The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button
By Pete Vack
All photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
Ferrari has the new—well, seven-month-old—F2012 well sorted out. Pirelli has introduced new tire compounds. And Alonso is proving to be the driver of the year, a champion of champions. All is well in Maranello.
[Read more…] about German Grand Prix 2012
Right before I left for Silverstone, your kindly Editor asked me to keep an eye out for any French oddities which might appear. At the auction, I found these two, both of which definitely fit the bill. Color photos by Roy Smith.
Claude in the Ferry during the 1950 Le Mans.
We sadly note the loss of L. Scott Bailey, founder of the influential “Automobile Quarterly”.
An obit can be found on the New York Times website.
Something that L. Scott Bailey would have appreciated is our landmark series by Gijsbert-Paul Berk on the 1923 Grand Prix of Tours…the famous race of the “Tanks”. Berk takes a different approach, and in doing so completely describes every detail of the event, accompanied by many historic photos. We’ll publish this in Internet-size bites over the next few weeks.
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Story by Philippe Defechereux
All photos by Philippe Defechereux
“Bastille Day,” which marks the official beginning of the French Revolution, is celebrated each July 14 in Paris along the Champs Elysées with great fanfare and a military parade. In the large cosmopolitan centers around the world where, often, sizeable French communities thrive, the commemoration varies according to the whims of the local French expatriate groups.
In New York City, this celebration of the French revolutionary spirit is conducted with particular audace and flair. In an event called “The Annual Bastille Day Rally and Rendez-Vous,” up to 40 vintage French cars and their owners gather up in the early morning in Grant’s Tomb Park, on Riverside Drive and 122nd Street. As the event’s key organizers are also the founders of the “Greater New York Citroën and Velosolex Club,” a majority of the cars are Citroëns, though you’ll find an occasional Peugeot or Renault.
[Read more…] about A Fine French Tradition: Citroëns Invade Manhattan on Bastille Day Weekend
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
A very special event at Goodwood was a motoring tribute to compliment Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. You won’t find an Italian or French car in the lot, but we think you’ll like this at any rate. Congratulations to the Earl of March for this historic and timely display. Also, thanks to that new guy we introduced last week, Jonathan Sharp for coming up with the most interesting and comprehensive explanation of the very special entries. [Ed.]
This being Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, the theme chosen for this year’s Cartier “Style et Luxe” display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed was “Transport fit for a Queen”. The display featured cars that were either owned by or used by the Queen or other members of the Royal Family. The display also featured a Royal Train Carriage, children’s electric ride in toy cars and even an aeroplane. The displays, in five classes, were arranged on the grass in front of the stable yard of Goodwood House.
[Read more…] about Goodwood’s Tribute to the Queen
Photography by Jonathan Sharp
In the United Kingdom, there is only one event which can be mentioned in the same sentence usually only reserved for the Goodwood Revival Meeting…the Silverstone Classic which is being held this year on the weekend of July 20. This event can trace its history way back to 1990 when it was known as the Coys Historic Festival. Until a few years ago it had somewhat lost its way but now it is back up there with the best.
[Read more…] about 1000 Cars for the Silverstone Classic
A tribute to the late Martin Swig, Eric Davison rides with Bobby Unser, the Alfa T183T, Hugues Vanhoolandt at Goodwood and the Grand Prix of Great Britain.
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McCahill and the Bugatti
Bill Giltzow remembered he had this slide while reading Brandes Elitch’s ” The Constant Search“. This picture of Tom McCahill has never been published, taken at Linden Airport Races in 1949. Original Agfachrome slide by William G Giltzow (1914-1979) scan & copyright William A Giltzow.
Tom is in the white ball cap. But who is the driver and whose Bugatti is the centerpiece of this rare photo? Our thanks to Bill Giltzow.
Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, and Sebastian Vettel
By Pete Vack
Photos courtesy and copyright Ferrari Media
For being a pretty boring race, all in all, the British Grand Prix was a real nail-biter. Jimmy Clark would have felt right at home as thousands of Ferrari faithfuls chewed the keratin to the quick waiting to see if Webber would catch Alonso or if Alonso would hold off Weber. [Read more…] about British Grand Prix 2012
Bobby Unser in his heyday. IMS Photo.
Eric Davison has had many interesting experiences in the automotive field; his epic eight-part memoirs of Watkins Glen appeared last year in VeloceToday and more recently his recollections of Le Mans in the 1970s brought a lot of appreciative comments. The other day, noting the sad news in Colorado, he sat down and wrote about his adventures at Pikes Peak with a guy named Bobby Unser. Enjoy, we did! Ed.
Story by Eric Davison
The devastating fires that have ravaged the Colorado Springs area of Colorado have caused the delay of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, originally scheduled for last weekend, until August 12. Both events are cause for sadness. Colorado is considered one of the most majestic of states and to think of it in ashes is heartbreaking.
Anything goes at Pikes Peak...the diversity is astounding.
The Unser Experience
While I have only attended the actual hill climb once I have had a Pikes Peak experience that many could only dream of. I had a ride part way up the hill with Bobby Unser at the wheel. For those who don’t follow Pikes Peak, there was a time beginning in 1934 that the name Unser was synonymous with first place at the event and Bobby Unser could surely be labeled ‘king of the hill.’ The Unsers, from the local area, literally owned the hill beginning with Uncle Louie. Bobby Unser still holds the all time win record at the mountain and his son Rob won the event driving a Peugeot 405 in 1989.
Which reminds us that there is often a French flavor to rustic Colorado hillclimb. French star Michèle Mouton won with the Audi Quattro in 1985 (watch video ) …. And of course there was the famed Milliken Bugatti that placed 6th overall in 1947.
Bill Milliken (with tie) at Pikes Peak with his team. Yep, that's a Bugatti.
Martin Swig in 2003.
Story and photos by Shivu Rao
We sadly note the passing of 78 year old Martin Swig, who passed away on July 3, 2012. Swig was a San Francisco Bay Area-based car collector, vintage racer, founder and chief organizer of the California Mille, La Carrera Nevada, and other notable U.S. vintage car rallies and events. Nine years ago, we sent budding reporter Shivu Rao out to interview the iconic Alfa collector. Shivu had the pleasure of sitting down with Mr. Swig to talk about a wide-ranging set of subjects; from the foundations of the Italian car business in America in the 1950s, to the development of the car industry in general, to vintage rallies, to vintage cars, and last but not least, Swig himself. We re-publish this interesting and informative article today as a fitting tribute to Martin Swig.[Ed.]
Having spent some time with the man, we at VeloceToday can state without compunction that he is a true blue (or Rosso) Italian car enthusiast and holds much knowledge about our collective passion. His enthusiasm is real, palpable and infectious. The two Maxims of Swig we took away from this encounter were – “the cars choose the people, not the other way around” and “it’s all about having fun”. The second phrase was in evidence as we had a good time creating the content for this piece.
Maserati 8CM enjoying life.
By Hugues Vanhoolandt
This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed’s main theme was ‘Young Guns – Born to Win’, celebrating drivers, riders, designers and engineers of motor sport. Alain Prost was in particular honored by a display of the F1 cars he drove.
Other highlights were the celebration of Lotus 60th anniversary and a display of cars from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s collection (see our report next week).
But there was a lot happening for VeloceToday fans, so let’s see what was out there on the French and Italian sides.
For the 50th birthday of the famous Alpine, the Renault Collection brought to Goodwood this 1800 S version, driven by Jean Ragnotti, ex-works Renault Rally (and sportscar) driver.
Alpine A110-50, the successor? (see VT of 5th July)
Although busy with its F1 and Le Mans programs, Renault entered this little R5 in the 1978 Monte Carlo Rally where it took 2nd and 3rd overall with Ragnotti and Frequelin.
Marco Cajani takes the F1 Alfa out at Goodwood. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.
By Roberto Motta
Photos by Roberto Motta, “Alfa Romeo Historic Motoring, Documentation Center (Arese, Milan)” Archive and Scuderia del Portello
Every year the “Festival of Speed at Goodwood” blends the charm of historic cars with the latest generation of prototypes; the charisma of the old, with cars such as the featured Alfa Romeo 183T F1 car, with the latest high tech wonders.