Images: Bonhams

The second of just eight Mark I Cooper-Climax Monacos, this lovely little machine was owned by Finnish legend Kurt Lincoln as well Jack Brabham, and has an impressive racing history behind it. It’s heading to auction at Bonhams’ Quail Lodge Auction this August.

Paradoxically, CM-1-59 is the second example of the Cooper-Climax Monaco, even though it was completed first! An earlier prototype car, CM-2-59, was only finished a month after CM-1-59 in Febuary of 1959, so while it was the first of the two cars to start its development, it picked up chassis #2.

CM-1-59 was delivered new to Kurt Lincoln of Helsinki, Finland. Lincoln was Finland’s leading racing driver at the time and raced the car extensively in Scandinavia and Europe. He eventually sold it to Jack Brewer in New York, who raced it consistently before its retirement from period competition and eventual sale.

During this period the car came close to receiving a Detroit V8 in place of its original Coventry Climax four-cylinder racing motor. While its known that the conversion was attempted, there’s nothing to suggest that it was successfully completed.

From here the car would be owned by Harry Blanchard, the great Sir Jack Brabham, J.R. Sharp, Jim Hall and Don Orosco before finally settling with Dave Springett in 1984. Springett commissioned a full restoration, upon completion of which he raced at Riverside, the Monterey Historics and the Wine Country Classic.

CM-1-59 then entered a static display in the Towe Auto Museum in Sacramento before being sold to its current owner by Bonhams at the Quail Resort & Golf Club in Carmel in 2007.

In great condition, all that’s required to get it rockin’ historics again is the usual service and preparation. It’s sure to be welcome at historic events around the world.

This lovely little sports racer will head to auction on August the 14th, 2015, at Bonhams’ Quail Lodge Auctions. Head to their official website here for more information.

Images via Bonhams

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It’s the middle of the night, and only the Porsches are stirring. Turn your volume up and enjoy the pure sounds of Porsche’s Le Mans-winning 936, 962C and WSC-95.

This is the kind of video we can get behind! Porsche took a few hours out of their sleep bank at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed to wake up a few of their sportscar legends (along with anyone and anything within earshot of these beasts!)

They pulled out examples of their Le Mans-winning 936, 962C and WSC-95, fired them up and took advantage of the quiet night air to let them sing. Clearly they’re enjoying celebrating their recent 24 Hours of Le Mans win. And so are we!

The cars represent close to two decades of Le Mans-winning race-tuned flat sixes, and the sound is something to savour. So turn it up, and do just that!

MORE: Miniature Porsche Powerplant – Video

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Image: www.autopics.com.au thanks to the Shannons Club

Arriving in 1998 with curvaceous new looks and a mission to destroy Holden’s VT Commodore, the Ford AU Falcon certainly got people talking. That potential would never be fully realised, however, so what happened?

“We knew the basic body shape of the car worked against downforce because when viewed in silhouette (side view) its top half (body outline) was shaped like an aircraft wing, so it provided plenty of aerodynamic lift at racing speeds” – Mark Larkham

For one thing, the curves that made up its slippery looking silhouette turned out to be quite a challenge to handle at racing speeds. And while they made for a more aerodynamically efficient car on the roads, they were a challenge in the showrooms as the look never quite caught on with buyers.

Hope for the car’s future lay in its performance out on the track, and it did find some success there. Head over to the Shannons Club to check out Ford AU Falcon: The wing-shaped supercar that struggled to fly and find out how.

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Images by Liam Henderson

Grab a cup of tea and settle in for a celebration of motorsport thanks to these magic images from the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed, by Liam Henderson.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed may well have the most apt name of any motorsport event I can think of. From cars to bikes and planes – if it gets a move on the Festival of Speed more than likely has a space for it to shine.

This year’s gloriously-Technicolor celebration of all things speed was held from the 25th through to the 28th of June. Once again, it proved why it should be in every classic motorsport fan’s calendar. Underlined, and with some stars.

Liam Henderson is the founder & creative director of Maskot in the UK and has been working as a graphic designer and photographer for most of his life. He’s applied is artistic affinity to the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed and kindly reached out to us to share his efforts. They take the shape of this absolutely mega gallery, which you can enjoy below!

For more of Liam’s shots from the Festival of Speed, make sure to head to his Facebook page here.

Images by Liam Henderson

MORE: 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed – The Gallery

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Love him or loath him, he certainly calls it straight. In this clip Steve Rider sits down with former Jordan, Ferrari and Jaguar Formula 1 racer Eddie Irvine.

F1 Legends – Eddie Irvine by F1Legends

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Images by Patrick Ernzen, thanks to RM Sotheby’s

One of three cars prepared for the 1953 24 Hours of Le Mans, the only lightweight C-Types built by the factory and the first cars ever to tackle Le Mans with disc brakes, this 1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight is very special indeed.

It’s heading to auction at RM Sotheby’s’ Monterey sale during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance this August, so let’s take a look at it before it does!

The car, XKC 052, is the second of the three lightweight Works cars prepared for that 1953 running of Le Mans. These three cars represent the pinnacle of C-Type development, enjoying upgrades like thin-gauge aluminum coachwork, uprated Weber carbies, fully synchronized box and triple-plate clutch, an additional upper link to the rear axle, rubber aircraft fuel bladder and a bevvy of trick light components. They were also the first cars to contest Le Mans with disc brakes, and the only cars rocking them in the 1953 race.

XKC 052 was driven during the 1953 Le Mans weekend by Peter Whitehead and Ian Stewart. Along with the Jags, three Ferraris and three Alfas set off at race-winning pace. By Sunday morning two of the Ferraris and all three Alfas had retired and the two other lightweight C-Types were holding down 1st and 2nd, with our car in fourth just behind.

And that’s how it was after 24 hours, with the Briggs Cunningham C5-R driven by Phil Walters and John Fitch taking third place and Peter Whitehead and Ian Stewart putting in 297 laps at an average speed just under 167 kilometers an hour to take fourth outright in this car.

The car would go from there to compete at Silverstone and Goodwood, unfortunately retiring both times with mechanicals. In November of 1953 it was rebuilt to Le Mans specifications and sold to Ecurie Ecosse as Jaguar was moving on to develop their D-Type.

Ecurie Ecosse painted the car Flag Metallic Blue and gave it to Jackie Stewart’s older brother Jimmy to race. He took three wins at Goodwood and another at National Ibsley. Roy Salvadori would then take over driving duties, winning two races at Snetterton before handing it back to Stewart for another win at Goodwood

Ninian Sanderson was next in the driver’s seat and he would win at National Charterhall and follow up with a second at the Penya-Rhin Grand Prix. Over the course of that season XKC 052 and Ecurie Ecosse took eight wins and a further six podiums.

At the end of 1954 Ecurie Ecosse sold the car to Peter Bond, who repainted it green and successfully ran it in club races until 1956. He sold it to Maurice Charles in 1956.

Charles continued to race the car before selling it to Jim Robinson, who in turn sold it to Alan Ensoll. Ensoll was quick in the car, giving it somewhat of a racing renaissance at various hillclimbs and sprints. Its chain of owners, and impressive competition lineage, continued in 1958 when Ensoll sold it to Tom Chandlish, who picked up wins in the Rest-and-Be-Thankful hillclimb championship and in an unlimited GT race at Charterhall in 1959.

It was around this time that the car was involved in a crash and, after some seven seasons, began to wind down its competition career. Ian Denney bought it in 1959 and completely restored it with a new lightweight body. It would then pass through Brian Classic’s hands to Paul Grist who restored it to its Ecurie Ecosse livery.

In 1971, XKC 052 was bought by Martin Morris and it remained with the family for three decades. It ran in the 1973 Le Mans 50th Anniversary event, where it finished in 11th, but this time was a quieter period of its life.

Morris began a two-year restoration of the car in 1986, upon completion of which it participated in the Jaguar factory Cavalcades to Le Mans in ’91 and ’93. The year 2000 would see the car move into the care of Morris’ son, who sold it to its current owner.

At this point it was renewed to its 1953 Le Mans specifications, given a complete mechanical refresh and new lightweight thin-gauge aluminium coachwork accurate to factory specifications. This new body was finished in the Ecurie Ecosse livery, and the original replacement body was retained for completeness.

The car then began its modern career, including the factory C-Type Cavalcade to Le Mans in 2001, an appearance in Classic Jaguar World Magazine and exhibition at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It would also participate in the California Mille and the Quail Rally.

This rare and beautiful car is in magnificent, collection-worthy condition and with its storied history will be welcome at historic events of all kinds around the world. It will head to auction at RM Sotheby’s’ upcoming Monterey sale during the Pebble Beach weekend over the 13-15 of August, 2015. Head to their site here for more information.

RM Sotheby’s specialist David Swig took this very special Jaguar C-Type for a spin during their preparations, and you can enjoy his thoughts in the video below!

Images by Patrick Ernzen, thanks to RM Sotheby’s

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Each year the Festival of Speed Hillclimb course sees a bounty of ferocious runs from all manner of motorsport machinery. Let’s take a look at eight of our favourites from 2015.

And let’s kick it off with the fastest run of the weekend!

There are moments during this run that give the impression that we’re about to make the jump to hyperspace. This is Olly Clark’s winning run in his Subaru Impreza Time Attack Car, aptly named Gobstopper II.

On the opposite end of the clock and demonstrating no less skill is Mad Mike Whiddett. He took the run sideways and threw in a few detours of his own, and we can get behind that!

Mark Walker kicks off this run HUGELY sideways. In a 107-year-old Darracq that’s basically a 25-litre V8 with some seats and a few thin strips of rubber it calls tyres.

Flat-out bravery in a mighty old motorcar.

This video may well be the most quiet and sedate in our selection, but it’s no less captivating. Terry Grant’s take on the hill involved only two of his Nismo Juke RS’s four wheels, and his gentle progress is oddly mesmerising.

In this video, he sets a new world record for the fastest two-wheeled mile, and breaks his own 2:55 run up the 1.16-mile long hill to do it in just 2:10.

This is one to turn up nice and loud – a 1969 Ferrari 312 P driven up the hill by David Franklin.

Not many of us will get the chance to drive a Grand Prix-winning Formula 1 car, so this video from Williams is the next best thing! It takes us on-board one of their 1990 FW13Bs with Alex Lynn for a first-person perspective run up and down the hill.

Skip to the last minute or so of this one if you want to jump straight to the run, but I’d stay for Dickie Meaden’s wonderful insight into driving this Porsche LMP1-98, as well as its history. I’d also stay for that engine note!

Finally, let’s wrap up with the fastest runs up the hill in the timed shootout, thanks to Goodwood Road & Racing.

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Image: Mika Hakkinen at the Nurburgring in 1998, thanks to the Cahier Archive

Enjoy a candid chat between Steve Rider and the Flying Finn, Mika Hakkinen, in his home town of Monaco about life, his career, Formula 1 and racing.

“I would say I was a very aggressive driver.. It was not really fighting against the clock. It was more or less just going around the corner as fast as possible. You had to be aggressive, you had to go flat out sideways all the time.”

The two-time Formula 1 World Champion began his career in karts, moving to Formula Ford and Formula Three until he picked up a drive with Lotus in Formula 1 in 1991.

From Lotus he went to McLaren for the 1993 season, where he was bumped to the position of test driver when the team hired Michael Andretti. Andretti had a rough run in Formula 1, and was out of his seat after the Italian Grand Prix, with Hakkinen taking over.

He picked up his first win in the final race of 1997 at Circuito Permanente de Jerez in the European Grand Prix. That win opened the taps for him and he went on to win eight races in 1998, including the Monaco Grand Prix, and take his first drivers’ title. He followed up in 1999, taking the championship with five wins and an extremely consistent season. 2000 saw him drop just one place, securing second in the drivers’ championship to a dominant Michael Schumacher.

Relaxed, conversational and fascinating, this episode of F1 Legends gives a great look back at an exciting Formula 1 champion.

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Images thanks to RM Sotheby’s

The history of motorsport is full of incredible machines that pushed boundaries, did things differently and made motorsport what it is today. This 1960 Chevrolet CERV I is one such machine.

It’ll head to auction at RM Sotheby’s’ upcoming Monterey sale.

The CERV I is the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle, originally built as a single-seat racing car on which Chevrolet engineers could experiment as they developed ideas and technology.

GM’s Director of High Performance Vehicles, Zora Arkus-Duntov, was involved in the project, and believed that it could be a competitive racer. With engineers Harold Krieger and Walt Zetya he got to work on what was known then as the ‘R Car’, building it to a broad range of specs that would allow them space to develop it for entry in the Indy 500 as well as Pikes Peak.

When they completed the car late in the summer of 1960 it had become known as CERV or Hillclimber, and it was something very special. It was built on a chromium-molybdenum steel tubular space frame that was triangulated front to rear as well as side to side and tipped the scales at a feather-light 125 pounds. The 80-pound body was designed by Larry Shinoda and Tony Lapine and molded in two layers of fiberglass. Providing power was a fuel-injected aluminum 289 cubic inch V8 with a silicon alloy block. It could put out 352 horsepower at 6,200 rpm.

The car arrived at Pikes Peak in September of 1960, with its plethora of exotic materials and trick components accumulating to just 1450 pounds.

They did some 60 runs up and down a short segment of the great hillclimb and found that, despite its incredibly advanced design and construction, CERV was not suited to hill climbs. They had built it to fit within the specifications of other disciplines, however, so off they went to test for Grand Prix.

CERV was track tested with Firestone, and Arkus-Duntov then scheduled it to test at Riverside Raceway. He, Dan Gurney and Stirling Moss all drove the car, debuting it in the public eye. Gurney and Moss both put in 2:04s, demonstrating its potential.

Arkus-Duntov took the car back home to the GM Proving Grounds, where he hit 170 miles per hour and decided to chase a 180 mile-per-hour lap of Daytona. To this end, he and the team developed at 17-psi turbocharged port-injected set up, which made 500 horsepower at a lower 6,000 rpm. The new motor could lift the car’s front wheels when you opened the taps, which necessitated some aerodynamic reworking!

By 1964 CERV II had begun development and CERV I had received its seventh engine – a Hillborn fuel-injected 377 cubic inch V8. With this setup Arkus-Duntov hit 206 miles per hour on the GM Milford Proving Grounds’ banked track, a feat not bested for 22 years and Bobby Rahal’s run in the 1986 Indy 500.

With CERV II in development, Arkus-Duntov had the car restored to its 1964 Shinoda configuration. It was gifted to Briggs Cunningham in 1972 for his museum in Costa Mesa. Cunningham sold the car in 1986 to Miles Collier, who sold it to its current owner. It has been preserved in his private museum since.

It is experimental; unique, and has played an incredibly important role in the progression of some of motorsport’s most important cars. It’s also the kind of car that may well have never found its way into private hands, making its sale at auction extremely significant.

We’re pleased to see it out and about, and hope that its sale continues that trend. It will head to sale at RM Sotheby’s’ Monterey Sale during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance festivities over the 13th to the 15th of August, 2015. For more information, head to RM Sotheby’s official website here.

Images thanks to RM Sotheby’s

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Image: www.autopics.com.au thanks to the Shannons Club

Mazda’s RX-7 Series IV was a turbocharged warrior born for the track. Only, it didn’t get the opportunity to make an impact equal to its potential. So what’s its story?

Allan Moffat’s 12A and 13B rotary Mazda RX-7s were hugely successful in Group C during the ‘80s. So when it came time to replace those with a turbocharged second generation, complete with trick upgrades like independent rear suspension with dynamic toe angle adjustment, four wheel disks and more, things were looking even better!

The car proved itself during the 1988 Australian Production Car Championship, with Garry Waldon’s victorious performance the class of the field. Only the car never became the Group C touring car warrior it was destined to be. The latest from our friends at the Shannons Club, Mazda RX-7 Series IV: the turbocharged Bathurst supercar that never made it, is a great read and looks at why. Enjoy it here.

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At the heart of the golden age of motorsport is the spirit of innovation. Achieving a goal by pushing what ever means you have available to you to their utter limit. This 1959 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa recreation built by Peter Giacobbi nails that.

“One of the reasons that I wanted to build the Testa Rossa was to experience what my boyhood heroes experienced. And I discovered after driving and racing it several times that they are not only heroes – they’re supermen. To drive at high speeds for the distances that they did is an absolute miracle.”

Peter Giacobbi is a master fabricator, engineer and builder. He built the Synthesis – the first car that came from the factory with airbags – and from there went to work on the DeLorean.

The 1959 Testa Rossa is his absolute favourite car. So, when he found a hand made ’59 Testa Rossa body originally intended for the factory that had been sitting in Italy, he got to work building one.

“It’s very exciting. It only weighs 2300 pounds and 400 horsepower with skinny tyres keeps the adrenaline flowing.”

He found what correct parts he could, made or commissioned the rest and put together a recreation as close to the original as possible. The result is pitch perfect, and looks like it’s rolled straight out of 1959.

Building a Dream, from the guys at Petrolicious, captures his story magnificently. Put a side a few minutes of motorsport meditation and enjoy it. And make sure to keep an ear out for a very, very good bit about three minutes in with some serious revving of the TR’s magical 4.4-litre motor. It’s a dirty, dirty sound full of pops, crackles and growls, and wow is it good.

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Hunt on the way to his first Formula 1 Grand Prix victory in the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix, thanks to the Cahier Archive

Go beyond the mystique to learn more about the man in this 2001 documentary – The Real James Hunt.

“James Hunt was unlike any other racing driver. In a sport that demands cool precision, he was hot-headed; volatile; passionate.”

A World Champion driver with a fierce talent, a temper to match and a lust for life that eclipsed them both, James Hunt is one of the characters of Formula 1 who epitomises its golden age.

This 2001 documentary directed by Ralph Lee goes in depth into his life and career to find out who the real James Hunt was. It’s fascinating, enlightening, inspiring and, at times, both joyous and sad. Set aside some time and take it all in – with a life as high-octane as James’ it’s going to be quite a ride!

MORE: Gallery: Eight reasons we wish we were James Hunt

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Nigel Mansell at Brands Hatch in 1985 on the way to his first Grand Prix victory – the 1985 European Grand Prix. Image thanks to the Cahier Archive

We return to F1 Legends to answer the must ask questions with the man with the moustache – Nigel Mansell.

Like many in Formula 1, Mansell’s career kicked off in karts. He moved to Formula Ford in ’76 and secured the 1977 British Formula Ford championship despite breaking his neck in the process. From there it was Formula Three, where he broke a vertebrae!

“The turning point was at the British Grand Prix. I came out with 20-something laps to go 24 seconds behind.. I broke the track record eleven times. Not once – eleven times. I hunted him down and hunted him down and the fans were just electrifying. It was just a sensation, every corner it was like a Mexican wave every time I came around.”

His efforts piqued the interest of Colin Chapman and after a trial he become a test driver for the Lotus Formula 1 team, beginning a 15-year career in the sport.

In that time he claimed 31 Grand Prix victories and one World Drivers’ Championship, and set the record for most pole positions in a single season, which he held for some two decades. While he still held the Formula 1 title he went to race in the CART Indy Car World Series, where he won the title in his debut, becoming the first person to do so and the only person to hold both CART and Formula 1 titles simultaneously.

This chat with Steve Rider is relaxed and conversational, but isn’t afraid to shy away from the heavy stuff. It’s a fascinating insight into Nigel’s career and the sport at the time – a brilliant watch.

F1 Legends – Nigel Mansell by Pure-Racing

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Images: Tom Gidden, courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This genuine Bizzarrini-built 1967 Bizzarrini P538 will be offered for sale for the first time in two decades at RM Sotheby’s’ upcoming Monterey sale.

The P538 came onto the scene in time for the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, when Giotto Bizzarrini entered a brand new, and utterly breathtaking machine. It featured a low and curvaceous body that just barely met FIA prototype regulations by providing “passenger seating” in a pod to the left of the dead center driving position, with a “luggage compartment” similarly provided to the right. Under the bonnet was a 5.3-litre Chevy V8.

Unfortunately the car was not able to live up to its promise. The company struggled financially and Bizzarrini was eventually forced into bankruptcy. Changes to European endurance racing regulations were similarly cruel to the P538.

The model soldiered on, however, with privateers in Can Am and Formila Libre disciplines interested in running it and Bizzarrini building a handful of customer cars to suit.

This particular car is believed to be the first of three cars built by Bizzarrini himself after his original run of seven cars built for Le Mans competition.

It was discovered in France in the early ’90s and purchased by Roger Hurst, who sold it to its current owner in 1995. He kept the car on the down low while the profile of Bizzarrini developed, eventually bringing in Bizzarrini expert Jack Koobs de Hartog to asses the car and its history.

Koobs de Hartog confirmed that the car matched the construction and materials of later Bizzarrini originals, photographing it in its pre-restoration condition. He took those photos to Bizzarrini himself, who confirmed his work saying that he had likely built the frame in the late ’60s with his wife Rosanna creating the work of art that is its bodywork.

The owner then began a complete restoration to period specification including sourcing a correct 5.3-litre Corvette engine, which itself would be rebuilt to specification. The result is immaculate.

This rare, quick and beautiful machine is in impeccable, race-ready shape and will be more than welcome at events around the world. It’ll head to auction at RM Sotheby’s’ Monterey sale over the 13th to 15th of August, 2015. For more information head to RM Sotheby’s’ official website here.

Images by Tom Gidden, courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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In this video, the guys at EVO take the Mazda RX-7 that won the 1981 Spa 24 Hours for a spin and share with the world just what it’s like to drive.

Mazda’s mighty Le Mans-winning 787B scores the lion’s share of the marque’s racing limelight, and for good reason, but there’s another, more prolific, weapon in their arsenal – the RX-7.

The RX-7 utterly monstered the IMSA GTU series. In 1979 RX-7s took the top two steps of the 24 Hours of Daytona podium and eventually won the GTU series championship. They clearly enjoyed that, because they won the GTU championship for seven years on the trot. RX-7s also went on to claim a full decade of GTO championship victories from 1982. No other model has been as successful in the IMSA series.

The cars weren’t just successful in the States – RX-7s won the British Touring Car Championship twice. Here in Australia Allan Moffat won the ’83 Australian Touring Car Championship in one and made three trips to the Bathurst podium. He’d also win the ’84 Australian Endurance Championship, while Peter McLeod had won it in ’83 with his own RX-7.

The car from today’s video earned its fame in 1981, as one of three Tom Walkinshaw Racing RX-7s entered into the Spa 24 Hours. They emerged victorious from a fierce battle with a set of BMW 530is and Ford Capris, with this car, driven by Pierre Dieudonné and Tom Walkinshaw, winning outright.

EVO’s video is exactly what it needs to be. A wonderful old racecar, revving happily while Richard Meaden gives some interesting and enlightening impressions on what it’s like and where it fits in the pantheon of motorsport. Great stuff!

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Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman seeks to learn more about the 35-year racing career of film star, philanthropist and all ’round fascinating guy – Paul Newman.

“Winning isn’t everything – it’s just all there is.”

To achieve as much as Paul Newman did in a single discipline, whether it be acting, philanthropy or racing, is exceptional. To achieve what he did across his three great passions is astonishing.

At the age of forty-seven, Paul Newman got into racing. Deep. And he made it work, winning four national championships behind the wheel and masterminding a further eight as an owner.

The story of these achievements, and their balance with his other great life passions is a fascinating one. Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman aims to tell it, and looks fascinating.

Check out the trailer below, and head to newmanracingfilm.com to find out more about screenings and streaming.

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Gerhard Berger at Imola in 1997. Image thanks to the Cahier Archive

The sport of Formula 1 has been graced by a great many drivers of superlative talent. Too many, and in too tumultuous of circumstances, for numbers like World Drivers’ Championship victories to be a completely accurate reflection of talent.

Gerhard Berger is one of the sport’s greats, and this episode of F1 Legends catches up with him to talk life, Formula 1 and the incredible stories of his career.

“I remember well in Hockenheim when I figured out that on the straight you can overtake well with two wheels on the grass.. I said, let’s try four wheels on the grass, and you go over three hundred there, and of course, it doesn’t work.”

Across his career Berger raced as teammate to drivers like Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna and he is well known for his fun loving nature and prodigious pranking, forming a particularly special bond with his driven and serious McLaren teammate. That fun-loving nature didn’t affect his serious potential on the track, and he more than kept his world champion teammates, and everyone else, honest.

He picked up the first of his 10 Grand Prix victories driving for Benetton in the 1986 Mexican Grand Prix. This would be Benetton’s first win as well, and he brought things full circle when he returned to Benetton at the end of his career and claimed both his and Benetton’s last Grand Prix victory in the 1997 German Grand Prix. He did it ahead of Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari and Mika Häkkinen’s McLaren – both team’s he’d raced for during his career.

His career was not all silly pranks, pole positions and victories, however. He raced through some of the sport’s darkest and most formative moments.

This chat with Steve Rider touches on all of it, and is made all the more entertaining by Berger’s engaging nature.

F1 Legends – Gerhard Berger by F1Legends

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Images by Jayson Fong, via William I’Anson

The 1984 EMKA Aston Martin Group C Le Mans was built for, and raced by, Pink Floyd’s manager Steve O’Rourke. It was the last Aston Martin-powered car ever to lead at Le Mans. And now, it’s up for sale at William I’Anson.

EMKA racing was formed by Steve O’Rourke in 1981 to take his motorsport passion to the next level. They got started racing a BMW M1, before setting their sights on endurance and kicking off the EMKA Aston Martin project.

They recruited designer Len Bailey, who had previously overseen Ford’s GT40, had Maurice Gomm’s factory build an aluminium monocoque and commissioned Protoco Mouldings for outer body panels. A 5340cc Aston Martin V8 was race prepared by Tickford to drop 50 pounds while being more reliable and providing improved power delivery.

For drivers O’Rourke recruited Tiff Needell and Jeff Allam, filling the third seat himself.

They debuted in the 1983 Silverstone 1000 KMS, but dropped out with suspension failure. For Le Mans the driving lineup was revised to include Nick Faure in place of Jeff Allam. They saw the chequered flag, but could not keep up with the fierce pace set by Porsche. They did, however, take home the Motor Trophy for the first British car across the line.

EMKA chose to sit out the 1984 season to focus on further developing the car. Richard Owen was brought in for a redesign, giving the car a new rear wing section and suspension design.

The team returned to Le Mans in 1985 with the same trio at the wheel. They were immediately faster, with Tiff Needell going a full nine seconds quicker than they’d done in 1983 to put them lucky 13th on the grid – the fastest naturally aspirated car.

Tiff took the first driving shift and by the first fuel stops had the car in 3rd overall. With some quick thinking the team pulled off a shortened fuel stop and was leading the race by the end of the first hour.

Clutch problems crept in on Sunday morning and the car developed a fuel leak just an hour before the finish, but the team still managed to take an 11th place overall finish. It was the last time EMKA would race a car of their own design, but Steve O’Rourke would compete in the race several more times and secure a best finish of fourth overall in a McLaren GTR in 1998.

John Dennehy eventually bought the car and raced it from the mid-’90s until he sold it to Jim and Penny Graham in 2002. They raced in Group C for another five years before selling the car to its current owner in 2011.

A full nut-and-bolt restoration by Michael Hibberd Motor Engineers was then commissioned for the car. It was stripped back to a bare tub, completely rebuilt and fitted with a new steel roll cage. All components were fully restored and tested, two new fuel tanks were fitted and the engine and gearbox were both fully rebuilt. A new body was even manufactured, incorporating the original doors, along with two new sets of wheels. The original body was kept, as were two original sets of wheels.

With the restoration complete, the car returned to the limelight at the 2015 Goodwood 73rd Members Meeting. It will also be racing in Group C at the upcoming Silverstone Classic.

This special car has an exciting and unusual history in its books, and with its recent restoration would make a stunning car to take racing in historic Group C. It’s up for sale at William I’Anson and you can head to their website here for the full details.

Images by Jayson Fong, via William I’Anson. Film by GridStars.

The post The 1984 EMKA Aston Martin Group C Le Mans is For Sale appeared first on Motorsport Retro.

Images thanks to RM Sotheby’s

A podium-sitter at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 24 Hours of Le Mans veteran, amongst other things, this mighty 1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 is heading to auction at RM Sotheby’s upcoming Monterey sale.

In the late ’60s Orland “Or” Costanzo ruled the southern Florida racing scene in a lightweight 1968 Corvette. He sold the car on to Toye English, who gave it a “Stars & Bars” livery that earned it the nickname of ‘The Rebel’. It was a beast, and lived comfortably on the top step of the podium. Its specifications, however, denied it qualification for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

So when Race Engineering & Development found a space in Luigi Chinetti’s NART reserve slot for the 1973 race, they built a new Corvette for the race. They bought a wrecked ’68 small block convertible, chucked the damage parts, including the frame, and started to build it up again.

They repaired and seam-welded the body, fit FIA-specification fender flares and then installed a set of GM driveline parts from the factory. Up front nestled a freshly blueprinted L88 motor that had been detuned with a milder cam, lower-compression pistons and lower redline to give them the reliability to see them through to finish line of the endurance test.

They painted it red, white and blue in a NART livery with the Ferrari prancing horse on the door.

Fortune seemed to be willing them on, because when they got to Le Mans they discovered that Ferrari had redrawn their prototype entries from the race. This upgraded their reserve slot to a guaranteed entry, and thus the race was on.

Dave Heinz and Bob Johnson were given driving duties for the race. During practice with Johnson at the wheel a plastic banner blew onto the track. He hit it and took a big 100 mile-per-hour hit. He was alright, but the ‘Vette needed some love.

The team stripped off the damaged fibreglass and replaced it with pop-riveted aluminium, supported it with wooden struts pulled from a shipping crate and duct taped it back together. A little jump on the repaired section to demonstrate its resilience to officials, and they were back on.

After catching wind of the accident the team’s sponsor, TWA, withdrew their sponsorship. The crew was able to pick up a last-minute BP sponsorship and cover the TWA sponsorship with BP decals, which is why you see their logo on the car today.

They started the race way down the order in 53rd place, but were able to pick their way up to 8th overall by Sunday morning. As is the way with Le Mans, technical gremlins introduced themselves and some engine trouble and an electrical fire saw them finish 15th overall and 7th in class – the only Corvette across the line.

After the race the team removed the Ferrari livery and produced a new version of the Stars & Bars livery on The Rebel, continuing to race this car as their primary entry. In it, they took a class win and impressive 3rd overall in the 1973 24 Hours of Daytona.

It continued racing in IMSA events in 1974 after being re-bodied as a wide body, before being sold to Alex Davidson, who had also bought the original Rebel.

The car thus entered a quiet period in its life until it was purchased by Jack Boxstrom, who sold it to its current owner. He sent it to Kevin Mackay and Corvette Repair for a complete restoration to its Le Mans configuration.

During the restorations its unusual internals were documented before the car was finished to its accurate Le Mans configuration – including the BP logos over the top of the TWA sponsorship.

It has since appeared at events like the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and has been certified by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association.

This unusual history and its rise to success at the great endurance racing events of the world are a wonderful testament to the resourcefulness of the golden age of racing. It’s a beauty, and we hope to see it go to a good home at RM Sotheby’s’ Monterey sale this August.

Images thanks to RM Sotheby’s

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Monterey Car Week is on most car people’s ‘bucket list’. And for those whose focus is motorsport, Monterey’s highlight is the historic car racing at Laguna Seca held over the weekend that concludes the annual festival. But once again, the 2015 Rolex Monterey Pre-Reunion proved that it’s worth arriving in Monterey early. Here are a few things we liked this year.

Less can be more

Next weekend, the big end of town will be out in force. It’s not that there aren’t fabulous and exotic cars in the pits and on the racetrack at the Pre-Reunion. But the whole ambience is more relaxed than the main event. It’s easier to walk around, easier to park, and the racing is just as competitive. Okay, less isn’t more. But it has its special charm.

The rumble, the roar, the raw excitement of V8s

Last year’s featured marque was Maserati. Most years, it’s a similarly exotic name. This year, however, Monterey celebrates 50 years of the Shelby 350GT. In Category 3A, there were 19 of them fighting it out. Not for the highest spot on the podium, however. The first race was won by a very rapid Sunbeam Tiger, the second by an ex-Dan Gurney AC Cobra. At least the honour was reserved for cars which wouldn’t have existed without Carroll Shelby.

Formula 5000 returned in force

The V8 soundtrack continued. It’s been a long time since Formula 5000s turned out in force at Monterey, but the class has a great history here. From 1968 to 1975 the thunder of these brutal racecars reverberated at the Laguna Seca circuit.

Most cars returned in the hands of enthusiast owners from all over the world. But there was a notable exception: Tony Adamowicz returned in the Gurney Eagle in which he clinched the 1969 SCCA Formula 5000 Championship. A rarity was the Australian Elfin, a highly successful car in its home country in period when driven by constructor Gary Cooper.

The invasion from down under

Which brings us neatly to another feature of this year’s event. Every year, a handful of enthusiasts ship their cars from the other side of the world to Monterey. This year, the handful had grown to 19. We counted 10 Kiwis, all in Formula 5000s, and 9 Aussies racing. The Australian entries included Porsches 356 to 962, Shelby GT350 and 4 Formula 5000s.

The changing face of the automotive ‘office’

Today’s F1 cars and Le Mans cars bristle with technology. But even in the historic era, the contrast is huge. Check out the difference in the cockpits of Terry Sullivan’s 1958 Denzel 1300 and George Nakis’s Porsche 962…

All that’s gold doesn’t glitter

We’ve always had that picture of US-based classics being highly – some would say over – restored. The barn find movement, the passion for originality. Take these two Bugattis… one as you’d expect in most places, the other typical of those you see racing at events in France such as the Circuit du Remparts at Angouleme. (Another event well worth a visit, by the way.)

A featured car… and it’s not a Shelby or a Ferrari

In search of cars with patina, we came across this very original Morgan Plus 4. Owner Piers Gormly said that the car had been a racecar all its life, which explains its total mileage of just 23,000.

Piers has been the Morgan’s custodian for six years, having bought it from the estate of original owner and friend, Arch McNeill. “Arch was a terrific driver,” said Piers. “He beat drivers like Phil Hill, Bob Tullius and Dan Gurney, before they went on to greater things. He was one of life’s natural gentlemen.”

Arch raced the car at Lime Rock, Watkins Glen, Freeport, Bridgehampton, and Nassau in the Bahamas where he scored perhaps his best result with a class win and 5th overall.

“I’ll never sell it, and never restore it,” says the current custodian. And it’s probably a wise idea. With the current interest in preservation, it’s interesting to reflect that a car with so much history and originality would probably depreciate by whatever you spent on it… and maybe even more.

The people you meet

Wherever you go to see historic motor racing, you meet incredibly friendly people. The owners of everything from the almost obtainable to the stratospherically valuable are happy to share their enthusiasm, particularly in America.

At the Monterey Historics, the great people you meet include the event organisers, the Monterey Bay Veterans who provide a brilliant service driving spectators to the top of the Corkscrew in a fleet of golf carts, and the fellow spectators you bump into.

The Corkscrew

It’s one of the most famous corners in the world and a great place to watch the cars drop though almost six storeys in a single S-bend. Walk 25 metres to the crest of the hill and you can see 70% of the circuit below.

So, is it worth going? Absolutely. It’s a relaxed and friendly weekend. And while you’re waiting for the main event the following week, there are around 30 more car-related events to choose from. What could be better?

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