, allowing event-goers to get up close to all the vehicles in the infield, and grab a snack or a cheeky beer if they wish.
This is my favorite place to shoot from. Driver portraits, cars leaving the infield, cars on the banking, cars on the straight – the photo opportunities were endless, and I ran around like crazy trying to capture as much of it as I could. Oh, and did I mention the sunset? With Indianapolis Oerlikon being an evening event, you get the most beautiful light imaginable. It truly was a dream to shoot.
The track being a short oval designed for cycling made for some seriously quick action. Each show run lasted around 30 minutes and featured 66 vehicles split across 10 groups. There was an hour’s break between each run, giving spectators a chance to visit the infield and, for me as a photographer, to switch up shooting locations. Each break also featured a cycling race, which made for an interesting change of pace, and a completely new photography experience.
The vehicles ranged from motorcycles from the 1920s and ’30s to Formula 2 machines and even pre-war race cars. This year, Swiss motorsport legend Fredy Lienhard brought some of his cars from the Autobau collection, which I previously covered on Turnpike Backroads.
Swiss people have an immense love for classic cars and bikes, and Indianapolis Oerlikon proves that. I’ll let my photos do the rest of the talking.
