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.

Friday's Ferrari

This car competed in the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association Sports Car Race at the Christie's International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1992.

It's Kerry Manola's 1960 Ferrari 196S Dino, chassis #0776S, that was driven in the race by Spencer Martin. The car is similar to the Ferrari TR59/60 but has a 1,984cc V6 engine instead of the TR59/60's 2,953cc V12 unit.

1956 Jaguar D-Type

This car competed in the HGPCA's Sports Car Race at the Christie's International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1992.

It's the 1956 Jaguar D-Type of Andrew Baber with a 6-cylinder inline 3,781cc engine and is being driven by Timo Makinen. The chassis number is XKD530 which is a car that was originally supplied to Kurt Lincoln of Helsinki and was raced at that time by Timo Makinen amongst others. After being campaigned in Finland for several years, including participation in ice racing, the car came into the hands of Nigel Moores in the mid-1960s. It required a complete rebuild, and at that time different parts of the car were used to create two D-Types, both bearing the XKD530 identification. This car has the registration number XSV 979, and the other car is PAS 645. By 2002 both cars had been acquired by Gary Bartlett who had them completely dismantled and all the original parts that could be proved to have been part of the original XKD530 were incorporated into one car with the registration number XSV 979. The remaining parts were built into the replica car PAS 645.

Friday's Ferrari

This was one of the competitors in the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association's Sports Car Race at the Christie's International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1992.

It's the 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza, chassis #0504M, of Tom Walduck that was driven in the race by Kerry McSwan. The 750 Monza had an Aurelio Lampredi designed 4-cylinder twin overhead camshaft 2,999cc engine and bodywork by Carrozzeria Scaglietti. This car was first campaigned by Mike Sparken (real name Michael J Pobereksky) who didn't own it, but 'rented' it from S.A.I.P.A. in Modena. This was apparently so that the car could be registered in Modena and so was able to avoid export restrictions and import duties when it travelled around Europe to different race meetings. The only major race that it contested was the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hour race where it was driven by Mike Sparken and Masten Gregory, but retired early in the race. It's the first Ferrari that I saw in competition, being driven by Mike Sparken in the 1955 British Empire Trophy race at Oulton Park.

Lotus 18

These cars are approaching the Old Hairpin in the HGPCA Race for Pre-1966 Grand Prix Cars at the HGPCA's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

Leading is Michael Schryver in his 1960 Lotus 18 with a 2,495cc Coventry Climax engine. The Lotus 18 was designed to be used in Formula Junior, Formula Two and Formula One events, 1960 being the last year of Formula One's 2½ litre limit that started in 1954. The following car is Frank Sytner's 1963 Brabham BT4, chassis IC-2-62, a car that was built for the Australian and New Zealand season of Formula Libre races where it was powered by the 2,751cc Coventry Climax FPF engine that was developed for Jack Brabham's attempt to win the 1961 Indianapolis 500 race in a Cooper T54. The Donington Park programme says that Frank Sytner's car had a 2,500cc engine.

On 18 August 2016 I showed a photograph of Michael Schryver's car in the pit lane at this meeting, and on 27 December 2016 a photograph of Frank Sytner's car in the paddock.

Jaguar D-Type

This photograph was taken at McLeans Corner on the first lap of the BRDC Historic Sportscar Championship race at the HGPCA's Donington International Historic Grand Prix meeting in May 2004.

Leading is the Ben Eastick in his 1955 Jaguar D-Type with another Jaguar, the 1950 XK120 of Nigel Webb, in second place. Bringing up the rear is John Clark in his Lola Mk1.

BRM P25

This car took part in the HGPCA Pre '65 Grand Prix Car Race at the Christie's International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1992.

It's the 1959 BRM P25 of Dave Gilmour being pushed from the scrutineering bay in the paddock. The P25 had a 2,491cc 4-cylinder inline engine and was the first BRM to win a World Championship race, Joakim Bonnier finishing in first place in the 1959 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

I've shown photographs of the BRM P25 four times previously, most recently on 7 June 2017.

Maserati 250F

This photograph was taken at McLeans Corner during the HGPCA Race for Pre-1961 Grand Prix Cars at the HGPCA's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

Two Maserati 250Fs leading this group. On the left is Burkhard von Schenk in his 1956 model #2521 and on the right José Albuquerque in a 1955 car, #2507. Both cars have the 2½ litre Maserati straight-6 engine.

Brabham BT4

Here are three cars approaching McLean's Corner in the HGPCA Race for Pre-1966 Grand Prix Cars at the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association's International Historic Grand Prix Meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

Leading is Frank Sytner in his 2½ litre 1963 Brabham BT4, chassis #IC-2-62, a car that was derived from the BT3 F1 car and intended for Tasman Formula Racing. The following car is the 2½ litre 1960 Lotus 18 of Michael Schryver and the third car, as far as I can make out, is the 1½ litre 1961 LDS Mk2 of Julian Wakeley.

On 27 December 2016 I showed a photograph of the Brabham BT4 in the paddock at Donington Park in May 2001.

Cisitalia D46

I took this photograph at McLeans Corner during the HGPCA Race for Pre-1961 Grand Prix Cars at the HGPCA's Donington Historic Grand Prix meeting in May 2004.

It's Richard Pilkington's 1946 Cisitalia D46 with a 1,089cc Fiat engine which took part in Voiturette racing in the middle and late 1940s. The car following it is the 1956 Gordini T16 of Marc Valvekens.

On 5 January 2018 I showed a photograph of the Cisitalia in the pit garage at this meeting.

Aston Martin Project 214 Replica

This car competed in the 2¼ hour long Gentlemen Drivers GT and Sports Endurance Race at the HGPCA's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

It's shown in the programme of the event as a 1961 3.9 litre Aston Martin DB4 GT to be driven in the race by Wolfgang Friedrichs and David Clark, but it is actually Wolfgang Friedrichs' replica of the Aston Martin Project 214 cars that were built in 1963.

I showed photographs of the only remaining original Project 214 car on 23 January 2017 and 7 June 2018.

Friday's Ferrari

I took this photograph at McLeans Corner during the HGPCA Race for Pre-1961 Grand Prix Cars at the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

It's Tony Smith in his 1960 Ferrari Dino 246 F1 car, originally with a 2½ litre engine in line with the then current Formula 1 regulations, but the programme of this event says it has a 2,952cc engine - presumably the Columbo V12 unit as fitted to the 250 series cars in the 1950s & 60s.

On 24 February 2017 I showed a photograph of this car in the paddock at Donington Park in September 2005.

Jaguar C-Type

This was one of the cars taking part in the HGPCA Race for Pre-1959 Drum-Braked Sports Cars at the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

It's Nick Rossi's 1952 Jaguar C-Type replica, one of several cars created by Peter Jaye - in this instance based on a Jaguar XK120. It has the 3,442cc straight-6 engine that powered the original C-Types.

Cooper T51

This car competed in the HGPCA Race for Pre-1966 Grand Prix Cars at the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004. 

It's John Clark's 2½ litre Climax-engined 1959 Cooper T51. The T51 was the car with which Jack Brabham won his first World Championship in 1959, and on 20 May 2014 I showed photographs of Jack Brabham in a Cooper T51 at Silverstone in 1993.

JBW F1

This car took part in the HGPCA Race for Pre-1966 Grand Prix Cars at the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

It's Marshall Bailey's 1959 JBW F1, a Maserati-engined car built by Brian Naylor's mechanic Fred Wilkinson to enable him to compete in British and International Formula One races. Brian Naylor didn't have much success in World Championship races, entering for six races over three seasons, failing to qualify for the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix, retiring in four other races, and finishing in thirteenth place in the 1960 British Grand Prix. The car derives its name from Naylor's forenames (John Brian) and the W from Fred Wilkinson's surname.

On 8 December 2016 I showed photographs of this car at Oulton Park in 2005.

Maserati 300 S

I took these photographs at the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

This is the 1955 Maserati 300 S of José Albuquerque, chassis #3054. The Maserati 300 S has a 3 litre straight-6 engine based on the 2½ litre unit of the 250F Grand Prix car with a lengthened stroke, and competed in the World Sportscar Championship races from 1955 to 1957. This particular car was very successful, being victorious in the hands of Jean Behra, Luigi Musso, Juan Fangio and Stirling Moss amongst others. It subsequently passed through various hands, including Lord Charles Brocket (who thankfully didn't do any lasting damage to the car) before being acquired by José Albuquerque, and is currently owned by Stephan Rettenmaier.

Here's José Albuquerque at the Old Hairpin during the HGPCA Race for Pre-1959 Drum-Braked Sports Cars behind the 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC of David Cottingham and leading the 1955 Lister Bristol of Tony Wood.

RGS Atalanta Jaguar

This car competed in the BRDC Historic Sportscar Championship race at the HGPCA's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

It's Barry Wood's 1952 RGS Atalanta, constructed by Dick Shattock and originally fitted with a Lea Francis engine, but now with a 3,442cc Jaguar XK engine. There's not much information about the RGS Atalanta on the internet, but there's an RGS Atalanta website which says that a book is shortly to be published about Dick Shattock's cars.

On 9 June 2014 I showed photographs of some of the Jaguar-engined cars at a Donington Park meeting, including another of this RGS Atalanta.

Maserati A6GCM

I photographed this car in the pit garage at the HGPCA,s International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004 where it took part in the HGPCA Race for Pre-1961 Grand Prix Cars.

It's David Bennett's 1953/4 Straight-six 2,493cc Maserati A6GCM. The car is finished in the Siamese colours of Prince Bira who competed in a Maserati A6GCM in the 1954 season, and if it is that car it's chassis #2044.

On 8 September 2015 I showed photographs of this car at Oulton Park in 2006.

Maserati 450S

This car was entered in the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association Sports Car Race at the Christie's International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1992.

It's Thomas Bscher's 1957 Maserati 450S, and as with many Maseratis it's a bit of a conundrum. It's either chassis 4505 or 4506 and originally had a 4½ litre V8 engine. The barchetta.cc history of 4505 says that it was renumbered to 4506 in 1957 and sold to John Edgar in June of that year. In July 1958 John Edgar had a 6.3 litre Pontiac engine installed in the car, but about 12 months later this was replaced with a 5.7 litre Maserati V8 unit. In 1980 when in the ownership of Peter Kaus a 6.2 litre Maserati marine engine was fitted and the car was acquired by Thomas Bscher around 1990. The programme of this Silverstone meeting showed the engine capacity to be 5,600cc. On 28 July 2015 I showed 2 photographs of the car at the Coys meeting at Silverstone in 1993 where the engine capacity was again said to be 5,600cc.

Stanguellini FJ

I took this photograph at the HGPCA's International Historic Grand Prix meeting at Donington Park in May 2004.

The car didn't compete in any of the races at the meeting - there were none for which it was eligible - but it's a Stanguellini Formula Junior car from the late 1950s. Formula Junior was conceived in 1958 as a class of racing which would form a relatively inexpensive entry level class for drivers to take their first steps to a racing career. The engine, transmission and brakes of the car had to be sourced from production cars with a 1,000cc limit on cars weighing 360kg and 1,100cc for 400kg cars. Italian cars mostly using the Fiat 1,100cc engine were the most successful in the first two years as the British manufacturers still concentrated on the 500cc Formula 3 series. Cooper, Lotus and others soon started to produce mid-engined Formula Junior cars though, and by 1960 British cars were picking up most of the victories.