HISTORIC GRAND PRIX CARS ASSOCIATION
2020 YEARBOOK
Welcome
Chairman’s Message
I sit here at the kitchen table penning this introduction whilst outside, through the windows, I see rain and heavy skies. But Jaqui and I have just returned from our African jaunt, one of the highlights of which was, of course, having the opportunity to race the 18/21 in South Africa. Thanks to foresight and hard work particularly of Eddy Perk and Chris Wilson, we all had a splendid time out there and we were all made very welcome by the SA crowd. The meetings allowed us, and more importantly, our partners to get to know each other better and I believe that, on this occasion, our partners enjoyed themselves as much as we did. At the moment of course, the dark clouds of the Coronavirus situation hang rather heavily around the place also, which could negatively impact on our scheduled 2020 activities. The larger meetings, such as those we typically attend, could be cancelled. Your board of directors are considering how best to protect your Association’s finances but it is likely that they will be impacted. Our overheads need funding from race entries. It is important that we place the well-being of our families first. But, especially in this upcoming season, please look positively on participating in the great events planned. Your Association won the ‘Best Race Series of the Year’ award for 2019, as awarded by Octane magazine, and this year’s calendar looks even better! My thanks on behalf of you all are extended again to Stella for being the backbone of our Association, and to Martin Eyre, Rob Blayney and Eddy Perk for the production of this Yearbook. We value the support of all our advertisers and sponsors Dunlop, Hall & Hall and Supagard. Also our thanks are due to the directors and to Martin Grant Peterkin, Bertie Gilbert Smith, Richard Parnell, Chris Wilson and Ted Rollason for their sterling work on your behalf during the year. My best wishes to all our Members; let’s together make this year another great year for ourselves and our Association. I look forward to racing with you!
Peter Horsman Chairman
Head Office Historic Grand Prix Cars Association PE.B21.2 Parkhall Business Centre 40 Martell Road, London, SE21 8EN Tel/Fax +44(0)20 7785 7204 Email: contact@hgpca.net www.hgpca.com President: Sir Stirling Moss Vice President: Tony Merrick Chairman: Peter Horsman Treasurer: Andrew Beaumont
Board of Directors Julian Bronson, John Clark OBE, Rod Jolley, Will Nuthall, Eddy Perk, Ted Rollason and Chris Wilson Race/Events/Elegibility: Martin Grant Peterkin Past Chairman: Barry Cannell
Founder Members Neil Corner, Colin Crabbe, Martin Dean, Alain de Cadenet, Robs Lamplough, Patrick Lindsay, Christopher Mann, Vic Norman, Simon Phillips, Richard Pilkington, Bill Summers and Sir John Venables-Llewelyn. Thanks to the following, the HGPCA is the successful Association it is today: Paul Alexander, Richard Attwood, Martin Eyre, Brian Gilbart-Smith, Bob Gilbert CBE, Martin Grant Peterkin, Gerry Hann, Peter Hannen, John Harper, Sidney Hoole, Brian Horwood, Robin Lodge, Roger Lucas, Peter Mann, Nick Mason, Tony Merrick, Allan Miles, ‘Spike’ Milligan, Ian Nuthall, Trisha Pilkington, Ted Rollason, Kirk Rylands, Julian Sutton, Sheridan Thynne, John Ure, Paula Webb and Nick Wigley.
3 /
CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME / 1
HAWKER RACING LIMITED Precision Engineering for Historic Cars • • • • • •
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HISTORIC SPORTS & RACING CAR SPECIALISTS Maserati, Cooper, Jaguar, Cooper Bristol, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, MG Moat Farm, Church Road, Milden, Suffolk IP7 7AF Tel: 01449 740544 Fax: 01449 741584 Email: office@hawker-racing.co.uk www.hawker-racing.co.uk
4 /
Zandvoort’s New dawn
A fascinating past beckons a mould-breaking future.
Contents
Words by Andrew Roberts
Chairman’s Welcome
1
30
2019 Race Meetings Silverstone VSCC Formula Vintage
4-5
Donington Historic Festival
6-7
Pau Historic Grand Prix
8-9
Brands Hatch Legends Superprix
10-11
Silverstone Classic Grand Prix 12-13 Nurburgring 47.AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix
14-15
Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix
16-17
Spa- Francorchamps Spa Six Hours
18-19
Estoril Classic Portugal
20-21
2019 Awards Annual Lunch
22-23
Race Results & Annual Awards
24-25
Arrested Development The Story of ERA GP1
By Mike Jiggle (A concise version of an editorial first published in ‘Auto Tradition’)
40 Andy Wallace ‘Testing a Legend’ Le Mans Winner, Bugatti Test Driver and World Record holder. Words by Mike Jiggle
Features Zandvoort’s new dawn - Andrew Roberts
30-37
The Story of ERA GPI - Mike Jiggle
40-49
Andy Wallace - Mike Jiggle
54-59
Grossglockner Hill Climb - Mike Jiggle
64-71
2020 Event Calendar
80
Membership 80
Publisher Historic Grand Prix Cars Association PE.B21.2 Parkhall Business Centre 40 Martell Road, London, SE21 8EN Tel/Fax: +44(0)20 7785 7204 Email: contact@hgpca.net www.hgpca.com Head Office Stella Jackson Historic Grand Prix Cars Association PE.B21.2 Parkhall Business Centre 40 Martell Road, London, SE21 8EN Telephone: +44(0)20 7785 7204
54
Grossglockner ‘Climbing to the Clouds’
Words by Mike Jiggle
64
Deputy Editor Andrew Roberts
Feature Writers Andrew Roberts, Mike Jiggle
Graphic Design & Production Rob Blayney Blayney Partnership Hall Farm, Sywell Aerodrome, Sywell, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN6 0BN Telephone: 01604 671714 www.blayneypartnership.co.uk
Photographers Jim Houlgrave, Eric Sawyer, Alan Cox, Guy Pawlak, Race Ready, Laura Houghton, Beverly Phillips, Lesley Perk, Whole Tone Media.
Editor Martin Eyre
Acknowledgements Special thanks to 1952 Zandvoort Revival Race organiser Alexander van der Lof, the Rob Peterson Archive and Circuit Zandvoort.
Secretary Ellie Birchenhough
Advertising Sales Rob Blayney
Printed by Stephens & George, Goat Mill Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales CF48 3TD Front Cover Cover artwork from ‘The Bare Essentials’ painting by acclaimed Austrian artist Klaus Wagger.
© HGPCA 2020 While every effort is made to ensure accuracy no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, howsoever caused. No liability can be accepted for illustrations, photographs, artwork or advertising materials while in transition or with the publisher or their agents. All information is correct at time of going to print.
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Andrew Beaumont’s Lotus 18 has Mark Daniell’s Cooper T45 for close company. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Silverstone VSCC Formula Vintage England
France
Spain
Germany
Belgium
Portugal
13th - 14th April 2019 Pre 66 GP cars Silverstone Northamptonshire UK
Brabham Spring
Denmark
Preceded by the now traditional Friday Test
by the fascinatingly eclectic car parks and the
Day that saw HGPCA members and guests
temptations of the paddock offerings and the
reacquainting themselves with the Silverstone
well patronized BRDC grandstand. However
National Circuit ahead of a busy historic season,
there were disturbing signs of a slowing
the VSCC’s Formula Vintage meeting delivered its
economy starting to affect entry levels across the
usual scintillating mix of close racing in addition
board, the usually well-supported HGPCA double
to paying memorable homage to Bentley’s
header mustering just 26 entries, two of which
centenary with a typically thundering tribute.
were withdrawn and practice commencing with
Silverstone sharply reminded spectators and
just 21 cars on the grid.
visitors alike of its aviation heritage with bitingly
Mirroring the 2018 season Brabham and Lotus
cold but mercifully dry Spring weather although
proved little had changed, with Barry Cannell’s
this did little to deter spectators, as evidenced
BT11A and Peter Horsman’s 18/21 setting the early
6 / VSCC SPRING START RACE MEETING
Holland
Battle royal between Peter Horsman’s Lotus 18/21 and Barry Cannell’s Brabham BT11A in race 2, before the oil slick slowed proceedings. Photo: Alan Cox
Left: Surbiton consistency as Wulf Goetze’s Cooper T53 leads the Sid Hoole Cooper T66. Photo Eric Sawyer
Below: Bernardo Hartogs Lotus 18/21 and Rod Jolley in Tim Ross’ Cooper T43/51 typified period ‘60s grids. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Above Right: Barry Cannell in the Brabham BT11A sheds its pursuers as Jon Fairley signals electrical gremlins ending his progress in the Brabham BT11. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Driver of the Day laurels went to Charles McCabe in the Lotus 18 with two strong performances.
Race 2 promised a repetition of the previous well-matched Lotus/Brabham duel but
Photo: Alan Cox
it was Cannell who took a sixth-lap lead from Horsman with the unfortunate Lotus practice pace. In close contact were the Lotus 18 of Andrew Beaumont and Tom Dark in the Cooper T51, with Jon Fairley’s Brabham BT11/19 and Mark Daniell’s Cooper next up. Race 1 delivered confirmation despite Cannell’s poor start that left him in pursuit of Horsman, Dark and Fairley but the latter’s Brabham progress was halted by
succumbing to engine problems three laps later. With the Brabham now motoring into the distance, Tom Dark’s Cooper T51 held off a Lotus 18 trio of Andrew Beaumont, John Chisholm and Charles McCabe, with Wulf Goetze completing a fine weekend’s work for his Cooper in sixth place.
electrical gremlins. Horsman’s lead was whittled away by Cannell posting a string of fastest laps to take victory from the Lotus with Mark Daniell leading home a Cooper quartet of Tom Dark T51, Wulf Goetze T53 and Sid Hoole T66.
Driver of the Day Charles McCabe Lotus 18.
VSCC SPRING START RACE MEETING
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Donington Historic Festival
England
Spain Germany
Belgium
3rd - 5th May 2019 Pre 50 & Pre 61 GP cars Donington Park UK
Vibrant Heritage
Denmark
Befitting its heritage, the Donington circuit is a
racing that belies their period history. Miles
natural fit for historic racing that tests both driver
Griffiths in Philip Walker’s example posted pole
and machinery to the maximum and it remains a
position, ahead of the Tony Wood Maserati Tec
particular favourite of competitors and spectators
Mec followed by the Joaquin Folch-Rusinol’s
alike. The combined grid for the Nuvolari and
Lotus 16. Steve Hart upheld Maserati honours
Ascari competitors encompassed the historical
in the fourth-place 250F, while the Cameron
spread of HGPCA racing, ranging from pre-war
Millar example of Klaus Lehr completed the top
Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, ERA, Maserati and MG
six, Julian Bronson having split the two trident-
through to the changing formulae of the post-war
bearing cars in the Scarab Offenhauser. Such
era, typified by Alta, Cooper Bristol, Connaught
gems as the Bugatti T35 and the Alfa Romeo P3
and Lotus.
from the Rettenmaier stable, the ERA of Nick
Qualifying on a damp track emphasised the now well established pace of the Lotus 16 in historic
Topliss and the MG K3 of John Gillett provided a perfect 1930s contrast to the rapid post-war machinery.
Historic Donington timewarp as the Stephan Rettenmaier Alfa Romeo P3 leads the Frazer Nash Shelsley of Geraint Lewis. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Above: Nick Topliss ERA R4A took Nuvolari Trophy honours. Photo: Eric Sawyer
8 / DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL RACE MEETING
France
Portugal
Holland
Ewen Sergison delivered a perfect period cameo in the Nigel Griffiths Maserati 6CM.
Works colours to the fore as Joaquin Folch-Rusinol Lotus 16, leads Steve Hart Maserati 250F CM7 and Julian Bronson Scarab Offenhauser. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Below: Enthralling battle of Cooper Bristol trio of Eddie McGuire (75), Paul Grant (19) and Chris Phillips (33). Photo: Eric Sawyer
Photo: Eric Sawyer
Race 1 predictably saw the Miles Griffith Lotus 16 reprising its qualifying pace for victory although the Tony Wood Tec Mec valiantly tried to stay in touch with the flying Lotus, but to no avail. The Folch-Rusinol Lotus 16 maintained its third place ahead of
First-time drive for Malcolm Cook in the ‘toothpaste-tube’ Connaught C8, leading new member Jean Georges van Praet in his Cooper Bristol Mk 2. Photo: Eric Sawyer
the Griffiths and Folch-Rusinol 16s and you could almost sense the reprise of a flying Chapman flat cap. Tony Wood’s Tec Mec had by now dropped to third but there were no such problems for the Steve Hart 250F for a well-merited and successive fourth place. Rod Jolley took another fifth place and there were plaudits too for the Aston Martin DBR4/4 of Marc Valvekens in sixth, just ahead of the flying Cooper Bristol of Paul Grant. A mere second behind him was the Winner of the Nuvolari Trophy, Nick Topliss in ERA R4A.
the Maserati 250F of Steve Hart but the Scarab’s race ended with engine maladies. Rod Jolley’s Monzanapolis Lister Jaguar had climbed through the chasing pack to take fifth place ahead of the Nick Topliss ERA R4A.
Driver of the Day and Ascari Trophy
It was more of the same in Race 2 but this time to delight
Miles Griffiths Lotus 16.
the Classic Team Lotus presence it was a Hethel 1-2 for DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL
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Belgium
Pau Historic Grand Prix Holland
Denmark
Timeless Challenge
24th - 26th May 2019 Pre 61 & Pre 66 France Few street circuits – challenging Monaco excluded –
kept the 250F pairing of Steven Hart and Lukas Halusa at
can claim so rich a history as Pau that first organised
bay. A fine drive from Martin Eyre saw him fifth quickest
round the houses racing on its ancient streets in 1933.
and first Cooper Bristol.
A favourite with HGPCA members, who have long enjoyed its welcoming atmosphere and hospitality, Pau is arguably one of the most challenging of tracks on the historic calendar. Pau’s traditional warm sunshine failed to put in an
The Pre 61 cars opened Sunday’s race proceedings on a welcomingly dry track. Confirming its qualification pace, victory fell to the Fierro Maserati 250F leaving the determined Rod Jolley to claim second-place. Ian Nuthall’s Alta F2 and perennial rival Paul Grant’s Cooper Bristol with
appearance, courtesy of the Pyrenees Mountains that delivered heavy rain on Friday and remained showery for qualifying. The dozen Pre 61 competitors
After a searing qualifying lap and taking an immediate lead in the first race, Will Nuthall’s Cooper T53 succumbed to transmission problems.
saw Maserati 250Fs predictably setting the pace with
Photo: Guy Pawlak
Guillermo Fierro fastest, although Rod Jolley in the Lister Jaguar Monzanapolis pressed him hard and
Klaus Lehr Maserati 250F CM5 added Modena scarlet to the proceedings. Photo: Guy Pawlak
Klaus Lehr’s 250F were next up. It was more of the same in race two, the Fierro Maserati 250F scorching into a lights-to-flag lead, despite the efforts of the Hart 250F and the hard charging Rod Jolley. Ian Nuthall’s Alta F2 again battled mightily with Paul Grant’s Cooper Bristol, with the 250F of Klaus Lehr rounding out the top six. Pre 66 qualifying was headed by Will Nuthall in the Cooper T53 fractionally ahead of Andy Middlehurst in the Lotus 25 R4, itself a past Pau triple winner with Jim Clark, 10 / PAU HISTORIC GRAND PRIX RACE MEETING
Peter Horsman’s double duel with Andy Middlehurst saw the Lotus 18/21 holding off the Lotus 25 in both races. Photo: Guy Pawlak
Maserati 250F magic from Guillermo Fierro (2523) who led the race from the start despite the close attentions of Steve Hart (CM7) and ultimate runner-up Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar). Photo: Guy Pawlak
Traditional road racing recalled scenes from yesteryear.
Photo Guy Pawlak
Barry Cannell’s Brabham BT11/A was now back in its regular groove in third replacing Jon Fairley’s retiring Brabham. Nick Taylor’s determined drive in the Lotus 18 netted a strong fourth place while fellow 18 pilot Andrew Beaumont was a place down with Rod Jolley’s Cooper sixth. The closely fought Horsman/ Middlehurst duel was reprised in the second race, despite a red flag incident. The subsequent four-minute sprint was resolved in the Lotus 18’s favour, although Andy Middlehurst set
Superbly close Lotus racing from Peter Horsman 18/21 and Andy Middlehurst (25) recaptured memories of this historic GP road circuit. Photo: Guy Pawlak
the fastest lap. Rounding out a Lotus benefit was Andrew Beaumont’s Lotus 18, followed home by the Brabham of Jon Fairley and the Cooper T53 of Justin Maeers.
and Peter Horsman’s Lotus 18/21. Nick Taylor, similarly mounted in a Chapman 18 set fourth fastest, just shading out Rod Jolley’s Cooper T43/51. For the first race Nuthall set out to build an immediate advantage but the second lap saw his Cooper’s demise with both
Driver of the Day Justin Maeers, Cooper T53 and Donna Maria Baskerville.
Horsman and Middlehurst moving up to their final positions. PAU HISTORIC GRAND PRIX RACE MEETING / 11
Brands Hatch Legends Superprix England
France
Spain
Germany
Belgium
29th - 30th June 2019 Pre 61 & Pre 66 Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit
Kentish Blooms
Denmark
HGPCA members have long counted the Superprix
Richard Wilson in the Ferrari Dino stormed an
as one of the season’s highlights and with the
ultimately winning lead in the first of the Pre 61 races.
classic Grand Prix circuit happily in use again, period
Rod Jolley’s pursuit in the Lister Jaguar was in vain,
machinery was back on once familiar tarmac, recalling
while the challenge of Tom Dark in the Bugatti T73C
the exploits of great drivers and epic duels in this most
ended in supercharger problems. The Cameron Millar
challenging of settings.
250F Maseratis of Hart and Lehr would finish third and
Recalling 60s rivalries, qualifying turned into a Lotus/ Brabham duel. Andy Middlehurst in John Bowers’
fourth while the Alta F2 of Ian Nuthall held off the Paul Grant Cooper Bristol.
Lotus 25 R4 set a Clark-like pole from Peter Horsman’s
Race 2 saw Jolley in scintillating form, the Lister Jaguar
Lotus 18/21, with the BT11s of Jon Fairley and Barry
dicing constantly with the Wilson Dino until gearbox
Cannell upholding Brabham honours and Chris Drake
problems slowed the Ferrari. Behind them was the
and Rudi Friedrichs doing likewise for Cooper.
Steve Hart 250F, while the Alta/Cooper Bristol battle
Maiden drive in the Cooper T45/51 for Tomas Matzelberger ahead of the Chris Phillips Cooper Bristol Mk 2.
Rare appearance of the one-off South African-built Assegai by Richard Tarling.
Photo: Eric Sawyer
Photo: Eric Sawyer
Surbiton duel between Mark Daniell’ s T45 and Rod Jolley’s T45/51. Photo: Eric Sawyer
12 / BRANDS HATCH RACE MEETING
Portugal
Holland
Below: South African flavour from Eddy Perk Heron F1 leading Greg Thornton LDS 03. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Up the hill to Druids, Andy Middlehurst Lotus 25 leads Peter Horsman Lotus 18/21, Tom Dark Cooper T51 and the Brabhams of Jon Fairley and Barry Cannell. Photo: Eric Sawyer Bourne identity from the glorious ex-Jo Bonnier BRM P25 of Charles McCabe. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Elliott Hann made an impressive debut in the in the family’s Cooper T41. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Above: First time out for Richard Wilson in the Ferrari Dino BH RO1 saw him off to a winning start. Photo: Eric Sawyer
between Nuthall and Grant mirrored
Race 2 posed the question of the
that of the front-running duo.
Middlehurst Lotus 25 repeating its
Maintaining Surbiton honour, Chris
previous starting pace from the tenth
Phillips brought his Cooper Bristol
row but it was the rapid Cannell
home to sixth.
that would see him narrowly take the ultimate honours from Andrew
Searing 30-degree temperatures
Beaumont’s Lotus 18 with Tom Dark’s
greeted the 26 starters of the first
Cooper T51 next up. Andy Middlehurst
Pre 66 race, with Andy Middlehurst’s
had driven smoothly to annex fourth
Lotus 25 straight into the lead from
spot while Rod Jolley brought the
the rolling start, with the Horsman
Lister Jaguar home one place later.
Andy Middlehurst in John Bowers’ Lotus 25 hunts down Tom Dark’s Cooper T51.
Lotus sidelined with a broken driveshaft on the second lap.
Young newcomer Brian Tilley drove
The Lotus 25 race was done by lap five, after succumbing to
superbly to take the class award and
Photo: Eric Sawyer
fuel pressure maladies. With the V8s now gone everything
Driver of the Day in Paul Smeeth’s
was set for a battle royal with the Coventry Climax survivors
Lotus 18.
and it would be Barry Cannell’s Brabham keeping the Cooper trio of Rudi Friedrichs T53, Tom Dark T51 and Chris Drake T53 at bay. Andrew Beaumont upheld lotus honours in the 18, while a delighted Mark Daniell took sixth in the Cooper T45.
Driver of the Day Benn Tilley Lotus 18 BRANDS HATCH RACE MEETING
// 13 11
Changing decades as the ‘30s Maserati 6C34 of Josef Rettenmaier encounters the ‘50s Cooper T45/51 of Rod Jolley. Photo: Eric Sawyer.
Mouthwatering grid sees Miles Griffiths in Philip Walker’s Lotus 16 level pegging with the Michael Gans Cooper T79. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Larry Kinch in the Lotus 32 Tasman heads Ian Nuthall’s Alta F2 and the Cameron Millar Maserati 250F CM5. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Silverstone Classic England
France
Spain
Germany
Belgium
Portugal
26th - 28th July 2019 Pre 66 GP cars Silverstone Northamptonshire
Record - Braking Classic
Denmark
Holland
An attendance of 109,000 and a wealth of dizzying
the green and gold machine. The rapid Will Nuthall in
statistics proved yet again how right the Goose Live
the Cooper T53 was next up and Miles Griffiths in Philip
Events-promoted Silverstone Classic formula is, with its
Walker’s Lotus 16, third fastest. A most welcome HGPCA
action-packed race programme, unique open-all-areas
debutant was Joe Colasacco in the Flat-12 Ferrari F1 that
policy, family-friendly features and entertainment,
Lorenzo Bandini took to second place in the 1965 Monaco
brilliant live music, shopping village, air displays and
GP, while Barry Cannell’s Brabham BT11A and Sam
funfair, and huge club presence rounded off with
Wilson’s Lotus 18 were its hard pursuers.
a high-profile auction. Centenary celebrations for Bentley, track demonstrations by Sir Jackie Stewart and Le Mans prototypes racing into the dusk were added jewels. With race organisation in the capable hands of the HSCC and with the HGPCA accorded a correspondingly high profile, some 46 members registered race entries for what would become another world-beating classic festival. Jon Fairley’s pole-setting qualifying performance with the Brabham BT11/19 served to remind rivals that this remains a favourite circuit for both its driver and
14 / SILVERSTONE CLASSIC RACE MEETING
With two-thirds of the first race run, Will Nuthall took the Cooper T53 into a winning lead. Photo: Eric Sawyer
With the BRDC Clubhouse as the backdrop Nick Taylor Lotus 18 heads Maserati 250F and a rapidly closing pack. Photo Eric Sawyer. Below: Shades of the classic 1965 Monaco GP, as Joseph Colascco turns back the clock in the second place Lorenzo Bandini Ferrari 1512. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Tony Wood in the Maserati Tec Mec heads Julian Bronson Scarab Offenhauser and Andrew Beaumont Lotus 18. Photo: Eric Sawyer Glorious Maserati 250F 2532 of Nick Mason was driven by Marino Franchitti to Front Engine Driver of the Day.
Now taking full advantage of a dry track in
Photo: EricSawyer
Sunday afternoon’s race, the leading trio of Sam Wilson, Will Nuthall and Michael Gans
BRDC’s Stuart Graham presents Lawrence Auriana with the ‘Most Admired Car of the Meeting’ Trophy for the former Lorenzo Bandini F1 Ferrari 1512.
were setting a storming pace with the Fairley Brabham threateningly in touch throughout. On the seventh circuit he was past Nuthall and into a second place he would not concede but was still almost four seconds behind the Wilson Lotus. Meanwhile the Gans Cooper had climbed back to fourth, with the Miles Griffiths Lotus 16 and Barry Cannell in the Brabham BT11A A damp surface on the resurfaced track made Saturday’s race conditions uncertain but this proved no deterrent to the Griffiths Lotus 16 that stormed into an early lead with Fairley soon back on the pace but this would turn into a youth driven contest with Will Nuthall’s Cooper taking the
completing the top six. Regular front-runner Peter Horsman was next up, ahead of fellow Lotus 18 protagonists Benn Tilley and Andrew Beaumont, the latter’s position being split by the Tom Dark Cooper T51.
lead at two-thirds distance and the rapid Sam Wilson in the Lotus 18 shadowing him home. Michael Gans in the Cooper T79 headed early pacesetter Griffiths with the Lotus 18/21 of Peter Horsman fifth and Jon Fairley’s Brabham rounding out the top six.
Driver of the Day
Front Engine Marino Franchitti Maserati 250F 2532 Rear Engine Jon Fairley Brabham BT11/19 SILVERSTONE CLASSIC RACE MEETING
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Spain
Nurburgring Germany
Belgium
47.AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix Denmark
Portugal
Holland
Eifel Splendour
9th - 11th August 2019 Pre 61 & Pre 66 Germany Throughout its four-decade history the HGPCA
club entry with themed displays including rarely seen
has remained one of the staunchest supporters
examples and the massive trade presence that is always
of the Oldtimer Grand Prix that has been a much-
impossible to resist.
loved fixture on the historic calendar since 1973. Memories of legendary drives and titanic battles on the dauntingly unpredictable Nordschleife from the Ringmeisters of yesterday are ever present, recalling such greats as Ascari, Nuvolari, Rosemeyer, Seaman, Fangio, Phil and Graham Hill,
Qualifying saw Barry Cannell’s Brabham BT 11A taking pole, ahead of Will Nuthall’s Cooper T53, Michael Gans upholding Surbiton honours in his T79 with Peter Horsman quickly on the pace with the Lotus 18/21 and fellow Chapman adherent Joaquin Folch-Rusinol in
Moss, Brabham, Hawthorn and Stewart. The enduring popularity of this farsighted and truly international event is undiminished, continuing to draw great cars from every era. As ever, it remains a firm favourite with members some 42 entering the three-day AvD extravaganza that continues to bring huge and appreciative crowds to the Eifel Mountains. As much as the huge racing programme, the other great attractions of the Oldtimer are the huge
the 16 with the Brabham BT7A of Max Blees hard on his heels. Race 1 saw disappointment for Cannell’s pole-sitting Brabham that went on to three cylinders on the formation lap leaving a Cooper duel in prospect between Nuthall and Gans. The Nuthall T53 took an early lead but it would be the Michael Gans T79 setting a fastest lap who retook the lead and despite Erik Staes’ Cooper Bristol moves over from the hotly pursuing Will Nuthall Cooper T53 while Peter Horsman Lotus 18/21 and Michael Gans Cooper T79 watch on. Photo: Eric Sawyer 16 / 47.AvD OLDTIMER GRAND PRIX RACE MEETING
continuing pressure maintained it to the flag, with the two protagonists finishing half a second between them.
Max Blees Brabham BT7A, Joaquin FolchRusinol Lotus 16 and Chris Drake’s Cooper T71/73 nose ahead of the hard chasing pack.
Below: Close quarters for Chris Phillips Cooper Bristol Mk 2,Joaquin Folch-Rusinol Lotus 16, Martin Halusa Maserati 250F and Erik Staes Cooper Bristol.
Photo: Eric Sawyer
Photo: Eric Sawyer
1965 Ex-Prince Bira MG K3 of Australian John Gillett added Brooklands flavour. Wulf Goetze Cooper T53 soaks up the pressure from the pursuing Philipp Buhofer Lotus 44 F2 and Bernardo Hartogs Lotus18/21.
Photo: Per Soerensen
Photo: Eric Sawyer
Lotus 18s in the hands of Peter Horsman and John Chisholm were equally closely matched, ahead of Chris Drake’s Cooper T71/73 and Max Blees in the Brabham BT7A. Race 2 saw an ultimately commanding victory for Peter Horsman from Michael Gans with a superb drive from Grand Prix assortment par excellence with Tom Dark’s Cooper T51 leading Stephan Rettenmaier’s Maserati 6CM and the delightfully varied grid.
Barry Cannell’s Brabham taking the third podium slot. Will Nuthall’s rapid pace in the Cooper had seen him taking the lead but with two laps to go he was sidelined, leaving the top six completed by the Lotus 18 of John Chisholm, the Brabham of Max Blees and the Chris Drake Cooper.
Photo: Eric Sawyer Duel in the Eifel sunshine between the Cooper T45 of Michel Baudin and the Tony Smith Ferrari Dino.
Driver of the Day
Photo: Eric Sawyer
47.AvD OLDTIMER GRAND PRIX
Front Engine Tony Smith Ferrari Dino Rear Engine Nick Taylor Lotus 18 / 17
Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix Denmark
Holland
Zandvoort Encore
6th - 8th September 2019 Pre 61 & Pre 66 Netherlands With the prospect of Grand Prix
Jim Clark’s happy association with Zandvoort, notably in the Lotus 25 R4
racing returning to the ‘Circuit
that posted Dutch GP victories in both 1962-63 was fittingly celebrated in
in the Dunes’ as part of the 2020
style by its return that delivered double victory for Andy Middlehurst in the
calendar – and with the certainty
beautifully presented John Bowers car.
of major changes to come – it was no surprise that members would take a final opportunity to race on what has become a favourite venue since the first Historic Grand Prix in 2012. Some 37 members ensured that historic GP cars could see the old, but now truncated, circuit off in style.
Zandvoort pace epitomised by Will Nuthall (Giorgio March’s Cooper T53), Andy Middlehurst (John Bowers’ Lotus 25), Andrew Beaumont Lotus 18 and Barry Cannell Brabham BT11A. Photo: Eric Sawyer
James Willis Cooper TT45 has Rod Jolley Lister Jaguar for close company as he upholds Surbiton honours. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Qualifying for the first HGPCA race saw Andy Middlehurst in the Classic Team Lotus run Lotus 25 setting a Clark-like pole-setting lap from Will Nuthall’s Cooper T53 and the Lotus 18 of Andrew Beaumont and Peter Horsman’s 18/21. This perfectly set the race scene, Andy Middlehurst and Will Nuthall duly obliging with the closest dicing but the Lotus 25 ultimately taking the flag. Barry Cannell took the third podium slot in the Brabham, with Andrew Beaumont’s Lotus 18 fourth, ahead of the Cooper duo of Tom Dark T51 and Sid Hoole T66. The second race provided a chilling reminder of past Zandvoort Classic Works Brabham green and gold livery for John Romano’s BT11, leading Tony Ditheridge’s Cooper T45 and Tom de Gres’ Brabham BT14. Photo: Eric Sawyer 18 /
ZANDVOORT HISTORIC GRAND PRIX RACE MEETING
tragedies when Brian Jolliffe’s Cooper T45 speared heavily into the barriers at the start of the pit straight, causing a long
Natural grandstand viewing from the Zandvoort dunes of the superb duel between Andy Middlehurst and Will Nuthall that saw the Lotus 25 edging out the Cooper T53 on the final lap of the first race. Photo: Eric Sawyer
delay for rescue crews. Fortunately Cooper engineering, via a strong tubular structure, meant that Brian’s injuries amounted only to broken ribs, but the incident cast a pall over proceedings and consequently the race result was declared at six laps. Andy Middlehurst had dominated proceedings until the red flag but Will Nuthall continued to chase down R4, but to no avail. Andrew Beaumont’s third-place Lotus 18 had battled throughout with the Barry Cannell Brabham. Peter Horsman’s Lotus 18/21 was fifth after a brilliant drive from the back of the field, with Chris Drake’s Cooper T71/73 completing the top six.
Determination is writ large from Erik Staes in the Cooper Bristol Mk 2. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Eddie McGuire celebrated his first visit to Zandvoort with the mighty Scarab Offenhauser by annexing front engine honours on Saturday. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Following the crowded start, Tom Dark’s Cooper T51 has the chasing pack for the closest of company. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Driver of the Day Front Engine Erik Staes Cooper Bristol Mk 2 Rear Engine James Willis Cooper T45 ZANDVOORT HISTORIC GRAND PRIX
/ 19
1965
Far away from their South African careers, the Lotus 21s of Mark Shaw and Changing decades as the ‘30s Maserati 6C34 of Alex Morton would battle for eighth place. Photo: Eric Sawyer Josef Rettenmaier encounters the ‘50s Cooper T45/51 of Rod Jolley. Photo: Eric Sawyer.
Race of the Spa weekend was undoubtedly the tremendous performance of Rod Jolley in the Lister Jaguar Monzanapolis, the complete master of whatever conditions he encountered. Andy Middlehurst in John Bowers’ Lotus 25 provided the strongest of opposition until a broken gear linkage frustrated his efforts. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Ex-Prince Bira MG K3 of Australian John Gillett added Brooklands flavour. Photo: Per Soerensen
England
Recalling the superbly prepared F2 Works Lotus team, Chris Locke netted Driver of the Day in the 32B, here in company with Andrew Smith in the Tim Ross Cooper T43/51 and John Emery’s Brabham BT4. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Spain Germany
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps Denmark
Spa Six Hours
Ardennes Antics
27th - 29th September 2019 Pre 61 & Pre 66 Belgium Utterly unique, Spa remains one of the world’s
in touch were Charles Maeers Cooper T53 and
greatest race circuits. Supremely fast, ever-
Joaquin Folch-Rusinol Lotus 16.
challenging and always unpredictable, it tests cars and drivers to the limit, with the lottery of weather vagaries that can leave the circuit basking simultaneously in blazing sunshine or a torrential downpour. As always, the Spa Six Hours attracts the cream of historic racing – uniquely linking past and present – with HGPCA members always out in force, 42 competitors being registered for the 2019 edition. Revelling in the only dry day of the meeting, Peter Horsman set a blistering qualifying pace in the Lotus 18/21, keeping Andy Middlehurst in Lotus 25 R4 at bay from the close company of Chris Drake’s Cooper T71 and the Barry Cannell Brabham BT11. Very much
20 / SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS RACE MEETING
Franc
Saturday’s race on a damp but drying track predictably saw the Horsman Lotus 18/21 reprising its qualifying form from Middlehurst’s R4, the duo outpacing their pursuers. The Barry Cannell Brabham and the Joaquin Folch-Rusinol Lotus 16 were next up, ahead of Chris Locke in the F2 Lotus 32B who held off the rapid Lister Jaguar of Rod Jolley that was quietly posting intent for the following day. Any hopes of a dry race on Sunday were dashed by an increasingly dank afternoon that greeted the 30 surviving runners for the second race that, despite trackside pessimism, arguably turned
Portu
Holla
Left: Cooper quartet of Thomas Matzelberger T45/51, Chris Drake T71/73, Ingo Strolz T51 and Thierry de Latre de Busqueau T45. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Klara Retttenmaier’s Maserati A6GCM has the Andy Middlehurst Lotus 25 for watchful company. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Right: Splash of French Racing Blue for the immaculate Philippe Bonny Brabham.
A brace of Maserati 250Fs as Stephan Rettenmaier leads Christian Dumolin. Photo: Eric Sawyer
out to be the race of the meeting. Initially Andy
Photo: Eric Sawyer
Middlehurst’s Lotus 25 led the Folch-Rusinol Lotus 16 and Peter Horsman’s Lotus 18/21, with Rod Jolley in the Lister Jaguar, menacingly lying Andrew Beaumont’s Lotus 18 has the Andy Middlehurst 25 and Chris Locke’s 32B as escorts, while the Maserati 250F of Guillermo Fierro maintains close interest. Photo: Eric Sawyer
Street circuits have a fascination of their
in a strategic fourth place. An absolute master of the conditions, Jolley stormed into a deservedly winning lead with a lap remaining but there was huge disappointment for Middlehurst, with the Lotus now hampered by a broken gear linkage. Despite dropping back he then displaced the Guillermo Fierro Maserati 250F to
own, especially so when they join the fixture
take a hard-fought second place. Steve Hart in
list on a ‘pop-up’ basis and their location
the Hann family Cameron Millar Maserati 250F
immediately returns to normal after a
took fourth, ahead of the Lotus duo of Peter
weekend of racing.
Horsman and Joaquin Folch-Rusinol.
This was the formula for the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix run on the public roads around Bellaboj Park in the Danish capital, the entire event infrastructure. On grass in
Driver of the Day Front Engine Julian Bronson Scarab Rear Engine Sid Hoole Cooper T66 SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS RACE MEETING / 21
Estoril Classic Portugal Glorious Dessert
11th - 13th October 2019 Pre 61 & Pre 66 Portugal Portugal in early Autumn is an appealing prospect
with a further Maserati A6GCM outing for Klara.
before the cold and darkness of a northern winter
Unusually for a season-ending race, we had not
and a final outing before putting our cars away
only a new entrant in Stephan Joebstl but a new
and planning for another season. What could be
car too, as he debuted his newly acquired Cooper
better than the former home of the Portuguese
T45/51.
Grand Prix with its excellent F1 facilities, together with the allure of the Atlantic coast and the attractions of the Estoril resort on the doorstep?
Qualifying saw Andrew Beaumont’s rapid Lotus 18 annexing pole position from Jon Fairley in the Brabham BT11, making its first appearance since
Again, Estoril’s Historic Festival wove its customary
the Silverstone Classic and its debut at Estoril.
magic with HGPCA members and a strong entry
Mark Shaw’s Lotus 21 and Chris Locke’s F2 Lotus
headed south. A welcome return included Julian
32B were next up, ahead of the Cooper duo of
Bronson in the Scarab Offenhauser while the
Justin Maeers T53 and Sid Hoole T66.
Rettenmaier family fielded the mighty 4.5 litre V12 Osca for Jakob, the Maserati 250F for Stephan and
Bernardo Harthogs Lotus 18/21 in close company with Justin Maeers Cooper T53. Photo: Race Ready
22 / ESTORIL CLASSIC RACE MEETING
John Emery’s Brabham BT4 has its mirrors full of eventual double race winner, the Brabham BT11 of Jon Fairley. Photo: Race Ready
Below: Bira memories rekindled as Jakob Rettenmaier exercises the Osca G4500 to good effect.
Below: Design contrast as the Eddy Perk Heron stays ahead of Max Smith Hilliard’s Lotus 16.
Photo: Race Ready
Photo: Race Ready
Dominating double victories for circuit newcomer Jon Fairley in the Brabham BT11, here leading the Chris Locke Formula 2 Lotus 32B. Photo: Race Ready
Taking full advantage of the long start straight, so redolent of Estoril’s F1 turbo era, Sid Hoole in the Cooper T66, would power to a class win and Driver of the Day. Photo: Race Ready
The Justin Maeers Cooper took full advantage of Estoril’s long straights. Photo: Race Ready
Saturday’s race saw the leading qualifying
walkover, as they left the chasing field toiling
placings reversed, with the Fairley Brabham
in their wake. Sid Hoole brought the Cooper
taking the top honours from Beaumont,
T66 home in third place while Julian Bronson
although this had been a close battle
and the mighty Scarab took to the Portuguese
throughout. Coopers dominated the next
location, finishing fourth. Bernardo Hartogs
placings with Justin Maeers and Sid Hoole,
posted his second fifth placing of the weekend
with Bernardo Hartogs in the Lotus 18/21 the
while James Willis closed out the top six
lone interloper, before normal Surbiton service
with another accomplished drive in the
was restored through the fine drive of James
Cooper T45.
Willis in his T45. Fortunately rain held off for the Sunday race with its 19-strong grid. It was more of the winning same for the Fairley Brabham for a second chequered flag, but Andrew
Driver of the Day
Front Engine Julian Bronson Scarab Rear Engine Sid Hoole Cooper T66
Beaumont’s Lotus 18 ensured that it was no ESTORIL CLASSIC RACE MEETING / 23
The 2019 Awards Ceremony
The magnificant Rotunda at The Royal Automobile Club
Class 8: Rod Jolley, Supagard’s Tony Wright, Julian Bronson and Eddie McGuire
Class 10: Bernardo Hartogs, Eddy Perk, Supagard’s Tony Wright and Nick Taylor
24 / AWARDS CEREMONY
Photographs: Jim Houlgrave
Class 9: James Willis, Tim Ross, Supagard’s Tony Wright Peter Russell for Tony Ditheridge
Class 11: Clive Chapman for Andy Middlehurst, Supagard’s Tony Wright, Sid Hoole and Richard Wilson
Our Annual Lunch was held again at The Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, founded in 1897 with the aim of encouraging the development of motoring in Britain, what more appropriate venue for the HGPCA’s annual awards ceremony and lunch.
Barry Cannell and Hubertus Donhoff
Brian Jolliffe and daughter, Cora Trim
Class 7c: Supagard’s Tony Wright and Elliott Hann
Class 12: Barry Cannell, Peter Horsman, Andrew Beaumont and Supagard’s Tony Wright
Julia Hartogs and Julia de Baldanza
Class 7a: Tony Wood, Supagard’s Tony Wright, Miles Griffiths and Clive Chapman for Joaquin Folch-Rusinol
Class 6: Supagard’s Tony Wright. Annie Hart for Guillermo
Fierro, Steve Hart for Klaus Lehr
Class 7b: Tom Dark and Will Nuthall
Founder Members: Richard Pilkington, Sir John Venables - Llewellyn, Robs Lamplough, Vic Norman, with Peter Horsman
Eddy Perk receives the Chairman’s Cup from Peter Horsman
Class 5: Ian Nuthall and for Paul Grant, Chris Phillips Photo: Beverley Phillips
Pre War group: Richard Pilkington, Supagard’s Tony Wright, Daniela forJakob and Stephan Rettenmaier
Brian Gilbart-Smith presents the Alan Putt Trophy to Peter Russell who prepares John Emery’s Brabham
Peter Horsman and Stella Jackson
Supagard’s Tony Wright presents Ian Nuthall with the Jack Brabham Trophy
AWARDS CEREMONY / 25
Yearbook: 2019 Race Results VSCC Formula Vintage
Sam Wilson (John Chisholm Lotus 18 372), Mark Daniell (Cooper T45), Greg Thornton (LDS 03), Tim de Silva (Harn de Silva Lotus 24 946), Jon Fairley (Brabham BT11/19) Drivers of the Day: Marino Franchitti (Front Engine) & Jon Fairley (Rear Engine) France
England
Silverstone National Circuit, UK Saturday 13th - Sunday 14th April Overall Winner: Barry Cannell (Brabham BT11A) Overall 2nd: Tom Dark (Cooper T51) Overall 3rd: Andrew Beaumont (Lotus 18 915) Class Winners: Tom Dark (Cooper T51), Robi Bernberg (Cooper T43), Rod Jolley (Tim Ross Cooper T43/51) DNF, Alex Morton (Lotus 21 939/952), Richard Wilson (Cooper T60), Barry Cannell (Brabham BT11A) Driver of the Day: Charles McCabe
Spain
Germany
47.AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix
Nurburgring, Germany Friday 9th – Sunday 11th August Race Overall Winner: Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) Race Overall 2nd: Michael Gans (Cooper T79) Race Overall 3rd: Barry Cannell (Brabham BT11A) Front Engine Race Overall Winner: Joaquin Folch-Rusinol (Lotus 16 365) Front Engine Race Overall 2nd: Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar) Front Engine Race Overall 3rd: Klaus Lehr (Maserati 250F) Class Winners: Jakob Rettenmaier (Stephan Rettenmaier Bugatti T35), Uli Baurle (Maserati 6CM), Ian Nuthall (Alta F2), Klaus Lehr (Maserati 250F), Joaquin Folch-Rusinol (Lotus 16 365), Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar), John Chisholm (Lotus 18 372), Guy Plante (Cooper T45), Chris Drake (Cooper T71/73), Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) Drivers of the Day: Tony Smith (Front Engine) & Nick Taylor (Rear Engine) France
England
Donington Park National Circuit, UK Friday 3rd – Sunday 5th May Overall Winner: Miles Griffiths (Lotus 16 368) Overall 2nd: Joaquin Folch-Rusinol (Lotus 16 365) Overall 3rd: Tony Wood (Maserati Tec Mec) Class Winners: Stephan Rettenmaier (Alfa Romeo P3), Geraint Lewis (Frazer Nash Shelsley), Ewen Sergison (Nigel Griffiths Maserati 6CM), Nick Topliss (ERA R4A), Paul Grant (Cooper Bristol), Steve Hart (Maserati 250F), Miles Griffiths (Philip Walker’s Lotus 16 368), Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar) Winner of the Nuvolari Trophy: Nick Topliss (ERA R4A) Winner of the Ascari Trophy & Driver of the Day: Miles Griffiths (Philip Walker’s Lotus 16 368) England
Pau, France Saturday 25th – Sunday 26th May Front Engine Race Overall Winner: Guillermo Fierro (Maserati 250F) Front Engine Race Overall 2nd: Steve Hart (Hann Family Maserati 250F) Front Engine Race Overall 3rd: Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar) Class Winners: John Gillett (MG K3), Richard Pilkington (Tania Pilkington Talbot T26 SS), Ian Nuthall (Alta F2), Guillermo Fierro (Maserati 250F), Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar) Driver of the Day: Donna Maria Baskerville Denmark
Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit, UK Saturday 29th – Sunday 30th June Front Engine Race Overall Winner: Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar) Front Engine Race Overall 2nd: Richard Wilson (Ferrari Dino BR01) Front Engine Race Overall 3rd: Steve Hart (Maserati 250F) Class Winners: John Gillett (MG K3), Ian Nuthall (Alta F2), Steve Hart (Maserati 250F), Richard Wilson (Ferrari Dino BH R01), Elliott Hann (Cooper T41), Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar) Driver of the Day: Elliott Hann
Silverstone Historic Grand Prix Circuit, Friday 26th – Sunday 28th July Race Overall Winner: Sam Wilson (John Chisholm Lotus 18 372), Race Overall 2nd: Jon Fairley (Brabham BT11/19) Race Overall 3rd: Will Nuthall (Cooper T53) Front Engine Race Overall Winner: Miles Griffiths (Lotus 16 368) Front Engine Race Overall 2nd: Tony Wood (Maserati Tec Mec) Front Engine Race Overall 3rd: Marino Franchitti (Maserati 250F) Class Winners: Ian Nuthall (Alta F2), Marino Franchitti (Nick Mason Maserati 250F), Miles Griffiths (Philip Walker Lotus 16 368),
26 / RACE RESULTS
England
France
Spain
Holland
Denmark
Germany
Belgium
Zandvoort Historic Grand Prix
Denmark
Zandvoort Grand Prix Circuit, The Netherlands Friday 6th – Sunday 8th September Race Overall Winner: Andy Middlehurst (John Bowers Lotus 25 R4) Race Overall 2nd: Will Nuthall (Giorgio Marchi Cooper T53) Race Overall 3rd: Andrew Beaumont (Lotus 18 915) Front Engine Race Overall Winner: Steve Hart (Hann Family Maserati 250F) Front Engine Race Overall 2nd: Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar) Front Engine Race Overall 3rd: Eddie McGuire (Scarab Offenhauser) Class Winners: John Gillett (MG K3), Luc Brandts (Talbot Lago), Ian Nuthall (Alta F2), Steve Hart (Hann Family Maserati 250F), Marshall Bailey (Lotus 16 364), Will Nuthall (Giorgio Marchi Cooper T53), Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar), James Willis (Cooper T45), Chris Drake (Cooper T71/73), Andy Middlehurst (John Bowers Lotus 25 R4), Andrew Beaumont (Lotus 18 915) Drivers of the Day: Erik Staes (Front Engine) & James Willis (Rear Engine)
France
Spain
Portugal
Holland
Italy
Portugal
Holland
Spa Six Hours England
Spa-Francochamps, Belgium Friday 27th – Sunday 29th September Race Overall Winner & Front Engine Race Overall Winner: Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar) Race Overall 2nd: Andy Middlehurst (John Bowers Lotus 25 R4) Race Overall 3rd & Front Engine Race Overall 2nd: Guillermo Fierro (Maserati 250F) Front Engine Race Overall 3rd: Steve Hart (Hann Family Maserati 250F) Class Winners: Richard Pilkington (Tania Pilkington Talbot T26 SS), Ian Nuthall (Alta F2), Guillermo Fierro (Maserati 250F), Joaquin Foch-Rusinol (Lotus 16 365), Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar), Thomas Matzelberger (Cooper T45/51), Andrew Smith (Tim Ross Cooper T43/51), Mark Shaw (Lotus 21), Andy Middlehurst (John Bowers Lotus 25 R4), Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) Drivers of the Day: Rod Jolley (Front Engine) & Andrew Smith (Rear Engine) France
Spain
Germany
Italy
Belgium
Denmark
Rear Engine Race Overall Winner: Barry Cannell (Brabham BT11A) Rear Engine Race Overall 2nd: Andrew Beaumont (Lotus 18) Rear Engine Race Overall 3rd: Tom Dark (Cooper T51) Class Winners: Tom Dark (Cooper T51), Mark Daniell (Cooper T45), Greg Thronton (LDS 03), Andy Middlehurst (John Bowers Lotus 25 R4), Barry Cannell (Brabham BT11A) Driver of the Day: Benn Tilley
Silverstone Classic
Denmark
Italy
Portugal
Belgium
Rear Engine Race Overall Winner: Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) Rear Engine Race Overall 2nd: Andy Middlehurst (John Bowers Lotus 25 R4) Rear Engine Race Overall 3rd: Andrew Beaumont (Lotus 18 915) Class Winners: Rod Jolley (Tim Ross Cooper T43/51), Eddy Perk (Heron F1), Andy Middlehurst (John Bowers Lotus 25 R4), Peter Horsman (Lotus 18/21) Driver of the Day: Justin Maeers (Cooper T53)
Legends of Brands Hatch Superprix
Belgium
Spain
Germany
Germany
Belgium
Germany
Holland
Denmark
Donington Historic Festival
Pau Historic Grand Prix France
England
Italy
Portugal
Belgium
Portugal
Holland
Estoril Classic England
Estoril, Portugal Saturday 12th-Sunday 13th October Race Overall Winner: John Fairley (Brabham BT11) Race Overall 2nd: Andew Beaumont (Lotus 18 915) Race Overall 3rd: Sid Hoole (Cooper T66 F1) Front Engine Race Overall Winner: Julian Bronson (Scarab Offenhauser) Front Engine Race Overall 2nd: Max Smith Hilliard (Lotus 16 363) Front Engine Race Overall 3rd: Ian Nuthall (Alta F2) Class Winners: Jakob Rettenmaier (Osca G4500), Ian Nuthall (Alta F2), Klara Rettenmaier (Maserati A6GCM), Max Smith Hilliard (Lotus 16 363), Julian Bronson (Scarab Offenhauser), Richard Wilson (Cooper T51), James Willis (Cooper T45), Bernardo Hartogs (Lotus 18/21 916), Sid Hoole (Cooper T66 F1), Jon Fairley (Brabham BT11) Drivers of the Day: Julian Bronson(Front Engine) & Sid Hoole (Rear Engine) France
Spain
Germany
Italy
Belgium
Denmark
Portugal
Holland
England
Germany
Belgium
Denmark
2019 Awards Ceremony Pre 1950 Group (Classes 1, 2, 3, & 4) Stephan Rettenmaier, Maserati/Alfa Romeo and Jakob Rettenmaier, Bugatti/Osca. Richard Pilkington/Tania,Talbot.
Class 5 - 1952/53 2 litre Grand Prix cars
Ian Nuthall, Alta F2 Paul Grant, Cooper-Bristol Chris Phillips, Cooper-Bristol
Class 6 - 1954-58 Grand Prix cars on 16” wheels
Steve Hart/Hann Family Maserati 250F Klaus Lehr, Maserati 250F Guillermo Fierro, Maserati 250F
Class 7a - Pre 1961 front engine Grand Prix cars on 15” wheels
Joaquin Folch-Rusinol, Lotus 16 365 Miles Griffiths/Philip Walker, Lotus 16 368 Tony Wood, Maserati Tec Mec
Rear Engine Cars Class 7b - Pre 1961 Grand Prix cars on 15” wheels
Tom Dark, Cooper T51 Will Nuthall/Giorgio Marchi, Cooper T53 Thomas Matzelberger, Cooper T45/51
Class 7c - Pre 1961 Formula 2 cars of not more than 1.5 litres
Class 9 - Pre 1961 Grand Prix/ Formula 2 cars of not more than 2 litres
Tony Ditheridge, Cooper T45 Mark Daniell, Cooper T45 James Willis Cooper T45 and Tim Ross, (Rod Jolley, Andrew Smith) Cooper T43/51
Class 10 - Pre 1966 1.5 litre 4 cylinder Formula 1 cars Eddy Perk, Heron F1 Nick Taylor, Lotus 18 Bernardo Hartogs, Lotus 18/21 916
Class 11 - Pre 1966 1.5 litre multicylinder Formula 1 cars
Andy Middlehurst /John Bowers, Lotus 25 R4 Sid Hoole, Cooper T66 F1 Richard Wilson, Cooper T60
Class 12 - Pre 1966 Tasman and Intercontinental 4 cylinder cars of not more than 2.7 litres Barry Cannell, Brabham BT11A Peter Horsman, Lotus 18/21 Andrew Beaumont, Lotus 18 915
Elliott Hann, Cooper T41
Alan Putt Trophy
Class 8 - Formula Libre, Indianapolis & Intercontinental cars
Jack Brabham Trophy
Rod Jolley, Lister Jaguar Julian Bronson, Scarab Offenhauser Eddie McGuire, Scarab Offenhauser
Peter Russell (John Emery)
Ian Nuthall
Chairman’s Cup Eddy Perk
AWARDS CEREMONY / 27
Some Season Highlights
Silverstone VSCC 13th - 14th April 2019
Estoril 11th - 13th October 2019
Pau 24th - 26th May 2019
Pau 24th - 26th May 2019
Donington 3rd - 5th May 2019
Pau 24th - 26th May 2019
Nurburgring 9th - 11th August 2019 28 /
Silverstone Classic 26th - 28th July 2019
Historic Racing & Sports Car Specialists At the Track....
On the Road....
In the Workshop....
Authority on the Bristol Engine 4, Palm Street, New Basford, Nottingham NG7 7HS Tel: +44 (0) 1159 780663 info@inracing.co.uk www.inracing.co.uk
/ 29
Supagard - Preserving the past Founded in 1988 by Brian Quinn and John Orrick, Supagard has grown to become the UK market leader in professionally applied automotive paint and interior protection products. From their state of the art premises in Glasgow, their reputation has been built through continuous focus on ensuring their products and service are the best in an ever changing market and Supagard products have redefined paint, fabric, leather and glass protection with their extraordinary strengths, capabilities and endurance. Supagard’s involvement with and love of motor sport began many years ago when Tiff Needell became their brand ambassador and over the years, they’ve sponsored drivers in British, European and World Touring Cars, so when John Clark OBE invited them to become a sponsor of the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association in 2016, they were delighted to accept and have since supplied both products and advice to keep these amazing pieces of motor sport history in prime condition, so their drivers and fans can keep on enjoying them for many years to come. David Paterson, Supagard Marketing Director commented, ‘Our sponsorship of the HGPCA is an excellent fit for Supagard as our unrivalled expertise in paint and interior protection technology has proven to be beneficial to both Members and the Association in preserving the legacy of these amazing cars. Our team are always thrilled to attend the events and it’s always a pleasure to see so many familiar faces at the various venues. We are made extremely welcome by everyone - the enthusiasm and love for these historic cars is infectious and Supagard are privileged to be a part of it.” 30 /
present and future of motoring
As a global business, Supagard operate in markets where the climate is hugely challenging, so the importance of developing a range of products that offer unrivalled protection in the most extreme conditions cannot be overemphasised. The durability and finish have to be outstanding - not just the equal of our competitor’s products, but the best available for their purpose.
James Smyth, Supagard’s Technical Director commented, “Our sponsorship of the HGPCA helps Supagard carry out real time research and development by monitoring how the competing cars at every event are affected by the prevailing conditions, which is extremely useful information when evaluating existing products or developing new ones.” The Supagard team’s in-depth knowledge allows them to select the most suitable and appropriate treatments for each vehicle. Whether that’s related to the type of paint finish, application time, application ease, or the level of gloss, their choice of products enables them to take a consultative approach and identify the best options to suit every car. Away from the trackside, this approach offers an unrivalled service to owners
of rare, valuable, classic and exotic cars which will enhance and preserve not only their appearance, but also their value. The combination of Supagard professionally applied exterior and interior treatments will make it much quicker and easier to clean the vehicle after use and eliminates the need to wax or polish - a simple wash is all that’s required to refresh it. The end result is a pristine looking car which will draw attention and admiring glances wherever it goes - not only is its appearance enhanced, it’s protected and preserved too! David Paterson, Supagard Marketing Director summed up, “Supagard invest a great deal of time and money in researching and developing our formulas and our sponsorship of the HGPCA assists us to continually make tweaks and revisions to ensure that the company stays at the cutting edge of chemical technology. We are confident the superb finish and durability of our exterior, interior and aftercare product ranges ensures there are no better alternatives on the market to preserve your vehicle’s appearance. Whether it’s a historic Grand Prix car, a vintage sports car, an exotic supercar or your new family car, Supagard paint and interior protection products are guaranteed to keep it looking its best” Supagard personnel will be on hand at every event to provide specialist advice on caring for your car’s appearance, whatever its age or pedigree and their team will be delighted to answer any questions you may have regarding paint and interior protection or give you more information about having your car treated by their experts.
/ 31
Zandvoort’s
new dawn
By Andrew Roberts
A fascinating past beckons a mould-breaking future. 35 years ago when the last Formula 1 engines were switched off at Zandvoort for seemingly the final time, few could have envisaged its glorious return to the Grand Prix arena. Always a perennial challenge to drivers and much loved by spectators, with its famous sand dunes providing a unique natural-grandstand viewing experience, Zandvoort was never destined to be one of Europe’s forgotten circuits and, despite years of uncertainty and enforced change, it continued to maintain a proven reputation for hosting major series including A1 GP, DTM, F2, F3, Sports Cars, European Touring Cars and major historic formulae. Photo Rob Peterson achive
Cream of 1964 the Dutch GP Grid. Photo Rob Petersen archive
32 /
The return of the Dutch Grand Prix (Grote Prijs van Nederland) has been long awaited. Now Zandvoort has an assured future, spearheaded by its three/five-year GP contract. Major circuit and infrastructure improvements, headlined by the innovative introduction of banking, are the most obvious changes, together with superb new pits and spectator-friendly grandstand facilities. It is all a far cry from its humble 1940s beginnings. But what remains constant is the fact that throughout its history, Circuit Zandvoort has always demanded the very best from its drivers. So, for many pilotes on the 2020 GP grid, it is a happy and challenging return to what remains a classic circuit, now so sensitively enhanced, and respectful of its heritage. The patient wait has surely been worthwhile.
THE
ION CHAMP D L R O W WINS AT OORT ZANDV
TMD Friction (UK) Ltd, P.O. Box 18, Hunswor th Lane, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire BD19 3UJ
UK Technical Helpline 0330 058 3908 www.mintex.co.uk ZANDVOORT NEW DAWN / 33
Zandvoort’s Chequered History Every race circuit needs a champion, yet Zandvoort’s driving force was not a driver but a municipal mayor whose achievements are far from widely known. His massive input before the outbreak of war, clandestinely during the German occupation, and the return to peace, was the driving force behind the Circuit Zandvoort that we know today. His name was Henri van Alphen. His story starts with his appointment as Mayor of Zandvoort in 1925, then a quiet seaside town on Holland’s North Sea coastline. Determined to raise both its profile and visitor numbers, he looked to motor racing as the chosen route and June 3rd 1939 saw the Grote Prijs van Zandvoort run on the resort’s roads. Its success would be the springboard for the idea of a permanent circuit in the sand dunes. Land was acquired for a huge forest that would be surrounded by a road. Following the mass demolition of seafront properties, the then German Kommandant was convinced of the need for building a celebration avenue using the tons of remaining rubble. Although the anticipated victory would never come, this road would be the basis of the Zandvoort track. Meanwhile the German occupiers had replaced Van Alphen as Mayor, but fortunately he secretly continued to work on his
Despite using outdated construction machinery, building the Zandvoort circuit proceeded at record pace. Photo Rob Petersen archive
plans.
Contrasting with the 1948 construction photo is the view of newly completed banking at Circuit Zandvoort.
34 / ZANDVOORT NEW DAWN
1945 saw Holland’s Liberation and the following year the start of clearance work for the proposed track. Its design was by the ‘Bentley Boy’ and 1927 Le Mans winner S.C.H. ‘Sammy’ Davis whose plans took full advantage of the dune contours with fast swoops and cambered corners. Cas Hunse and Piet Nortier were charged with bringing them into being. Construction commenced in May 1948 and Circuit Zandvoort was completed on August 7th, an incredible achievement in a war-ravaged country. The first race (Prijs de Zandvoort) took place in August the same year. 1952 saw Grote Prijs van Nederland run as the first round of the new World Drivers’ Championship to F2
Former Spitfire pilot (Dutch Air Force/RAF) Jan Flinterman DFC typified the immediate post-war scene at Zandvoort in his 500cc Cooper-BSA. Photo Rob Petersen archive
Regulations. With gaps in the 1950s it was not until 1958 that the Dutch GP became a regular date, save for 1972, until the final race in 1985, memorably won by Niki Lauda in a McLaren MP4.
Changing Fortunes But-post 1985 Zandvoort’s fortunes were at their nadir. Noise issues ultimately saw the circuit cut in half to accommodate a residential development and the track reduced to 1.6 miles and subsequently upgraded to become a successful venue. Salvation came in 1995 when Circuit Park Zandvoort was granted Government ‘A Status’ and construction commenced on a 2.7mile circuit that was subsequently invited to bid for the Dutch Grand Prix. This was for a three-year agreement with an option for a further two, with financial backing from the Municipality of Zandvoort. The most obvious changes to the circuit include moving the start closer to the Tarzan Corner. The final corner, Arie Luyendykbocht now has an 18-degree banking while there is also additional banking to the Hugenholtzbocht. Initial reactions are reportedly favourable.
John Hugenholtz, frequently wrongly credited with Zandvoort’s design, managed the venue from its first year. He is best known for his design of the Suzuka circuit among other international venues and also for his invention of catch fencing that helped revolutionise track safety. Photo Rob Petersen archive
Count Carel Godin de Beaufort was a staunch campaigner of his Porsche 718 and posted the first World Championship points for a Dutch driver. Photo Rob Petersen archive
The first Dutch drivers to start in a World Championship Grand Prix (left) Dries van der Lof and (leaning on car) Jan Flinterman. Both would be celebrated in the 1952 Revival Race. Photo Rob Petersen archive ZANDVOORT NEW DAWN / 35
Dutch GP Heritage (1952)
The long-held dreams of Zandvoort hosting a World Championship race came gloriously true on August 17th 1952. The Dutch Grand Prix would be run to the new GP regulations and this was a huge draw to the crowd of thousands who descended into the sand dunes. Indeed, Ferrari sent a full Works team of three 500 cars for ultimate winner Alberto Ascari, Giuseppe Farina and Luigi Villoresi. They would dominate the race, with a crushing 1-2-3 victory. Dries van der Lof in the HWMAlta and Jan Flinterman in a Maserati A6GCM made history by being the first Dutch drivers to start a World Championship Race while fourth-place Mike Hawthorn’s drive in the Cooper
Dries van der Lof had a troubled drive in the HWM Alta that would surprisingly return to the family for the 1952 Revival Race. Photo Rob Petersen archive
Bristol had clearly impressed the Ferrari team and he was signed for the following season. The outpaced Gordini T16s of Robert Manzon and Maurice Trintignant completed the top six placings. The ERA G-Type of Stirling Moss was forced into retirement by engine issues but he had the compensation of a 500cc win in his Cooper-Norton.
Left: Massive crowds surge forward as the Works Ferraris set the race pace from the drop of the Dutch flag. Photo Rob Petersen archive Left: Brilliantly third-fastest in practice, Mike Hawthorn’s privateer Cooper Bristol impresses the Ferrari team at the start. Photo Rob Petersen archive
Below: Early in the race the three Works Ferrari entries of Ascari, Farina and Villoresi assume their finishing positions for a perfect Modena 1-2-3 Photo Rob Petersen archive
Left: Dries van der Lof in the HWM Alta leads the ERA G-type of rising star Stirling Moss at Tarzan. Photo Rob Petersen archive 36 / ZANDVOORT NEW DAWN
(2019) The 1952 Dutch GP Revival entry was headlined by the appearance of the HWM-Alta F2, a survivor of the first race, again driven by a member of the van der Lof family in the person of granddaughter Shirley. Continuing the family theme was Alexander van der Lof in the Ferrari 340F1, who had not only organised the race and made fellow drivers hugely welcome but whose TKH Company had sponsored the GP revival races. Paying homage to Mike Hawthorn’s 1952 heroics were six Cooper Bristols, joined by lone entries of an Alta F2, Alta monoposto, Bugatti 73C, Pierce MG F2, Gordini T16, Maserati A6GCM and a brace of Talbot T26C cars. Race 1 honours fell to Ian Nuthall’s Alta, closely followed by Paul Grant’s Cooper Bristol, the similar cars of Eddie McGuire, Erik Staes, the van der Lof HWM and Ferrari. The second race saw Ian Nuthall’s second victory from the HWM of Shirley van der Lof with Paul Grant’s Cooper Bristol third from Tom Dark’s Bugatti and the Cooper Bristols of McGuire and Staes.
Superb Museum display included period F2 rivals
The Gordini of Marc Valvekens heads the Maserati A6GCM OF Julia Baldanza in a perfect period cameo. Photo Eric Sawyer
Shirley van der Lof’s HWM heads the Ferrari 340F1 of Alexander van der Lof. Photo Eric Sawyer
Photo Eric Sawyer
Seeing double, a brace of T26C Talbots in the hands of Klaus Lehr (leading) and Luc Brandts. Photo Eric Sawyer
Alexander van der Lof’s Ferrari 340 F1 leads the Shirley van der Lof HWM. Photo Eric Sawyer ZANDVOORT NEW DAWN / 37
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Zandvoort Firsts
Circuit Zandvoort has seen many memorable Grand Prix moments, with the certainty of many more to follow, but three unique events have ensured its place in motorsport history.
BRM’s first GP victory Jo Bonnier took the BRM P25 to a convincing maiden win in 1959, from the Works Cooper team of Jack Brabham and Masten Gregory. Photo Rob Petersen Collection
Debut win for Lotus 49 Powered by the new Ford-Cosworth V8 that would ultimately dominate the 3-litre formula, the new Lotus 49 saw Jim Clark delivering a stunning double victory. Photo Cosworth Engineering
Maiden victory for Hesketh/Hunt Dramatic 1975 duel between the victorious James Hunt in the privateer Hesketh 308 and Niki Lauda’s Ferrari 312T. Photo Rob Petersen Collection
Max Verstappen and the Orange Army
not only in Holland, but wherever the F1 calendar takes him. His growing popularity has drawn younger people to the sport as enthusiastic followers and the presence of the ‘Orange Army’ is now synonymous with Grand Prix racing. Smoke Flares and matching team and leisurewear are merely the start to what will be the scenes when the Dutch GP returns to Circuit Zandvoort in May 2020. For his part, Max Verstappen looks forward to rapid racing on a circuit that promises a unique challenge, with the home ‘Orange Army’ roaring him on.
The shape of things to come as Max Verstappen demonstrates the Red Bull at Circuit Zandvoort. Photo Chris Schotanus/Essay Produkties
The meteoric rise of 22-year-old Belgian-Dutch F1 driver Max Verstappen who races under the Dutch flag and has six GP victories to his credit has altered the sport’s dynamic. He is arguably the leading driver in the group of rising young drivers and has unrealised World Drivers Championship ambitions, his performances in the Aston Martin Red Bull team, now with Honda power, demonstrating this for all to see. What has become increasingly obvious has been his incredible following, ZANDVOORT NEW DAWN / 39
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Arrested Development The Story of ERA and GP1
By Mike Jiggle (A concise version of an editorial first published in ‘Auto Tradition’)
nglish Racing Automobiles (ERA) was the brainchild of Raymond Mays ably assisted by his engineer Peter Berthon. With the assistance of Riley, they produced a very successful sprint and hill-climb car, the 6-cylinder ‘White Riley’, for the 1933 season. Looking to build on their success, they thought they could produce a single seater racing car suitable for international competition. Amateur racing driver Humphrey Cook, a wealthy individual whose family were involved in warehousing, textiles and drapery, shared their dream and agreed to finance the project. The very competent Reid Railton assisted on chassis design and Murray Jamieson was a supercharging expert. With workshop and offices prepared the first ERA was built and the once ‘sleepy rural town’ of Bourne, Lincolnshire, was awakened by the sound of competitive motor racing – something it has been noted for ever since. This first car, the A type (R1A), was completed in 1934. Four A types were quickly followed by revised B types that had significant successes in the 1935-37 seasons. In all, 17 cars were built prior to the outbreak of war. These included the famous Romulus (R2B) and Remus (R5B) cars owned and race by Prince Bira and embraced the C and D type development cars. However, these ‘sit up and beg’ style cars were Voiturettes not front line Grand Prix cars.
The E type ERA The bold decision was taken to design a new GP car to the 3 litre capacity limit, mandated for 1938. As can be imagined, Raymond Mays, Peter Berthon, Ken Richardson and Murray Jamieson were deeply involved in the design process,
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Press presentation - ERA R1A outside Thompson & Taylor, Brooklands, with (seated) and Peter Bertho Raymond Mays n. Photo Credit: Rivers-F letcher Collection
but the project was dealt a blow following the untimely death of Jamieson on 10th May 1938 following a racing accident at Brooklands – many of the design concepts and thinking for the new car dying with him. By this time too, Humphrey Cook, who had invested much of his own wealth into the company, needed to curb spending. her Collection Credit: Rivers-Fletc prototype. Photo It has always been, the way to 1 GP in ys Ma d - Raymon Moving forward make a small fortune out of motor racing is to start with a on the financial front were becoming large one. Certainly, Cook had seen strained and wearing thin to say the little gain from his investment. On least. With this background, the original the contrary, despite paying annual plan of producing a 3litre engined car for amounts, he’d been regularly asked to Grand Prix had to be abandoned. dip even further into his family’s wealth on many other occasions to keep the It was decided that a 2litre power unit dream alive, nearing £200,000 by this time. Although pecuniary reward was should be developed as an alternative, non-existent, there was ample selfsomething along the lines that had satisfaction and achievement gained already been used for hill-climbs. It from racing successes, which was wasn’t penny pinching but a practical compensation enough in the initial move to drive down spiralling costs. stages. Now, some five years in, things Four cars were planned, two racing
and two spare, so that there were always serviceable, competitive cars available for the busy schedule ahead. In September 1938, Humphrey Cook shrewdly decided to abandon the Grand Prix project installing a 1½litre engine instead. His judgement was based upon the emergence of the promising new Alfa-Romeo 158. The new car, the E-type, was designed to encompass a low centre of gravity tubular chassis, a streamlined and sleek body - not too dissimilar to the MultiUnion and, of course the Mercedes W154. In our sport there have been many copies of design and lateral thinking. The Porsche-designed ERA D-type torsion bar front suspension was carried forward to the new car, but the rear was De Dion suspension with longitudinal torsion bars. The new engine would be supercharged by a Zoller unit, similar to that already used on the former cars, the redesigned unit being longer and smaller diameter than previous, which was placed alongside the crankcase, rather than attached to the block. The Zoller produced 28lbs psi giving a total output of 250bhp at 8,000rpm. Duncan Ricketts cornering at speed in GP1. Photo credit Roger Dixon
9th July 1939, Reims, France - Arthur Dobson retired GP1 from the Grand Prix 1’ACF as the car overheated on the long, fast, straights. Photo: Ferret Fotographics.
The transmission was stepped down using gearing to accommodate a low seating position and reduced frontal area. Braking was via a hydraulic system with two leading shoes. A four-speed synchromesh gearbox was designed and built to replace the original preselector and bolted to the differential.
ERA GP1 Throughout the autumn and winter months (1938/39) while the new car
was being built, relationships became strained between Cook, Mays and Berthon, which ultimately pressaged the parting of the ways during which Mays continued to test the E-type, now officially labelled GP1, particularly at Donington at that time ‘home of Grand Prix motor racing’ in this country. There were certainly problems with the new car as can normally be expected with the prototype of a new project with one problem solved led to another being created. As the project moved forward Arthur Dobson took over the test-driving duties of the new car and the ERA premises, formerly of Eastgate, Bourne moved to Donington Park. Mays account of his tests to date reported that the car was incredibly fast whilst it held together. Mays last drive in the car, indeed the last drive where he officially represented ERA, was on Monday 8th May 1939. GP1 had been entered in the JCC International Trophy at Brooklands the previous Saturday, but was withdrawn from racing due to reliability issues. The course was opened exclusively for further testing. This test was quite remarkable as Mays clocked 156mph, even though he’d had to have the Brooklands silencer fitted, some 11 seconds per lap faster
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that he’d achieved during the Saturday race in R4D, although he’d not finished, retiring with scavenge pump failure. At this speed, Mays noticed the cylinder head starting to lift due to backpressure caused by the addition of the silencer. He therefore decided to curtail the testing. Next time out, Arthur Dobson was in the driving seat at Donington, he’d just managed to slowly drive out of the pits when a flange on the De Dion rear axle broke. Once Mays heard of this, he was much relieved and thankful for the use of the Brooklands silencer. It didn’t bear thinking about what may have happened had the flange failed at top speed on the Brooklands banking. Patriotically, Humphrey Cook decided he’d hand over the entire assets of ERA Ltd. to the Trustees of the newly formed British Motor Racing Fund (BMRF). This new fund was set up by Trustees, Col. J Sealy-Clarke; Lt-Col. J. T. C. MooreBrabazon, MP; G. E. T. Eyston and Sir Algernon Guinness, Bart., all stalwarts of the motor racing community and
1956 Queensferry Sprint, Ken Flint with the ERA-Jaguar. Photo credit Roger Dixon
44 / THE STORY OF ERA
members of the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club. They had appreciated Humphrey Cook had done a great deal to further the cause for Britain’s participation in Grand Prix racing through ERA and realised the now arch sponsor needed financial assistance.
An ‘open letter’ to motorating enthusiastsfrom ERA Club Chairman, A.F. Rivers-Fletcher, appealing for final support. The document elaborates somewhat on the financial straights of the company at the time.
The annual cost of running ERA was some £12,000 (£¾million in today’s money) of which Cook was happy to continue contributing £4,000 of his own money for 1939 and 1940 and hoped the
BMRF could add the remaining £8,000 per annum to the coffers by procuring donations from the wider motoring public and enthusiastic investors. Alas, the BMRF Appeal raised a meagre £1,000, so the ‘deal’ was off. Stoically, Humphrey Cook decided he’d bite the bullet and soldier on with ERA Ltd., but as history shows it wasn’t to be for many months as on September 3rd, 1939, Britain was at war with Germany. Everything was ‘on hold’. GP1 had had three outings with Arthur Dobson at the wheel, the Nuffield Trophy, Donington (10.06.39), Grand Prix de l’ACF, Reims (09.07.39) and Grand Prix d’Albi (16.07.39) each ending in retirement. The last of the races at Albi was rather catastrophic. Dobson had crashed, forcing the car to withdraw from the last planned event at Prescott on 30th July 1939.
the issue. Despite this, there were many other issues to address. The car showed promise but ultimately failed to translate that into racing success.
Post War The war years ensued, and the world became a far different place because of it. Society too had Humprey Cook and Ray mond Mays. Photo credit John Pea rson Archive. changed, the ravages of war is no respecter of person, those of all classes of society, princes or paupers, had lost sought. Key members of ‘our cherished members of their family either story’, Raymond Mays, Peter Berthon, Ken Richardson and Humphrey Cook all thankfully survived. For Humphrey Cook and ERA the story continues.
One of the problems, overheating, was solved prior to the Albi race. It was found that there were insufficient louvres in the bonnet to cool the engine at high speed in the race at Reims. The long straight of the circuit at 1956 Queensferry Sprint, Ken Flint with the ERA-Jaguar. Gueux, on the outskirts of Reims, Photo credit Ferret Fotographics. had allowed Dobson to really open the throttle. Days after that race the team tested at the through fighting, or those whose city, Montlhéry circuit, with Arthur Dobson town, or village had been razed by the driving, the extra louvres solved numerous bombing raids by both Nazi and Allied Forces. In reality, there are no winners of war, just survivors. Nationally, Britain celebrated victory in Europe (VE Day) on the 8th May 1945, whilst globally hostilities didn’t cease until 2nd September 1945. Proposals for GM1 addressed all the shortcomings of the outdated ‘upright original ERAs’
From those dates some sort of ‘normality’ was
By the time war had been declared in 1939, one E-type ERA cars had been built – GP1, our profiled car. GP2 wasn’t completed until after the war at the Dunstable premises. The War Ministry had requisitioned Donington Park for the Army during the war and the cars were stabled in barns just outside Derby.
April 1947 cover of Motor Sport showing Peter Whitehead testing the E-type. Copyright Motor Sport.
THE STORY OF ERA / 45
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48 / THE STORY OF ERA
Throughout the war a chief mechanic from Rolls Royce would tend to them, ensuring the cars were still able to run. After the war, new premises were found for ERA at Dunstable, Bedfordshire. Humphrey Cook had decided he couldn’t run a Grand Prix racing team single handed and would therefore
Italian marques were rising to the top. Whitehead, possibly realising that running GP1 needed too much development, sold the car to Reg Parnell in 1947. It is somewhat surprising that Parnell had purchased the car as had poured scorn over the expensive E-type ERA project and had built his own car ‘Challenge’ much more cheaply.
Having said that, Parnell had also remarked that the E-type was the best handling car he’d ever driven. In 1949, Parnell resold shares in ERA Ltd from Humphrey Cook, sometime in 1947, later purchasing the company as a whole. Peter Walker was the man to wring the best period results out of the car finishing 4th in the first heat and 5th in the final of the International Trophy meeting at Silverstone. Crashing out of his next race, the Wakefield Trophy in Ireland, Peter Walker had a red-letter day for both him and GP1 on 17th September 1949 at Goodwood. Three races, three finishes and a fastest lap showed the potential of the car that so many had pinned their hopes on for so many years. In the BARC Woodcote Cup he finished 2nd, in the Handicap race he finished
Parnell first campaigned GP1 at the 1947 Reims GP retiring with gearbox trouble on lap 20. In the hands of Leslie Brooke, GP2 didn’t run much better, retiring a lap later in the race with poor oil pressure. Parnell must have become frustrated with the lack of reliability as retirement, upon retirement plagued the car with him at the wheel and others, including David Hampshire, Fred Ashmore and Willkie Wilkinson who suffered likewise.
3std, with a fastest lap and in the final race – the Daily Graphic Goodwood Trophy race – he finished 2nd.
make cars to sell to would be racers, so both GP1 and GP2 were offered for sale. Placing the chassis in the window of the new Dunstable premises, situated on the main A5 road, caused a stir and a great deal of interest from passers-by. In the end, optimistically, Peter Whitehead purchased GP1 and Leslie Brooke GP2. A third car was planned to be built from spares already available and a fourth to be built once funding allowed. Peter Whitehead’s first race in GP1 was the 1946 Gran Premio del Valentino, Turin, Italy. The car lasted just over half distance retiring with gearbox problems on lap 32. The Alfa-Romeo 158s dominated the race with Achille Varzi and Jean-Pierre Wimille finishing in first and second and Carlo Felice Trossi in sixth. Privately entered Maseratis finished 3rd and 5th sandwiching the only non-Italian marque in the top seven places Eugéne Chaboud in a Delahaye 135S. With the demise of the powerful Mercedes and Auto Union, German teams now excluded from entering motor races, the cream now the
The next year, 1950, saw Walker return to Goodwood with the car for the BARC Easter Meeting, but normal GP1 service had been resumed with a retirement. Sadly, the death knell of GP1 was just around the corner. Walker was competing in the British Empire Trophy
THE STORY OF ERA / 49
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on the Isle of Man, a gruelling road race. During practice a half-shaft broke on the car puncturing the fuel tank and causing a fire. Mercifully, Walker was relatively unscathed, but the car was badly damaged and was ultimately sold back to the ERA ‘works’. According to David Weguelin’s book, Rob Walker purchased GP1’s engine and installed it in his Delage (ERA-Delage) and the chassis, sold to Ken Flint, was used to build a Jaguar XK120 powered sportscar. GP2 was meanwhile retired once the new Grand Prix regulations took effect in 1952. In 1959, Gordon Chapman acquired the rolling chassis and an ERA engine from Ken Wharton’s sister. He went on to rebuild GP1.
The Duncan Ricketts era Our story continues, almost 50years from the conception of the car, when Duncan Ricketts purchased the car in 1995. He has been associated with both GP1 and GP2 since the mid-late 1970s when he re-bodied both of them for Gordon Chapman. GP1 was almost complete with original chassis, steering and dropped gears. GP2 was in post-war spec - no drop gears and a raised scuttle.
the money to buy GP1 – that was 1995. When I got it, it was rather dishevelled, the body didn’t fit properly, the engine was in bits, as was the supercharger and there were lots of bits needing remanufacture. I have to say, I didn’t really go looking for the car, I was informed of its availability following Gordon’s passing, so you could say the car found me.’ By the late 1990s Ricketts had painstakingly rebuilt the car and showed it as a static display at a VSCC meeting. The paintwork of the distinctive light green car gleamed in the spring sunshine. The exact hue was fortuitously found on some overspray on an original brake drum. Later he took it for the first running when the gearbox failed, Ricketts recalls, ‘I was running quite well, the car was fitted with a Godfrey supercharger, rather than a Zoller. I think someone had made one of the gearboxes shafts out of chewing gum. As soon as I tried to put a bit of power on the shaft failed.’ Repairing the gearbox, Ricketts also went about building a Zoller supercharger from some bits that were with the car when purchased.
He questions why ERA didn’t go ahead and built a 3litre engine in the first place, ‘Looking at the engine, it is said, in period, it was a 2.2litre unit, but it is simply a modified B-type 2litre engine. Whilst modified, it was a new unit, surely it would have been just as easy to have built the 3litre engine as planned rather than remanufacture a modified 2litre engine? It simply doesn’t make much sense.’ As the custodian of GP1 for almost 25 years, Duncan Ricketts has possibly, thanks to his engineering skills, been the most successful driver giving the car a much-deserved win at the VSCC meeting at Silverstone, in the Hawthorn Memorial Spanish Trophy race in August 2000 – appropriately the Centenary Year for Grand Prix racing. The car has been competed and demonstrated frequently ever since that date at many race meetings, hill-climbs and motor sport events. It’s thanks to people like Duncan that enthusiasts today can appreciate these unique cars on a regular basis. Photo credit Pete Austin.
The steering box is from a more modern Morris Minor and later Jaguar SU carburettors fitted. Working from original ERA drawings he completed the task, including making the radiators and fuel tanks and returned the cars back to Chapman. Duncan Ricketts says, ‘GP1 was the more original pre-war car’ and Gordon Chapman wanted to build it up as authentic as possible. GP2 was easier to assemble and Bill Morris drove it. Ricketts takes up the story, ‘When Gordon Chapman died, I was able to find
THE STORY OF ERA / 51
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‘Testing a Legend’
Interview with Mike Jiggle All images Bugatti Automobiles SAS Archive
Le Mans Winner, Bugatti Test Driver and World Record holder. Andy Wallace has been associated with the Volkswagen Group since his Formula Three days in the mid-1980s. From there he’s driven for Audi, Bentley and Porsche – marques that also form part of the VW Group. What is possibly less know is that since 1998, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S joined the VW fold too. What’s more, the company purchased the 1857 Château Saint Jean, formerly Ettore Bugatti’s guest house in Dorlisheim, near Molsheim, and began refurbishing it to serve as the company’s headquarters. Having not been able to secure the purchase of the original factory from French Aerospace company Safran Aircraft Engines (previously Snecma), VW built brand new premises just 500 yards south of the Château, which officially opened in 2005. Since building, Bugatti have gone on to manufacture luxurious models such as the Veyron, Chiron and more recently the Divo - created as an homage for the 110th anniversary of the marque. They also produced the 16C Galibier, a luxury 5-door fastback concept car, which was unveiled at the assembly salon Molsheim, France on September 12, 2009, but was never put into production.
Of course, all these models, produced to the highest specifications, have to be tried and tested by an equally qualified driver, which for the last ten years has been, Andy Wallace. At the back end of last year, Andy took a near production prototype of the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ and set a top speed of 304.773 mph, a new World record. Despite his busy work schedule, he took to time out to speak to Mike Jiggle to share some of his experiences.
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MJ: Over the years you’ve obviously built up a great relationship racing with teams associated with the VW Group? AW: Yes, I’ve been very fortunate to have driven for some of the top teams in World Endurance Racing. And this has certainly helped to keep my name on the radar of those who make decisions at the highest level. My Volkswagen connection goes back to my F3 days. Using a Works supplied VW engine I won the British F3 Championship and the Macau Grand Prix in 1986. This really helped to get my career pointing in the right direction. So, I’m incredibly grateful for all the help I received and the trust that was placed in me back then, at such an important time in my career. Fast forward more than 30 years, as an official driver for Bugatti Automobiles, the connection is as strong as ever.
MJ: You obviously work closely with designers and engineers, so how much of Andy Wallace’s view ends up in the completed car?
MJ: You mentioned earlier that you now hold the land speed record for production cars, a record you initially held with McLaren?
AW: To be honest not very much, they have fantastic design and engineering teams. Bugatti have about 300 staff, of which 200 are engineers – it’s massively engineering led. The engineers are pretty good drivers too and are more than capable of honing a car to near perfection. I sometimes have the opportunity to drive some of the prototypes and give feedback from a purely driving point of view. It’s always a treat to try the latest and greatest developments. The continuous improvements are impressive. I also pass on to the team any comments or requests I get from our customers.
AW: And before that for Jaguar! It’s the third time I’ve held the record – something I never really set out to do. With Jaguar, I was with TWR developing and testing the XJ220. TWR took the car to Fort Stockton, Texas and during the course of our testing the subject of how fast the car could go came into conversation. The next thing I’m trying to wring out the maximum, which turned out to be just over 217mph – that would be back in the early 1990s. A similar thing happened with McLaren. I was racing the “Harrods” McLaren F1 at Le Mans and in the BPR Global Endurance GT
MJ: Looking on the Bugatti website, you’re described as a reliable, reserved and precise driver, those comments show they respect and believe in you as much as you do in the company? AW: My role at Bugatti is to demonstrate the cars to potential customers, media and VIPs. Not just the breath-taking performance but also the refinement, quality, attention to detail and just how enjoyable and straightforward the cars are to drive. With 1,500hp, or now 1,600 your first experience driving a Bugatti could potentially be quite intimidating. After just a few minutes behind the wheel though, any initial fears disappear. It takes a bit longer to get used to the explosive acceleration of course, but the cars really are easy to drive.
‘You now hold the land speed record for production cars, a record you initially held with McLaren?’ TESTING A LEGEND / 55
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series in 1995-96 and became involved in customer handovers of the road cars. Then in 1998 I was asked if I wanted to drive a record attempt. We reached 240.1mph that day, an amazing speed at the time. But 21 years later, nothing could have prepared me for driving at over 300 mph in the Chiron! 304.773mph to be exact, but in fact the car was still gently accelerating at the point I had to lift off the throttle at the end of the long straight... For both the McLaren and the Bugatti speed record attempts we used the Ehra-Lessien test track, which is north of VW’s Wolfsburg factory. This comprehensive test facility includes an oval high-speed circuit with a straight approximately 5½ miles long - very useful if you’re attempting to drive at almost 140 metres per second... At top speed the car was travelling 1 kilometre in around 7 seconds or 1 mile in under 12! Although the track is perfectly flat, level and well maintained, it’s in constant daily use for various testing procedures. So, it’s no surprise that the road surface is well worn
in places. At each end of the straight is a banked curve that can be taken at 120-130mph, so effectively you can start a run already at this speed and you only need to slow back down to 120-130mph at the other end. Having said that you still need about a mile to slow from 305mph to around 125 so the 5 and a half miles suddenly seems shorter than you imagined... MJ: A phenomenal speed, I know racing drivers have the ability to slow things down in their mind, but this is well in excess of racing speeds. What were your thought processes at that time?
MJ: This isn’t a one-day job, it’s a question of getting things right, so how long was the preparation period? AW: The engineering department were working on the project for many months before the track runs began. With meticulous attention to detail every part of the car was tested and checked to ensure it could comfortably withstand the enormous loads that would be present at such high speeds. Suspension components, wheels, tyres, bodywork, drivetrain etc., are subjected to loads which increase exponentially with speed. Nothing was left to chance.
AW: I’m very used to driving at high speed, but as you say this was a big step up from anything I had experienced before. In the end you have a job to do and I treated this like any other racing or highspeed event. It’s an experience I’ll never forget and certainly got my full and undivided attention!
m i e h s l o M Memories
Bugatti Autom
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TESTING A LEGEND / 57
‘How did your driving adapt to these high speeds, and what did it feel like at over 300mph?’ Then, the weekend before, I went to the track and drove a standard Chiron Sport with the speed limiter disabled – all Chirons and Chiron Sports are limited electronically to 261mph (420km/h). This was essentially just for me to get acclimatised to spending time at very high speeds. It never becomes “just another day in the office”, but you’d be surprised at how well the brain copes and enables you to rationalise what is happening around you. A week later we were back to start validating all of the aerodynamic data on the actual Chiron Super Sport 300+ record car. The wind tunnel data is produced using a 40% scale model running at up to 60 metres per second. CFD computer simulations are used to scale that up to over 300mph. During the initial on track runs the aerodynamicists need to check the accuracy of the correlation. MJ: Yes, you have to include the rigidity and fragility of component parts at high speeds – you may be taking them beyond capabilities – the four tyres would be my first thought? AW: You’re correct, things that rotate cause some of the biggest issues. Michelin had done a tremendous amount of work. Indeed, they found the centrifugal force the tyres were subjected to at that speed produced a tearing force of some seven tons. That’s the equivalent of lifting three and a half Chirons off the ground with one tyre! Michelin used their testing rig in America, the same one 58 / TESTING A LEGEND
used to test the space shuttle tyres as it’s the only equipment capable of running that fast. In the end they were confident the tyres would comfortably withstand the huge forces. For context, even at the 261mph limited top speed, a standard Chiron’s, tyre is subjected to over 3,000g. The valve dust cap that weighs just 2.5 grams statically weighs 7.5 kgs at that speed, and the tyre temperature and pressure sensor goes from weighing 44 grams to 132 kgs. Even the schrader valve stem required redesigning to prevent it bending and allowing air to escape. MJ: How did your driving adapt to these high speeds, and what did it feel like at over 300mph? AW: As the validation runs took two full days to complete, I had plenty of time to get used to the new car and re-acquaint myself with the track. Initially I had to drive at set constant speeds for 10 second intervals to record accurate aero load numbers. I started each time with a 70km/h segment to register a baseline, then 200km/h, 250, 300. Stop to check the data, then 300, 350, 400. Stop again, then 350, 400 and finally 450km/h (280mph) for 10 seconds. This was done several times to check repeatability. In all we covered around 1000kms, well over 600 miles. On a race car you would be aiming for an aero balance with a good amount of downforce. But for this application any downforce would increase the load on the tyres. So, we were aiming
for zero downforce and zero lift front and rear. We achieved very close to this target, but in fact things are not quite as straightforward as they appear - at zero front and zero rear at 300mph the underside of the car is generating 2000kgs of downforce and the top side 2000kgs of lift. This cancels out to zero but does mean a 4000kg tearing force on the chassis / body. Despite these very high forces, the standard Chiron was designed with this in mind from the outset, so I was given the go ahead to do a top speed run. The run went like this… out of the parking area to complete a full 20km lap on the cruise control set to 200km/h (125mph). It feels like walking speed in a Chiron! This stabilises temperatures and pressures of the tyres, engine and drivetrain. Approaching the banking just before the long straight you get this strong feeling of anticipation of what’s to come… not to mention sweaty palms! Downshift from 7th to 4th gear, hold the speed constant until the straight comes into view… then pin the throttle and hold tight! With the full force of the 1,600hp W16 engine thrusting you forward at a scarcely believable rate, you sit tight and avoid any sudden steering wheel movements… 250mph arrives quickly, then 260, 270 and still the acceleration is strong... across a surface change where new asphalt meets old, and a momentary ‘jump’ keeps you on your toes… 280, 285, 290… the acceleration is reducing by now as the aerodynamic drag becomes massive… also, partly due to some ruts in the road
and the gyroscopic effect of the wheels turning so quickly, the car becomes more difficult to keep in a straight line… 295, 300, 302, 303, 304… the end of the straight is looming large… need to lift off soon… 304.773mph… lift off gently… start braking… the car is slowing nicely… the banked corner is getting closer… brake more… check the speed… wow, still 225… brake more… 125 and into the banking… it feels like you’ve almost stopped… then
beautifully prepared and maintained. And I do get to drive them on a fairly regular basis. Even before you jump into the cockpit, you can see evidence of the cutting edge (for the day) technology. Everywhere you look, the purity of the design and engineering is on show. For example, braking was by way of cable operated drums back in the 1920s. From the pedal to the wheels are gears, chains and cables… but when you need to slow down, everything works! I’m sure the guys looking after the cars spend a great deal of time keeping them maintained and adjusted, but they’re beautiful examples and give me such a buzz to drive them. MJ: How does your driving style change in these cars from your day to day driving modern machinery?
this amazing feeling of achievement… over 300 mph in a production road car… thank you, thank you, thank you to all the engineers and thank you Bugatti for producing this amazing super sports car!! MJ: Our talk is for the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association’s Annual, so I can’t not ask you about the historic Bugattis you’ve driven? AW: Firstly, I’m a massive fan of cars in general, be they new, old, or ancient, that includes petrol powered, diesel powered, or electric it matters not. I get enormous pleasure from the driving, of course, but I also marvel at the technology and engineering solutions that have been incorporated into the cars of the day. As you can gather from my comments above, there were a good number of challenges to overcome to achieve a speed of over 300mph in a production road car. I’m very fortunate at Bugatti as I often work at the headquarters in Molsheim, Alsace, a lovely part of France. There we have a T35 and T51, both in regular use, and quite often wheeled out to demonstrate to customers and members of the Press. As you would expect, the cars are
AW: Anybody that drives a modern car will know they stop almost immediately when required. It’s not until you drive one of these older cars you appreciate how far we’ve come technology wise in improving braking systems. Stopping and changing direction in the Type 35 and 51 is more akin to riding a motorcycle than driving a car. You soon appreciate you need space to manoeuvre, especially with other traffic around you. If you have modern cars in front of you that just slam on the brakes, that’s okay for them, but driving the historic Bugattis needs a little more planning, so you soon remember to leave room to anticipate what’s coming up. Having said that, the experience is magic, all your senses are working overtime, the smell of the oil, the noise of the engine, the vibrations, the wind – a brilliant and emotional experience. It’s a massive thrill.
to say, whilst I’ve done a good deal of driving in the T51, my favourite and the car I more associate with is the T35. It has some idiosyncrasies, for instance the gear change is an H pattern, but not the usual one – it’s backwards. First is where you’d expect second to be, second is where first should be and the same for third and fourth. All is okay when accelerating through the gears, but if you come to a hazard and need to select third, or second, your mind can play games with you. MJ: I remember John Surtees telling me about the Mercedes W125 he drove with the brake on the right and accelerator in the middle – the Bugatti must be a similar scenario? AW: Luckily not. I’m sure I would find it a challenge too far to adapt to a centre throttle pedal! Easy enough, until you suddenly need to stop in a hurry…! Back to the T35, I’ve been lucky enough to have driven it in the UK, Europe and parts of the USA. It doesn’t matter where you go, it’s a car that always turns heads. To me that’s the sign of a great car, to think not far off of 100 years since it first hit the road and people are still in awe of it – amazing.
MJ: The Type 35 was more successful than the Type 51, what differences do you find with the two cars? AW: The T35 we have is a non-blown car, so there’s no supercharger, but it feels really pure, more so than the T51. Whilst having less power the T35 allows you to drive it more aggressively. I have
Homage to the Bugatti marque from acclaimed Austrian artist Klaus Wagger with his ‘The Bare Essentials’ canvas.
TESTING A LEGEND / 59
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Restoration of original 1917 SE5a Fighter Aircraft, UK registration G-ECAE
An original SE5a during WW1
After the war, in February 1920 the aircraft was delivered as part of the imperial gift, to Australia. It then went on to a flying training squadron and was crashed in July 1927, and thereafter delivered to the Munitions Supply Board where it was struck off charge on 16th February 1929. In May 1930, the airframe was gifted to Sydney Technical College as an instructional airframe. The aircraft was acquired by an enthusiast in Australia and purchased by Tony Ditheridge in the 1980’s when long term restoration commenced.
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Restored airframe of original SE5a, serial number C8996 at Hawker Racing Limited
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Hispano Suiza named GP car
Hispano Suiza, based in Barcelona, who at the time were developing an electric car in the 1890’s (nothing changes) The SE5a was the most successful British WW1 fighter as a V8 engine did not have the inherent unreliability, and torque induced problems of the then favoured rotary engines.
Hispano Suiza engine
The SE5a was the first aircraft to be designed and manufactured in an aircraft factory (the Royal Aircraft Factory, Farnborough) The engine was designed by
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The Grossglockner ‘Climbing to the Clouds’ Words by Mike Jiggle
magine if you will, one of the most dramatic, not to say dangerous,
‘Mountain King’ Hans Stuck © Audi AG
hillclimbs in the European Mountain Championship. Loose-surfaces,
lowering cloud, frequent torrential rain, unfenced roads and sheer drops, not to mention the prospect of taming over 500hp under your right foot against unyielding opposition was the reality of this most exacting of motor sports. Factor in perhaps its most challenging of venues, the Grossglockner Pass in Austria, a fraction under thirteen miles of pure uncompromising and unforgiving mountain road… the might of the Works teams of Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz… fearlessly competitive drivers, all coupled with Wagnerian overtones. Here were all the ingredients of a titanic legend. This is the story of that ultimate venue and an era that will never be seen again.
Passes, trails and ramshackle roads have existed across the Austrian Alps for thousands of years. However, the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse (named after the Grossglockner mountain - Austria’s highest at 3,798 metres) that exists today has a history of a mere 85years, became the catalyst for transforming a once feared region into 64 / GLOSSGLOCKNER
an area of innate beauty and relaxation – in today’s parlance, a tourist destination. It is no coincidence that the plan to build a permanent road across one of the most challenging routes in the whole of the high-altitude Alpine mountain range was a political decision taken in the light of worldwide political unrest. Post WW1 in 1922, the League of Nations injected
Photo credit Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse AG
cash into the country. A condition was that Austria lost its independence and was under the control of the League. For almost a decade, political unrest and uncertainty led the annexing of Austria into Germany in 1938, becoming part of Greater Germany, shortly followed by the outbreak of WW2 in 1939.
Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse AG
First planned in 1924, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road became a way of reducing Austria’s unemployment problem, now spiralling out of control. The original plan for the route was for a narrow carriageway where two cars could safely pass. The government were to subsidise the entire building costs, which would be recovered by way of a toll charge. It was envisaged that the road, which opened up spectacular vistas and panoramas across the region
Detailed planning at every stage of construction
would bring the everyday traveller closer to nature, significantly increasing Austrian tourism. The man challenged with the designing of the Grossglockner Project was Franz Wallack. Born in 1887 in Saxony, Germany, Wallack grew up in Vienna where he later studied engineering. In 1913 he started work as a temporary engineer at the Carinthian State Building Office.
After full agreement was given to his epic plan, work began on the 30th August 1930, at precisely 9:30am when the first explosion shook the mountain. Employing over 3,500 workers, the project of some 48 km in length, with 92 bends, 36 hairpins, 67 bridges and up to 2,500 metres above sea level was completed just 5years later. On the 3rd August 1935, in the shadow of the awe-inspiring Grossglockner mountain, the road was officially opened. Accepted as an exceptional technical achievement, it was the first modern mountain road and widely regarded as a significant 20th century achievement.
Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse AG
To aid his design study, during the summer months of 1925, Wallack travelled all the major pass roads in Europe. In just five weeks he’d visited 43 passes gathering data on road surfaces, avalanche barriers and other related information, including natural habitats of various flora and fauna. Having a keen interest in nature and conservation, the road was designed to make as little impact on the environment as possible. His thought was that the road should be a harmonious ribbon winding its way through green Alpine pastures and rocky mountainscapes.
Architect of the Grossglockner, Franz Wallack
the European Hillclimb Championship, something that, despite its length and demanding attributes, this Austrian location at Grossglockner never attained. Organised by the very efficient NSKK Motor Group Alpenland and the
1935 Hillclimbs
He gained his ‘official’ title as Civil Engineer in 1924 and was entrusted with the initial design and plans to construct the Grossglockner High Alpine Road.
Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse AG
The High Alpine Road opened up tourism
As the automobile became more popular in Europe, 1935 Opening Day for the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse. competition between makes Österreichische Automobil, Motorrad and drivers soon followed. Notably, und Touring Club in Salzburg a route of in 1907 Brooklands was opened, the some 19.5km from Fusch to Fuschertörl Le Mans 24hrs began in 1923 and the at an altitude of 2428 metres was Nürburgring followed in 1927. Austria felt planned. Just one day after being it was being left in the dust and exhaust officially opened to public traffic the first fumes of neighbouring nations. The new of three pre-war mountain hillclimbs Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse offered took place. It was supposed to be a a unique and dramatic venue that would great international event held on a challenge both man and machine to section of the North side of the pass. extremes. Whilst circuit racing was However, due to a German government the mainstay of regular competition decree, which precluded German people throughout Europe, hill and mountain from taking sums of money out of the climbs offered a great test of strength, country, meant that many entries from character and integrity of both man Germany were withdrawn. The official and machine. Shelsley Walsh, the oldest response from the German authorities motorsport venue in the world, offered was that the rolled sand and gravel road a short but significant challenge for prepared for the race was unsuitable to international drivers and formed part of GLOSSGLOCKNER / 65
Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse AG
The Building of the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse
Photo: Eric Sawyer
Photo: Eric Sawyer
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race on. Given the project had only just been completed that notion was not accepted by the organisers. Despite a last-minute lifting of the decree, solely for the race days, only a handful of the many expected German drivers arrived. Other countries made up a plethora of entries including Switzerland, Italy and Britain making a significant competition.
The rules of the event were simple, with an average of around 20 minutes per car, each driver getting a single attempt at the longest mountain hillclimb in Europe. With ever-changing weather conditions racing got off to an early start. Many of the drivers said that necessary gear changes amounted to an average of 90 per run. Those spectators who braved the conditions witnessed some impressive driving and equally stunning scenery. Inevitably with such an arduous course there were those who failed the climb. Franz Falk’s Austin expired after 10kms with engine problems, Kiwi born driver Thomas Pitt Cholmondeley-Tapper suffered similar issues in his Bugatti coming to a standstill after 20kms. Czech driver Dr. Georg Freiherr von Goldegg crashed his Alfa after failing to negotiate one of the sharp bends.
The Grossglockner region is subject to its own micro-climatic conditions, sun one minute and rain or even snow the next. So, it was for this first event. Both the Saturday and Sunday mornings were extremely wet and cold, which adversely affected the number of spectators, many arriving on bicycles and on foot, but failed to prevent the huge vehicle entry
Enthralling 1935 drive by Richard Seaman netted Voiturette victory and second overall Photo: Technisches Museum Vienna Archive/Arthur Fenzlau
on two wheels and four. The relative calm of everyday life of the communities in the Alpine valleys of Zell am See, Fusch-Bruck and Kaprun, was completely shattered.
1937 event saw Scuderia Ferrari driver Mario Tadini setting FTD in his Alfa Romeo P3
finished a superb 4th in class at the wheel of her white Bugatti. The ultimate prize was taken by Scuderia Ferrari driver, Mario Tadini in his 3.2litre Alfa-Romeo P3, with a time of 14mins 42.74secs - 79.59kmh, a shade under 50mph.
1938 Hillclimbs By 1938, Austria’s political landscape was reaching a crescendo. On 12th March 1938 the Austrian Nazis took over the government, German troops now occupied the country and within a couple of days, Austrian born, Adolf Hitler, leader of the ruling German Nazi party, announced from Vienna that Austria had been unified with the rest of the German Reich, the union being confirmed the following month. The final act was to rename the former country of Austria as Ostmark. The European Mountain Championship had been a series of 10 events,
Classic control from Hermann Lang in the Mercedes-Benz W125 against dramatic Alpine backdrop
© Mercedes-Benz AG
Apart from the motorcycles, the 75 cars were split into two distinct categories, Sportscars and Racing Cars, they were then sub-divided into classes; 1,100cc, 1,500cc and 2,000cc, with the Sportscars having a 3,000cc Class and Racing Cars having an Unlimited Class. Notable car marques represented, included Maserati, MG, Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, BMW, Adler, BNC, ERA, Austin, Talbot, Frazer Nash, Austro Daimler, Amilcar and finally a National Pescara racing car from Spain. Equally, although major German names were missing, great racing drivers of the day took part, including Luigi Villoresi, Johnny Graf LuraniCernuschi, Christian Kautz, Zdenek Pohl, Paul Cocagne, Carlo Pintacuda, Bobby Kohlrausch and Mario Tadini. Among 68 / GLOSSGLOCKNER
Although he missed out on the FTD, it was Richard Seaman who thrilled the crowd with his handling and driving techniques in the ERA and many applauded as he swept by. Fellow English driver, Miss Eileen Ellison, who had enthralled spectators at Brooklands
Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse AG
those flying the Union flag for England were Richard ‘Dick’ Seaman and Miss Eileen Ellison.
contested between 1930 and 1933, under the guidance of the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR), the predecessor of the FIA. In the main, German cars and drivers dominated these events with Hans Stuck and Rudolf Caracciola taking the lion’s share of victories. Whilst the thirst for circuit racing was on the rise, popularity of competition against the clock had waned from the mid-1930s. However, a new German series, officially named the Deutsche Bergmeisterschaft, which centred on events held at Freiburg, Feldberg and Kesselberg,
High in the mountains Hans Stuck has an © Audi AG appreciative audience
replaced the European Championship as Europe’s political climate evolved. For 1938, things had scaled down on the European hill-climb scene. It was only La Turbie on the French Riviera - where there has been a hill-climb since the dawn of motoring - and the Grossglockner, which had replaced Freiburg, were the venues to decide who would become ‘King of the Mountains’. There was no cash prize, just the honour
Following Seaman’s remarks, new plans were drawn up and a changed format saw the middle section deleted. It must be remembered, Seaman was far from a cautious driver, in fact Alfa Romeo’s personnel manager Nello Ugolini described him as being, ‘Fast, but a trifle too risky!’. So, Seaman’s remarks give some idea of how gruelling the Grossglockner was – he also refused to compete. The course was now planned as a two-part route and cars would race in two heats. The first would start at Ferleiten and finish at Fuschertörl – a distance of 12.5kms (just under 8miles) - but still included 14 dangerous hairpin bends. Competitors would then make their way through the middle section toward the start of the second part of the course, near Guttal. This would be run over around 8kms (just under 5miles) up to Franz Josefs Höhe, an altitude of 2362metres (7749ft), which
gave a supreme view of the summit of the Grossglockner mountain and the Pasterze glacier. Prevailing poor weather conditions on both training and event days resulted in the organisers cutting the course further with just two runs between Ferleiten toll booth to Fuscher Törl. The first practice day, saw the expected gladiatorial contest between Auto Union and Mercedes and a great duel between Hans Stuck and Hermann Lang, - the two titans not bowing to the vagaries of the climate. Nor did the enthusiastic spectators, who lined the entire length of the Höhenstrasse during practice. Exquisite car control demonstrated by Hermann Lang in the Mercedes-Benz W125.
© Mercedes-Benz AG
The Auto Union of Hans Stuck is flagged off at © Audi AG the hillclimb start
of the title. Now, as part of the Fatherland, the Grossglockner was the location chosen for the finale of the German series and renamed as the ‘Grosser Bergpreis von Deutschland’ (Great Mountain Prize of Germany). Organisation of the event was still at local level with the NSKK Motor Group Alpenland in Salzburg, but under the strict umbrella of the Supreme National Sports Authority for German Motor Transport. As for the course, the original 1938 route was considered. By this time the surface of the Grossglockner high alpine road was now much improved. The hairpin bends were now partly covered with cobblestones so that the compacted sand and gravel no longer splashed up as in 1935. It would, however, become the longest distance covered for a mountain-climb event by some margin. Alfred Neubauer had asked Dick Seaman, now an established star driver for Mercedes, to do a recce of the course some weeks prior to the event. Seaman’s views significantly changed the route as he considered it far too ambitious. The middle section that included the Mittertörl and Hochtor tunnels and a daunting downhill section caused particular concern.
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1939 Hillclimbs Just 12 months later, European politics had seriously deteriorated. History showing the outbreak of WW2 was only weeks away. Despite this, it did not stop a healthy entry of competitors and thousands of spectators attending the second Grosser Bergpreis von Deutschland held at Grossglockner – records show crowds in excess of 60,000. With Freiburg again absent from the calendar, La Turbie, plus a new Austrian venue at Kahlenberg, near Vienna, and a finale at the Grossglockner would be the venues to decide the ‘King of the Mountains’. Stuck had won at La Turbie, for the fourth successive year, Lang had taken victory at Kahlenberg, so it was all to play for at the last round. Lang had been severely affected by the loss of his team-mate and great friend, Richard Seaman, who had been tragically killed at Spa whilst leading the Belgian GP. Losing Seaman injected a greater resolve from Mercedes and Lang, they were determined that Stuck’s reign as ‘King of the Mountains’ should come to an end. Mercedes arrived with specially built mountain racing cars, two twin rear-
Auto Union success for H.P. Muller winning the first heat of the 1939 Grossglockner © Audi AG
33 entrants faced the daunting task of conquering the Grossglockner in both sports and racing classes, similar to those in 1935. The mighty Silver Arrows of Mercedes Benz and Auto Union headed the marques with BMW. Lesser numbers of other marques included MG, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and a lone Bugatti.
© Mercedes-Benz AG
Hans Stuck proved to be the initial master in his 6litre Auto Union finishing the first sector in just under ten minutes. Later runs by Lang and von Brauchitsch showed Mercedes are not there to come second and kept the pressure on. However, on his second run, Stuck pulled out a significant advantage with a
Auto Union success for H.P. Muller winning the first heat of the 1939 Grossglockner
1939 winner Hermann Lang wrestles with 5.6 litres of power in the Mercedes-Benz W125
A significant postscript to the 1938 race meeting was that during the weekend, the Grossglockner Strasse was used as a test track for the prototype of a new air-cooled engine family car – the VW 70 / GLOSSGLOCKNER
© Mercedes-Benz AG
time of 9 minutes 32.4 seconds. Stuck’s combined time amounted to 20 minutes 15 seconds, at an average of 74.67 kph (46.4mph) and took the crown, with Lang in his wake by 4 seconds and von Brauchitsch by 20 seconds.
wheeled, ice-cooled, 5.6 litre W125 cars and two 3-litre W154s for Lang and von Brauchitsch to choose from. The twin wheels fitted to the rear axle would, in theoretically, provide extra grip and an edge to upset the dominant Hans Stuck - Mercedes clearly meaning business this time. The more powerful W125 cars were chosen by both Mercedes drivers. During the practice runs the twin wheels were soon to prove impractical, especially in the hairpins, while handling and speed was compromised in corners, hence the extra wheels were discarded. Event day saw the heavens open with thunderstorms raging, followed by
© Mercedes-Benz AG
Beetle. Behind the wheel of one of the two cars was Dr. Ing. Ferdinand Porsche who set an average speed of 34 kph (21.13mph). The Porsche family and the brands Porsche and VW remained associated with the Grossglockner and Carinthia region for many years to come.
Hermann Lang on his 1939 winning way in the Mercedes-Benz W125
sunshine and fog – compromising visibility. Whilst the main protagonists for the ‘King of the Mountains’ encounter were from the Auto Union and Mercedes camps, there were also many other marques vying for the lesser categories. The top spot in the 2litre sportscar class was former motor cyclist Helmut Polensky, in his debut year of four-wheel racing aboard his Neumaier Spezial BMW. He signed apprenticeship papers with Auto Union just days after this event and later went on to become a car constructor in his own right. Second place was taken by the racing Baron, Fritz Huschke von Hanstein, in his BMW 328. Post-war, working as PRO, race car driver and racing team manager he did much for Porsche’s world-wide success. He also introduced helmets and fireproof overalls to improve safety. Third was Bavarian, Fritz Werneck, in his white BMW 315/328 Spezial. Many other BMW 328 cars were entered in this category.
Lang was ecstatic to find he was finally the victor.
‘Driving in the rain and learning to master mountain routes were two tasks that I had set myself. I had already started the former, and once again the Grand Mountain Prize provided the opportunity for the latter. In view of all the demands that such a race places, I first began to acquire the best track knowledge on the new racetrack on the Grossglockner. Many days before the training, I drove to our Zell am See district, where we were in excellent hands. I drive my car up and down the racetrack from early morning until late evening, trying to hammer every corner. You had to become a specialist - being a racing driver alone was not enough.
With just five cars taking part, the 1500cc Racing car class was a Maserati 4CL ‘lock-out’. Racing driver and journalist, Paul Pietsch, sadly crashed; the man that would go on to become the oldest Grand Prix driver, 1911-2012, found the conditions too severe and lost control.
The experience drained him, every sinew of his being shook as he climbed out of the car, fearing that he had failed. Unbeknown to him, the master, Stuck was some 3.2seconds slower, while Müller failed to make the same impression on his second run as his first. Stuck held out his hand to shake that of the newly crowned ‘Mountain King’.
Sliding on the cloud-soaked cobbles in the 1939 Grossglockner is the fourth-place MercedesBenz W125 of Manfred von Brauchitsch
One should not think that the depth was yawning right next to the roadside and that every “driver” was connected with the greatest dangers. The risk of this “jump-off” was so great that not all drivers took part in it, but without risk there is no victory and only “driving along” was neither interesting for the driver nor for the factory. However, I not only had the ambition to show something in this area, but above all I also enjoyed this type of race. This joy alone makes all kinds of things successful!’
© Audi AG
Today, although tourism prevents annual competition, anniversary events continue to be held on the Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse. The only surviving Auto Union C/D type of 1939, now exquisitely restored by Crosthwaite & Gardiner
Below: Sensational 1939 victory in the clouds for Hermann Lang in the Mercedes-Benz W125
© Mercedes-Benz AG
The core contest saw Auto Union setting the pace with both Hans Stuck and Hermann Paul Müller setting faster times than the previous year. Müller’s time of 8mins 54.3 seconds – an average of 84.86kph took the early lead. Stuck was a shade slower at 84.70kph, but significantly Lang was sandwiched between the Auto Unions with a speed of 84.73kph – a hairsbreadth faster than the ‘Mountain King’. On the second run, Lang, who had practised long and hard in the run up to the race saw his efforts rewarded. Thick fog descended, but his familiarity of the course was enough to give him a courageous edge.
© Mercedes-Benz AG
Hermann Lang recalls his memories of the Grossglockner
GLOSSGLOCKNER / 71
THANK YOU TO HGPCA STAFF/THE RED TRUCK AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR ORGANISING SUCH A BRILLIANT SEASON AND PREVIOUS SEASONS, AND WISH THEM ALL THE BEST FOR 2020 AND BEYOND From the HEDGEHOG RACING TEAM
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Inside Back Cover Back Cover / 79
2020 Race Calendar
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Zwartkops Raceway
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