Photo of the Day: The mightiest Mazda of them all

February 3, 2014, 10:29 pm

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The only Japanese car to even win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Mazda 787B is without a doubt the most famous Sportscar the country has ever built. Revered for it’s victory in 1991, famous for it’s use of the unconventional 4-rotor engine, and loved for it’s truly unique exhaust note – the 787B will forever be remembered as one of the all-time legendary racing machines.

Photo of the Day: The mightiest Mazda of them all is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

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Video: The heated rivarly of Biaggi and Rossi

February 4, 2014, 3:18 pm

≫ Next: Photo of the Day: Jacky Ickx’s first time on the podium

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One million people have enjoyed this epic tale of unforgettable battles and bitter rivalry, find out why…

Max Biaggi and Valentino Rossi – two Italians who fought each other on track and off, across the globe and throughout the years. They delivered some of the best battles motorcycle racing has ever seen, and this video captures their story brilliantly.

Video: The heated rivarly of Biaggi and Rossi is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Photo of the Day: Jacky Ickx’s first time on the podium

February 4, 2014, 6:57 pm

≫ Next: A Seat in the King of Cool’s 1961 Cooper T56 Mark II Formula Junior

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A terrific shot of Jacky Ickx racing during the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix, which was held at Spa-Francorchamps. The race was most significant to Ickx as he placed third, making it his first ever Formula 1 podium finish. Bruce McLaren took the win, and Ickx placed fourth overall in the 1968 season.

Photo of the Day: Jacky Ickx’s first time on the podium is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

A Seat in the King of Cool’s 1961 Cooper T56 Mark II Formula Junior

February 4, 2014, 9:12 pm

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Image: Canepa

Not only did this machine win the Formula Junior European Championship and three SCCA Championships, it was also owned and raced by the King of Cool himself – Steve McQueen. It’s up for sale over at Canepa, meaning it could be yours!

It was campaigned by Team Tyrell for Cooper in 1961 with Tony Maggs at the wheel, and took eight race wins, spending most of the rest of the season on one of the other steps of the podium to ultimately deliver the European Formula Junior Championship.

At the conclusion of the season it was returned to Cooper, who sold it to Steve McQueen. After a stint in Cooper’s race school, McQueen returned to California where he began racing the car. He notched a few wins too, including the Santa Barbara street races, and impressed John Cooper enough to be personally invited for a test drive in Europe.

When the film studios learned of McQueen’s motorsport machinations they stepped in with an ultimatum, and McQueen took the film path that made him such a star, leaving his motorsport until later in life.

The car was then put up for sale and was purchased by Al ‘ Buster’ Brizzard, who won the Pacific Coast Formula B Championhip in it. Throughout the ’60s and ’70s the car changed hands and was continually raced and developed.

In the early 2000s it was purchased again and its new owner commenced a complete restoration back in England at the hands of Hardy Hall Restorations. At this time it was restored to its Tyrrell/McQueen configuration and restored from the ground up to race-ready condition. Anything not up to standard was either replaced, rebuilt or refabricated and original and correct parts and engine were returned to the car.

The car comes with extensive documentation including photographic documentation of the restoration and period photographs, news clippings, invoices, ownership records and correspondence.

This stunning, original and storied machine is eligible for classic race series around the world, and in magnificent, race-ready condition. Check out the full details at Canepa over here.

Via Canepa

Images via Canepa

 

 

A Seat in the King of Cool’s 1961 Cooper T56 Mark II Formula Junior is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Video: 1990s V10 F1 engines scream on the dyno

February 5, 2014, 3:12 pm

≫ Next: Gallery: Three of the best Maseratis in 100 years

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Mystery videos showcase full-tilt testing of a Honda and Renault V10, but can you pick which year they’re from?

We like to imagine that the gentleman of impossibly 1990s appearance in these videos came home at the end of their respective working days, and explained to their 1990s wives that they had a tough day at their 1990s offices – revving the living daylights out of a V10 F1 engines must be strenuous!

Can you identify which exact engine and year is in each clip? We believe the Honda to be the RA109E V10 as per Ayrton Senna.

Video: 1990s V10 F1 engines scream on the dyno is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Gallery: Three of the best Maseratis in 100 years

February 5, 2014, 5:47 pm

≫ Next: Video: Fire and Ice – Rally Sweden between 1970 and 2007

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Brilliant photographs celebrate Maserati’s 100th anniversary.

Maserati have gone ahead and set up a pretty great little website in preparation of their 100th birthday. It features a host of their favourite cars selected from their road and racecar history. Obviously it’s the latter that we’re most interested in, and here’s our three absolute favourites. Enjoy.

1959 Maserati Tipo 61

One of the most beautiful cars ever built, the Maserati Tipo 61 was nicknamed “Birdcage” for it’s tubular construction. You can read more about it here.

1948 Maserati 4CLT Monoposto

Victor at 18 Grand Prix events in total, the 260hp, tubular constructed 4CLT won a staggering GPs in it’s debut year of 1948 alone. Weighing just 630kg in total, the 4CLT was capable of reaching 270km/h.

1957 Maserati 250F

Our personal favourite here at Motorsport Retro, the 250F rose to fame in the mid 1950s and would continue to win races on behalf of the marque for an impressive seven years. By the time it was eventually superceeded, the 250F had taken a staggering 55 victories for the Maserati team. Best remembered by many for Juan Manuel Fangio’s incredible efforts at the 1957 German Grand Prix during which he broke the lap record no less than 10 times – The 250F is our all time best Maserati.

Gallery: Three of the best Maseratis in 100 years is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Video: Fire and Ice – Rally Sweden between 1970 and 2007

February 5, 2014, 10:28 pm

≫ Next: Buy Ayrton Senna’s 1992 Honda NSX

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Whilst looking forward to the 2014 Rally Sweden this weekend, let’s glance back at the golden times of old.

Rally Sweeden is arguably the most recognizable event on the WRC circuit, with it’s beautiful snowfall and carved berms forming an instantly recognizable frame through which all manner of high end rally machinery have raced throughout the decades. Here are three Rally Sweden videos which capture three entirely different, yet awesome ages of the WRC.

The early 2000s

The mid 1980s

The early 1970s

Video: Fire and Ice – Rally Sweden between 1970 and 2007 is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Buy Ayrton Senna’s 1992 Honda NSX

February 6, 2014, 3:05 pm

≫ Next: Gallery: 10 modern F1 cars that look better in 70s liveries

≪ Previous: Video: Fire and Ice – Rally Sweden between 1970 and 2007

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It’s not a race car, but this Honda NSX has all the pedigree we need for it to be a very exciting machine. Heading to auction at Silverstone Auctions’ upcoming Race Retro & Classic Car Sale, this is one of Ayrton Senna’s personal Honda NSXs.

Purchased for Senna for his use when visiting Sintra, Portugal, by close friend Antonio Carlos de Almeida Braga, this car was ordered to the same specification as Senna’s other NSX at home in Brazil. It’s a manual black ’92 Honda NSX with black leather interior and just 31,800 miles on the clock.

It has had just three owners and is in great condition, making it a neat and storied example of one of Honda’s greatest machines, which Senna himself had a hand in developing.

It will head to auction on the 22nd of February at Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro & Classic Car Sale at Stoneleigh Park and you can check out the full details here.

Via Silverstone Auctions

Buy Ayrton Senna’s 1992 Honda NSX is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

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Gallery: 10 modern F1 cars that look better in 70s liveries

February 6, 2014, 10:10 pm

≫ Next: Gallery: Rally Sweden through the years

≪ Previous: Buy Ayrton Senna’s 1992 Honda NSX

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The sequel to one of our most popular posts ever.

Recently we featured a story in which a talented digital craftsman by the name of CdeB Design had cleverly recreated modern F1 cars with the liveries of the 1980s. Whether it was an experiment to see if it’d make them look a little cooler – or simply just a bit of fun, the results were spectacular.

You guys loved it and so did we. This time celebrating the 1970s, here’s the sequel.

Lotus Martini Racing Team – 1979 (Mario Andretti)

Walter Wolf Racing – 1977 (Jody Scheckter)

Warsteiner Arrows Racing – 1979 (Jochen Mass)

Martini Racing (Brabham) – 1975 (Carlos Reutemann)

Parmalat Racing Team Brabham-Alfa Romeo – 1979 (Niki Lauda)

Fittipaldi Automotive (Copersucar) – 1979 (Emerson Fittipaldi)

UOP Shadow Racing Team – 1975

Frank Williams Racing Cars – 1973 (Jacky Ickx)

Elf Team Tyrrell – 1974 (Patrick Depailler)

UOP Shadow Racing Team Matra – 1975 (Jean Piere Jarier)

Gallery: 10 modern F1 cars that look better in 70s liveries is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Gallery: Rally Sweden through the years

February 7, 2014, 3:27 pm

≫ Next: Photo of the Day: ’87 Lightshow

≪ Previous: Gallery: 10 modern F1 cars that look better in 70s liveries

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12 icy-cool snaps celebrate Rally Sweden.

To celebrate Rally Sweden 2014 being held this weekend, our friends at Sutton Images have provided us with their dozen favorite photos they’ve ever taken at  WRC events. They’re all terrific shots, and we’re thrilled to be able to deliver them to you. Enjoy.

Colin McRae driving the Subaru Impreza 555 in 1995

Carlos Sainz driving the Ford Focus in 2001.

Thomas Radstrom driving the Toyota Corolla in 1998.

Eight years later, Thomas Radstrom driving the RallyTeam Olsbergs Subaru S10 in 2006.

Juha Kankkunen driving the Toyota Celica GT-Four in 1995.

Petter Solberg driving the Subaru Impreza in 2001.

Sebastien Loeb driving the Citroen DS3 in 2013.

Petter Solberg in the Subaru Impreza, 2003

Jari-Matti Latvala driving the Ford Fiesta RS in 2011.

Colin McRae driving the Subaru Impreza 555 in 1997.

Helicopter footage, 1995.

Images: ©Sutton Images (Facebook / Twitter). You can buy these and 950,000 other images in the Sutton Poster shop here.

Gallery: Rally Sweden through the years is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Photo of the Day: ’87 Lightshow

February 8, 2014, 12:05 am

≫ Next: Sunday Movie: 100 years of passion at Le Mans

≪ Previous: Gallery: Rally Sweden through the years

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The Brabham BMW BT57 of Andrea De Cesaris showers Stefan Johansson’s McLaren in sparks whilst passing the pit area of the Austrian Grand Prix in 1987.

Photo of the Day: ’87 Lightshow is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Sunday Movie: 100 years of passion at Le Mans

February 8, 2014, 3:12 pm

≫ Next: Peugeot 404: Legend of the East African Safari

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Feature length clip celebrates the history of what is often considered to be the greatest race of all.

Watch as legendary names and familiar faces talk you through some of the highest and lowest points in history of the Le Mans 24 Hour. The video seeks to convey the sense of passion amongst not only the drivers, but the teams, the organizers and the fans as well. We feel as if they’ve succeeded, and hope that you enjoy this video too.

Sunday Movie: 100 years of passion at Le Mans is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Peugeot 404: Legend of the East African Safari

February 9, 2014, 2:39 pm

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Image www.maskinisten.net, via the Shannons Club

At a time when the mythical motorsport machines which tackled epic world-class races like the East African Safari weren’t too far removed from the cars which you could walk into a showroom and buy, the Peugeot 404 was king.

In 1963 the Peugeot 404 broke Mercedes’ and Volkswagen’s hold on the five thousand kilometre East African Safari, winning outright for the first time just as the event was picking up steam in the eyes of the world. And they only got better, picking up a hat trick from 1966.

It’s a great story from a classic marque and a legendary event, and you can enjoy it in Peugeot 404: Legend of the East African Safari at the Shannons Club.

Via the Shannons Club

Image www.maskinisten.net, via the Shannons Club

Peugeot 404: Legend of the East African Safari is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Video: Road America onboard McLaren M6B

February 9, 2014, 4:24 pm

≫ Next: Mario Andretti’s Comeback Flip

≪ Previous: Peugeot 404: Legend of the East African Safari

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Just listen to that small block Cheverolet V8 sing!

Watch as driver Jim Pace hammers through the gears and manhandles the beautiful ex-Autoworld CanAm McLaren through one of the most iconic American raceways – Road America. The car is a former machine of Oscar Koveleski, who can be seen standing with Pace earlier in the clip. Now prepared by Heritage Motorsports, the car presents itself beautifully in terms of sight, sound and performance – we think you’ll love it.

Video: Road America onboard McLaren M6B is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Mario Andretti’s Comeback Flip

February 9, 2014, 9:03 pm

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After nine years retirement from open-wheeled racing, at the age of 63, Mario Andretti hopped back into an Indycar to replace Tony Kanaan in testing for the 2003 Indy 500. And he was quick.

Ten years is a long time in everyday family cars, and a lifetime in competition cars, but Andretti acclimatised quickly to his modern machine, got right up to full race speed and eventually put in a lap over 223 miles per hour. As his performance picked up steam, so did the buzz surrounding the team and speculation began to form around him qualifying the car for the race.

It was not to be, however. In the closing minutes of the test session, Kenny Bräck crashed into turn one. As Andretti entered turn one he hit debris from Bräck’s car, and launched into one of the most spectacular collections of flips we’ve seen in motorsport

We’re not surprised he returned from racing for real after this!

See the best of Mario Andretti HERE.

Mario Andretti’s Comeback Flip is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

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Illustration: Renault Thunder

February 9, 2014, 10:32 pm

≫ Next: Video: Sideways Jaguar D-Type! Onboard with Win Percy

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Renault poster showcases the wide variety of racing categories the marque was involved with in the late 1980s.

Illustration: Renault Thunder is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Video: Sideways Jaguar D-Type! Onboard with Win Percy

February 10, 2014, 2:58 pm

≫ Next: Photo of the Day: 1978 Le Mans 24hr

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Touring Car great Win Percy campy narrates a completely sideways lap of Goodwood.

Take a ride around Goodwood in 2002 as Win Percy narrates his way through 14 laps during the Sussex Trophy. Percy is certainly not shy about pushing the Mike Hawthorn chassis Jaguar D-Type of 1955 to the limit, and the results are spectacular. We’re lucky enough to have obtained the authentic onboard footage of Hawthorn steering this Jag around Le Mans in 1956 – watch it here.

We’ve set the video up to start from our favorite lap (3), however if you’d like to watch the race from the beginning you’ll be rewarded with an interesting insight into the nerves that even a driver like Win Percy feels during the immediate build up to a race.

Just in case you’ve forgotten, the Jaguar D-Type looks every bit as good as it sounds. Check out the full gallery here. Unfortunately for the rest of us, they remain quite expensive – take a look at the last one we saw pop up for sale!

Video: Sideways Jaguar D-Type! Onboard with Win Percy is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Photo of the Day: 1978 Le Mans 24hr

February 10, 2014, 5:25 pm

≫ Next: Volvo V8 engine SCREAMS on the testbed! (video)

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A pair of Renault Alpine A442s flank the Martini Porsche 935/78 of Manfred Schurti and Rolf Stommelen. The no.2 A442B driven by Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud would go on to win the race, whilst the no.3 A442A of Derek Bell and Jean-Pierre Jarier would DNF after 162 laps. If anyone knows the photographer who snapped this incredible shot, be sure to drop us a message!

Want more? Watch Le Mans Supercars hit the streets of Japan here.

Photo of the Day: 1978 Le Mans 24hr is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Volvo V8 engine SCREAMS on the testbed! (video)

February 10, 2014, 8:54 pm

≫ Next: Pistons, Passions, & Sicilian Pleasures

≪ Previous: Photo of the Day: 1978 Le Mans 24hr

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Now this is the kind of music we could listen to all day.

There’s been an awful lot of discussion amongst our community regarding the sights and sounds of the 2014 Formula 1 car, with the latter in particular polarizing fans. Whilst some love the sound of the turbocharged V6s whistling and burbling around the track, others mourn the loss of the high-rpm naturally aspirated scream – the sound of an engine finely crafted and tuned to ingest as much air as possible in it’s own time, rather than being forced to do so by a turbocharger.
Well, today is a good day for those who hold the pure sounds of a naturally aspirated V in high esteem – because Volvo’s latest entrant into the Australian V8 Supercar Series is as raw as can be.

There’s always been something a little bit special about Volvo touring cars, with the marque’s motorsport history being embedded into various forms of the pursuit on a global scale. If you need a quick refresher on Volvo’s racing heritage take a look here. Otherwise, fans of that throaty V8 roar can rejoice – forget the iTunes charts, the latest 650hp Volvo V8 Supercars lump is the best sounding thing you’ve heard all year.

Volvo V8 engine SCREAMS on the testbed! (video) is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.

Pistons, Passions, & Sicilian Pleasures

February 11, 2014, 2:49 pm

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Quick teaser video previews re-enactment nature of upcoming Targa Florio documentary.

Describing itself as “An intimate look to the history and legend of the Targa Florio Race”, Pistons Passions and Sicilian Pleasures is a feature documentary depicting the early days of the famous race in Sicily.

It’s been shot using re-enactments and is due for release later this year. This clip is just a teaser, more info is available here.

Pistons, Passions, & Sicilian Pleasures is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.