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Grand Prix Historic Racing Photos

Rodriguez’s Ride – Brands Hatch 1968

Pedro Rodriguez's BRM at Brands

What a marvelously composed shot this is of Pedro Rodriguez’s BRM P133 at the 1968 British GP at Brands Hatch. You almost couldn’t plan it better: the balance of the reds between the distinctive BRM nose stripe and the pit crew’s coveralls and gas can; the excellent contrast of the team from the background crowd; the angle of Pedro’s #10 and the orientation of the car’s angle in the frame. The nice prominence of the BRM logo on the nose. If there were such a thing at the time, this shot would make a great advertisement for the team.

Unfortunately for Pedro, the race preparation pictured here might not have been as perfect as he’d have liked. Not only was he stuck in position 13 of the grid that weekend, but engine failure forced him out of the race after 52 laps.

Categories
Grand Prix Video

Faster ≠ More Interesting

Ok. That’s a LOT faster. But watching cars with short lap times not pass each other isn’t exactly gripping entertainment. I’m not 100% sold on modern GT Racing either, but at least the cars seem to be more evenly matched.

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Grand Prix Historic Racing Photos

Just a Bit Closer

Clark and Photographer at Spa

I’d sure like to see this guy’s footage.

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Video

Nürburgring: Reality vs. Gran Turismo 5

Pretty impressive.
via

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Ferrari For Sale

Beep-Beep, Beep-Beep. Yeah!

John Lennon didn’t pass his driving test until 1965, by which time The Beatles were already an international sensation. Reportedly, luxury and sporting dealers were literally lining up in front of Lennon’s house with examples of their models for his inspection. Maserati’s, Astons and Jags littered the road outside his Kenwood estate hoping to earn his business. After a stroll outside the gate, he chose this Ferrari 330GT 2+2 in an arresting shade of blue. That very car, the example pictured above, is coming available as part of Bonham’s Collectors’ Motor Cars, Motorcycles and Automobilia auction on February 5 in Paris.

Bonhams says, “The 330 GT had been completed at the factory to right hand drive specification and finished in Azzuro (light metallic blue) paint, with blue interior, as noted on the Factory records. Its specification is noted as having included matched blue carpets, light grey headlining, a Webasto sunroof and overdrive. The finished car was delivered to British Ferrari agents Maranello Concessionaires Ltd. of Egham on order number 192.”

Lennon only owned the car for a few months, before adopting his well-known Rolls Royce limousine with the psychedelic paint scheme.

Estimated to sell for €120,000 – 170,000, but only time will tell. More info on Bonham’s lot detail page.
via

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Porsche Vintage Racing Advertising

$2995 Delivered

Porsche Speedster
New wrap-around windshield
New racing type bucket seats
new transmission mounting
new body styling
100 M.P.H • $2995 Delivered New York • 27 M.P.G.
Years ahead in engineering means miles ahead on the road
The Hoffman Motor Car Company, Inc.
487 Park Avenue, New York City, Tel. PLaza 9-7034
Competition Motors, 1219 Vine St., Hollywood 38, Distributor for California
On request we would be happy to supply descriptive literature on all models, and the name and address of your nearest dealer.
Dealers from coast to coast.

Let me just point out that “new transmission mounting” is listed above “new body styling” in the list of features. That simple fact could practically be a dissertation worth of analysis on the shifting desires of automobile buyers.

Categories
Grand Prix Historic Racing Photos

Reims 1954 – Mercedes Returns to GP Racing

1954 Reims Grid

There are dozens of reasons why this image of the grid of the Grand Prix at Reims in 1954 is astounding. I love how simple, almost bucolic, the facilities appear. In this crop, you can’t see the grandstands or pits crowding the grid; making it almost look like the track is in an otherwise empty field. The grid itself is amazing. That’s Fangio (#18) on pole with Kling in the other Mercedes (#20), with Ascari’s Maser (#10) on the front row.
The thing I like most about it, however, is that this single image captures something fundamental about Formula 1 racing that has been spectacularly lost and is unlikely to return: a unique voice from each manufacturer in the design of their racing car. The variety of the design of the machinery on this grid is obvious. The enclosed wheels of the streamliner Mercedes machines is the most immediate example of that, but the rest of the field shows the personalities of each maker shining through as well. This era when the lines between a Formula car and a sportscar were blurred is sorely missed.

54 Reims Start
Fangio and Kling out in front
The Streamliner Benz
The Streamliner Benz

The Mercedes machines ran away with it from the start, marking their spectacular return to Grand Prix racing.

Details on the race at eMercedesBenz.

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Porsche

There’s Something Familiar About the Porsche 918 RSR’s Fan

Porsche 918 fan
917 Engine Fan

Nicely done, Stuttgart.

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Automotive Art

Loving Stefan Marjoram’s Land Speed Record-Holders Print

Land Speed Record Holders

I love the loose gestural style Stefan used in this comparison of Land Speed Record holders in this limited print he’s made available. The relative sizes of the machines is something that often gets overlooked in comparison to the stylistic and aerodynamic changes that have marked the evolution of speed. The focus on the body shape is great; minimizing the wheel details to their simple placement in relationship to the body.

Detail

Really fantastic stuff. Naturally, I’m more drawn to the pre-war machines in the series, but seeing them all together is really a treat. Stefan is donating £10 from each poster to the Bloodhound Educational Project for future engineers and scientists; truly a perfect philanthropy pairing.

The A2 (16.5″ × 23.5″) prints are limited to 1000 copies and are available for £40 (+shipping) from Stefan directly, more info on his sketch blog.

Earlier: Stefan’s sketches from the 2010 Goodwood Revival.

Categories
Classic Cycle Historic Racing Photos

Fernihough

Eric Fernihough on a 996 Brough Superiour JAP in 1927. Brooklands.

Once Was England via Deus.