Bulletin

Of the british racing drivers’ club Bulletin Volume 30 No 2 • summer 2009 Of the british racing drivers’ club Volume 30 No 2 • summer 2009

The British Racing Drivers’ Club

President in Chief HRH The Duke of KG Volume 30 No 2 • SUMMER 2009 President OBE contents Chairman Robert Brooks 04 PRESIDENT’S LETTER 56 OBITUARIES Directors 10 Damon Hill Remembering deceased Members and friends Ross Hyett Stuart Rolt 09 neWS FROM YOUR CIRCUIT 61 secreTARY’S LETTER Ian Titchmarsh The latest news from Silverstone Circuits Ltd Stuart Pringle Nick Whale Club Secretary 10 seasON SO FAR 62 FROM THE ARCHIVE Stuart Pringle Tel: 01327 850926 Peter Windsor looks at the enthralling Formula 1 season The BRDC Archive has much to offer email: [email protected] PA to Club Secretary 16 gOING FOR GOLD 64 TELLING THE STORY Becky Simm Tel: 01327 850922 email: [email protected] An update on the BRDC Gold Star Ian Titchmarsh’s in-depth captions to accompany the archive images BRDC Bulletin Editorial Board 16 Ian Titchmarsh, Stuart Pringle, David Addison 18 silver STAR Editor The BRDC Silver Star is in full swing David Addison Photography 22 racing MEMBERS LAT, Jakob Ebrey, Ferret Photographic Who has done what and where BRDC Towcester 24 ON THE UP Northants Many of the BRDC Rising Stars have enjoyed a successful NN12 8TN start to 2009 66 MEMBER NEWS Sponsorship and advertising A round up of other events Adam Rogers Tel: 01423 851150 32 28 suPERSTARS email: [email protected] The BRDC Superstars have kicked off their season 68 BETWEEN THE COVERS © 2009 The British Racing Drivers’ Club. All rights in and relating to Book and DVD reviews this publication are expressly reserved. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without prior written permission from the 32 liFE AND TIMES BRDC. The views expressed in Bulletin are not necessarily those of the Racer-turned-administrator Peter Gaydon 70 WHAT’S ON editor, the BRDC or the publishers. Club and regional events Design 36 greaT SCOTT! Damion Chew David and Aaron Scott Front cover Produced by No time for shopping as powers past the Monegasque Barker Brooks Media Ltd Barker Brooks House 50 44 unDER THE SPOTLIGHT boutiques on his way to a maiden Formula 3.5 win on his first visit 4 Greengate, Cardale Park to the principality. Out of shot behind him, James Walker is heading for Harrogate Meet GT star Rob Bell HG3 1GY the podium, too. (Photo ) Tel: 01423 851150 email: [email protected] 46 arMCHAIR COMMENT Back cover www.barkerbrooks.co.uk It’ll Be Alright on the Night... Rob Huff heads for victory at Pau in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, his new Cruze proving to be a force to be reckoned with this season. His Pau success comes on the back of an www.brdc.co.uk 50 JUST WILLIAMS impressive win on the new circuit in Marrakech. (Photo LAT) Alan Jones enjoyed much success with Williams

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 3 damon hill obe President’s letter

Monaco Saturday 14 May 1988 ear Member, The President’s first Monaco race. Latterly, because of ’s It has been a pleasure to introduce these Bulletins over the last few years. They serve approach to tyre allocation, the Grand Prix de Monaco F3 has to remind us that there is life going on out there and that Members do actually failed to attract much interest from British-based teams but, with D a control tyre now available to all, the Intersport Cellnet Ricoh compete. Not only that, but that the BRDC is very much involved in this sport. - for Damon and Martin Donnelly make the trip. It has The question of Silverstone and the BRDC is one which naturally dominates our thinking, rained throughout most of the qualifying sessions, Damon being one of the few to improve on the second day to line up 16th out of and perhaps this is detrimental to the other activities which the Club tries to undertake. 26 qualifiers from the original 37. The sun shines on the race and Nevertheless, as an asset, Silverstone is key to the prosperity of the Club, and consequently Damon keeps his head whilst others spin or crash. After 24 hectic laps, Damon brings his Ralt RT32 home sixth behind five to the ability of the BRDC to influence the world of motor sport. In our efforts to find the and one place ahead of team mate Martin’s RT31. Says Damon best solution we are entering unchartered waters yet again, with the investigation into joint afterwards: “The only advice I’ve had all weekend is stay out of trouble and don’t touch the wall and you’ll finish well up….so I venture partnerships. But life is change and we need to adapt to survive. Swimming against did.” In the years to come Damon will never win the Monaco Grand the tide of has lead this Club into conflict and disarray in the past. I think it Prix itself although only engine failure robs him of victory in 1996 is time to recognise that sharing the vision of a bold Silverstone may be a legacy which while dominating the race. (Photo: LAT) enhances the reputation of the BRDC rather than threatens it. Also, I believe that the BRDC should become relevant again to the current debates in our sport about its future. After all, the governance of the sport has had a material influence on the prosperity of our Club and its influence and reputation within it. To all those coming to the ‘possibly last’ at Silverstone, I hope you all have a first class time. I think we can go out with our heads held high.

Damon Hill OBE President, BRDC

4 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2

NEWS FROM YOUR CIRCUIT news from silverstone circuit Silverstone is working hard to cater for four and two-wheeled Grands Prix, as Richard Phillips explains.

t’s only a matter of days to go to the last British Grand Prix at Silverstone and speculation continues about its future. Whilst I understand that I there are lots of modern venues around the world, I doubt many are better presented or can boast the capacity crowds we have enjoyed over the last five years. How much easier the loss would be to comprehend if we were poor promoters with small crowds and lots of negative publicity! Last year’s Grand Prix sold well, especially from the start of the F1 season, but this year’s event will be bigger still and whilst the economic downturn has adversely affected hospitality and corporate ticket sales, interest from the public has more than countered the negative effect. We are making a great effort to make sure our last Grand Prix is the best yet and I hope you will be pleased with our efforts. Whatever happens with the future of the Grand Prix, both the estate and circuit businesses are doing well. Our first promoted event of the season, the FIA GT Championship, attracted a larger crowd than last year and was more profitable. Testing and track hire are on budget and voucher sales for Drive are up year on year with efficiencies in the Drive operation yielding noticeable benefits. Further, we are building on the success we enjoyed in 2008 with the launch of the GTR by winning more Experiential Launches with a variety of manufacturers. MotoGP is proving to be the catalyst to focus not just on improving the track but also on enhancing the enjoyment of the fans by getting them closer to the action and repositioning grandstands and re-landscaping viewing berms. Plans to lengthen and improve Stowe have been submitted and the competitive tenders returned. The plans and invitation to tender for the main circuit works will be submitted shortly and work will start in mid-November for completion in April. During the building works we will be keeping at least one main circuit and Stowe fully operational to ensure continuity of operation. Whilst things are going quite well, especially in testing times, we have a robust plan for the future and I remain optimistic that sense will prevail and we will retain the Grand Prix in the UK, hopefully at Silverstone. We certainly are capable of hosting it and ready to go on sale if given the green light.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 9 FORMULA 1

said something like, “Well, jumping from one The test went well. Seb reported that the team (Toro Rosso) to another (Red Bull) wasn’t Red Bull had less at the rear than always easy. There are inevitably some things the Toro Rosso, probably because the you don’t like with the new team and you have gearbox was slimmer than that of the Red Bull. to work hard to change things around…” , and the boys thus In fine Vettel One of these issues, it turns out, was brakes. went to work on a size reduction You’ll recall that Sebastian won at Monza last – and the result is the exquisitely beautiful Red As the Formula 1 season continues apace, a certain young year on Brembos, the brake disc/pad material Bull you see today. that is generally considered to be “softest” to Along the way, Seb also convinced Red German driver is continuing to grab attention as Club the foot in the wet (followed closely by Hitco). Bull to switch permanently to Brembos. He’d The Carbone Industrie brakes (consistently never had a wear problem with them at Toro Member Peter Windsor explains used by McLaren and Williams) are by contrast and he loved the feel of them, particularly in harder-wearing but less sensitive. Ferrari, the wet. Red Bull obliged, even though it has nervous about temperatures, switched to CIs an historical link (via Renault) with Hitco. Thus for Monza last year, gambling that the race Seb’s comments about “some things needed ou don’t need me to tell you about the would be dry. It was wet, though, and they to be changed”. quality of ’s driving: his were nowhere. Think about at this point. He Y results say it all. He won a wet 2008 Anyway, it was Mark Webber who first alerted used his brain when the first Vettel test took Monza in a Toro Rosso-Ferrari, beating the Red Bull to the Brembo/Seb Vettel issue. When place…but now he is at a slight disadvantage: factory on home soil; and then he won Vettel was first asked to test at Jerez late last he likes the Brembos, and probably they are again in the rain in , only three races year, Mark had the wherewithal to suggest that giving him a little more room with which to into his new life with the Red Bull-Renault they switch the test car from Red Bull’s regular play as he nurses himself back to full fitness; A-team. End of story. End of analysis. Except Hitcos to the Brembos favoured by Seb. even so, to beat a guy like Vettel in the wet perhaps to remind the younger members of the BRDC that another young German also opened his account with two dazzling wins in the wet. His name was Bernd Rosemeyer and right now the parallels are compelling. Both displayed an immediate and sheer pace despite a relative lack of experience. And both were/are pulsatingly exciting to watch. Seb is a great guy, too, a lone ranger despite the omnipresence of the Red Bull driver/ marketing/management/pr/media team acolytes. He has no manager; he walks into the paddock trailing a Woolworths-spec carry- Sebastian Vettel’s pace and manner have been on. He may change, of course, because he is among the talking points of the season, as was the still young. I doubt it, though: you’re not as possibility of team order at Brawn in . Pictured good as he is under pressure unless you have right, heads a rock-solid core. although the order would be reversed by the end of the Grand Prix. Far right, the team has become used And a brain. I was intrigued in Melbourne, to celebrating this season! (Photos LAT) when we chatted on the Thursday, and he

10 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 FORMULA 1 in equal cars you have to be 100 per cent in all areas. I suspect that it was in the braking areas of Shanghai that Seb had his advantage. No-one brakes later than Mark Webber, but Mark is a hair’s width harsher with his initial touch than is Seb. Thus, Mark will make a braking mistake on maybe one lap out of five, particularly if the conditions are poor. Seb, on the same scale, will make a mistake on one lap out of eight and will have a little more scope for recovery when he does so. Now let’s go back to the manager thing: I applaud Seb loudly for not wanting a helmet- carrier because I have never – ever – seen the point in driver managers as they work today.

Seb is a great guy, too, a lone ranger despite the omnipresence of the Red Bull driver/marketing/management/ pr/acolytes

I see a huge need for driver coaches, but that is another story. Someone to look after your fitness, handle your travel arrangements and generate new business? F1 teams themselves have massive infrastructures to handle all this. Driver managers, to be sure, have become nothing more or less than a status symbol, as have the trainers they keep in tow. You can only tell a driver a hundred times to do this exercise and not eat that food. If he hasn’t got the picture within, say, a three-month period, then he shouldn’t be in F1 in the first place. So along comes Sebastian Vettel without a manager and everyone is aghast. How can he operate? How can he do everything? Well, he does everything just fine, thank you very much. Red Bull’s logistics office handles all

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 11 FORMULA 1

Driver managers, to be sure, have become nothing more or less than a status symbol, as have the trainers they keep in tow. his travel arrangements, the team’s media now gives the very real impression of being everything he says is backed by reason and department handle all his interview slots, the a young athlete who loves driving racing logic. He has even been mildly critical of the team’s marketing department give him his cars and loves the opportunities he is being FIA in a way that is non-pejorative. agenda for meetings and appearances and he, given. Without a manager, he has much more The flipside of this, of course, is to wonder Seb, drives the race car. It’s not that difficult chance of staying that way. whether or not Stefano is too nice a guy and I think Seb is benefiting right now from Brawn and Red Bull have been the big for the difficult job he faces. I hope not. The being his own man and doing everything as talking-points on the track so far this year but reality of Ferrari life, as I think I predicted at he wants to do it, as distinct from how the F1 if I had to nominate another characteristic least three years ago, was that everything world thinks he ought to be doing it. I’d have to say “press conferences”. We’ve had was always going to change when Michael And – guess what? – times are harder. The more this year than in most years put together Schumacer announced his retirement. The Recession has set in. Drivers are doing more and the vipers, of course, are loving it. Along job then was to ensure that all the key players for less. And they are doing better as a result. the way, it’s been interesting to see how the remained, that , Nigel Stepney If I had to highlight one major advantage the “star” players compare. and the rest of the Michael gang remained manager-less Seb has above all other drivers , the new Ferrari Team closely-knit. of his stature (and we’re talking top five here) Principal, has impressed me out of sight. He As we now know it, and, again, as predicted, it would this: because he doesn’t have a has been under heavy fire from the Italian failed to see it this way. He stayed manager he is by definition less pre-occupied press, but I’ve been struck by how well he is on, presumably to prove that it had been with money, with wondering how much handling the situation and by how genuine he and not Michael, but the real players everyone else is earning and ensuring that he a person he is. He never raises his voice; he all dispersed, some of them with feelings “maximizes his equity”, as managers love to has no problem repeating himself when of bitterness because they had not been call “earning as much as possible”. Seb right journalists asked the same question twice; and given major promotions or pay rises. That

12 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 FORMULA 1

We have become used to wet races this season, far left, are doing and Michael and his squad definitely although conditions in knew what they were doing. Stefano, as I say, weren’t as bad as Malaysia. needs to find his inner balance. He still has is impressing some good people around him – the paddock cynics at McLaren, and to name but two – but while (left) is having to drive the McLaren Ferrari needs to be sharper. much harder this year to At McLaren-Mercedes, post-, overcome its deficiencies. a very different flower is blooming. Martin Sebastian Vettel, right, was Whitmarsh is not only very intelligent in the supreme in China, while Williams racing sense but seems also to be a decent and have enjoyed good days and bad so far this season human being. I asked Martin and Mercedes’ (Photos LAT)

In the pit lane, you see a different Ferrari: orders are given…and they talk about it. In the Stepney/Michael days, everyone lived in fear.

was the moment when Ferrari began its at one recent conference slide. The Michael Momentum just carried whether or not they were discouraged by it through into 2007 but mainly that was the behaviour of the world’s press, given that because McLaren (fortuitously for Ferrari) McLaren habitually opens its doors at every was forced to take the political blame for the race with a conference they call “meet the Stepney fiasco. Now, with more time having team”. Why open the doors at all? Why not do passed, Ferrari looks very much the team it what Ferrari and Renault and BMW do when was…before Michael. It will win a few races they are in trouble and just say “no comment”? but a championship now is more of a dream Norbert Haug spoke very well in response, than a reality. (With one proviso: anything, pointing out that fairness and openness will politically, is possible in F1. If you are a betting always succeed ultimately. I know he is right, man, I suggest you put some money down although I fear that many members of the right now on winning the 2009 media, and the F1 economy, will continue Championship. You’ll get great odds. And to try to prove him wrong, their concept of there is still time for much to happen behind “fairness” being roughly equivalent to a puff- closed doors.) adder’s for a mouse. In the pit lane, you see a different Ferrari: Stefano Domenicali (Ferrari), Martin orders are given…and they talk about it. In the Whitmarsh (McLaren), John Howett (Toyota), Stepney/Michael days, everyone lived in fear (Red Bull) and Mario Thiessen of their superiors. There’s nothing wrong with (BMW). Five excellent people now sit at the that, providing the superiors know what they top of five very powerful, teams. The future, in

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 13 FORMULA 1

Renault is one of a number of teams struggling to find the pace to run at the front this year, despite the best efforts of , left. Felipe Massa, above, has undergone a difficult season so far although there are gradual signs of improvement. However, it is certainly added to the pressure on Ferrari’s Team Principal, Stefano Domenicali (All photos LAT)

14 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 FORMULA 1

aero stuff, not diffuser work – but they weren’t enough to account for Lewis being very near the Williams-Toyota of or ’s factory Toyota. Those laps were 80 percent Lewis, 20 percent car. Let me close by touching upon the Brawn- Mercedes team strategy in the . Personally, I doubt they were committed to three stops prior to Q3 – partly because of the circumstantial evidence (ie, the two Brawn drivers went into the race with about the same fuel load as, say, Sebastian Vettel and Jarno Trulli, who were definitely on two-stop strategies) and partly because I think it would have suited Ross Brawn very nicely to say afterwards that it was Jenson Button’s strategy that he switched (supposedly from three to two) rather than Rubens Barrichello’s (from two to three). If you’re going to ensure that the driver in your team with the most chance

was taken with Jenson. Lewis’s performances this Nor do I see anything wrong with this. implemented exactly the same year have been phenomenal and strategies in 1930 and 1932 in the interests of remind me very much of Senna : with Nuvolari-Varzi and Nuvolari- in 1993 Caracciola driving for you in equally-matched cars was there another way of preventing their hands, I think looks very bright, although special. If I have only one complaint it is of the of winning the 2009 World Championship open warfare? I wonder, nonetheless, how whether the future will be in their hands or shortcomings of TV production: as good as (Jenson Button) has the most chance of not all this is going to pan out: it’s one thing for that of the FIA is of course an issue that still Lewis’s driving is, the viewer sees it but rarely. losing points to his team-mate, one sure-fire Ferrari (via Ross Brawn) to work with Michael swirls as I write. Truly to appreciate the subtlety of his driving way of doing that is to put said team-mate Schumacher; it’s quite another for Brawn to I said at the start of the year that I was you needed to be on the outside of turn three onto a different strategy and bring him in a replicate the Schumacher system in 2009, looking forward to seeing Lewis Hamilton drive at Barcelona, where he was balancing the few laps early for his first . What you particularly if – as Rubens points out – he was a bad car – and I have certainly got my wish. McLaren on about five degrees of oversteer, or wouldn’t then want to say to anyone, least asked by Ross at the start of the year to race Lewis’s performances this year have been on the entry into turn nine in Bahrain, where of all within earshot of Rubens, is, “Well, we with a status equal to Jenson’s. I applaud Ross phenomenal and remind me very much of he teetered on the edge of the fifth-gear thought the best way of keeping Jenson Brawn for thinking on his feet and making a Senna in 1993, Clark in 1966 and early 1967 marbles for lap after lap in order to create a clear of Rubens, and of maximising Jenson’s strategy switch on the fly: and I can’t think of (with the Lotus 43-BRM and Lotus 33B-Climax), flat-car zone into turn 10. chances, was to put Rubens onto a different another F1 strategist with anything like the Moss in 1961, Fangio in 1953 and Nuvolari Then there were those qualifying laps strategy and hope that he could at least finish same ability (or confidence). in 1935-36. All struggled in those years with in China. McLaren made some small second…” It’s much “softer” (let’s make that How it will develop in politically-correct inferior cars…and all achieved something improvements to their car for this race – detail “less contentious”) to imply that the gamble 2009 is another question, however.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 15 BRDC GOLD STAR

recovery drive to finish only yards behind Italian BRDC GOLD STAR POINTS former GP driver , who thus (as at 26 may 2009) took the title by two points. In the World Touring Car Championship, after a 1 A1GP 174 gold rush disappointing time in the opening races in Latin 2 Jenson Button F1 151 Jenson Button’s remarkable season puts him at the head of America, the new Chevrolet Cruzes have become 3 Speedcar 104 the cars to beat with Rob Huff taking wins on 4 Rob Huff WTCC 94 the BRDC Gold Star competition, says Ian Titchmarsh. the brand new in Marrakech and 5 SC/ FIA GT 82 the very old street circuit in Pau. Each of his vastly 6 WTCC 74 these words are being written, the experienced team-mates, and former touring car 7 Mark Webber F1 53 Richard Westbrook is enjoying a tremendous season with two = David ALMS 53 season is beginning to take shape in wins in the FIA GT Championship in the Prospeed Competition champions, and , have As many categories, not least Formula GT2-specification 911 GT3-RS and, below, in the in taken a win apiece but Rob is now emerging 9 Oliver Turvey F3/FR3.5 44 1 where the dominance of the Brawn BGP001- which he took victory at Monaco (Photo LAT) as the leading Chevrolet contender for the 10 Grand Am/IRL 42 Mercedes means that Jenson Button has won 11 James Walker FR3.5 38 five of the first six Grands Prix, including the hat- 12 Grand Am/IRL 35 trick of Bahrain, Spain and Monaco since the last 13 Lewis Hamilton F1 33 Bulletin appeared. And by the time these words 14 A1GP/ LMS 31 see the light of day, given Jenson’s current strike 15 IRL 28 rate he may well have won in Turkey, too. The 16 Rob Bell LMS/FIA GT 27 effect of all this success means that Jenson has 17 Guy Smith ALMS 26 risen to second in the Gold Star points table. One 18 ALMS 25 more win will take him into the lead if Adam 19 Super GT 24 Carroll is unable to find a competitive drive in a = F3 24 major category during the summer months. 21 Allan McNish ALMS 21 Adam rounded off his A1GP season in = Ryan Sharp FIA GT 21 the best possible way with two resounding 23 ALMS 15 victories in the final races at at the 24 Robin Liddell Grand Am 14 beginning of May which secured the self-styled 25 Bradley Ellis FIA GT3 12 World Cup of Motor Sport for Team Ireland, = Alex Mortimer FIA GT3 12 but the very talented and experienced young = Justin Wilson IRL 12 Ulsterman may undeservedly have a barren few = GP2 12 months ahead. Adam would, of course, also = DTM 12 30 LMS LMP2 10 have been eligible to represent Team GB but 31 FIA GT3 9 would the result have been the same…? = FIA GT3 9 Away from single-seaters, it has been a good 33 LMS 7 few weeks for Johnny Herbert, Rob Huff and = Alex Lloyd GrandAm 7 Richard Westbrook. The 1995 British GP winner = Andrew Kirkaldy FIA GT 7 came so close to securing his second successive = LMS 7 Speedcar title, winning the first of the weekend’s = Paul D Resta DTM 7 races at the Bahrain GP. Unfortunately, Johnny 38 Super GT 5 was tipped into a spin at the first corner of the = Luke Hines FIA GT 5 second race after which he put in a storming

16 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 BRDC GOLD STAR

Adam Carroll’s superb A1GP world title. Perish the thought, but it does look season culminated in Team as though the WTCC rules have been tweaked Ireland securing the crown, against the SEAT Leons and . However, although Adam, pictured at Brands Hatch, left, in what Andy Priaulx did salvage something for the latter became the final event of the with two fourth places in . They will all be season, is now searching for at Brands Hatch on 19th July. Which way will the a drive during the summer WTCC pendulum have swung by then? months. Andy Priaulx, above, In the last Bulletin, Richard Westbrook was pushed hard at Pau to record two fourth places in the WTCC not even on the scoreboard yet now he is fifth! but was outpaced by the This is thanks in part to the fact that Richard (Photos LAT) competes in both the GT2 category of the FIA GT Championship and also the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup in each of which series he has already taken two wins. In FIA GT, it does seem that Porsche’s intensive development work on the 911 GT3-RS over the winter has made it the car to beat the Ferrari F430s, particularly in the hands of Richard and his equally rapid co-driver , but Ferrari will surely be fighting back. Had he not suffered the same fate as Johnny Herbert at Bahrain’s notorious Turn 1 in the opening round of the Supercup, Richard could well have won one of the two opening rounds there and he is already emerging as favourite to regain the title which he secured in 2006 and 2007.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 17 SILVER STAR

s reported in the last Bulletin, a BRDC SILVER STAR POINTS late entry for the opening round (as at 19 May 2009 A at of the HiQ MSA British Touring a matt finish? Car Championship at Brands Hatch was 1 BTCC 105 in a Chevrolet Lacetti from Ray 2 BTCC 92 Touring car drivers head the BRDC Silver Star at present, Mallock’s RML squad. There was more good 3 Jason Plato BTCC 70 news three weeks later at Thruxton with the 4 James Thompson BTCC 62 appearance of a second RML Lacetti for Mat explains Ian Titchmarsh 5 Aaron Scott British GT 50 Jackson who just pipped Jason for second 6 BTCC 42 place in the BTCC standings last season. And there was more, for former double 7 Stephen Jelley BTCC 34 BTCC champion James Thompson has 8 Martin Short British GT 32 committed himself to the rest of the season 9 BTCC 14 in one of Steve Neal’s 10 BTCC 11 Civics. The lateness of the deal meant that 11 Paul O’Neill BTCC 9 Thruxton delivered “only” one third place 12 British GT 7 but at three weeks later 13 BTCC 2 James was outstanding, taking two wins and 14 Phil Keen British GT 1 emerging as a serious title contender. = British GT 1 All of which means that Matt Neal will need to look to his laurels in his VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra. Two podiums at both Thruxton and Donington have kept the former BTCC champion and Silver Star winner at the top of both tables but this looks like being one of the most closely contested seasons for a long time. Mat Jackson had a dream debut weekend with the Lacetti, taking a win in the reverse grid race at Thruxton and both he and Jason Mat Jackson returned to the Plato were able to run near the front in the BTCC with a win at Thruxton, Donington races. above, although James Thompson, top right, scored The British GT championship went off to Spa two wins at Donington. In at the beginning of May where Aaron Scott, British GT, Aaron Scott, left, sharing a with Craig Wilkins, took a maiden win at Spa, a day notched up a win and a third place to keep after Martin Short, right, had guided his Molser to victory himself up among the BTCC brigade. Joining (Photos Jakob Ebrey) the series at Spa was Martin Short, sharing his Rollcentre Racing Mosler MT900R with Gregor Fisken to take a win and a third. If Aaron and Martin carry on like this, we may yet see a GT driver winning this year’s Silver Star.

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RACING MEMBERS Globe-trotting! Wherever you look in the motor racing world, BRDC Members are enjoying success, according to David Addison.

he international motor racing season quite catch the Brazilian. Dario Franchitti is in full swing, as highlighted by the finished seventh after a miscommunication T increased number of Members scoring in the pits caused him to leave before the fuel Gold Star points, and it is tremendous to see hose had been disconnected, while Sam Bird the Club doing well around the globe. took a third and a sixth in the opening two F3 Oliver Turvey scored a superb win in the Euro Series races at Hockenheim. 3.5 race supporting the Members have been doing well in sports car with James Walker taking racing as well. Ryan Sharp made it back-to- third place to add to his impressive win at back wins in the Tourist Trophy as he and Karl Spa earlier in the season. Oliver, making his Wendlinger won the opening round of the FIA Monaco debut, was unstoppable out in front GT Championship at Silverstone in May. Whilst and not even a period threatened Karl and Ryan are used to sharing a car, their his lead. The result puts James third in the mount for 2009 is new as they have switched standings just ahead of Oliver and both will to the S7-R of the KplusK be racing at Silverstone at the World Series by team. Although their win at Silverstone was Renault event on July 4/5 on the Grand Prix dominant, they were left stranded on the circuit. Monaco almost played host to a BRDC green flag lap at the next round in Adria after quadruple win: in addition to Oliver’s victory, a driveshaft broke. Members are busy in GT2, Jenson Button’s success in the Grand Prix and mainly chasing Richard Westbrook, but Tim Richard Westbrook’s in the Porsche Supercup, Sugden is driving a Porsche in the class and was desperately unlucky not Chris Niarchos, Andrew Kirkaldy, to win in GP2. Karun dominated the second and Rob Bell make up the driving squad of the race until the driveshaft broke. CRS Racing Ferraris. Rob is busy in the Le Mans The 500 fell to an emotional Series, too, where he took a class win in LMGT2 Helio Castroneves but it was a close run thing: at Barcelona and backed that up with second Dan Wheldon was just 1.9 seconds behind at Spa-Francorchamps. at the flag. Dan, who has returned to Panther One of the major talking points at Barcelona Racing this year, gave it everything in his was the tremendous qualifying effort of Danny pursuit of Castroneves ailing car that had a Watts in the Ginetta that he gearbox problem. Sadly for Dan, he couldn’t shares with Peter Hardman and .

22 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 RACING MEMBERS

The LMP1 car took by four-tenths of a second and finished the race fifth. Danny was less fortunate at Spa when he spun on fluid dropped by a Lola and rooted his tyres, meaning that he started in the pit lane having qualified at the back. The team fought up to 17th by flag fall. Darren Turner may not have a touring car drive this season but is working with Gigawave and NISMO to develop the new Nissan GT-R for the proposed 2010 FIA GT World Championship and is a key part of the Lola Aston Martin attack in the Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours. Darren retired in Spain but took fifth at Spa after an early puncture cost his car time. The Spa race marked the return to European of and the team includes for Danny Watts took pole position for the opening round 2009. David clashed with a slower car which of the LMS in Spain, above, and Dan Weldon, above resulted in damage for the Peugeot and a spin right, took second in the Indy 500 in May. Ryan Sharp, below, claimed honours in the FIA GT Championship for the backmarker, for which David copped a opener at Silverstone where CRS Racing’s squad of lengthy stop-go penalty rendering the car out Members (Tim Mullen, Chris Niarchos, Andrew Kirkaldy of contention. and Rob Bell) battled in GT2. James Walker, left, was a delighted Formula Renault 3.5 winner at Spa. (Photos LAT, Renault Sport, LAT and Jakob Ebrey)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 23 BRDC RISING STARS YOUNG STARS RISING The Club’s Rising Stars are making an impact across British motor racing, says Ian Titchmarsh.

BRDC RISING STARS 2009 ith the racing season well under way it is gratifying to see that many of the BRDC Rising Sam Abay Dean Smith Stars are justifying the Club’s faith in them by British F3 International Series F3 Euro Series Formula Renault UK W Championship/Porsche Carrera achieving outstanding results already, both in the UK and Henry Arundel Hywel Lloyd Cup GB British F3 International Series British F3 International Series overseas. The reverse side of the coin is that the economic Aaron Steele climate has meant that a few of the Rising Stars, despite Tim Blanchard Callum MacLeod GB/A1GP V8 Supercars Development European F3 Open Series Rookie significant success in 2008, have been unable to find Series the funds to continue. Graham Carroll travelled all over Greg Mansell Henry the UK from his home in Scotland last year to secure just Tom Bradshaw Formula Renault 3.5 FIA Formula 2 Championship Porsche Carrera Cup GB about every 1600 title, while Ben Winrow Michael Meadows James Sutton walked away with the , but both are Will Bratt Porsche Carrera Cup GB Euroseries 3000 Jeremy Metcalfe sitting on the sidelines at the moment. Kieran Vernon Red Bull has been a supporter of racing talent for several Jay Bridger Matt Nicoll-Jones MSA Formula Ford British F3 International Series Championship of Great Britain years now, casting its net wide in the process. So we Nigel Moore have Australian in the British Formula 3 Tim Bridgman GT4 European Cup/ British GT Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship (GT4)/ Le Mans Formula Renault UK International Series with and winning LMP1 Championship three of the first four races, two at the demanding Oulton Graham Carroll Park, where he had never raced before, in particularly British F3 International Series FIA Formula 2 Championship commanding style. New Zealander , British Formula 3 International Series Tom Onslow-Cole Ben Winrow moving on from British F3, now finds himself mixing it with the best which Europe has to offer in the F3 Leyton Clarke Martin Plowman Zamparelli Euro Series in conjunction with a Formula Renault 3.5 Dunlop Sport Maxx BARC Formula Renault Production Cup Championship programme. That’s not all for the 19-year-old Kiwi, as he Phil has recently been nominated by Red Bull as the test and Ollie Hancock FIA GT3 Formula Renault UK reserve driver for its F1 team. Not since in Championship Adrian Quaife-Hobbs 1984 will there have been a New Zealander at this level if / Ben Hanley Formula Renault North Brendon gets his break. European Cup The third Red Bull-backed driver from the Brendon Hartley Red Bull F1 Test and Reserve Daniel Ricciardo Commonwealth is Canadian Robert Wickens whose Driver/ Formula Renault 3.5/ F3 British F3 International Series season had hardly started at the time of writing although Euro Series he has kept his hand in with an outing at Hockenheim in the F3 Euro Series. Having enjoyed a win and several

24 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 1 BRDC RISING STARS

Daniel Ricciardo, below left, podiums for Team in A1GP last season, in the ended 2008 on a high note with a couple of successful out is Tim Bridgman, the former Formula BMW UK was unstoppable at Oulton course of which he competed in no less than 48 races outings in the National Class of British F3. Champion emerging last year on his switch to the Park as he powered to two in various categories, Robert’s main focus for 2009 is Apart from Daniel, another Rising Star to be making Porsche Carrera Cup GB as probably the fastest, if British F3 wins, despite never having raced at the Cheshire the new FIA Formula 2 Championship which will have an impression in British F3 is Max Chilton, just turned not always the most consistent, contender. A year on track before. Porsche Carrera had its first rounds by the time these words appear in 18 years of age but in his third season in the Series. and Tim seems to be learning well from experience Cup GB stars Tim Bridgman and print. Robert was pace-setter in the first day’s testing at Three pole positions in the first four races have yet and was untouchable in the opening races at Brands James Sutton, below right, fend off at Donington Snetterton in what promises to be a very competitive to be converted into a win but a couple of podiums Hatch. Joining in after Brands, however, has been 2007 (Photos: Jakob Ebrey and formula. At the second test day, at Silverstone, it was suggest that it cannot be far away. Champion James Sutton and, if this writer’s crystal Malcolm Griffiths) who finished with fastest time, having Away from single-seaters, a name which stands ball is any kind of guide, the battles between Tim and

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 1 25 BRDC RISING STARS

James, with intervention from reigning Champion Tim Harvey and Michael Caine, suggests that Porsche racing this year will be more intense than ever. James did not take long to be back to his winning ways at Donington Park. In Formula Renault, long recognised as the best training ground for future F1 drivers, former T-Car Champion Adrian Quaife-Hobbs has been winning in Europe in the North European Cup and taking podiums in the Eurocup whilst in the UK 2007 runner-up Dean Smith, after a brief flutter with , is back and winning; he must be one of the favourites to win the title. Fresh from karting Scot Lewis Williamson, whose home is north of Inverness so imagine how far he must travel to race, has started off well with a podium at Donington Park to add to a fourth place at Brands Hatch. Dino Zamparelli was last year’s Ginetta Junior Champion but has now made the switch to single seaters in the BARC Formula Renault Championship and impressed with second place in his first race at recently. Last year’s BARC Champion, Ollie Hancock, nearly made the podium with a fourth place in the senior championship at Donington. Leyton Clarke, at the age of 17, has already won two championships: in 2007 the SAXMAX title for young drivers and then last year the Dunlop Sport Maxx Championship Scottish driver Lewis which he is defending this year at the Dunlop Great and Williamson, above, is British events at the wheel of a 300 bhp Vauxhall Astra impressing in his first HXR. Leyton has already realised that he is probably too tall year of racing cars having to be a single-seater racer but, at this rate, he could soon graduated from karting and bagged a podium finish at be heading for a place on the BTCC grid. Three podiums, Donington. Reigning Ginetta including one win, in the first three races at Rockingham G50 Champion Nigel Moore have been a pretty good start to his season. is now racing in British GT Last year’s Champion, at 16 years of age, was and took a win at Oulton Park and at Spa Nigel Moore. This year he continues with a G50 but now (Photos: Jakob Ebrey) in British GT, as well as having a GT4 European Cup win at Silverstone. For Nigel, however, an undoubted highlight of the season will be his first Le Mans where he will be sharing a Ginetta Zytek G709S LMP1 car with Club Members Lawrence Tomlinson and Richard Dean. When the time comes to report again on the Rising Stars, there is every prospect that there will be more winners to mention such is the depth of talent among the latest generation of British and Commonwealth drivers.

26 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 1

BRDC SUPERSTARS Winning start for 2009 Superstars

has been a sensational start to the season for our 2009 BRDC Superstars. It Stepping up to the Formula Renault 3.5 series from finishing runner up in the 2008 British F3 International Series, Oliver Turvey has made both the competition and Formula 1 teams take notice. Narrowly missing out on a podium in his first race at Barcelona, Oliver went to Monaco for the Grand Prix support race and not only qualified on pole, but won the race commandingly as well! He now lies fourth in the standings having joined an elite group of drivers to have won at Monaco on their first visit. has also been an international winner. Driving in the Star Championship in the USA having won the 2008 Formula Renault UK series, Adam has had two wins and two pole positions. His first win came at Sebring in the first race of the year and was followed by another dominant victory at Salt Lake City. Adam sits on top of the championship points table after three races. Cousin led pre-season testing for the British Formula 3 International Series and went on to score his first podium with second place at Silverstone. He lies third in the points table and his first win can surely not be far away. We have two BRDC Superstars fighting it out at the top of the Formula Renault UK Championship. Dean Stoneman is leading the

28 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 1 BRDC SUPERSTARS

Andrew Jordan, far left, became the youngest ever driver series after scoring in every race and having three to take pole position for a round of the BTCC at Donington podiums but it is who has had and has also been on the podium at Thruxton this season. three wins. However, he has also had two non- Oliver Turvey was mighty in Monaco, winning the sole Formula Renault 3.5 race around the streets of Monte scoring races so sits third in the championship Carlo, while the Formula Renault UK Championship for points. With competitors able to drop their worst the 2-litre cars has delivered fierce racing all season as two scores at the end of the year, this battle of highlighted between a tyre-smoking Dean Stoneman the Superstars looks likely to be extremely close and James Calado at Thruxton, above throughout the year... (Photos LAT and Jakob Ebrey)

It has been a sensational start to the season for our 2009 BRDC Superstars

In the British Touring Car Championship we also have two young BRDC Superstars who have made a big impression so far this season. Andrew Jordan has joined the factory Vauxhall team

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 1 29

BRDC SUPERSTARS

alongside his illustrious team-mates and Matt Neal. Not to be outshone, Andrew scored his first BTCC podium in the first race of the year at Thruxton. He then became the youngest ever pole winner in BTCC history at 19 years and 358 days at Donington Park. His cohort in the series, Jonny Adam, made an immediate impact on former champion and BRDC Member Jason Plato at the first meeting at Brands Hatch. Watched by a crowd of 35,000 and a television audience approaching 1million, Jonny won the second race after contact with Jason at Paddock Hill Bend. Later penalised back to second in the results, he nevertheless displayed his talent in no uncertain terms. Winning ways continued in sports cars with Stuart Hall. Driving for Martin Short’s Rollcentre team, Stuart scored pole and two race wins in the first two rounds of the British GT championship at Oulton Park. Soon after, Stuart was named as one of the works Aston Martin drivers for the Le Mans 24 Hours in the stunning Gulf Oil-sponsored LMP1 cars. Away from the circuits, the BRDC Superstars have been benefiting from the new fitness programme for 2009 Superstars. This includes a full fitness and health assessment at the Porsche Human Performance Centre based at Silverstone as well as mental preparation and coaching from Mike Garth of Sun 14.00. The hugely popular and rigorous one to one fitness training continues in Oxford with Formula Fitness. This takes place at the Stuart Hall took two British GT Oxford University Gym and track where Roger wins at Oulton Park but was out of Bannister famously recorded the first four- luck at Spa after he had to serve a minute mile. I wonder how close our current drive-through penalty in race one Superstars could get to that time... and had a spin in race two. He will be racing at Le Mans in the Lola Aston Martin LMP1 prototype Tim Harvey (Photo Jakob Ebrey) Director, BRDC Superstars Email: [email protected]

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 21 31 PETER GAYDON: LIFE AND TIMES Life and times For the second in our series looking at Members’ lives, step forward Peter Gaydon.

is 1947 and I, a six year old P. Gaydon, am attending the first motor race It meeting run immediately after WW2 at Gransden Lodge. We drove there in my late Uncle’s 1925 Sports Sunbeam which, today, lives in my garage. I remember standing on grass behind a rope and facing the track as it came towards us and turned hard right. I remember the sound: a fantastic rich cacophony which grew in volume and then, out of a huge dust cloud, a hoard of cars rushed at us and scrambled around the corner. In one white K3 MG was my Godfather and BRDC member Ian Nichols. It is the first really clear memory of life I have. I sat in that car after the race and all through the day I absorbed the insidious opium we call motor sport and happily my fix is as strong now as it was then. Fast forward. I am 23, I have driven 10 laps class and it was utterly, brilliantly fantastic. Peter pictured with the Duke of of a wet Mallory and that is the sum of my I’d wanted to race since I sat in the K3. My Kent at Silverstone in 1997, and track experience. It is my first race and I am on Mother raced the car at so I have a at at Silverstone in his 1-litre BMC-engined Mallock the inside of the second row of the grid at the bit of racing blood and that warm sunny day U2 in which he won the Radio popular Silverstone Easter Monday meeting at Silverstone was the culmination of many Caroline-sponsored Clubmans in a U2. My knees knock together and then years of wanting. Two years with the U2 taught Championship in 1964 (Photos bounce off the chassis frame, nervous? You me how to win and for 1966, my race partner courtesy of Peter Gaydon) bet. I count the seconds down to the start, and 1 bought an 1100cc . It was a take first, the flag flashes down and… Bugger! good year and for the last race I entered an I am still in neutral. Jam the thing into first and unlimited sports car race at Mallory. I led the take off for Copse. It was like the M1 on Friday race until about halfway, then got outgunned afternoon in the accident queue except about by something about twice as powerful and so 10 times as fast. I finished fifth and third in the finished second and easily winning the class

32 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 PETER GAYDON: LIFE AND TIMES

Peter’s Brabham BT18 leads the of Charles Lucas at with a lap record which lasted six years. The Silverstone in 1967. Circuit racing was a far cry from the demands most important bit of this meeting was ARM of powerboat racing that Peter tackled in 1976, below (Photos coming up to me and persuading me to get an courtesy of Peter Gaydon) F3 car for the following season. 1967 was my most fruitful season. Whilst working for Rootes Motors as Export Executive, I fitted in 52 races in 11 different cars including my F2 debut. I’d bought a BT18 from Frank Williams and had several wins with it. The best moments were winning the F3 race at a sodden Silverstone GP circuit meeting one day and the next day winning again at . At the end of the year I won a Grovewood Award. I left Rootes early in 1968 to race for my

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 33

PETER GAYDON: LIFE AND TIMES

Tussle of the Tecnos at Brands Hatch in 1969 as Peter heads Francois Cevert at Bend, left. Some of Peter’s success are reflected in Andrew Kitson’s artwork, such as him winning in 1-litre F3 at Silverstone in 1967 by over a minute and in his 1100cc Lotus 23 at Mallory Park in 1966. In that race, Peter fended off the more powerful cars until he was held up by a backmarker and was swamped! (Photos courtesy of Peter Gaydon) living. F2, F3, sports and GT cars. On reflection, I fitted in 52 races in 11 marshalled the centre banking chicane and World Championship in 1977. Powerboat it was two years with poor reliability but some who once allowed me a French practice lap. racing is exhilarating but harsh on the body success and fun times. Like my first continental different cars including my (You miss out the chicane on one lap only and and very wet, too. race at Rouen. I got the runs on the Saturday F2 debut end up at the front of the grid. Magic.) French In 1970 I was elected to the BRDC and a few rest day and a concerned French doctor drivers always did very well at Montlhery and months later to the Committee which was the thought he would take my temperature practised his favorite trick now you know why. Board of that time. My Godfather came to the rectally – “Are you crazy?” Like the picture on of flicking peas off his knife at the ceiling fan. I also raced Offshore Powerboats. I’d done AGM, introduced me to all his old friends and the front page of the Daily Telegraph leading That got a bit much when – I think it was the Daily Telegraph Round Britain race and I was elected. Nothing like a bit of nepotism. the BGP F3 race sideways in the air about Jean-Pierre Jaussaud – thought ice cream later came three years with ‘Can I Come Too’ That began my second career in motor sport four feet above the track. Like the party at might be better ammunition. Like staying for a Class 2 offshore racer. We won the British which really covered all the organisation bases L’Escargot at the entrance to Montlhery where these meetings with a French farmer who also Championship twice and were second in the … but that is another story.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 35 FATHER & SON Each side of the fence David and Aaron Scott enjoy their motor racing from different perspectives, as David Addison discovered.

Lord Mackintosh of toffee fame and he had a a meeting with who was place near Snetterton. We used to stop off and forming MSVR and needed an experienced watch cars testing, like the 2.5-litre BRM and official to head up the race operations side of in the prototype . My father his rapidly expanding business. David retired also sourced tickets for the 1959 Tourist Trophy from BA a month later and, as he walked at Goodwood and that fired my interest. away from a retirement plan and a pension,

It has come to my attention When he came to me and that you owe me £80.You’ve just said he wanted to go karting, I told been made a Member him, ‘No, I can’t afford it.’

is a quirk of the Scott family that as one I used to scrounge lifts with neighbours to go then was Club Secretary Anthony Salmon who wondered if he were doing the right thing. element is busy making racing safe and and watch and I could use public transport to was a fantastic man and I learnt a lot from him. “I have never wished I was back at It policing it, the younger BRDC Member get to Crystal Palace. David progressed from Deputy Chief Heathrow. I go to more race meetings now is the one doing the dangerous part! Whilst “When I was old enough to drive I went Flag Marshal to Clerk of the Course and than ever but that is to be expected as it is my David Scott is now Race Operations Manager to watch at Silverstone and found myself was instrumental in the BRDC’s enviable job but I enjoy it as much now as I always did. for MotorSport Vision Racing, his son Aaron leaning on the barriers when this chap called reputation as a race organiser. And then, in In fact, I wish this job had come up five or 10 is winning in the British GT Championship, Lou Wooster started talking to me about 1982, came a phone call from Club Secretary years ago.” having resisted all of his father’s efforts to marshalling.” Pierre Aumonier. Now, not only does David run the MSVR dissuade him from racing. Before long, David was part of the growing “I picked up the phone and Pierre said, ‘It events as Event Director, he is also responsible “I tried really hard,” says David. “I worked at number of volunteer marshals that make has come to my attention that you owe me for the weeks of preparation that go into BA for 41 years and in that time I took Aaron the sport possible. He began as a paddock £80.You’ve just been made a Member’. I was the meetings, dealing with championship to a 737 simulator. It was serious kit and he marshal and worked his way up through enormously proud to have been made a organisers, procuring permits from the MSA flew this mock plane and landed it really well the marshalling ranks as well as becoming Member and it means a lot to me that Aaron and the FIA, plus ensuring that he has enough and I thought, ‘Mmm, maybe he’ll change his chairman of the British Motor Racing Marshals’ is now a Member, too.” marshals for the event to operate. This year, mind about racing. It didn’t work...” Club as it was known. David’s clerking life, looking after Kart too, he will be one of two BRDC Members It was inevitable that Aaron would develop “Through the BMRMC I got to know Grands Prix, Truck Grands Prix, international acting as a permanent FIA race director as he an interest in racing as his father has been one Len Pullen and when the BRDC took over car races, the British Grand Prix and individual will be Race Director for the new FIA Formula of the country’s leading officials for decades. the organisation of major Silverstone race championships, fitted around his life as a 2 Championship. “That is a huge honour and I “My interest began as a small boy,” explains meetings I was volunteered into becoming ground engineer for BA. It was a full-time am really looking forward to it. It should be a David. “My father was Personal Chauffeur to more involved by Len. The Clerk of the Course hobby. But then, in January 2006, David had fantastic season.”

36 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 FATHER & SON

David now has the responsibility of a race meeting on his shoulders, far right, whilst life seems more relaxed for those on the track! Aaron battled on half a budget for a season of British F3, left, before switching to GT racing, initially with the Morgan, below. In May, he secured a maiden British GT win at Spa (Photos Jakob Ebrey and MSV)

And whilst he is away keeping an eye on “That was down to cost,” explains Aaron. “It the cars in front of him, David’s lap top with was a good championship and it was useful live timing of UK events is never far away as he to have the BRDC’s name attached to the looks to see how Aaron is doing. championship because people took more “When he came to me and said he wanted notice when you talked to them about it. I won to go karting, I told him, ‘No, I can’t afford it.’ the class and went to do Junior Formula Ford a Instead, I bought him a radio controlled plane year later in an old Vector which was a struggle but when he came back and said he had as it wasn’t a great car. And then I tried Formula been doing lots of Saturday jobs and saved up 3 on the same limited budget I had tried to do enough for a kart, I knew he was still keen.” Formula Ford with and that really didn’t work David has never been able to provide a too well, but it was all very useful experience.” bottomless pit of money for Aaron’s racing, As 2002 dawned, Aaron’s focus switched to meaning that whatever has been achieved is saloon cars as the Tim Norton Motor Services down to Aaron’s hard work and ability. His first team offered a great deal to race in the Clio steps came in the Jim Russell Racing Drivers Cup. The team was well versed in Fiestas but School Scholarship and then Aaron drove in not in Clios and it was a trying season, but the 1999 BRDC Single Seater Championship in Aaron’s sponsor Omnico Guttering, was happy the Zeus SC1 class. to keep its support.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 37 FATHER & SON

To look at the other Members and to think, ‘I’m one of those’ is an amazing feeling

Step forward Neil Cunningham. “I’d known Neil from when I was a runner at BRDC race meetings and I first met him when he was in dad’s office in trouble for something! It was Neil that suggested I looked at GT cars and I’m really glad I did.” Aaron first raced in the recalcitrant Ultima GTR run by Member Colin Blower and then

Although Aaron began in stints in Morgans, Porsches, Ferraris and family and motor sport: Aaron’s sister Gemma single-seater racing, with a BMWs took him towards an Ascari in the FIA and his wife Charlie are both presenters season of Formula Ford followed by Formula 3, Neil Cunningham GT3 European Championship. At the same of motor racing on Motors TV... “That is so encouraged him to sports car time, Aaron’s driver coaching business was competitive between them, you wouldn’t racing in which he can now earn developing nicely and it was through it that believe it!” he jokes. a living from driving cars. David he met Craig Wilkins. “It is really rewarding Having started his career in a BRDC Scott, meanwhile, is enjoying working with someone like Craig who began championship, becoming a Full Member motor racing as much as ever, despite his hobby becoming as a novice and is really progressing now. We means a great deal to Wolverhampton-based a full time job, with everyone won together at Spa in May and that is great Aaron. “It is amazing to have come from a wanting some of his team at because most of the business comes from novice to a Member with the results achieved race weekends (Photos Jakob word of mouth. As long as customers keep and to look at the other Members and to think, Ebrey and MSV) winning, the phone will keep ringing!” Add in ‘I’m one of those’ is an amazing feeling.” corporate work and Aaron is not only busy, Expect more to come from Aaron in GT but earns a living out of his dream of being a and sports car racing in the years to come, racing driver, something that makes Dad very no doubt with Dad in a race control building proud. There’s another chapter to the Scott looking on proudly.

38 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: ROB BELL Under the spotlight: rob BELL Having begun in single-seater racing, Rob Bell is now one of the leading Ferrari GT racers as Ian Titchmarsh discovered

nternational sports car racing’s GT2 category two years for Rob who has arrived at the Rob is very much in might be regarded as hiding its light too forefront of his discipline without any great demand these days and is much under a bushel and not attracting fanfare in the specialist media after a career in becoming synonymous with I Ferraris in GT racing. This season he the attention which its level of competition single-seaters which promised more than it drives for JMW Motorsport in the Le Mans deserves, particularly as it is principally perhaps delivered. Series and in the FIA GT Championship between two of the most famous names in Although now living in St Helens on for CRS Racing, below, which means endurance racing: Ferrari and Porsche. Unlike Merseyside, Rob was born and bred in that barely a weekend goes by the prototypes, where the LMP2 cars have some Newcastle upon Tyne neither of which can be without a race somewhere across Europe. (Photos LAT) chance against the LMP1s for overall honours, regarded these days as near the centre of any the GT2 Ferraris and Porsches are battling some motor racing universe. To this day Rob’s helmet way behind the GT1 cars. design incorporates the colours of Newcastle As a consequence the Member placed United and he denies that moving near to under the spotlight in this issue of the Bulletin Liverpool will affect his football allegiance is not nearly as well known for his successes despite his team’s current problems. Sitting as in recent years as he should be. In both 2007 we were in a Liverpool bistro it seemed better to and 2008 Rob Bell has won the GT2 title in move back rapidly to motor racing! the Le Mans Series. Last year, in the Virgo Motorsport Ferrari 430GT, he won four of the five races, an achievement which earned him, amongst other accolades, the Fairfield Trophy for an outstanding performance by a BRDC Member. He also took one win in the FIA GT championship at the Bucharest street circuit, sharing a CR Scuderia 430GT with Andrew Kirkaldy whilst at Le Mans his Virgo car was leading the GT2 category with two hours to go when the engine failed. By any standards it has been a remarkable

44 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT: ROB BELL

Rob rose through the single- in three days’ time. It was not a free drive, and seater ranks to Formula Renault Rob did not have the necessary funds burning a V6, left, but it was former team boss Richard Dean who helped hole in his pocket but they were found and he him on the GT path by running presented himself at the ‘Ring. him in the Esperante “I still remember the first words which Rob GTLM in 2006, below. That drive was the catalyst for his Schirle of Cirtek said to me ‘This car is worth burgeoning GT racing career. £400,000 so don’t crash it and if you are within (Photos LAT and Jakob Ebrey) four or five seconds of Darren (Turner) that will be fine.’” Not only did Rob, who had never driven let alone raced anything like the Aston before and had not even had time to walk a circuit to which Rob’s family has no background of any he had never previously been, match Darren’s consequence in motor sport but it was the times but between them they so impressed family retail ceramic tile business which largely Frederic D’Or, the wealthy enthusiast who had funded Rob’s early days in karting. He was British funded the DBR9 project and was scheduled Junior Kart Champion, Belgian Formula A Kart to be the third driver, that he stood down and Champion, and third in the 1997 European left Darren and Rob to win the GT1 category Formula A Kart Championship before the together. decision was taken to switch to cars. “I was offered Richard Dean, for whose Team JLR Rob had a deal which I felt I couldn’t refuse because it driven in his Formula Ford days and had always might never have come along again although the 2002 Formula Renault Championship. Fourth believed in him, now arranged a drive with fellow on reflection perhaps I was a bit early into cars was the outcome and so for 2003 Rob headed Geordie in the Team LNT Panoz and might have done better to stay in karts for to the USA for the inaugural Fran-Am Formula Esperante: “I’m sure that car had a hinge in the another year or two.” Renault Championship. Although there were middle,” says Rob, although it achieved a couple At the age of 18, Rob began a sequence of five some wins and a final third in the championship, of wins for them in the 2006 Le Mans Series. By seasons in Formula Vauxhall Junior, Formula Ford the idea which had been sold to him that there now the eyes of the GT world were opening to and Formula Renault which produced race wins, were seats aplenty for good British drivers across Rob’s talents and he entered the 2007 season as a and two Formula Renault Winter Series titles in the Pond was not the reality but some contacts professional, paid driver for the first time with both 2001 and 2002, always on a tight budget and were made for future reference. Virgo Motorsport and Scuderia Ecosse in Ferraris. ever-mindful that he was the one who would By now Rob was realising that his dream of The journey, which Rob stresses would not have have to pay for any accident damage out of his Formula 1 might be lost forever and so family been possible without the support of his family, own, far from deep, pocket. Rob feels that that funds were invested in a final bid to stay on the had not been in vain. attitude, whilst it may have been an inhibiting single-seater ladder. A subsidised season with The 2009 season has not started as well as factor in the rough and tumble of the junior David Price Racing in European Formula Renault hoped for a combination of “tyre-related issues” single-seater categories, is paying dividends in V6 again produced some results which were and the effort which Porsche have put into endurance racing where every race is driven on nearly, but not quite, good enough and produced developing the 911 GT3-RS over the winter the limit but the cars need to be looked after. a championship fifth. The future, viewed from which has left the Ferrari teams on the back foot. After finishing third in the 2000 British Formula working as an instructor with MotorSport Vision The chances of a LMS GT2 hat trick are therefore Ford Championship, and fourth the following at Bedford Autodrome, looked bleak until one receding but there can be no doubt that the year, Rob was a beneficiary of the BRDC’s Young Wednesday in August 2005 his phone rang with name of Rob Bell, who has just celebrated his Driver Initiative and received top up funding to an invitation to share the wheel of the first Aston 30th birthday, will be around in endurance racing enable him to secure a drive with Motaworld in Martin DBR9 in private hands at the Nurburgring for many years yet.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 45 ARMCHAIR COMMENT IT WAS ALRIGHT ON THE NIGHT Club Member Andrew Marriott reflects on 15 minutes of (unwanted) fame

still happens occasionally, One of Denis Norden’s favourite words, upon among motor racing folk you which he hangs with a quizzical deliberation It haven’t met before or even at for comic effect is: however. Now, as readers the occasional dinner party. “I know you from of the BRDC Bulletin can finally be told, there somewhere, can’t think where”. As it is probably was a very big “however” from my side. In the unlikely they’ve caught me on some obscure All Right clip, the screen switches to colour channel which is up on the 400s on the Sky bars indicating the satellite feed has been box, I wait to see if their grey matter kicks in. broken at the moment my mouth starts to If it does, the next response is almost utter the opening question to the inevitably: “You were that bloke on It’ll Be ace. Sorry folks, it never happened. The boys Alright on the Night, trying to interview Mario who had been screaming at each other on Andretti and it was all a frightful cock-up.” that production circuit, two seasoned ITV Yes and no! Yes, I was the guy who appeared professionals called Mike Hack and Keith on the very first of Denis Norden’s blooper Neimayer, had actually arranged for an shows It’ll Be Alright on the Night”. I was, or so extension on “the bird”. While this probably it appeared, trying unsuccessfully to thrust an cost several thousand pounds, it wasn’t exactly ITV microphone in the direction of America’s as Mr Norden suggested. finest racing driver to the backdrop of people Indeed the interview went ahead, and screaming backwards and forwards on a Mario told us in no uncertain terms that the TV talk-back circuit between Anderstorp in fan car should be banned. He really didn’t like The main talking point of the But there were a lot of other “however” during one of my most and ’s South Bank TV Centre. being sand blasted by and John weekend was the appearance memorable motor racing broadcasts. More of that later – but first let’s fill I admit it was comical and obviously terribly Watson in this product of ’s of the fan on the rear of the in some of the background surrounding that 1978 . Brabham BT46, above, that frustrating when the time booked on the fertile engineering brain. Indeed, the interview went on to win the race in If you remember we are in year two of the high down force expensive satellite circuit ran out just as all the which, according to Alright on the Night never hands of Niki Lauda. In the top revolution, led by the phenomenal Lotus 78 of the previous year technical problems had been solved. After 30 happened, was used prominently at the top left strip, ARM was just happy and refined into the 79 by and his team for the 1978 minutes of frustration, I was finally going to of ITV World of Sport to preview the Swedish to be talking...eventually! season. Others, like Williams, had joined in with the FW07 but Brabham ask Mario about the Brabham BT46B, aka the Grand Prix live coverage coming a little later in (Photos LAT) was saddled with the ultra-wide and thirsty flat 12 Alfa Romeo engine famous fan car. the afternoon. which made a similar aerodynamic solution a big problem for Bernie

46 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 ARMCHAIR COMMENT

Ecclestone’s design chief Gordon Murray. He’s the guy, remember, that Bernie claimed to have found under a dust sheet in the Brabham design office when he bought the team from ! Gordon’s initial idea for the BT46 was not to use conventional radiators for the car but flat plate heat exchangers – a kind of the reverse of solar panel. It didn’t work, in fact it was hopeless. But Gordon quickly bounced back and, in huge secrecy, developed the fan car version of the BT46 in time for June’s Swedish GP – a race strangely held on a Saturday and hence ITV’s interest in broadcasting it. But let’s return to the It’ll Be Alright incident. The plan was to record an interview mid-morning with Ronnie Peterson, above, keen to do well on Niki Lauda standing with the fan car and at the end home ground, qualified fourth in his Lotus of the piece, I would pull off with gusto the rubber 79 with team-mate securing dustbin lid which neatly fitted over the rear orifice pole position ahead of the Brabham-Alfa Romeos of John Watson and Niki Lauda. The and thus reveal the fan to the amazed viewers back were protested before the Grand in the UK. The interview would effectively be live but Prix but that was rejected by officials and recorded in the World of Sport technical area to be the race produced a great fight between the played out an hour later and introduced, of course, pole-sitting Lotus and the Austrian. Ronnie, by Dickie Davies. meanwhile, was delayed with a puncture after grabbing third place on lap 10. The All was set up although we knew it wouldn’t race lost Wattie on lap 20 after the throttle be easy because Swedish TV had, for some quirky jammed and he spun off leaving Riccardo Scandinavian reason, refused to televise the race. So Patrese’s to aim for the final Bernie, in one of his first forays into TV production, podium place. Things improved even further had brought in a French group, who pretty well to a for Jackie Oliver’s first-year team when Mario’s engine failed on lap 47 elevating the man didn’t speak English and certainly had less than Italian to second place with Ronnie rounding a smorgasbord of Swedish. out the top three. (Photos LAT) The cameraman who would shoot our piece

Mario told us in no uncertain terms that the fan car should be banned. He really didn’t like being sand blasted

could only communicate with us in sign language. However, it didn’t need even his Gallic gesticulations for us to realise that we were in the brown and smelly. The reason? He started to take the camera to pieces just minutes before we were supposed to

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 47

ARMCHAIR COMMENT

Once Mario Andretti’s Lotus retired with engine failure, the race was all about Niki Lauda and the Brabham-Alfa Romeo BT46,left. A mixture of emotions were displayed on the podium: frustration for Ronnie Peterson, Niki Lauda seemed almost embarrassed by his win given the furore over the fan car and was certainly happy after recording his best finish to date for Arrows. It would be 1982 before Riccardo would stand on the top step of the podium. (Photos LAT)

Bernie, in one of his first later they arrived in my sight and then, miracle forays into TV production, had of miracles, I suddenly had a wobbly but brought in a French group, who discernable picture. It was about 10 laps later when a gust of pretty well to a man didn’t speak wind blew all my crib cards away. They rose up, English all those notes of research, and fluttered down behind the grandstand. Now it was just me, a transmit the piece to London. The fact that piece was scheduled to go to air but we’d was just me, no co-commentator, pits reporter flickering screen and my memory. he scattered the various electronic pieces made it. I thought nothing more of it until and one producer who was in the OB truck. Then that superimposing deal happened actually on the pit road simply didn’t inspire some months later when a researcher from At the appointed time I received the again. Somehow I was able to pick out our confidence. the then unknown It’ll Be Alright on the Night countdown to start commentating. “Three, very own John Watson rotating the fan car, By then , the Brabham team show called. She explained they had this piece two, one” at which point the monitor went thus leaving his team-mate Niki Lauda to manager, had advised us that all interviews and they’d like to use it and furthermore they completely blank. Now you may not know, disappear into the distance to score the with his drivers or close up shots of the fan car would send a contract for £50. unless you have been to the midge-infested one and only win for the fan car. As you will were off limits, because of the rising furore over I was somewhat bemused because as race track that is Anderstorp, that the pits probably recall, the team withdrew the car the speed of the fan car and its sand blasting far as I knew I had waited around to get an and paddock complex are about a mile from because of the general outcry among the capabilities. Plan B was to interview Mario. interview while some technical issues were the start finish line. All I could see was empty rivals led by a highly agitated Colin Chapman. Thus I stood, microphone in hand, face to resolved – and it certainly wasn’t the first time corner in front of me and the distant sound of Bernie was once again almost certainly face with Mario as our cameraman bolted the that had happened. I hadn’t heard anything race cars forming up on the grid. I welcomed thinking three moves ahead. last part of the camera back together again of the increasingly desperate and hilarious the viewers, took them through the fan car Fortunately a full frame picture returned to – and I swear there was one piece still on interchange between Sweden and the South controversy, read out the grid all to a blank my monitor for the closing stages and I was the pit lane. Then followed a long wait while Bank Studios nor considered the kind of spin screen. I could only assume they were seeing able to commentate in a half sensible manner Anderstorp and London tried to communicate the Norden team could put on it. grid shots. over the historic victory. and finally, as I got the thumbs up, the What I did remember was the technical However – that word again – as I heard the Since then, of course, the It’ll Be Alright on contents of the then Swedish Touring Car and logistic problems I had encountered with engine revs rise indicating the start of the race, the Night clip has been played many times Championship took to the pit lane – and those the actual race transmission. Now, Jonathan the screen flickered into life but in a stroke including in the “Best of”, on video and now Camaros were loud. Legard listen to this. My commentary position of technical turmoil, the bottom half of the on the internet. Sadly my contract had no Finally, the interview went ahead and was was in the open air at the top of a concrete picture was superimposed over the top half. repeat clause so I only got £50 and 15 minutes beamed to London and everyone was happy. grandstand. It was a small section of that This made it somewhat difficult to decide of fame out of it. But you all now know, it was By now it was just 10 minutes before the paddock grandstand simply roped off. There who was leading. Fortunately a few seconds alright on the night.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 49 ALAN JONES Putting Williams on the map Alan Jones became synonymous with Williams in the late 1970s/early 1980s, enjoying huge success with the British team. Grant Rowley spoke to him about his life at Williams.

he Williams FW07 was a special Grand The Williams FW07 became Prix chassis, and not just for the fact that a regular race winner in the it took the famous Grand Prix constructor second half of 1979, with Alan T scoring victory against the to its first Formula 1 race win. turbocharged car In The success of the car, in time, is obvious for that year, right. Having won all to see. The reason it was special, according in at Hockenheim, it was to then team driver Alan Jones, was as soon as his second win for Williams. he planted his backside in it, he knew he was Alan was just what the team needed and, as far as Frank in for a real treat. Williams and were “It was after about my fifth or sixth lap at concerned, he was a perfect fit, some test track we went to in California,” Alan below. (Photos LAT)

50 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 ALAN JONES

Alan clinched the World Championship for Williams in 1980 with five wins (six if you include the Spanish Grand Prix that became a non- championship race) making him a very happy man

says today. “We’d just done the Long Beach established himself as the team’s go-to man for Grand Prix in the FW06. They’d brought the speed and consistency. Not that his team-mate 07 over to do some testing in the week after. I was a slouch, but AJ’s hard- Patrick Head mimicked the Lotus’s sleek went out, jumped in it and my first words were nosed, aggressive approach suited the FW07’s aerodynamics, creating a chassis that was soon something like “I now know why Lotus is going unrivalled driveability. to be the benchmark for all its rivals. so well.” Still, the Australian did not go down in the The FW07 was designed in the same ilk as record books as the FW07’s first winner. That Silverstone, 1981, wasn’t a the mega successful . Ground effects claim was left to Regga, who cruised past happy hunting ground for the were clearly the way to go in Formula 1 design Alan on that Saturday Silverstone afternoon reigning World Champion, at the time, and team owners Frank Williams in 1979 when Jones’s car developed a crack in above. Having qualified on row and Patrick Head knew it. Patrick, the team’s the water inverter. Personally for Alan, it was four, he would slip behind ’s Ferrari which spun chief designer, mimicked the Lotus’s sleek a disappointing race, considering he’d been at Woodcote. With nowhere aerodynamics, creating a chassis that was not within a shout of taking the team to its first to go, Alan crashed into the only a match for the Lotus, but was soon to be win. catch-fencing. By the end of the benchmark for all its rivals. “Patrick had come up with a little the season he had announced Thirty years have passed since Williams’s first aerodynamic tweak before Silverstone,” he says. his retirement and headed to Las Vegas, right, for his final Formula 1 victory at Silverstone in 1979. It was “In all honesty, I don’t think anyone would have Grand Prix for Williams. He won a bitter-sweet race meeting for Alan, who had ever thought it would make a difference, but comfortably. (Photos LAT)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 51

ALAN JONES

I think that Frank knew how to get the best out of me, how to motivate me, and I think that’s part of being a good team owner the minute he put it on the car, it was worth out of me, how to motivate me, and I think dead-set half a second. I felt very confident that’s part of being a good race team owner,” after that. Alan says. “Apart from the managerial point of “I got it on pole position that weekend and view, looking after the accounts and getting was leading the race by 20 seconds until the the required funds ready to do the job, being car developed a stupid little crack in the water able to handle your staff is vital. In Formula 1, inverter. It cracked, let the water out and that particularly these days, not only do you have was it. Obviously, I was very happy for the team the drivers who are prima donnas, you’ve got and happy for Clay, but I was disappointed that engineers, mechanics and all sorts of people I wasn’t able to give Williams its first F1 win. now who can be high maintenance. I think “For me, winning the British Grand Prix was that being able to handle those people and like winning my home Grand Prix. I’d lived get the best out of them is an art form.” there for so long and made that many friends Frank turned that art into success with Alan … It was pretty disappointing.” and the FW07, racking up the World title and Alan didn’t have to wait too long before the Constructors’ Championship in 1980. In his first win in the car – in fact, the win came 1981, still in the FW07, Alan and new team- in the very next round in . He went mate went within a whisker on to claim another three GPs in 1979, and of taking another title. Unreliability ultimately ultimately the title in 1980. cost Alan, but the team still won its second- While the FW07 was clearly the best car in consecutive constructors’ crown. the field, Alan says today that the environment Alan says that he isn’t the only one who feels inside the Williams camp was the real key to its that the 1981 crown could have been his and success. the team’s … “It was probably the best relationship I’ve “Yeah, no question, and I’m not the only Alan, today, remembers had with an owner/engineer,” he admits. “Frank one who thinks that. I think Frank and Patrick the Beatrice-Lola, top, as Williams was the best bloke that I drove for, would be as quick to tell you that as I would an unsuccessful return to and Patrick was the best engineer that I’ve ever be,” he says. ”I felt I drove better in ‘81 than ‘80 Formula 1. For him, nothing rivalled the bond that he and worked with. They were very straight down because the pressure was off me. I’d already Frank Williams established, the line, no bull, calls a spade a spade. We become the World Champion so all I could left. It was, he says, the best very rarely had to use 10 words when three ever do was become World Champion again relationship he has ever had would be suffice. We just had a great working and I concentrated on my racing and just got relationship and I think it’s just one of those on with it. had I won either one of them, I would have ill-fated comebacks. things that come around every now and then.” “I was let down by some stupid little clinched the championship again.” But no-one can take away the race wins Not only was the relationship strong, it was a mechanical things. I lost two races that year A second world title was not to be for Alan, or the championship he secured for the place where both parties could thrive. because of a fuel line issue. I was leading both and after he won the final GP of the year in Las Williams team, all behind the wheel of the “I think that Frank knew how to get the best at the time, one of them was Monaco, and Vegas, he retired, albeit before a number of incomparable FW07.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 53

OBITUARIES Peter Cooper 1922 – 2009 eter Cooper made a huge contribution to motor sport throughout the Obituaries P world. He was universally popular and respected for his wisdom and fairness throughout his time in the sport, but Peter’s Bill Grose horizons stretched much further than just 1921 – 2009 this country. He seemed to have the ability or someone whose family supplied many years. Gliding and shooting were also to make friends so easily with all his opposite recovery vehicles to the infant Silverstone dear to Bill’s heart, as was fishing. In fact, it numbers and colleagues in the hectic world of F circuit, it was no wonder that Bill Grose was shooting that brought him back from Grands Prix and International rallies, with the would develop an interest in motor racing. his haven in Tenerife where he enjoyed his result that I don’t think I have been anywhere Peter Cooper receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 Bill Grose made his name in the 500cc era in retirement. in motor sport in the last 10 years where there from MSA Chairman Alan Gow in recognition of the enormous his self-built Grose Special in which he took on A lifelong friend of , it was Bill’s has not been somebody who has asked to be contribution that Peter made to the sport the might of the Coopers. A local lad, his family wish that there was no mourning after his remembered to him. owned a substantial garage business, Grose death. Instead, he asked in his will, everyone He started his motor sport life by joining his respected member of the World Council, and Ltd, in Northampton and it exists to this day “should have a bloody good piss up and local club and entered many serious events, the UK has representatives on practically every run by his son Peter. remember me like that.” culminating in his best result by being runner Sporting Commission in Paris, which I believe In the days long before gravel beds and run- He is succeeded by his widow Mary, son up to the eventual winner Johnny Wallwork in was entirely due to his influence and good off areas, the Silverstone breakdown fleet was Peter, daughter Gaye and his grand-children. the RAC Rally of 1954, when he started from governance. operated by the Grose family whose vehicles David Addison (the assistance of Jack Sears Blackpool, in a Triumph TR2. After his retirement in 1987, Peter continued would be responsible for returning stranded is greatly appreciated in writing this tribute) In the early 60s Peter accepted an invitation to be a very active Steward on MSA and cars to the paddock and their frustrated teams. to join the Competitions Committee at many other events like Le Jog, the Lands It was in 500c racing that he had great Pall Mall where he served two five-year End Trial, the Scottish Malts and many others success, although was once falsely flattered appointments, and was one of many who including many in Ireland as well as overseas. by a young lad who asked for his autograph. helped Sir Clive Bossom form the new Motor He received many plaudits. He was made an Puffing with pride, he signed his name as the Sport Council in 1975. Peter eventually Honorary Member of the Royal Automobile lad asked for five further signatures. As he succeeded Sir Clive as Chairman, and about Club, the Motor Sports Council awarded him finished, Bill asked the young man, “Why do this time MSA Ltd was formed in 1979, where The Prince Michael of Merit, and only a year you want six?” Peter was a founding director. Unfortunately, ago for his final retirement, he was given a “Well,” said the boy, “If I’ve got six I can swap Basil Tye sadly died suddenly in the early 80s, Lifetime Achievement Award at the Council them all for one good one!” Bill Grose built two 500 cc and there really was only one choice as to Dinner in 2008. Peter was also made a Vice There was more to Bill than motor Formula 3 cars, the first his successor, and Peter to his great credit, President d’Honneur of FISA, of all of which he (above) in 1948 and the racing, however. A passionate rugby fan, he second, incorporating rubber answered the call. The challenges facing him was immensely proud. played not only for his school but also for bands in the rear suspension, at this time were immense which included And it really doesn’t matter much now how Northampton Saints, and in the late 1950s, in 1953. Although no notable the venue of the British Grand Prix and the we all used to know him, Dad, Pops, Cooper- success was achieved, they yachting took over from motor racing, and were well able to mix it with RAC Rally format, where we were not getting man, Coops, Coopy, Peter or just simply Peter, Bill raced a Flying Fifteen, initially at Pitsford the Coopers on at all well with the President Jean Marie he was always the same kindly person we will Reservoir and subsequently in the Solent, Balestre of the FIA. However by the end of his never forget. where he took park in the Cowes Regatta for tenure as Chief Executive, Peter was a hugely Michael Southcombe

56 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 OBITUARIES

William’s career continued in the financial sector, was a charming, kind and generous man who lived for William Samengo-Turner joining First National City Bank, followed by the ITT his family and fine cooking. He is sadly missed by friends 1925 - 2008 Group where he became Chairman of Abbey Life and in and a large, close family. the age of 35 William Samengo- William Samengo-Turner (right) with the mid 1970s, Chairman of the Excess Insurance Group. William is survived by Janette, his wife of 57 years, Turner was joint Managing Director brother Fabian, and team drivers William and his wife Janette enjoyed their retirement children Stephen, Keith, Weenie, Antonia, Dominic and (second) and Henry At of Yeoman Credit Limited, with his Taylor (fourth) after the 1960 French in , although his health during the last 18 years was Julian, and 18 grandchildren. younger brother Fabian. Yeoman Credit was Grand Prix at Reims sadly affected by his fight against Parkinson’s. William Jeremy Samengo-Turner a finance company founded by their father Joseph Samengo-Turner in the mid 1950s. With an expanding business in financing retail motor sales, the Samengo-Turner brothers were looking at new ways of advertising Yeoman Credit. This led to a meeting with Ken Gregory (who was managing ) of the British Racing Partnership (BRP), where a question was put to Ken: “How much would it cost to own and run a Formula 1 Grand Prix Team?” Ken, seeing an opportunity here, did some quick calculations and come up with a figure, which was viewed as a realistic opportunity for Yeoman Credit to secure profile advertising in the press and on television. The result was Ken Gregory agreeing to run BRP as The Yeoman Credit Racing Team, which was formed in 1960. This was the first fully sponsored Formula 1 Grand Prix Team, with cars branded with the distinctive red stripe and nose cone and lime green paint work. The team owned and ran four 1959 Cooper T51s under the direction of Ken Gregory for the 1960 F1 and F2 season. In 1961 the Samengo- Turner brothers’ Yeoman Credit Racing Team moved to the updated works Cooper T53s, now under the team management of , who bought with him a new driver line-up: the former motorcycle World Champion, and . After the end of the 1962 Grand Prix season, Yeoman Credit, now under the banner of Bowmaker Racing Team with Reg Parnell running the new V8-powered Lola Mk 4s, withdrew from F1 sponsorship.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 57

OBITUARIES Dr Peter Smith MRCS, LRCP 1920 – 2009 fter qualifying as a Doctor in 1944, attending Silverstone in an official capacity Motor racing enthusiast Peter Peter Smith, following spells in various and Peter accepted his invitation to help at Smith, pictured below with his Riley, was an invaluable A hospitals, took up General Practice in the next meeting. member of the Silverstone North Manchester. His main interest outside The medical service at Silverstone would medical team for 25 years. work at the time was motor cars and motor dramatically change over the next 25 years. He was part of a team that dramatically improved the sport. This was a difficult pastime to follow It went from three to 40 Doctors, operating medical service at Silverstone in the post-war austerity years without from a medical centre, all fully supported by before concentrating on his significant private money. In 1949 he decided the BRDC and John Eason-Gibson in particular, second love of motor cruisers to visit Silverstone along with a motor trader the then Secretary. Peter was Deputy Chief friend of his in his Riley. In the long queues to Medical Officer at all the major meetings. get out at the end of the meeting he fell into After 25 continuous years of supporting conversation with another Riley owner, who UK motor sport he felt he had had enough, turned out to be the local GP who had been his second love of motor cruisers and the

Norfolk Broads was beginning to take over. At that time there was also some minor controversy, when appeared with his articulated operating theatre, the Grand Prix Medical Unit, which was aimed almost exclusively at Grand Prix drivers. While the idea was not wholly without merit, the BRDC felt that it was better to stabilise the drivers at the circuit and then to evacuate them as rapidly as possible to a local major hospital with all its inherent backup facilities. John Eason-Gibson wrote to Peter saying: “We are thinking of making an alternative suggestion to Mr Stanley that a portion of the large sum of money he seems to have collected be devoted to making medical HQs at all British circuits better in every possible way. Our reason for this is that the life of a driver at the smallest club meeting is just as important as the life of a Formula 1 graded driver competing in a world championship event”. Peter rescued the Marquis de Portago from his overturned Ferrari at Club Corner and, as a result of such exploits, was extremely honoured to be invited to join the BRDC in 1966 as a (General) Associate Member. He never lost his love of motor sport right to the end and avidly watched all the Grands Prix on television. He spent the last 30 odd years of his life happily retired in Norfolk and, following the sale of his Broom motor cruiser he eventually bought a riverside property in Horning, spending all his summers in Norfolk and a minimum amount of time in the North of in the winter, where he passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 89.

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 59 60 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 SECRETARY'S LETTER secretary’s letter

raditionally, this column is not given headlines win in this extremely competitive Wednesday. Thanks to Ian Khan for more formal Club heading and use it as an over to detailed reportage of motor formula in their ‘rookie’ year. To achieve organising another excellent gathering opportunity to benefits charities. There will T races, but as I have the latest copy that at Monaco – on his first visit to the and to Michael McKee for arranging for be more on this over the coming months, deadline of all contributors, it would be principality – was nothing short of a superb two stunning pictures, one of Jim Clark but plans are afoot for a Team BRDC entry remiss of me not to acknowledge the performance. In securing his win one of the and the other of Graham Hill, to be in 2010 London . If you would fantastic performance by BRDC Members at people that Oliver had to beat was fellow auctioned to the considerable benefit of a like to be part of this endeavour, please the Monaco Grand Prix weekend. Another young BRDC Member and very much one local charity. let Oliver Gavin (address in the Members’ well publicised and hugely deserved victory of the in-form and experienced men of I know that the President feels strongly Yearbook) know. for Jenson Button followed a sublime the Championship, James Walker. James, that the Club could and should do more Finally, it is back to motor racing and performance in qualifying which secured who had been quickest in practice on by way of fundraising for charity. He quite congratulations to Dan Wheldon on his the all important pole position. Once again, Thursday, had to settle for third, but gladly rightly believes that it would give the Club second place in this year’s Indy 500. Dan Jenson showed he is capable of taking accepted solid points for his unashamed an additional raison d’être, make good use was one of an incredible six Members of the incredible pressure and headed home championship hunt. Two out of three on of numerous opportunities that present the BRDC taking part in the 93rd running of his team mate, Honorary Member Rubens the podium proudly displayed the Club themselves during the year and blunt the this blue ribbon race. Dan’s achievement Barichello, to yet another Brawn GP one- badge on their race suits! attack of those that accuse the Club of was no small feat and he has undoubtedly two. What a year Member Ross Brawn and As if that were not enough, Richard being self-centred. Initiatives, such as the proved the doubters wrong about his move his eponymous team are having. Wow! Westbrook converted pole into victory in charity auction at the Monaco lunch first back to . Having drunk the Whilst Jenson, quite rightly, took the the Porsche Supercup. Another great result instigated by Henry Taylor some time ago, milk in Victory Lane in 2005, I am sure that majority of attention, it should not be in a highly competitive race. Hopefully in are surely a win-win situation? There will Dan was a tad frustrated, but also, I suspect, overlooked that BRDC Members won two Porsche AG will be questioning be other opportunities, and whilst I am pragmatic enough to recognise that a great of the three Grand Prix support races that why they decided not to renew Richard’s sure that no Members want to see the result at this stage for his return to Panther. weekend. Yes – that is three wins out of ‘works’ contract this year. This performance, Club become a motor sport Rotary Club, I look forward to seeing you at the Grand four on the programme for BRDC Members! coupled with his dominant form in FIA or for that matter rival the still excellent Prix, the Classic or both. Oliver Turvey took his maiden Formula GT2 so far this year, really do make him the endeavours of the Dog House, there is Renault 3.5 victory and in the process dominant force in Porsches currently. surely room for some further attention on demonstrated an eye opening, mature I know that many Club Members this matter. performance in only his third race weekend enjoyed the action in Monaco in person, I know that many of the Club Members in his new formula. It is fair to say that only following a very healthy turnout at the who ran the in late Stuart Pringle those who have gone on to really grab the Monaco regional lunch on the preceding April this year are keen to do so under a Secretary

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 61 FROM THE ARCHIVE

The BRDC Archive is full of fascinating ephemera regarding the history of the Club and motor racing in general. From books, race results, Club documentation Hidden treasure and past issues of the Bulletin through to an amazing photo library, the Archive is available With the rich heritage of the Club, it is no wonder that the BRDC for Members to use at all times Archive has plenty to offer, as Archivist Steph Sykes explains (Photos BRDC Archive)

what is an Archivist? This is does not happen too often, but the BRDC is The next big development is the launch of a frequently asked question no exception in this. It is something many the BRDC print-on-demand website in July. The So to which there is no simple archivist have to face especially relating to a Club has, over the years, collected an amazing answer, so here is mine: “Well, an Archivist business or organisations that fall outside of photographic collection of the history of not is a glorified shelf stacker.” Alright, that is an the public record office. It has also only been only its Members and their achievements but over-simplification of the task in hand as it in recent years that organisations have realised also of the sport. Through this site it will open does somewhat miss out the sorting, ordering, the historical importance of their records. up the collection for all to enjoy and provide cataloguing, packaging and then boxing of a The lesson that can be learnt now is that the an income to keep the archive in acid-free wide range of material relating to, in this case, important records of the Club produced today boxes. Once this site is up and running then the 81 years of the Club’s history. However, trust are correctly identified and integrated into the serious task of cataloguing the collection can me, there is a lot of moving boxes when trying archive for future generations. begin, with order finally overcoming the chaos. to create order. In my first couple of months I have barely scratched the surface. The focus has mainly been on the development of an income stream to help support archive activities and further develop the library. To ensure the long-term safety of the collection the key is preservation, simple measures such as archival standard enclosures and boxes make all the difference and prevent the need for expensive conservation work. It was important for me to write a Collection and Disposal policy which is a controlled document approved by the Club Committee that clearly and unquestionably sets out the aims and responsibilities of the Club to its Archive. The collection has suffered through people not recognising the importance of the material around them and the story it has to tell. I would like to say that this is something that

62 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2

ARCHIVE IMAGE CAPTIONS

IMAGE CAPTIONS 7 Silverstone 13 July 1979 21 Le Mans Sunday 11 June 1989 41 Nurburgring Friday 19 May 1939 By Ian Titchmarsh

2 Silverstone 14 May 1949

Just seven and a half months after the RAC Grand Qualifying for the following day’s British Grand Prix Prix in October 1948 the first British Grand Prix takes has finished less than two hours earlier and now Dick Seaman has no time to take in the place at Silverstone. Gone from the circuit are the it’s time for some of the drivers to race for BMW, as grandeur of the Eifel mountains as he corrects central runways to be replaced by the perimeter yet unrepresented in Formula 1. This is the ultimate a slide and powers through Eschbach on his airfield roads but with a tight, oil drum and straw bale one make series, pitting five of the fastest drivers way to Brunnchen during practice for the chicane at Club Corner, designed to compel the use from Thursday’s F1 qualifying against the regulars . Only the first day’s practice has of a lower gear than third or fourth at least once per in the BMW M1 Procar championship. The first five The Chamberlain Engineering Spice SE88C of been dry and Seaman sets fastest time jointly lap. With Alfa Romeo taking a year off from Grand places on the grid are reserved for the GP stars Nick Adams, sharing with Fermin Velez and Luigi with , both at the Prix racing, the state of the art machinery present are and in the qualifying session, Brabham-Alfa driver Taverna, leans into the Porsche Curves, leading wheel of the 1939 version of the Mercedes-Benz the 4CLT/48s led by the 1948 winner Luigi takes pole position from Williams in Group C2 by 90 minutes or more, having W154 powered by the M163 3-litre, two-stage Villoresi who secures pole position, a distinct contrast team leader Alan Jones, with Lotus driver Carlos dominated the category from the outset. Hugh supercharged, developing 484 bhp. from the previous year when he had to start from Reutemann and Nelson’s team-mate (and Procar Chamberlain’s tireless but irrepressible team look On race day Seaman’s over exuberant start the back row after missing practice. At the fall of the champion-to-be) Niki Lauda on row two and Clay set to take a well deserved victory in this race takes its toll on the clutch and he retires on the flag ‘Bira’ takes the lead from the Italian and the two Regazzoni, completing the ‘Famous Five’. Into within a race. But just after breakfast, one cylinder first lap. Still the fourth driver in the Mercedes Maserati drivers engage in a “fine ding-dong affair” Copse Corner for the first time, Alan is ahead but of the DFL engine loses compression. team, despite winning the (to quote one source) in the throes of which they is soon to be nudged out of the way and down In traditional, never give up, spirit Hugh and his the previous year, this is Seaman’s first race of are seen here at the Club Corner chicane in the early to fourth by Nelson who in turn is passed by Niki weary men spend the whole of Sunday morning the year. He has been fastest in practice for stages with the Siamese Prince ahead. In the distance at Abbey on lap five. Moments after our picture is trying to effect repairs but, with four hours to the a few weeks earlier but is are -Lagos, an ERA and a Ferrari heading down taken the fast-starting , in the go, the Cougar-Porsche C20LM of Jean-Claude denied a drive because only three cars are Hangar Straight towards Stowe Corner. Villoresi loses yellow Kreis-telefonbuch car from row four, tangles Andruet, Philippe Farjon and Shuji Kasaya catches available. There is a point to be proved. The next oil pressure while ‘Bira’ hits one of those concrete- with Carlos and Clay, delaying them and putting up and the Spice is retired. Although Le Mans is opportunity comes in the at filled drums to the detriment of his front suspension himself in the catch fencing for the duration. It is outside the FIA Sports-Prototype Championship Spa on 26th June. Leading the race comfortably leaving Baron ‘Toulo’ de Graffenreid to win a race of not Alan’s weekend, the Australian falling from the this year, it is a full-strength entry and the calibre with 13 laps to go, Seaman crashes into a tree nearly four hours’ duration with his 4CLT/48 from Bob early lead to an ultimate fifth with a slow puncture of the Adams/Velez/Chamberlain combination approaching La Source and sustains terrible Gerard in ERA R14B and the Talbot-Lago T26C of Louis and then dominating the GP the following day is shown when they clinch the C2 title at burns from which he dies in hospital within a Rosier. Neither the chicane nor concrete-filled oil only to retired with engine failure, leaving Regga Donington Park with two races still to run. Sadly few hours with his friend Robert Fellowes, who drums are ever used again! to give Williams its first Grand Prix victory. Velez will face a long battle with cancer before has taken this photograph, at his bedside. (Photo: LAT) (Photo: LAT) passing away in 2003. (Photo: LAT/Robert Fellowes Collection)

64 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 ARCHIVE IMAGE CAPTIONS

43 silverstone Saturday 14 July 1979 55 Zandvoort Sunday 31 May 1959 60 Rockingham Sunday May 31 2009

Just over 10 years after Frank Williams has arrived in Formula BRM’s first Formula 1 World Championship victory has arrived at 1 with Piers Courage and a second hand Brabham BT26, last after years of turmoil and unfulfilled promise. This is no win everything falls into place and a car bearing the Williams by default, either. Swede Joakim Bonnier has qualified the P25 name, designed by Patrick Head, built by Williams Grand Prix on pole position and leads off the line. He is passed at various celebrates a maiden win in the British F3 International Engineering and driven by Clay Regazzoni wins the British times by the works Cooper-Climax T51s of Series as he crosses the line in the first of the day’s two races. Grand Prix at record-breaking speed. Only one other car, Rene and and the Rob Walker car of Stirling Moss but From fifth on the grid, Nick scores an emotional win coming just Arnoux’s Renault RS12, goes the full distance. It could well is never out of the first two places and, when the gearbox of under three weeks after the tragic death of his brother Joe in a have been a Williams 1 – 2, as team leader Alan Jones has been Stirling’s Cooper fails, Jo Bo is there to take over and reel off road accident, and is cheered home by the JTR squad and the rest utterly dominant in qualifying, half a second ahead of anyone the remaining laps to score his only win at this level. For BRM of the F3 teams who all stand on the pit wall to acknowledge his else and averaging an eye-watering 146.84 mph to take pole this singular success is never to be repeated with the P25 and special victory. As Nick crosses the line, a wishbone breaks causing position, a mere 6.57 seconds under the circuit record set it will not be until the of 1962, with the P57 his three-wheeled car to pull off just after the finish line meaning by in his Parnelli VPJ6B Indycar the previous in the hands of Graham Hill, that another World Championship that Nick has to jog to the podium. The Bedford-based driver has September. From the start Alan clears off to lead by 20 seconds win comes along. Both achievements had been preceded inherited the lead after a tangle between Daniel Ricciardo and and more, his FW07 swooping through Silverstone’s fast corners by internal threats to the future of the team – in 1959 by the on the opening lap, and Nick calmly drives at speeds never previously seen with the aid of its sophisticated decision to provide the British Racing Partnership with a P25 for around the chaos, and Swede , to take the lead and ground-effect chassis. Unhappily for Alan, water pump failure Stirling Moss and in 1962 by the requirement of Sir Alfred Owen a win for in the face of the opposition. ends his race in the pits after 38 laps but Regga, seen here at that unless the team started winning, he might close it down. (Photo: Jakob Ebrey) Copse Corner, is there to take over the mantle and ensure that (Photo: LAT) Frank’s years of graft, toil and unwavering passion for racing Archive images in the BRDC Bulletin are from receive their just reward. Regga’s winning speed at 138.80 mph the BRDC Archive and from LAT Photographic. is 4.4 mph faster than the previous lap record. “Just Williams” is To purchase copies of the images, please contact Steph the very apt headline in Motoring News the following Thursday. Sykes at the BRDC (01327 850927) or LAT Photographic on 020 8251 3032. (Photo: LAT courtesy of WilliamsF1)

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 65 MEMBER NEWS

Oliver Gavin and Andy Priaulx were raising money for Charity in the London Marathon, while Damon Hill presented Allan McNish with a painting to commemorate his 2008 Le Member News Mans win in Monaco, far right David Addison catches up on what Members have been doing.

embers have been busy in all walks of life recently. in action that weekend, with Jackie Oliver taking a race win Or running in the case of one or two... in the Pre-66 saloon race on the Indy circuit. M Darren Turner, Andy Priaulx and Oliver Gavin By the time this edition of the Bulletin lands on your were among those tackling the London Marathon this year. doormat, Ginetta will have made its Le Mans debut. After Running for Bowel Cancer UK, Olly finished the race in just 50 years, it is remarkable to think that the cars have never three hours and 10 seconds, a new personal best time, and graced the grid of the 24 Hours but this year that will was placed a superb 952nd overall. Darren (running to raise change. Heading the Ginetta-Zytek assault is a car for money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association) reached Members Richard Dean and Lawrence Tomlinson with the line in four hours and 12 minutes and Andy (running for Rising Star Nigel Moore joining them. It is astonishing to the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation) completed in course think that, as 17-year-old Nigel makes his Le Mans debut, in just over four hours, too, in his first marathon. For Darren he is still eligible for the Ginetta Junior Championship! We and Olly it was a different kind of endurance race. will have a full report on the Ginetta attack in the next issue. At the Members’ lunch in Monaco on 21 May, Damon Fourteen members participated in the recent Ecurie Hill presented Allan McNish with an original painting by Ecosse Tour: John Hunt,Andrew Fletcher, Michael Wheatley, Craig Warwick, depicting his fantastic second win at Le Hugh McCaig, Colin Pearcy, Michael Oustromoff, Graham Mans last year. Gauld, Nigel Corner, Bill Dryden, Stuart Graham, Willie The lunch, which was attended by over 100 Members Tuckett, Sir Paul Vestey, and Neil Corner, all and their guests, was once again held in the Rascasse on enjoying some stunning scenery as well as true drivers’ the eve of Grand Prix weekend. Guest speaker was Peter roads and glorious machinery. Windsor who entertained those present with his plans The BBC visited Silverstone recently to film a preview for the entry of USF1 team into the Formula One World for the British Grand Prix coverage and spent time with Championship next year. took on the role of Damon Hill, Stirling Moss and . The President auctioneer and coaxed €7,500 for charity with the sale of was extremely complimentary about the hard-working two paintings provided by Michael McKee. Ian Khan, who Silverstone team, whilst Jackie was equally impressed by organised the event, rounded out the weekend by taking the standard of the circuit, stating it is the best maintained 20th place in the Porsche Supercup race. of all those that he visits. It is pleasing to see Brendon Hartley promoted to the role of test and reserve driver for the Red Bull Formula 1 team, dovetailing that work with his drive in the Formula Renault Brendon Hartley talks to Mark Webber about life in the Red Bull Formula 3.5 series, whilst a motor racing legend was in action again 1 team, right, as Members take time out of the Tour. Far right, the BBC’s cameras visited to Silverstone to record a preview to the recently as Sir Stirling Moss took part in the Pre-66 GT race British Grand Prix coverage as Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss and at Brands Hatch in his Osca. There were plenty of Members Damon Hill discussed Formula 1 past, present and future

66 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 MEMBER NEWS

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 67 BOOK REVIEWS Book reviews The Bulletin team recommend worthy additions to your library Life of Spice Rolt and Bira The Forgotten Stars Published by: Haynes Published by: Transport Bookman Publications Limited ISBN: 978 1 84425 568 9 ISBN: 978 0 85184 073 4 No doubt everyone who has been Renowned motor racing commentator Neville Hay for asked to review Gordon Spice’s many years has been intrigued by the parallel motor autobiography has grappled with the racing careers of and Prince Birabongse twilight era from the end of WW2 to the first F1 World quandary of whether or not to resort Bhanutej Bhanubandh of Thailand, Old Etonians both, Championship in 1950. One of the services which to the obvious play on words that the and has now put the fruits of his enthusiasm into a Neville’s book provides is an account of this period combination of Gordon’s surname most enjoyable, albeit somewhat quirky, book which which is ignored by so many writers who believe that and life story provide. sheds light on not just two eminent drivers but also on Grand Prix racing and Formula 1 only began in 1950. Gordon’s reputation as a social an era of motor racing which is now largely forgotten. The Le Mans win with Duncan Hamilton in 1953 with animal and raconteur make this a During his earlier racing days, pre World War Two, the disc-braked C-type Jaguar, followed by the race in the highly readable and enjoyable book. B Bira, as the Siamese Prince became known to the rain to second place in 1954 with the first of the D-types, The stories are legendary and one is racing fraternity, was mentored and managed by his brought Tony Rolt to the attention of the much wider left wondering about those that were cousin Prince Chula who produced a series of books audience which his talent deserved. But the disastrous considered unprintable; I suspect they which provide detailed insights into Bira’s racing accidents in 1955 at Le Mans and Dundrod led to his were a few. activities with ERAs and other single seaters. However, retirement when still at his peak. Tony Rolt’s work with The rise through the motor the career of Tony Rolt, interrupted as it was by Harry Ferguson on the development of four wheel drive sport ranks from a genuine, but incarceration in various German prisoner-of-war camps systems then took over, coupled with many years as a impecunious enthusiast, through and ending in Colditz, has received remarkably little member of the General Committee of the BRDC. successful amateur, to professional amateur and ultimately eponymous attention. Neville’s book goes a long way to filling the Bira was, most unusually, admitted to full manufacturer actually place Gordon in a pretty exclusive group. The others that gap but also leaves this reader wanting more. membership of the BRDC despite being of Siamese have manufactured the number of cars that Spice Engineering ultimately built Elected a Member of the BRDC at the age of 18 in nationality and won a hat-trick of Gold Stars. His racing are few and far between – Cooper, Brabham and McLaren for sure, but certainly 1936, Tony Rolt’s early career was meteoric. Before he success, following the split with Prince Chula post-war, Pescarolo has a long way to go. was 21 in 1939 he had won the seemed to fluctuate with his personal fortunes but he This is an honest book and no more so than when Gordon is reviewing the in the ex-Bira ERA R5B ‘Remus’, having the previous was still going strong in his final full season of 1954 latter days of his long and undoubtedly successful business career. It is also year caught the eye of the Auto Union team with with his Maserati 250F. Like Tony Rolt, but for different amusing, as one would expect from such a man. The story of the negotiations his driving in the rain at the daunting Bern circuit in reasons, Bira’s talent as a driver never achieved the for his first professional drive in a Cooper and the subsequent learning of the Voiturette race supporting the . rewards it deserved. the Nurburgring typify the very funny yarns throughout. After the war, during which he incessantly attempted Neville has laced his words with lengthy extracts from A very enjoyable tale from one of the Club’s big characters and certainly to escape from various POW camps, became one an interview with Tony Rolt a few years before his death recommended. One can only hope that Barry Bland’s future telling of his life in of the instigators of the famous Colditz glider, and and, for this reviewer at least, it is the Rolt rather than the motor racing is not as true to his surname as Gordon’s undoubtedly is. was awarded the Military Cross twice, Tony Rolt was Bira content which makes this a fascinating read. SP one of the leading drivers in what is almost now a IT

68 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 BOOK REVIEWS

Mike Hawthorn Golden Boy Andy Priaulx Triple World Champion Lola The First 50 Years Published by: PJ Publishing Ltd Published by: HarperSport DVD Available from International Ltd ISBN: 978-0-9550102-4-8 ISBN: 13 978-0-00-728117-6 In an era when far too many racing car In 2005 a website was set up by The Channel Island of Guernsey has constructors disappear from the sport, it is Tony Bailey and a few other Mike a population of less than 60,000 heartening to see that one, Lola, is going from Hawthorn devotees which in and no race track. Yes, it hosts a strength to strength. no time at all attracted myriad round of the RAC British Hillclimb Founded by , and bought contributions, not only from Championship each year and there by Martin Birrane in 1997, Lola has found people who had known Mike is some sand racing but it’s not like success in every branch of motor racing. This as a racing driver, but many having Silverstone or Brands Hatch, DVD, released early this year, is a tremendous who knew him in business or any one of a dozen other circuits, opportunity to celebrate a British success story. and socially. That website now readily accessible. From this small Narrated by Stephen , and full of interviews runs to over 100 pages (said to island Andy Priaulx has emerged and personal memories, it is a fascinating be equivalent to 600 printed to become a multiple motor racing production. ’s description of his pages) and has provided champion: a hat trick of World 1990 Le Mans pole position lap in the Lola- the inspiration and some of Touring Car titles preceded by the created Nissan is captivating. His matter of the material for this lavishly- 1995 British Hillclimb Championship, fact description of reaching 226.9mph on the produced book, publication of the 1999 Renault Spider title Mulsanne Straight is sobering. which has coincided with the when he won all 13 rounds, and DA 50th anniversary of the death the 2004 European Touring Car of Britain’s first Formula 1 World Champion in a single vehicle road Championship. Every Split Second Counts – My accident near Guildford on 22nd January 1959. Only three months What shines through the 274 pages is that, however much natural life with fast karts, fast women earlier Mike had won the title by one point from Stirling Moss in the talent a driver may have, it is simply not enough. To become a world and F1 superstars Moroccan Grand Prix. champion requires enormous commitment and sacrifice. The chapter Published by: John Blake Publishing Ltd This book, by Tony Bailey and Paul Skilleter, is a real treasure trove, entitled “Hard Times at Silverstone” recounts how, with the full support ISBN: 978-1-84454-658-9 covering as it does not just ’s racing career, including of his wife-to-be Jo, he camped out in Mike O’Brien’s yard at the Martin Hines has the distinction of being the a well-researched chapter on the 1955 Le Mans accident, but also his circuit and scratched for a drive here and there. Contacts were made only Full Member ever elected to the BRDC family life, the family business centred around the Tourist Trophy Garage and parlayed into sponsorship. The goal in those days was Formula 1 on the back of success in karts, rather than in Farnham, the road cars and, if this is your bag, Hawthorn memorabilia. but when it became clear that it would be Formula 3 and no further, cars, winning 17 major titles. Earlier books, such as the late Chris Nixon’s Mon Ami Mate and Mike’s Andy changed tack, first in the British Touring Car Championship with Such significant achievement does not come two ghosted books, Challenge Me the Race and Champion Year, cover Honda and then on the European and World stages with BMW. without dedication and this book chronicles the his racing career in greater depth and detail and are drawn on, but Andy is a very family-orientated person who writes with great challenges he has faced on the track, in building this magnum opus (it runs to nearly 450 large pages) provides a more feeling about his wife Jo, his father Graham (no mean hillclimber his world renown ZipKart business and assisting comprehensive insight into the man who was Mike Hawthorn. himself) and mother Judy, his sister Fiona and his children Danniella in the development of the careers of many The large page size enables justice to be done to a wealth of and Sebastian, both of whose births were fraught with difficulty. He is young karters who have gone on to enjoy the images, many from private collections and never seen before and also a very proud Guernseyman and still lives on his homeland. success at the highest levels of motor racing. it is these which really make this a “must have” book. As a way of Just recently published in paperback, this is a very personal and Seemingly with as much space given to educating younger generations of motor racing enthusiasts, too inspirational story of triumph against the odds and with a very Martin’s “life with fast women” as his “life with young to have seen Mike Hawthorn race, into what he and his era happy ending. And don’t forget that Andy will be out there this year fast karts”, I was disappointed not to learn were all about, it is difficult to think of anything better than this. It and for some time to come striving all he knows to win more World more about the sport, but it is a colourful may cost £60 but it is worth every penny. Championships. and entertaining read. IT IT SP

BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2 69 CLUB & REGIONAL EVENTS

club and regional events For the latest details please visit: www.brdc.co.uk

JUNE SEPTEMBER

South Regional Lunch 11 1000kms of Silverstone (Le Mans Series) – Events (Grand Prix) Gins, Royal Southampton Yacht Club, Beaulieu River 11-13 Contact Rex Woodgate Tel: 02380 849264 or Brian Heath 19 Hot Trax – Club Meeting (National Circuit) Tel: 01590 643408 25-28 ViSK British Superbike Championship – Promoted (International) 19 – 21 FORMULA 1 SANTANDER BRITISH GRAND PRIX OCTOBER JULY 3-4 (6 hour endurance) – Events (Grand Prix) 4-5 World Series by Renault – Events (Grand Prix) 7 Members Clay Pigeon Shoot 11-12 MG Live (MGCC) – Club Meeting (International) West Wycombe Contact Sarah Carnell 01327 850925 15 SOCIAL LUNCH Silverstone 10-11 MSVR – Club Meeting (Grand Prix) Contact Sarah or Becky to book your place. 11 South West Regional Lunch 25-26 Silverstone Classic – Events (Grand Prix) Farthings Country House Hotel Contact John Woodington 07717 093729 27 Members’ Track Day Silverstone 17 Historic Sports Car Club (HSCC) – Club Meeting (National) Please contact Becky to book (free for Members/passengers and £200 per driving guest). 24 750 Motor Club – Club Meeting (International) 25 British Racing and Sports Car Club (BRSCC) – AUGUST Club Meeting (International)

2 Classic Sports Car Club (CSCC) – Club Meeting (National) 30 Trophy (Day 1) – Promoted (National) Drivers’ Club (60th Anniversary) – Club Meeting (National) 9 NOVEMBER 16 International F3/GT Championship – Promoted (International) 1 Walter Hayes Trophy (Day 2) – Promoted (National) 21-29 World Aerobatic Championship – Promoted (Southern & Stowe) 23 750 Motor Club – Club Meeting (National) DECEMBER 29-30 HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship – Promoted 3 One Hundred and Twenty Five Bird Shoot Instow, North Devon Contact John Woodington 07717 093729 7 Annual Awards Luncheon The Savoy Hotel, London

70 BRDC Bulletin Vol 30 No 2