ECURIE ECOSSE LM69 – CREATING A MODERN RACING THOROUGHBRED

ECURIE ECOSSE LM69 – CREATING A MODERN RACING THOROUGHBRED

What if…?

It’s a question that has dominated the history of the XJ13, a prototype built by Jaguar in 1966 in a quest to continue the marque’s legendary run of success in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Powered by a new quad-cam, 5-litre V12, the XJ13 was Jaguar’s first mid-engined car – and without doubt one of the most beautiful automotive designs of all time.

Sadly, it remained unraced. A combination of internal politics and a change in sporting regulations meant that it was banished to a corner of the Competition Department – mothballed and all but forgotten as other projects took priority.

But what if the XJ13 had been developed and raced? What if this car’s immense potential had been realised?

Picture the scene: one day in late 1967, members of Ecurie Ecosse – the famous Scottish race team that twice won Le Mans in the 1950s with Jaguar D-types – travel to the Browns Lane factory to discuss repeating that success. During their visit, they spot the XJ13, covered up and tucked away. But as soon as the covers come off, they know that they’ve got a potential winner on their hands.

A deal is done, and work begins on a two-year project to develop and build a car in order for Ecurie Ecosse to take on the might of Ford, Ferrari and Porsche at the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours.

This alternate reality could have been one of motor racing’s greatest stories – just imagine if the money, not to say courage and ambition, had been invested into it. Now a team of designers and engineers have done just that…

The birth of the Ecurie Ecosse LM69

Fifty years on, the spectacular LM69 is to be launched. While remaining true in spirit and sympathetic to the style of the fabulous XJ13, its bodywork has been developed into an all-new design that has its own purposeful beauty.

The quad-cam V12 is the heart of the car, a unique signature that has been designed to evoke the experience of driving at Le Mans in 1969. And not only is the LM69 suitable for track use, but it’s also fully road-legal.

A strict brief was established from the start: the design and engineering team would have to adhere to the regulations of the time and feature only design details and technology that entered motorsport no later than early 1969.

As the XJ13 would have done had it been prepared for serious competition use, the LM69 benefits from innovations that appeared during that exciting era. Composite materials have been used, it’s lighter than the original car, and it boasts experimental aerodynamic devices, wider wheels and tyres, and a much-improved engine.

Only 25 will be produced, in keeping with the 1969 FIA homologation requirements and to maintain its exclusivity. Each one will be individually hand-built in the West Midlands by the best British craftsmen in their field. 

Discover the Ecurie Ecosse LM69

The Ecurie Ecosse LM69 will be officially launched at the International Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace, London on 6-8 September 2019.

The gardens at Hampton Court Palace will be home to more than 300 of the finest and rarest motor cars ever to be seen. The crown jewels of the automotive world – 1896 pioneers to present-day supercars including the LM69.

The Ecurie Ecosse presence at this year’s Concours of Elegance affords a rare opportunity to see and commission a piece of motoring history. 

For further information, please visit: www.ecuriecars.com

RAPID RESPONSE (2ND EDITION) MY INSIDE STORY AS A MOTOR RACING LIFE-SAVER

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RAPID RESPONSE (2ND EDITION) MY INSIDE STORY AS A MOTOR RACING LIFE-SAVER

By Dr Stephen Olvey

Foreword by Alex Zanardi

Afterword Dario Franchitti

Publication date: 25 April 2019

• UK price: £25.00 ● ISBN: 978-1-910505-39-7
• Hardback ● Format: 234x156mm ● Page extent: 312pp
• Illustration: 56 photographs, mainly colour

Originally published to great acclaim in 2006, Dr Stephen Olvey’s memoir Rapid Response makes a long-awaited return to print — complete with new text and a new afterword by Dario Franchitti — at the same time as the release of a documentary feature film of the same title. This book is the compelling story of the author’s often tragic, sometimes funny, and frequently frustrating journey through the volatile world of professional motorsport. Along the way, he introduces the reader to many of the characters — geniuses, good guys, bad guys — that he has encountered during his quest to save lives and make motorsport safer. This book is a captivating read for all motorsport fans.

• Among the racing legends with whom Dr Olvey has worked — and who have their places in this book — are Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, A.J. Foyt, Graham Hill, Nigel Mansell, Rick Mears, Johnny Rutherford and Al Unser Jr.
• Dr Olvey attended his first race, the 1955 Indianapolis 500, at the impressionable age of 11, and saw his favourite driver, Bill Vukovich, killed in a fiery crash while leading.
• He began working at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway while attending medical school, making his first professional appearance there in 1966, when his first on-track rescue involved Graham Hill in his ‘rookie’ year.
• Dr Olvey organised the first travelling medical team in motorsport and was eventually joined by long-time colleague and friend Dr Terry Trammell.
• Continuing to work together over several decades, Dr Olvey and Dr Trammell have used their study of the cause and effect of racing crashes and injuries to make significant advances in safety, with many lives saved and serious injuries avoided.
• The writer of the foreword is Alex Zanardi, whose life Dr Olvey helped to save after a violent accident in Germany in 2001, and who subsequently returned not only to motorsport but also to handcycling, becoming a three-time Paralympic gold medallist.

The Author: Dr Stephen Olvey has been involved in saving lives and improving safety in motorsport for nearly 50 years, primarily in his role as Medical Director for the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) racing series in the US, a position that he held from 1979 to 2003. He remains active in motorsport as a member of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile Medical Commission, a consultant to Indy Car Series and Motor Sports Director of the University of Miami Concussion Program. He is an associate professor of Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine.

MOTOR RACING LEGENDS ANNOUNCES NEW GRIDS AT GALA AWARDS NIGHT

MOTOR RACING LEGENDS ANNOUNCES NEW GRIDS AT GALA AWARDS NIGHT

Last night the UK’s premier classic race organiser Motor Racing Legends (MRL) crowned their 2018 series winners in style at a gala awards dinner at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall.

The evening was hosted by MRL Chairman, Duncan Wiltshire and attended by many leading figures of the British motorsport scene including the CEO of Motorsport UK, Hugh Chambers and Motorsport Vision Chief Jonathan Palmer.

During the evening’s presentation, it was announced that MRL are to take on the organisation of the two grids from the Historic Motor Racing News stable, the U2TC for under two-litre touring cars and the Pre63-GT series. Ownership of these two well-established series will remain with Carol Spagg, who is looking to step back from the day-to-day organisation and administration. Carol, who was a guest at the dinner, commented “Motor Racing Legends is the obvious choice to manage these series on a day to day basis. They run professional and well-respected races at all the right meetings.”

Both the U2TC and Pre-63GT series will join MRL’s already extensive portfolio of historic race grids, which include: The Pre-War Sports Cars Series; the Historic Touring Car Challenge and Tony Dron Trophy for Touring Cars between 1966- 1990; the Stirling Moss Trophy and the Royal Automobile Woodcote Trophy for 50s Sports cars. All six grids will kick off the 2019 season at the forthcoming Donington Historic Festival (3-5 May).

Duncan commented, “I am very excited to be taking over responsibility for these two popular and long-running series. They are a perfect fit alongside our existing races and our team are accustomed to delivering the service that Carol’s drivers will expect. It should be a seamless transition.”

The awards ceremony celebrated all the 2018 trophy winners. Highlights include Chris Ward, and John Young (Lister Knobbly) who lifted the hallowed Stirling Moss Trophy, the same trophy won by Moss for his first ever British Grand Prix win in 1955 at Aintree. John Ure and Nick Wigley raised the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy for their successful season in the Cooper-Bristol T24/25 and Mark Smith took home the overall Historic Touring Car Challenge award.

It was the super-fast Alvis Firefly of Rudi Friedrichs that took home the overall Pre-War Sports Trophy and The Tony Dron Trophy (The Tricentrol Cup,) as won by Tony Dron himself at the British Saloon Car Championship race at the British Grand Prix in 1977 went to Patrick Watts and Steve Soper for their hard-fought success in Watts’ Group 1 Ford Capri.

Vincent Collard - Spa Six Hour promoter and organiser - was honoured with the Motor Racing Legends Trophy for his services to historic motorsport.

Jack and Roger Stanford were awarded the Traditional Oak Family Spirit Trophy for their season in the BMW M3 and Tony Wood and Will Nuthall took home the Brian Lister Cup.

A list of all the class winners can be found at www.motorracinglegends.com

Entry forms and regulations will be issued early February but if you would like more information about racing at Donington Historic Festival or any of the forthcoming season’s races run by Motor Racing Legends please visit www.motorracinglegends.com or email: Lindsey Warren at lindsey@motorracinglegends.com, or

Gillian Carr at gillian@motorracinglegends.com 

CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT A RAIN-LASHED SILVERSTONE AT AMOC RACING SEASON FINALE

CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT A RAIN-LASHED SILVERSTONE AT AMOC RACING SEASON FINALE

The final AMOC Racing meeting of 2018 saw competitors taking on the challenge of a rain-lashed Silverstone on Saturday, October 6th, the meeting finishing with the deciding race of the 40th anniversary of the AMOC Intermarque Championship. BMW claiming the team title with Laurence Squires crowned as the Intermarque Driver Champion after a season-long battle with Rob Hollyman and Gavin Dunn.

It was a wet race for the GT Challenge where Graham Tilley was on pole in his Ginetta, his sights set on becoming the first double-winner of the season, but it wasn’t to be as alongside him on the front row was the similar G55 of Nick and Tom Cresswell.

The Ginettas eased away from the field in the early stages of the 50-minute race, the Porsche of Mark Smith and Dominic Malone running third before the BMW of Arran Moulton-Smith went past on lap 11. Tilley was pushing hard as he knew he needed a gap, both Ginettas carrying pitstop time penalties due to their pace.

As the pit stop reshuffle settled Tom Cresswell came out as the leader, with Tilley in second and this is how they finished with a Ginetta one, two. James Moulton-Smith brought the BMW M3 started by Arran home third, and the only other car on the lead lap.

“It was horrible out there, though not as horrible as this morning,” said Nick Cresswell. “It’s only our second race in this car and we have never driven it in the wet before, so we are thrilled with the result.”

“The track was still dodgy in places, but that was good fun,” said Tom Cresswell.

Robin Marriott was the first of the class one Aston Martin runners home in seventh, a lap clear of the similar GT4 of David and Robert Tinn.

The Farallac Mk2 of Tony Bianchi was on pole for the Jack Fairman Cup race for 1950s sportscars, but in the tricky conditions, it was the MGA of Mark Ellis that took the lead at the start, these two pulling clear of Robi Bernberg’s Cooper Bobtail in third. A safety car period from lap seven after conditions caught out Zaheer Shah in front of the pits closed the field back up, and racing resumed again after 11 laps.

This time it was Bianchi who was up to pace first, taking the lead and heading Ellis at the end of the first lap of renewed racing. Despite the big power disadvantage to the V8 Farallac, Ellis stayed with Bianchi and used the nimble handling of the MG to get inside the leader on the exit of Luffield more than once, each time just losing out in the drag race onto the pit straight.

Bianchi opened a gap in the final laps to take the win, the lead pair well clear of the rest, Neil Cawthorn making it two MGs on the podium by passing Bernberg near the end.

“It is not easy to try to put 400BHP down onto the track in these conditions,” said Bianchi. “The race was good fun though, Mark Ellis was getting alongside me and I was working hard to keep him behind.”

Conditions had eased slightly for the Pre-War Team Challenge where six Aston Martins were also competing for the St John Horsfall Memorial Trophy.

The first four cars away after the calculations of handicapper Martin Dewey were the Wolseley Hornets of Anthony Seber and Ron Turner, the latter with two laps in hand, the Railton of Anthony Fenwick-Wilson and the Aston Martin 15/98 of Donington winner Peter Dubsky.

Turner held the lead until lap eight, when the Hornet of John Seber went past, only in turn to be dethroned at the head of the field a lap later by the Aston Martin Ulster of John Briggs. The battle at the front had Briggs and Duncan Wiltshire’s Bentley dicing in a duel that would have graced any of the day’s races, while on the move was the Hornet Special of Anthony Seber, who had been seventh on lap eight but was moving up quickly, into third two laps later and in the lead by lap 11.

Anthony Seber took the win, Clive Morley coming through late in his Bentley to take second, while in third, the Invicta of Trevor Swete headed Briggs and Wiltshire over the line, the trio covered by less than a second. Fittingly, Aston Martin won the Team Challenge competition, John Briggs took home the St John Horsfall Memorial Trophy.

The final race of the day saw the climax of the 40th anniversary of the 2018 AMOC Intermarque Championship, with the team prize to be confirmed and the drivers’ title still tightly contested. Title challenger and Porsche team captain Rob Hollyman led at the end of lap one, but polesitter Chris Bialan had his BMW M3 back in front the next lap, Hollyman chasing hard, the pair lapping the rest of the field by lap ten on the drying track.

The leader stayed out until lap 23, rejoining just over 30-seconds clear of Hollyman, Clark then taking third having passed Weaver.

In the final laps Bialan eased off and Hollyman reduced the deficit but was still 20-seconds down as they took the flag after the 45-minutes of racing. Andy Peck stayed clear of Karl Weaver to take third, Adrian Clark fifth ahead of the BMW 323i of Laurence Squires.

“That was good, the driving standards were superb as we were lapping people,” said Bialan. “There was a dry line starting to appear and I was conscious of the tyres, and managing them in the later laps, then increased the pace at the end as he was getting closer than I liked.”

The result saw BMW end Porsche’s domination of the team championship, while that sixth place finish was enough to see Squires just head Hollyman at the top of the drivers’ points after a strong season of racing.

“We managed to keep the car on the black stuff and keep going, and we got the result in the end,” said a delighted Squires. “I almost felt the pressure was off after the previous meeting as we had slipped to second in the points, there were some strong cars in front but the rain was a leveller and it was all about getting to the finish line.”

The guesting Equipe Pre’63 series started the day’s racing, poleman Tim Mogridge slipping to fifth on the opening lap in his Jaguar E-Type. Andrew Hibberd leading in the Project 214 Aston Martin. Mogridge was on a recovery drive and back into second by lap eight, having passed the MGA of Tom Smith, the latter the first of the lead trio to pit on at the end of lap 12.

Mogridge made his compulsory stop on lap 15, and when Hibberd finally pitted to hand over to Martin Brewer, the Jaguar was the only other car on the lead lap. Mogridge kept pushing and started to reel in Brewer, moving ahead to ultimately take a comfortable win.

The Equipe GTS race was over 40-minutes with a compulsory pitstop and saw a healthy field of classic sportscars take on the wet Silverstone circuit. Nick Matthews had the measure of the conditions early in the race, opening a gap in his Austin-Healey 100/4 over the rest who were headed by Tom Grindall’s MG before the Elva Courier of Rob Cobden went past on lap 14, pitting a lap later.

Matthews had already made his stop, and by the time the leaders had all cycled through the pits, was back ahead on lap 20 and took the win well clear of Grindall. The Triumph TR4 of Nick Mountford was third, Henry Rice next up, first of a swathe of MGBs.

CREDIT SUISSE HISTORIC RACING FORUM PROVIDED A FASCINATING INSIGHT IN TO LE MANS

CLASSIC TORQUE

FROM CLASSIC CHATTER

CREDIT SUISSE HISTORIC RACING FORUM PROVIDED A FASCINATING INSIGHT IN TO LE MANS

A full house of VIPs, motor-racing personalities and members of the press flocked to Goodwood’s Race Control building for the Credit Suisse Historic Racing Forum. Before the on-track action got underway at the 2018 Revival Meeting, a distinguished panel met on the morning of Saturday 8 September to discuss ‘The Challenge of Le Mans’.

Derek Bell, five times a winner of the famous 24 Hours, was joined by Alain de Cadenet, Gordon Murray and 1989 victor Jochen Mass. The four legends boast a wealth of Le Mans experience, and kept the audience enthralled with their entertaining memories of the race.

Respected broadcaster Bruce Jones hosted the lively event, and topics covered included the different approaches taken by different teams – with Bell recalling that in his debut for Ferrari in 1970 he was told simply to “get in and drive”. His later races for Porsche were much more disciplined, and Bell described the German team as being the greatest he ever drove for.

Mass discussed the unique eight-mile circuit itself, speaking of its many challenges and its dangerous nature. The German ace also remembered partnering a young Michael Schumacher at Mercedes and instilling in the future seven-times Formula One World Champion important lessons about how to approach the 24 Hours.

De Cadenet brilliantly described how Murray did “a year’s work in a few weeks” in order to create him a sports-prototype for the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours. The design genius did it alongside his day job, remembering how he used to finish at Brabham at 9pm, then work on de Cadenet’s car until 3am. They were rewarded with the first Le Mans finish for a car powered by the Cosworth DFV engine, and de Cadenet’s privateer team went on to achieve a number of giant-killing results. 

Murray also shared his memories of adapting his McLaren F1 road car into the GTR racer, which sensationally won at Le Mans on its debut in 1995. Throughout the F1’s development, he’d been adamant that it was not going to go racing – but eventually, he relented, and the GTR wrote itself into the history books.

Fellow Le Mans icons Jackie Oliver and John Fitzpatrick were in the audience, while Richard Attwood – winner of the 1970 24 Hours – joined the panel towards the end and raised the biggest laugh of the morning by wryly remembering that Le Mans “wasn’t that difficult, really”.

The Revival’s 2018 race programme had opened on a Friday evening with an unforgettable edition of the Kinrara Trophy, and Credit Suisse once again invited guests to enjoy the racing from its Race Control roof terrace. With a glorious sunset forming an evocative backdrop, they enjoyed the best seats in the house as the Ferrari 250GT ‘Breadvan’ of Niklas Halusa and Emanuele Pirro pipped the Jaguar E-type of Jon Minshaw and Phil Keen after one of the Revival’s most entertaining duels.

SILVERSTONE AUCTIONS ANNOUNCED AS NEW AUCTION PARTNER OF AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL

CLASSIC TORQUE

FROM CLASSIC CHATTER

 

SILVERSTONE AUCTIONS ANNOUNCED AS NEW AUCTION PARTNER OF AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL

This 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL sold for £860,625 at Silverstone Auctions’ Silverstone Classic Sale 2018

• 
  Another major event partnership for Silverstone Auctions
• Mixed entry of classic and competition cars to go under the hammer at Autosport International
• New sale to kick-off 2019 auction season
• Entries now invited for the sale on 12th January 2019 at NEC, Birmingham10 September 2018 - The 2019 classic car auction season is set to begin with a new partnership following the signing of a deal between specialist auction house Silverstone Auctions and Autosport International.

Recognised as one of the UK’s leading classic car auction houses and holder of a number of world record auction prices, Silverstone Auctions will inject a premium auction experience to the show with a one-day sale of best of breed classic and competition cars on 12th January 2019.

The show, which has moved to a larger area within Birmingham’s NEC, returns for its 29th year on 10th-13th January 2019 and is expected to attract close to 100,000 enthusiasts and trade visitors and over 700 exhibitors as the motorsport pre-season opener.

Autosport International, already the world’s largest motorsport show bringing together motorsport, automotive and engineering sectors under one roof, is the definitive international hub and attracts visitors from across the UK and the globe.

Silverstone Auctions brings a wealth of classic car and motorsport experience to the event having already held dedicated classic and competition car sales at other major international automotive events.

Nick Whale, managing director, Silverstone Auctions, commented; “We are hugely excited to be embarking on this new partnership with Autosport International. Of course, we attend the show ourselves and have watched it really develop in recent times. The demographics of visitors fits perfectly with our own clients, after all, it is a show full of motorsport people and we know that to work in this business you need passion, so what better way to indulge that than investing in a classic? We look forward to bringing our own approach and style to the auction element of the show which will be our first classic car sale of the year, with a few special competition cars also to be included.”

Kate Woodley, Events Director of Motorsport Network stated; “Autosport International has really developed over the last few years and we continue to look for ways to promote the synergies between our exhibitors and improve the experience for visitors. Silverstone Auctions has motorsport in its DNA so is a logical fit. Having seen the company’s previous sales I suspect that a number of exhibitors will find themselves distracted by the lots as they go about the show!”

Owners looking to sell their classic or race car at the auction are encouraged to contact the Silverstone Auctions team at the earliest opportunity ahead of the catalogue close date on Monday 10th December 2018. Silverstone Auctions’ full list of 2019 sales will be announced later this year.

To find out more about the Silverstone Auctions Autosport Sale and submit your car for auction, please visit http://www.silverstoneauctions.com/auctions.

Do not miss out on the auction, get your public entry tickets for Autosport International here: https://www.theticketfactory.com/ai/online/

This 1990 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 ‘Group A’ sold at Silverstone Auctions Race Retro Competition Car Sale 2018

ACCLAIMED 'IN CAMERA' SERIES GOES ’80S SPORTS-CAR RACING

CLASSIC TORQUE

FROM CLASSIC CHATTER

ACCLAIMED 'IN CAMERA' SERIES GOES ’80S SPORTS-CAR RACING

The 1980s was a cornucopia of power and speed courtesy of Porsche, TWR Jaguar, Sauber Mercedes, Aston Martin and Lancia amongst others, along with famous names such as Jacky Ickx, Jochen Mass, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Derek Bell, Bob Wollek, Henri Pescarolo and Martin Brundle, while Sebring, Monza, Silverstone, the Nürburgring, Le Mans and Spa were joined by a variety of lesser-known venues, some long departed, to provide a backdrop of extreme velocity and bravery that is no longer possible alas.

Sports Car Racing in Camera 1980–89 captures this unique decade in more than 400 photographs (nearly all colour), making this the most extensive and ambitious In Camera volume ever published. Team entry listings and results are provided for each year and, as usual, Paul Parker provides his detailed commentary, which will fascinate all motor-racing enthusiasts.

Sports Car Racing in Camera 1980–89 (ISBN 978-0-9928769-7-5), published on 1 September 2018 by Behemoth, priced at £50.00, is available from bookshops and online retailers.

For more information, visit: www.behemothpublishing.co.uk