Moosburg's ex-city councilor takes part in the Europa Orient Rally - he's still looking for passengers and cars

Created: 01/13/2022, 08:00 p.m

By: Armin Forster

Feverishly looking forward to the motorized adventure: Hinrich Groeneveld is a passionate amateur racing driver and now wants to prove himself in the rally.

©Roland Albrecht

Driving thousands of kilometers to Jordan in almost wrecked cars: Hinrich Groeneveld and his team want to tackle this adventure - and are looking for reinforcements.

Moosburg

- "Daredevil and positively crazy with old cars for international understanding": With this subtitle the organizers of the Europa Orient Rallye 2022 are drumming for their event, which will start on May 9th in Tübingen and lead numerous teams on a three-week adventure to their destination in Jordan .

If everything goes according to plan and Corona doesn't destroy the plans like last year, Hinrich Groeneveld will also be there.

In an interview, the 63-year-old Moosburg ex-city councilor tells what appeals to him about the project, how he is preparing for it - and where things are still lacking at the moment.

Freisinger Tagblatt:

Hinrich Groeneveld:

No!

(

) I've been interested in car racing since 1970: the year when the Austrian Formula 1 driver Jochen Rindt died in a training accident in Monza, but his lead in points was enough for him to become world champion posthumously.

Since then I've been following Formula 1 intensively, and when I was in my early 50s I said to myself: I want to race again myself.

I now drive at amateur level, this year with a Seat Leon for a team from Saxony-Anhalt.

What does that give you?

The fascination of driving the car at the limit, of holding out precisely over all laps.

And to always be at the maximum with a certain consistency without being thrown out.

And now you want to take part in the Europe Orient Rally.

Yes, although it has nothing to do with car racing: we drive there in normal traffic and have to obey all the rules.

Speed ​​doesn't matter at all, or seconds and tenths.

It's all about driving together and arriving in this old car.

The winners win a camel: This is the Europe Orient Rally

The “

” was founded by Wilfried Gehr 16 years ago as the Allgäu Orient Rallye. His goal: to make the

people who can never afford to take part in professional rallies like the Paris-Dakar or posh rallies like the Mille Miglia

. The name was changed to Europe-Orient Rally in 2019. Only

or cost less than 999.99 euros, as well as motorcycles that may only cost 99 cents per cubic centimeter, are permitted. A

is also mandatory

. In addition, the following rules apply to the participants: no motorways, no toll roads,

, Overnight stays only in a car, in a tent or in hotels that cost less than 11.11 euros.

, the route leads over the Balkans, on by ship to Israel and finally to the destination country Jordan.

The wagons are usually recycled there.

The winning team will receive a camel, which will be

auctioned off on site or given away for

More information is available online at www.europa-orient-rallye.de.

Old cars are also one of your passions, as you can tell.

I own two classic cars: a white Alfa Giulia, built in 1973, which I restored myself – and a red Alfa Spider from 1980. I bought it new at the time.

The aim of the Europa Orient Rallye is to experience “one of the last automotive adventures in the world”, as the organizer advertises, with vehicles that are at least 20 years old and almost ready for the scrap heap.

How did you find out about this?

I happened to be sitting at a beer table with Benedikt Beibl and his buddy at the substitute event for the Moosburger Herbstschau last year.

At some point it was mentioned that they had taken part in the rally as the “groundhogs”.

That really interested me: driving down there in old cars, doing something charitable and contributing to international understanding – that's what I really want.

In 2014, the “Murmeltiere” took part in the tour as a Moosburg team, which was then called the “Allgäu Orient Rallye”.

Groeneveld is now getting useful tips from them.

© private

Have you signed up for it now?

Yes, we are the “Orient Racers” and there have been four of us so far: My school friend Klaus Krummbein from East Friesland, with whom I have already traveled around Tanzania in a rental car.

And then there are the Swiss Patrik Wikus and Andreas Netz.

We got hold of them after the organizer published my appeal on Facebook.

We've never met in person, but we've exchanged a lot over the phone and WhatsApp.

The packing list is in the works right now.

Ideally, three vehicles with two people should start per team.

So we're still looking for someone.

There may also be female drivers, that would certainly be invigorating for the team.

(By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)

Do you already have the right cars?

We would like to start with the same vehicles because of the uniform appearance and the spare parts stocks.

Unfortunately, Alfa Romeo doesn't have anything suitable on offer (

).

VW Passat and Ford Mondeo are now on the shortlist.

The relationship between reliability and costs has to be right, after all, these cars stay in Jordan and are then gone.

Do they need all-wheel drive?

No, these will not be extreme situations.

We will be driving on gravel, but you can also do that with front-wheel drive vehicles.

We have already tried this in other countries.

In any case, station wagons are being considered for reasons of space.

Video impressions of a team from the Allgäu Orient Rally 2013

You are a retired airline pilot.

What is your everyday life like?

I actually only take care of car issues.

In the AMC with the areas of karting and classic cars, at the ADAC as a regional representative and head of driver safety training.

I am also the organizer of a mountain race, a German championship run with 300 helpers in Mickhausen near Augsburg.

Which skills from the pilot days will be useful in the rally?

Certainly my knowledge of English and that I have a feeling for many countries where I could also speak to people.

Also my stress resistance.

What tips did the “marmots” give you?

That you shouldn't be looking for a sporting rating, but for fun.

And you should take a shower tent with you, also for other activities.

Because there are no bushes in the desert.

Have you already signed sponsors?

We calculate costs of 4000 euros per person.

If we have three cars, that's 24,000 euros, so some refinancing through sponsors would be nice.

At the moment we are only in contact with car dealerships for the cars, but inquiries will soon be expanded.

So someone is welcome to contact me.

What are you most looking forward to?

Here's to great cohesion in the group: First of all in your own team, of course, but also in the larger community.

You often sit there together in the evening and I imagine that something will definitely happen there.

Sharing – and celebrating together.

What are you jitters about?

That I have a defect and then the car is no longer repairable.

Which would be very stupid: losing a vehicle in Turkey.

Because it will be very expensive because of the import duties.

The "groundhogs" said: No matter what happens, the car has to get out of Turkey!

The car is entered in the passport and has to be taken out again when you leave the country.