The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
The Drone after the fatal accident. (Wilkins Archive)
Story by Graham Gauld
Drones are popular these days, my eldest daughter just recently qualified as a drone pilot and the newspapers tell us that every time we step on a commercial airplane there is a possibility we may crash because we have hit one of those things, so I prefer to talk about another drone, The Healey Drone.
Robert Braunschweig, nearest the camera, and cigarette-smoking Gordon Wilkins about to set off on their road test of 0090E 212 Export. ( Wilkins)
By Graham Gauld
A few years ago, one of England’s most authoritative motoring journalists died after a long and eventful career. He was one of the last surviving journalists that had been taken to Germany in 1938 and shown the original prototype Volkswagen.
Romolo Tavoni has passed away at the age of 94. During his years with Ferrari, there were times when Tavoni appeared to be something of a father confessor to the drivers. Here he calms down Phil Hill who obviously has been having a problem. (Photo Graham Gauld)
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
On December 21, we heard the news that Enzo Ferrari’s former private secretary and team manager, Romolo Tavoni died at the age of 94 at his home in Casinalbo near Modena.
For me it was a deeply personal loss as I have known Romolo for over 63 years since my first visit to Maranello to visit Ferrari. He came striding out from under the archway in his formal grey suit and tie, and made me and my old Scottish friend Sandy Forrest very welcome.
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
Above: Somewhat ironic that the iconic statue of Williams in the Bugatti by Francois Chevalier is removed from St. Devote during the race! From the VeloceToday archives, October 2013.
If you should ever be in Monte Carlo, keep a look-out for an almost life-sized bronze statue to “Williams”, or William Grover-Williams to give him his correct name, the winner of the first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929.
Photographed around 1996, the Carma FF is in almost concours condition.
From the Archives, August 2014
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
Has anyone seen the Carma FF lately?
On August 5th, 2014, Martino Finotto died of cancer at the age of 80. He was a Milanese gentleman driver, his family fortune stemming from their pharmaceutical company. Finotto was the man behind various racing ventures with his business partner and racing driver Carlo Facetti. Together they ran Achille Motors in Milan where Facetti was in charge. [Read more…] about Facetti Ferrari Carma
The 1932 Salmson GS (Grande Sport) that arrived in the village. (Jane Wallis-Hosken)
By Graham Gauld
I live in a small village in the south of France in the hills behind the beaches of Cannes and Frejus where very little happens. However, I am constantly reminded of the major role France played in the birth and development of automobile racing. [Read more…] about A Salmson in Claviers
June 6th, 1958. Mike Hawthorn being interviewed near the Vanwall van at Reims. Photo by Robert Pauley
Story by Denise McCluggage
Photos and captions by Graham Gauld and Robert Pauley
On top of the Le Mans crash of 1955 that killed four score or more and for which many Germans, mostly in the press, blamed Mike Hawthorn as a key instrument, he was having his darkest season in Grand Prix racing. He collected not a point toward the championship. Nothing. He was driving for Tony Vandervell and the Vanwalls were still suffering from birth pangs. Vanwall, like Mike, still had three full years to go to its world championship.
The first Ferrari Mike Hawthorn raced was this modified 375 4.5 litre car, the Thinwall Special entered by Tony Vandervell seen standing beside the car. The meeting was at the Turnberry circuit in 1953.
Story by Denise McCluggage
Photos and captions by Graham Gauld
There have been many “firsts” in the life of John Michael Hawthorn starting that tenth day in April, 1929, when he first saw light of day. His father, Leslie, was a garage owner and a man active in motorcycling and motor-racing circles, putting Mike close to this world from the time he was a tyke.
Luigi Villoresi photographed at the 1954 TT at Dundrod in Ireland. Graham Gauld photo.
By Graham Gauld
It was whilst in England for the 1949 British Grand Prix on May 14 that Luigi Villoresi received a surprise. “I had a message from Enzo Ferrari to say he had sent a single seater 166C Ferrari to Brussels for me to race in the Brussels Grand Prix, and a new 166MM sports car( 0016M) to Luxembourg to race in a sports car race the following weekend.”
Luigi continued. “I won both races and when I got back to Milan I had a telephone call from a journalist friend called Corrado Fillipini telling me that Enzo Ferrari wanted me to drive for him; so why didn’t I go and see him and sign for Ferrari?”
This provided a dilemma for Villoresi, as he had disliked Enzo Ferrari since the day of the accident that killed his brother Emilio at Monza, back in 1939.
Mike Hawthorn, Concentrating hard on the exit from the hairpin with the Jaguar D-Type in the 1955 Tourist Trophy race at Dundrod.
From the Archives, September, 2013
Story by Denise McCLuggage
Photos and captions by Graham Gauld
The late Marquis de Portago was once passing judgment on various Grand Prix drivers and marking the ones he thought most likely to succeed to Fangio’s throne. One famous name he dismissed with a shrug: “He’s too hard to classify. He’s erratic. He seldom finishes. He never takes care of himself.”
If Portago had lived until 1959, he would have seen the driver he named least-likely-to-succeed become the 1958 driving champion of the world. But he would be no more surprised than the tall, tow-headed wearer of the crown — Mike Hawthorn — himself.
Lunch at the Ristorante Lauro in Modena in 1997 just a few months before Luigi Villoresi died at the age of 88. He is seated with Don Sergio Mantovani the former priest to Maserati who ran the hospice at his church, Santa Catherina in Modena. Graham Gauld photo.
By Graham Gauld
I had first met Villoresi years before and once he became rather frail and had moved into the hospice, I wanted to sit down with him and talk about his life. He surprisingly arrived at a Ferrari event in Italy where I think Schumacher presented him with a trophy, and had been brought by Lauro Malavolti, who owned Lauro’s restaurant in Modena and was another pal of mine. I said to Lauro I would like to talk to him and so he asked me if I could wait a few months and then come down to Modena, and he would arrange a lunch with Villoresi.
This wonderful cartoon drawing of the Bologna circuit was produced by the organizers.
Story by Graham Gauld
For more years than I care to remember, almost daily I have been faced with what I am going to write about, particularly when the publication is concerned with motoring and motorsport history.
This is why some of my stories might appear to be out of the ordinary. The following is one of them.
Twenty years ago, I was appointed a member of the FIA Historic Commission in Paris, which sounds terribly grand. It was an enjoyable five years, and one met very interesting people.