Tag Archives: 15

GP Winning Record Breaker – Delage 15 S8

In 1925 the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR), an international association of motor clubs founded in 1904, organised the first World Manufacturers’ Championship with four qualifying events, the Indianapolis 500, Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, French Grand Prix at Montlhéry and Italian Grand Prix run at Monza.

For the 1925 season Delage were running 2LCV V12 2 litre / 122 cui powered cars designed by Charles Planchon who after the cars initial failure in 1923 was replaced by Albert Lory who added twin superchargers and developed sufficiently for Robert Benoist and Louis Wagner to finish first and second in the 1925 French Grand Prix.

Delage 15 S8, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The inaugural World Manufacturers’ Championship was claimed by Alfa Romeo with wins for Antonio Ascari and Gastone Brilli-Peri in Belgium and Italy respectively, both driving Alfa Romeo P2’s.

For 1926 the rules for the second World Manufacturers’ Championship mandated a down size to 1500 cc / 91.5 cui engine’s for which Albert Lory designed the 170hp twin supercharged 15 S8 with a straight 8 engine and five speed gearbox.

Delage 15 S8, Brooklands Double Twelve

Bugatti won the 1926 championship, Jules Goux winning the French Grand Prix and Spanish Grand Prix with Louis Charavel also driving a Type 39A to victory in Italy.

A Delage 15 S8 driven by Robert Sénéchal shared with Louis Chiron won the first Royal Automobile Club Grand Prix run at Brooklands in 1926.

Delage 15 S8, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

For 1927 Delage entered their 15 S8 models modified to run with a single super charger in all four European rounds of the World Manufacturers’ Championship.

Delage won all four races to secure what turned out to be the last World Manufacturers’ Championship to be awarded by the AIACR.

Delage 15 S8, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Remarkably Robert Benoist was at the wheel of the winning car in France, Spain, Italy and finally at Brooklands, where he drove today’s featured chassis No.2 to victory lane.

By the end of 1927 Delage was virtually bankrupt and the company had to re focus it’s attention on building road cars and abandon racing in a works capacity.

Delage 15 S8, Brooklands Double Twelve

In 1936 a young Richard Seaman made a name for himslef driving a carefully rebuilt 10 year old 15 D8 to numerous victories over new models from ERA and Maserati.

Chassis No.2 seen here was bought by Malcolm Campbell in 1929 who sold it on to W B ‘Bummer’ Scott who set Class F 24 Hour World Record and 200 Mile World Records respectively at Montlhéry in 1931 and Brooklands in 1933.

Delage 15 S8, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Prince Chula of Siam, cousin and entrant of “B Bira” was the next owner of the car from 1936 to 1939, hoping to emulate the fortunes of Richard Seaman the White Mouse Racing attempted an ultimately unsuccessful modernisation.

Alan V Burnard acquired No.2 in 1964 and was responsible for restoring it to it’s current condition having temporarily fitted an ERA engine and ENV pre selector gearbox.

After sourcing and rebuilding a correct type 15 S8 the ERA engine was replaced but the ENV gearbox remained, Alan Burnard generously bequeathed No.2 to the Brooklands Museum, where the car is seen in the 2nd and 5th photographs, upon his death in 2012.

Thanks for joining me on this “GP Winning Record Breaking” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Autumn BRMs – Castle Combe

The recent Autumn Classic at Castle Combe saw a fabulous collection of vehicles being displayed and demonstrated alongside the racing action, today’s blog looks at the BRM’s present.

BRM Type 15, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

Unfortunately neither the National Motor Museum’s BRM Type 15 in the background not the Donington Park Grand Prix Collections P18 Mk2 in the foreground were able to run during the event which marked the 60th Anniversary of the last works appearance of the P18 Mk2 and end of the BRM V16 project, at Castle Combe.

BRM P48, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

I believe Stuart Hall was demonstrating the 1960 BRM P48, which he restored in 2006, the first model BRM built with the motor behind the driver.

BRM P261, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

The BRM P261 was the first monocoque BRM, and unlike the Lotus 25 which had a bathtub shaped monocoque the P261 had a tube shaped monocoque, I believe Andrew Waring is seen at the wheel of chassis #2615 here.

BRM P167, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

Stephen Hepworth really got the audiences attention with his Dad David’s Can Am BRM P167 by not holding back on the throttle of the unsilenced 8 litre / Chevrolet V8 motor.

BRM P160, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

Music to the ears award however was shared by the likewise unsilenced pair of BRM P160’s, seen with circa 1972 B bodywork specification above, is 1973 chassis #P160/8 used by Niki Lauda until he crashed it at the Nurburgring, with John Burt at the wheel…

BRM P160, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

and 1973 E specifcation, driven by Simon Burt both members of the BRM Association.

My thanks to Castle Combe historian Pete Stowe for helping to identify the drivers of the P160’s.

Thanks for joining me on this “Autumn BRMs” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a vehicle that competed in the Carrera Panamerica. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Worth Travelling 200 miles To Hear – Autumn Classic Castle Combe Preview

Next Saturday Castle Combe will be marking the 60th Anniversary of it’s one and only International Formula One race that was won by Harry Schell driving a Vanwall with some of the cars that took part in that race present for a fantastic selection of displays, demonstrations and and most importantly races.

The track will also be celebrating the 60th Anniversary since the last in period Formula 500 F3 race was run at the track.

Blue Bird Sunbeam 350hp, Don Wales, Pendine Sands

The National Motor Museum will be bringing along a mouth watering selection of vehicles including Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Blue Bird Sunbeam V12 which 90 years ago became the first car to set a World Land Speed Record of over 150 mph, seen above with his grandson Don Wales at the wheel earlier this year, the NMM will also be bringing along the 1955 Connaught Type B Tony Brooks drove at Castle Combe in 1955 prior to winning the 1955 Syracuse Grand Prix and a 1966 Lotus 49 chassis R3.

Other exhibits and vehicles to look out for will be Nick Mason’s 1957 Maserati 250F, of the type Bristols Horace Gould drove to second place at Castle Combe in 1955, and the Pink Floyd drummers distinctive 1953 Ferrari 250MM.

Gordon Keeble, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe,

Expect to see many motor clubs in attendance with pre 1970’s vehicles, a rare Gordon Keeble is seen on the Bristol Pegasus Motor Clubs stand last year, this year their stand will feature a couple of Abarth’s from Tony Castle Millers Middle Barton Garage.

Owners clubs confirmed this year will represent Alvis, Bristol celebrating 60 years since the marques last 1-2-3 class victory at Le Mans, Gordon Keeble, Lotus, Marcos and Reliant.

Cooper Mk X, Steve Jones, Autumn Classic, Castle Combe

60 years after the very last all 500 F3 race run at Castle Combe in period, the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club will again be sponsoring the BAC MSC Challenge Trophy, won last year by Steve Jones driving the #74 Cooper Mk X after a close race with the pursuing George Shackleton driving a slightly older Cooper Mk 8.

Look out for some rare cars to take part in the races like Richard Bishop Miller’s successful in period Revis and other on display only including the locally built 1950 Milli Union and the Swedish built Effly the owners of these cars all have wonderful stores to tell about them.

Volvo 122, Gavin Watson, Oulton Park

New for this year at the Autumn Classic meeting will be the Terry Sanger Trophy for pre 1966 Saloons like the Lotus Cortina of the type the much missed Terry drove back in the day and the Volvo 122 seen above driven Gavin Watson seen at Oulton Park last year.

Terry drove some incredible machinery including a Ford GT40 V8 powered Cortina with outsize wheels and the 1971 Harrier F5000 car which he designed and built, the latter will be present next as a static display next Saturday, other races will be for fifties sports cars, VSCC pre war sports cars, look out for the ever entertaining Patrick Blakeney Edwards in his Fraser Nash, the ever popular Healey Challenge, Formula Junior and Historic Aston Martin’s in which Nick Mason’s daughters Holly and Chloe driving a pair of Aston Martin Ulsters were stars last year.

05-Jaguar D-type_1947sc

The life and times of two time Le Mans winner Ivor Beub will also be celebrated at the event Ivor born in East Ham but later resident from nearby Cheltenham won Le Mans driving Jaguar D types in 1955 with Mike Hawthorn and 1957 with Ron Flockhart, cars present in the ‘Danco Dream Garage’ that Ivor drove will include a 1955 Cooper T39 Bobtail sports car 1959 Cooper T51 formula two car along with some of the cars already mentioned.

Other cars present in the dream garage will include event sponsor Bristol Forklifts Julian Bronson’s Scarab which has been rendered hors d’combat after it’s recent outing at Goodwood Revival, also lookout for Andy Wallace in the The Norman Dewis Trophy race for pre ’66 Jaguars, last year the 1988 Le Mans winner drove a Jaguar D-type, at Oulton Park Andy was seen at the wheel of a rather more pedestrian but equally effective class winning Mk 1.

BRM Type 15, Doug Hill, BRM Day, Bourne,

Finally the piece de resistance of the day, and worth making a 400 mile round trip to hear in my opinion will be the National Motor Museum’s BRM Type 15, the sound of which is quite unlike any other you will hear in motor racing and will be demonstrated on the track where such a machine was last raced in anger in a Formula Libre event at Castle Combe 60 years ago.

Castle Combes charity of the day will be the National Motor Museum Trust’s BRM Preservation Appeal which will go toward’s keeping the Type 15 in full running order.

Full details of the action packed Autumn Classic day can be found on this link where tickets can also be purchased online, for those who want a sneak preview of the racing action there is usually a test day for competitors on the Thursday before the event.

Hope to see you there.

Thanks for joining me on this “Worth Travelling 200 Miles For” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a hot Mercury Convertible. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Low Rider – Lotus 15

The Lotus 15 was built to accept larger motors than had been possible with the hitherto very successful Lotus XI.

Lotus 15

Built to take 4 cylinder Coventry Climax motors of between 1.5 litres / 92 cui and 2.5 litres / 153 cui the Lotus 15 stood just 24″ tall. The #37 built in 1958 seen at Silverstone above of Philip Walker and Danny Wright is powered by a 2 litre / 122 cui motor.

Ewan McIntyre, Lotus 15, Oulton Park, 2011

In order to lower the centre of gravity and improve the aerodynamics and handling the Coventry Climax 4 cylinder motors were 17 degrees off horizontal, one degree more than the 1958 Epperly Belond Exhaust Special that won the Indy 500 in 1958 and 1959, under the Williams and Pritchard designed and created aluminium skin.

Ewan McIntyre, Lotus 15, Oulton Park, 2011

The combination of slippery shape and good handling allowed Graham Hill to record 5th best time in practice at Le Mans in 1958 with a 2 litre Lotus 15 ahead of numerous 3 litre cars entered in the race.

Ewan McIntyre, Lotus 15, Oulton Park, 2011

However the Lotus 15 was hampered by unreliability Hill managed only three laps at Le Mans in 1958 before he had to retire with head gasket failure. It has been suggested that the Lotus 15 suffered a lack of development and attention to detail due to Colin Chapmans efforts to get his open wheel programme under way, along with development of the Lotus Elite road car. However the fact that three distinct variations of the 15 were built between 1958 and 1960 suggests this might not have been the case.

Ewan, McIntyre, Lotus 15, Oulton Park, 2011

The Lotus 15 was not as successful as the Lotus XI and only 27 were built. Despite the lack of success today examples of the Lotus 15 like the the #15 of Ewan McIntyre seen chasing the #133 3.8 litre / 231 cui Lister Jaguar of Jon Minshaw and Martin Stretton at Oulton Park above are still capable of punching well above their weight in Historic events.

Thanks for joining me on today’s edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’, I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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