Categories
Ferrari Grand Prix Historic Racing Photos

Between a Barrel and a Soft Place

1955 New Zealand GP

I think one of the things I like most about historic motorsport is the makeshift facilities. New Zealand didn’t have a purpose-built racing course to host this GP in 1955, but did it stop them? No.

Prince Bira’s 250F Maserati (#1) was perfectly welcome to mix it up on the runways of Ardmore Airport with Lex Davison’s HWM-Jaguar (#77) and Tony Gaze’s Ferrari (#4) just the same. Sure, there’s good reason why 55-gallon drums and haybales don’t serve as today’s racing course construction but there’s a spirit of improvisation that I appreciate.

Categories
Ferrari Grand Prix Historic Racing Photos

Imperfect

Raymond Sommer at the 1950 Pau GP

Blurry photo. Poorly reproduced. Beautiful.

No level of crystal clear photography and high resolution printing could improve upon this shot of Raymond Sommer drifting his Ferrari 125 at the 1950 Pau GP.

Categories
Porsche Video

Motorhead’s Porsche Museum

Japan’s Motorhead Magazine visited the Porsche museum and they’ve let us tag along.
Now I know you’re going to be tempted to read these subtitles. I understand how difficult it is to try overcome the urge. It just compels the viewer to glance down at that text; wrestling with your brain and your eyes.

It’s ok. Don’t fight it. Go ahead and read along. Then start the video over and lose yourself in those slow, luxurious pans over these breathtaking machines.

Categories
Vintage Racing Advertising

For All Models

Hepolite Ad

Stirling Moss and Francis Beart fit and recommend Hepolite products.
(Stirling Moss driving Francis Beart’s Cooper Mark 7A car fitted with Hepolite products)
Some famous successes…
Silverstone · May · 1st
Nurburgring · May · 1st
Aintree · May · 1st
Silverstong G.P. · July · 1st
Brands Hatch · August · 2nd
Oulton Park · August · 1st
Goodwood · September · 2nd
Aintree · October · 1st
For all models…
Hepolite
Pistons · Pins · Rings · Liners
Hepworth & Grandage, LTD., St. John’s Works, Bradford 4

Categories
Historic Racing Photos Racing Ephemera

Still Think Driver Radios Are the Best Way to Communicate with the Pits?

Pit Updates. Sebring. 1963.
Seems to me they had it all figured out for the 1963 Sebring 12 Hours.
via Nigel Smuckatelli.

Categories
Classic Cycle Video

Young Spirits

Man. Getting more high-definition cameras in more hands has sure given us more beautiful looks at vintage racing in every flavor. If only spectators that were attending these TT races 30 and 40 years ago had such imagery to leave us.

Categories
Ferrari Video

Stirling’s No. 7

Let’s ride shotgun as the Ferrari specialists at DK Engineering that Sir Stirling Moss’ old Ferrari 250 GT SWB (#2119) for a quick trip to Goodwood; her ancestral home.

Categories
Porsche Racing Ephemera

More Examples of This Not Working

’60s and ’10s Porsche 911

Advertisers! Abandon this concept. It makes exactly zero people want the new one.

1970 and 2008 Dodge Challengers
’50s and ’80s Mercedes
Categories
Classic Sportscar Ferrari Historic Racing Photos

1957 Cuban GP in Color

Fangio’s Maserati at the 1957 Cuban GP
Fangio's at the 1957 Cuban GP
Categories
Automotive Art Porsche

906 Illustration Brings the Blur

Porsche 906 sketch by Mike Kim

I adore this “sketch” by automotive designer Mike Kim. Bringing the movement and shake and blur that has always been a favorite element of great racing photography to illustration… Now that’s something. Shows you how great it can be when automotive designers take a break from sketching cars of the future and take up their Prismacolors to doodle the machines of the past.