The notion of a halo conjures images of angelic cherubs and enlightened bliss in nearly everyone…except, apparently, for Formula One fans. In mid-July, the FIA made the controversial announcement that starting next year, all Grand Prix racecars must be equipped with a “safety halo.” For those not familiar, the halo in question is a carbon...
You might well ask “Who the hell’s he?” when you read the name at the top of the page. Well, he’s the man none other than Niki Lauda described as The 20th Century’s Greatest Rally Driver. Not the most popular branch of motor sport in America, but rallying is the one in which Walter shone...
Racecar designers are sometimes accused of copying others’ ideas, but are they really “copy cats,” or is it a case of “great minds think alike?” Something worth examining, albeit there is evidence on both sides of the argument. In any case, if a designer sees that one of his rivals has produced a great piece...
Is there no end to the list of racecar manufacturers of the 20th century? Let’s have a show of hands. How many know anything about German builder SWM? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone? SWM was formed by brothers Stefan and Wenzel Mannl (SWM) of Munich, Germany, in the early 1960s. Starting from a gas/service station in their home...
I have a Minichamps model of the legendary Lancia Stratos HF rally car in Alitalia’s green and white colors sitting on my desk and every time I look at it, Italy’s “Il Drago” or “the Dragon” comes to mind. That was world rally champion Sandro Munari’s nickname because, according to fan and foe alike, he...
Longtime readers of this magazine will know that we have been one of the few publications—of any kind or genre—that has consistently devoted real coverage to the history and contribution of women in motorsport. Sadly, the fact that this statement even has any relevancy is a depressing testament to the current standing and status of...
Having been fortunate enough to receive an invitation to the London Premiere of the movie McLaren, a wonderful tribute to Bruce McLaren and his many achievements, I then cast my mind back to the previous motor racing-based movies I have watched over the years. Like all cinematic productions, they vary from excellent to awful, or...
“And Now for Something Completely Different.” This mantra aptly characterized the boldness of Monty Python when it first aired in 1969. Fresh and fantastic; different in the best way possible. In my view, the same can be said of the racing machines and pilots of Great Britain. A bit more on that later. This month’s...
You could have been forgiven if you thought the racing world were coming to an end on April 12th. That was the day it was announced that two-time Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso would be forgoing this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, to make an attempt at the Indy 500, with Andretti Autosports instead. Whether...
Louis Delage may have been born to a humble assistant station master and his wife in Cognac, France, in 1874, but he rose to become a dominator of world motor sport. Yet he died in poverty, in 1947, at the age of 73, bankrupt, swamped by mountainous debts and destitute. I don’t use the term...