The Greatest Racecars & Their Stories
The Most Iconic Racecars Ever Made
So, buckle up and prepare to be transported to the golden age of motorsports, where legendary machines and fearless drivers pushed the limits of speed and redefined the boundaries of automotive performance. Let these iconic race cars tell their tales, in their own words. These aren't your typical posts; these are a collection of firsthand accounts, as if narrated by the very cars that dominated the track and etched their names into racing legend.
Legends of the Track
Hear the roar of the legendary Ford GT40 as it recounts its epic battles with Ferrari at Le Mans in the 1960s, told through the voices of the drivers and engineers who pushed it to victory. Feel the raw power of the McLaren MP4/4, as Ayrton Senna's spirit guides you through its undefeated 1988 Formula 1 season. Experience the technological marvel of the Audi R18 e-tron quattro, as it describes its hybrid dominance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 2010s. From the ground-breaking Lancia Stratos rally car to the awe-inspiring Porsche 917, we delve into the history of these iconic machines, exploring their design innovations, their triumphs and tribulations, and the legendary drivers who tamed their power. Each article is a tribute to a specific car, a celebration of its unique character and its contribution to the rich tapestry of motorsport history.
Two Ross Brawn-designed cars were to play a big part in my racing career, both were formidable contenders and race winners, but in totally different formulae. My experiences in one led to a drive in the other. The two cars are the Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-14 and the other the...
Gulf Porsche 917 Artwork Artist Matthew Stevens paints a picture of the Gulf 917. This painting depicts the 2nd placed 917K at Le Mans 1971 during refuelling and changeover. Richard Attwood and Herbert Muller are the drivers, Attwood having won the race with Hans Herrmann in 1970. Ferdinand Piëch initiated...
Gary Pearson stretches his and the D-type Jaguar’s legs during a Goodwood Revival. Photo: Roger Dixon My first open-wheeled car was a Lotus 22, in fact it was one of the cars used in the filming of Grand Prix. When I first got the car it still had the Jordan...
In June of 2014, Porsche will return to Le Mans with a newly designed LMP1 racing machine. With 16 overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the pinnacle of endurance motor racing, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the race’s history. Their last win, though, was back...
Ferrari 312P & 312PB By Ed McDonough and Peter Collins Billed as “the story of a great car and a great time in motorsport history,” this is the first book devoted solely to Ferrari’s 312P and 312PB models, and it features many rare and previously unpublished photos. The 312PB utterly...
As Rolf Stommelen climbed behind the wheel of the front-running Andial/Meister Porsche 935K3 after co-driver Derek Bell had pitted to refuel and take on four new tires, rising American star Bobby Rahal found himself leading Mid-Ohio’s $50,000-to-win “all-comers” Lumbermens 500 in the Group 6 Red Roof Inns Ralt RT-2 he...
I am synonymous with the Jaguar marque. It would, therefore, be strange for me to consider a car other than a Jaguar as my greatest racecar. What many people do not understand is that in order to test and prove a particular Jaguar, cars from other marques had to be...
What a question! It’s all so difficult because I’ve driven many varied cars across several eras of racing. Technology and development have played a part during my years of racing too; racecars have become better as time goes on. I started racing with a Lotus Seven at Goodwood, which was...
All words and photos by Matt Stone. Transportation museums around the world vary—from purpose built, factory backed, artistic (and often architectural) wonders to old warehouses thinly repurposed into museum or personal (or foundation) collection display (and/or storage) duty. To take in and fully appreciate some of the world’s best, a...
I couldn’t quite pinpoint why, during the research and writing of this profile, that I kept hearing the Lennon/McCartney hit “Come Together” somewhere in the back of my head. I have often used the metaphor of how some of the most interesting motor racing tales are based on an almost...
Pete Lyons How do you stop a racing runaway? Well, you might try throwing more races in its way. Ending McLaren Can-Am domination—that may have been one goal of series officials when they scheduled their fourth season, 1969, with nearly twice as many rounds as before. No Subscription? You’re missing...
Jacky Ickx in the Ferrari 312B Where: France / Date: July 5, 1970 Jacky Ickx in the Ferrari 312B leads the field away from the start of the French Grand Prix at the open-road Charade Circuit on July 5, 1970. Ickx would lead the first 15 laps before his engine failed. Jochen...
Since there exists a convoluted historical precedent for such a move, let’s go Web surfing to Germany by way of South America. There, courtesy of a band of faithful Argentinean enthusiasts, we find this month’s featured site that is, for the moment anyway, devoted primarily to Porsche’s fabulous 917. Unless...
1970 Targa Florio Artwork This 1970 Targa Florio-winning Porsche 908/03 was piloted by Brian Redman and Jo Siffert, used by the John Wyer-led Porsche works team instead of the factory’s mighty 917 because its light weight and shorter wheelbase were better suited to the intricate demands of the 44-mile Sicilian...
The former home of Henry VIII, Hampton Court Palace, will play host to a selection of some of the rarest Ferraris ever built as Concours of Elegance gets underway from August 31 to September 2. Ferraris from 1950 to the present day will appear in the Main Concours event, spearheaded...
In the world of exotic cars, there are few names that can compare with Ferrari. The very mention of the word brings to mind blood red cars with shapes and sounds that reach beyond reason and into the soul. It was through the sweet sound of its motor that I...
Brumos Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Artwork Paul Chenard depicts the top three finishers in the 1975 edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona. The Brumos Porsche 911 Carrera RSR of Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood finished 1st overall in the 1975 edition of the 24 Hours of Daytona, leading a...
Porsche 356 Racer Artwork Michael Jekot takes a colorful look at a Porsche 356 racer. Serial number 117307, a 1962 Porsche 356B, started its road life as a daily driver in Malibu, California. When John Mayer of Minnesota purchased this T-5 bodied coupe, as the third owner in October of...
I served my apprenticeship with Jaguar, initially working on the last models of the E-Type, then the XJS, the XJ6 and the Daimler Limousine. I was involved with the chassis design of those vehicles. It was a fabulous time when everything with Jaguar was good. I left Jaguar and joined...
One of the world’s most historically significant racing cars, the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Formula One “Stromlinienrennwagen”, chassis number 00009/54, is to be offered in an exclusive standalone auction at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart on 1 February 2025. The car forms part of an outstanding 11-car collection from...
Ferrari’s GTO Artwork Artist Thom Montanari paints an evocative picture of Ferrari’s coveted GTO. Unbelievable as it may seem, the Ferrari 250 GTO was designed by Sergio Scaglietti in just over two weeks. Il Commendatore himself, Enzo Ferrari, had a strong degree of personal input in the final design. Because...
One of the races I remember well from my career was winning the 24-Hours at Spa in 1968. I drove the Porsche 911 to 1st overall, and it was a beautiful race for me although it had the usual Spa weather with rain for more than 18 hours. I was...
The New Ferrari 312/T5 Where: Maranello, Italy / Date:November 1979 Maranello, Italy, November 1979. The introduction of the new Ferrari 312/T5 at Ferrari’s Fiorano test track. Standing behind the new car are (left to right) chief designer Mauro Forghieri, Gilles Villeneuve, Team Manager Marco Piccinini, Enzo Ferrari and Jody Scheckter. Details: Photo...
During the ’50s, I raced XK120s. The first one was a ’52, the second a ’54. Albeit, I’m not mechanically inclined. I don’t know the difference between a Whitworth Wench and a Lucas Hug. In those days, Jaguars were so good, you could race them with virtually no preparation other...
Nürburgring In 1954 Where: Nürburgring / Date: August 1, 1954 The German Grand Prix; Nürburgring, August 1, 1954. A field of Porsche 356s approaches the South Curve complex following the start of their support race. Details: Photo courtesy of: THE KLEMANTASKI COLLECTION Address: PO Box 8204, Stamford, CT 06905 USA Tel: (203)...
The 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed celebrated the most successful racing sports car of the 1955 motor sport season, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Sixty years after the Mille Miglia victory by Stirling Moss driving a 300 SLR, the world’s largest automotive garden party celebrated the British racing icon Moss and...
Racer Hurdles Crowd and Lives.” This was the Sunday, August 31, 1952 headline story in the Buffalo Courier Express. The racer was 29-year-old Richard Thierry, the car was a Porsche 356, and the word “hurdles” hardly began to describe what really happened. Grand Island is nested away in the northwest...
The Car that Made McLaren McLaren In these modern days of disposable everything (or so it seems), one can quickly become accustomed to replacing rather than repairing whatever device it may be that requires attention. This is especially true for racing cars, where the advance of knowledge and technology in...
Nürburgring In 1954 Where: Nürburgring / Date: August 1, 1954 The German Grand Prix; Nürburgring, August 1, 1954. A field of Porsche 356s approach the South Curve complex after the start of their support race. Details: Photo courtesy of: THE KLEMANTASKI COLLECTION Address: PO Box 8204, Stamford, CT 06905 USA Tel:...
A number of those among us stood head and shoulder above all others during the Golden Age of Motorsports. Juan Fangio, Stirling Moss, Carroll Shelby, John Fitch, Dan Gurney and Phil Hill immediately come to mind. Only one from that exhalted group, however, was proposed for President of the United...
Michael Turner Atmosphere and emotion are two ingredients I have tried to incorporate into my painting. It was Tony Kydd, the features editor of Motor Magazine in the late 1940s who said to me, “Without attention to background, scenery, and people you lose so much in a picture, it’s not...
Two Ross Brawn designed cars were to play a big part in my racing career, both were formidable contenders and race winners, but in a totally different formulae. My experiences in one led to a drive in the other. The two cars are the TWR Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-14 and...
This new book from Dalton Watson about the Porsche 917—one of the most successful and iconic racing cars of all time—presents a detailed chassis-by-chassis and race-by-race history of the Porsche racecars entered by the John Wyer/Gulf team. Building upon the history of how the Porsche 917 program came about, and...
1969 Mercedes 300 SEL 6.8 AMG 1969 Mercedes 300 SEL 6.8 AMG. Photo: Mercedes-AMG It seems hard to believe that most of the past 50 years of Mercedes-Benz motor sport history is, in large part, due to a small German company that, until recently, was not Mercedes-Benz. The little company...
With the 917, Porsche for the first time entered the league of immensely powerful, large-capacity racing cars. The 580 hp from the twelve-cylinder 4.5-litre engine of the 917 set new standards, to the extent that even decades later, independent experts rate this Porsche as one of the most impressive sports...
Ferrari 500 TRC/0662 Artwork Wally Thomason honors one of Ferrari’s finest “compact cars.” Ferrari had a way with the small-bore cars. The 166 Barchetta, the TRC, the 196 S Dino, the 206 SP – they were endearingly delicate and lovely, pretty; where the contemporary larger cars were somehow more aggressive, more...
George Lister & Son was a very old engineering company in my hometown of Cambridge, starting in 1895. I joined them in 1947, having done two years training at the Technical College, as their only apprentice. At that time, Brian Lister, grandson of George and son of Horace, had just...
The International Daily Express Trophy Where: Silverstone / Date:May 9, 1953 American Tom Cole borrowed this yellow Ecurie Francorchamps Ferrari 500 F2 for this race. Perhaps it was the driver, or the car, or the combination, but Cole finished at the back in his heat and did not make the final. Details:...
After WWII, sports cars became more and more popular. As a consequence, road racing took hold in the U.S. For the most part, it was an amateur sport governed by the Sports Car Club of America, but after noticing the large crowds at some SCCA events, the United States Auto...
Mercedes’ 300 SLR and Juan Manuel Fangio Artwork Neil Podbery uses monochromatic oils to portray a pair of legends, Mercedes’ 300 SLR and Juan Manuel Fangio. The 1955 24-hour race at Le Mans was set to be an epic contest. Mercedes-Benz had entered the brilliant new W196 single seater-based sports...
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