The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
For over 67 years, Graham Gauld has been attending motor racing events as a professional journalist. This week we feature a Graham Gauld Retrospective, beginning with one of his earliest experiences as a journalist in 1952, moving to 1956 as he writes about Eugenio Castellotti, to his time spent with his friend Henry Manny III in the 1960s, all from the archives. Finally, we post his latest article about Minardi Day at Imola and the Ecurie Ecosse Tour.
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
From the VeloceToday archives, October 2014.
The photo above shows David Murray’s Scuderia Ambrosiana-badged Ferrari F2 car that was to be driven by Bill Dobson. The distinctive Scuderia Ambrosiana badge can be seen just ahead of the rear view mirror whilst chief mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson is at the wheel.
Most people interested in Italian motor racing will no doubt have heard of Scuderia Ambrosiana, originally founded by Count “Johnny” Lurani back in 1936 but probably know little else about it. [Read more…] about Scuderia Ambrosiana
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
From the VeloceToday archives, March, 2014. Lead image: A close-up of Castellotti at Dundrod in 1955, concentrating hard while accelerating away from the hairpin in the Ferrari 850 Monza.
There are times when we can all be rather pretentious. I fell into that trap thirty years ago when I had the idea of writing a subjective book on the psychology of the racing driver. I have always had an interest in the variety of people who come into motor sport and what makes them tick. I had read a lot about psychology in general, then dropped the idea when I realized what a fool I might have made of myself. However, if Central Casting in Hollywood were ever asked for a “racing driver type” back in the 1950s, they would have to have chosen Eugenio Castellotti.
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
From the VeloceToday archives, November 2013
It’s funny how news reports remind you of old departed friends. A recent news report on the $52 million sale of Ferrari GTO 5111GT brought back a score of happy memories of times spent with American motoring journalist and raconteur Henry Manney III.
Henry Manney III may not be a familiar name to a modern generation, but back in the 1960s he not only sprung to prominence with his witty and amusing articles in Road & Track magazine but he actually created what we would call the modern “loose” form of writing about cars. He dispensed with the turgid prose of the regular motoring writers of the day and replaced it with colorful turns of phrase, even inventing his own words to express his feelings and mood. [Read more…] about Henry Manney III
Story by Graham Gauld
Photos by Graham Gauld unless otherwise noted
April 28-May 11, 2019
May is always my busiest month, as it is usually when the Grand Prix Drivers Club hold their annual general meeting, the Monaco Grand Prix takes place, and the Ecurie Ecosse Tour, in which I am deeply involved, taking place one on top of the other and this year was a real toughie.
It included flying to Venice, then taking the train from there to Bologna, on to Imola for the GPDA affair. This event was linked in with the Historic Minardi Day at this Imola circuit (April 28) organized by Grand Prix Drivers Club honorary member Giancarlo Minardi. This year was special as it coincided with the 25th anniversary of the death of Ayrton Senna. [Read more…] about Minardi Day, Ecurie Ecosse Tour
Story by Sean Smith
Lead photo by Sean Smith
Photos below courtesy Donald Osborne
Just a kid in Manhattan without a car
When you are growing up in Manhattan and Queens, your family doesn’t need a car to get around. This was the plight of Donald Osborne; not till the age of 12 did his family own an automobile.
That didn’t stop Donald’s older brothers from reading Road & Track and AutoWeek. Donald, already a voracious reader, would get a hold of them and consume everything between the covers. [Read more…] about Donald Osborne Interview
Story and photos by Clyde Berryman
Part four of the Clyde Berryman diorama series focuses on the Belgian Grand Prix. Links to all previous Grand Prix Dioramas can be found at the end of this article. Above, the 1963 Belgian GP: Jim Clark (Lotus) has just powered past Carel Godin de Beaufort (Porsche) under the driving rain, putting the Dutch driver a lap down.
The Spa-Francorchamps circuit has garnered near mythical status as one of the most challenging driver’s circuits over its illustrious history – both in its long 14 km. road course configuration and in its modern, more compact form. Rain is almost always mentioned in connection with Spa, so that too was going to factor into any diorama I would create. [Read more…] about Grand Prix Dioramas: Spa Francorchamps
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
May 4, 2019 Brooklands
Driving into the designated Alfa Romeo parking zone at the Brooklands circuit brought to my mind the long-term car park at Turin airport, except that the Turin long term car park nowadays is full of Kias and Volkswagens, not Fiats and Alfas.
Passing through the gate at Brooklands into the museum, this year we Alfa drivers had our own entrance, which avoided the queue at the Campbell gate. The Alfa section was 360 degrees of Alfas, so I placed my creaky old GT Blackline next to another GT. [Read more…] about Brooklands Italian Car Day, 2019
Story by Brandes Elitch
Photos by Steve Snyder
The 11th annual edition of the Quail Motorcycle Gathering was held on May 4 on the grounds of the luxury resort Quail Lodge, in Carmel Valley, California, just east of the Carmel-Monterey peninsula. This event, created, curated, managed, and directed by local impresario Gordon McCall, must be the premier motorcycle concours in the country, if not the world. [Read more…] about The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, 2019
Last week, the French Grand Prix in dioramas. This week, Berryman takes us to the ritzy Mediterranean mecca of Monaco. Above, 1955 Monaco GP – The field jostles its way around the Gasworks hairpin right after the race start.
Story and photos by Clyde Berryman
Monaco is perhaps one of the most inspiring locales for the subject of a diorama but both architectural requirements and elevation changes can make it one of the most challenging as well for the builder! To date, I have done four Monaco Grand Prix dioramas as follows per below. [Read more…] about Grand Prix Dioramas: Monaco
By Alain Raymond
Italy, 2012
“The Mario Righini automobile collection is one of the finest private collections in Italy. Would you like to visit?” asks Signora Adriana Zini, Director of Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari, in Modena. [Read more…] about The Righini Collection
Story by Graham Gauld
Photos by Graham Gauld and Jonathan Sharp
As regular readers know, I have a great interest in coachbuilding. Though I believe the true high point in coachbuilding elegance was in the 1930s, I keep finding examples of post-war elegance that follow along the same lines. [Read more…] about Italian Coachwork on Jaguar Chassis