Friday's Ferrari

This is a photograph that I took  during the HGPCA Race for Pre-1961 Grand Prix Cars at the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association's meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

It's Alexander Boswell's in his 1952/55 Ferrari 625, originally a Ferrari 500, chassis #0482, built as a 4-cylinder 2 litre Formula 2 car and used in World Championship races in 1952 and 1953 when they were run to Formula 2 regulations. The new Formula 1 regulations specifying a 2½ litre engine came into force in 1954 and this car was given a 2½ litre unit to convert it to a Ferrari 625. It later had a 4-cylinder 3-litre Ferrari 735 engine installed and was raced in Australia by Peter Whitehead.

1953/4 Maserati A6GCM

This is a photograph that I took at McLeans Corner during the HGPCA's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

It's David Bennett's 1953/4  Maserati A6GCM. The car is finished in the Siamese colours of Prince Bira who competed in a Maserati A6GCM in the 1954 season. This is a car that that started off life in 1953 as a Maserati A6GCM, chassis number 2044 with a 6-cylinder inline 1,979cc engine, but was converted to a 250F in 1954 with a 6-cylinder inline 2,493cc engine and given the chassis number 2504. Later that year after an accident the chassis 2504 was switched with that of 2509.  Though it's shown in the programme of the event as a Maserati A6GCM it also says that it had a 2,493cc engine, so I suppose it should really have been called a 250F.

1956 Gordini T16

This is a photograph that I took during the HGPCA Race for Pre-1961 Grand Prix Cars at the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association race meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

It’s the 1956 Gordini T16 of Belgian driver Marc Valvekens which has a six-cylinder inline 2½ litre engine. Amédée Gordini competed in Grand Prix racing between 1950 and 1956, and also in sports car racing, with cars bearing the Gordini name and later became a performance tuner of Renault and Alpine cars. Gordini is now a division of Renault Sport.

European Formula 2 racing at Oulton Park

I took this photograph at Foulstons chicane during the European Formula 2 race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

Disappearing on the left is the 1971 March 712M of Dieter Streve-Mühlens and the following car is probably the 1971 March 712 of Walter Nef. The yellow and blue car is the 1973 Surtees TS15 of John Elliott and behind him is the 1977 March 772P of John Holmes.

1956 Cooper T39

This car took part in the HGPCA pre-1959 Drum Brake Sports Cars race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

It's the 1956 Cooper T39 of George Cooper, more commonly known as the Cooper Bobtail because of the truncated tail of the car which was aerodynamically effective, but which John Cooper claimed to have been shortened so that it would fit inside the works transporter. The car was used in the 1,100cc and 1,500cc classes of sportscar racing and this car has a 4-cylinder inline 1,460cc Coventry Climax engine. It was reputedly the road-holding characteristics of this car that led John Cooper to produce first the rear-engined 1½ litre Formula 2 car and then the 2½ litre Formula 1 car that gave Jack Brabham the World Drivers' Championship in 1959 and 1960. Cooper's successes led all the other teams to adopt the rear-engine layout, and the last Formula 1 Grand Prix to be won by a front-engined car was Ferrari's victory in the 1960 Italian Grand Prix.

1976 March BMW 762

I took this photograph at Foulstons chicane during the European Formula 2 race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

Leading is Christian Fischer in his 2 litre 1976 March BMW 762 followed by Martin O'Connell's 1.6 litre 1969 Lotus 59/69.

1964 Milano GT Mk1

I took this photograph at the Foulstons chicane during the Saturday practice for the HSCC Historic Road Sports Championship Race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

It's Mike Eagles in his 1964 Milano Mk1 GT which is an Australian built car with a 6-cylinder inline 2,998cc Holden engine. Only about 30 of these cars were built and behind Mike Eagles is the 1962 Milano of Justin Murphy.

1971 Lotus 69

This was one of the competitors in the European Formula 2 race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

It's Andy Middlehurst in his 1971 Lotus 69 and the photo was taken at Clay Hill, just after the Knickerbrook corner. The Lotus 69 was designed to be used in Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula Ford racing and this car had a 1600cc engine in accordance with the Formula 2 regulations in 1971 - probably the 4-cylinder Cosworth FVA. The Lotus 69 was also used in Formula B racing in the United States.

1970 Datsun 240Z

I took this photograph during the HSCC 70's Roadsports Championship Race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

Leading this group is Paul Stafford in his 1970 Datsun 240Z followed by the 1972 Alfa Romeo 2000GTV of Jonathon Hartop and the 1972 Lancia Fulvia Sport of James McAllister, with Will Finn's 1974 Alfa Romeo 2000GTV bringing up the rear.

A crowded field

I took this photograph at Foulstons chicane on the first lap of the 'HSCC Classic Racing Cars for Retro Track and Air Trophy' race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

A note about the race in the programme of event says this about the race:

'Background. One of the club's major single-seater categories, which recalls an era before ground-effect and slick racing tyres forever changed the face of single-seater racing. Specifcation. For any single-seater racing car produced and raced before December 1970. Cars must race in period specification, without rear wings and with treaded tyres.'

Jason Williams is leading in his 1964 Lola T55 but I can't make out the numbers of any of the other cars - though the car in the background on the extreme right looks like the Cooper T82 of Paul Busby.

1974 Morgan +8

I took this photograph at Knickerbrook during the HSCC's 70's Roadsports Championship Race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

It's Richard Thorne in his 1974 Morgan Plus 8 leading the 1970 Lotus 7 S4 of Chris Holland and the 1962 Lotus 7 S2 of Andy Shepherd.

1962 Lotus 23B

This is Mike Doyle in his 1962 Lotus 23B at Lodge Corner during practice for the European Sports Prototype Trophy race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Par in August 2004.

The Lotus 23 was introduced in 1962 to compete in the smaller classes of sports car  racing and was used with engines with capacities ranging from from 750cc up to 1600cc. The programme of the event shows this car as having a 1,498cc engine, presumably the Ford Kent derived 4-cylinder inline Cosworth unit. It proved to be an extremely successful car and about 130 examples of the Lotus 23, 23B and 23C were produced between 1962 and 1963.

1962 Lotus 22

I took this photograph at Lodge Corner during the AMOC Historic Formula Junior race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

This is Hugh Barnes in his 1962 Lotus 22 which has a 4-cylinder inline 1,098cc Cosworth engine. The Lotus 22 was developed from the Lotus 20 and was primarily intended for Formula Junior racing, 77 cars being produced between 1962 and 1965.

1956 Lotus Eleven

This car competed in the BRDC Historic Sports Car Championship Race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

It's the 1956 Lotus Eleven of Malcolm Ricketts, which the programme of the event says has a 1,500cc engine. The Lotus Eleven was a completely new car, unlike the previous production Lotuses, the Mk VIII, Mk IX and Mk X which were all based on the Lotus Mk VI. The Eleven had a steel tubular space-frame with stressed aluminium panels, and the aerodynamic body was designed by Frank Costin and was hinged at both ends to give complete access to the engine and other mechanical parts. The car was mainly designed to run in the 1,100cc class of racing, but other engines of up to 2½ litres were also used.

1962 Gemini Mk4A

This was one of the competitors in the Miller Oils/AMOC Historic Formula Junior race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton Park in August 2004.

Pictured during the race at Lodge Corner, it's the 1962 Gemini Mk4A of Oliver Crosthwaite being driven by Simon Diffey and has a 4-cylinder 1,098cc Ford Cosworth engine. It was quite an advanced car for its era, particularly for a Formula Junior car, with inboard front brakes, side radiators, and futuristic aerodynamics.

Friday's Ferrari

I took this photograph in the paddock at the at the Silverstone Historic Tribute meeting in June 2004.

It's David Piper's 1965 Ferrari 365 P2, #0836, originally built as a 330 P2 with a 3,967cc V12 engine, but converted to 365 P2 specifications with a 4,390cc V12 engine before it was acquired by David Piper in late 1965. This Silverstone meeting included a race for the 'European Sports Prototype Trophy Organised by Group4Racing' for which this car would have been eligible, but it is not listed in the programme of the event nor the table of results.

1968 Lenham Hurst GT

I took his photograph at Foulstons chicane during the European Sports Trophy race at the Gold Cup meeting at Oulton park in August 2004.

Leading is David Methley in his 1968 Lenham Hurst GT powered by a 1,598cc Ford Cosworth FVA engine. The following car is Ross Maxwell's 1968 Chevron B8 which has a 2 litre BMW engine, and behind him is Sean Walker's 1,850cc 1970 Chevron B16.

1970 Tyrrell 001

This car was on display in the paddock at the Silverstone Historic Tribute meeting in June 2004.

It's the 1970 Tyrrell 001, not a successful car itself, but one which led to the last two of Jackie Stewart's three World Drivers' Championship wins. Powered by the ubiquitous 2,993cc V8 Ford Cosworth DFV engine it was introduced towards the end of the 1970 season replacing the March 701 for the last three races, but retiring in each of those races. Jackie Stewart finished in fifth place in the championship that year having won it with the Matra MS80 in 1969. Jackie Stewart only drove the car in the first race in 1971, in South Africa, where he finished in second place, then drove the Tyrrell 003 in the rest of his appearances that season to win the Championship again, repeating that feat with the Tyrrell 006 in 1973.

1960 OSCA FJ

This car took part in the Miller Oils/ AMOC Historic Formula Junior race at the Silverstone Historic Tribute meeting in June 2004.

Numbered 21 in the programme of the event, it's the 1960 OSCA Formula Junior car of Peter Mullen and has a 4-cylinder inline Fiat 1,098cc engine. The OSCA company was established by the Maserati brothers at the end of their 10 year contract with Adolfo Orsi, to whom they had sold the Maserati concern in 1937. Formula Junior racing was initiated in 1958 by Giovanni Lurani as an affordable introduction to single seater racing and was initially dominated by the Fiat-engined Italian cars, particularly Stanguellini. British interest remained for some time with the 500cc Formula 3 class of racing, but when they turned their attention to Formula Junior cars such as Elva and Lola started to make an impression, and when Cooper and Lotus introduced their mid-engined cars they became the ones to beat.

Friday's Ferrari

I photographed this car in the paddock at the Silverstone Historic Tribute meeting of June 2004, though it doesn't appear to have taken part in any of the races at that meeting.

It's David Piper's 1965 Ferrari 365 P2, #0836, originally built as a 330 P2 with a 3,967cc V12 engine, but converted to 365 P2 specifications with a 4,390cc V12 engine before it was acquired by David Piper in late 1965. This Silverstone meeting included a race for the 'European Sports Prototype Trophy Organised by Group4Racing' for which this car would have been eligible, but it is not listed in the programme of the event nor the table of results.