Tag Archives: Fisken

Five Classic Racing Ferraris – Silverstone Classic

The Silverstone Classic meeting usually offers the Ferrari fanatic a bonanza of Maranello’s finest road and racing cars and I am sure this year’s Silver Jubilee edition of the event will be no different.

Ferrari 500 TRC, David and James Cottingham, Silverstone Classic

Among the myriad of Ferrari racers seen in recent years have been the Cottinghams Ferrari 500 TRC which finished 7th both at the 1957 Le Mans 24 hours and on the 1958 Targa Florio.

Ferrari 246 Dino, Tony Smith, Silverstone Classic,

Another regular competitor is Tony Smith’s 1958 Ferrari 246 Dino which counts among it’s former occupants Wolfgang von Trips, Oliver Gendebien, Dan Gurney and Phil Hill the latter drove the car to the last win for a front engined Grand Prix at Monza in 1960.

Ferrari 166/206, Harry Leventis,  Gregor Fisken, Silverstone Classic,

Ing. Forghieri, responsible for the design of Harry Leventis’s Ferrari 166/206, above, was never the cars biggest fan, once likening the design, in conversation with desginer Gordon Murray, as to sticky brown smelly stuff, however that did not prevent Ludovico Scarfiotti driving the car in an earlier form to claim the 1965 European Hillclimb Championship.

Ferrari 512M, Nathan Kinch, Silverstone Classic

Ferrari 512’s are not an uncommon sight at Silverstone Classic weekends, #1030 seen above with Scotsman Nathan Kinch at the wheel, was raced in S form in 1970 and M form in 1971 under the Ecurie Francorchamps banner but found it’s greatest success under JC Bamford’s ownership for whom Peter Brown, Willie Green and Neil Corner all drove it on various occasions to seven straight wins in it’s last seven races during 1972 six victories were claimed in the Motoring News GT Championship and the other in the Interserie race held at Silverstone.

Ferrari F40 LM, Stefano Sebastiani, Silverstone Classic,

Finally the Silver Jubilee edition of the Silverstone Classic will see the first race for GT cars from the 1990’s, above Stefano Sebastiani is seen about to put his 1989 F40 LM, a converted road car, through it’s paces during last years popular GT demonstration run.

Tickets for this years advance ticket only Silver Jubilee Silverstone Classic are available from this linked website.

Thanks for joining me on this “Five Classic Racing Ferraris” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at the first of a series of Formula Junior open wheelers. Don’t for get to come back now !

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Eau d’Guest – McLaren Cosworth M23 #M23/4

Today’s featured car McLaren M23 #M23/4 appeared in another blog earlier this year in the colours of 1974 sponsors Texaco and Marlboro.

McLaren M23, Silverstone Classic

The car was built in 1973, when McLaren were sponsored solely by Yardley and was driven to a third place finish in the 1974 German Grand Prix by Jacky Ickx in a one off drive.

McLaren M23, Silverstone Classic

Peter Revson drove #M23/4 in the last three races of his career at McLaren finishing 3rd in Monza, winning in Canada and finishing 5th in his home US Grand Prix before leaving to join Shadow for the 1974 season.

McLaren M23, Gregor Fisken, Silverstone Classic

During 1974 both Denny Hulme and Emerson Fittipaldi raced #M23/4 in Marlboro colours with Emerson finishing a best 3rd in the non championship Race of Champions at Brands Hatch.

McLaren M23, Silverstone Classic

After Mike Hailwood crashed his Yardley sponsored McLaren M23 at the 1974 German Grand Prix and effectively ending his Formula One career, #M23/4 was returned to Yardley livery for David Hobbs to drive in the Austrian and Italian Grand Prix, he finished a best 7th in Austria.

McLaren M23, Silverstone Classic

For the final two races of the 1974 season Jochen Mass was invited to drive the car and he also scored a best 7th in the US Grand Prix.

McLaren M23, Silverstone Classic

During 1975 #M23/4 made two race appearances in Marlboro livery, Emerson finishing second at the non championship International Trophy at Silverstone and Jochen retiring from the German Grand Prix.

There after I believe #M23/4 was turned into a show car and it maybe that it was during this time the car acquired it’s post 1976 US Grand Prix West extended side pods with the two distinctive vents.

The car is seen with Gregor Fisken at the wheel during the Silverstone Classic meeting earlier this year.

Thanks for joining me on this “Eau d’Guest” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres, I hope you will join me again for Maserati Monday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Angolan Adventures – Maserati 300S #3082

I believe today’s featured Maserati 300S chassis #3082 was the last to be built. It’s history discernible from internet sources is less than exact.

Maserati 300S, Gregor Fisken, Sussex Trophy, Goodwood Revival

From known results it would appear #3082, road registered AVN-04-44, was raced in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) taking part in 5 Angolan Grand Prix from 1959 to 1963 with Álvaro Lopes being the driver on 4 occasions and Flávio dos Santos driving the car in 1962 when it retired from the race.

Maserati 300S, Gregor Fisken, Sussex Trophy, Goodwood Revival

The result of Álvaro Lopes efforts in the 1959 Angolan Grand Prix do not appear to be recorded, but it is known he started. The following year carrying the #12 Álvaro did not finish the Angolan GP but finished 5th in the Leopoldville, DRC, Grand Prix.

Maserati 300S, Gregor Fisken, Sussex Trophy, Goodwood Revival

In 1960 the Álvaro recorded a 4th place finish in the Angolan Grand Prix in the #3082 chassis now carrying the #8 race number. This combination of car and driver appeared in the 1963 Angolan Grand Prix for the final time bearing the #4, but went one better and finished 3rd.

Maserati 300S, Silverstone Classic

By 1985 chassis #3082 had made it’s way via South Africa to the UK where Burkhard von Schenk purchased it for a reputed £200,000. The 2012 dated photo’s show the #3082 still in von Schenks ownership with Gregor Fisken at the wheel during practice for the Sussex Trophy at Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Maserati 300S, Silverstone Classic

In 2013 Austrian Martin Halusa bought #3082 for an undisclosed sum and the car is seen with fresh paint work in his ownership at this years Silvertone Classic in the remaining photographs.

Thanks for joining me on this “Angolan Adventures” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at an incredibly shiney Bugatti. Don’t forget to come back now !

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