Rolling Downs

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After nineteen years it must surely be getting difficult to unearth yet more rarely seen racers with which to attract the crowds to Lord March’s front garden and this year’s event did have a slight ‘so what’s new?’ feel to it.

Bellissimo

Nevertheless that did not deter a record attendance of more than 181,000 popping down to Sussex, many of them appearing to be first-timers and somewhat different to, shall we say, the regular crowd.

Jaguar Concept

Of course a large number were attracted by the Moving Motor Show event that ran on the Thursday for the second year. Such is the success of this that it is likely to become a slightly more stand-alone show run over two days earlier in the week.

Beauty is in the eye…

With the E-Type celebrating its’ 50th birthday this year, Jaguar was the featured marque with Gerry Judah’s customary sculpture in front of Goodwood House depicting an E-Type Coupé nose-diving into the ground; apparently the other way up was considered to look just too phallic! Whatever, looking as though it was made out of a re-cycled windmill it did not have the presence of Judah’s previous masterpieces although those lucky enough to see it after dark reckoned it was more impressive when floodlit. Strangely though, Jaguar themselves did not seem to make much of the occasion, unlike others before them.

See the C-Type

There was a dedicated Jaguar class taking to the Hill in honour of the Big Cat’s history at Le Mans; it’s 60 years since a C-Type took the first win and amongst those turning out was a rare appearance of a ‘Lowdrag’ C-Type built for the 1952 race. The streamlined bodywork might have increased performance down the Mulsanne but it also ruined the cooling and two of the three cars retired due to overheating, the third for other mechanical reasons. Amongst the E-Types being exercised were E2A, the early factory prototype that Briggs Cunningham took to La Sarthe in 1960 and ‘ECD 400’, the first E-Type to win a race in the hands of Graham Hill at Oulton Park in April 1961.

Beautiful Restoration

All eyes however were on the recently restored Lowdrag car that claimed Peter Nocker’s life at Montlhery in 1964.

Lindner Nocker E-Type

After languishing for many years the wreck has been rebuilt by Peter Neumark’s Classic Motor Cars Ltd business, representing some four years’ work and utilising as much of the original as possible – more than 5,000 hours went into the very individual bodywork alone. And no, it’s not for sale.

Future Past

With chatter about a possible return to Le Mans by the Tata-owned marque, former works driver, Andy Wallace, was on hand to remind everyone he has not lost his touch as he took to the Hill in a gorgeous Silk Cut XJR9LM.

Old Stinger

If Goodwood had a central theme it was the Indianapolis 500’s centenary, an impressive array of men and machinery being lured across the pond, ranging from the 1911 Marmon Wasp that won the first race, to most recent winning driver Dan Wheldon. Whilst some took to the Hill during the weekend an ‘Indy Track Moment’ took place each day.

Accident in Progress

A symbolic line of bricks was brought over from the Brickyard (must have been interesting explaining away that hand luggage!) and laid on the track in front of the House where 33 cars – the same number as form an Indy grid – were lined up behind a 1958 Chevrolet Pace Car, whilst an authentic American announcer did the introductions. Marching bands and majorettes added to the occasion before a roof-top guitarist pounded out ‘Back Home in Indiana’ before the familiar ‘Gentlemen, start your engines’ was given.

Parnelli Jones & Lotus 56

Amongst the stars who drove were Parnelli Jones, Al Unser Jnr., Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal, Emerson Fittipaldi and Dario Franchitti whilst Josh Hill got to drive grandad Graham’s ’66 race winning Lola – or at least the re-creation thereof.

Penske PC19

Two-times winner Dario was in seventh heaven though. With a keen sense of history he is a great fan of fellow Scot Jim Clark and having had the opportunity to briefly get behind the wheel of Jim’s ‘65 Indy-winning Lotus 38 so sensitively restored by Classic Team Lotus last year, he was able to have a proper run in the sister car that Bobby Johns drove to seventh place that year before Clark himself used it to finish second in 1966, making it a British one-two. Franchitti was even resplendent in Clark look-alike helmet.

Our Nige

Lotus was very much in evidence at Goodwood, as befits an event with the title “Quantum leaps that shaped motor sport”, for Lotus were responsible for many of them. Amongst the impressive array under CTL’s awning was a Type 25 (first monocoque chassis in F1), 49B (first F1 car to race with a high wing), 76 (first F1 car to run a semi automatic clutch), 88 (first F1 car to run with a composite monocoque, not to mention two chassis), 96T (first Indycar with composite monocoque).

88 Mate

It was a terrific vindication of all that Clive Chapman and his team have done to keep the Team Lotus to the forefront in recent years that Dan Collins set BTD during the Top 20 Shoot-out on board the twin-chassis Type 88.

Inspirational

It was another Lotus that caught Clive’s eye though, as Parnelli Jones had brought over the day-glo red STP-liveried 56 Turbine car with which Joe Leonard so nearly won the 1968 Indy – he was leading when with just nine laps remaining the Pratt & Whitney turbine suffered a flame-out, leaving Bobby Unser to take the first win for a turbocharged car. Mused Clive, “I think our winter project will have to be restoration of our 56B if I can find an engine.”

The Vulcan

The 56B was the F1 interpretation of the Indy car built for the 1971 season. It ran in Gold Leaf colours initially, debuting at the Race of Champions before Dave Walker gave it a brief  GP debut at a wet Zandvoort. In the wake of problems surrounding the death of Jochen Rindt the year before the car was painted gold and black and sent to Monza under the World Wide Racing banner for Emerson Fittipaldi, finishing eighth. After one more non-championship race the car was abandoned in favour of the Type 72, and for sometime languished in a corridoor at Lotus, where this particular writer made use of the flat rear deck to sort-out filing whilst working there. It did have its uses after all!

The Hamilton Brothers go head to head

Modern F1 cars no longer set times at Goodwood but many of today’s stars turned out, inevitably home-grown stars Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button received a tumultuous welcome. And without any FIA stuffed shirts in attendance to give him the seemingly obligatory dressing down, Hamilton truly entertained in a 2008 MP4-23. He also got to drive – with a little more respect – the 1981 MP4, John Barnard’s design that utilised the then novel carbonfibre and launched the now Ron Dennis-run McLaren on the path to future success.

Who says racing diesels are new?

Incidentally, McLaren test driver Chris Goodwin has invested some of his earnings in a McLaren M1B, the first chassis built and raced in the US by Chris Amon. Goodwin will be following in the footsteps of his long-time historic racing father Tony when he races it at the Revival.

Quick Vic & Chaparral

Other current F1 teams represented included Red Bull with an old RB1 for Mark Webber and Adrian Newey, Williams, Ferrari and both Team Lotus and Renault, all using older cars.

Last Year’s Model?

They reason they don’t use today’s cars is that the mileage counts towards their testing allowance and it also puts pointless mileage on the engines.

Mustangs for all tastes

Martin Donnelly somewhat bravely got back behind the wheel of a Lotus-Lamborghini 102, the model with which he ended his F1 career with a huge shunt at Jerez in 1990. The car, the only Lotus ever to have used a V12, has recently been restored by CTL and owner Andrew Morris also took a turn, although with very limited track time in the car it’s been a bit of a learning curve as there have been a few problems getting the Lambo to run cleanly and engine spares are not exactly plentiful.

Lotus Esprit

In keeping with the Motor Show theme, the majority of manufacturers now have a presence of some sort with from Audi, occupying their usual dominant pitch by the hill down to tiny Morgan, whilst newcomers Lotus were showing the new Esprit, now signed-off for production.

Terry Grant on the way to a record

Despite my opening comments, there was plenty to see at Goodwood, even a successful record attempt by Terry Grant for the longest distance by a 4-wheeled vehicle on two wheels – he managed to get his Nissan Juke all the way up the 1.1-mile hill, but one has to stop somewhere this’ll be it – until the Revival in September, that is!

And finally… no story is complete without a stunning Alfa Romeo

John Elwin, July 2011

 

One Stop Past Barking

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Ford UK should be getting a telegram from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll any time now. They celebrate 100 years of activity in this country, starting with a showroom in Central London in 1911.

One Stop Past Barking

Like most of the car manufacturing industry they have been prolific recorders of times past, having huge photo libraries available. Through the excellent Newspress service, Ford have made a selection of images from the period available to outlets such as DDC.  So here they are. Above is a Ford Cortina from 1970 dangling above Dagenham. Why? No idea, but someone in marketing thought it a good way of spending the budget.

O ye’ll tak’ the high road, and I’ll tak’ the low road

The Model-T is not readily associated with off-roading but 100 years ago an intrepid snapper caught an even more intrepid driver ascending Ben Nevis in one of Henry Ford’s finest.

Tower of Power

Ford has become part of the fabric of the nation. Maybe not as much as Tower Bridge but you know what I mean. Dating from the time of fashion crimes, 1976, I should know, I was there, guilty as charged. A bronze Fiesta and a couple of hipsters.

Constable Country

When you look at Dagenham now, it is hard to imagine this is how it looked 100 years ago.

Ford Haus

Henry Ford decided the “Detroit of Europe” would be built on the Thames, just east of London. This is how it looked at the height of its power, in 1957.

Merlin Magic

But Ford in the UK were not just about motor vehicles. Here in Urmston, Manchester the company produced Rolls-Royce Merlin aeroplane engines. There was a war on, you know.

You can ‘ave it for a ton, Guv.

The Dagenham factory opened in 1931 but really became successful when Ford concentrated its marketing efforts on the likes of the Model Y, emphasising price and value for money.

I Walk the Line

After World War Two, the model range continued to be conservative but the production lines were kept busy.

No Morris Minor

The affluence of the 50’s meant refining products to bring them into line with the demands the post war era market. Introduced in 1953 the Ford Anglia 100E sold for £360, over 300,000 were produced. Here the unlucky couple in the car encounter that scourge of quaint English villages, The Morris Dancers.

Field of Dreams

I am not sure just what brand values this shot would have been trying to extol.

Now Listen Here, Men.

Changes in the way that cars were sold to increasingly demanding public meant that Ford had to move with the times. “Ford executives were invited to abandon the office for fresh air and a chance to see the Mark ll versions of Ford’s popular family cars. Launched in 1956 and marketed as the ‘Three Graces’, the Mark ll Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac marked a further step in British motoring away from post-war austerity towards glamour and modernity.” Or so the press release says.

Summer of Love

Ford harnessed the power of motorsport to enhance their brand during the 60’s, taking on Ferrari at Le Mans and eventually crushing them.

Where’s the Milk?

Back in the U. S. of A., a partnership with Lotus brought victory at the Indianapolis 500. Jim Clark is about to receive the Borg Warner Trophy.

Cosworth Power

Even more significant in the long term was the Ford Cosworth V8 engine project. It powered the changes in Grand Prix racing, taking it to a truly global level. Colin Chapman and Keith Duckworth ponder the beast.

Tartan Terror

All of this activity had significant input from Britain and Ford UK.  And a significant effect on the sales performance of Ford here.

Escort Service

Not just on the tracks but also in the forests.

Left Hand Down, a Bit.

And if motor sport was not enough to attract the attention of the buyers, there were always promotions and gimmicks. Sometimes involving motor sport as well. Here Graham Hill, the current Formula One World Champion, drives the original Quadricyle. This was built by 32-year-old Henry Ford in 1896. Constructed of wood and metal it weighed only 500lbs, had a top speed of 20mph and no brakes, it rather looks as if Graham has just discovered that feature. Quite why someone who was driving for BRM in F1 and Le Mans was doing this sponsor work is not clear.

Queue Jumping

Not all gimmicks involved sport. This madness raised money for charity.

Holy Concept Car, Batman

When in doubt mix a pretty girl and a concept car, covers all the bases. As Ford PR tells the story,  The Futura Concept Car was built in 1954 and designed to “garner valuable engineering data and test public reaction to styling”. A decade after its debut the Futura became the inspiration for the Batmobile in the popular 1966 television series. Although radical in appearance the Futura featured many ideas seen as mainstream today such as power-steering, power brakes, dual exhausts etc.

Bright Spark

Sometimes Ford UK were ahead of a trend. In 1967 the Ford Comuta concept vehicle was used to demonstrate the potential of the electric vehicle. With a top speed of 40mph and a total range of around 40 miles on a full charge the Ford Comuta was never going to oust the best-selling Cortina as the drivers’ favourite. Even Ford’s assistant managing director at the time, Leonard Crossland recognised electric motors would not replace combustion engines for long journeys, saying: “…their uses will be primarily as city centre delivery vans and suburban shopping cars.”

Reach for the Stars

Using the latest cutting edge technology to boost your current product line seems such a good idea at the time but in retrospect may not be quite so clever.  The Sierra and the Space Shuttle look about as 80’s as shoulder pads and yuppies. Look at how relaxed security is, it is almost as if commonsense prevails.

Stuck in traffic

Commonsense, no evidence here.

Happy Birthday, Ford UK. Britain would have been a poorer place, in every sense, without you.

John Brooks, July 2011

 


 

 

 

 

Gentleman’s Relish

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As the dog days of summer and scandals drag on, there is little to cheer us. However today I am pleased to announce that my old friend, John Elwin, has agreed to contribute to DoubleDeClutch. Here is his first post, with his reflections on the recent Salon Privé.

SALON PRIVÉ

The 6th Luxury Super Car Event & Concours de’Elegance

22-24 June 2011, Syon Park, London


After five years at the Hurlingham Club, Salon Privé moved out to Syon Park, home to the Duke of Northumberland, where 200 acres of parkland – remarkably less than 10 miles from central London – afforded rather more space for this expanding show.

Arrive in Style

The rather exclusive event caters for those who want to inspect the latest in upmarket machinery whilst downing a glass or two of Pommery Champagne before enjoying an excellent lunch.

Italian Jobs

And some of the bolides on offer might well have looked more attractive after a glass or two of bubbly! A Bentley with yellow wheels, anyone?

Aston Extremes

Aston Martin brought along the latest Mirage and their new city car, the Cygnet. Sir Stirling Moss has apparently ordered one, so it’s sure to catch on.

A Maybach, allegedly

Rolls Royce showed a bespoke Phantom, but the behemoth from Goodwood is a relatively common sight in comparison with the Maybach – now that does have rarity appeal.

The New Old Jensen Interceptor

It was good to see some of Britain’s smallest of artisan manufacturers holding their own against the established names. Eagle E-Types were capturing a lot of attention with their E-Type Speedster, a discretely different take on the British icon which is celebrating it’s 50th birthday this year (in case you hadn’t heard…). Making a return to the scene is the Jensen Interceptor, Steve Bannister’s company now remanufacturing this 1970’s superstar. Starting with a tired original Jensen International Automotive restore and re-engineer to a bespoke specification – the car on show, painted in a Lamborghini lavender colour was powered by a 492bhp Chevy V8. There are plans for a GT Coupe based on the drop-top Interceptor. Drawings have been found for what would have been Jensen’s next model before the original company went out of business.

Hennessey Venom GT – not an eco car

Bearing little or no allegiance to the past is the Hennessey Venom GT. Loosely based on the Lotus Exige but clothed in full carbon composite bodywork it too is V8 powered but this one pumps out 1200bhp and reputedly can do the 0-60mph dash in 2.5-seconds before hurtling on to 275 mph, that should be enough to upset the eco-fascists! It’s in marked contrast to the similarly Lotus-based but very different Tesla.

House Guests

Almost ignored, but taking up the prime position in front of the house, was an incredible collection of Porsche Group C cars, no less than seven 956’s and eight 962’s.  This represents the full spectrum, from the original Rothmans 956 that debuted at Silverstone in 1982 and won that years’ Le Mans 24 hours in the hands of Derek Bell and Jacky Ickx, through to the ultimate interpretation, Jim Busby’s specially commissioned Miller car that scored the last Daytona 24-hour race win for Stuttgart’s finest in 1989. Derek Bell once again was one of the drivers, joined this time by Bob Wollek and John Andretti. (Editor’s note: Porsche fetishists, of which there are many, will surely remind us that the Kremer K8 Spyder that won the race in 1995 was based on a Porsche 962. Is it a Porsche? Debate and discuss. Then there is the small matter of The Racer’s Group triumph at the 2003 race in a 911………finest? Not a 911?)

Brun Porsche

The rest of the collection, pulled together over a ten-year period, included other works cars such as the Shell Dunlop versions, Walter Brun’s Repsol liveried machine, the last-ever factory built 962 which came within 15 minutes of stealing a Le Mans win away from the TWR Jaguar oufit. (Editor’s Note: The Brun car was in second place when it retired, the Brundle/Cobb/Nielsen Jaguar had led the race for 13 hours. It was no less heart breaking to see Jesus Pareja stopping at Mulsanne Corner and no less unjust.) Also represented were successful privateer British teams such as Richard Lloyd Racing and John Fitzpatrick, the former in particular highly modifying its cars in an effort to find an advantage.

Taxi for Il Duce?

A walk around the side of the house revealed the concours where everything from Mussolini’s Mille Miglia Alfa Romeo (it took top prize) to the Sir Norman Fowler’s 1934 Dymaxion 4 were to be found, the latter put together by the ever versatile Crosthwaite & Gardiner.

Nicely patinated Don Lee Special

Attracting almost as much attention but in totally unrestored condition was the Alfa Tipo ‘Don Lee Special’.

Lambo’s latest

RM Auctions were in charge of the Thursday evening sale with a large number of primarily Aston Martin, Jaguar and Rolls Royce lots on offer.

And finally.. tailpiece

An interesting day out with an opportunity to look at some rare, interesting and unusual machinery in pleasant surroundings and not too crowded – presumably there are not so many well-heeled bankers with bonuses burning a hole in their pockets now!

Smoking on the Grass

John Elwin, July 2011


Alfa, Alfa, Alfa

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The Brooklands Double 12 brought out fine examples of motoring art from Italy and specifically from Alfa Romeo. The Italians have created some of the most beautiful cars ever to turn a wheel, occasionally a dog too.

Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Bertone

Almost the first car that the Special Correspondent and I tripped over on our arrival was this fabulous machine. It was a Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Bertone dating from 1942.

Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Bertone

It was brought to England by its current owner, Corrado Lopresto, who has restored the car to its original glory.

Artist’s Signature

Along the way it has won awards at Pebble Beach and Villa d’Este, including the 2011 Coppa d’Oro, it doesn’t get any better than that.

Tail Piece

According to my good friend Wouter Melissen the design was the work of Mario Revelli di Beaumont.

Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Bertone

You can read up more about this fantastic car on Wouter’s excellent site HERE . Strange thing, probably a coincidence, but when you Google this car, most of the websites that describe it at Villa d’Este or Brooklands use a remarkably similar wording to that of UltimateCarPage, when it talked about the car a year ago at Pebble Beach. Spooky, this internet thing.

Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Bertone

One thing that struck me is the question of how did this car get built at all? In 1942 World War Two was in full flow, Italy was fighting alongside Nazi Germany in the Western Desert and on the Russian Front. All materials were rationed and there was strict control of industrial activity. It must have been very powerful JuJu that allowed the war effort to be diverted to build this one off. Perhaps the Italians have always had a better sense of what is important and what is not, most of them would have seen through Mussolini’s bombast by that time. Certainly nothing like this could have been built in war time Britain, the Man from The Ministry would never have allowed it.

Badge Engineering

The car was built in 1942, delivered to Concessionaria Oreste Peverelli in Como, then rescued from Italy to Switzerland to remain intact during the Allies’ invasion of Italy. It is a thing of beauty and we were lucky to see it at Brooklands.

Alfa Romeo Montreal

Less exotic but still very worthwhile was this Alfa Romeo Montreal.

Alfa Romeo Montreal

The styling say 1970’s in the same way as the Bertone classic says 30’s.  Yet this does not detract from it, there really was Life on Mars.

Another exhibit that purported to date from the 30’s was this weird creation.

Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Aerodinamica Spider

It is described as a secret project commissioned by Vittorio Jano.

Someone has taken a lot of time and trouble to post up a full history on Wikipedia.

Cockpit

In 1935, Vittorio Jano, working with the brothers Gino and Oscar Jankovitz, created a one-off mid-engine prototype on a 6C 2300 chassis (no. 700316),which Jano had shipped to Fiume, Croatia in 1934. The brothers Jankovitz had been close friends with leading Hungarian aerodynamicist Paul Jaray, and the prototype, called the Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider, was an especially early and clear example of ponton styling — a genre that would overtake automobile styling and last until the 1960s. Jano had intended to fit a V12 engine, though that possibility disappeared when Jano himself was fired from Alfa in 1937.

Based on documents kept in the family Jankovits the history of the car’s development is as follows:
Summary of the “Aerospider” Alfa Romeo Jankovits – 6 C 2300 Aerodinamica Spider “Aerospider” (constructed 1934-1937)
The prototype of modern automobile design and the first car which had been constructed and executed as a sculptural whole.
The combination of a very advanced aerodynamic body with the engine behind the central driver’s seat, on the most advanced chassis of its time makes this Alfa Romeo unique in the history of automobiles.
This special version of an Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 belonged to a secret project by Vittorio Jano and the brothers Jankovits.
The Aerospider represents:
The first supercar of “modern” sports car design.
The first mid-engined car with central driving position in the history of automobiles designed to keep the centre of gravity in the middle of the car – 60 years ahead of the McLaren F1
The first car designed to take account of newly developed principles of aerodynamics, to provide low-drag both externally and internally.

The article makes a whole batch of other claims about the car.


There is even a bit of James Bond, or should that be “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” provenance attached?

The car was ‘liberated’ from East Europe in a dramatic way, according to the story.

No V12.

Any public appearance of the futuristic looking Aerospider would have caused a sensation, but because of the secrecy surrounding the project, and then the onset of the war, the prototype remained hidden in the Jankovits’ garage in Fiume, and was not seen by anyone from outside the garage. On Christmas Eve 1946, Gino Jankovits drove the Aerospider at full speed under the toll-bar of the closed communist controlled border into Italy. Border guards fired volleys of shots after him, but the low, streamlined body saved Gino’s life. Only the rear tyres were destroyed by the bullets, which also caused some dents in the rear of the car’s bodywork. To get money they had to sell their car to an Anglo-American officer. Then the Alfa disappeared for about 20 years until it was rediscovered in England. In 1978 the Aerospider was recognized by the well-known Alfa Romeo historian Luigi Fusi, who had worked with Vittorio Jano at the time of the Aerospider project. He wanted to acquire the car for the Alfa Romeo Museum. The acquisition failed, but the prototype did eventually return to Italy, 30 years after its birth, to be restored at last to its original condition as a racing car.

Original?

However, Alfa Romeo is a brand that inspires loyalty and enthusiasm amongst the Alfisti to a degree seldom seen by other motor manufacturers. So when a rare beast like this appears from nowhere it will attract commentary and not everyone has accepted the authorised version.

Brooklands

Indeed, when I asked my colleague, the venerable Special Correspondent what he thought, he was somewhat dismissive. He backed up this opinion by later confirming that the car was not in the Alfa Romeo bible ‘Alfa Romeo Tutte le Vetture Dal 1910’ by Luigi Fusi. That confirmed it, as far as he is concerned, that this car is not an Alfa Romeo. Others have written blogs about this vehicle, one can be found HERE that eloquently puts the case for the prosecution.

Proof?

Another comment that was published, “Respected antique dealer Colin Crabbe was told by Luigi Fusi of the Alfa Romeo Museum that the Jankowits car is not an Alfa Romeo, what ever the current owner seems to think, none the less it is an extremely interesting Alfa Romeo powered special, stories of the car dodging bullets to escape communist Yugoslavia are comically wide of the mark, the car and its occupants were allowed to leave the Yugoslavia with a perfectly normal travel permit, it was never designed for anything other than a straight 6, Alfa V12’s did not exist at the time the car was conceived by the Jankowits Brothers.”

More Proof?

Still, there are those who maintain that this story is true. The car has been exhibited at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed and, of course, Brooklands, giving some credibility to that version of events. Being less of a purist than those like the Special Correspondent, I am inclined to enjoy that car for what it is and am glad that we are able to see it today.

Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Zagato Coupe

One car that attracts only enthusiasm is the Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Zagato Coupe. Even the rain storm that hit the event that day could not dim the glow from the car.

Name Check

A fitting way to end this salute to Alfa magic on display at Brooklands last month.

John Brooks, July 2011

 

Brooklands’ Best

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Instead of the usual trek across countries and continents, the journey last month was just down the road. Brooklands, the world’s first purpose built motorsport track, is but a few miles from base. As a child going to school in Weybridge I could hear the testing of VC10 engines echoing down the hill from the Vickers factory located at the site. My Grandfather even worked there at one stage, so I certainly feel a connection with the place.

Clubhouse Racer

So when our Special Correspondent suggested a trip to the Double 12, how could I resist? The Brooklands Museum is a unique place, preserved by the efforts of a few true believers.

Hill Street Blues

OK, the site is now a business park, manufacturing having disappeared from the place many years ago, much like the rest of the UK. A substantial part of the famous banking remains, plus the Clubhouse and hangers.

Concorde

Indeed there is as much aviation history on site as motoring, ranging from Concorde to the war planes that were built here during the past century.

Crew Bust

There is also a collection of the ancillary vehicles that would have been found at airports during the past 50 years.

Continental Auto?

Cars and Aeroplanes sit comfortably together, a Connaught and a P1127 pose in the sunshine.

Record Breaker

However the purpose of the visit was to admire the collection of cars that were assembled, some of which would be static displays, such as the aero-engined monsters that raced around the Surrey track before WW2.

Instant Classic

Some are more authentic than others, the less worthy cars attracting the ire of our Special Correspondent.

Warning

But the message was clear, speed it was.

Mon Ami Mate

There was a good mix of cars at the 2011 Brooklands Double Twelve, some road and some with true racing heritage.

Mike Hawthorn made his name racing a Riley Ulster Imp before signing up with Ferrari on his way to becoming Britain’s first Grand Prix World Champion in 1958. The Riley is now proudly displayed, complete with a hat tip to the former owner.

Broadspeed Cat

At the other end of the racing spectrum is the Jaguar XJ12C, the results never quite matched the presence.

Not a Dolomite Sprint

However it was the road going cars that really caught my fancy. The Triumph Dolomite Roadster from the 30’s is elegant and understated.

Staff Car

Another Roadster, this time from the 50’s, as Mercedes Benz continues the line of elegance on display with the 300S

190

Mercedes Benz were well represented, as might have been expected, given that Mercedes Benz World is the next door neighbour. A very tidy 190.

Gentleman’s Carriage?

And beloved of megalomaniacs everywhere, be they Pop Idol, Film Star or plain old Dictator is the imposing 600. Any list of former owners that contains the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, Enver Hoxa, Idi Amin and the Shah of Persia is sure sign that the vehicle is exceptional. A Zil or this, maybe Kim Il-sung was not so crazy after all.

Social Hill Climber

Of course being a Mercedes it is still in full working order, raring to run up the Test Hill.

DS23

I will make a separate post on the Alfa Romeo gang that showed up but I was much taken by the French contingent. I have always had a soft spot for DS Citroëns, my father had a couple, they just ooze Gallic style and flair. Nice DS 23 Pallas.

Delahaye 235 Cabriolet

What about this beautiful Delahaye 235 Cabriolet? The line ended with this model.

Delahaye 135

Before the World War Two, Delahaye had been very successful in competition, winning both the Monte Carlo Rally and the Le Mans 24 Hours outright, the model a 135.

360 Degrees

In complete contrast is the Subaru 360 or Ladybug……………..it did get up the Test Hill, though not with the same speed as the 600 Merc.

Diana Dors or Gina Lollobrigida?

Which would you prefer now? Sunbeam Rapier or Lancia Aurelia? The Special Correspondent favoured the Italian.

OK, Squire?

Hens’ Teeth? A Squire from the late 30’s, one of only seven made.

Malvern Marvel

Early Eccentricity from Malvern, a Morgan Runabout.

Threewheeler

The three wheeler concept has been revived by Morgan this year, I have to admit that I did not know what to make of it. Having seen one in the flesh, I am convinced, a brilliant car for a summer’s day.

Minor Moggie

Yes please.

Cat out of the bag

This 1935 SSI Airline saloon is the car that preceded the Jaguar……………..

Over The Hill and Far Away

So another good day out at Brooklands, it should be a must do for anyone who has petrol in their veins.

More on the Italians later.

 

John Brooks, July 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

40 Years Gone

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Forty years ago, in the summer of 1971, I was eagerly anticipating the British Grand Prix. It was to be held the following weekend at Silverstone. In particular I wanted to support my heroes, Pedro Rodriguez and Jo Siffert, team mates at BRM and JW Automotive.

I had been lucky enough to see them both racing the Gulf sponsored Porsche 917Ks at Brands Hatch earlier in the year.  A great day, seeing both drivers and the Porsches in action.

Having said that there was no repeat of the legendary 1970 performance from the Mexican. Despite damp conditions that Pedro usually revelled in, it was an Alfa Romeo T33-3 driven by Andrea de Adamich and Henri Pescarolo that took honours that day.

However for Silverstone it would be an BRM P160 for both Pedro and Seppi. The Tony Southgate designed car was realising some of the enormous, and usually wasted, potential of BRM.

Except that Pedro did not make it to the British Grand Prix. He accepted a chance to race a Ferrari 512M at the Norisring and was killed in this minor event. It seemed inconceivable to me but back then motor racing was a blood sport, it killed its heroes.

As if to drive this point home, three months later I was back at Brands Hatch for the Victory Race, celebrating Jackie Stewart’s second F1 World Championship. A few laps into the race the whole place went quiet, there had been an accident, that was all I knew. I took the train home to learn from the evening news that Jo Siffert had been the latest victim of the dangerous occupation of driving racing cars. Both heroes were now gone, the 917 was a thing of the past, it was the end of an era for me and for many others.

John Brooks, July 2011

 

 

Lotus Blossom

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A Lotus Le Mans Anniversary, 55 years ago Lotus scored their first success at Le Mans.

What have these Lotus types in common: Mark IX, Eleven, Fifteen, Elite, Elan, 47, Esprit, and Elise GT1? Answer: they have all taken part in the Le Mans 24 Hour race. In fact Lotus first raced at Le Mans in 1955 with a Mark IX Climax-engined car but Colin Chapman was disqualified when a rule infringement was committed after leaving the track at Arnage in the early part of the race. Now in 2011 Lotus is back with the V6 Evora and so it is apposite to look back to the marque’s first success in the famous event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This took place a year later in 1956 when the company decided to enter a team of three of its new Eleven models. New regulations drawn up in the aftermath of the 1955 disaster meant that the cars needed considerable modification: cockpits had to be bigger than the original and so the chassis frames were built wider at the centre section sweeping in abruptly before the rear wheels; a full-width windscreen of minimum depth and with a wiper was needed – Lotus fitted a sloping screen which wrapped around the sides. There were bucket seats and twin spot lights on either side of the air-intakes; all lights were mounted behind plastic covers. The cars had Coventry-Climax single cam“fire-pump” engines,, one of 1500c.c. and the other two of 1100c.c. John Eason Gibson was the Team Manager and the team was based outside of Le Mans at the Auberge de St Nicolas at Mayet.

There was also considerable modification to the circuit. That narrow two-car road past the pits just had to go! The whole pit area was widened and new pits were built and entry to the pits was strictly controlled by the need to keep to the right of a yellow line; any transgression incurred instant disqualification. Changes were made at the Dunlop Curve and at Arnage, the section at Maison Blanche was resurfaced and the whole pits signalling operation was transferred to the exit at Mulsanne Corner. All this work inevitably took time and the race was postponed until the last weekend in July, one of only three times that the race has not been held in June (the others being in 1923 when the very first race was held in May and 1968 when the May riots in France pushed the race back to September).

The three Lotus entries were: Car no.32   1500  Chapman/Mackay Fraser, Car no.35    1100  Allison/Hall, Car no.36    1100 Jopp/Bicknell. The race started in the wet but Chapman managed to complete the first lap in 16th place! By 5pm as the race settled he held on to 17th position behind his main opposition, the Porsches and a Maserati which soon broke. By the mid-day on the Sunday the Lotus lay second in class behind the leading Porsche but a broken big-end bolt ended its run. In the meantime the two 1100c.c. cars were locked in battle with the Hugus/Bentley Cooper. The weather was dreadful during the night and at dawn Cliff Allison had the misfortune to hit a dog on the Mulsanne Straight which resulted in the demise of the dog and the retirement of the Lotus. The remaining Lotus, however, was doing much better and by the end of the race had gained a lap over the American-driven Cooper, giving Peter Jopp and Reg Bicknell a win in the 1100c.c. class, Lotus’s first success in the Le Mans 24 Hours. They finished 7th overall and came 4th in the Index of Performance. This was the race when Ecurie Ecosse won for Jaguar after the works cars had suffered all sorts of calamities.

Four years later the company’s first proper road car, the Elite, went on to win its class for six consecutive years. Now the marque is back with the new GTE version of the Evora, a car in the early stages of its development. The two cars, run in collaboration with the factory by the Jet Alliance team, were: No. 64  Rich/Slingerland/Hartshorne, No. 65  Mowlem/ Rossiter/Hirschi. In the race the no. 65 car ran with practically no problems, just a fifteen minute stop to change brakes. It finished 22nd overall out of fifty-six starters and 7th in class.

The other car had some bad luck – Martin Rich was forced off and hit the wall, causing a bit of damage. In the following stint John Hartshorne was almost at the end of his drive when a rear wheel nut came off, causing the rear wheel to come off and the ensuing damage rendered the car too dangerous to drive; it was therefore abandoned near the end of the Mulsanne Straight. With the GT4 Lotus Evora finishing the Dubai 24 Hours this year and now this GTE version  doing similarly at Le Mans, the new chapter in Lotus endurance racing is getting off to  good start.

© David Blumlein 2011

The Long Exposure

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Le Mans, two short words that for those of us who make the annual pilgrimage to France defines a very long week.

Heavy Metal

All of those who attend the annual festival of speed and endurance are participants, players on the great stage. It is, perhaps, one of the defining qualities that makes this event so special, the sense of inclusiveness; we are all part of the story. Robert Altman should have directed Steve McQueen’s “Le Mans”, what a movie that would have been, at least it would have a plot.

Uniform Image

This element of participation runs counter to my philosophy regarding reporting events. One website that I was associated with until recently, adopted a policy of the bloggers relaying breathlessly their own activities at the meetings that they cover. The results are, by and large, both tedious and banal. Airline food or whether you get an upgrade is not something to comment on, nor how many times your pass gets checked, that is just reminding the reader that you have a pass. Whines about how long and hard the days are, should also be verboten, it goes with the territory. To be a part of the story requires the writer to have something interesting to say. Also he, she or it, has to be able actually tap on a keyboard in a manner that provokes others to spend time reading the purple prose. There is a sound reason why Hunter S. Thompson was unique.

Nevertheless, like all rules this one was meant to be broken from time to time. Le Mans is a kaleidoscope of random events underpinned by the final  24 Hours of competition, so during my time in France I jotted down notes and hypocrite that I am, I will share them with you, I hope they pass the entertainment hurdle.

The First of Many

2011 saw me clock up thirty-one editions of the Le Mans 24 Hours, three as a Page and Moy spectator back in the 70’s and the balance as a disreputable part of the Media Corps, a disjointed rabble, that ranges from the few ultra professional to the majority who are for the most part completely clueless. Before heading to France I resolved to try some different approaches to the task of covering the event, in the end some of this plan worked, some did not.

Simply Red

The role I was to play was different this year as amongst my assignments I was assisting the Greaves Motorsport team with their press activities. Crossing over to the “dark side” I even got to wear the team shirt and stand in the team shot in the Place des Jacobins, though the abuse and catcalls from my “friends” on the photographers’ stand made me consider the wisdom of this course.

Being part of the team, in however small a way, did change my approach to the race, none of this impartial crap, I was partisan as hell when it came to MY team. It was also a good chance to use the negative karma on those who have pissed me off during the past few months, you know who you are, and you know where you finished, if you finished. Selah!

A Fine Line

Looking back on the 2011 race, the sharpest images will be those of the two Audis being destroyed in two huge crashes. Allan McNish tried to pull off an overtaking manoeuvre, similar to hundreds that he has managed in the past, this time it did not come off. Anthony Beltoise in the Ferrari did not see his R18 coming and the contact sent the Audi spearing off the track, to be launched at the Armco beyond the gravel trap. Allan survived his flight as one might have expected in a well built car such as the Audi, but the photographers in the firing line were the ones who really rode their luck. One of them, DSC’s Peter May aka Pedro, remained calm enough after the incident to snap away at the wreck, intestinal fortitude I believe it used to be called. Best comment on the aftermath came from Tom Kristensen, courtesy of Andrew Cotton. He opined that as a result of the impact that Allan’s balls would be bigger than when he started the stint and that they would be blue like the Scottish flag…………..there is no good comment possible on that frankly disturbing image.

The Mike Rockenfeller crash later in the race looked much worse at first view, the unthinkable was on the team’s minds and the expressions on their faces revealed by the TV cameras showed that clearly. Rocky survived thanks once again to the engineering expertise of Audi and Dallara, God bless carbon fibre. Robert Kauffman, whose Ferrari drifted off line to initiate the disaster, got a public pummelling from the ACO who insisted that he sit out the rest of the race for causing the carambolage. In some form of mitigation, the GT drivers were complaining all week about the two big factory prototype teams. Their concerns centred on the rather desperate overtaking moves that the Werks cars were pulling, driven by the closeness of the opposition and the relatively torque-less 2011 engines. That and the blindness caused by the LED lighting, giving the GT drivers no idea of the proximity or closing speed of the diesels, that were about to pass. It is a problem that needs addressing, because if the likes of Marc Lieb and Jörg Bergmeister are making public statements, someone needs to listen and act.

The Last Lap

One decisive act during the week came from Sir Stirling Moss who announced his retirement from racing, at the tender age of 81. He declared that the prospect of racing the Porsche RS61 at Le Mans frightened him. Ever a man of principle and courage he said afterwards, “This afternoon I scared myself and I have always said that if I felt I was not up to it or that I was getting in the way of fellow competitors, then I would retire. I love racing, but it’s time to stop.” Knowing when take a bow and quit is perhaps not the most easy thing that faces us in life, most would fail to match Sir Stirling’s style. Motor Sport ran a feature recently on one his many day of days, defeating the Ferraris at Monaco 50 years ago. Now the last of the great drivers of the 50’s has hung up his crash hat, let’s hope that he enjoys his retirement.

Mazda Magic

Anniversaries pile up during the Le Mans event but can it really be twenty years since the garish Mazda 787B defeated the might of Peugeot, Mercedes Benz and Jaguar to win the race? Yes it is. So we had a chance to witness the victor again, to hear the unique siren call of the Quad Rotary engine. There were a couple of demo runs around the track with Johnny Herbert showing Patrick Dempsey how it should be done. During the Friday Drivers’ Parade, someone had the bright idea of letting Yojiro Terada and David Kennedy, both Mazda heroes of old, do a lap each of the city’s streets. At the conclusion of David’s run he gunned the engine as he rolled back into the Jacobins. A silly grin materialised on the faces of all who witnessed this sound, noise may be regarded as inefficient by some engineers but it very much part of motorsport’s appeal. The one piece of booty that I came back from France with was a copy of Pierre Dieudonne’s masterly tome, Never Stop Challenging, a history of Mazda in racing during the 70s, 80s and 90s. If you are at all interested in this period I urge you to get the book.

Friend of The Stars

Trying to do things differently this year, I shot the parade from the perspective of my team rather than waiting for all the drivers to go past one spot. It certainly was an eye opener; the crowds are, for the most part, completely bonkers. However it is an important part of the pageantry of the race, once again giving the paying public both proximity and participation to the stars, long may it continue. One trend that I saw this year was the use of water pistols by idiots in the crowd to douse the drivers in the parade as they went past sitting in the open cars. If that habit is not stamped out then I can see the drivers ditching the event, especially those who pay for the privilege of competing.  As ever a few morons will spoil the event for the rest, the forums are full of similar tales of selfish and ignorant behaviour in and around the campsites.

Y’All come back, now.

For the drivers who were making their Le Mans debuts, the whole Drivers’ Parade scene is a very strange happening, organised yet chaotic. Michael Waltrip had a bemused look on his face on the Friday afternoon. The double Daytona 500 winner must have imagined that he had seen everything in a 25 year NASCAR career but he was unprepared for the intensity of the Le Mans experience. His shock must have been total as he interviewed me for his personal blog, fortunately for the future of You Tube, the footage ended up on the cutting room floor, stardom missed again.

I read the News Today, Oh Boy…………….

Sunday morning I received a text from my old mate, John Dubrey, who was visiting the race after a gap of several years. Seen today’s Ouest France? You are in it!! A young French journalist had spoken to me at the Scrutineering on Monday and six days later I was in print, with a photo showing my attractive side, resplendent in Greaves Motorsport 2011 Le Mans team shirt and Turn Ten cap. Move over George Clooney………….yeah right. I had the piece checked out by a proper French speaker and I was as anodyne as one of my press releases, maybe a future in politics awaits.

You Make Me Feel Like Drinking

Memory Lane was a familiar destination during the week. Long time top F1 snapper, John Townsend, was on hand to shoot for BMW with the mighty David Lister. On seeing me in the press room he laughed and said he something for me on his Mac, dating back to 1983 and Monaco. It was as ominous as it sounded. Sadly, Leo’s career has been on the slide since this unfortunate encounter, you can judge the horror of the situation yourselves from the shot. As I recall Frank Bough was also outside the Tip Top that night, he even got a round in, thanking the TV Licence payers for their largess and we all know how that story went.

Arnage BMW

Even being out on track I was not safe from my criminal past. Back in 1995 I had misjudged a left turn outside the circuit and was hit by a speeding Donkervoort, totally my fault I have to admit. The two Dutch guys in the car were not happy with me but showed much more grace under pressure than I would have managed. During the race this year I was shooting at Arnage and there were two marshals also snapping away, they were between shifts. One came up and said, “You don’t remember us do you, Mr Brooks?” Their identities were revealed and a fresh sense of shame washed over me, I was once again mortified by my careless driving, that fortunately had no lasting consequences. They did cheer me up as they said how much they liked the retrospective pieces I write these days for a Dutch magazine, RTL GP. My head swelled momentarily but it soon passed as I struggled to get my Mojo working track side. Mojo was short supply in my case this year, the camera does not lie.

Motel Blues

Mojo is usually associated with music and the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours had, like every other year, its own soundtrack that followed me round as I commuted to the track and the places to shoot. Cool as you like is the Richard Earnshaw tune “Rise” but perhaps the pride of place should be given to the late, great Gil Scott-Heron. His catchy “Racetrack in France” seemed truly appropriate even it was in reality about Le Castellet. This stuff helps while trundling around in the traffic.

Come the Hour, Come the Man

Back in the race there was an amazing struggle between the Peugeot trio and the surviving Audi. I, and a few others, had to eat our words regarding André Lotterer, Marcel Fässler and Benoît Tréluyer. There had been doubts expressed regarding their position as factory drivers. Well they well and truly put those questions away with blindingly fast and error free stints. It is also worth remembering that they had to witness the utter destruction of their two sister cars in massive impacts, yet were able to strap themselves in and do battle with the French. If there were a tipping point when it became clear that they were going to win, it was after the safety car period following the Magnussen/Felbermayr accident. Tréluyer, in a mega quintuple stint held off the trio of 908s that were hunting as a pack, it was a race winning performance and I raise a glass to the Audi trio. Salut!

Mulsanne Straight

The changeable conditions and unseasonably low temperatures played havoc with both Audi and Peugeot at times, such outside factors making a big difference to how the cars performed. Both teams ran flat out and there was nothing to choose between the pit crews. When the Chequered Flag was waved by Daniel Poissenot on Sunday afternoon, #2 had a winning margin of exactly 13.854 seconds over the leading Peugeot, this equates to 763 meters. The victorious Audi R18 TDI covered 4,838.295 kilometres, at an average speed was 201.266 km/h. This is close competition by any standards.

Hens’ Teeth

For the third factory team in LM P1, 2011 cannot end soon enough. The Aston Martin AMR-One pair only managed six laps between them in the race, a disaster that all the excuses and post rationalising in the world cannot mitigate. Aston Martin Racing has built up a solid reputation over the last decade for extracting the maximum performance from their relatively small budgets, that reputation is now in tatters. The only comfort is that things cannot get any worse, the only way is up. The distraction of fire-fighting the LM P1 project has led to the V8 Vantage being left behind in the GTE wars, which are every bit as keenly contested as the prototypes.

Focussed

Greaves Motorsport had a trouble free race, winning the LM P2 class by a country mile and to be even a very small part of that success was great. The expressions on the faces of the crew, drivers and supporters, as Olivier Lombard crossed the line for the final time will stay with me for a long time. The whole team did a fantastic job and deserved the win, achieved on a combination of performance and reliability, no matter what some have said subsequently.

Another year done and dusted, Audi triumphant but at a high cost, the price was nearly too high. Peugeot, so close but no cigar, next year it could easily go the other way.

La Route est Dure, we would have it no other way. The Roads to Freedom are not easy.

 

John Brooks, June 2011

 

Spanish Snippets

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To Barcelona by train and thence by motorway some 300 miles west to the new Navarra circuit for the Blancpain Endurance GT race. But first, Barcelona. Spain has had a motor industry with a chequered history – the Civil War of 1936-38 destroyed the country’s economy and industry – but interestingly most of the manufacturers such as Hispano-Suiza, Elizalda, Eucort, Pegaso and SEAT have over the years centred on Barcelona, making the Catalan capital the hub of Spain’s motoring activity.

Not surprising therefore to find a Motor Show there. The Barcelona exhibition is of course a provincial show set out in a number of not too large halls and certainly not on a par with the big ones like Geneva, Frankfurt or Paris. But Peugeot used it to present the World’s First Diesel Hybrid, a new version of the 3008, and the revised VW Beetle could be seen:

 

 

 

 

Two rare birds, the Aston Martin Cygnets, were on show:

SEAT, Spain’s only indigenous large-scale manufacturer capable of creating and producing cars of its own design, naturally had a hall all to itself:

 

Spain hasn’t a significant history of endurance racing, the 12 hour San Sebastian events run on the long Lasarte circuit between 1925 and 1929 being the most important in their era. So a 3 Hour GT race on a circuit as close as any in the country geographically to that former location is a step in the right direction to keeping that tradition going.

The new circuit of Navarra gives the visitor the impression of being in the middle of nowhere, its location being far from any large centre – the sparse crowds underlining this. However, it is a friendly track with good viewing points and it attracted a varied field of good quality GT cars even if the expected new McLaren failed to materialise.

GT3 and GT4 cars are much more akin to the real world and currently the battle at the top rages between the Audi R8 and Ferrari’s new 458 Italia:

Not ever forgetting Porsche of course:

The battle early on for GT4 honours:

Drama always threatens. Here the Italian –entered Ginetta briefly burns:

The race brought success in the GT4 class for the promising Lotus Evora:

 

Back to Barcelona. The city has long been a centre for motor racing (and still is with the Catalunya circuit just outside) and over the years it has hosted some of Spain’s most important races. The Pedrables circuit, using roads in the north-western suburbs, was the scene for two World Championship Grands Prix in 1951 and 1954; the Penya Rhin sports car race at the latter meeting was the last time it staged an international event, not being revived after the 1955 Le Mans accident.

Up on the hill in the beautiful Montjuic Park a circuit was devised using the public roads back in 1933 and this was used for sports car races in the Fifties and up to the early Seventies – a Pegaso Spyder won the 1 Hour Copa Montjuic race in 1954 and a Porsche 908 took victory in 1969 in the 12 Horas de Barcelona. The circuit is best remembered for the incidents which occurred during the Formula One Grands Prix: the collapsing of the new-fangled wings and the crash of Rolf Stommelen which caused the death of several spectators This ensured the circuit’s demise in 1975.

The drivers’ view as they sat on the grid:

Looking back to the brow of  the hill which caused the winged cars to lift:

The left-hand Hairpin, the first tight corner on the anti-clockwise lap:

The downhill sweep to the tight right-hand Tecnica corner:

 

TAILPIECE

SEAT Altea XL taxis, built 30km up the A-2 Motorway at Martorell, now the company’s main plant and headquarters since they moved from the Zona Franca on Barcelona’s water front.

 

© Words and images  David Blumlein 2011

 

French Toast

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Like the twin faces of comedy and tragedy, the 2011 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans displayed both the excitement and the potential for disaster that is inherent in motorsport. At a track where more than 80 spectators were killed when a Mercedes plunged into the crowd in 1955, causing the sport’s worst ever accident, Allan McNish’s first hour crash produced a rain of carbon fiber filled debris with the same killer potential as its infamous predecessor.

Fortunately, no one was hurt but that happenstance was more by luck than anything else. Moreover, one has to admit, that those in danger weren’t a mass of paying spectators, but rather a far smaller group of photographers and race workers. Nevertheless, the lethality of flying debris is a fact of life that all too often has been ignored by the industry, and continues to represent a problem today despite of the safety conscious climate in which racing currently operates.

Consider for a moment the consequences of the McNish crash happening in an area where there were large numbers of spectators. Would that same luck hold? In aviation there is the phrase “tombstone engineering,” meaning that the industry learns how to fix death causing problems only after deaths occur because of them. Motorsport in general and Le Mans in particular can be said of all too often approaching the issue in the same manner, rather than trying to get “ahead of the curve.”

The accident that destroyed McNish’s Audi R18, caused in large measure by the Scotsman’s excess of enthusiasm in trying to pass a slower GT Ferrari when it wasn’t necessary under the circumstances to do, was just one of two heart stopping incidences that could have led to the kind of tragic headlines that so often call the sport’s future into question. The second incident came during the evening hours when Mike Rockenfeller’s R19 was passing yet another GT Ferrari 458 going down the nearly 200 mile-an-hour run to the Indianapolis corner. With Rockenfeller along side, the inexperienced amateur at the wheel of the Ferrari moved over, forcing Rockenfeller into the grass, where it went out of control, crashing and exploding into the Armco barrier.

Such was the ferocity of the impact that many believed there was little chance for Rockenfeller’s survival. Happily, the same stoutness of the Audi’s monocoque that left McNish virtually uninjured, did the same for Rockenfeller who suffered only a severe concussion and a cut arm. Still, the question of why race officials let the amateur drive in the first place remains. Given that most acknowledge that Le Mans, with its high speeds and the great performance differentials between the prototypes and the production cars, is inherently one of the more dangerous events on the calendar, why would one increase that danger by permitting someone with limited, or even no experience in dealing with such circumstances to race in the 24 Hours?

It is not for me to answer that question, but rather the ACO. In the United States both the American Le Mans Series, and the Grand Am’s Rolex championship pay not only close attention to safety, including driver skills and experience, but make safety not a primary concern, but THE primary concern. This is not to say that the ACO isn’t safety conscious, because it is. However, sometimes, one has to wonder about their thoughts on the subject.

Consider the gravel traps the ACO has put into place in the name of safety that have for years been filled with sharp edged stones more than capable of causing tire failures when they are thrown on the racing surface as they are so many times during the event. High speed tire failures are not something anyone wants, and yet, despite so much evidence that the gravel used by the ACO causes them, the Le Mans organizers have done nothing to change the situation.

Consider also that the new breed of enclosed prototypes with their huge front tires severely restrict driver visibility, an issue which played a role in both Audi accidents, one has to wonder if the ACO will rethink whether or not it needs to redress that problem as well. The ACO has spent much time trying to reduce top speeds at the Sarthe circuit in the name of safety, and are to be commended for it. But, they’ve ignored some of those pesky details that also have a bearing on the matter in the process.

This year’s Le Mans was an exciting affair right down to the final laps with only 13 seconds separating the winning R18 from its Peugeot rival at the finish. No one wants to make it any more memorable for all the wrong reasons, something which will take both work and money. One hopes the ACO is up to the task.

 

– Bill Oursler, June 2011