Sunday 13th June 1999 and Les Pompiers catch up on the news……………….
John Brooks, September 2012
I Read The News Today, Oh Boy…………
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Glorious Goodwood
One of the high points in the motorsport calendar is the visit to Goodwood House and its grounds for the Festival of Speed. Stunning cars in a stunning setting, what could be more agreeable? Luckily we have the fine work of Simon Hildrew to remind us of the delights on show this year. Enjoy!
Snakebite
The Vipers are back in the GT world, they dominated the last time around, perhaps they may not be top dogs from day one, especially in the ALMS, but if they put the same effort in that they did around the turn of the century the rest had better watch out.
Last Lap
By 2001 the finishing line was approaching for the Ferrari 333 SP, only competitive in Europe in FIA Sports Car Championship. Still elegant though in the Catalonia sunshine.
John Brooks, August 2012
Red Earth, Red Line
One of the most important wins in the long career of the Ferrari 333 SP was in the fall of 1998 when Doyle Risi Racing’s example won the inaugural Petit Le Mans. The trio of Wayne Taylor, Eric van de Poele and Emmanuel Collard beat off strong opposition on the way to victory in this instant classic.
The race was also important in giving the world the concept of taking the rules governing Le Mans 24 Hours and exporting them to other track and series. Thus we have been lucky enough to see the American Le Mans Series over the years that followed.
John Brooks, August 2012
Stolen Moments
The 1998 Le Mans 24 Hours was very cruel to the factories, both Mercedes Benz and BMW saw their cars retired before sunset instead of contesting victory, an ignominious failure for such top line teams. The Williams designed and built BMW V12 LM suffered suspected rear wheel bearing failure, and rather than risk the consequences of a suspension collapse at high speed, the cars were withdrawn. This shot is early in the race, real early, as Pier-Luigi Martini leads Tom Kristensen. Next year it would all be very different.
John Brooks, August 2012
Beyond the Bomas
Under the spectacular African sky, Eric van de Poele speeds the Doyle Risi Ferrari 333SP towards Kyalami’s final corner. Chasing him is Jean-Michel Martin in the Elf La Filiére Courage-Porsche C36. It is late in 1998, the final shots in the campaign that year. The time of Mango……………….
John Brooks August 2012
Summer at Sonoma
Summer of ’99, Didier Theys in the Doran Lista Racing Ferrari 333SP crests Turn 2 at Sears Point Raceway. One of my favourite cars on a great track, a stone’s throw from San Francisco, did we appreciate how lucky we were at the time?
John Brooks, August 2012
Close But No Cigar
Portland International Raceway was always one the friendliest locations on the old ALMS schedule. Back in 1999 Franz Konrad campaigned his fearsome Porsche 911 GT2 with Bob Wollek and scored a podium finish. You could get pretty close at the first turn, almost too close……..
John Brooks, August 2012
The Eastern Highway
The glory days of the BPR, on the streets of Zhuhai, in November 1995. The late, great Anders Olofsson in the Ferrari F40 GT-E………………..still sadly missed
John Brooks, August 2012