1977 McLaren M26

I took this photograph at the Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing meeting at Donington Park in May 2003 where there was a race for Classic Grand Prix Cars, dating from 1967 to 1977. The car isn't listed in the programme of the event and I can't remember whether it took part in the race or not.

It's a 1977 McLaren M26 as driven by James Hunt for the second half of the 1977 season and in the 1978 season, and has a 2,993cc V8 Ford Cosworth DFV engine. James Hunt finished in fifth place in the World Drivers' Championship in 1977 with his team-mate Jochen Mass in sixth place, and McLaren took third place in the World Constructors' Championship. In 1978 James Hunt finished equal thirteenth with his team-mate Patrick Tambay in the Drivers' Championship, and McLaren were eighth in the Constructors' Championship.

Maserati Spyder

These cars were lined up in the paddock at the Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing meeting at Donington Park in May 2003.

They're Maserati Spyders, a car that had been recently introduced to replace the Maserati 3200 GT and were accorded a double page write-up in the programme of the event.

Friday's Ferrari

The Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing meeting at Donington Park in May 2003 included a demonstration run by a 1999 Ferrari F399 and this is what the programme of the event had to say about the car:

'Living the Dream

Track demonstrations are an integral part of the Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing and the same will be true this weekend.

A genuine F1 Ferrari will be in action here driven by Irishman Michael Cullen.

"It's quite a famous car," explains Cullen. "It's owned by Paddy Shovlin and Kieran Caulfield who both race 360s, but it's the car that both Michael Schumacher and Eddie Irvine drove in 1999, chassis number 194. Schumacher crashed it while leading the Canadian Grand Prix, and then it gained notoriety by sparking the barge board debate at that year's Malaysian Grand Prix. Irvine drove it there and in Japan, so really, it's the car with which he didn't win the World Championship!"

Yeah, OK, history lesson over! What's it like to drive, Cullen?

"Oh, it's fantastic. It's mind-blowingly fast, like nothing I've ever driven before, but bear in mind that it is worth a lot of money, and it's not my car, so I don't do qualifying laps in it! I treat it with a great deal of respect and drive it fast enough to give myself a thrill. It doesn't have any power steering, as that is the most troublesome part of the car, so it's a bit heavy. But, hey, I'm a Ferrari driver! I'm living my dream!"

History relates that 1999 was a slightly frustrating season for Ferrari. It started well enough when Eddie Irvine won in Australia, and Michael Schumacher took the chequer in San Marino and Monte Carlo. Two wins for Mika Hakkinen followed, and then Heinz-Harald Frentzen's Jordan won in France. That meant that Michael Schumacher arrived at Silverstone needing a win. Sadly, he suffered his infamous accident at Stowe on lap one and was hospitalized with his injuries. Irvine, then, took up the cudgels on behalf of Ferrari. Wins in Austria and Germany came Eddie's way, as did victory in Malaysia, but third in the final round gave the title to Mika Hakkinen. Since then, though, Ferrari's winning trend has been almost unbreakable.'

Friday's Ferrari

This car was in the paddock at the Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing meeting at Donington Park in May 2003 although it neither took part in any race at the meeting nor did it, as far as I'm aware, perform a demonstration run.

It's a Ferrari 312T, one of which was driven by Niki Lauda to win the World Championship in 1975

This is what Wikipedia says about the car

It seems that it may be chassis number 018

Friday's Ferrari

I photographed this car in the paddock at the Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing meeting at Donington Park in May 2003.

It's a Ferrari F50, but doesn't get a mention in the programme of the event. Joe Macari, whose website is shown on the windscreen of the car, is apparently a London motor dealer specialising in Ferrari and Maserati cars, and who has entered cars in the Gumball 3000 Rally several times. This is the best site I've found for describing what the Gumball 3000 is all about.

Friday's Ferrari

The Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing meeting at Donington Park in May 2003 included a race for older Ferraris. The programme of the event says this about this race:

'Designed to be a couple of pilot races for 2003, the initiative is already a hit and more than 20 classic models will be racing at Donington in the first of the series of races. Generally aimed at pre-1990 cars, the class has drawn into action several stunning 1960s cars including two 250s, the 275 GTB of David Cottingham and the 365GTB4 of Grahame Bryant in the class for the oldest cars. The more developed 308s and 328s that used to rule the roost in the Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge have been given a new home in the Classic series and they have supported the event with enthusiasm. Graham Reeder (328), Duncan McKay (308) and Mike Furness (328) have all taken the chance to race their older cars as well as current cars in the PMFC races. With wonderful models like the Dino 246GT of Colin Campbell and the Testarossa of Ray Hanson also due on the grid, it seems that the Ferrari Formula Classic has really captured the imagination of Ferrari owners!'

The photograph below, taken in the pit garage, is of the 1971 Ferrari 365GTB/4C Daytona of Grahame Bryant referred to above.

This car is serial number 13971 and you can read about it here

There was another Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona in the Ferrari Owners Club car park on the inside of Redgate Corner and this one is serial number 14517.

Friday's Ferrari

Amongst the cars in the area set aside for members of the Ferrari Owners Club on the inside of Redgate Corner at Donington Park at the Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing meeting in May 2003 was the car shown below.

It's a Ferrari 275 GTS, about which Wikipedia (after describing the 275 GTB) says: 

Pininfarina built 200 275 GTS Roadsters for the American market (including 14 in right hand drive) between 1964-1966 with entirely different bodywork. It was intended to be more of a GT car and less of a sports car than its GTB brother. The 275 GTS was replaced by the 330 GTS, leaving no 3.3 L convertible in the range until the creation of the 275 GTB/4 NART Spider.

Friday's Ferrari

I've shown photographs previously from the Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing Meeting at Donington Park in May 2003, showing the Ferrari F355, F360, and 308 & 328 models. Here are photographs showing two Ferrari 348s which also competed in races at the meeting.

This is the 348 entered by www.viewpoint.tv and driven by Ian Tuite-Sterling in the Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge race

This is the 348 entered and driven by Nick Taylor in the Ferrari Formula Classic race

Friday's Ferrari

The Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing at Donington Park in May 2003 featured a race titled 'Ferrari Formula Classic' which included, amongst other cars, several examples of the Ferrari 308 and 328 models. Here are photographs of four of the cars which I took on that day.

This appears to be a 328 GTS and has no race number, but should be the 1988 model of Peter Everingham which is the only 328 GTS shown in the programme of the event.

This is the 1987 328 GTB of Mike Furness

This 328 GTB doesn't seem to have been taking part in the racing and behind it is the Ferrari 360 of Mark Cale

This is the 1983 308 GTBi QV of Odhran McConnell

Friday's Ferrari

On 27 September 2013 I showed some photographs of Ferrari F355s at the Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing at Donington Park in May 2003. Here are some Ferrari 360s from the same meeting.

Entered and driven by Peter Sowerby of Lincoln

Entered and driven by Marco Attard of Guildford

I'm not sure whether this car took part in the racing or not. It doesn't seem to match any car shown in the programme of the meeting unless it's Martin Lanting's car.

This car was entered and driven by Oliver Morley of Altrincham

Friday's Ferrari

The Ferrari & Maserati Festival of Racing at Donington Park in May 2003 featured a race billed as the 'Pirelli Maranello Ferrari Challenge'. You can read about the Ferrari Challenge Championship here and below are photographs of some of the Ferrari F355 Challenge models which took part in that race.

Entered and driven by Bo McCormick of London

Entered by Mike & Graham Reeder Performance & Specialist Cars and driven by Mike Reeder of Pewsley

Entered and driven by Les Charneca of Harrogate

Entered and driven by Mike Furness of St Albans

Entered by Mike & Graham Reeder Performance & Specialist Cars and driven by Graham Reeder of Pewsley