MONOPOD AUTOMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY, ART AND CULTURE
100th Indianapolis 500 | Goodwood Revival | Prescott Hill Climb 6 Hours of Shanghai | Macau Grand Prix
Front cover: Factory LMP1 Porsches, WEC Shanghai, China 2016. Above: Justin Maeers (1926 GN Parker) just about manages to hold off Tom Walker in the 1930 11.7 litre Amilcar-Hispano. Cadwell Park, UK 2016.
MONOPOD AUTOMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY, ART AND CULTURE
Editor’s letter
W
elcome to the first issue of Monopod. I guess an obvious question is why does the world need yet another magazine? The simple answer is that while there are plenty of photography magazines and for that matter too plenty of car magazines, there is nothing for which automotive photography is the sole raison d’etre. This is not to say that other magazines don’t feature wonderful imagery but this can be diluted by the sheer amount of accompanying factual information. There are some truly talented photographers working in the field and our mission is to scour the world to showcase and celebrate the work of these skilled lensmen and women. People have been photographing cars for well over half a century. One of the most renowned, the great Louis Klemantaski, would have leapt at the chance to get his hands on today’s cutting edge camera equipment and yet despite the restrictions imposed by the technology of the day his pictures remain remarkably crisp and unforgettable. One gets the sense of a photographer not merely documenting his subject from afar, but someone trying to really capture events from within. He seemed to always be in the thick of things, close to the action capturing the participants themselves, what was happening in the pits, the stands, the surrounding countryside even. In other words, the human, organic aspects of an event. My goal is deceptively simple and is fuelled by a desire to adopt such a considered, photojournalistic approach to automotive photography, in particular how motorsport is captured on ‘film’. I am not suggesting for one minute that we all revert to photographing Formula One with twin lens reflex cameras again, although that might be an interesting exercise in itself. What I am saying is that less is sometimes more, that eye wateringly sharp images taken with huge telephoto lenses don’t always capture a moment the way we might think they do. Important too is the context in which an event takes place, the backdrop against which it is set. So, for example, our piece on the Indy 500 in this issue does not focus solely on the goings-on at the Brickyard but includes images of Indianapolis itself. While on the subject of what will and will not appear in Monopod, Formula One might well feature from time to time but one thing the magazine world is not short of is outstanding F1 images. Instead we prefer to concentrate on less mainstream events and those that appeal to our particular aesthetic taste - vintage sportscar racing for example. Our philosophy on this is that if we like it then it’s likely that there will be a bunch of other people who will like it too. Monopod will invite photographers who share this same approach to contribute examples of their work. Most will be recognised names in the motoring world. Others will not. Some may well be amateur photographers whose passion shines through in their work. Some may even display their work prominently on social media. My point is that there is no room for snobbery, a great image is a great image no matter how it was taken or where it is displayed, end of. Neither will we restrict ourselves only to photography and will from time to time feature automotive art as well as various genres of motoring-related graphic collectables such as film posters and advertising. We want Monopod to be be part magazine, part book, part gallery exhibition catalogue, something you wish to keep and hopefully not quite like anything else out there. We will, over time, establish an eclectic portfolio that will represent a gentle antidote to the all-too-common commercial brashness of modern automotive publishing. Philip Newsome
Photographer at work, Cadwell Park.
MONOPOD
EDITOR Philip Newsome
FIND US ONLINE monopodmagazine.com instagram.com/monopodmagazine facebook.com/monopodmagazine
EDITOR-AT-LARGE Siobhan Owen
SAY HELLO hello@monopodmagazine.com
TECHNICAL CONSULTANTS David Riach
William Furniss
GRAPHIC DESIGN Images Automotives hello@imagesautomotives.com
Grant Smith Guy Loveridge
PUBLISHER Blue Flag Press Ltd Level 19, Two International Finance Centre 8 Finance Street Central Hong Kong
Edition 01 Spring 2017
Cover photo: Philip Newsome
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, no responsibility can be accepted by the publisher for errors or omissions, and in particular no responsibility can be accepted for the quality of goods and services supplied by advertisers, prices quoted or printers’ errors. All material, unless specifically stated otherwise is copyright of Blue Flag Press Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part either electronially or conventionally without the permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. ISSN 2518-6957
Fleur, Zandvoort 2016.
Ian Hutchinson, Macau 2016.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 9
100TH INDIANAPOLIS 500
41 AUTOGRAMMER 43 PRESCOTT VINTAGE SPEED HILL CLIMB 63 GOODWOOD REVIVAL 117 COLLECTABLES 140 6 HOURS OF SHANGHAI 151 MACAU GRAND PRIX 175 THE WELSH TRIAL
THE 100th INDIANAPOLIS 500 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY, MAY 2016 Words and images: Philip Newsome
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his was my first trip to Indianapolis, the beating heart of American motorsport, birthplace of the King of Cool, Steve McQueen. The city was buzzing with the prospect of hosting not just any old Indy 500 but the 100th running of the event. Traditionally, there is a local tv blackout of the race extending across the whole state of Indiana. This is done to encourage residents to attend in person but this year the event had sold out weeks in advance and so for the first time since 1950 the race would be aired locally. First impressions of the track and facilities are that of a huge coliseum, the place is both immense and yet contained. The Indy 500 extends over a month of testing, practice and qualification. Qualification itself is achieved by taking the average speed of four consecutive flying laps. Canadian James Hinchcliffe took the honour with an average speed of 230.760 mph. It was an emotional moment, coming one year on from his near-fatal crash at the track. Situated in the centre of the track the Indianapolis Speedway Museum is an incredible venue, so much so that in 1987 it was designated a National Historic landmark. The Museum’s collection encompasses race cars from many series including IndyCar, NASCAR, Formula One, Sprint, Midget, motorcycle races, and drag racing. It is the collection of Indy 500 cars though that grabs your attention, from Jim Clark’s 1963 Lotus to Arie Luyendyk’s 1996 Reynard-Cosworth. The Flying Dutchman, a two-time winner of the event, still holds the IMS outright track record of 237.498 mph. Come raceday, an early start to the track was vital. For the first and perhaps only time in my life I was part of a police-escorted convoy carving our way through enormous queues of traffic patrolled
by a posse of State officers on burbling Harley Davidson Electra Glides. It’s the only way to arrive at Gasoline Alley! The rest of the day was a celebration of all things American. The Stars and Stripes, the Star Spangled banner, the fly past of Mustangs, Flying Fortresses and F-18s and a stirring rendition of ‘Back home in Indiana’ simply could not fail to give you the bumpiest of goosebumps. The sheer magnitude of the crowds is of course staggering, an estimated 350,000, no wonder it is billed ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’. And then those legendary words ‘Ladies and gentlemen start your engines’. I watched the start from the exit of Turn Two. The speed is breathtaking, 33 cars slipstreaming and overtaking in a way that we can only ever dream of happening in Formula One. This went on at an unrelenting pace for the next three hours (3h 00m 02s to be precise). The pit lane is a constant blur of activity, refueling, tyre changes but not much in the way of wing adjustment – there is hardly anything to adjust. All too quickly it was over. At the end of it all Formula One exile Alex Rossi emerged triumphant, running out of gas a few hundred yards after crossing the famous line of bricks and the first rookie winner since Hélio Castroneves in 2001 and only the third since Graham Hill’s 1966 win. The next day’s papers celebrated a hugely successful 100th running and lauded the ‘unknown Californian’ Rossi. Those two simple words spoke volumes about Formula One’s inability to crack America. Another of Indianapolis’ famous sons, the author Kurt Vonnegut, once wrote ‘Anything can make me stop and look and wonder, and sometimes learn.’ I certainly stopped and wondered during my time at the 500. What did I learn? The only thing I can be sure of is that I want to go back and do it all over again.
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Indianapolis 500
Known as the the ‘Circle City’ Indianapolis radiates outward in all directions from a single geographical location, Monument Circle. At the heart of the Circle stands the 285 foot tall Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument (opposite), completed in 1888. The climb to the top, a total of 331 steps, is seen as something of a rite of passage for local Indianapolis residents.
“Auto racing, and especially the Indianapolis 500, seemed to symbolize everything people thought was great about America. It was big, it was high tech, it was dangerous and exciting, and it was right in the heartland, in Indianapolis. So it doesn’t get more American, somehow, than the Indy 500.” Automotive historian Ken Gross
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Mural on Main Street, Speedway, Indiana.
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Meticulously detailed scorecards, written and coloured by hand (opposite) announce to the media the full qualifying results for each driver including those of pole-setter, James Hinchcliffe (above). One year earlier ‘Hinch’ crashed during practice for the 500. He was traveling at more than 200 miles per hour and what happened next probably should have killed him. The doctors told Hinchcliffe it would take him seven months to recover, he only needed four. “When you take something away from someone and that’s all they live for, they’re highly motivated to get it back.” And as for his pole position? “You’d almost think it was rigged, it makes too good a story. It’s definitely not something we expected coming into the week.” Sadly, the race didn’t work out quite as well and the popular Canadian finished in 7th place.
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Australian Will Power, Team Penske. Team Principal Roger Penske (opposite) this year celebrated his eponymous team’s 50th season in Indycars. Team Penske has become synonymous with Indy car racing, with more than 170 race victories, over 200 poles and 13 National Championships. It is, however, probably best known for its 16 Indianapolis 500 victories, four with driver Rick Mears and three with HÊlio Castroneves.
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Reigning Indy 500 champion Juan Pablo Montoya holds a very special place in the annals of American motorsport. He is the only driver to have won the CART championship (1999), Indianapolis 500 (2000) and Rolex 24 At Daytona (2007), each one at the first time of asking. He claimed his second Indianapolis 500 victory in 2015 in what was only his third start in the race. He is also one of just three drivers to win races in Indy cars, Formula One and NASCAR. Racing legends Mario Andretti and Dan Gurney were the other two. Heady company to say the least.
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2012 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay.
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The 100th Indy 500 would be Sage Karam’s third appearance in the race. More significantly it would be his first race of any kind in nine months, in fact since August 23rd 2015, the day his Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet spun off Turn 1 while leading with 21 laps to go at Pocono Raceway and crashed into a wall. The dislodged nose cone of Karam’s car struck British driver Justin Wilson on the head as the 37-year-old slowed under caution and swung low to avoid the fray. Wilson died a day later after suffering a traumatic brain injury. Karam’s 2016 Indy 500 ended after 93 laps but perhaps the biggest challenge was simply being there in the first place.
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You see, man made the cars to take us over the road Man made the trains to carry heavy loads Man made electric light to take us out of the dark Man made the boat for the water, like Noah made the ark This is a man’s, a man’s, a man’s world...
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But it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl James Brown and the Famous Flames
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Bobby Rahal (above) won the 1985 Indy 500 in this very car, becoming the first driver in Indy history to complete the distance in less than three hours. His son Graham (left and overleaf) was attempting to emulate his father and challenged during the mid-part of the race but finished in 15th place after a penalty for a bodged pit-stop all but ended his chances.
The TAG Heuer Pit Stop Challenge is held during activities leading up to the Indianapolis 500. Since 1977, the event has been held on Carb Day, following the final practice session. As many as twelve top teams in the field compete in a single-elimination, tournament-style competition, two teams at a time. Under the current rules format, during each heat, two cars line up side-by-side in a specially-constructed pit lane, which resembles a drag racing layout. The cars go from a standing start, and race into the pit box. Pit crews must change four tires and hook-up a dummy fuel hose to simulate a refuel. The driver races out of the pit box to cross a finish line, which is a couple hundred feet down the lane. The time is taken from the drop of the green flag to the crossing of the finish line. The 2016 event was won by HĂŠlio Castroneves taking his tally of victories to an impressive eight.
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Jim Clark’s 1965 Indy 500 winning Lotus 38/1 (above) sits rather innoccuously in the classic racing paddock surrounded by Indy race cars from every period (opposite). This, though, was the car that changed everything. The 1965 Indy 500 was shown live on national television for the first time, courtesy of ABC Sports. The network’s timing was impeccable as this edition of the race was undoubtedly one of its most historic. It was the first time the race was won by a mid-engined car, a Ford engine, a British car and at an average of over 150 mph. Jim Clark also became the first foreign driver to take the victory since Ralph DePalma in 1915. Clark qualified on the front row and led all but 10 laps. When he finished, just four other cars were on the same lap. Everyone else in the race was two laps behind. In 1964, most of the Indianapolis cognoscenti thought mid-engined cars were an irrelevant joke. In 1966, the Speedway was full of Lotus clones. 1969 saw the final appearance of a front-engined car in the Indy 500. The 38 was significantly larger than Formula One cars of the time, but was still dwarfed by the massive American roadsters. As can be seen from this photograph it was specially designed with an offset suspension, with the car body situated asymmetrically between the wheels, offset to the left using suspension arms of unequal length. Although in theory this was better suited for the oval circuits, for example by evening out tyre wear between the two sides, in practise the handling was sufficiently idiosyncratic that the concept never caught on widely.
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‘Just the enormity of the whole event is overwhelming at times. You could never prepare yourself for the first time you walk out for driver introductions, and there are 250,000 people in one spot.’ Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 Indy 500 winner.
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Since 1974, the race has been scheduled for the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. Only once since then has the date been moved - 1986 when the race was held the following weekend because of heavy rain.
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"I believe our flag is more than just cloth and ink. It is a universally recognized symbol that stands for liberty and freedom." Senator John Thune
“I have no idea how we pulled that off. At one point, I was 33rd. But we just rolled the dice and went for it.�
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AUTOGRAMMER Amsterdam Instagram images: Tim Goedhart, Parked in Amsterdam
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msterdam might well be regarded as the bicycle capital of the world but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of interesting cars around the city. Tim Goedhart has been chronically the city’s love affair with the automobile in his highly popular Instagram account Parked in Amsterdam. His images juxtapose classic cars against the unique backdrop of the Amsterdam cityscape, its canals, renaissance and contemporary architecture as well as more modern, sometimes rather stark post modern architecture. “Parked in Amsterdam is just a hobby for me. I travel around the city a lot and every time I spot a cool car, I just stop and take a picture. I started this account because my friends were fed up with all the car pictures I shared on my personal Instagram account. I have always been a classic car enthusiast. My passion lays with classic Volkswagens, but I respect everyone who has a passion for a certain brand. That is also what I like about the reactions I get through Parked. For every brand there is a group of followers who can really appreciate a picture of ‘their’ favorite car. Amsterdam is a great background for car pictures. My favorites are the one parked alongside the canals in the beautiful city center. I just really love the fact that so many people in this city own and use a classic car instead of a modern one. Classic cars have the character, personality and trouble that no modern car would ever have.”
PRESCOTT VINTAGE SPEED HILL CLIMB GLOUCESTERSHIRE, AUGUST 2016
Words Philip Newsome Images: Philip Newsome, unless otherwise indicated
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he Prescott Speed Hill Climb is one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the vintage car enthusiast’s year. The venue is drop dead gorgeous. Nestling in the beautiful Cotswold Hills just north of the historic city of Cheltenham, Prescott is owned by the Bugatti Owner’s Club. The Club was formed in 1929 and for a number of years afterwards was running hillclimbs on various dusty loose-surfaced courses across the south of England. In 1936 the Club came to the conclusion that it really needed to have its own course, the objections of local residents were getting louder and louder. One ill-fated venture was reported in Motor Sport thus: “Unfortunately, the noise nuisance, which is a disease not unknown to motor-race course promoters, broke out and the project was reluctantly abandoned.” Finally, in 1937, the Bugatti Owners Club bought the magnificent Prescott House and Estate in order to create a permanent hillclimb course. The original 880 yard ‘short’ course winds its way through what was the estate’s orchard and is still used today by the VSCC while the 1127 yards ‘long’ course, introduced in 1960, is the one used now for all other events. Needless to say the event is a triumph of nostalgia, a sumptious reminder of a time when machines were living, breathing, mechanical beasts demanding constant nurturing, nourishment and encouragement. Perhaps the essential appeal of hillclimbing is that participants are really only competing against themselves and not each other. Camaraderie fills the air and everyone takes such joy in being there, meeting old friends and helping each other out without any batting of eyelids, and with no favours expected in return. Was Britain really this idyllic in the 1930s? Possibly not, a catastrophic war was just around the corner and the country would never be the same again. But it is easy to sit in the warm Gloucestershire sun, close one’s eyes and float back to that halcyon era and feel as though the world really was standing still for a brief moment.
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Christopher Rowland’s Riley 9 makes its way up the hill against a wonderful backdrop of vintage motors and the rolling Gloucestershire countryside.
The Bugatti Trust building was opened in 1987 by the late Bugatti enthusiast Hugh Conway. It houses a unique, growing collection of photographs, documents, models, mechanical components and even complete cars. The Trust exists to encourage research into Ettore Bugatti’s life, his works, industrial designs and inventions.
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Opposite, Terry Crabb guns the ERA 12C off the startline generating an enormous heat haze in the summer sun. Tim Harrison’s wonderfully spartan Hornet Racing Special (above) rounds the hairpin.
Essential reading.
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A stroll in the orchard.
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Twin lens Rolleiflex, 120 roll film, classic square image.
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Stephanie Wilton’s lovely Austin 7 Single Seater.
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Bellissimo!
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A study in concentration.
Jakub Stauch travelled from the Czech Republic with his family (opposite) to compete in his Bugatti T13 Brescia.
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Iain Stewart (above) proves that while you may only have one driven wheel you can still make a lot of smoke. Opposite, Ian SeymourSmith (top) works hard at the wheel of his Mitchel Board Racer while Geoffrey Radford (bottom) guides his MG 18/100 Mk III Tigress up the hill.
Chris Williams launches his 24 litre Napier Bentley off the line much to the joy and amusement of the onlooking spectators. Photo: Rhiannon Carvell-Crook
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GOODWOOD REVIVAL GOODWOOD MOTOR CIRCUIT, SEPTEMBER 2016
Words Philip Newsome Images: Philip Newsome, unless otherwise indicated
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“It’s like walking back perfectly into a black and white photograph, except it’s in colour and 3D, it’s amazing.” Jools Holland
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Lord March Photo: Indira FlackPhoto: Rhiannon Carvell-Crook
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rom the moment you enter Goodwood race circuit for the annual nostalgia-fest that is the Revival you know you have landed in the midst of something unique. Lord March (opposite) has presided over this most exquisitely honed event after 1998. That first Revival took place 50 years since the 9th Duke and Duchess of Richmond and Gordon opened the motor racing track in 1948 driving around the circuit in a Bristol 400, then Britain’s state-of-the-art sporting saloon. The Festival’s very special ambience hits you as soon as you park up your car and step out into the crisp autumnal air. Even if there was no racing, no fairground, no champagne tents and no 1950s style paddock the public car park alone would provide enough amusement for most car enthusiasts. They appear as an almost constant stream, everything from E-types to Ford Anglias, Mustangs to Lancia Aurelias. Owners and passengers materialise dressed in their own particular interpretation of the past. The periods most favoured seem to be the 1950s and 60s although there are plenty of WWII flashbacks thrown in for good measure. Captain Mainwaring is present and correct leading a whole battalion of American GI’s, Land Girls, desert rats, Battle of Britain pilots against a token smattering Luftwaffe aces. Entering the retail village you can buy almost anything be it a vintage dress, a classic car, books, model cars, artwork, hats, there is just something uniquely appealing about the post war years up to the mid 60s. One wonders if in twenty five year’s time there will a similarly huge motoring event being held somewhere in a parallel universe complete with a pro-am race featuring orange Austin Allegros and Morris Marinas ..maybe not. Finally, you enter the circuit and in passing over the footbridge you travel from 2016 and re-enter Britain at some indeterminate point between 1946 and 1966. It was as if the recent Brexit vote had not only taken Britain out of the EU it had somehow deposited it over half a century back in time, which let’s face it is exactly what many of those who voted ‘out’ were secretly wishing for. Indeed, one of the themes for this year’s event was England winning the 1966 football world cup and the walk along Wembley Way was recreated perfectly with hordes of fans chanting ‘England, England!!’ to the beat of a well-drilled marching band. Little surprise then that the swinging Sixties were very much in evidence, the varied influences of Mary Quant, Vidal Sassoon, Twiggy and the Kray twins were everywhere. As a photographer, all this of course is manna from heaven. How many times have you looked at images of
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times gone by and thought how cool would it be to be able go back and photograph those times all over again? All of sudden here was my chance. This feeling followed me wherever I went, whichever part of the circuit I wandered into be it the paddock, the airfield, the recreated London tube station, garages and shops. The fact that everybody there joined in with the spirit of the times only served to enhance this time warp. Of course some joined in more than others. So, while a small number of visitors offered not much more than a passing nod to past times, so many more threw themselves into the endeavour with a passion, thought and an almost scary attention to detail. Furs and frocks, trilbies and plusfours, never in the field of human amusement was so much owed to so much tweed, serge, khaki and silk. Somebody once told me that there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing and as the heavens opened on late Saturday morning it became clear that tweed was no match for Gortex, a material invented in 1969 and hence marginally outside Goodwood’s strictly enforced timeframe as defined by the circuit’s original heyday 1948–1966. As I peeled off my suede shoes on Saturday night I was confronted with a sight reminiscent of trench foot - even Goodwoodinduced maladies, I thought, have an air of nostalgia about them. The mildly adverse weather came and went and did little to dampen spirits - champagne tastes just as good under canvas as it is does in warm sunshine. Throughout it all the Revival’s beating heart, the race cars and the men and women who tend to them and drive them, continued to beat. Who could resist the evocative sight and sound of Tom Kristensen pedalling a silver Ferrari 250 GT SWB through the descending evening to win the coveted Kinrara Trophy? Or Sir Chris Hoy and Rowan Atkinson in race prepared A35s? While the latter machines may not have a huge intrinsic monetary value, many of the cars pounding round the track over the three days are worth upwards of a million pounds and yet here they are racing wheel to wheel. The range and provenance of motors on display is quite staggering, each one driven with an equally staggering competitive gusto. Needless to say, this was all carried out with scrupulous fairness, no quarter given, none asked for and never, ever stepping over the line that separates fair play from unsportsmanlike conduct. Is the Revival the best greatest retrospective motorsport event on the Calendar? Probably. Will I be back for more of the same next year? You bet.
Early morning arrival
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Like most race drivers Nuvolari hated talking about death and racing. He was once asked ”Aren’t you afraid of dying in a race car?” to which he replied “I suppose you expect to die in bed?” “Yes indeed, I hope so” replied the questioner. “in that case” he snapped “I wonder how you dare to go to bed at night!”
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One of the themes of the Revival was a celebration of England winning the 1966 World Cup Final at Wembley (this page and overleaf)
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While both the Zephyr (opposite) and the GT40 (above) were in production at the Ford Motor Company at around the time England were winning the World Cup, they couldn’t be further apart in terms of their design and purpose. The Zephyr featured in the police drama series ‘Z-Cars’ which debuted on the BBC in 1962. Meanwhile the GT40 won the Le Mans 24 Hours of Le Mans four consecutive times, from 1966 to 1969 including a 1-2-3 finish in 1966.
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Photo: Indira FlackPhoto: Rhiannon Carvell-Crook
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tirling Moss’ was first outing at Goodwood took place in September 1948 in the fifth race of the day, recalling “the 500cc race was a three lap affair, because grid positions were secured by ballot, I found myself starting well down the field”. Despite his low grid position, Stirling quickly took the lead in his number 7 Cooper-JAP 500cc Mk.II and went on to win by almost half a lap from Eric Brandon in his Cooper T3, even though his father was signalling to him from the pits to slow down. His winning average speed for the three laps of the then 2.4 mile Goodwood circuit was 71.92mph. Given that September 1948 was the first meeting ever held at the circuit, the turn-out to watch Stirling and his fellow competitors was impressive. Contemporary photographs show crowds standing four or five deep in places along the straight that runs up to the first corner, Madgwick. Official figures record 10,478 paying spectators, although how many sneaked in over fences can only be guessed at. The Goodwood circuit would become one of Stirling’s firm favourites, crossing the finish line as winner on many occasions, including four consecutive wins in the RAC Tourist Trophy race, from 1958 to 1961. On April 23rd 1962, he crashed his Lotus heavily at his beloved Goodwood while taking part in the Glover Trophy. The accident put him in a coma for a month, and for six months the left side of his body was partially paralysed. He recovered, but retired from professional racing after a private test session in a Lotus 19 the following year, when he lapped a few tenths of a second slower than before. He felt he had not regained his previously instinctive command of the car. He had been runner-up in the Drivers’ Championship four years in succession, from 1955 to 1958, and third in each of the next three years.
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Throughout the three days of the Revival, on-track action provides a continous visual and acoustic backdrop. The warm glow of dusk sees the start of the highly anticipated Kinrara Trophy race. The field is led into the Madgwick by the ultimately victorious Macari/Kristensen Ferrari 250 SWB. Photo: Ian Lambot
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A cool beer, a warm sunset and a Healey 100/6 (David Smithies/Jeremy Cooke) in full flight. A perfect end to a perfect day. Photo: Rhiannon Carvell-Crook
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The Goodwood Revival is a unique amalgam of fashion, fun and fast machines. While many dress to impress (above), others are dressed for action including John McGuinness (opposite) current Isle of Man TT lap record holder and the second most successful TT rider of all time with 23 wins and 44 podiums.
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Mechanics in white overalls are everywhere, guiding cars such as Ernst Schuster’s 1957 Ferrari 500TRC (above) through the paddock or even coaxing them into life as in the case of Charles McCabe’s 1936 ERA B-type R5B, known affectionately as ‘Remus’ (opposite)
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Scottish Knights. Six time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy (this page) is equally at home on four wheels alongside fellow Scotsman, triple Formula One World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart (opposite).
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The heavens may have opened but this did little to deter people from enjoying themselves in style.
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Goodwood stalwart and Darnley House Captain Jochen Mass is seen here guiding Hans Kleissl’s Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing through the chicane ahead of James Cottingham’s Ferrari 500 TRC in the Freddie March Memorial Trophy race. During the Group C era Mass impressively scored more World Sportscar Championship race wins than any other driver.
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Tim Summers and Richard Meaden’s growling AC Cobra (above) is manoeuvred into the paddock past fans sheltering from the rain. Meanwhile ex-Formula One driver Karun Chandok (opposite) makes light work of the weather.
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Charming a cobra. Despite the rain, Dutch Formula One driver Giedo van der Garde qualifies David Hart’s 1963 AC Cobra on the front row of the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy, the jewel in the Revival’s crown. Photo: Ian Lambot
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A second theme for the 2016 Revival was a tribute to three time Formula One World Champion Jack Brabham, the only man to win a World Championship driving a car bearing his own name. An impressive line up included the 1959 Cooper-Climax T51 (above) in which he won his first Grand Prix at Monaco en route to the Championship as well as the 1955 Aston Martin DB3S (opposite) which he raced in his first year in Europe.
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Showtime
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“I build engines and attach wheels to them” Enzo Ferrari
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It all must make sense to somebody..
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Austin J40 pedal cars (this page and opposite) were made in England by Austin Motor Company Limited. The pedal car factory opened on July 5, 1949 and was called the Austin Junior Car Factory. It was actually paid for by Government funds and was run on a not-for-profit basis and purely for the employment of disabled coal miners. The J40 sold for ÂŁ27 plus ÂŁ6 added purchase tax and by the time production stopped in September 1971, total production had reached 32,098.
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The organisers of the Revival go to great pains to ensure that the event is extremely child friendly, even encouraging adults to rediscover their own inner child (overleaf)
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A thing of beauty is a joy for ever Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness. John Keats, Endymion
Photo: Will Harris
For Freddie March, Lord March’s grandfather, the worlds of motor racing and aviation were always closely entwined. Each year at the Festival the Freddie March Spirit of Aviation seeks to celebrate his connection with flight boasting a wonderful collection of vintage aircraft such as this beautiful Douglas DC-3 (above) and the1933 de Havilland DH-60 Gipsy Moth (opposite).
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“Over there!”
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The start of the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy saw Chris Ward take to the grass to fend off the AC Cobras of Richard Squire (No 22), David Hart (No 2) and Andrew Smith (No 1). After a series of early driver changes, the number 89 E-type (with Gordon Sheddon at the wheel) and the number 2 Cobra (now driven by Guido van der Garde) became embroiled in a tense fight, the former’s agility and lightness proving superior under braking and through the corners, the latter’s sheer power simply unrivalled on the straights. Just a few minutes from the end, the two made contact at Lavant corner and Van der Garde’s resulting spin gifted Shedden, and his partner Chris Ward, the victory. A dramatic end to a spectacular three days racing. Photo: Ian Lambot
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COLLECTABLES
Film Posters
C
inema has always been fascinated with cars. They figure large in our collective imagination and are associated with some of the most celebrated and revered films of all time. Collectors are prepared to pay serious money for fine examples of posters from classic car movies such as Bullitt, Le Mans and Grand Prix. The combination of star power (notably Steve McQueen) iconic subject matter and outstanding graphic design places the posters shown here at the top of the devotee’s wish list. Movie posters were not made to be kept. They were often papered over or just thrown away, so more often than not few survive. This fragility pretty much guarantees that there will always be a greater demand than supply for the very best examples. Film posters capture a particular moment in time, and buying is often emotional and can become very addictive. Most experts agree though that the most important thing is to buy what you like, something you are going to enjoy looking at. As far as we are concerned the posters shown on these pages most definitely fit into this category.
Thank you to Liza Tesei of At The Movies 18 Thayer Street, London for allowing us to reproduce the images of the posters illustrated here. www.atthemovies.co.uk
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6 HOURS
OF SHANGHAI SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, NOVEMBER 2016
Words and Images: Philip Newsome
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T
he FIA World Endurance Championship represents the pinnacle of sports car racing and is currently contested over nine races held in Europe, Latin and North America, Asia and the Middle East. The thing that sets it apart from most other top flight racing series is the huge range of different cars taking part. Ranging from the top-flight LMP1 cars through to the more recognisable GT cars the differences are there for all to see. The drivers vary too from ex Formula One drivers to ‘gentleman racers’ and this complex mix of technology and skill levels makes itself apparent to even the casual observer. The different cars sound different, look different, adopt different lines through corners and perhaps most obviously have hugely different levels of performance. An LMP1 car will blast past a GT car down the straight like it’s not there. This performance disparity dictates considerable levels of skill and concentration from all concerned and occasionally things get messy as when Porsche works driver Brendon Hartley found out when he collided with the Gulf Racing Porsche driven by Mike Wainwright while leading the 6 Hours of Silverstone race by 40 seconds earlier in the year. For obvious reasons the main focus in Shanghai was on the works teams reigning champions Porsche, perennial contenders Audi and Toyota. A couple of weeks prior to the race Audi announced they were pulling out of the series and much of the talk in the paddock naturally centred on the implications of this. But at the end of the day the teams were there to race whatever the future might hold.
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Situated thirty kilometres from city which gives it its name the Shanghai International Circuit became operational in 2004. Designed by Hermann Tilke and Peter Wahl the track is 5.4 kilometres long and shaped like the Chinese character ‘shang’, which stands for ‘high’ or ‘above’. The circuit references a number of highly stylized, symbolic Chinese design themes such as the team buildings arranged like pavilions in a lake to resemble the ancient Yuyan-Garden in Shanghai as well as the instantly recognizable 26 lotus-shaped umbrella roofs (opposite) which shield the grandstands surrounding the hairpin. The track is situated on an area of land that was formerly swampland. Over 3,000 engineers worked over an eighteen month period to complete the project from start to finish with 40,000 piles and massive amounts of polystyrene used to stabilize the soft, marshy ground.
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Ten days before the Shanghai event Audi made the rather unexpected announcement that it was pulling out of the World Endurance Championship at the end of the season, so ending its 18 year involvement in sports car racing. The shock waves were still reverberating around the paddock as the teams congregated in Shanghai. The most successful outfit of recent years, Audi’s LMP1 programme yielded 13 Le Mans victories and the WEC drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles in 2012-13. The decision is the result of what has been described as a realignment of Audi’s motorsport programme. The German manufacturer will now focus on its participation in the Formula E Championship with the Abt-Schaeffler squad, having announced a greater works involvement in the series one month earlier. The announcement was made against the backdrop of declining sales of turbodiesels, the very technology Audi showcases in the WEC as well as political pressure in some markets to outlaw diesel engines. Audi’s Volkswagen stablemate Porsche will continue to contest the championship, the participation of two brands in the WEC always having been contingent on them using different technologies. Audi also confirmed that Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (opposite) will hand over his duties as Head of Audi Motorsport to Dieter Gass at the end of this year, prior to his planned retirement in 2017. Ullrich joined the German manufacturer in 1993 overseeing its program in touring cars during the 1990s before the move into prototypes in 1999, along with its return to DTM five years later and the launch of its GT3 customer racing program in 2009. His imminent retirement marks the end of an era, having been one of the longest-running and most successful motorsport executives in the industry.
A few weeks prior to the Shanghai round, former Red Bull and Williams Formula One driver and reigning World Endurance champion Mark Webber (opposite) announced his retirement from professional motorsport at the end of his current Porsche LMP1 campaign. This very popular Australian got his Formula One break in 2002 with Minardi, scoring points on debut on home soil, and raced with Jaguar and Williams before joining Red Bull in 2007. It was with Red Bull that he enjoyed his most-successful stint in Grand Prix racing, taking nine victories and finishing third in the world championship on three occasions before leaving at the end of the 2013 season. Since joining Porsche’s then-new LMP1 programme in 2014, Webber has won eight WEC races (including this round) with Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley, and the trio won the 2015 drivers’ title, as well as finishing second in that year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. At the time of his move to Porsche Webber said “I have arrived where I belong, Porsche is the brand I always loved most and the one that suits me the best. It was a big change from Formula One to LMP1 and an entirely new experience. But it came at the right time for me. I found I liked sharing a car and the chemistry between Timo, Brendon and me is special and something I’ll always remember. It will be strange getting into the race car for the very last time in Bahrain but for now I will thoroughly enjoy every moment of the remaining races.” Shanghai has proved to be a happy hunting ground for Webber and the 919 Hybrid (above), adding victory in this year’s race to the one they scored twelve months earlier. The 919 was the first sports-prototype built by Porsche since the RS Spyder and the first sports-prototype built to compete in the top category of sportscar racing since the Porsche 911 GT1-98 and Porsche LMP198. The car made its competitive debut at the 2014 6 Hours of Silverstone, the opening round of the 2014 season. 919 is a reference to the iconic 917 race car of the 1970s, and the 918 street car that debuted in 2013.
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The World Endurance Championship’s top category, LMP1, comprises the manufacturer works teams and the so-called privateers of which Swiss outfit Rebellion Racing have been for several years the team to beat. In the race prior to Shanghai, run at Fuji Speedway in Japan, the team became top LMP1 Privateer for the fifth consecutive year. The Fuji win also handed Alexandre Imperatori, Dominik Kraihamer and Mathéo Tuscher the 2016 LMP1 Privateer Drivers’ Trophy. This trophy was created in 2014 and Rebellion drivers have now won all three. Imperatori (above) leads Richie Stanaway’s Aston Martin Vantage through Turn 9. One of the most striking features of modern endurance racing is the huge difference in appearance and performance between the various classes with the Rebellion qualifying some fourteen seconds quicker than the Aston Martin. Two weeks before Shanghai the team announced that from 2017 onwards they would be contesting the LMP2 category which the team sees as a more competitive challenge than the increasingly sparsely-populated Privateer LMP1.
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Porsche Carrera Cup racing began in 1985 with the first running of the Carrera Cup Germany series. This was won by Joachim Winkelhock and since then more and more regional competitions have been added to the calendar with nine such championships currently being contested around the world. The first Carrera Cup Asia (opposite, above and overleaf) was contested in 2003 and was won by well known Hong Kong racer Charles Kwan. In the years since Kwan’s title win the series has become ever more competitive and recent champions include Earl Bamber and Alexandre Imperatori. Bamber won the Asian series in 2013 and 2014 before going on to win the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans in the works Porsche 919 Hybrid. Here in Shanghai he competed in and won (as guest driver) the first of the two rounds held to support the main WEC six hour race. He declined to take part in the second race of the weekend so to allow a straight fight between the championship contenders. When the dust had settled Nico Menzel (the red and white car no 99 above) emerged on top.
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Bruno Senna (opposite) began his WEC career in 2013 having competed in Formula One between 2010 and 2012 latterly with Williams. He is of course the nephew of triple Formual One World Champion Ayrton Senna and while he may not have scaled the same heights as his uncle he remains a highly accomplished racer, finishing on the LMP2 podium in the Ligier Nissan (above).
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The #1 Porsche of Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber and Brendon Hartley (opposite) completely dominated proceedings in Shanghai before a crowd 55,000 spectators. They completed a clean sweep of pole position, fastest lap and overall victory and in winning their fourth race of the season secured a second consecutive 2016 FIA World Endurance Manufacturer title for the German marque. They led for the vast majority of the race, the only serious concern coming when Brendon Hartley had to pit for a new nose section after hitting a large ball of rubber in the second hour.
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Macau Grand Prix GUIA CIRCUIT, NOVEMBER 2016
Words and Images: Philip Newsome
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he very first Macau Grand Prix took place in 1954. Back then Macau itself was something of a backwater, a down-at-heel Portuguese Colony emerging from the horrors of the Second World War very much in the shadow of Hong Kong, its bigger, more successful neighbour 40km West across the mouth of the Pearl River Estuary. The Grand Prix was dreamed up as an excuse for those motor enthusiasts in Macau and Hong Hong to flex their racing muscles around a closed circuit made up of the enclave’s highways and byways, rough and ready dusty tracks, and some stretches of tarmac. Against all the odds though the event gained traction and began to attract the attention of racers from around SE Asia who had heard about this challenging Monaco-esque circuit which was much closer to home than any of the more famous tracks in Australia, Europe and the States. By the mid 1960s the entries comprised thoroughbred race cars rather than the road going sports cars of the early years. In 1967 the first Macau Motorcycle GP was held and won by Yamaha factory rider Hiroshi Hasegawa. That year the four wheel GP was won in spectacular fashion by Mauro Bianchi, grandfather of the late Jules Bianchi, in a blue Renault Alpine that earlier in the year had competed at the Le Mans 24 Hour race. Progress was so dramatic that ten years on from Bianchi’s win the race was being run to Formula Pacific regulations with top flight entries such as two time winner Riccardo Patrese and future world champions Keke Rosberg and Alan Jones. 1983 saw the introduction of Formula Three to Macau proving to be a match made in heaven. As luck would have it, that first F3 race was won by Ayrton Senna and very quickly a Macau victory became a crucially important addition to any young driver’s curriculum vitae. To this day the majority of current Formula One drivers have competed in Macau and of fifteen drivers to be crowned Champions since 1983 only five had not appeared in Macau. Today’s Macau Grand Prix is very different to the gentleman racer outings of the 1950s but in many ways it has retained its essential character. Significantly, the Guia track has hardly changed since its inception. With its inland twists, turns and gradient changes contrasting with its long straights, it is difficult to improve on what many drivers cite as their favourite circuit in the world. As the following pages show Macau’s race programme is nothing if not varied. Formula Three, GTs, touring cars and of course motorcycles. For the latter 2016 was particularly significant, the 50th running of an event which along with the Isle of Man TT races stands at the very pinnacle of road racing. Like the F3 GP a win in Macau is something all road racers would dearly love to have in their palmarès.
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ome would argue that the very act of riding high performance superbikes around the tight confines of the Guia circuit is a clear cut definition of insanity while others would maintain that the event is a glorious expression of man’s unfailing desire to embrace calculated risk in the name of sporting glory. The truth is probably somewhere in between as evidenced by the words of American rider Brendon Cretu: ”I treat it with the respect it deserves and always ride with a bit of reserve as mistakes can be painful...as I have unfortunately learned! Everyone thinks real roadracers are crazy adrenaline junkies, which is really pretty far from the truth. Real roadracing is a thinking man’s sport.” Back in the 1967, with the Macau Grand Prix already into its second decade, local motorcycle enthusiasts were finally successful in their efforts to have a two-wheeled competition included in the race calendar. In true Macanese fashion it seemed entirely logical to combine the two disciplines and to this day Macau remains the only event anywhere on the racing calendar where top level motorbike racing co-habits with its four wheeled cousin. That first race was dominated by the Yamaha works rider, 33 year old Hiroshi Hasegawa, who guided his RD56 to victory at an average speed of just over 60 mph. These early races were nearly always dominated by Japanese riders. They won ten of the fourteen Grands Prix contested beween 1967 and 1980, with Yamaha winning all but two of these. With time, the supremacy of the Japanese riders slowly began to wane and a clear turning point came in 1981 with the appearance of Ron Haslam, the British rider who would go on to win all six of the Grands Prix he entered between 1981 and 1987. With Haslam unable to attend the 1988 event, the Texan star and future 500cc World Champion, Kevin Schwantz, made a one-off visit to Macau and ended up giving a master class on how to handle a thoroughbred racing machine around the Guia circuit. His virtuoso performance on the 500cc Suzuki was mesmerising, sweeping through corners at seemingly impossible speeds during the early laps to build an unassailable lead and then finishing off the race with a series of ridiculously long wheelies around much of the circuit including, improbably, the long drag up San Francisco hill. English legend Carl Fogerty, four time World Superbike champion won the GP in 1992. Just as the Japanese riders had done during the late 1960s and early 70s, British riders would go on to dominate the Motorcycle Grand Prix over the next two decades. In particular Michael ‘the Blade’ Rutter who secured his debut win in 1998 and would eventually go on to overhaul Haslam’s record, taking his eighth victory in 2012. Stuart Easton’s four victories also deserve mention, in particular his 2014 victory which came three years after suffering a potentially life changing crash during the 2011 North West 200 in Northern Ireland. This was his fourth successive Macau win having missed the 2011,12 and 13 events as a result of the 200 crash. Last but not least the fact that John McGuinness (opposite), one of the greatest road racers of all time with a record 23 Isle of Man TT wins to his name, has but one Macau victory (2001) just shows how difficult it is to win here. As with the car GP nobody comes to Macau, however successful they have been elsewhere, and can expect an easy victory. Every win has to be hard fought for. It would certainly be foolish not to underestimate the risks posed merely by taking part and tragically the event has seen a number of fatalities down the years, most recently Luis Filipe de Sousa Carreira, who died in 2012 during the qualifying session of the 46th edition of the race. And yet the event continues to grow in stature and reputation.
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The very distinctive riding style of reigning Motorcycle GP champion Peter Hickman (below and opposite) as he crests Moorish Hill during qualifying.
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Martin Jessopp (above) exits the start/finish straight on his way to pole position. Come the race itself, he would have to give way to Bathams/SMT Racing’s Michael Rutter (#2) and Peter Hickman (#1). Along with Stuart Easton (#3) the Bathams trio came into the race boasting an impressive 13 Macau GP victories between them.
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The 50th running of the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix came down to a thrilling battle between Michael Rutter (left) and Peter Hickman (right). Hickman started way down the grid in 7th place but had insisted throughout the build-up that he was confident in his raceday strategy and that he would prevail in the end. This proved to be the case as he reeled in those ahead of him, finally getting past Rutter shortly after this photo was taken.
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Inaugural FIA GT World Cup winner Maro Engel and the awesome Mercedes AMG GT3.
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GT Race winner Laurens Vanthoor (left and above) won in spectacular, if rather controversial, fashion flipping his Audi R8LMS on the way down to Lisboa Bend on only the 4th lap of the race. This caused the contest to be red-flagged with victory going to Vanthoor on the basis that he was leading at the conclusion of the previous lap.
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Macau’s notorious Lisboa Bend.
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George Russell (above and opposite) achieved the rather rare feat of claiming pole position on his first visit to Macau. The Hitech GP driver took advantage of changing track conditions and a shortened qualifying session to take top spot from Callum Illott and AntĂłnio FĂŠlix Da Costa. Put under pressure right from the start Russell neverthless finished his first Macau Grand Prix in a highly creditable 7th place.
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Maximilian GĂźnther
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Winner of the previous two Macau Grands Prix Felix Rosenqvist (above) endured two rather torrid qualifying sessions. Eighth place on the grid was not what the Swede’s crack SJM Theodore Racing by Prema team had come to expect in recent years. They came to the event as runaway winners of the European Formula Three series but found it hard going around the Guia circuit. Rosenqvist turned things round when it mattered though and came home in a fine second place to add to his already impressive Macau record.
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Portugals’ António Félix Da Costa (right and below) was a highly popular winner of the 2016 Macau Grand Prix. From third place on the grid he quickly asserted his domination to add a second victory to his 2012 success, both achieved driving for the British team Carlin Motorsport.
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THE WELSH TRIAL THE PRESTEIGNE AREA OF POWYS AND HEREFORDSHIRE, U.K. OCTOBER 2016
Words and images: Rhiannon Carvell-Crook
U
nlike most forms of motor sport, trialling is more about how far you go rather than how quickly you get there. It is relatively low-speed but highly challenging and one of the most accessible forms of the sport. Competitors attempt to climb a number of hills known as sections. The aim is to climb each section without stopping or hitting a course marker. The section more often than not includes twists and turns and in some cases a Stop and Restart where the driver must bring his or her car to a halt, usually on a particularly steep part of the section, and then continue to climb the hill. Typically each event will consist of between 12 and 16 sections spread around the local area. Each competitor receives a score somewhere between 0 and 25 for each section depending on how far they travel up the hill, or not as the case may be! This score is determined by course markers dotted along the right-hand side of the course, with the competitor receiving a score for the last marker they successfully pass. Each section is set out with number 1 at the bottom and number 25 at the top. All of the scores for each section are combined at the end of the day, and the competitor with the highest combined score wins. What could be simpler! Invariably, the hillside quickly deteriorates into a muddy quagmire as each car gouges its way up the course. To add to the spectacle competitors must carry passengers referred to as bouncers. Bouncing gives the car more grip and helps it to travel further up the hill and thus score more points. The first U.K. trials took place in the mid-1930s and were based in the Chiltern Hills. Classic trialling has changed little in the intervening years, the most notable of the many events run throughout the country being this the Welsh Trial, 77 years old and still going strong.
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Vintage trialling is utterly bonkers! It tests these wonderful vehicles to the absolute limit. It is also usually set in untouched, breath taking scenery making it a real joy to photograph. I particularly love the Welsh Trial. It is held in early October and the countryside is warm and autumnal and is bathed in that stunning golden light unique to this time of the year. When you add into the mix fabulous pre-war vehicles ranging from Bugattis to Austins as well as the sheer enthusiasm of those taking part you have something very special indeed..
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Post Script
This photograph was taken on a balmy summer evening in Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s beautiful old town. Just some guys cruising, having fun. One second they were there the next they were gone. The joy and beauty of photography is that it provides us with a return ticket to a fleeting moment otherwise gone.
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‘A camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera’ Dorothea Lange, influential American documentary photographer and photojournalist.
Opposite: Gamla Stan Back cover: BSA No. 5. Photos: Philip Newsome.
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