One of the better features that the ALMS introduced to ACO-style racing was the Autograph Session. The drivers all grumble about it, especially the cool pros, but most are secretly pleased to get the recognition and admiration from the fans. Of course some driver line ups are more equal than others, so one feels sorry for Audi’s crew when Team Impala are in town, how could they compete?
“Life’s a bitch, then you die…..”
John Brooks, January 2013
First race of the year is this week, off to Dubai for the 24 Hours with DB and The Captain. Looking back at a few shots from 2009 and 2011. This caught my eye.
John Brooks, January 2013
1998 saw the ISRS develop into a potentially top line sportscar series and the schedule included a night race at the charming Italian circuit of Misano, down in the Province of Rimini. Naturally I took the opportunity to have an Italian Riviera holiday in the lovely resort of Cattolica and, as ever, had to sing for my supper. Saturday night was spent trying to shoot cars in the dark, and being in the pre-digital era there was no clue about the likely results except what little I had learned in the past.
The 333SPs were very expressive that night, adding to f-stop confusion. To my surprise some images were almost OK. Here is the Lilian Bryner, Enzo Calderari, and Angelo Zadra example.
A warming thought in December.
John Brooks, December 2012
On the first public day of the Windsor Concours of Elegance the scale of the event was extended by the presence of several car clubs bringing a fantastic selection of their members’ vehicles.
As might have been expected the thoroughbred British brands were to the fore, Aston Martin sending a brace of cars to support the efforts of the Aston Martin Owners’ Club. And what a pair? An Aston Martin V12 Zagato and an Aston Martin V12 Vantage – shaken and stirred.
The AMOC had come up with an appropriate salute to Her Majesty on her Diamond Jubilee, an example of the marque from each of the 60 years. Leading the way was the 1952 Aston Martin DB3, chassis 5, that raced that year at Monaco, Le Mans, Sebring, the Mille Miglia and Goodwood. This actual car actually triumphed in the Goodwood Nine Hours that year driven by Peter Collins and Pat Griffith.
The rich heritage of Aston Martin was fully illustrated under the blue Berkshire skies, in the shadow of Windsor Castle.
From 1985, the Aston Martin Lagonda, certainly marching to a different drum stylistically. This very expensive saloon was the first production car in the world to use digital instrumentation and computer management, but the whole affair was prone to terrible reliability problems.
The exhibition was not solely a British affair with Ferrari showing a fabulous display of their supercars that have been produced during Queen’s reign.
Completely different answers to the same question, a Ferrari Dino 246 GT and Ferrari 275 GTB/4. Both from the 60’s and illustrating performance and style, both utterly desirable.
Just look at the wheels, how they match the Ferrari red, takes one back to the 512S, one of the stars of Steve McQueen’s film Le Mans.
A unique product from Maranello that was on the lawn was this Ferrari Dino 208 GT4 Spyder.
Styled by Bertone this car was a one off exercise in looking at how the 208 might look as a soft top. It never made it into production.
Completely original and unrestored since its production in 1975, it was a rare beast, even in the Windsor setting.
The Ferrari F40 still has shock and awe qualities even some 20 years on.
The same might well be said of the “Batmobile” aka BMW 3.0 litre CSL
The Bentley Drivers’ Club was also well represented. Not every item was factory fitted.
This Bentley Continental S2 Drophead particularly caught my eye.
With the famous track only a short distance from Windsor it was inevitable that the Brooklands Museum would put in an appearance with a reminder of the days of The Bentley Boys.
Power behind the legend.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about this part of the Windsor Concours of Elegance is that it was free and completely open to the public. Combined with the beautiful weather and the strange spirit of the country in the wake of Jubilee and the Olympics it made for a fantastic weekend. More tomorrow.
John Brooks, December 2012
To have been in the UK during 2012 was to be in a place at a very special time. Dominating the August and September months were the London Olympics and Paralympics, never has a city and a nation embraced the Games with such fervor and passion, we surprised ourselves, we amazed others.
Perhaps the positive mood of the British public was set in the months before the Games when there were prolonged celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ΙΙ. Over the length and breadth of Britain, events were held to commemorate 60 years of service to the Nation. Some of these were on a huge scale like those in London, some more intimate like street parties, but all with a common purpose, a collective thank you from the British people to our Monarch.
The Automotive aspect of our culture was naturally also part of these celebrations with an event that claimed the status of “Instant Classic” without any shadow of doubt. In early September Windsor Castle was the setting for a new show, the Windsor Concours of Elegance. A simple concept really, bring 60 of the world’s finest automobiles into a unique setting, Windsor Castle. Of course creating such an meeting is no simple matter, meticulous planning and years of sheer hard work went into the preparation, we should give thanks to those involved, they know who they are.
The setting, Windsor Castle, is one the Queen’s three Official Residences and is widely thought to be her favourite. Originally built by William the Conqueror after 1066, the palace is both the oldest castle in continuous occupation and largest inhabited castle in the world. The public can visit large parts of what is Her Majesty’s home and there is the added attraction of ceremonies like the Changing of the Guard. In fact Windsor Castle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the UK, around a million visitors each year. Staging a Concours at such venue was a major coup for the organisers, almost beyond value and typically the event was to benefit a number of charities that deal with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Almost beyond value could also be a description applied to the cars on display both within and without The Upper Ward and the Cambridge Gate and down The Long Walk. After clearing security, a standard procedure for any visitors to the Royal Palaces, it was time to make the trip up to the George ΙV Gateway.
There was a small display of Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover and McLaren cars both old and new, it set the tone for the weekend.
Woking’s finest were on parade including the debut of the latest model, the 12C Spider, stunning even in this august company.
The latest version of the GT3 racer was parked up.
A little further on was an old friend, the Bentley Speed 8 that TK, Dindo and Guido Smythe raced and triumphed in at Le Mans in 2003.
Still showing signs of battle, it was a moment when the brand recaptured the spirit of the WO days and his legion of “Bentley Boys”. Five wins in seven years in the 20’s is an Audi or Porsche like performance record, perhaps it most appropriate that the revival has taken place as part of the Volkswagen family.
And on that note……………….
It was time to leave the display behind and head up to The Upper Ward………………
Where some truly sublime cars were awaiting – Embiricos Bentley 4¼ Litre Pourtout Coupé and Avions Voisin C-25 Berline Aérodyne anyone?
More tomorrow.
John Brooks, December 2012
December 1998 and the ISRS (aka Mango’s Barmy Army) finale at Kyalami. I had been to the original track back 1981 but the revised version was very different, much like the whole country.
Dominant that year, and indeed for most of the seasons that the competition ran for, was the Ferrari 333 SP. This elegant racer is being guided through the pit entrance by Vincenzo Sospiri, Champion in both ’98 and ’99.
John Brooks, December 2012
One of the benefits (?) of travelling the world in pursuit of the FIA WEC is associating with the other boys in the band who make up the media corps. Despite their frequent grumbles and moans, they have a generally good time, working hard and playing hard.
The Sun seems to have got to them a bit early in the day or perhaps it was the double Brasso on the corn flakes. Hark, I hear the Temple Bells, they’ll all be open now………….
Compliments of the Season to all of my fellow travellers.
John Brooks, December 2012
In an outburst of the festive spirit the ACO have launched a competition to mark the 90th Anniversary of the race, assuming that we get to next June that is. Three cars have been selected for each decade that the race has been run and the public is encouraged to vote for one from each set and in return there are some big prizes.
The competition can be accessed HERE
However a quick glance at the contenders raises a few questions. Why the Porsche 908 that failed in both 1968 and 1969? Why the Renault Alpine A442 or Rondeau M379 instead of the three time winner (and twice second) Porsche 936? No hint of a Tricolour being waved then.
The same logic is at work when the Peugeot 908 is included but not the Audi R8, a five time winner and arguably one of the greatest endurance racers of them all.
Sacre Bleu! And including the Delta Wing…………..bandwagons and jumping methinks. Still it is the Season of Goodwill to all Men and the prizes are well worth having, just salivate to the top one.
Winner: prizes with a value of 3 570 Euros
Two pitwalk passes for the 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours plus the complete collection of the Le Mans 24-Hours Yearbooks from 1978 to 2012 plus the book of the Le Mans 24 Hours 1961-1973, as well as the 2-volume set celebrating the centenary of the ACO, and two invitations for the exhibition whose theme will be the winning cars.
I have the Yearbooks, well all bar 1983, and can attest to them being an essential part of any Le Mans fan’s library. So enter and hopefully enjoy. Just thought I would remind folks of the R8’s record at La Sarthe.
John Brooks, December 2012
Continuing with the theme of witnessing great performances, a high ranking must go to the ALMS race held in the parking lot of the RFK Stadium, Washington DC, an unlikely venue for a motor race, let alone a great one.
2002 saw the Audi R8 at the height of its powers in North America with two cars from Audi Sport North America backed up by another example from Champion, set against two of the aging Panoz LMP01 Evos. The Panoz outfit operated on a fraction of the Audi budget but pushed the Germans hard at every opportunity. One of the most potent weapons in their armoury was their leading drivers, David Brabham and Jan Magnussen.
The race was held in very hot and humid conditions, a late strategy call to change tyres and stick the Dane back in the car towards the end of the race cemented an unlikely victory but the Panoz had been competitive right through the race. I recall in Brab’s stint him being threatened by both Capello and Biela on either side of the Panoz for several laps. I remarked to him later that he must have looked like Marty Feldman trying to see what the Audis were up to in his wake.
It was the final win for the Panoz and the race was a one off as the locals complained about the noise, pity the track actually worked as a street circuit. And for Don Panoz victory in DC with a car in a Spirit of America design must have been one of the sweeter moments in the decade of the ALMS.
John Brooks, December 2012
2003 saw the end of the road for the FIA SCC, whose competitors were affectionately known as Mango’s Barmy Army. Numbers on the grid dwindled and even John Mangoletsi himself was no longer on the scene. Stéphane Ratel and Patrick Peter joined forces with Martin Birrane and David Kennedy in an effort to breath some life into the Championship but matters were beyond all help. The bright light on the horizon was the prospect of the quartet joining the ACO to create the Le Mans Series, the first step on the road to a proper World Endurance Championship.
The penultimate round of the FIA SCC was held on the majestic Spa Francorchamps circuit, a truly cunning plan was hatched to increase numbers, step forward the British GT Championship. So 24 GTs were added to the 11 prototypes to give the grid a fig leaf of numerical respectability. Of course SRO’s definition of a GT was typically elastic, so there was both a VW Golf GTI and Renault Clio V6 in the mix, seen here interfacing with Jan Lammers in the Dome and Tom Kristensen in the Audi R8. Utterly bizarre and thankfully not repeated.
John Brooks, December 2012