Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Boy did it rain. At one point I was thinking maybe I could do a feature on ‘Umbrellas at the Revival’ but this is Britain and rain does not usually stop play, or if it does then it is not for long.
Jonathan Sharp photo
Goodwood Revival 2024, Sharp Part 2
We endured most types of weather over the weekend but thankfully the snow that carpeted the drivers club was fake!
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
As the Revival is so much more than an historic car race meeting I thought I would start with shots that do not actual include a racing car or race. But following the atmosphere shots below, we’ll present a few photos of some of the drivers at Goodwood this year.
Hampton Court Concours d’Elegance 2024
The Jaques Family’s 1927 Bentley 3 Litre Boat Tail Speed Model. This is chassis TN1564 and features coachwork from Martin Walter.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Stately Home number two on my three part ‘Grand Homes’ tour is Hampton Court Palace, a location I feel to rival that of Ville d‘Este and Pebble Beach. (See Stately Home number 1)
This event is a bit unusual in that the best in show winner at the concours is chosen by the owners themselves. Each owner is granted one vote to choose the car (other than their own of course) which they believe to be the finest motor car entered into the Concours. I also understand that each owner is also asked to select a vehicle from each decade that they consider to be the finest motor car entered in the event from that decade.
F1 Exhibition, London
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
As it says below, F1 comes to London but only as an exhibition, not as a race. Anyway I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the press launch a few days before the exhibition opened so was able to take in the show without the crowds which will no doubt come in droves. During the press event both Damon Hill and Tim Harvey were present to explain more about the ethos of the exhibition and why it came to London as part three of what will probably be a world tour.
Goodwood FOS: French and Shadows
1934/39 S.E.F.A.C. Parallel Eight, A one off Grand Prix car initiated by Emile Petit, and designed to take on the might of the Silver Arrows and to save French honour.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Not a very high count for cars of French manufacture so I thought you may enjoy seeing again the Shadow Can Am cars which were joined at the event by the single seaters.
Goodwood FOS: Best of the Rest
Described as the car that was 90 years in the building. Auto Union Type 52. It is said that whilst working on their Grand Prix cars, Auto Union AG and the Ferdinand Porsche design office also planned a street legal sports sedan to be known as the Schnellsportwagen and was designed to be sold to customers to enter in events such as the Millie Miglia, or even Le Mans.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Whilst I know that VeloceToday is supposed to be about French and Italian cars there was just so much other interesting machinery at the Festival of Speed that interested me, so I hope you will allow me one more indulgence of your time. I know there are a lot of Silver Cars in this piece but I make no apologies as I and the Editor have a thing for the Pre War Silver Arrows.
Aircraft at Heveningham
Not an entrant this year, and yes I know we have shown her to you before, 1943 Vickers Supermarine Spitfire MK9 MH434 waits patiently for her afternoon display slot.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Just a short walk up the hill from Heveningham Hall, the Country fair and the Automotive Concours and you find a different world. A freshly mown field, a few trees in full green, a pleasant view of Suffolk Countryside, and 12 vintage aeroplanes parked for inspection and delight. In addition to a car Concours the Heveningham event also includes the Hanna Trophy, an Aviation concours in memory of the much missed Hanna pairing, father and son Raynham and Mark Hanna.
Heveningham Hall Concours 2024
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
It was all very last minute. It is a bit of a hike up to Suffolk (158 miles) from my home in Brighton, my Alfa Giulietta had been making some funny and expensive noises, I have been rather busy recently and the lawn at home was looking more like a jungle, but I woke up on Friday morning with a change of heart. Straight onto the internet, found a hotel nearby for the Friday night and off we went. The M25 on a Friday afternoon is not such a good idea but after four and a half hours (including an hour just to get through the Dartford Tunnel) I arrived at my hotel in Ipswich, time for an early night as I planned to get to Heveningham Hall nice and early.
London Concours, 2024 Part 1
Our favorite Zagato
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
I arrived home from Turin, unpacked, and downloaded the photos from Villa Erba, then off again, this time to the green oasis in the City of London that is ‘The Honourable Artillery Company’ for the eighth running of the London Concours, a three day event held mid-week. Why midweek? The city of London, or the square mile as it is often called, is like a ghost town on the weekends and one needs an audience for a concours.
Prive Concours de Vente
1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider. A rare right hand drive example, subject to a full nut and bolt rebuild by DTR Sportscars in 2017 and still in lovely condition. £89,995
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
Held on the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, famous as the home of the annual Chelsea Flower Show, Salon Prive London is now in its third year and is the only concours in the world where all the entrants are for sale. Known as a Concours de Vente, over 50 cars of various ages were on display, and should you be lucky enough to be in the market, for you to buy.
Silverstone Museum Part 2
The British Empire Trophy, awarded between 1932 and 1961, which Stirling Moss won in 1951, 56, 58 and 1961.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
At the Silverstone Museum, I really enjoyed looking at the cars and bikes on display, which I understand are changed on a regular basis. The race suits and helmets impressed, especially Nigel Mansell’s race suit with all of those personal sponsor patches, and I could just feel the history when looking at the hand painted logo on Barry Sheene’s helmet, and only smile at the cigarette hole in the chin protector. But it was the smaller items displayed in the many display cabinets that interested me most, the trophies, the signing on sheets, programs and dinner menus, such history.
Sharp at the Silverstone Museum
Welcome to the Silverstone Museum
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
With a history stretching back not just to 1943 with the building of RAF Silverstone but way back to medieval times when the site was home to a monastery, it was likely that at some point the Silverstone Motor Racing Circuit would open a museum. The project to create a museum and educational centre for British Motor Sport at the circuit began in 2012, with the museum opening its doors in 2019.