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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

mike hawthorn

Jim Sitz: Faces ’57

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Behold the art of Jim Sitz, an 18-year-old Californian who was already steeped in racing knowledge and an expert photographer when arrived in Europe in the summer of that magical, epochal, dangerous year of 1957. Sitz was not wealthy, but worked and saved for two years in order to afford the trip that would change his life forever. And after 67 years his photographs and memories are still enriching our lives.

We have assembled a portrait gallery of fourteen of the greatest race drivers of the era, adding Jim’s personal recollections including his first-hand report of Fangio’s German Grand Prix. Also herein are Jean Behra, Mike Hawthorn, Luigi Musso, Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, Oliver Gendebien, Ron Flockhart, Archie Scott Brown, Masten Gregory, Wolfgang von Trips, Phil Hill, Harry Schell and Ken Miles.

Story and photos by Jim Sitz

Lead Photo: Masten Gregory (29 February 1932 – 8 November 1985) sitting in the Testa Rossa prototype before the 1957 Swedish 6 Hour on August 11 where the car was retired with gearbox failure. A week earlier at the Nurburgring I joked with him, saying he’d should be very careful and that I’d seen him spin his C type Jag at March Field in 1953. “Oh God, you mean you were there?” he replied. [Read more…] about Jim Sitz: Faces ’57

The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu Part 1

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Come on in, we are going to show you the neatest Museum in all of the UK.

Come on in, we are going to show you the neatest Museum in all of the British Isles.

Story and Photos by Jonathan Sharp

It’s funny; I have driven, and flown hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles to visit various car museums, shows and race meetings around the world, and yet I had not visited the National Motor Museum (also known as the Beaulieu) less than two hours west of my home on England South Coast, for nearly 20 years.

The National Motor Museum is located in Beaulieu Hampshire deep in heart of the New Forest. The museum was founded by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu in 1952; I will tell you a little bit more about Lord Montagu in part two. I have dim memories of visiting Beaulieu with my parents during the late 1960s before holidaying on the nearby Isle of Wight. Those memories are rather less about the cars then on display and more of the monorail built around the grounds and the replica veteran London bus that one could take a ride on, both of which are still part of the Museum today. [Read more…] about The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu Part 1

Mike Hawthorn by McCluggage Part 3

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For 1957 Mike Hawthorn was back at Ferrari and raced this Lancia-Ferrari in the British Grand Prix at Aintree.

Story by Denise McCluggage
Photos and captions by Graham Gauld

Read Part 1
Read Part 2

On top of the Le Mans crash of 1955 that killed eight 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. [Read more…] about Mike Hawthorn by McCluggage Part 3

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