Behind the Iron curtain

1 common for all Socialistic countries + each country had its own championship. In 1960 USSR applied FIA international classification and it even was USSR Formula 1 Championship in 1960-1976!

If you have access to information, thanks to share it, even with no pictures are there is no source I know in a language I can read

Here is my story about first ever F1 race in USSR - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Later this year I will translate the stories about Rd1 and Rd2 of 1960 USSR Formula 1 Championship also.

And here it is the site of my good fried Aleksey Rogachev - he is specializing on Soviet motor racing history
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Each link has the photos of the racing car used in USSR in 1950-1980s. And each link contains the name of the car, for example - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] = Kharkov L4. But if there are letters ASK in the link - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - it means Special (Eigenbau) and than - initials (name and surname) of the car builder.

Hello from Poland.
Since late 1970s I am a big fan of racing and I was following closely racing in Poland.

Formula Easter or East? Now I know it should be either East or Eastern, but back in 1970 English was not so commonly known in this part of Europe...
I would say it was Formula Vostok in Russian, but in non-cyrillic countries term Formula Easter was used. Moreover, some genius in Poland said that Easter is not a polish word, so he forced us to use... Formula Ester. Now that does not make sense at all beceuse Ester is a chemical term, not geographical...

Please note there were actually two championships - one for Formula Easter, second for touring cars.
In both cases engine capacity was limited to 1300 ccm. Touring cars were more or less group A but they had to be produced in Eastern Europe. Also in Formula Easter both engine and gearbox were to be from a East European group A car.
Of course Lada engine was most frequently used, mainly because it was easiest to tune. Czech's Skoda had only 1100 version available, Romanians Dacia was also not powerful enough.

As an exception, Polish team was allowed to race one or two Formula Polonia cars - symilar to F/Easter but engine was from Polski Fiat 125p 1500 with much fewer allowed modifications, also overall car weight was higher. It was sometimes used but these cars were just slower than rest of fields.

Normally, there was one event in each of participating countries: Kiev/Chaika or Riga/Bikerniki in USSR, Poznan or Kielce in Poland, Most or street circuit in Havirov ich Czechoslovakia, Schleiz in East Germany, street track in Budapest or later Hungaroring inn Hungary, street track in Albena in Bulgaria and street tracks in Resita or Galati in Romania.

Each country was allowed to enter 4 or 5 cars in each class plus some additional drivers at their home tracks.

Nowadays there are some efforts to bring back these races. See haigo.net - German based series that also has events in Poland (Poznan) or Czechoslovakia (Brno or Most). There are some races in Latvia (Riga / Bikerniki track, google for Dzintara Volga). In Poland there are about 10 cars from period in running condition, but too few to create a racing series. Sometimes they do a demo run when there are a Polish Championship races.

In Czechoslovakia there are lots of cars, not only Formula Easter but also older - F-3 from 1960. It was great to see them when I came to Brno for Brno Grand Prix Revival two years ado.

regards

Thanks, any info, and of course pictures will be welcomed

A long time no update on this fascinating subject

TARK Estonia 21M Lada , Toomas Napa?, Fórmula Vostok, Unión Soviética, 1987.

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Moskvich G5M, Yuri Terenetsky, Campeonato Soviético de Fórmula 1, 1974.

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I'm not sure, but it could be a late Madi.
any idea ?

edit : 1979 Madi, see below for Story of the car

MADI 0113, 0213, 0213B
L'une des conceptions de voitures de course les plus originales et non conventionnelles de l'histoire du sport automobile soviétique. En plus de la désignation MADI-0113, les désignations MADI-03 et MADI-05 se retrouvent également dans diverses sources. La voiture a été conçue chez LSA MADI par S.B. Hess-de-Calvet selon les exigences techniques de la formule "Est" en 1976 et s'est distinguée dans le contexte des conceptions modernes par de nombreuses innovations. Le châssis tubulaire a été conçu pour transférer une partie des charges vers le carter du moteur VAZ-21011 (1294 cm³, 78 ch), qui a été installé en oblique (transversal probablement, traduction difficile) pour des raisons d'agencement. La suspension des roues avant a été réalisée selon le schéma traditionnel avec ressorts externes et amortisseurs. Dans la suspension arrière, le rôle des ressorts était joué par des rondelles en caoutchouc situées à l'intérieur de la carrosserie, travaillant en compression, dont la force était transmise à l'aide de chaînes. La carrosserie avait une forme trapézoïdale, des radiateurs latéraux situés de manière oblique avec des prises d'air du type NASA et des déflecteurs devant les roues arrière. Pour les premiers tests en 1976, le MADI-0113 est sorti sans winglets (photo 1), cependant, lors des courses de la même saison (photo 2), les ailes avant et arrière avec rondelles latérales et déflecteurs développés étaient déjà utilisées. En 1977 (photo 3), la sélection des paramètres optimaux des ailes a été poursuivie. Le travail a été effectué en collaboration avec l'Association de production de Leningrad "Patriot", où il était censé commencer la production en série de voitures de cette conception. Le nom a été changé en MADI-0213.
En 1978, le MADI-0213 subit une profonde modernisation (photo 4). Le cadre tubulaire a été renforcé avec des panneaux en aluminium pour une rigidité en torsion accrue. L'aileron arrière agrandi a été avancé, dans l'espace entre le cockpit et le train arrière, et divisé en deux parties. Des expériences avec l'effet de sol ont commencé : la dépression nécessaire sous le fond a été créée en lui donnant une forme triangulaire ; au lieu d'un aileron avant unique, un becquet a été installé, combiné au nez et doté de jupes mobiles qui empêchaient l'air d'entrer en dessous. Les mêmes jupes ont été installées sous les flancs. Dans le même temps, il a été décidé d'abandonner l'utilisation des prises d'air de type NASA. L'innovation la plus radicale était la suspension par câble proposée par I. V. Ermilin et installée sur les roues avant et arrière. Dans cette conception, tous les éléments élastiques étaient placés à l'intérieur du corps dans un bloc central unique, et les charges lui étaient transmises à l'aide de câbles « jetés » sur des rouleaux excentriques. Lorsque la voiture roulait, les galets tournaient sous l'action des forces des masses non suspendues, modifiant progressivement le bras d'entraînement et, par conséquent, la raideur de la suspension. Ainsi, ce schéma de suspension était actif (c'est-à-dire qu'il changeait les paramètres en fonction des conditions). Cette option est appelée dans certaines sources MADI-051. D'autres travaux sur MADI-0213, qui se sont poursuivis en 1979-1981, visaient principalement à régler et à finaliser la suspension par câble (la désignation de la voiture a été changée en MADI-0213B). Dans le même temps, les développeurs ont abandonné la solution aérodynamique avec un becquet avant et un aileron arrière divisé et sont revenus à la version traditionnelle. En 1980 (photo 5) l'aileron arrière a été combiné avec les panneaux de carrosserie, et en 1981 (photo 6) il a été séparé d'eux. En général, MADI-0113 était un exemple de recherche de conception qui n'a pas atteint l'objectif. Le réglage de la suspension par câble et l'amélioration des propriétés aérodynamiques n'ont pas été couronnés de succès , et les travaux sur la voiture ont été réduits au profit du nouveau modèle MADI-052. Dans les courses, cette voiture dans toutes ses variantes a participé sporadiquement, sans pratiquement obtenir de résultats significatifs.
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MADI 0113, 0213, 0213B
One of the most original and unconventional racing car designs in the history of Soviet motorsport. In addition to the designation MADI-0113, the designations MADI-03 and MADI-05 are also found in various sources. The car was designed at LSA MADI by S.B. Hess-de-Calvet according to the technical requirements of the "Est" formula in 1976 and distinguished itself in the context of modern designs with numerous innovations. The tubular frame was designed to transfer part of the loads to the crankcase of the VAZ-21011 engine (1294 cc, 78 hp), which was installed obliquely (probably transverse, difficult to translate) for layout reasons. The suspension of the front wheels was carried out according to the traditional scheme with external springs and shock absorbers. In the rear suspension, the role of the springs was played by rubber washers located inside the body, working in compression, the force of which was transmitted using chains. The body had a trapezoidal shape, side radiators located obliquely with NASA-type air intakes and spoilers in front of the rear wheels. For the first tests in 1976, the MADI-0113 was released without winglets (photo 1), however, in races of the same season (photo 2) the front and rear fenders with side washers and developed deflectors were already in use. In 1977 (photo 3), the selection of optimal wing parameters was continued. The work was carried out in conjunction with the Leningrad Production Association "Patriot", where it was supposed to start serial production of cars of this design. The name has been changed to MADI-0213.
In 1978, the MADI-0213 underwent a major modernization (photo 4). The tubular frame has been reinforced with aluminum panels for increased torsional rigidity. The enlarged rear wing has been moved forward, in the space between the cockpit and the rear axle, and divided into two parts. Experiments with the ground effect began: the necessary depression under the bottom was created giving it a triangular shape; instead of a single front spoiler, a spoiler was installed, combined with the nose and fitted with movable skirts that prevented air from entering underneath. The same skirts were installed under the sides. At the same time, it was decided to abandon the use of NASA-type air intakes. The most radical innovation was the cable suspension proposed by I. V. Ermilin and installed on the front and rear wheels. In this design, all the elastic elements were placed inside the body in a single central block, and the loads were transmitted to it by means of cables "thrown" on eccentric rollers. As the car was driven, the rollers rotated under the action of the forces of the unsprung masses, gradually changing the drive arm and, consequently, the stiffness of the suspension. Thus, this suspension scheme was active (i.e. it changed the parameters depending on the conditions). This option is called in some MADI-051 sources. Other work on MADI-0213, which continued in 1979-1981, was primarily aimed at tuning and finalizing the cable suspension (the car designation was changed to MADI-0213B). At the same time, the developers abandoned the aerodynamic solution with a front spoiler and a split rear spoiler and returned to the traditional version. In 1980 (photo 5) the rear spoiler was combined with the body panels, and in 1981 (photo 6) it was separated from them. In general, MADI-0113 was an example of design research that did not achieve the goal. The adjustment of the cable suspension and the improvement of the aerodynamic properties were not successful, and work on the car was reduced in favor of the new model MADI-052. In the races, this car in all its variants participated sporadically, practically without achieving significant results.

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Stanislas Hess de Calvet, Madi 01, USSR National Formula 1, 1975