Bulletin

Of the british drivers’ club Bulletin Volume 30 No 3 • AUTUMN 2009 Of the british racing drivers’ club Volume 30 No 3 •

AUTUMN 2009 , Monsanto, 23 August 1959 BULLETIN THE BRITISH RACING DRIVERS’ CLUB Volume 30 No 3 • AUTUMN 2009 OF THE BRITISH RACING DRIVERS’ CLUB

President in Chief HRH The Duke of Kent KG Volume 30 No 3 • AUTUMN 2009 President Damon Hill OBE CONTENTS Chairman Robert Brooks 04 PRESIDENT’S LETTER 48 ARMCHAIR COMMENT Damon Hill produced many tales in the 1980s Directors 16 Ross Hyett 09 NEWS FROM YOUR CIRCUIT 52 IN THE AIR Stuart Rolt The latest news from Silverstone Circuits Ltd The World Aerobatic Championships came to Silverstone Ian Titchmarsh Nick Whale 10 BUTTON PUSHED 54 ROAD TEST ’s Formula 1 lead is shrinking The new McLaren P11 Club Secretary Stuart Pringle Tel: 01327 850926 email: [email protected] 16 GLOBE-TROTTING 56 OBITUARIES Members are winning all over the world! Remembering deceased Members and friends PA to Club Secretary Becky Simm Tel: 01327 850922 email: [email protected] 18 GOLD RUSH 61 SECRETARY’S LETTER 30 The BRDC Gold Star Stuart Pringle BRDC Bulletin Editorial Board Ian Titchmarsh, Stuart Pringle, David Addison 19 SILVER DREAM RACERS 62 TELLING THE STORY Editor The BRDC Silver Star In-depth captions to the archive images David Addison Photography 22 STAR GAZING 64 BETWEEN THE COVERS LAT, Jakob Ebrey, BRDC Archive, Peter McFadyen The BRDC Rising Stars are achieving encouraging results The latest book reviews BRDC 24 FIT CLUB 66 FROM THE ARCHIVE Towcester The BRDC Superstars have been training hard... More nuggets have come to light! Northants NN12 8TN 26 EIGHTY NOT OUT 68 MEMBER NEWS Sponsorship and advertising 32 Sir Stirling Moss OBE is 80 this year A round up of other activity Leon Ward Tel: 01423 851150 email: [email protected] 30 70 WHAT’S ON © 2009 The British Racing Drivers’ Club. All rights in and relating to Photographic memories of the weekend Club and regional events this publication are expressly reserved. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission from the 32 I CAN’T GET NO SLEEP Front cover BRDC. The views expressed in Bulletin are not necessarily those of the The 24 Hours produced a dramatic race editor, the BRDC or the publishers. is fi nally set to be a Grand Prix winner. Starting from at the Nurburgring for the German Grand Prix, Mark makes a Design 34 SO NEAR BUT... sluggish getaway and is challenged by on the run to Damion Chew Ginetta made its Le Mans debut and was looking good until turn one. Mark defends but contact is made and the stewards rule that a Produced by Sunday morning drive-through penalty should be served as a punishment. Mark’s groan is Barker Brooks Media Ltd almost audible as it seems his chance of a maiden win is slipping away, Barker Brooks House 54 38 TEACHER AND PUPIL but this is to be the drive of his career. Mark storms back into contention 4 Greengate, Cardale Park Harrogate What does driver training actually mean? and dominates the race to crush the opposition and give Red Bull its third HG3 1GY win of the season. (Photo LAT) Tel: 01423 851150 40 LIFE AND TIMES email: [email protected] National racing legend David Brodie Back Cover www.barkerbrooks.co.uk secures a second DTM win in a row and his fi rst in a 44 UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT year-old Mercedes. third with four laps to go, Jamie chips his way to the front passing the Mercedes of and Timo Scheider’s www.brdc.co.uk BTCC ace with a lap to go. (Photo LAT)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 3 DAMON HILL OBE PRESIDENT’S LETTER

ear Fellow Member, Welcome to the end-of-summer BRDC Bulletin. democratically elected Board. It is an imperfect world, and Hockenheim, 27 July 1990 D As the racing seasons in all categories come we are no exception, but we keep trying. Now you see him, now you don’t. Blink and you would have missed Damon’s participation in the Formula 3000 to their climaxes, the challenge of driving on the limit I’m sure I have said this before, but if the BRDC is in the championship race preceding the German Grand Prix. In the becomes just that little more meaningful. For some, they circuit business, then we should be ambitious to create Middlebridge Racing Lola- T90/50 he is seen here realise this just might be the last shot at a title, whilst for the best facility for the sport. There is always room for securing his third pole position in a row despite his car being “weighed more often than a baby in a maternity ward” to others, they are simply trying to impress enough to race improvement, so we either accept that challenge and quote Autosport, and an interview with race offi cials to collect again next year. Digging that little bit deeper will bring meet it head on ourselves, or, if not, then we should a US$2000 fi ne for a fl ag ence.off Triumph over adversity them closer to discovering something that perhaps they transfer it to those who are prepared to take on the risks. can only last so long, however, and as he leads the fi eld into the Nordkurve at the start of lap two, Damon spins off into didn’t know about themselves; discovering exactly what I think it would be wrong to simply hold on to the asset, retirement. It really encapsulates Damon’s season in which they are made of. Surely this is key dimension that defi nes without the sincere desire to make the best of it. The he leads fi ve of the races, has three pole positions, sets two all sport? For those who question that motor sport is a Board hopes that a deal can be made which will alleviate fastest laps and yet at the end of the year has a solitary second place, at , to show for it all. ‘true’ sport, I only wish they could ride with those title all the angst which has plagued the Club for the last few (Photo LAT) challengers for a few laps. I think they might then take a years, and leave a legacy for motor sport in this country of Ian Titchmarsh diff erent view. which the BRDC can rightfully and proudly claim to have But, for all the joy of motor sport, there is also the been instrumental in creating. sadness. I am sure that I can say on behalf of all Members It seems superfl uous to add that I am as keen to see that we send our sincerest sympathies to how the next few months evolve, as anyone. and his family. ’ s name will always be remembered with respect and aff ection by everyone in the BRDC. As for the business, we had a successful fi rst half of the year. The EGM result also brought a much needed boost to the confi dence of the Board and, dare I say it, to the sense of unity in the Club. I have no doubt that members want to be proud of their membership, but they are concerned about the damage to the reputation of the Damon Hill OBE Club through (I’m sure) well-intentioned criticism of the President, BRDC

4 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3

Proud supporters of historic motor racing Sponsor of Le Mans ; Grand Prix de Pau; Classic Endurance Racing; Gstaad Classic.

A private bank unlike any other. A record of dynamic growth. Built on giving clients the service they expect and deserve.

Practitioners of the craft of private banking

Photo: François Veillard

EFG International’s global family of private banking businesses operates in 55 locations in over 30 countries. These include , Zurich, Geneva, , Monaco, Luxembourg, Stockholm, New York, Miami, Toronto, The Bahamas, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore. www.efginternational.com Le Mans-winning Bentleys, Mount St Gardens, Mayfair, June 1929 GP2 Series Telmex

Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth

BRDC Clubhouse, Silverstone. © Jakob Ebrey

BT Tower, London Somerset House, London. © David Morrell

A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd. are proud to be a Patron of the BRDC’s exclusive Rising Stars Programme.

A.C. Entertainment Technologies Ltd. and A.C. Special Projects Ltd. are sister companies within the "A.C. Group". John Madejski Garden, V&A Museum Park Plaza County Hotel, London The rights and ownership of all trademarks are recognised. The information contained herein is correct at the time of printing. E&OE. NEWS FROM YOUR CIRCUIT NEWS FROM SILVERSTONE CIRCUIT Much is happening to make Silverstone ready for a Grand Prix in 2010 as Richard Phillips explains.

suppose I should be used to the intrigue that revolves around F1, but the surprises keep I coming! One year we are amongst the worst circuits in the world and the next we’re amongst the best. So what’s changed? Is it our ability to pull a weekend crowd of over 300,000 during a global recession when other circuits are suff ering? Perhaps it’s to do with our organisational skills and ability to put on a great show? Or it could be the fantastic support of the teams, press, drivers and fans combined. I suspect all of these factors have contributed to the ‘U’ turn and reinstatement in the game. However, cynically, I suspect it has more to do with the lack of progress at Donington and the need for a British Grand Prix. Nevertheless three months on and we are none the wiser. Thank heavens we have taken measures to improve our core off ering, are investing in new circuit and have diversifi ed the business and pushed the Development Brief through. At least these are things we have more control over. Do we want the Grand Prix back? Of course we do! But it must be achieved sensibly. Five years on and we fi nd ourselves at a crossroads. The Club, rightly, wants to focus on all the things that the world’s most prestigious Club should be focussing on and the business wants to expand and fi nally establish Silverstone, not only as a national asset, but also fi rmly amongst the best venues and sporting brands in the world. I think most of us are in agreement that this can only be achieved by a degree of separation and outside investment. However, we are a family and the ties should never be broken, independence yes, but the relationship should be treasured.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 9 FORMULA 1

The season has continued to produce drama and many talking points as explains.

hat a summer! What a change of pace! I love my sport. I wandered down to the BRDC Farm First, F1 found Peace in its Time; then, as if – to a lower-key outpost on the inside of the Abbey/ in celebration, one Mark Alan Webber, of Club chicane. The sun shone weakly through the grey Queanbeyan, NSW, Australia (not to mention old sky; the newly-mown grass was damp under foot. Docko’s ultra-slick F3 operation in the Silverstone There around me, though – saying, “Hi” unexpectedly complex) fi nally won the F1 race that had always been – were a bunch of beautiful old racing cars, not the due. least of which was ’s exquisite 1962 The shame was that all this came after the . Given that Peter had passed Santander British Grand Prix and not before it. away but a week before the Grand Prix weekend, and Actually, to be precise, I think Silverstone and its great had died in a caravan park, I was suddenly able to heritage can take credit for being the catalyst that gain some sort of renewed perspective: as depressing induced the tripartite agreement between CVC, the as the current situation then was for Formula One, FIA and FOTA. There was a stormy atmosphere at and as strained as the conversations were in the Silverstone throughout the weekend – an unsettling, paddock area and in the BRDC clubhouses, a great undeniable feeling that, if it could happen here, at the racing driver like Peter Arundell had lived and died birthplace of Formula One, it could genuinely happen and was now here in sprit, in that beautiful little Lotus. on a Monday morning afterwards. That realised, the I remembered the day I’d fi rst seen a 22 – at Warwick powerbrokers began their broking. Farm, Australia, in late 1963. Leo Geoghegan drove his If nothing else, looking back, the Gathering Storm was a reminder that the F1 world is but a microcosm of the real one. Combine large amounts of money with the human ego, conspicuous materialism and an element of competition and you have the reasons behind every confl ict in the history of humanity. Over the years, since 1981, to be sure, F1 has managed to avoid self-destruction; this year, for reasons I won’t go into on these pages because I know that you’d all prefer to read about the racing, we were on the verge of it. Thus the atmosphere at Silverstone. I, therefore, spent much of my time over the British GP weekend trying to remember the basics of why

10 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 FORMULA 1

Red Bull enjoyed an excellent black Team Total 22 to victory in the Australian Formula Junior Championships – all summer with Mark Webber, top straight arms, short-sleeved black polo shirt and chromed suspension and exhaust. left, scoring his fi rst Grand Prix win I was captivated as I watched from the outside of the hairpin; I was enchanted by in Germany and , Leo’s polish and fl air. bottom left, taking his fi rst dry win Why do I love my sport? Because of people like Leo, and Peter Arundell – who at Silverstone. McLaren’s season I never met, to my ever-lasting regret – and and and Frank picked up in Hungary, left, where Matich and and . And because of hundreds Lewis Hamilton took a convincing win, but the Brawns have struggled more like them. And – I reminded myself as I wandered on the grass, taking in a of late. At Silverstone, right, the Cooper-Climax here or a -Repco there – I still love it. It was just that, that cloudy skies and cooler temperatures weekend, we all had to work a little harder to fi nd the things we loved. were blamed for both cars struggling Thus I returned to the F1 paddock for British GP qualifying. To see the very fast to get the best out of their tyres Sebastian Vettel maximize the best car in the fi eld. To see Mark Webber at home on (Photos LAT) a circuit at which he has always excelled. To enjoy – yes – the fundamentals.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 11 FORMULA 1

Sebastian did not disappoint – and I think I have it now: he is a driver of enormous Sebastian did not disappoint – and I suppleness and feel – a Senna more than a think I have it now: he is a driver of enormous Prost, a Lewis more than a Fernando. If we suppleness and feel – a Senna more than a Prost, still had mechanical gearshifts and if the drivers were still obliged to heel-and-toe, a Lewis more than a Fernando. Sebastian would be the driver with the perfect synchronisation and the insatiable need to select every gear on the stairway down from Kimi Raikkonen, below, was it is about compliance – about dealing with the seventh to fi rst. There would be no jumping blamed by Mark Webber for unexpected; softness is what the Silverstone from fi fth to third or from fourth to second for spoiling his fi nal qualifying lap is all about. Sebastian. Deliberately missing a gear – even eff ort at Silverstone, although Okay. Mark found a wayward Kimi on what Sebastian Vettel always seemed a down-shift gear – was for drivers like Senna to have the edge that weekend, would have been his quickest Q3 lap. Mark tantamount to playing a wrong note in a suggesting Mark would have could have been on the front row. Mark could, concerto. struggled to grab pole. Kimi perhaps, even have taken pole. There was a Next to Seb, Mark Webber is slightly was overshadowed by Felipe pattern, though – and that pattern seemed less refi ned, slightly harsher. We’re talking Massa at the start of the season irrevocable: every time Mark was quick at degrees here, in a spectrum of 100 per cent; but picked up his pace to win at Silverstone, his Red Bull armed with a fresh set we’re talking whispery-fi ne details. Around Spa to indicate that the of tyres and/or a lighter fuel load, Sebastian is becoming a faster car and, Silverstone, though, with its cambers and its was always a fraction quicker. Every time. In after his Brazilian team-mate’s cross-winds and its ultra-fast ess-bends and accident in Hungary, has been every session. its sweepers - and then with its slow, tedious, partnered by Luca Badoer and I should also pay tribute here to Adrian frustrating sector three - around these corners Giancarlo Fisichella (Photo LAT) Newey, the designer whose cars have just

12 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 FORMULA 1

“Yes,” they would say, “but we’re not surprised: It wasn’t surprising to see Rubens do more it was cold in Shanghai, too, and the Red Bulls with the Brawn than Jenson under these conditions. had much better tyre temperatures that day, too. We’ve done well in the heat, so it’s swings If they can’t live with oversteer and they’re not and roundabouts.” generating tyre temperature, drivers like Jenson That is basically F1-speak for, “We don’t Button are never going to fi nd a sweet spot. know why we’re quick or why we’re slow but we’ll take it anyway”. The statistics don’t lie, of course, but you would have thought that a One of the features of the season about always been quick at Silverstone. Think team as good as Brawn – make that a team has been the turbulent look of Leyton House March and Ivan Capelli or Nigel with a car as good as the Brawn – would by grids or fi nishing orders. , Mansell and the Williams FW14B and you have now have worked out how to make their car Force India and , seen the Newey snapshot. And I guess about the perform in Silverstone conditions (which, I squabbling at the Nurburgring, left, have all had moments at greatest tribute you can pay Adrian is that this should point out, were not that bad: we’re the front of the fi eld, although year’s Red Bull is not only an aero work of art not talking frost on the ground here. It wasn’t ’s pre-race spin in but is also driveable: it is eff ectively packaged; wet and it wasn’t even cold in terms of Germany raised eyebrows for the it is reliable; and it is comfortable even for a ambient. The wind was a bit whippy, that’s all: wrong reasons. Meanwhile, after driver as tall as Mark Webber. there was some grit and dust about but, for Jenson Button’s amazing start to The Red Bull alone generated optimum tyre , the weather was relatively good). the season, life has become harder temperatures at Silverstone; that, too, was It wasn’t surprising to see Rubens do more since Silverstone. He maintains his championship lead but more wins clear. If you spoke to about this, with the Brawn than Jenson under these are necessary to secure the title, or to Jenson Button or to Rubens Barrichello, conditions. You can talk all you like about below (Photos LAT) they would answer in terms of historical fact. “home advantages” and “the energy of the

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 13 FORMULA 1 crowd”; if they can’t live with oversteer and they’re not generating tyre temperature, drivers like Jenson Button are never going to fi nd a sweet spot. Rubens, happier to live with some oversteer, particularly in corners like Copse and Becketts in sector one, found as a result that he had more tyre temperature for sectors two and three than Jenson could even dream about. The championship leader was just about there on the Bridgestone option with late-race grip levels but on the prime – a tyre Brawn was obliged to use for its long middle stint – Jenson was shouting phrases like, “We’re skating around on ice” down the radio in order to vent his frustration. Seb Vettel walked it, of course, and Mark was a good second. It was a straightforward race. As I left Silverstone, though, I wondered what dear old Peter Arundell, or (who also passed away recently) would have made of it all. Their memories Force India made people sit up Renault and McLaren-Mercedes. Fernando Alonso had re-directed me; and, for a few moments out and take notice when Adrian Sutil qualifi ed second behind Mark in Q1 but then blew there at Becketts, as I watched Mark Webber and qualifi ed seventh in Germany but his it in Q2 by spinning under braking on slicks in the race was spoiled because of contact Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Lewis semi-wet. This was an astoundingly stupid mistake with Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari. Better Hamilton, I had almost returned to basics. Then, was to come for the team in Belgium for Fernando to make on a weekend when the when it was all over, and you were confronted with with pole and second in the race team could have scored serious points: given that the latest political news from wherever, it was as if from Giancarlo Fisichella (Photo LAT) Fernando would also spin on the warm-up lap of the race, fi nally succumbing to the angles to which he subjects his car when he is trying to put heat into “You should have seen the boys when I got This was an astoundingly stupid mistake for Fernando the tyres, I can only say that Fernando is again guilty home! Shadow for sure knew that something big to make on a weekend when the team could have scored of over-confi dence. We saw it in 2007, when he was had happened. He was all over the place. Never at McLaren, and we saw it again in Germany. Maybe stopped….” serious points: given that Fernando would also spin on the this was a sign that Fernando has indeed signed “The boys”, of course, are Mark’s two dogs – Shadow warm-up lap of the race, I can only say that Fernando is for Ferrari in 2010. His career at Renault is winding the Weimaraner and Simba the Rhodesian ridgeback. again guilty of over-confi dence. down, the championship is out of sight…and so the Mark’s heart, you will gather, is squarely in the right work ethic is beginning to suff er. place. Mark wheel-banged his way into the lead in And so to Hungary, where Lewis won and Kimi Germany and then won it with ease, despite a stop- was second…but Felipe Massa was injured so badly the action itself had been but a façade. It was back go. Vettel for once made a mistake under pressure that he looks to be out for the rest of the year. I drove to good old greed and envy… in qualifying and could only fi nish second. It doesn’t to the hospital late on Sunday night. Felipe’s black …for a while. Then came signs of peace – genuine come any better than that, especially for Webbo. He was parked outside. Fans had hung Brazilian peace. The parties began to talk; the stage switched is an Australian athlete/sportsman in the truest sense fl ags around the entrance to the building. A Brazilian to Germany, where Sunday’s race was preceded of the word – and only Australians know what that TV crew fussed about with lights and microphones. by a volatile qualifying session in which we saw actually means. Suffi ce to say that the fi rst thing Mark , the Brazilian GP2 driver who knows true speed (for the fi rst time this year) from both told me on the Monday after the race was: Felipe well, had postponed his fl ight home.

14 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 FORMULA 1

Jaime Alguersuari became the race, too, McLaren raced for the fi rst time with a sport’s youngest Grand Prix driver lower centre of gravity. Their high nose had resulted when he made his debut at the for Scuderia Toro in a higher-than-usual driver location; now the Rosso, left. It was one of a number centre of the had been modifi ed. Lewis and of talking points along with Felipe sat lower in the car. Visibility was Massa’s accident in response to which the Ferrari team sent its reduced; stability and grip levels were improved. Like support before the race, bottom left Ferrari, McLaren also took the decision post-Germany

to run its KERS system through the end of the There is a point where you have to switch off, year. It had proved to be a signifi cant advantage in because you have to do your job, but he was never far Germany. With more grip in Hungary (courtesy of yet another new front wing, fl own in for Lewis on Friday from my thoughts night), the package would be half-way raceable. Lewis won this one with style. He nursed his engine I looked up to the line of windows and tried to The actions of FOTA have made the revs, he nursed his tyres, he missed all those razor- imagine what it would be like: I pictured Felipe, under paddock a hotbed for news, and sharp kerbs that could have punctured a tyre (as per sedation, and his family, anxious and nervous. In 24 kept Bernie Ecclestone (above) busy, 2008) – and still he won with class. He climbed from during the summer… (Photos LAT) hours – just like that – their lives had been shattered his car, sprinted up the podium stairs and stood there by an errant part on the back of Rubens Barrichello’s in victory, sweating only slightly. Brawn-Mercedes. The other events of the day seemed “Felipe was on my mind throughout the race,” he trite by comparison. said afterwards. “There is a point where you have to For all that, the signs of McLaren’s resurgence had switch off , because you have to do your job, but he been on display in Germany. A new (CFD-generated) was never far from my thoughts. My prayers go out front wing fi nally allowed the aerodynamicists to to him and to his family and we wish him a quick make some solid progress with the diff user. At this and full recovery.”

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 15 RACING MEMBERS Around the World BRDC Members continue to score results at home and away. David Addison looks at the recent months.

his opening paragraph should Michael Bartels/Andrea Bertolini to inherit the starred in the Spa behind the prodigiously fast LMS. Up until have reported a win in the FIA GT win. Ryan was one of a number of Members 24 Hours and was unlucky that Sunday lunchtime, it looked as though Oliver T Championship for Ryan Sharp whose who tackled the , although in a mechanical problems destroyed Gavin may have been heading for a win as a Saleen crossed the fi nishing line at the G2 class 911 rather than the Saleen his bid for a win on Sunday brilliant drive kept his Sellaslagh Racing morning. His Sellaslagh Racing Hungaroring to claim victory. Instead, it brings which the team withdrew as points were Corvette on the lead lap. An oil leak proved C6.R was news that the kplusk motorsport Saleen awarded at full distance not at each quarter one of six cars vying for the elusive and too much time was lost tracing it to S7-R was excluded post-race for a technical this year and it felt that wasn’t worth the lead of the classic race in the keep the car in a competitive position. infringement, allowing the Maserati MC12 of expense. So Ryan battled to second in class early stages (Photo DPPI) and shared the new generation GT1 GTR and took third in class, Anthony’s fi rst podium fi nish since 2003!Andrew Kirkaldy and Rob Bell took third in GT2 in their Ferrari despite an ECU change and gearbox dramas, while team-mates , Chris Niarchos and Chris Goodwin were sixth in class with Rising Star Phil Quaife. was fi fth in his Porsche and won his class at the Hungaroring, too. Richard’s FIA GT activity has kept him out of the of late, so it was left to and Aaron Scott to uphold the Club’s honour at the British Grand Prix where Tim took eighth place. Members have been doing well in the DTM, too, with Gary Paff ett taking two wins for Mercedes, winning at Brands Hatch and Jamie Green taking the honours at the Norisring in a year-old car. There was good news for Racing in the Le Mans Series where the Lola- Aston Martins took a one-two-three fi nish with Darren Turner in the second car and Stuart Hall in the third, while bagged another win in the at Mosport Park.

16 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 RACING MEMBERS

Ryan Briscoe won the Chicagoland IndyCar race with fourth, although Dario fended off Ryan and to win at Sonoma. In front of a huge crowd at Silverstone, James Walker and fi nished second and third in the Sunday 3.5 Series race, Oliver having taken third the day before, keeping James (in fourth) off the podium. A third place for Oliver at Le Mans was another indication of his pace.

James Walker heads Oliver Turvey at Silverstone’s successful World Series by Renault weekend, top left, while Richard Westbrook enjoyed a GT2 class win at the Hungaroring in the FIA GT Championship, above. Left, Dario Franchitti took an excellent IndyCar win at Sonoma, while Gary Paff ett has bagged two DTM wins for Mercedes, the only double winner of the season to date, far left (Photos DPPI, LAT)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 17 BRDC GOLD STAR

Germany, is Mark Webber who, if he can end BRDC GOLD STAR POINTS the year in the way that Jenson began it, could (AS AT 1ST SEPTEMBER 2009) outscore all those currently ahead of him. David PPUREURE GGOLDOLD Brabham’s Le Mans victory with , coupled 1 Jenson Button F1 204 with outstanding success in the ALMS with the 2 Ryan Briscoe GrandAm/IRL 198 Jenson Button’s lead in the BRDC Gold Star is shrinking. Highcroft Racing , brings him closer to the 3 Adam Carroll A1GP 174 reckoning but even if he continues his current 4 Dario Franchitti GrandAm/IRL 173 Ian Titchmarsh tells the story. winning streak into the fi nal two ALMS races, he 5 David Brabham ALMS/Le Mans 154 will be unable to overhaul Jenson’s current total. 6 Mark Webber F1 138 you keep abreast of the Gold Star points Jenson is also out of reach of last year’s Gold 7 Rob Huff WTCC 136 as they are updated weekly on the new Star winner Lewis Hamilton even if Lewis is able 8 WTCC 109 If BRDC website, you will know that Formula to emulate his Hungarian victory with more of the 9 Richard Westbrook Porsche Supercup/FIA GT 105 1 World Championship leader Jenson Button same before the end of the year. It is in the WTCC 10 Speedcar 104 has been heading the table for many weeks that the other potential winner can be found in 11 Oliver Turvey F3/FR3.5 85 now, having overhauled early leader Adam the person of driver Rob Huff 12 Lewis Hamilton F1 81 Carroll who has been sitting on the sidelines who has four more chances to score points. That 13 James Walker FR3.5 77 since the 2008/2009 A1GP season came to an said, with the reverse grid which operates for the 14 F3 68 end at the beginning of May. But, as in the World second of a weekend’s races in the WTCC the 15 Alexander Sims F3 60 Championship itself, Jenson’s lead is not what it chances of Rob winning all four races must be 16 Joey Foster F3 57 was after his sensational six wins at the start of modest despite his best eff orts. 17 DTM 56 the season. Closing fast are the two Members in Also aff ected by the reverse grid syndrome are 18 Fairuz Fauzy FR3.5 55 the running for the IRL title: Ryan Briscoe and Sam Bird and Alexander Sims in the Formula 19 Robin Liddell GrandAm 52 Dario Franchitti. Although Ryan has one less 3 Euro Series, benefi cially so far as Alexander 20 ALMS 50 win than Dario (three to four), his slightly greater is concerned since he was able recently at the 21 Rob Bell LMS GT/FIA GT 48 consistency gives him the edge. Nurburgring to take his fi rst win in his fi rst season 22 Justin Wilson IRL 40 With the Gold Star year ending at 31st October, in Formula 3. Although both Alexander and Sam 23 Allan McNish ALMS/Le Mans 37 this year’s Abu Dhabi F1 race will not count so have mathematical chances of catching Jenson, = IRL 37 Jenson has four more scoring opportunities realistically it is unlikely that either could win every = Darren Turner LMS/FIA GT 37 whereas Ryan and Dario have just two, there time out from now on. 26 Super GT 36 being 17 races in each series. Despite his recent setbacks, Jenson remains 27 Jamie Green DTM 33 Also in contention, despite the favourite to win his second Gold Star but there are 28 A1GP/LMS 31 disappointments of Valencia and Spa following several Members still very much in the running for = Ryan Sharp FIA GT 31 so soon after his fi rst Grand Prix victory in what is proving to be one of the closest Gold Star contests for some years with two Brits and two Aussies at the forefront.

David Brabham, above left, backed up his win in the Le Mans 24 Hours with more success in the ALMS, while Jenson Button’s Formula 1 successes help him to lead the BRDC Gold Star. Rob Huff lies seventh thanks to his impressive season in the World Touring Car Championship, while Sam Bird has enjoyed podium fi nishes in the (Photos LAT)

18 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 BRDC GOLD STAR

BRDC SILVER STAR POINTS (AS AT 1ST SEPTEMBER 2009) 1 Colin Turkington BTCC 201 A FIRSTFIRST FORFOR COLIN?COLIN? 2 BTCC 175 3 BTCC 159 Colin Turkington’s excellent season in the British Touring Car Championship is 4 BTCC 152 5 James Thompson BTCC 131 helping in the BRDC Silver Star, says Ian Titchmarsh. 6 Aaron Scott British GT 121 7 BTCC 104 lsewhere in this edition of the Bulletin Among the Racing Silverline Chevrolet drivers 8 Paul O’Neill BTCC 56 you can read about Colin Turkington who the team situation seems a little less clear cut with 9 Piers Johnson British GT 36 E has emerged as favourite to win both the Mat Jackson taking two wins to Jason’s one at = Oliver Bryant British GT 36 British Touring Car Championship title and his Silverstone. After winning fi rst time out at Thruxton 11 Martin Short British GT 32 fi rst Silver Star. A purple patch mid-season, with in April, Mat has been bedevilled by one problem two wins at and another couple after another and is probably too far behind to win = Alex Mortimer British GT 32 two weeks later at Croft, helped Colin in his the BTCC title but on the “best of 12” basis which = BTCC 32 Team RAC BMW 320si take over from Matt Neal applies to the Silver Star, his late surge could let 14 Michael Bentwood British GT 29 as front-runner. him emerge on top at the last gasp. As for Jason, 15 Adam Wilcox British GT 26 Colin has three of his other BTCC rivals to he already has a record number of Silver Stars to 16 British GT 19 contend with: Jason Plato, Mat Jackson and his name and there can be no doubt that he will 17 BTCC 14 Matt Neal. When the last Bulletin went to press, be doing all he can to add a fi fth in his quest for his 18 BTCC 11 it was Matt Neal who led the way but a series second BTCC championship. 19 Phil Keen British GT 4 of modest results has caused the early season There are only two more races remaining in pace-setter to fall back and it has become clear the British GT Championship so that the leading 20 Johnny Herbert BTCC 3 that he is now having to play second fi ddle to Member from that series, Aaron Scott, is now out 21 British GT 1 team-mate ’s championship of contention despite two more podium fi nishes aspirations. at Silverstone and .

RML team-mates Mat Jackson and Jason Plato have enjoyed race wins, and a friendly rivalry, in the BTCC, above left, while Aaron Scott is a front-runner in the British GT Championship. Colin Turkington heads the BRDC Silver Star, as well as being a major factor in the BTCC title race (Photos Jakob Ebrey)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 19

Peter Gethin, , Oulton Park, 20 September 1969 BRDC RISING STARS RRISINGISING TTOO SSTARDOMTARDOM The BRDC Rising Stars ranks have swelled recently, and a number of the drivers have enjoyed great success internationally as Ian Titchmarsh explains.

BRDC RISING STARS 2009 or the fi rst time ever there was no British driver among the GP2 entry Sam Abay Hywel Lloyd F at this year’s British Grand Prix. BRITISH FORMULA 3 BRITISH FORMULA 3 Quite simply, GP2 is beyond the means of Henry Arundel INTERNATIONAL SERIES INTERNATIONAL SERIES BRITISH F3 INTERNATIONAL SERIES young drivers hoping, and in some cases Alex MacDowall Dean Smith deserving, to make the grade to Formula 1. Tim Blanchard RENAULT CLIO CUP UK FORMULA RENAULT UK CHAMPIONSHIP/PORSCHE CARRERA The FIA’s initiative, taken up by Jonathan Tom Bradshaw Callum MacLeod CUP GB GB EUROPEAN FORMULA 3 OPEN Palmer’s MSV organisation, to launch a low- SERIES/HISTORIC Aaron Steele cost Formula 2 has been enthusiastically Will Bratt PORSCHE CARRERA CUP GB/A1GP EUROSERIES 3000 Greg Mansell ROOKIE welcomed but there are other powerful FORMULA RENAULT 3.5/LE MANS single-seater categories where it is still Jay Bridger SERIES † Henry Surtees BRITISH F3 INTERNATIONAL SERIES FIA FOR MULA TWO CHAMPIONSHIP possible to invest much less money than Michael Meadows Tim Bridgman Kieran Vernon GP2 and achieve something worthwhile in PORSCHE CARRERA CUP GB Jeremy Metcalfe MSA FORMULA FORD advancing a career. Graham Carroll Nigel Moore CHAMPIONSHIP OF GREAT BRITAIN Step forward , Ben Hanley Max Chilton BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP/GT4 and Will Bratt, all BRDC Rising Stars and EUROPEAN CUP/LE MANS 24 HOURS FORMULA RENAULT UK BRITISH F3 INTERNATIONAL SERIES all of whom have been enjoying a pretty Sarah Moore CHAMPIONSHIP Leyton Clarke GINETTA JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP good last few months with the promise of DUNLOP SPORT MAXX PRODUCTION CUP/INTERNATIONAL GT OPEN FORMULA RENAULT UK more of the same to come before the end Matt Nicoll-Jones CHAMPIONSHIP Ollie Hancock of the year. But they only rarely have the Oliver Oakes Robert Wickens FORMULA RENAULT UK BRITISH F3 INTERNATIONAL SERIES chance to race in the UK. If you were one of FIA CHAMPIONSHIP FIA FORMULA TWO CHAMPIONSHIP/ Tom Onslow-Cole FORMULA 3 EURO SERIES/BRITISH the relatively few Members who attended BRITISH TOURING CAR F3 INTERNATIONAL SERIES the outstanding Renault World Series RED BULL F1 TEST DRIVER AND CHAMPIONSHIP RESERVE DRIVER/FORMULA Ben Winrow weekend in July you would have seen Jon RENAULT 3.5/FORMULA 3 EURO Martin Plowman RENAULT CLIO CUP UK/PRODUCTION BMW set fastest lap in the fi rst Formula Renault SERIES 3.5 race in only his third competitive Zamparelli Jack Harvey Phil Quaife outing since Macau in November 2008. FORMULA BMW FIA GT CHAMPIONSHIP/FIA GT3 BARC FORMULA RENAULT EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONSHIP This was merely the portent of things to Jon Lancaster FORMULA RENAULT 3.5 Adrian Quaife-Hobbs come as he qualifi ed on pole position at / Le Mans a fortnight later but had to settle FORMULA RENAULT NORTH for fi fth place with clutch problems after EUROPEAN CUP Jon Lancaster dominating free practice and qualifying.

22 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 BRDC RISING STARS

Two weeks later and he took another few years and, after a disappointing end to A championship which is mighty close is pole position at the new Portuguese circuit 2008, arrived late in this year’s Euroseries the Porsche Carrera Cup GB where, before of Portimao. This time everything fell into 3000 but won fi rst time out at Magny Cours. the races at Silverstone over the Bank place and Jon took the win which had been Will, who spent last year competing in Holiday weekend, just four points separated looking likely ever since he joined the Series the Spanish F3 Series, has been involved 2008 Champion Tim Harvey from the young at Hungary mid-season. This late start is likely in Euroseries 3000 from the start of the pretender to his title Tim Bridgman. Tim to prevent Jon winning the championship year and made it to the top of the podium the Younger is now in his second season but, not only is he winning races, he is recently at Zolder. This puts Will fourth in the of racing with a roof over his head and beating the new Toro Rosso F1 driver Jaime Series, one place ahead of Ben, with six races had a remarkable run of 10 successive Alguersuari in doing so. still to run. Either could be champion. pole positions in the fi rst 10 races. Not all Meanwhile Ben and Will have At F3 level, in the British International those poles have been converted into wins, been winning in Euroseries 3000, the Series it is looking good for Perth’s Daniel however, which means that the older Tim championship from which Felipe Massa Ricciardo. He took two more wins (at Spa has every chance of retaining his crown. emerged triumphant into Formula 1 back in and Silverstone) which, with several other Mention must also be made of some 2001. Ben has already shown his potential podiums, leave him leading the table by a new Rising Stars: Oli Webb who leads in Formula Renault 3.5 and GP2 over the last commanding 45 points with four races left. the Formula Renault UK Championship; Alex MacDowall By contrast the task facing Silverstone- Sarah Moore, younger sister of BRDC resident Canadian Robert Wickens in the Superstar Nigel Moore, who is very much FIA Formula 2 Championship is rather more in contention for the Ginetta Junior onerous. A double win in the opening races Championship; and Alex MacDowall at Valencia suggested that his status as who lies second in the Renault Clio Cup. pre-season favourite was being confi rmed. Last year’s Ginetta Junior Champion Dino Since then life has not been so easy with no Zamparelli has recently taken his fi rst more wins, several non-fi nishes and only single-seater wins in the BARC Formula two further podiums. Rob is still second in Renault Championship, too. In 2008 10 the table to Spanish former GP2 driver Andy Rising Stars won their championships; it will Soucek, but the defi cit is 22 points and there be tough for this year’s group to match that are only six races left. achievement but it could happen.

Alex MacDowall, top left, has been a front-runner all season in t he Clio Cup, while Will Bratt has been winning in Euroseries 3000, left. Far left, Jon Lancaster made up for a troubled Silverstone weekend by winning in Hungary in Formula Renault 3.5, while Dino Zamparelli, right, took a maiden BARC Formula Renault Championship win in August (Photos LAT, DPPI, Jakob Ebrey)

Will Bratt Dino Zamparelli

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 23 BRDC SUPERSTARS PERSONAL IMPROVEMENT The BRDC Superstars have been achieving great results on and off-track, says Tim Harvey.

ew this year has been the association • Complete body composition analysis between the BRDC Superstars and the • Eye-sight screening to highlight any visual N Porsche Human Performance Centre abnormalities based at Silverstone. This fabulous facility • Reaction and co-ordination testing hosts corporate driving events for Porsche • Sit and reach fl exibility test customers and has a state of the art physical • A comprehensive analysis and consultation assessment and training laboratory. Many on assessment results top drivers including Mark Webber, Jenson As you can tell, this is a very scientifi c approach Button and use the expertise and administered by a team of fully qualifi ed sport knowledge of Andy Blow, Eliot Challifour scientists and experienced coaches. All the and Pippa Alford to prepare for professional Superstars have been hugely impressed by motorsport. Indeed Mark Webber gives much the detail involved and the driving specifi c credit for his remarkable recovery from his elements of the tests. and Riki about height, weight, and body fat percentages broken leg to the team at the PHPC. The reaction and co-ordination tests are Christodoulou analyse their etc, but also some additional information drivers All of the 2009 Superstars can have a conducted over both 60 and 300 seconds on performance as Tim Harvey would never otherwise know. For example there looks on. The Porsche Human detailed assessment of their whole physical the Batak and Sacadic fi xator machines. In this Performance Centre has been is a muscle/fat analysis, a lean balance indicator, make up. This not only gives them a greater test a random series of lights illuminate and visited by a number of the a nutritional evaluation and an upper and lower understanding of their health and fi tness the driver has to use his reactions, peripheral current Formula 1 drivers and has body strength indicator. This simple data can levels but also provides advice, exercise and vision and spacial awareness to extinguish helped them, none more so than tell a driver if he is weak in either upper or lower nutritional plans for them to follow. This them as quickly as possible. Scoring a point Mark Webber who used the PHPC body or in his left or right hand side. All the data after his pre-season accident provides each driver with both a structure and for each successful strike gives a total score is referenced against World Health Organisation motivation to press on with their conditioning. after the time allowance; needless to say statistics for age, height and gender. The assessment itself comprises of: the Superstars have enjoyed this element of It is many years since most drivers had an • Lactate threshold and VO2 max testing to competition amongst themselves... eye test and certainly nothing like the one determine aerobic fi tness Some of the most interesting information performed in the assessment. With the latest • Strength testing of upper body, hand-grip comes from the body composition analyser technology provided by Optical Express, strength and explosive leg strength (Inbody 720). This gives all the obvious data every facet of one’s eyesight can be tested.

24 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 BRDC SUPERSTARS

Riki Christodoulou takes to the running machine, his speed, heart rate and breathing all being monitored as the PHPC team looks at every element that may benefi t from improvement to make a driver fi tter

The PHPC tests mental agility, If there are any aberrations either known or day for the Superstars with the Army at and returned to the fray. I am sure that I speak above, as well as physical unknown to the driver they will show up. Tidworth, Hampshire. The day was reported for all in the Club when I say that our thoughts strength and some aspects are easier than others as evinced Advice on any action required is part of the in the Bulletin and we had a challenging are with the families of those killed and all the by Jonathan Adam’s facial assessment procedure. and enlightening day courtesy of Egypt soldiers of Egypt Squadron who are doing such expressions. The mental tests I would like to thank Andy and his team for Squadron of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment. a diffi cult and dangerous job. in particular will help him to be taking such an interest in the Superstars and Whilst we have been focusing on motor sport The Superstars scheme very much intends alert in the rough and tumble giving them an unbiased and unrivalled but seasons, Egypt Squadron have deployed to to maintain its contact and relationship with world of the British Touring Car Championship also quantitative assessment of their physical Afghanistan where they have been exposed to Egypt Squadron and we send them news of condition. Allied to their ongoing training considerable danger on a daily basis. Indeed, the drivers on the scheme which is always well programmes this has hopefully given our it is with great sadness that we learnt of the received. Indeed, it was humbling to learn from Superstars a head start on the opposition. death of Corporal Scott (who was one of our the Offi cer Commanding that their day with hosts during our visit) and Trooper Hammond. “the Sennas” was as popular and informative to Remembering the tank day In addition, a further 24 soldiers of the Squadron them as it was instructive and challenging to us. On another matter entirely, you will recall (which numbers 120 in total) have been Tim Harvey that last year I organised a team building wounded, although 10 have been “patched up” Director, BRDC Superstars

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 25 STIRLING MOSS Happy 80th, Sir Stirling Moss

This is a very special year as BRDC Vice-President for Life, Sir Stirling Moss OBE, reaches 80. John Blunsden looks back at some magic moments.

26 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 STIRLING MOSS

n September 17 every Member of the BRDC best Grand Prix driver of his era, and for as long as he To the victor, the Coke, far left. Left, against all the rally experts, then he competed in three might care to raise a glass in celebration of dutifully followed in his Mercedes-Benz wheel tracks on his way to a legendary victory gruelling Alpine Trials in consecutive years, winning a the 80th birthday of our Vice President for Life, in 1955 that may have been true. But Stirling was a Stirling drifts his Mercedes Benz rare and much coveted gold cup for a penalty-free run O 300SLR to win 1955 the . Sir Stirling Moss, OBE. But the toast of choice should quick learner, and later he matched the master, while With his Aston Martin DBR1, below on each of them. His other ‘extra curricular activities’ not be confi ned to the conventional congratulations; Juan Manuel, by his own admission, was certainly left, Stirling powers to victory in the behind the wheel included speed and endurance it should also embrace heartfelt thanks for the no match for Stirling in a sports-racer. His famous 1958 RAC Tourist Trophy, giving Aston record-breaking at Montlhéry and Bonneville for Jaguar tremendous contribution he has made to the Club victory in the , navigated by Denis second place in the World Sports and MG, respectively, the publicity spin-off from having Car Championship. Below centre, and to motor sport, both in and out of the cockpit, Jenkinson, has passed into legend, but you needed Stirling’s UDT-Laystall Type 21-bodied his name attached to these occasions being especially over 62 of his cruelly interrupted star-studded years. to watch him at the wheel of Aston Martins and the fi ghts against Jimmy valuable to his employer, for Stirling has always been a I shall always be grateful that my early years in like in shorter enduros like the 1,000 Kilometres at the Clark in the latest works Type 21 at great showman. motor sport journalism coincided with Stirling’s best Nürburging or the Tourist Trophy, fi ghting back after Brands Hatch in June. Jimmy leads, Intensely patriotic, a trait which kept him out of but Stirling was ahead before half years in the sport, when his combination of speed and pit-stop delays, to fully understand his calibre. distance! Very early days, below right, more competitive foreign-built cars for far too long, he versatility were unmatched. He would turn out four Part of his versatility was born out of fi nancial and carrying number 7 already! This was not unaware of the depth of his talent nor of his or fi ve times in a busy race programme and win most necessity. In the early 50s, the racing season tended to was Stirling’s fourth ever race. In the worth, but his work ethic and integrity have invariably if not all of the supporting races, plus the main event, be short, and he had to earn a living during the winter 500 cc three-lapper at Goodwood’s made him outstanding value. Always the perfectionist, opening meeting in September 1948, and invariably record the fastest lap each time. months. So he co-drove a Sunbeam-Talbot in the 1952 Stirling wins with his Cooper-JAP T5, forever rushing through pit and paddock seemingly on He has always maintained that Fangio was the Monte Carlo Rally and fi nished a close runner-up overall seen here at Woodcote Corner tip-toe, he has been known in earlier times to drive his

Intensely patriotic, a trait which kept him out of more competitive foreign-built cars for far too long, he was not unaware of the depth of his talent nor of his worth

engineers and team managers to distraction with his last-minute demands, while team-mates were at times requested to form an orderly queue while he pondered on which chassis or engine he would chose. But his friendships were deep and his bond with his friend and entrant Rob Walker was absolute. It was fi tting, therefore, that they should have shared in what I still believe to

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 27 + Family owned and run business providing a total nationwide service to the motor racing industry

+ Complete part manufacture plus turning, grinding and milling of components

+ High tolerance, fast turn-around Thread Rolled Studs and Fixings made complete for Formula 1 and Indy Cart Series engine manufacturers

+ Exclusive suppliers to GT Endurance and British Touring Car teams

Please call or e-mail for a copy of our brochure + Wide range of specialist materials including 01604 493101 Titanium and MP35N e: [email protected] T & K Precision Limited + Complete ISO 9001-2000 accreditation, 9-10 Gatelodge Close fully computerised production systems Round Spinney and 10-year lot traceability of all Northampton NN3 8RJ bought-in materials STIRLING MOSS

steady recovery. But it was all too slow for sections of the media, who became increasingly impatient for the answer to their incessantly asked question: “Will you be racing again, and if so, when?” This was pressure that Stirling could well have done without, and the only way to relieve it was to test himself as soon as he felt able, hence his return that day to Goodwood. The test drive went well in that Stirling turns through Station Hairpin cost him the race, Stirling nursed his he was soon lapping within three seconds of a ‘pole’ during his monumental drive to win worn out tyres to the end, winning by time. The problem was that he was having to work the 1961 , left. His 3.3 seconds from the Ferrari of Luigi Lotus 18’s lower bodywork removed Musso. With the nose of his so hard mentally to lap that quickly because nothing and his overalls doused with water crumpled from contact while lapping was instinctive any more. The ‘magic ingredient’ of to keep cool, Stirling took the lead the slow of Wolfgang instinctiveness which had been the cornerstone of his from the more powerful Ferrari Dino Seidel, Stirling heads through the 156 of on lap 13 of Moroccan desert to take maximum career as a professional racing driver had disappeared. the 100 lap race and kept all three points from the fi nal round of the By the time he arrived back in London his mind at bay by mere seconds for 1958 World Championship, below was made up. Reluctantly, at 32 years of age and the duration in what he considers to be his greatest drive. Above, the 1958 Argentine Grand Prix was another of Stirling’s wins against the odds By the time he arrived back in London his mind with his Rob Walker-entered, barely was made up. Reluctantly, at 32 years of age… his 2-litre Cooper-Climax T43 against the 2.4 Ferrari Dino 246s. Knowing that professional racing career was at an end. a pit stop to change wheels would be the fi nest of all his 16 Grand Prix victories, at Monaco after 14 mostly enjoyable, occasionally painful but in 1961. That day I watched most of his 100 laps in the always immensely successful years at the wheel, his Lotus-Climax 18 from what was known in those days professional racing career was at an end. Had he been as the Station Hairpin. It was a sublime experience able to defer his decision two or three years longer it – studying at close quarters a true master at work. might well have been diff erent, for gradually all the It was on May 1,1963 that Stirling made the old skills and refl exes re-emerged. But by then it was decision that saddened countless thousands of his too late. From the very beginning, in a 500cc Formula fans throughout the world. It was one that he, too, Three Cooper-JAP, racing had been his profession as was later to regret. He was on his way back to London well as his passion, so Stirling the businessman had after test-driving a Lotus-Climax 19 sports-racer at been obliged to move on; his journey took him into Goodwood, the circuit on which more than a year property and other enterprises, plus there was the earlier he had come close to death. His horrendous not insignifi cant matter of continuing to promote the accident on Easter Monday 1962 in Rob Walker’s Stirling Moss brand. This has since served him well, Formula One Lotus-Climax 18/21 had left him trapped ensuring that his name remained prominent in the in his crumpled car, mercifully unconscious, with public consciousness throughout the years before the severe head and facial injuries and broken limbs. emergence of historic racing enabled him to retrieve He was to remain in a coma for several weeks and that once so familiar white helmet and blue overalls partly paralysed for six months. But dedicated medical from the display cabinet and go racing again. attention, including facial reconstruction, plus his own Happy birthday, Stirl, and thanks for so many good fi ery determination began to drive forward a slow but memories.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 29 BRITISH GRAND PRIX British Grand Prix 2009 A pictorial look at Silverstone’s biggest event.

In front of packed grandstands, the grid assembles for the Santander British Grand Prix with Sebastian Vettel on pole position, far left. Sebastian proved a popular winner for Red Bull, left, with team-mate Mark Webber chasing him home, above. provided demonstration laps in the Matra MS80 on Sunday before the Grand Prix that helped to add to that unique atmosphere that the weekend generates (Photos Jakob Ebrey)

30 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 BRITISH GRAND PRIX

1979 Formula 1 World Champion with his Ferrari 312 T4, above, while was enjoying his Grand Prix weekend. Pictured right with DC, Jenson Button had suff ered a frustrating day in his Brawn. Linzi Stoppard of Fuse ensured the evening went with a swing, below right, while provided one of its Le Mans 24 Hours Lola Aston Martins. Damon Hill entertained Members and guests, below, as did BBC Radio presenter Johnnie Walker who was the MC for the evening, below left. The recent eff orts of Ross Brawn didn’t go unrecognised, left, and if you could take your eyes off the air displays, there were plenty of famous faces to be seen in the paddock

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 31 LE MANS

Peugeot triumphed at Le Mans with David Brabham joining his brother on the list of winners. James Beckett was there.

eugeot may have entered the 77th of Sebastien Bourdais/Franck Montagny/ running of the famous Le Mans 24 Hours Stephane Sarrazin, victory was not something as the underdogs, but throughout the Brabham and his team-mates could think race the French squad, running its 908 HDi about until the closing stages. The ‘French’ FAP in the race for the third time, dominated Peugeot had started the race weekend as the proceedings to score an emotional victory on car many believed would triumph, and when home soil. placed second, not far behind the lead HDi Peugeot outperformed Audi at every FAP, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see a turn, and after 24 hours of racing it was the call from the pits change the running order. unfancied 908, the number 9 car, driven by After stints by all three drivers during Sunday, Alex Wurz, Marc Gene and Member David Marc Gene, was at the wheel when the call Brabham that crossed the line as winners. came through from Peugeot high-command The experienced line-up of number 9 paid that he was now being charged with driving dividends. Described prior to the start as the the car to the fl ag, and Le Mans victory. A fi nal

French squad, known to be fast but slightly fuel stop was completed 40 minutes before The car’s former Grand Prix temperamental, and Audi, the multiple Le the end, and with an advantage of one lap, the drivers just buckled down and got Mans winners, known for metronome-style number 9 car was steered the car home at 3pm on with the job in hand… performances that delivered the results time- for a Peugeot formation fi nish. and-time again. McNish/Kristensen/Capello came in third However, this year’s race was diff erent. – six laps behind the winner, with Union fl ags ‘Warrior’ team, the car’s former Grand Prix drivers Despite Audi’s lead car containing Allan waving for the 007 Aston Martin in fourth, the just buckled down and got on with the job in McNish, and Rinaldo car driven by the Czech/German mix of Stefan hand – capitalising when Peugeot’s leading Capello, the German squad was not in the Mucke/Jan Charouz and Tomas Enge. crews faltered to pick-up the lead by the sixth same league. The new R15 TDI was good, After McNish, the leading Brit home was hour, a lead the car held until the end. In winning but not as good as the Peugeot, and as , who fi nished 12th for the Speedy the race, David became the second Brabham to Audi was beaten by Peugeot in the pits, on Racing Sebah team in their Lola B08/80 win at La Sarthe. Sixteen years earlier his brother, fuel economy and crucially, on the track, shared with Benjamin Leuenberger and Xavier Geoff , also won for Peugeot. Peugeot’s victory was assured. Pompidou with the all-star Lola Aston Martin The 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours promised a Despite the number 9 car holding an 008 one place further back driven by Darren battle royal between Peugeot, the patriotic advantage over the number 8 sister car Turner/Anthony Davidson/Jos Verstappen.

32 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 LE MANS

Despite dramas in the pits early in the race, Peugeot looked strong throughout the FROM THE BRITS 24 hours and orchestrated a photo-fi nish to celebrate its The Le Mans 24 Hours was once described as a British race that just win, left. David Brabham fi nally realised his dream of a Le Mans takes place in . That may not be true, but the British do return win, far left, while Danny Watts year-on-year for the race both on and off the track and 2009 was no was rapid in ’s exception. Ginetta, bottom left. Below, Members Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish was the only driver capable of matching any of Allan McNish with Rinaldo Peugeot’s performances, but his R15 TDI suff ered numerous technical Capello pushed as hard as they could in the Audi R15, below, gremlins that prevented a proper bid for victory as he fi nished third. in the car’s Le Mans debut, but The 008 Lola-Aston Martin of Anthony Davidson and Darren Turner in its development infancy, it drive suff ered a major oil leak and fi nished 13th. lost too much time in the pits to be a threat. The Ferrari of Rob Lawrence Tomlinson, Richard Dean and Nigel Moore ran well with Bell, Andrew Kirkaldy and Tim their Ginetta-Zytek, but their race ended with a fi re in the small hours. Sugden suff ered a suspension problem late-race costing it Nigel, a BRDC Rising Star, the youngest British driver ever to compete a chance of a podium fi nish at Le Mans, excelled. (Photos LAT and James Beckett) The Strakka Racing Ginetta-Zytek of and Danny Watts was fast in qualifying with Watts at the wheel, and fi nished a creditable 21st after time was lost due to a hub problem, while Jamie Campbell-Walter returned with the Oxfordshire-based team to fi nish 24th.

Mike Newton and the RML squad retired with four hours remaining when the Mazda engine in his Lola B08/80 gave up the ghost, while Phil Bennett pushed hard in the Barazi Epsilon LMP2 car. Jonny Kane scooped a podium position in his Speedy Sebah Lola in the LMP2 division, but former race winner Guy Smith had his car crashed by a team-mate in the fourth hour.

The biofuelled Aston Martin Vantage GT2 of Paul Drayson. and Marino Franchitti sounded fantastic until an unfortunate retirement when the chequered fl ag was almost visible.

The Rob Bell, Andrew Kirkaldy and JMW Ferrari was on-track for a second position GT2 fi nish until a suspension problem dropped them back, but spare a thought for BRDC Superstar, Stuart Hall. Called into the Aston Martin Racing team, Stuart was disqualifi ed from driving in the race after he was involved in a collision with the LMP2 Radical.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 33 GINETTA AT LE MANS 24 at 50 Ginetta made its Le Mans debut this year with its LMP car tackling the 24 hours. David Addison watched.

inetta is a company going Members Lawrence Tomlinson and Richard Dean were joined by places. Sales of its G50 and G20 Rising Star Nigel Moore for Ginetta’s fi rst eff ort at Le Mans, Nigel becoming the youngest-ever G race cars are booming and British driver to race in the French classic. For its name is spreading far and wide. Lawrence and Richard it was a return to This year, company owner Lawrence the scene of a class win in 2006 in a but the fi rst time that they had raced Tomlinson decided that with his an LMP car at Le Mans. Despite the LNT Group’s purchase of Zytek the car showing its potential, the time was right to head to La Sarthe. result was a disappointment for the Leeds-based Joining him behind the wheel were squad (Photos LAT, fellow Member and Ginetta MD LNT Group, Jakob Richard Dean and Rising Star Nigel Ebrey) Moore. All involved had a busy week... Sunday June 7 The adventure begins. At 3pm, Lawrence fl ies by helicopter to Le Mans, while Richard and Nigel make their way down separately with the team and their families. Later that evening, a weary team congregates at Le Gites Gourdiniere in Monce En Belin. After an hour looking for a restaurant, a pizza parlour is discovered. It is about to shut but accepts an order for 15 margheritas.

34 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 GINETTA AT LE MANS

Monday June 8 dark to satisfy the regulations. The evening passes bolting on sticky Dunlop rubber and is happy with A leisurely day. Everyone heads to the circuit for a without any dramas and Nigel proves to be a quick the progress of his protégé. “You forget what a huge recce and to check out motorhomes for the team. learner in his fi rst prototype drive. Lawrence and leap this is for Nigel. A is a good little Richard familiarise themselves with the track and are race car and can teach you a lot, but, for this car and Tuesday June 9 happy with progress. this track, it’s very little help. Nigel put in a lap or The popular scrutineering day takes place, albeit in two at 3m40s yesterday and that’s properly quick. pouring rain. Richard, Lawrence and Nigel spend their The lad is fantastic.” When the individual driver times time signing autographs or giving interviews. Both Nigel put in a lap or two at are published, Richard’s belief is confi rmed, as Nigel Richard and Lawrence have been to the race before, qualifi es three seconds quicker than Lawrence. when they won the GT2 class in 2006, but Nigel – at 3m40s yesterday and that’s properly just 17-and-a-half years old – is a big news story. quick. The lad is fantastic Friday June 12 The so-called rest day is always a busy one. Many of Wednesday June 10 the team head to the circuit where the car must be With no pre-event test days this year, Wednesday is Thursday June 11 on display for the day-long pit walk. Lawrence has given over to free practice and Thursday to qualifying. Qualifying. Divided into two sessions as normal, the other things on his mind, though, and heads off to This is only the second time in car for the drivers and team aims for a top 20 result. Richard sets the time the golf course and plays a round with in addition to the fi nal fi ttings for all drivers, they at 3m35.804s which is good enough for 18th fastest. who has a handicap of 1! Richard and Nigel get roped need to make sure they all complete three laps in the Richard is content as the time was achieved without in to talk to the Pistonheads campers at Camp Bleu

Nigel Moore was impressive on his Le Mans debut, above, as was the team’s slick pit work, right. Team owner Lawrence Tomlinson takes over in readiness for his next stint (Photos Jakob Ebrey, LAT, James Beckett)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 35 GINETTA AT LE MANS

The car was up to 18th place before Nigel’s fi ery exit on Sunday morning, caused by a loose fuel line connector (Photos LAT, LNT Group)

in the race at 18:05. As he gets behind the over just before 01.00. The car is running in wait to race here again – the atmosphere is We lost four laps in the fi rst wheel, the temperature is dropping and the 18th place, a lap adrift of its nearest LMP1 unrivalled anywhere in the world. two hours. After that we were OK, pace quickening. He starts his stint 26th and rival with Nigel due to drive until 03:15. On With the car retired, there is little to but it was a big blow early on is 23rd by the end of the hour, but Richard is his scheduled in lap comes disaster. A fuel do except pack up, catch up on sleep or disappointed. “We lost four laps in the fi rst line connector works loose which causes face the media. “I’m immensely proud of North before all three drivers head to the two hours. After that we were OK, but it was a a major blaze. Quick-thinking Nigel stops the team, of the car and of Nigel,” says town for the annual drivers’ parade. Early big blow early on.” the car at the Dunlop Esses, preventing Lawrence. “He’s demonstrated the type of nights all round. Lawrence gets back in the car at 19:36 and any extensive chassis or wiring damage. clear thinking which underlines exactly does a double-stint, taking the car into the Nigel is gutted: “Obviously I’m disappointed. why he was out here. By keeping a clear Saturday June 13 dark. After seven hours the car is up to 18th head he’s given us a car that we can take Everyone heads to circuit at 7.30am. The place and is running strongly. back to Leeds and get to work on straight warm-up session passes without drama and At 22:06, Richard takes over. The car has a I’m immensely proud of the away to iron out those teething problems after the agonisingly long build up, Richard stuck left wheel caused by an overheating team, of the car and of Nigel which have manifested themselves over the starts the race at 3pm. problem and the weary Team LNT mechanics weekend.” By the end of the fi rst hour the car is in have to change brake discs and pads. The 40th position, after two unscheduled stops to car loses 10 minutes and rejoins in 23rd I was well into my stride and achieving Sunday June 14 change two alternators. At 16:37, Lawrence position. At 23:18 another alternator cable consistent lap times,” says Nigel. “It’s been an Some of the team head for home. The Le takes over and brings the car back up to needs fitting, while a right hand steering incredible week! I hope I have proved that I Mans 2009 is over, but preparations are 33rd position before Nigel has his fi rst stint arm needs attention, too. Nigel takes the car can compete in the endurance arena. I can’t starting for the 2010 assault.

36 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3

DRIVER TRAINING: OLIVER TURVEY

Oliver Turvey with Jack Harvey, liver Turvey, one of the most approachable bottom left. Jack is racing in young talents in motor racing, stunned Formula BMW Europe this onlookers in May by winning the Monaco season, right, while Oliver took O a tremendous win at Monaco in round of the Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Knowing me, Formula Renault 3.5, far right This year Oliver has also been chosen by the (Photos LAT, Jakob Ebrey ) to act as driver coach to fellow RSF racer and BRDC Rising Star Jack Harvey during his weekends in Formula BMW Europe. Oliver explains: “As both Jack and I are knowing you supported by the Racing Steps Foundation, they believed it would be good for me to use At just 22 years-old Oliver Turvey is already sharing his race-winning my experience from the Formula BMW UK Championship where I fi nished as runner-up prowess with the next generation of racing drivers. Oliver explains to in 2006, despite missing the fi rst six races. I Sarah Carnell what he has been up to. learnt so much in the category so I can use this

38 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 DRIVER TRAINING: OLIVER TURVEY

Monaco but also three other podiums up to August this year. Because he races you can trust everything In 2006 he was awarded the McLaren that he’s saying. Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year and last year went on to fi nish as runner-up in the “Oliver studied Engineering at Cambridge British Formula 3 International Series with four University and he understands the data and wins and more podiums than any other driver. can practically set up the car. Because he races Oliver’s no diff erent from any other racing you can trust everything that he’s saying and driver and wants to be the best he can and he’s been successful and still is, so whatever fi rmly believes by helping those like Jack a he says goes. You know he’s not going to be few years behind him, this can only raise his Oliver talks to Jack in Valencia, wrong. He’s already so experienced and some own game. bottom right, the duo part of of the things he’s said have been really correct.” Graham Sharp’s impressive “My only focus at the minute is to keep Racing Steps Foundation It’s not known if the pair’s racing progressing my own career towards Formula 1 movement to promote young commitments will let them work together after and achieve my ambition of becoming World drivers through the ranks this year, but one thing’s for sure, Oliver has Champion. I believe it also helps my racing of karting and single-seater made a huge impression on 16-year-old Jack, because you always learn from observing. racing. In addition to Jack who adds, “Oliver is somebody you can really and Oliver, has I learnt so much in the Every day you’re at a race track you learn enjoyed a successful season in look up to with his fi tness and training. He’s the category so I can use this something new, even if you’re not driving, Formula Renault UK whole package and that’s the sort of person experience to help Jack develop which can be applied in my own racing.” (Photos LAT, Jakob Ebrey) you want to be working with.” The Penrith born-and-bred racer says his at a faster rate. own role model has always been his father, especially when he was karting, adding, “He experience to help Jack develop at a faster rate. was able to help develop my driving as an “I spend the time during free practice, observer and taught me a lot about how to be qualifying and races watching at various points successful especially on the mental side. I also on the circuit to give him advice on his driving worked with a driver coach Malcolm Smith style, lines, apexes and throttle application through the Formula BMW UK championship, compared to the quickest drivers. which was extremely useful in understanding “We start off each race weekend by travelling the areas to improve.” on the Wednesday and I then spend the Although the mentoring and coaching whole weekend working with Jack and Fortec agreement has only been instigated for this Motorsport, who are running him. I always season, both Oliver and Jack are happy with complete a track walk with Jack before each the arrangement, as Jack explains. “I had three event on the Thursday and along with his race test days as a rookie and the Racing Steps engineer, Julian Rouse, we complete a thorough Foundation asked Oliver to spend the fi rst analysis of the data after each session.” two with me to get the right technique. We In his fi rst season on the Formula Renault 3.5 got on really well, although we’d not known Series grid, part of the World Series by Renault each other until that point, and enjoyed package, the BRDC Superstar has already proved working with each other. Then the agreement himself equal to the more experienced drivers, came together that he would be the Fortec not only with his memorable maiden win in driver coach.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 39 LIFE & TIMES: DAVID BRODIE

white scarf as well. I was just fi ve or six and it was 1950 I think, and no matter whom I ask, no one can tell me for sure just who that driver was; it could have been Parnell, Gonzalez or even Collins, I don’t Life and times In 1978, Brode, along with David Matthews, won the touring car know, but for sure he left an indelible print on class in the Silverstone Six Hours. my young mind, and I never forgot the driver The next subject in our series is David Brodie who remembers how his Here they receive their garlands with the goggles and fl aying bright white from BRDC Club Secretary Anthony scarf, so when I did my fi rst race, it felt like interest in the sport began, “All those years ago”. Salmon with his successor Pierre Aumonier looking on. From 30th on something I was always going to do. But the the grid they fi nished 13th overall race car that I loved the most that day was the (Photo BRDC Archive) ‘ThinWall Ferrari Special’, the forerunner to the ven though we left Harrow at 06.00 loaded up with Thermos fl asks and a E huge picnic basket, we spent what seemed to me endless hours in savage traffi c surrounded by all these black and grey cars, but eventually we made it to the inside wooden railings at Woodcote corner. I could hear the roar of the engines, but the thing was I just couldn’t see, so I shouted up to Dad, “Hey, Dad, I can’t see!” “Right, up you come son,” and with that, up I went on to his shoulders and had the best seat in the house. I lifted myself up with both hands on his head and, craning my neck to the left, the fi rst thing I saw was this howling racing car, with its driver’s head sticking up in the breeze wearing an odd looking helmet, goggles and a bright white scarf fl aying out behind him. I could see him sawing away at the steering wheel as he drifted this huge, rasping racing car around Woodcote corner. To me it looked like all action slow motion as he glided by. Up there, above all the others, I was the fi rst to see him lap after lap, and would shout out loud, “Dad, here he comes,” and the men around all laughed. I did that until the end of the race. When Dad put me down, all the men around us patted me on the head, and I remember thinking how nice that was, they must have liked the man with the long fl owing

40 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 LIFE & TIMES: DAVID BRODIE all conquering F1 Vanwall. 3.5 in wheel rims and, with three turns lock to hero Stirling Moss race, everything changed, I weeks, I swear that when I went to sleep on When I was 19 I discovered Autosport, but lock, to say the least in the corners it was tricky. even fi tted a quiet exhaust. those warm windless early summer nights, I the only thing that interested me was the A miracle happened to the handling when I At weekends in ’62 we decided to follow could still hear them all laughing. spares columns in the back, and I soon bought fi tted Michelin Xs, but with no locked diff or Moss wherever he was racing. We were at So I joined the Harrow Car Club (I’m still a enough engine parts for my three best pals, LSD (was there such a thing then?) I had to Snetterton when his sickly-looking pale member) and entered the June’63 Eight Clubs all Harrow boys, whom I still see today. Monty, nurse the throttle out of the turns, which was green UDT Laystall Lotus Climax lost many meeting. Only Monty, Rowland and Tony knew Rowland, Tony and I built up a pretty neat, great practice for what was to come, but of laps with a stuck throttle. I remember brains the deal. I told everyone else it was a secret day all-steel 1100cc four Amal carb engine that course I never realized that back then. Monty saying that wouldn’t have happened out. Saturday morning three packed cars left revved to 8000 rpm, which we fi tted into my We would scream the A35 all over, even the if he had installed the engine, then next my house in Harrow at the unearthly hour of little Austin A35. big Healeys couldn’t take us on, and with an week Don Rowland and I slept over in a fi eld 6 am. When we eventually arrived at my spot I don’t suppose it had 100 bhp, but on full open exhaust we annoyed everyone within across from the circuit – yep three of us in an in the race paddock just up from the BRDC throttle it felt like an unguided missile on its earshot, but when we decided to go watch our A35; guys don’t try it. At dawn we bunked marquee, Dad said, “Son, this is ridiculous, we into Goodwood, only to see our hero Moss can’t see anything from here, we have to be on crash. We were devastated and went home in the outside, and why are we so early? Nothing silence, that Moss guy was a class act pulling happens until 11 o’clock.” in Hill at two seconds a lap, and never made “Dad, why do you think that Rowland is mistakes so we all guessed it was another painting numbers on the A35, Monty is taking sticking throttle. out the , and Tony (who was useless with The next year we went to Brands Hatch his hands), is conducting operations?” parking trackside, up from Paddock Bend at “Oh so they are. Why are they doing that?” the entrance to Druids. All we wanted to see “’Cos, Dad, I am racing the car in two races was the saloon car race. After two laps the four later today.” leaders pulled way into the distance, and it My Dad was dumbstruck, the guys couldn’t dawned on me that the car we were all sitting stop laughing, and my sister Susan was near on could be at least fi fth in that race, and like a to tears. total dope, I told the guys just that. They were Practice was terrible with two Dunlop R5 still laughing at me when I dropped them off , crossply racing tyres on the front, and two which really hurt (I wasn’t made of stone you radial Michelin X road tyres on the rear; the know) so I resolved to show them and all the rod operated rear brakes failed, too, so they other guys they told as well. Do you know for were disconnected for the day, but in the race

Brode’s famous Run Baby Run Ford Escort, left, took him to over 200 wins including 87 consecutive victories. It was 2.25-litre car, powered by a BDA engine, and was the car to beat in Special Saloon racing of the era. David had great success in his Gold Seal in 1971 and 1972, the 2-litre car being a front-runner in Modifi ed racing (Photos BRDC Archive, David Brodie)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 41 LIFE & TIMES: DAVID BRODIE with the R5s fi tted all round the car went like I couldn’t believe it and thought, well, no- way to winning, be doing 57s and 170 mph I met, and sadly lost, some of the greatest it normally did, a dream, and unknowingly I one overtook me, and I did go past all these down the main straight, what would you have guys and gals that ever lived throughout my won the race with a gnat’s off Graham Hill’s lap odd looking cars with drivers all over the track, said to me?” times racing, and I bless my extreme good record. who must have thought a line was something “I’ll tell you what I would have said Brode, fortune that my best pals laughed at me when Yeah, you’re right, that shut them all up, they put washing on. So maybe I did win. Eight there you go BSing again!” I big-headedly told them that I could fi nish fi fth although Dad did say I’d be great. Clubs sent me a small light blue Thermos fl ask Over the next 46 years I raced all over the in that race at Brands Hatch all those years ago. After the chequered fl ag I drove back to our with ‘D Brodie winner’ on it, and Autosport said, world, doing a whole bunch of races winning But, guys, I can tell you this, that fi rst ’63 race spot in the paddock. The only person there “D Brodie rocketed through the fi eld to score over 30 per cent of them in some brilliant and and win in my Austin A35 with my lovely Dad, was my kid sister who was crying, so I jumped an easy win over M Yates’s Peerless”. astonishing race cars, from my tiny Austin sister and all my very best pals there with me, out and told her ,”It’s okay Susan, don’t worry I came a very close third in the second race, A35, 750 Forest Special, Chevron B8, F3 Titan, was by far the best race day I ever had. kid I’m OK…” behind an Austin Healey 100, and an amazing Escort Mk1, Lotus Élans and 62, RX3 rotary Oh and I’ll have the saloon car lap record new driven by Brian Culcheth and who is Mazda to a 550bhp Ford RS500. I even led at London’s wonderful Crystal Palace, my still around. Brian was just spectacular in the my class at Le Mans as a rookie for a while, favourite track forever, so… Unknowingly I won the race corners. In fact, if I hadn’t been so amazed all and also led races in both the European and “No, no they can’t take that away from me” with a gnat’s off Graham Hill’s race long at his antics in the turns, I may have British Saloon Car Championships in the same You can read the undiluted version in my come second to the Healey? car, and I won BTCC races over three decades. book “All those years ago”. lap record. Monty, whom I lost contact with for many years, turned up one evening, and after “No, David you don’t understand, you won!” hugging him for ages I said to him, “Hey, What did she mean I won? The guys were old pal, if I had told you way back then after now all over me, Susan had her arm around that fi rst A35 win at Silverstone’s Eight Clubs Dad, who was standing by the A35 looking meeting back in ’63, that 40 years later I would like he owned it, gently shaking his head. be back at Silverstone doing the very same Those two precious people never saw me win race again, but instead of doing 1.22s and 90 another race. mph down the main straight, I would, on my

David’s 1300cc Ford Anglia, left, heads Ken Costello’s Mini into Kidney in a Brands Hatch Special Saloon race in the mid 1960s. The car preceded his famous Ford Escort and he achieved great success in this car and in his 2-litre version. By 1990, Brode, right, was one of the front-running Ford Sierra RS500 drivers in the televised British Touring Car Championship which took his personality to a whole new audience (Photos BRDC Archive, David Brodie)

42 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 Stirling Moss, Nurburgring Nordschleife, 7 June 1959. UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: COLIN TURKINGTON Rapidly establishing himself as one the best British touring car drivers is Colin Turkington. Ian Titchmarsh spoke to him. it was possible to start younger than bikes he British Touring Car in the Cadet class where Adam Carroll was a Championship has keen rival. The family business in the building T only been won by six trade had a large concrete yard where Colin drivers under the age of 30 was able to thrash to near extinction a Mini – John Whitmore (1961), Jim Clark (1964), John Fitzpatrick (1966), (1968), Andy Colin was able to thrash to near extinction a Mini Rouse (1975) and James Thompson acquired for £50 from a scrapyard (2002). Of these, all but Fitz and Alec raced single-seaters, at least in their early days, but this year could acquired for £50 from a scrapyard. With this see well see a seventh name added vehicle he was able to go autograss racing to that illustrious list in the person of every other weekend, fi nishing second two a young driver from who has only ever wanted to race touring cars. Colin Turkington, a BRDC Member since 2004 and a Rising Star before that, is fi ghting for the 2009 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship crown against reigning champion Fabrizio Giovanardi. This is beginning to look as though it will be Colin’s year to take the title, having been the winner of the Independents’ Trophy for the past two seasons. Colin grew up in a racing environment as his father Trevor sponsored two of Ulster’s top motorcycle road racers, Phillip McCallen and Mark Farmer. But it was karting which appealed to the young Turkington, given that

44 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

Colin’s brother Gary was keen to pursue a single-seater career in England in Formula Ford, part of the PowerTour package, as was the Fiesta Zetec Championship. Thoughts of the -based Fiat Punto series were put to one side, “So that Mum and Dad didn’t have to choose between me at Mondello in the Fiats and Gary in England in Formula Ford,” and Colin ventured overseas for the fi rst time. After a learning year in 1999, and half a season in 2000 whilst he concentrated on his ‘A’ levels, Colin was, at the age of 19, the 2001 Champion, winning seven of the 14 rounds. By now Colin had won a place at Stirling University but, not wishing to lose the momentum which his Fiesta success had provided, he looked towards the BTCC itself. “We didn’t really know anybody in the touring

It was like racing a block of fl ats. The thing would lean so far on corners you thought it would fall over years in succession in the Foyle and Down Colin came to prominence in car scene but then Jonathan Lewis, whom championships. “There was nothing to do England in Ford Fiesta racing, Gary knew through Van Diemen in Formula between races except wash it,” claims Colin above, which followed his early Ford, put in a word for me with Dick Bennetts.” Still too young to drive on public roads, for days in grasstrack racing, top Dick was suffi ciently impressed by Colin’s left, and karting where he is 1998 Colin acquired a Metro for the Northern record to off er him a deal as a Member of what pictured at speed in his Nigel Ireland Metro Challenge. “It was like racing a Mansell helmet colours and became the Atomic Kitten MG Junior BTCC block of fl ats. The thing would lean so far on in the paddock next to Adam team in 2002. “I was so lucky getting into that corners you thought it would fall over.” Colin Carroll and brother Gary (hand team. I really landed on my feet,” says Colin was already fascinated by the BTCC from the on wheel). Colin’s time in the today as the longest serving WSR driver ever. TV coverage and initially painted the Metro in BTCC has been successful, far In addition to the benefi t of working with the livery of James Thompson’s WSR left, having always wanted to the massively experienced Dick Bennetts, Accord. However, after one race and accident be a touring car racer, a desire in those earlier years Colin also appreciated borne out by the livery of his damage, it was repainted in an approximation Metro, mirroring that of the how much he was able to learn from his of ’s 1998 championship-winning BTCC of the period two senior team-mates and in which guise it enabled Colin to win (Photos Jakob Ebrey, Colin . One lesson learned the hard the series. Turkington) way, however, was in his fi rst season when,

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 45 UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

after qualifying for the fi rst time on the front row at I had never driven, let alone raced, a rear-wheel drive but in fact it was not as diff erent as I thought it Mondello Park, where he had never raced before would be.” So much so that Colin took another of his contrary to many assumptions, he was struck down car before so I was a little apprehensive at the prospect season-opening pole positions in a car which had with serious food poisoning from a contaminated only been built the previous week! drinks bottle and spent the rest of the weekend In that fi rst year with the BMW, WSR also took in unconscious in a Dublin hospital. with pole position at Donington Park fi rst time A key part of Dick Bennetts’s WSR the WTCC races at Brands Hatch and Macau with The fi rst win came a year later at Brands Hatch in out but that was a false dawn and the year only touring car team, Colin has raced in Colin securing third and fourth places on their home memorable fashion. “The safety car pulled off with produced a couple of wins. “When Fabrizio struggled the BTCC and WTCC and has proudly circuit but the focus has remained very much on the carried the colours of RAC to wins one lap to go. I was second behind Yvan [Muller] with the car the following year, I felt that it wasn’t across the UK (Photos Jakob Ebrey) BTCC where Colin clearly enjoys the level playing who ran wide at Paddock. I went for the inside and just me.” By then Colin was back in the WSR fold in fi eld and competitive racing, largely free from led up to Druids. I looked in my mirror and saw the MG ZS, fi nishing third in the championship. “By politics which is sometimes unavailable elsewhere. Anthony making the big lunge down the inside of the end of 2006 Dick felt that every department of Colin may not yet have the public profi le of some Yvan and thought ‘here we go’. I came out of the the MG’s development had been maximised,” and other touring car stars but, if this year carries on in corner, looked in my mirror again and there was no so the decision was taken to switch to . “I had the way it has so far, he will become increasingly one there.” never driven, let alone raced, a rear-wheel drive car recognised for what he is – one of Britain’s top The move to VX Racing for 2005 looked promising before so I was a little apprehensive at the prospect professional drivers.

46 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3

ARMCHAIR COMMENT Diesel dicer disgraced Truck racing added to the Silverstone history in the 1980s as Andrew Marriott remembers.

ilverstone has played host to many emotional and joyous scenes at its victory celebrations over the years. From leaping S Schumachers to bowing Mansells and plenty of tears and cheers besides, the various victory podiums have boasted the crowning of many champions and race winners. But without question the most bizarre scenes followed the conclusion of the fi rst of fi ve Truck Grands Prix held at the circuit. The date was August 18th, 1985 and after a series of knock-out heats and even a Last Chance race, Italian Gaudenzio Mantova crossed the line, after 15 furious laps of the Grand Final, to take victory in his Scania 142. The sometime Formula 3 racer had driven a good race and beaten a disparate group of drivers which included Barry Sheene, Steve Parrish, Barry Lee, Willie Green, rally drivers Andy Dawson and Russell Brookes and even former Formula 1 World Champion Alan Jones. Indeed Mantova had started as one of the favourites. His regular racing background included winning the Italian Formula Ford

Early days: road-going rigs and straw bales made an incongruous sight (Photos BRDC Archive)

48 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 ARMCHAIR COMMENT

Championship and even competing at Formula 2 level. The fi eld rumbles out of Woodcote, The large crowd, estimated at close on 50,000, Earlier in the year he came to Brands Hatch and won the bottom, while the 1986 programme’s at what was only Britain’s third ever truck race, was colour images show the action from 1985 fi rst Lucas Truck Grand Prix. He put his success down to (Photos BRDC Archive) appreciative although it would have preferred the his mother’s spaghetti, prompting the Sun, which really win had gone to second-placed Richard Walker, a got behind truck racing, to come up with the classic Nottingham based haulier with some minor headline: “First Pasta the Post.” success. But the Italian had won fair and square – or But something wasn’t quite right at Silverstone. had he? Mantova had stopped his truck near Becketts apparently Down at Becketts an eagle eyed marshal had out of fuel. He was picked up by a course car and spotted something curious after Mantova had brought back to receive the garland, the trophy and a brought the truck to a halt. He thought he’d seen a cheque for £5000! match struck. He suggested the scrutineers take a look. As the Italian was heading back to the podium and the spoils of victory, the technical offi cials climbed up into the cab of the Scania and almost immediately found a crime scene. It transpired that Mantova had been boosting the power of his Swedish diesel with a crude system involving some plastic pipe and a bottle of nitrous oxide. He had then attempted to burn the pipe, which seems rather more complicated than chucking it out of the window. What followed next was pure farce. As he stepped down from the podium, the large shiny Multipart Trophy in hand and the garland around his neck, the dreaded call to report to the Clerk of the Course, echoed across the paddock. The soon to be disgraced Gaudenzio spoke not a word of English but the organisers, seeing no less than eight Italians on the entry list had hired a rather fetching Italian lady to act as translator. Together with me and a scrutineer, we approached the sweaty and swarthy racer to tell him that there was a slight problem. Gaudenzio certainly got the message, and still clutching the trophy turned on his heel and was off like a robber’s dog into the centre of Silverstone which was awash with truck fans. We gave chase but lost him in the crowd. Repeated messages over the public address for him to join the stewards failed. His small team, including his pasta-baking mother, had no idea where he had gone, or if they did they weren’t letting on. And the spaghetti carbonara was getting cold!

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 49 ARMCHAIR COMMENT

The Stewards duly met and Gaudenzio was guilty as going through his fl at they had found a slip of paper charged and stripped of the victory – thus handing it with my name and number on it. But I couldn’t really to crowd favourite Richard Walker, but the saga wasn’t help them any further with their enquiries. Later, of quite over yet. course, George was convicted and subsequently Mantova’s Scania had been brought back to the acquitted of murdering TV personality Jill Dando. He scrutineering bay and fully investigated and the didn’t get himself into the Guinness Record book but evidence confi scated. The paddock cleared, darkness he certainly made the papers. descended but still the truck remained there, its hapless Then, of course, there is the story of one of our owner and driver presumably still in hiding somewhere original Silverstone Truck Grand Prix racers Reg behind a Silverstone hangar. Hopkins – better known as “Radiator Reg”. We already Shame-faced Mantova returned to his cab the had “Meatman” Mel Lindsay – he shipped NZ lamb, following morning, when the few Andy “Boots” Levett, whose load was normally shoes remaining offi cials had their heads and the famous truck driven by Mel Bacon known as turned, climbed aboard and “Dirty Gerty, No 30”. disappeared in the direction of his Reg was a Bristolian who had made a substantial native town of Como, never to amount of money hiring out the excavators which be seen at a truck race again. He were used to build the M40. Reg was one of those was subsequently stripped of his guys who found the accident that was happening racing licence and forever has a close to him. But he got the epithet “Radiator Reg” place in the often bizarre history following an incident when he attempted to repair a of truck racing. front bumper which had been damaged in a fender- The crowd knew little of this, bending incident. Back in the paddock Reg swung they had enjoyed the racing, the the sledge hammer, missed the bumper completely jet truck, the wheelie truck, the tractor behind a truck. It seemed to fi t in so I suggested and planted the 14 lbs into his radiator with an pulling, the. stunt driving and celebrities. a meeting, and he duly arrived in my offi ce accompanying hiss of steam! But subsequent Truck Grands Prix at announcing himself as Steve Majors. He had He subsequently survived a big crash in and Silverstone certainly provided plenty more a somewhat disconcerting look in his eye coupled with some other incidents, I decided that at stories on which I will dine out for many a year. and was missing his two front teeth, which the fi rst annual British Truck Racing Association Dinner A couple of years later, with the truck prompted me to wonder if he had already & Dance, he would receive a “Crasher of the Year racing phenomenon in full swing, I decided tried this stunt only to fi nd that the truck could Award”. A suitably battered Trophy was arranged. that as part of the meeting we would try to stop quicker than him! Reg had no idea that he was receiving this special break a host of Guinness World Records. I Nevertheless we agreed a deal. But then he award so when I called his name he got a little already had the French motorcycle stunt decided he needed to have Silverstone for a over excited. Indeed he ran across the dance fl oor ace Richard Almet lined up to set the World complete day to practise, rather than the hour towards the presentation, lost his footing and slid on Record for a speed wheelie. I seem to remember he or so I off ered him. That wasn’t going to happen his rear end into the presentation table scattering established the record on his Suzuki at 176mph! so I called the deal off , he was quite abusive and I trophies everywhere. The whole place erupted in Barry Sheene, top, was a crowd- Someone else was going to break a record for lifting puller in the early days of the sport thought nothing more about it. uncontrollable laughter. beer barrels and my phone was pretty busy with other that attracted drivers from all walks Until several years later when a policeman – who Reg fi nally received his trophy but he wasn’t the only assorted eccentrics and nut-cases wanting to perform of life (Photos BRDC Archive, LAT) as it happened, stuttered – called me. “Do you know one that night whose trophy had the odd dent in it. cunning stunts! a man called Barry George?” he questioned. My Then there was the occasion at the Zolder truck One of those was a guy who told me he was a fi lm response was negative. “Steve Majors, perhaps?” Yes, race where I fi nished on stage at the dodgy club stunt man who had appeared in the fi lm Roller Blade I did, the strange guy who was going to roller-blade above the pits in nothing but my underpants with and he wanted to set the record for roller-blading behind a truck. I told him the tale, the PC said that in two topless dancers – but that’s another story.

50 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 Lola-Aston Martin, B09/60s, Nurburgring, August 2009 WORLD AEROBATIC CHAMPIONSHIP When wings met tyres

The World Aerobatic Championship returned to British shores for the fi rst which all pilots have practised. The second part to the Technical Championship is the time since 1986 in a fi rst for Silverstone, says Sarah Carnell. Free Programme which allows all pilots to compose their own routine and they must ilverstone, a venue so easily associated its roots as a World War Two airfi eld and show a high level of technical diffi culty. with motor sport, may now have won a with a fully-functioning runway; Silverstone The fi nal part of the championships is S place in the heart of aerobatics. Balletic, Heliports - which operates the air traffi c at the Freestyle and allows the pilots to show majestic, exhilarating and exciting – just some the circuit - and a ready-made amphitheatre, exactly what they can do in their aircraft of the adjectives that can be used to describe it became the ideal place to host the 25th with a little help of the razzmatazz of lights, the sights over Silverstone at the end of anniversary event. smoke and music. This was held in front of a August as the World Aerobatic Championship The competition is split into two elements, huge crowd on the practice and qualifying headed to the Home of British Motor Racing. the fi rst being the Technical Championship days of the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Silverstone is no stranger to aircraft, with which begins with a Known Programme Championship weekend. Kester Scrope, pilot of an Edge 540 for the UK team, said: “The four-minute freestyle is great for the public with the smoke and music. It’s great fun, very exciting and the most terrifi c thing I’ve ever seen and the challenge is fantastic. You have to be so focussed it’s a good break from work, you can’t be thinking about every day life.” On the ground competitors could be seen mentally rehearsing their moves and walking through their routines before taking to the skies. Competitors are judged on precision Melissa Pemberton, top, and and have to keep within a 1000m box. You Kester Scrope, above, were are penalised if you get a ‘low’, which is when two of the pilots at the World a pilot dips below 300ft from the ground, or if Aerobatic Championship that was hosted at Silverstone at the you fl y outside the 1000m box. end of August. The combination Kester, 39, from near Stevenage, said: of plane and automobiles made “You’ve got to be extremely precise on Silverstone look very busy, left, calls then when you get a rain-aff ected and spectacular displays wowed the crowds, right championship like this, some of us won’t (Photos Jakob Ebrey) have fl own for a week.”

52 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 WORLD AEROBATIC CHAMPIONSHIP

A lot of the pilots have compared their sport to ice skating, as there are certain elements which have to be included on some fl ights and on others there’s more room for their own choreography. But there are also similarities to motor sport such as high levels of ‘G force’ and mental and physical preparation. “There is the huge physical aspect as we can go from plus 10 ‘G’ to minus eight ‘G’,” explains Kester - A heavy braking manoeuvre in Formula 1 would normally create around four to fi ve ‘G’. Most modern motor racing drivers spend a lot of time worrying about not just the physical capability to do their job but also their mental strength, and Kester says this is also true of the WAC pilots. “The mental challenge is far greater than anything. When you’re fl ying you get wind coming at you in diff erent directions and at diff erent speeds and you have to be able to react to that in a split second. If you even blink at the wrong time, it could all be over. “I’m interested in Formula 1 and everyone competing here can relate to what racing drivers do. There’s got to be similar characters doing it and with both you need a lot of ego and to be independently minded.” There was a possibility the championships may have been called off on the fi rst day after Vicki Cruse, President of the International Aerobatic Club and a highly experienced pilot, was killed when her single-seat Zivko Edge 540 crashed. The aerobatic community was devastated, but after a meeting with offi cials and the 64 pilots representing 17 diff erent countries, it was felt that the show must go on in honour of Vicki. And what a show! Another resounding success at Silverstone.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 53 ROAD TEST

A new world McLaren’s new car, the P11, broke cover recently. Ray Hutton was there.

54 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 ROAD TEST

cLaren aims to beat Ferrari. Nothing is aluminium and SMC composite (Sheet the steering wheel. Mercedes SLRs is being built in the glass-walled new or surprising about that. Except Moulding Compound). McLaren has been working on the MP4-12C Technology Centre before that is turned over that this isn’t on the track and doesn’t McLaren is promising something special (known during its development as P11) for to the pilot production of the P11. The gull- involve World Champions. In 2011, McLaren will in suspension technology, incorporating more than two years and has built up a team of wing SLS, successor to the SLR, will be made in enter another super-competitive league: the electronic roll control and the car incorporates motor industry specialists, including managing Germany by AMG, a Daimler subsidiary. sales battle for roadgoing supercars. This car, the a deployable rear wing that doubles as an air director Antony Sheriff , who was in charge of McLaren intends to sell 1,000 P11s in the fi rst MP4-12C, is the fi rst of a series of models that is brake. product development at Fiat and , year and thereafter build up annual production intended to knock Ferrari off its pedestal as the The engine, mounted longitudinally, is a and chief designer Frank Stephenson, who is of a family of road cars to 4,000. That compares maker of the world’s most desirable road cars. purpose-built 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 with a fl at- credited with the design of the Mini for BMW with Ferrari’s record 6,587 in 2008 and the It is no idle ambition. , under plane crank and dry sump lubrication to lower and has since worked at Ferrari, Maserati and 2,430 made by in the same year; whom McLaren has won multiple constructors’ its mounting height. Unusually, the radiators Fiat. There is a team of 200 working on research all the supercar makers, with the exception of and development and they have built 24 P11 Ferrari, are substantially down this year. Ron is It will open up a new chapter in McLaren’s history as well as playing prototypes. counting on the recession being over by the McLaren Automotive is established as an time the P11 is launched in 2011. a part in the regeneration of hi-tech manufacturing in the UK independent company with Ron, Mansour Some Members will recall that McLaren was Ojjeh (of the TAG Group) and the investment similarly bullish about the prospects for the titles and who is a BRDC Vice President, has are at the back, alongside the engine. arm of the Bahrain government as its main F1 supercar when it appeared in 1993. But given up direct control of the Formula 1 The engine is code-named M838T. It has dual shareholders and up to 49 per cent to be sold that was one of the world’s most expensive team to devote his energies to a new role as variable valve timing and revs to 8,500. McLaren to other investors. It needs to raise £250 million cars – too costly even for many of the wealthy Executive Chairman of McLaren Automotive. says that its output is ‘around 600 bhp and 600 ($375 million) to set up a new manufacturing enthusiasts for whom it was intended. Just 100 Announcing the new car, Ron said: “It will open Nm’. It will need that if it is to be the fastest car facility close to the showpiece McLaren were built over fi ve years – 72 of them street up a new chapter in McLaren’s history as well in its class; the 458 Italia claims a 200 mph top Technology Centre in . legal, the rest for racing. as playing a part in the regeneration of hi-tech speed and 0-60 in 3.4 sec. Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes, The F1 reigned for 10 years as the world’s manufacturing in the UK.” Like the latest Ferraris (Italia and ), owns 40 per cent of the McLaren Group and fastest road car and is highly sought-after The car that McLaren will launch in 2011 is a the gearbox is double-clutch design with seven its race operation but will not participate today; one was sold in London last October for two-seater coupe that will compete with the speeds, selected by F1-style rocker switches on in McLaren Automotive. The last batch of £2.53 million. new Italia, successor to the F430. The price is expected to be something over £150,000. McLaren will emphasize the MP4- 12C’s technical sophistication and Formula 1 heritage. It is a mid-engined coupe with a notably cab- forward stance and dihedral doors that swing outwards and upwards from a single upper pivoting hinge. The MP4-12C is slightly shorter, narrower and lower than the F430 and should be lighter, below 1,400 kg. The chassis structure is a carbon-fi bre tub that weighs 80 kg. It is moulded in one piece using a unique but still-secret process that reduces the cost by a factor of 10 compared with a race-car monocoque. Outer bodywork

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 55 OBITUARIES

shared third with . More thirds PETER ARUNDELL followed in the Aintree 200, May Silverstone, and 1933 – 2009 both the Monaco and Dutch GPs. He was fourth ormer ‘King of Formula Junior’ Peter Arundell in France before at Reims in the F2 classic his legs Obituaries passed away on June 16, aged 75. His FJ were shattered in a collision with Richie Ginther’s F exploits in 1961-62 won him promotion to Lola. Recovery proved long and painful over the Peter on his way to one of his 18 wins out of 25 starts in the number two to Jim Clark in the Lotus Formula next 18 months. 1962 Formula Junior season, 1 team. He won the incredible wager between Chapman rated Arundell so highly he held his left, with his Type 22 at the Silverstone German magazine publisher Richard von place open for a 1966 comeback, extending the International Trophy meeting. Frankenberg and to defend Team three-year contract which Pete had signed with Wearing his trademark red Lotus’s reputation against charges of having run Team Lotus at the start of the 1963 season. But his helmet, Peter is seen below th before the 1966 British Grand over-sized engines through 1962. Pete had won 18 only fi nishes were 12 in the German GP, eighth at Prix at Brands Hatch in his of his 25 races that year, and driving his works Lotus , sixth in the US GP - where he was berated Team Lotus Type 33-BRM with which he had such a 22 at Monza he won the wager, spectacularly. by John Surtees for taking him off - then seventh in dismal time on his return to Pete was born at Ilford, Essex, on November the Mexican GP – and retirement. the cockpit after his crash at 8, 1933. He drove an MG TC in his fi rst club rally Peter Arundell had lived in Abridge, Essex, Reims in 1964 (Photos BRDC Archive, LAT) in 1954, and hill-climbed and rallied it through where he ran a garage – Peter Arundell Ltd 1955-56 before turning to circuit racing “…to beat – later establishing a sizeable motor accessory a bighead in my local club”. He made his debut business. His favourite circuit was Monte Carlo at Goodwood on May 11, fi nishing second. In but he seemed equally at home on any course, August he won at and in 1958 drove from the Nurburgring to Monza and Spa. His only a Lotus 11 S1 for Jack Westcott, followed by an S2 superstition was to touch wood before a race, in 1959. Driving a works Elva FJ he won at Brands and he used goggles even in the rain, rather than Hatch, and Colin Chapman invited him to join a visor. His trademark crash helmet was worn Team Lotus for 1960 FJ. He won at Silverstone and peakless, like early-period Jim Clark, since they Mallory Park, then began 1961 by dead-heating both found the reclining seating position in their with Tony Maggs’s Cooper at Goodwood. He won Lotuses allowed the airstream to force their heads the Prix Monaco Junior and led Lotus’s FJ team in back – until Colin got a grip with windscreen 1962, winning Monaco again. He’d been promised design! Pete was an incorrigible chain-smoker, occasional F1 drives but few materialised. He made and succumbed to respiratory disease which had his brief F1 debut at Reims in a Lotus-BRM 24, invalided him for several years. But during his racing but for 1963 led the new Ron Harris-Team Lotus days he was very much a non-drinker, pointing out FJ team, with the latest monocoque Lotus 27s. A that what was good enough for Moss was good winning debut was followed by crankshaft failure enough for him… at Monaco, then car redesign before he won six Pete was married to his German-born wife, successive races. Ricky, for 50 years. They had a daughter Lesley and Recalled to Formula 1 for the 1963 Solitude GP son, Neil. After several years living and working in he promptly fi nished second in a works . Florida, Pete’s fortunes plummeted, and in recent Mediterranean GP at Enna - second again! For 1964 years he and Ricky had lived in very reduced he replaced Trevor Taylor as Jim Clark’s F1 team- circumstances back in England. He was a proud and mate. At Snetterton in the rain he set fastest lap, at competitive man…and a very fi ne driver, indeed. Goodwood placed second to Clark, and at Syracuse Doug Nye

56 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 OBITUARIES

Tony drove a Bowmaker Lola Mk4 as team mate to John TONY MAGGS Surtees and with the prospect of carrying on with the 1937 – 2009 team into the F1 season. Bowmaker withdrew its support he career of Tony Maggs, who died at the and it was back to Cooper and low pay for a second year, beginning of June after a brave battle with cancer, although Tony did fi nish third in a Racing (as T began full of promise as the best single-seater the Bowmaker team had become) Lotus-Climax 24 in driver to emerge from South Africa since Pat Fairfi eld in the at Goodwood before heading back the 1930s. Sadly, he never reached the heights to which to Surbiton. Again it was the French GP which provided his talent seemed destined to take him and ended in Tony with his best result of the year, second place at tragedy in when the steering of his Brabham Reims in what was otherwise a disappointing year. BT10 failed and he crashed heavily at the Roy Hesketh Tony left Cooper for good at the end of 1963 and circuit in Natal, the car killing a boy spectator who was found himself a drive in one of the scruff y BRM P578s in a prohibited area while Tony himself suff ered severe run by . In a thoroughly trying year concussion. He never raced again. for such a talented driver, fourth place in the Austrian GP At the age of 22 in 1959 Tony set sail for Europe over the concrete bumps of Zeltweg was the best result. determined to succeed as a professional racing driver. Formula 2 with a Midland Racing Partnership Lola T55 With fellow South African Louis Jacobsz, a couple of was rather better while he was able to share wins in the obsolescent Lotus Elevens were used with some success, 1963 and 1964 9 Hour races with David Piper in followed by the Tojeiro-Jaguar 7 GNO which Tony raced 250GTO and 275LM Ferraris. in the 1960 formule libre . This car Tony’s farewell to Formula 1 came in January 1965 was owned by Essex farmer John Ogier and it may have with a Parnell Lotus-BRM 25 in his home Grand Prix. been Tony’s farming background in South Africa which He continued with MRP in F2, fi nishing second to brought the two together, Ogier running a Formula team-mate in the Grand Prix at 2 Cooper T45 for Tony with some success in the 1960 Vallelunga in May. Within a month the dreadful accident European season. Ogier also ran various Aston Martins in Natal brought down the curtain on a career which had with drivers of the calibre of Jim Clark and promised more than it ultimately delivered. with whom Tony was paired on occasion. The sensitive personality of Tony Maggs probably After some success at the end of 1960 in the meant that, in an era when fellow drivers were being Chequered Flag Formula Junior Gemini Mk III, Tony killed or injured every weekend, he would lose the was spotted by and for 1961 formed the enthusiasm and commitment to go with his undoubted fi rst pair of Tyrrelltwins with Rhodesian John Love. With talent behind the wheel. At the age of 28, he returned numerous wins in his Cooper-BMC T56, by the end to farming and over the years established a substantial of the year Tony was joint European Formula Junior nature reserve. Even after fi nishing with racing, fate had Champion with Jo Siff ert. At the end of 1961 Jack one more tragedy up its sleeve when in 1967 Tony was a Brabham left the Cooper family to set up on his own, passenger in a light aircraft which crashed in fl ames. The leaving a slot in the works F1 team alongside Bruce pilot was killed and Tony sustained severe burns, which McLaren for which Tony was a natural fi t. Second place scarred him for life, when he braved the fl ames to rescue in the behind ’s Porsche other passengers. 804 and a close third to his team leader in the season- Ian Titchmarsh closing South African Grand Prix were the highlights of In his Formula 1 days with Cooper, Tony achieved second places in the French a promising start at the highest level. Grands Prix of 1962 and 1963 and a very close third to team leader Bruce For the pre-Tasman series races at the start of 1963 McLaren in his home Grand Prix at East London in 1962 (Photo LAT)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 57 OBITUARIES

year for his second event at this level. For the Brands Hatch. The fl irtation with BRM came other business and sporting pursuits but he TONY MARSH time being hillclimbing took second place to to an acrimonious end early in 1962 when was then tempted back into both the British 1931 – 2009 circuit racing as Tony raced not only his own Tony returned his early P57 V8 to Bourne and Hillclimb and Championships in both say that Tony Marsh, who passed but other people’s cars too. He was invited to litigation was only narrowly avoided. of which he remained highly competitive in away after a short illness on 7th May share a Team Elite Type 14 with John The BRM connection had, however, various state of the art Cosworth DFL/DFR- To 2009, led a full life would be an Wagstaff at Le Mans in 1960 and they duly encouraged Tony to build his fi rst Marsh Special powered machinery such as a couple of Goulds, understatement. In motor sport he competed deprived the French of the very valuable Index into which was inserted the P48’s four-cylinder a Roman and a Toleman. Throughout the ‘90s with signifi cant success in all manner of events of Thermal Effi ciency, fi nishing 16th overall. engine for hillclimbing. As his circuit racing and into the 21st century, more than 50 years from sporting trials to autotests to rallies to That same year the F2 Coopers gave way to career petered out in 1963, so attention turned after his fi rst event, and despite suff ering a heart hillclimbs to circuit racing including Formula 1. an F2 Lotus 18 which for 1961 was converted to the four-cylinder Marsh-Climax which attack in 1972, Tony Marsh was still competing After retiring from motor sport for the fi rst time to run as an F1 car to the new 1.5 litre formula. evolved into a potent Buick V8-engined device for the sheer enjoyment but retaining the in 1967 he discovered ski bob racing at which Tony was also persuaded by to from 1965 with which Tony secured his second competitive instinct which always lay within this he represented Great Britain, winning various take on a BRM P48 Mk II which, like the Lotus, British Hillclimb Championship hat trick. As ever aff able and highly accomplished all rounder. gold medals and world championship events. doubled up with 1.5 and 2.5 litre engines for the engineer, for the last season Tony devised To his wife Liza, and to Simon, Peter and Paul, Sailing, shooting, fl ying and hydroplane racing racing and hillclimbing. With the P48 Tony gave and installed his own 4wd system. his three sons by his fi rst marriage to Diana, we were other sporting activities in which he was BRM its only win of the 1961 season when he From 1967 to 1989 Tony largely stayed away off er our deepest condolences. signifi cantly accomplished. And the car with took the minor F1 Lewis-Evans Trophy race at from motor sport whilst indulging in his various Ian Titchmarsh which Tony won his second hat trick of British Hillclimb Championships (in 1965, 1966 and 1967) was designed and built largely by himself. Tony’s father ran the Marsh & Baxter meat processing empire so that, as he readily admitted, he was born with a silver spanner in his hand. That said, his fi rst events were undertaken in rather less than exotic Dellows in 1952. Various motor cycle-engined Coopers followed from 1953, the fi rst of which was an ex-Peter Collins Mk IV (T12). It was with such Coopers that Tony won his fi rst three British Hillclimb titles in 1955, 1956 and 1957 whilst at the same time using the cars for circuit racing, sometimes engaging in both disciplines over Tony Marsh, above, in the 1962 Daily the same weekend. Not only did Tony win Express International Trophy in which his third hillclimb championship in 1957 but he fi nished seventh before returning also, with his Cooper-Climax T43, he was the his BRM P57 V8 to Bourne for good fi rst winner ofThe Autocar British Formula 2 (Photos BRDC Archive, Marsh family) Championship. 1957 was the year in which Tony was elected to Full Membership of the BRDC. By now Tony was venturing into Europe to race, including the F2 class of the 1957 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, a circuit to which he returned the following

58 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 OBITUARIES GEORGE HORNE 1920 – 2009 1919 – 2009 ith the passing of George Horne on uy Edwards was born two months June 26th the last link was severed from and eight days after the armistice. It W an era of New Zealand motorsport G was perhaps inevitable that he would which brought Bruce McLaren, become involved in motor sport given that and , among others, to world when he was 10 years old his father, Harry, fame. George was one of fi ve founders of the became the fi rst secretary of the BRDC. Through the mid to late 1930’s Guy assisted his George was instrumental in the success of the New Zealand father with various administrative activities in Grand Prix which attracted cars the Club’s headquarters and at race meetings. such as the Ferrari 375 of New In 1936 Guy joined the Vacuum Oil Company Zealander Ron Roycroft which in their Competitions Department and for the led from pole position in 1957 1938 and 39 seasons represented them at the (Photos BRDC Archive) small offi ce the Company held at . The war years were spent in the Royal Engineers and the Royal Army Service Corps , the catalyst for not serving with the 8th Army in the Western Desert only those drivers’ careers but was also the as a crew chief on CanAm and later as a team and George worked at Hurn Airport. Prior to and the Italian campaign. Guy was de-mobbed cornerstone of the Tasman Series. owner in Indy cars. meeting and marrying George, Marie had a in March 1946 with the rank of Captain. George Horne was born in Wiltshire on Through his involvement in the Auckland hairdressing salon in Remuera, Auckland very Upon his return to civilian life he rejoined August 11th 1920, the only son of a school Car Club, George became a prime mover in the close to the McLaren garage, and one of her the Vacuum Oil Company and was appointed headmaster and a teacher mother. From an setting up of the New Zealand Grand Prix, the customers was a very young Bruce McLaren. Racing Manger (referred to in those days early age he showed a passion for engineering fi rst of which was held at Ardmore on January George was elected to membership of as one of the four “Oil Barons” – the other and at age 18 he joined the RAF as a ground 4th 1954. His enthusiasm for motor racing had the BRDC in 2003. Sadly Marie died in 2006, three being, Esso, Shell/BP and Castrol). This engineer apprentice, serving at Cosford been fi red by his attendance at the Donington but after daughter Lindsay came from New responsibility was held for eight immediate and Halton. In 1945 he was enlisted into 99 Park race in 1938 when he saw the Mercedes Zealand to take care of him George threw post-war seasons until 1955. By this time the Squadron with which he was sent to the and Auto Unions in action. himself into living life to the full and was Vacuum Oil Company had been renamed Cocos Islands, and later to India and Singapore. After the 1962 race, Ardmore was no longer a frequent attendee at Goodwood and Mobil Oil Company Ltd. Immediately after the War he accompanied available, and by now new people were Silverstone. There was seldom an event at In recognition of personal and business Sir Keith Park on a victory tour of New Zealand moving onto the organisation, so George Silverstone when George was not present. His support for the sport, Guy was appointed as where he was to meet his future wife Marie. quietly bowed out. knowledge of motor racing and its history was Associate Member of the BRDC in 1948. They were married in Somerset in 1949, George had also formed the George Horne encyclopedic and he had a vast library and From 1959 to 1979 Guy remained with the and emigrated to New Zealand in 1950, Motor Company and was granted the Ferrari memorabilia collection. Mobil Oil Company in the UK and latterly with where George took employment as an aircraft concession for New Zealand by , He also took up gliding and made his last Mobil’s international organisation in various senior engineer with TEAL, the forerunner of Air New with whom he struck up a very long friendship. fl ight just days before he was incapacitated by executive marketing capacities. During this period Zealand. He later worked for National Airways Later the company became the Gordon Keeble a stroke in 2008. Guy was a regular fl ag marshal and observer at Corp, and TAT Airways. importers for Australia and New Zealand. To his children Lindsay and Steve, the BRDC Silverstone in many meetings up to 1960. George and Marie had two children, a In 1979 George and Marie returned to live off ers its condolences on the passing of a true Guy is survived by his wife, Sheila, to whom daughter, Lindsay and a son, Steve, who has permanently in England, fi nally settling in gentleman who touched so many lives. the Club sends its sincere condolences. achieved considerable fame in motor sport Bournemouth where Marie ran a hair salon, Howden Ganley Stuart Pringle

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 59 OBITUARIES HENRY SURTEES PETER STUBBERFIELD 1991 – 2009 1910 – 2008 RDC Rising Star H enry Surtees was The epitome of heading for an impressive career in Peter Stubberfi eld’s B motor racing having taken his fi rst competition career. Formula Two podium fi nish the day before The sun shines on Prescott Hillclimb as Peter takes his his tragic death. The son of former World specially-converted single seat Champion John Surtees, it is diffi cult to T35B through the Esses on his remember Henry without remembering his way to another record hugely supportive family. (Photo BRDC Archive) The events at Brands Hatch brought into sharp focus the immense quality and strength of the Surtees family, its cohesion, its love and its tremendous zest for life and the challenges contained within. Born on the 18th February 1991 when John was 57, Henry showed no great immediate interest in following in his father’s footsteps until a friend took him to a karting opportunity A happy Henry Surtees on the Brands Hatch podium, his best result at the age of eight. When he came home, he in Formula Two (Photo Sutton Images/F2) ne of the Club’s oldest Members, Peter A serious illness forced Peter to retire in 1957 said, “Daddy, I now know what I want to do.” Stubberfi eld passed away in his 99th but he retained numerous connections with John and Jane Surtees gave their children It was clear that Henry carried the speed but O year just before Christmas. Members the sport, serving on the committee of the the chance to explore life’s opportunities his results did not do justice to his promise, with long memories will recall Peter’s exploits Bugatti Owners’ Club for many years and taking and to do it with a responsible attitude and apart from pole at Brno. Then, to the delight in hillclimbs at the wheel of his single-seater over as chairman of the Ferrari Owners’ Club a sensible approach. So it was with Henry of everyone, he was able to secure his fi rst F2 Bugatti T35B at his beloved Prescott where from 1970 until 1988 after which he became – John encouraged him and was enthusiastic podium placing in the fi rst race at Brands Hatch. year after year from 1949 he reduced the President. He was also the driving force behind that his racing should be undertaken properly For John to have survived arguably the most Vintage record, leaving it at 44.87 s in 1957 the formation of the Prescott Marshals’ Club. and with due regard to other priorities like dangerous times in both motorcycle and car which remained unbeaten by another Bugatti Peter was a Life Member, having been education. Henry was educated at Worth racing adds a poignancy to the loss of his only for nearly 25 years. elected to the BRDC in 1952. We extend our School in Sussex where this summer he son, who was showing true promise as a racing The Bugatti, like all Type 35Bs, had begun sincere condolences to his widow Kay. Our completed his A levels and secured a place at driver and who was universally regarded as a life as a two-seater but was converted to thanks are due to the Ferrari Owners’ Club university. charming, intelligent, delightful and talented monoposto format by Peter so that he did website for allowing us to draw on its more After a number of years in karting, which young man. A fi nal twist is that John and not slide around in the cockpit so much and detailed tribute on its website. demonstrated his speed and competitive Henry were being fi lmed that tragic weekend dislocate one of his legs, a legacy of an earlier Ian Titchmarsh edge, Henry competed in Ginetta Juniors, and both had made their time as available as injury. He really competed in no other car Formula BMW followed by Formula Renault possible, balancing the needs of the fi lm crew before retiring from active competition, a T51 Anther Member who sadly passed and raced in two end-of-season British F3 with their own demands. Bugatti-engined hillclimb special based on an away recently is: races, winning the National Class in one and To John and Jane, and Henry’s sisters HAR chassis rapidly ending its days through Peter Wheeler coming second in the other. For 2009, he Leonora and Edwina, as well as Henry’s many a hoarding at Oulton Park in the hands of a A fuller appreciation will appear in the stepped on to an international stage and raced friends, the Club sends its sincere condolences. friend of Peter who promptly declared the next Bulletin. in the new FIA Formula Two Championship. Brian Jones chassis, “Too damned dangerous,” and cut it up.

60 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 SECRETARY'S LETTER SECRETARY’S LETTER

hroughout the 81 years of the British the Secretary and shall not be entitled to any principle in law that rights should be are unaware of the Club rules under which Racing Drivers’ Club there have been refund’. This Bylaw has been updated over regularly and consistently enforced and this these badges are loaned to the Member for T regular incidences of non-Members time to accommodate Associate Members underlines the need to tackle the case, in their period of membership in return for a acquiring and displaying the Club badge on purchasing badges and ever increasing addition to the simple fact that it is the right fee. Please take time to brief your family and their cars or clothing. Misrepresentation is a prices, but it has never been rescinded and thing to do. make my successors’ lives easier! problem felt by many exclusive institutions remains in force to this day. Indeed, this There will no doubt be some disappointed Thank you for the positive comments and as the most exclusive Club in motor precise wording was regularly quoted, such ‘owners’ of BRDC badges who have received about the new Club website. It sport, this is an issue that regularly vexed my as in the 1947 and 1967 Yearbooks and bought them in good faith and who will remains at the normal address – www. nine predecessors in the Secretarial chair. given the unambiguous clarity that Bylaw 3 take exception to the Club seeking to brdc.co.uk – and should provide a far more Indeed, the Board of the BRDC were provides on this important matter, the Board recover property to which it has legal title. timely means of communication with the alive to the issue when on the 23 March has asked me to restate it in regular Club A consistent line from all Members who Membership. 1931, it minuted that it was “...agreed to publications henceforth. may come into contact with one of these www.brdcprints.co.uk has also been take whatever steps possible to prevent A good deal of my time in recent weeks and situations would be a great help. launched as Archivist, Steph Sykes, explains Club Badges getting in the hands of non- months has been taken up with a concerted The fi nal point to make on the issue is on page 66. Members.” This was quickly followed with eff ort to stop abuse of the Club’s badge by that it would be a great help if all Members There are a few major events taking place the passing of a number of Club Bylaws the non-Members. I am acutely aware of the pride could ensure that their aff airs are suffi ciently at Silverstone towards the end of the season following year and on the 7th January 1932 that all Members feel in their unique right in order that their families and executors are this year and I very much hope to see many Bylaw 3 was adopted by the Club stating to display the badge and as such consider it informed of the need to return BRDC badges Members at the Clubhouse over these the following: ‘The Committee will supply important to tackle each and every case of to the Club when they pass on. Whilst that weekends. Members with Club badges on loan on the abuse as they come to my attention. may appear rather morbid, the statistical Finally, it is a sad fact of life that following terms. …Any Member permitting This is a matter that all Members can fact is that very, very few Members have the Secretary of a Club with an aging the use of the Club Badges by any person help with. I know that many Members are ever sought to sell Club badges during their membership writes a lot of letters to families who is not a Member of the Club shall be proactive and tackle those displaying badges membership and death still remains very of deceased Members. None have been as deemed guilty of conduct injurious to the if they suspect they are not entitled, and much the preferred reason for leaving the hard or hurt as much as the one I had to Club and be liable to immediate exclusion. this is greatly appreciated. Many of you are Club. It follows therefore that the majority write to John and Jane Surtees in July. I am Badges shall remain the property of the Club also very good at alerting me when they of problems with BRDC badges fi nding truly sorry at their tragic loss of Henry, as I and any person ceasing to be a Member of are spotted being off ered for sale. Please their way onto the ‘open market’ emanate know all Members are too. Such a cruel and the Club shall forthwith return his badges to continue to do both! It is an important from families of deceased Members who devastating loss of a life.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 61 ARCHIVE IMAGE CAPTIONS

IMAGE CAPTIONS 721 By Ian Titchmarsh

2

Mount St Gardens, Mayfair, June 1929 Oulton Park, 20 September 1969 Le Mans winners all! It is 80 years ago that won the 24 hour In its fi rst season, Formula 5000 returns to the Cheshire parkland Monsanto, Lisbon, 23 August 1959 race for the fourth time, so convincingly that four of the fi ve Bentleys circuit where it had all begun at Easter but with its wings clipped in A circuit to savour. There are only three races remaining in the entered fi nished in the fi rst four places. To celebrate and promote this line with Formula 1. Good Friday winner in the Church World Championship and Stirling Moss has yet to win, his Rob remarkable achievement some of the cars and drivers are gathered Farm Racing Team, works-supported McLaren-Chevrolet M10A, Walker Cooper-Climax T51 bedevilled by gearbox unreliability. On together for what would today be described as a photo call. From left leads the fi eld out of Old Hall Corner on the fi rst lap of the fi rst the magnifi cent Monsanto circuit, used on just this one occasion to right the drivers are Frank Clement, winner with in 1924; heat with the always spectacular (Epstein-Cuthbert for a Formula 1 race, the Maestro is supreme. Pole position is his by ‘Sammy’ Davis and Dr Dudley Benjafi eld, winners in 1927; Bernard Racing Lola-Chevrolet T142) tucked up behind and the similar near enough two seconds from World Championship leader Jack Rubin, winner with in 1928; and Woolf Barnato himself Alan Frazer Racing Lola of third. Mike the Bike’s Brabham’s similar Cooper. And he opens up a lead over Black Jack with ‘Tim’ Birkin, winners in 1929. Also from the left, the cars are the expectations of the Lola exceed what it is capable of delivering at that rate per lap once the race is under way. On lap 24 Jack has 1924 winning 3-litre re-bodied subsequently as a saloon; the 1927 in his attempts to stay with Peter and a series of spins disrupt his a misunderstanding with local backmarker Mario Cabral’s Cooper- winner “Old Number Seven”, also a 3-litre, which emerged from a race, the last one causing terminal damage on the penultimate Maserati T51, is fl ung out of his car as it overturns, and is nearly run multiple crash at Maison Blanche on Saturday evening to continue lap after Mike has equalled Peter’s “high wing” lap record from over by his closely following team mate . A couple battered but unbowed to emerge victorious; the 1928 winning 4 ½ Easter. Although Peter is able to nurse his ailing car to just win the of laps later Stirling almost stops at the Cooper pit to report that litre “Old Mother Gun”, which was less than a lap ahead of the Stutz fi rst part from Mike Walker’s Alan McKechnie Racing Lola T142, the Jack is off to hospital but essentially OK. Treating the gearbox, “Like Black Hawk of Edouard Brisson and Robert Bloch at the end, and also engine expires in a large cloud of smoke soon after the start of part Dresden china” and changing gear on this sinuous circuit just six claimed second in 1929 shared by Jack Dunfee and ; and two leaving Mike to win from Alan Rollinson in Doug Hardwick’s times per lap as opposed to 13 times in practice, Stirling carries on the 6 ½ litre Speed Six “Old Number One” which gave ‘Babe’ Barnato T142 and Keith. A week later Peter is able to seal the Guards to win by over a lap from Masten who drawls afterwards: “One lap the second win of his remarkable hat trick in just three attempts Championship from Trevor Taylor in the works Surtees-Chevrolet behind! I guess we’ll just have to live with it – he’s the best.” Stirling at the race. As has become traditional, the two cars from the race TS5 at Brands Hatch. But doesn’t this image exude the sound and also wins the following to put himself in with a remain in the state in which they took the chequered fl ag. It was not spectacle which epitomised what Formula 5000 was all about? chance of taking the title in the fi rst American Grand Prix at Sebring until 1957 that Bentley’s 1929 feat was matched by another great Great cars, great drivers! only to be thwarted yet again by the wretched . British sports car manufacturer when Jaguar D-types took the fi rst (Photo Peter McFadyen) (Photo LAT) four places. In fact Jaguar went one better than Bentley since all fi ve cars which started also fi nished the race, in sixth place, whereas the fi fth Bentley retired in 1929. Clare Hay/Ian Titchmarsh (Photo LAT)

62 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 ARCHIVE IMAGE CAPTIONS

43 51 65 67

Nurburgring Nordschleife, 7 June 1959 Nurburgring, 23 August 2009 Brno, 21 June 2009 Brands Hatch , One of the greatest drives by the maestro, right In the legendary livery of Gulf Oil, three British Henry Surtees is on his way to pole position for 20 October 1996 up there with the 1955 Mille Miglia and Monaco Lola-Aston Martins dominate the podium at the the fourth round of the new FIA Formula Two This is the event which all young drivers want 1961. In his fi rst stint in the only works Aston Martin end of one of ’s classics – the Championship. Having completed his A-levels to win and 19-year-old Australian Mark Webber DBR1/300 entered, against the might of Ferrari and Nurburgring 1000 Kms. In 1957, in the David earlier that week, Henry is free to concentrate is no exception. Not for the first time, rain plays Porsche, Stirling Moss opens up a lead of nearly Brown era, a DBR1 in the hands of Tony Brooks on pursuing his racing ambitions and comes its part. Of the two semi-finals, Mark’s is the dry fi ve and a half minutes, and takes 11 seconds off and Noel Cunningham-Reid gave Aston Martin to the Czech Republic as the best-placed one and he wins it from pole sitter Jacky van his previous year’s lap record. takes its first outright victory at World Championship British driver in the championship. His first race der Ende, taking his works Van Diemen RF96 over and is forced into a ditch by a slower car. ‘Jolly level on the “old” ‘Ring. Now, in the modern has ended in an accident but on the Sunday past the Dutchman’s 96 after a couple Jack’ eventually arrives at the pits at the end of lap era Aston Martin supplies the engines but it morning, he takes pole position in the last few of laps to win by a couple of seconds. The rain 23, one minute and 15 seconds behind new leader is another British manufacturer Lola, in 1957 minutes, snatching it away from . returns just in time for the start of the final and . Stirling takes over and by lap 33, has only a twinkle in ’s eye, which is Disappointingly, his car bogs down as the red again Jacky van der Ende leads away only to not only retrieved the lead but extended it to two responsible for the chassis. Entered by Banbury- lights go out and he fails to get away. A month find Mark driving round the outside of him at minutes and 43 seconds. Jack does two more laps based Aston Martin Racing, the Lola-Aston later, Henry celebrates his first podium finish by Paddock to take a lead which he increases until, before Stirling sets off in pursuit of , now 19 B09/60s lock out the front of the grid thanks to taking third place at Brands Hatch, taking the in these days before universal safety cars, the seconds ahead. With six of the 44 laps remaining, German driver Stefan Mucke and BRDC Member place from Kazim Vasiliauskas after a mid-race race is stopped to clear up assorted accidents. Stirling retakes the lead and wins by 41 seconds. He Darren Turner. A “communications problem” safety car period. A day later, the world was very On the restart of a race now to be decided on has driven, with two short breaks, for over six hours. in the pits results in one of Stefan’s co-drivers, different. aggregate, Mark soon retrieves the lead on In the words of Autosport at the time: “[It] was one Tomas Enge, struggling through his stint on well David Addison (Photo LAT) the road when Brazilian Vitor Meira falls off at of the most stupendous races of all time”. Or as the worn tyres and enables Darren to lead for a while Paddock before reeling off the laps to secure distinguished American journalist (and no mean but, together with Czech Jan Charouz, Stefan one of the most impressive Festival wins ever. racing driver herself) Denise McCluggage says to and Tomas take the flag first ahead of Darren Archive images in the BRDC Bulletin Says Autosport presciently: “Given the maturity Phil Hill afterwards: “Don’t feel too bad about it, Phil, and his Swiss co-driver Harold Primat. A couple are from the BRDC Archive and LAT with which [Mark] sealed the Festival crown, you were the fi rst human being to fi nish.” Without of laps behind, the AMR Eastern Europe entry Photographic. you have to wonder how long it will be before this victory Aston Martin would not have gone on completes the Lola-Aston Martin domination To purchase copies of the images, [he] emulates the achievements of others on please contact to win the World Sports Car Championship yet had thanks to BRDC Member Stuart Hall, fellow Brit Steph Sykes at the BRDC that list [of illustrious winners]”. Thirteen years Stirling not agreed to cover the costs of entering and Portuguese Miguel Ramos. (01327 850927) or go to to the Nurburgring 2009 would have seemed a the DBR1 if he failed to win, it would never have Here we see the leading two cars negotiating www.brdcprints.co.uk lifetime away. been possible. one of the new Nurburgring’s chicanes. Alternatively, call LAT Photographic on 020 8251 3032. (Photo LAT) (Photo LAT) (Photo LAT)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 63 BOOK REVIEWS Book reviews The Bulletin team recommend worthy additions to your library

In The Mind’s Eye Pedals and Pistons weekends and fi tting in international rallies with a Author: Kevin Hodgkinson Author: Peter Procter Sunbeam Rapier when there was time to spare. ISBN: 978-0-9561392-0-7 ISBN: 978-1-9030884-8-7 Peter is rightly proud of the fact that throughout his career he never had to ask a team for a drive; the Not a few Members Peter Procter will be teams always approached him. Those teams included will have achieved well known to many Tyrrell, The Chequered Flag, Team Lotus, Alan Mann membership of the BRDC BRDC Members from and Broadspeed representing Ford, and the Rootes thanks to cars which his long and active Group. While driving for Ken Tyrrell’s Cooper Formula emerged from the old service as North East Junior team in 1963, the possibility of an F1 drive was mill premises of Derek Regional Co-ordinator. raised but, after a great deal of thought, Peter declined, Bennett Engineering But it is likely that not preferring to give priority to his growing family and Limited in Chorley Old Road, Bolton. For all of them, and anyone else so many Members will business interests. with an interest in these elegant machines, this book is essential. know what a varied and Although F1 may have been off the agenda, F2 for Ron Contemporary customers will no doubt recall its author, who joined successful career Peter Harris Team Lotus in 1964 saw Peter have one of his most Chevron Cars in early 1968 when the fi rst production single seater, the had had, on two wheels successful single seater seasons as team mate amongst B9, was about to be delivered, and has retained his fascination for the and then four, before that dreadful day at Goodwood in others to Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart in the Lotus 32s. cars ever since. 1966 when his Ford Anglia caught fi re and he sustained Also in 1964 Peter won the Touring Car category of the This book is like a scrap book with a story. There are numerous period appalling burns which forced his retirement from racing. Tour de France in an Alan Mann Ford Mustang. images of Chevrons from the B7 prototype F3 car of 1967 through the Now you have a chance to fi nd out just how much The book is laced with anecdotes and observations B9, B10, B14B, and B15 to the B17s of 1970. It covers only a few years in Peter achieved both as a racing cyclist, racing driver and about Peter’s racing contemporaries which are totally the life of Chevron but does so with loving attention to minutiae. There rally driver in this recently published autobiography. authentic and are related in his very readable and are recollections by and about well-known Chevron personalities, panels Early chapters cover Peter’s career as a racing cyclist (in forthright style, all the better for not having been fi ltered giving details of the original owners, period technical information and the course of which he seems to have found the perfect through someone else’s hand. There are many previously drawings, and a fi nal section devoted to where some of the cars are now. answer to National Service!) which brought him to the unseen images from Peter’s scrap books to illustrate the Published by the splendidly-named Ebygum Productions, the book brink of selection for the 1952 Olympics until a mixture story. This is a very well presented book published by is a real treasure trove both for Chevron devotees and anyone who of incompetent offi cialdom and politics ensured that an Mercian Manuals Ltd with a rather nice touch being the wants to know more about some of the elegant and very successful inferior team was chosen. type face used for the title page and chapter headings cars produced by a very talented engineer and driver who, it has been a Kimi Raikkonen going rallying or Sebastien Loeb which looks remarkably like the Alpine lettering on a surprise to discover, was never himself elected to the BRDC. heading in the opposite direction is big news today Sunbeam of the model with which Peter put one over Will “Hodge” now rise to the challenge of trying to document the but in the 1950s it was not unusual to combine both on the French by winning the very valuable Index of history of the GT Chevrons from the B3 to the B12? disciplines so that once the motor sport bug had Thermal Effi ciency with Peter Harper at Le Mans in 1961. IT bitten Peter was racing his Cooper-Norton in F3 most IT

64 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 50 Years of Motorsport Marshalling Author: George Copeland Published by: British Motor Racing Marshals’ Club Limited ISBN: 978-0-9561756-0-1

Though the book covers the history of the British Motorsport Marshals’ Club (BMMC) from its founding in 1957, as a natural (and almost inevitable) consequence, it also covers much that is Silverstone-related and thereby the BRDC itself. Throughout almost all of that period, the Club itself organised many of the meetings and, indeed, almost all of the international events until the disbandment of its Race Department a few years ago. As a result, this book’s content will be of more than passing interest to a broad cross-section of Members - not only the drivers who actively raced during that period but also to other Members who were (or still are) involved in motor sport in other capacities. Also such luminaries as Jimmy Brown, Keith Douglas and Phil Morom - all past Members and regrettably now all deceased - receive extensive mention throughout the book. These three gentlemen alone greatly influenced the development of motor racing in this country, the circuit and, by extension, the BRDC itself. Indeed, emphasising its central role in British motor sport, the current and previous two Presidents of the BMMC are themselves BRDC Members – Barrie Williams, Stuart Turner and Murray Walker. The course of both clubs has been closely interwoven and as such, this interesting and informative book – all the proceeds from which will be going to the BMMC – is recommended. MA Henry Surtees, Brno, June 21 2009 FROM THE ARCHIVE

motor sport careers, built up large collections of photographs, many of which offer a uniquely personal and previously unseen view on the sport. These would Unearthing gems be an incredible boost to the BRDC collection and, over time, add to the revenue generating opportunities for the Archive, all of which are reinvested back into the BRDC Archivist Steph Sykes has been busy in her fi rst fi ve months with collection. Please do consider your Club when you are wondering what do with not just the the Club. Here is a progress report! photographs you have taken, but also wider motor sport memorabilia am now officially five months into the role of that you have built up over the BRDC Archivist and what a five months it has years. I been. The biggest development to date was The Grand Prix and Silverstone the launch of the photographic archive Print on Classic were great opportunities Demand Service at the Silverstone Classic. If you for me to meet and greet. Thank have not yet looked at the site, please do at you for all the support and the www.brdcprints.co.uk. Although at present offers of help to sharpen my racing there is only a tiny fraction of the Club car identification skills; trust me these photographic collection online, I hope it offers are greatly appreciated and will is a good indication of the direction in be taken up as my work progresses over which the site is going. In due course the coming months. Thankfully, I have the site will cover the complete the library at hand which holds the answer spectrum of motor racing, but for the to many of my questions but sometimes it time being we have a representative is just better to ask someone in the know. I collection that shows the breadth am hoping that the tempting offer of tea and of the Archive. chocolate Hobnobs will be enough to keep the The site is designed to cater offers of help coming in. for a wide group of visitors Next on my list of things to do is just the small from the casual web browser, task of cataloguing the collection. Finally, items are to the dedicated motor sport being grouped together, so instead of having to look fan. The product range is in three or four places, now there is just the one. It also broad offering images from a simple means that as the collection is organised, items that had photographic print for a photo album to been forgotten about, or no-one realised you held come a framed picture suitable for any study wall. As it’s to light, from driver signing on sheets to race results, your photographic collection, Members are entitled to It’s amazing what you fi nd in covering the main event such as the British Grand Prix, the 25% discount off any order so please contact me for the BRDC Archive… International Trophy and the BRDC 500. The foundations the discount code. for the Archive are now in place, it is a matter of rolling up The launch of the site has prompted several my sleeves and fi nally getting stuck in to cataloguing the enquiries from Members about the possibility of collection box by box, to see what other hidden treasures donating their motor sport photographs to the Club. I am able to fi nd. I’ll keep you posted. I am aware that many Members have, during their

66 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 Mark Webber, Brands Hatch, October 20 1996 MEMBER NEWS

Karun Chandhok proudly displayed the BRDC badge on the GP2 grid at this year’s Grand Prix, while the Force India factory visit was popular with members Members’ News (Photos Jakob Ebrey) As usual, Members have been busy in recent months…

he summer has been a busy time advice and support to the Rising Stars that both on and off -track and Members were present, while in June, Cranfi eld University T have ben enjoying their passion for awarded the BRDC’s prize to Nic Rutherford at the sport in all kinds of ways. For example, its School of Applied Sciences Graduation Day. in June, Members and guests were given a Members have also been enjoying another guided tour around the Force India Factory track day at Silverstone at which Willie Green in Silverstone by Michael Gomme, the Race shookdown the Alfa Romeo Alfetta 158 and on Team Marketing Services Co-ordinator. It was a the eve of the World Aerobatic Championship, fascinating experience for those who took the a number of touring car drivers took to the skies! opportunity, especially those with a fascination in the technical side of the sport, such as former scrutineer Mike Garton. As if trying to win the Formula 1 World Championship wasn’t hard work enough, Jenson Button tackled the London . He set a personal best time of just over two hours and seven minutes (around half an hour longer than it took him to win the Monaco Grand Prix...) in which he completed a 1.5- kilometre swim, a 40-kilometre bike ride and a 10 kilometre run! Jenson’s Twitter entry for the day says of his post-triathlon celebrations: “Just got back from a massive Sunday roast and sticky toff ee pudding!” Although there was no British interest on the GP2 grid at this year’s Grand Prix, there was a BRDC badge proudly on display. was the only Member on the grid and he took third in Sunday’s race. Mat Jackson, Paul O’Neill and Anthony Reid all took part in a forum on the eve of the Silverstone British Touring Car meeting, off ering

68 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 MEMBER NEWS

Cranfi eld University awarded its BRDC prize recently, right, while Neville Hay and Nick Cussons joined Stuart Pringle to present David Wesley with this Andrew Kitson painting for his retirement from the Clubhouse gate. Willie Green, bottom right, drove this glorious Alfa Romeo 158 at the Members’ track day, while Colin Turkington enjoyed himself at the World Aerobatic Championship media day. As for Jenson Button, left, there is a run of success joke struggling to get out… He completed the London Triathlon in two hours and seven minutes

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 69 CLUB & REGIONAL EVENTS

CLUB AND REGIONAL EVENTS For the latest details please visit: www.brdc.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 24 750 MOTOR CLUB CLUB MEETING (INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT) 19 HOT TRAX CLUB MEETING (NATIONAL CIRCUIT) 30 TROPHY Clubhouse closed. PROMOTED (NATIONAL CIRCUIT)

LINCOLNSHIRE AVIATION CENTRE VISIT 22 NOVEMBER Contact Sarah Carnell on 01327 850925 to book your place. WALTER HAYES TROPHY MCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP 1 26–27 PROMOTED (NATIONAL CIRCUIT) PROMOTED (INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT) 18 SOCIAL LUNCH OCTOBER SILVERSTONE Members only. 3–4 500 Contact Aspire to book your place on 01327 855104. EVENTS (GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT) DECEMBER 7 BRDC SHOOT EJ CHURCHILL SHOOTING GROUND, WEST WYCOMBE DRIVEN PHEASANT SHOOTING Cartridges will be provided as will guns for novices. 3 £400 per gun. Cost £100. Book through John Woodington (SW regional Co-ordinator): Contact Sarah Carnell on 01327 850925 to book your place. 01271 890204 or 07717093729 or [email protected] SOUTHERN REGIONAL SOCIAL LUNCH 8 BRDC ANNUAL AWARDS GINS, ROYAL SOUTHAMPTON YACHT CLUB 7 INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL, PARK LANE, LONDON On the Beaulieu River (near Beaulieu and Bucklers Hard). From 12 noon. Contact 01590 616213. Tickets £110 each booked through Laura Callicott on 01423 851157 or 10 MSVR [email protected] CLUB MEETING (GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT) 10 SOUTHERN REGIONAL CHRISTMAS SOCIAL LUNCH 11 SOUTH WEST REGIONAL LUNCH GINS, THE ROYAL SOUTHAMPTON YACHT CLUB FARTHINGS COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL On the Beaulieu River (near Beaulieu and Bucklers Hard). Contact John Woodington on 01271 890204 or john@jwoodington. Contact 01590 616213. freeserve.co.uk 17 BRDC MEMBERS’ CHRISTMAS LUNCH 17 HISTORIC SPORTS CAR CLUB (HSCC) SILVERSTONE CLUB MEETING (NATIONAL CIRCUIT) Members and Guests welcome. Contact Aspire to book your place on 01327 855104. 18 ASTON MARTIN OWNERS’ CLUB (AMOC) CLUB MEETING (NATIONAL CIRCUIT) 18 BRDC OFFICE CHRISTMAS SHUTDOWN 21 SOCIAL LUNCH JANUARY SILVERSTONE Members and Guests welcome. 4 BRDC OFFICE OPENS Contact Aspire to book your place on 01327 855104.

70 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 3 We’re proud of what we do...

...so we put our name to a quality marque.

Cambridge Business Travel an independent travel management company, taking pride in providing a full range of travel-related services and supporting the leading edge of Technology.

From flights to hotels, budget to first-class, From single entities to PLCs, CBT offer our independent and established reputation. the same high level of commitment to all stands for more choice and competitive. our clients. Account facilities are available prices for you and your company. across the spectrum of business.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC PROUD SPONSORS OF THE GOLD ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FIA GT3 JAGUAR XKR 2004 / 2005 / 2006 & 2007

To see how CBT can benefit you, call or click 01223 566 445 www.cambridgebusinesstravel.co.uk