Category Archives: The Focal Point

I’m in with the In-Crowd

The Goodwood Members’ Meeting is one of the jewels in the crown of historic motorsport, featuring an amazing diversity of racing cars in action. So feast your eyes on the imagery of Simon Hildrew who has really captured the spirit of the event, you can almost smell the Castrol….

The late Autumn sunshine is a contrast to the customary Spring light, a change of seasons forced upon Goodwood by the COVID-19 pandemic. The impressive grid contesting the Gerry Marshall Trophy blasts away on the opening lap.

The previous generation of Touring Cars was also well represented in the Pierpoint Cup.


A V12 chorus stirs the enthusiastic crowd with the launch of no fewer than 14 Jaguar XJR-15s. This was a celebration of the car’s 30th birthday, also recalling the one-make series that culminated in the Million Dollar race at Spa, supporting the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix.

Dario Franchitti, a three-time Indy 500 winner, was entrusted to give the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 its debut on the move, more V12 goodness on display.

Memories were stirred by Bruno Senna in Uncle Ayrton’s McLaren MP4/6, another V12 siren song, this time from Honda.

Saturday’s practice sessions were a little moist, not that it dampened the spirits of this Ford Falcon Sprint.

As ever the paddock was crammed with treasure, a brace of Lotii, part of a tribute to Ayrton Senna.

Despite the challenges faced by His Grace and his team, the 78th Members’ Meeting at Goodwood was a cracking event, a fine way to close a difficult season.

Enjoy Simon’s fine work, yes we are back.

John Brooks, February 2022

The Top Table

Salon Privé has evolved over the years from being a top-line classic car show to also being an event that the luxury goods market, automotive or not, is keen to be a part of. The event is truly a motor show for the 21st century. Its current home, Blenheim Palace, is a wonderful setting for this celebration of cars and other fine things. Our man with a camera, Simon Hildrew, popped along to record this sublime show.

An innovation at Salon Privé in 2021 was The Red Collection, a mouth-watering selection of red sportscars surrounding the cricket pitch. Included was this Ferrari 166MM, chassis 0008M, winner of both the Mille Miglia and Le Mans 24 Hours in 1949, and it is the only car that will ever achieve that amazing feat. I wrote a little more about the car earlier

The unmistakable ‘Piper GTO’ with the man himself, who purchased 3767 GT in July 1962. He raced it in the second half of the season finishing fourth in the Tour de France, with Dan Margulies, and then he won the Rand Nine Hours at Kyalami.

Also at the show was 4399 GT from 1963, rebodied to the 1964 update. An outright winner of the Tourist Trophy in ’63 with reigning F1 World Champion, Graham Hill, at the wheel. Hill enjoyed other successes with the Ferrari, as did Mike Parkes and Jack Sears. Both of these fantastic cars are in the collection of Lord Bamford and are regularly seen on the historic racing scene.

There was an astonishing array of automotive treasure on the lawns, so feast your eyes on the work of our maestro.

John Brooks, September 2021

Privates on Parade

While The Festival of Speed and The Revival attract most the attention at Goodwood, there is much else that makes up the recipe for this temple of speed. Regular meetings on a Sunday morning happen in a relaxed atmosphere, allowing those of us who appreciate the automobile to enjoy our vice. Last month there was such an occasion with a focus on classic cars. Snapper extraordinaire, Simon Hildrew, had his Nikons set to stun, enjoy the consequences.

John Brooks, September 2021

Welcome Back!

After nearly two years of disruption, courtesy of COVID-19, life is gradually getting back to some sort of normality. The Goodwood Festival of Speed was once more an automotive highlight, a jewel in the crown as it were. This event’s top line standard was even more remarkable than normal when one considers the obstacles that were faced and overcome. Our man behind the lens, Simon Hildrew, was on hand to bring us a vision of this fine spectacle.

A blue tide of Tyrrells heads up the hill, a tribute to ’70s grand prix at the highest level. Led by Sir Jackie Stewart who was crowned as world champion 50 years ago in a Tyrrell.

There were the customary off-track displays such as ‘Electric Avenue – The Road to 2030’ illustrating the current state of the EV market.

There were stars as well as cars, Tom Kristensen and Mario Andretti being just two of the luminaries that attended Goodwood.

His Grace hosted Tom Cruise after a surprise visit on the Sunday.

The Bonhams auction was full of dreams that some lucky person would take home.

There is always one….

And the lawns had a mouth-watering selection of vehicles such as this Hispano-Suiza.

Murray meets Rosberg via the IGN.

Simon’s gallery give a comprehensive account of the Festival of Speed, enjoy!

John Brooks, September 2021

View from Syon Park

A sure sign that things are edging towards normality, there are now events that we motoring enthusiasts can actually attend. This weekend sees the Goodwood Festival of Speed happening and a few weeks back there was the London Classic Car Show.

Syon Park was the venue for this small, but perfectly formed show. There was something for everyone and those who did attend came away with a smile on their face.

There was a celebration of the E-type’s 60th birthday, bringing out ECD 400. Graham Hill scored the car’s first race victory in this vehicle, at Oulton Park.

The E-type was a mere whippersnapper compared with the Salvesen Wagonette, dating back to 1893, and the first car to built in Scotland.

The weather looked menacing at times but held off to add to the occasion. The show must have been a nightmare to organise, so all credit is due to those responsible. I look forward to returning to its very agreeable new home for the 2022 edition. Simon Hildrew was pacing the lawns and provides an excellent record of the event.

John Brooks, July 2021

New Kid on the Block

Starting a new motorsport club at this point of time is a bold move, but last weekend the Classic Racing Car Club put on quite a show at Thruxton, in their debut event. Competitors and spectators alike, were royally entertained as summer finally arrived in England.

There were familiar cars and familiar faces, such as Tiff Needell, who won his first race here, way back almost half a century.

The blue Ralt RT3 was also a voice from the past; I had witnessed it, and its driver, Martin Brundle, chase Ayrton Senna all over the UK in 1983, he very nearly caught the Brazilian.

Our main man behind the lens, Simon Hildrew, was on top form, the weather was wonderful and so are the images he has sent over to DDC Towers. Enjoy them, I certainly did.

John Brooks, June 2021

Back to Brands

One of the side effects of COVID-19 has been the loss of many of our traditional motor sport events, especially to the paying public. Thanks to the excellent vaccination programme we are beginning to go back to some form of normality. A couple of weeks back, the second May Bank Holiday was celebrated at Brands Hatch with the Masters Historic Festival. A good crowd was entertained by close and competitive racing, we might just be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Light is something that Simon Hildrew is still master of as evidenced by this fine gallery, enjoy his efforts.

John Brooks, June 2021

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

Last weekend the concours season got underway at last, well the first of the majors in the UK, Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace.

By any standards the show was first class, but taking onto account the obstacles faced by the Steering Committee in getting cars and people to the palace, it was nothing short of miraculous.

Clearly from the expressions and enthusiasm of those attending we have all been starved of this kind of automotive feast, so we gorged ourselves on the rich fare, not sure when we see the like again.

The Royal family were represented by HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and his younger brother, HRH Prince Michael of Kent, who is the Patron of the event and a very keen motorist.

The weather behaved itself and a good time was had by all. Simon Hildrew was on the lawns, armed with Canons, his shots all hit their target. More from the palace in the next few days.

John Brooks, September 2020

Brands Hatch Mastery

Something approaching normality, or what passes for such a state these days, happened at Brands Hatch a week or so back. The traditional Masters Festival, a celebration of the rich heritage of the sport on one of the best loved tracks in the country, what could be better?

Grabbing a few headlines was the recreation of the Tyrrell P34. Jonathan Holtzman wanted to buy one of the five surviving cars but could not source one. So he had a new chassis built with the plans supplied by the Tyrrell family who gave the project their full approval.

Alex Brundle swapped his state of the art modern endurance racer for a classic Lola T70…………..

Steve Soper’s Mustang had the throttle jam open at Stirlings and vaulted the ARMCO, fortunately without injury to the Touring Car legend.

A decent crowd over two days were treated to a fantastic menu of historic racing. Our ace lens-man, Simon Hildrew, was on hand to bring you this fine gallery.

John Brooks, September 2020

Going up West

The London Classic Car Show sneaked in just under the lock-down deadline on its sixth running. The previous couple of events at the ExCel, down in London’s Docklands, felt as if the affair had lost focus or run out of steam after a very promising beginning. A reboot was necessary and the organisers headed west, destination Kensington Olympia. By all reports this seems to have done the trick and there was a new spark to the show. Our resident man with a camera in hand took the opportunity to record proceedings, judge for yourself.

John Brooks, July 2020