Maserati 250F (times two)

The featured marque at the SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in September 2005 was Maserati with particular emphasis on the 250F as the following note in the programme of the event explained:

'The evocative cars of Maserati will take centre stage at SeeRed this weekend, the main feature being a special race dedicated to the artisan marque.

The glorious 250F Grand Prix car dominates the entry for the Pre-61 Maserati race, the model built between 1954-59 being more common than any other. The rest of the field is made up of cars from the pre-war era.

The 250F is the quintessential front-engined post-war Grand Prix car and was made eligible for the VSCC as early as 1966 when the youngest models were just seven years old! With the oldest now over 50, they will make for a striking comparison with the latest Formula One Ferraris being demonstrated at SeeRed.'

Twelve 250Fs are listed in the Celebration Maserati Invitation Race with a further four being shown as static display or track demonstration cars. Here's a photograph of two of the 250Fs being prepared in the paddock prior to the practice session.

The car at the front is Josef Rettenmaier's and is chassis number 2508, a 1954 car previously owned by Stirling Moss. Its early history is shown in this www.barchetta.cc record, and the programme note about the car says this:

2508

Ordered by Stirling Moss through the Shell-BP company office in Italy. Raced by Moss until he joined Mercedes-Benz, and later loaned to various drivers including Mike Hawthorn, Bob Gerard and John Fitch. Sold to Ross Jensen in New Zealand and returned to the UK in 1964. Now owned by Josef Rettenmaier in Germany.

The car behind is Stefan Rettenmaier's and is chassis number 2520, a 1956 car, and again you can see the early history in the www.barchetta.cc record. This is what the programme note says:

2520

Factory team car for Argentina and raced by Frolian Gonzalez before deal with Stan Jones in Australia. Colin Crabbe brought it to the UK in 1963. Break from historic racing life in the Guido Dubbini collection, and now in Germany with Stefan Rettenmaier.