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Tag Archives: McLaren F1 GTR
Parisian Cat Walk
The 2019 edition of the Rétromobile was well up to the high standards that we have come to expect from this French Classic. It has become something of a must attend event for those of us who ply our trade in this arena, being the first serious event of the year adds a taste of optimism to encourage us, no matter how misplaced this rush of blood ultimately turns out to be.
So to whet the appetite I am flagging up a few delights, some familiar, some less so. I will have a few other posts to produce in the next few days in between the doing the paying stuff…….
Arriving on Tuesday evening I barely made any progress past the Peter Auto stand, ambushed by various gangsters that I am acquainted with, all of us keen to catch up on gossip, rumour and the occasional fact……one of the cars on the Peter Auto stand was very familiar, on old friend from a couple of decades gone, McLaren F1 GTR, #24R. Originally a factory Schnitzer car for the 1997 Le Mans 24 Hours, it then turned up in the Gulf/Davidoff team for a few races in that year. It was driven by Thomas Bscher and John Nielsen till the Dane royally stuffed it in Practice at Suzuka at the end of summer. Once refettled Steve O'Rourke acquired it for his British GT campaign and then achieved a fantastic fourth place overall in the '98 edition of the French classic……….the stuff of dreams.
More memories were to be found round the corner on Gergor Fisken's stand, always a source of truly classic cars in every sense of the word. True to form Fiskens had on display a cornucopia of automotive goodness, including one gem that really struck a personal chord. My first attendance endurance race was the 1971 Brands Hatch 1000Kms, it proved to be a slippery slope, which is how and why you are reading this doggerel. So it was quite something to encounter the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 that Henri Pescarolo and Andrea de Adamich drove to record a memorable victory that over the Gulf Porsche 917s, the first international success for the Italian marque for 20 years.
I reflected on the 1971 season, and its impact of my young self, some time ago HERE – while it has been largely downhill on the personal front since those heady days, the T33 still looks stunning.
Artcurial run the auction based at the Rétromobile and they always come up with much that is stunning, 2019 was no exception to this rule. The Serenissima Spyder was captivating, another treasure from Count Volpi's outfit and, even more appealing, exactly as it ran at Le Mans in 1966.
The timing of its competition career was unfortunate as it was crushed along with the rest of the field by the Detroit bulldozer that was Ford's GT effort at Le Mans that year featuring no less that 15 GT40s on the grid. No matter, the patina and graceful design are timeless, who ever acquired this exquisite car has won a motoring lottery.
Also at Artcurial was this headline grabbing Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring which went under the hammer for a pretty respectable €16.4 million, quite understandable when considering this beautiful creation.
One of just five examples built and with an almost complete history, it is a slice of motoring royalty……….one can dream…………
On a completely different scale in every sense of the word was this giant Berliet T100, at the time of its introduction the largest truck in the world……it dwarfed everything else at Rétromobile.
Even this Panzer MK IV had to yield to the Berliet………………….
Another French star on the boards was the WM P88, holder of the top speed record down the Mulsanne Straight, posting 407kph in 1988…………….
Back into the 21st Century is the Maserati MC12 Corsa that was to be found at Girado's impressive stand. The Corsa was the track day version of the MC12 for those who wished to emulate the performance of the wildly successful GT1 racecar.
The Corsa had a claimed 745bhp from the V12 6.0 litre engine, shared with the Ferrari Enzo. Only 12 examples of the Corsa were built, making it ultra desirable as if it needed any further enhancement.
Another extremely stylish and rare Italian that was to be found in Paris was a concept car that appeared at the 1966 Turin Motor Show, the Lamborghini 400 GT Flying Star II.
This striking shooting-brake displays all the confidence of the mid-60s and was based on a 400 GT platform. Its other very significant attribute is being in the final wave of creativity from Carrozzeria Touring which was experiencing financial difficulties at that time. The stunning Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Touring described above was also part of the history of that venerable styling house. As to the Flying Star, it is very much a case of what might have been……………..
The final initial glance at 2019's excellence at the Rétromobile is another one off Italian, another Lamborghini, this time from the house of Bertone. It is hard to see how one might improve on the visual impact of the Miura but the P400 Roadster makes a convincing attempt. There are subtle differences to the 'standard' car, the angle of the windscreen was lowered, a spoiler was added at the rear and the exhaust was re-routed.
After a number of decades of almost neglect this piece of automotive art was restored to its original very cool blue metallic livery. In Paris it graced the Kidston display, formed exclusively of Lamborghinis, mainly Miuras. What a fantastic collection…….
More from Rétromobile later this week………….
John Brooks February 2018
This entry was posted in Notes from the Cellar and tagged Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta, Alfa Romeo T33/3, Berliet T100, Lamborghini 400 GT Flying Star II, Lamborghini Miura P400 Roadster, Maserati MC12 Corsa, McLaren F1 GTR, Panzer MK IV, Paris, Retromobile, Serenissima Spyder, WM P88 on February 11, 2019 by John Brooks.
The Land that Time Forgot
For over a quarter of a century Patrick Peter has been one of most successful promoters in motor sport, rivalling his former partner in crime at BPR, Stéphane Ratel.
The Le Mans Classic, Tour Auto and Chantilly Arts & Elegance are all world class motoring events that Peter has created but even he had to admit defeat some 20 years ago when he attempted to get the GTR Euroseries off the ground.
The wildly successful BPR-run Global Endurance Series for GTs splintered in late 1996 under pressure from the FIA aka Bernie and Max on the topic of TV rights. It also suffered from conflicts of opinion that the ruling trio had with each other on the future direction of their partnership, I tried to document that turbulence back at the time. http://www.doubledeclutch.com/?p=10162
The net result in 1997 was the FIA GT Championship, a partnership between Stéphane Ratel and Bernie Ecclestone. It was wildly successful in its first season but under the surface it had already laid the ingredients for its own destruction by allowing Mercedes-Benz to drive a coach and horses through the homologation protocols as understood by the other manufacturers. The GT1 class of the Championship collapsed at the end of 1998. The FIA GT Championship only just survived to run the GT2 cars again for the following season without the factory teams, Chrysler Viper excepted. It was a lesson that Stéphane never forgot, keep the manufacturers under control, support the gentlemen drivers.
Patrick Peter launched the French GT Series in 1997 and that was taken over the following year by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation. So Peter then attempted to promote a European GT contest in the spirit and style of the early BPR days, the GTR Euroseries. In the end five rounds were held; Jarama, Paul Ricard, Misano, Nürburgring and Spa. The grids were considerably smaller than expected and Peter admitted defeat after the Belgian event held in late July.
There were quite a number of positive aspects to the series, the conviviality of the paddock was in contrast to the "korporate kulture" that AMG-Mercedes in particular brought to the FIA GT Championship, I know which one I preferred. The GTR grids were largely a collection of Porsches of varying vintages and performance, GT2, Cup Cars etc. The first round in Spain was won by the McLaren F1 GTR of Thomas Bscher and Geoff Lees, it would prove to be the penultimate international victory for the F1 GTR.
The following race held at Le Castellet would also be a landmark for one of those ascending the top step of the podium. This being the final international victory for the irrepressible Barrie 'Whizzo' Williams, one of the most popular figures in British motor sport for over half a century. He shared the win with Maxwell Beaverbrook and Geoff Lister in the former's Porsche 911 GT2 EVO.
A proposed double header with John Mangoletsi's ISRS to be run at Brno foundered when the Czech circuit's pit and paddock facilities were not rebuilt in time. Mango's Barmy Army went anyway, GTR Euroseries headed for the Adriatic and Misano. The contest would be shared with the anaemic Italian GT series and for reasons that were not clear then or now the Enzo Calderari/Lilian Bryner Ferrari 333 SP was also allowed to race….six seconds a lap faster than the GTs…..it looked and sounded great till the oil pump failed early in the proceedings.
The contest had two elements, the four hours GTR event (Silver Cup) and the Italian GT round at six hours (Gold Cup). Only 15 GTs joined the yellow Ferrari on the grid for a 18.00 start, it would prove to be a long evening. On the positive front Nigel Smith (a good bloke) won the race with Michel Ligonnet (another good guy) and Ruggero Grassi (no idea) in the Seikel 911 GT2.
Next outing, at Nürburgring, was a low point for the season, only 10 entries showed up. The spoils going to the Freisinger 911 GT2 (what else?) of Wolfgang Kaufmann and Michel Ligonnet.
GTR Euroseries was not only contested by Porsches, other exotica ran such as the Maserati Ghibli with none other than Arturo Merzario behind the wheel with co-drivers Simone Manzini and Luca Polmonari . However Art was the one in the stetson puffing on a Marlboro, plus ça change………….
Adding colour and a good old V8 rumble to proceedings at all of the races was Cor Euser's Marcos LM600 that he generally shared with Herman Buurman.
At the next round, held at Francorchamps as a support race to the 25 hour VW Fun Cup (!), the Ford GT40 impostor aka the VBM 4000 GTC made a welcome appearance. The race was won by the same pair that had triumphed in Germany, which made it three wins out of five for Ligonnet. Perhaps the indignity of ceding numero uno status to dozens of imitation Beetles was the final straw but round five at was the end of the road for the GTR Euroseries. Why had this concept not worked as expected?
As with most enterprises timing is all important and 1998 was not the year to launch such a series, however appealing it might be to the gentlemen drivers seeking sanctuary from getting knocked around by the GT1 factory-pro brigade in the FIA GT. In '94 and '95 BPR rode the crest of a wave, the re-birth of GT Racing, after the destruction of Group C and the impracticalities of Group B regulations. There was a genuine enthusiasm for the competition which was underpinned by the realisation that how the game was played mattered as much as the result. Friday night dinners at the circuits for competitors and media reinforced this camaraderie. Barth, Peter and Ratel were pioneers in many respects, for example taking their merry band to Zhuhai in late 1994 for the first ever motor race in The People's Republic of China. The fact was that there was no alternative to BPR on this side of the Atlantic, outside of the Le Mans 24 Hours, if endurance motor sport tickled your fancy.
Four years on and the landscape in endurance sportscar racing in Europe had changed out of all recognition. For their second season FIA GT Championship retained most of its supporters in the GT2 class from 1997. Those like Ray Bellm, Rocky Agusta, Alfonso de Orléans-Borbón, and the aforementioned husband and wife team of Enzo Calderari and Lilian Bryner, who had chosen to jump ship headed to prototype racing in the ISRS rather than buy a dated GT2 Porsche.
The new French GT series that Peter had created had up to 40 cars on the grid, a fair number of which he might have expected to follow him around Europe. Instead the French teams enjoyed the comforts of racing at home, here supporting the Dijon round of the FIA GT Championship.
Porsche and Ferrari were also a problem. Neither had a new GT racer available. At that point in time that would be a serious obstacle to the success of a GT race series. Porsche Motorsport were still chasing the head of the field in their 911 GT1 98 and their plan was to build a prototype to continue their astonishing run of successes at La Sarthe. Wendelin Wiedeking had different ideas and as CEO the boss always has the last say. He spent the money on developing the Cayenne, highly profitable but……. let's leave it at that. Porsche would build the wildly successful 911 GT3 R, based on the 996 model, but it would not be until the 2000 season that 64 examples would be sold.
Ferrari only had eyes for Formula One at the turn of the century and had yet to realise that a handy profit could be accrued by getting Michelotto to develop and build Ferrari GTs, that programme would also begin in 2000 with the 360 Modena. For many of those who can afford such a hobby only driving a Ferrari will do, Maranello Madness you might say…….
The basic soundness of the GTR Euroseries concept has been validated later by the success of the International GT Open. Devised by ex- endurance racer Jesús Pareja it took advantage of the plentiful supply of GT2 and, later, GT3 cars to ensure a healthy grid. The timing was right.
One benefit that came as a result of the end of GTR adventure was it gave Patrick Peter the time for the eventual creation of the Le Mans Classic, without any doubt one of the greatest celebrations of motoring competition and car culture on the planet. Clouds and Silver Linings come to mind………
Finally may I wish the loyal readers of this site a happy and healthy 2019.
John Brooks, December 2018
This entry was posted in Nostalgia, Notes from the Cellar and tagged Arturo Merzario, Barrie Williams, Cor Euser, Enzo Calderari, Ferrari 333 SP, Freisinger Motorsport, Geoff Lees, Geoff Lister, GTR Euroseries, Herman Buurman, Jürgen Barth, Lilian Bryner, Marcos LM600, Maserati Ghibli, Maxwell Beaverbrook, McLaren F1 GTR, Michel Ligonnet, Nigel Smith, Patrick Peter, Porsche 911 GT2, Seikel Motorsport, Stephane Ratel, Thomas Bscher, VBM 4000 GTC, Wolfgang Kaufmann on December 28, 2018 by John Brooks.
Long Distance Runaround
Here in England it is the 'Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness' as Keats put it so eloquently. It is also the time of the final car events of the year before the weather turns dodgy and we stop impersonating the Iberian Peninsula.
It is a case of saving the best till last with the staging of the Concours of Elegance at the regal Hampton Court Palace, a hop, skip and a jump from DDC Towers, saving the travel sick (or should that be sick of travel?) editor from too much exertion. It is one of the highlights of my motoring year.
The Concours of Elegance has something for everyone whatever your automotive peccadillo happens to be this week. The Le Mans 24 Hours has taken a fair bit of my time and energy over the past 40 years, since rocking up at La Sarthe for the first time back in 1978. There were a number of familiar faces in the crowd, perhaps a closer look at them is warranted.
Entering in to the formal garden at the rear of the Palace (and what a venue that is) I encountered a Porsche 962 that looked, well frankly, wrong. The outline was that of the distinctive Richard Lloyd Racing 962C but with the famous factory colour scheme promoting Rothmans. Well I figured that Duncan Hamilton/ROFGO would know their onions better than yours truly and so it proved. This car was indeed a RLR machine, and yes the Rothmans livery was authentic, having run in this combination in late November 1987 at the Kyalami 500km. Jochen Mass, on loan from Weissach, grabbed a last lap victory when Bob Wollek ran out of petrol following an epic drive. This car was the rebuilt #106B car that had been incinerated at Le Mans that year. The improvements incorporated into the car clearly worked as in addition to the win in South Africa there were podiums at Brands Hatch and Fuji topped off by victory at Norisring.
Next to the Porsche was another star performer from the Group C era, a Sauber C11, probably the ultimate Group C racer before Bernie and Max hijacked proceedings and sent the endurance side of the sport to its destruction along the V10 3.5-litre highway. I understand the C11 to be #02 that took Jochen Mass and Michael Schumacher to victory in Mexico after their team-mates had been disqualified for a minor violation of the fuel regulations. If this is the case then the car sat out Le Mans in 1991 and was kept on hand as a spare. Too precious to leave out of this ramble though.
This Aston Martin DB3S definitely has Le Mans' pedigree, bags of it. Based on a coupé that ran in the 1954 event suffering a huge accident at Maison Blanche that totalled the car. DB3S/6 was rebuilt and the following year went on to finish second at Le Mans with Peter Collins and Paul Frère behind the wheel.
Retired from factory duties DB3S/6 enjoyed further success at La Sarthe with the new owners, Peter and Graham Whitehead, grabbing a fantastic second place overall in 1958, the stuff that dreams are made of for privateers.
Nightmares might be closer to the fate at the great race of this still stunning AMG Mercedes CLK LM. Introduced to the world at the 1998 Le Mans Pre-Qualifying weekend in May it was a development of the 1997 FIA GT Championship winning CLK GTR. A V8 engine based on the M119 unit that powered the Sauber to victory in 1989 replaced the older V12. The loss of 80 kilos was the immediate benefit plus the repackaging allowed pushrod suspension at the front with inboard spring/damper units. The lower centre of gravity of the V8 also led to a general improvement of the aerodynamics and overall performance.
The car was quick, taking Bernd Schneider to pole position, even outpacing the Toyota GT-One, plus Christophe Bouchut's sister car slotting into third place on the grid. For the first hour there was a fierce battle for the lead with Toyota, BMW and Porsche taking on the Mercedes. However with just 70 minutes on the clock Schneider's CLK LM came to a halt at the Pit Lane Exit. 50 minutes later and Bouchut's car also stopped. Both engines had gone bang and the favoured CLK LMs were out before sunset. However, the true cause of this unMercedes-like failure was a little more complicated. A pin in the power-steering pump failed and dumped hydraulic fluid into the engine and that was that. It would be the only time that a CLK LM raced and did not win.
Another car that suffered at the French classic was #25R, a long tailed McLaren F1 GTR. Ray Bellm and Thomas Bscher joined forces in 1997 to establish a three car challenge, Gulf Team Davidoff, in the first season of the FIA GT Championship. At Le Mans, Thomas saw his hopes of racing go up in smoke on the Thursday evening when his F1 GTR caught fire and was considered too badly damaged to continue.
Three days later saw a repeat of this unfortunate incident when, with about an hour to go in the race and running in the top five, Andrew Gilbert-Scott had to hastily bail out of this McLaren as it went up in flames. To get so far and then fail at the final hurdle is a perfect demonstration of the fundamental cruelty of Les Vingt-Quatre Heures du Mans. #25R then went to Japan, racing right up to 2005. It has now come home and has been restored by McLaren Special Operations.
McLaren is one of only three manufacturers to win at Le Mans on their début, the others being Chenard & Walker and Ferrari. To celebrate this famous victory in 1995 a special edition was produced from Woking, the McLaren F1 LM.
The prototype was on hand at the Concours. It had a number of subtle changes from the road car. It was not a replica of the race car but "follows the specification of the Le Mans winning F1 GTR." Only five of these amazing creations were built so seeing this car was very special.
The ACO should give thanks every day that the coolest guy on the planet took the coolest car of the time and created a movie immortalising their race. Steve McQueen aka Michael Delaney made the Porsche 917 in the iconic Gulf Oil livery into a motoring mega-star. This example, 917-013, never actually raced at Le Mans but was wrecked there during the making of the film, Le Mans, when David Piper had a tyre issue at speed. The accident was so violent that the 917 was almost cut in two and Piper lost his lower right leg as a consequence.
The Porsche was reborn using chassis 917-034 and went on to score victories at Daytona, Monza, Zeltweg and Montlhéry. Austria's race witnessed the final victory for the legendary Pedro Rodriguez who turned in one of his greatest performances to beat Ferrari.
Rodriguez and Gulf Oil are linked to this Ford GT40. Originally chassis P/1004 and entered for the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours under the banner of Rob Walker. Like the other Dearborn cars the GT40 retired, this one a victim of a cylinder head gasket failure.
Fast forward to 1968 and P/1004 was retrieved from storage and updated by JW Automotive to the latest spec and renumbered to P/1084. It was raced to fourth place at Spa by Paul Hawkins and David Hobbs and then was retired from the tracks. A few months later a sister car took the top spot at Le Mans in the postponed 1968 event, Pedro Rodriguez and Lucien Bianchi were the drivers.
The final Le Mans competitor to be found in the Place grounds was the Austin Healey 100 'Special'. It raced at La Sarthe in 1953, finishing a very creditable 12th place overall in the hands of Maurice Gatsonides and Johnny Lockett.
Since it was first held in 2012 the Concours of Elegance has taken its place at the top table of motoring celebrations. Now located at Hampton Court Palace it is a 'must attend' event, if you like cars then this is for you.
John Brooks, September 2018
This entry was posted in Notes from the Cellar and tagged AMG Mercedes CLK LM, Aston Martin DB3S, Austin Healey 100 'Special', Concours of Elegance, Ford GT40, Hampton Court Palace, McLaren F1 GTR, McLaren F1 LM, Porsche 917, Porsche 962C, Sauber C11 on September 3, 2018 by John Brooks.
Slipping Into September In Style
Another summer is almost past, the annual festivals of endurance racing at Le Mans and Spa are now consigned to the memory bank, an increasingly unreliable destination. There is still much to look forward to in 2018, with one of the highlights of the year taking place next weekend.
I am referring of course to the Concours of Elegance held at the magnificent setting of Hampton Court Gardens. Launched in 2012 the Concours has rapidly established itself at the top table of the automotive universe, a 'must-do' event for those of us who appreciate fine cars.
A bonus for me is that the Concours has found a home so close to DDC Towers, I could walk to the Palace, given the local traffic density that might be quicker.
Looking back I was surprised to see that I did not write up last year's show, so as a preview of what one might find I will show a little of the menu that was served up for us in 2017.
Mention of Le Mans brings me neatly to the fantastic array of D-type Jaguars that toured in to join proceedings on Friday. The 1957 edition of the French classic saw Jaguar take five out the top six places, a record only surpassed by Porsche in 1982 and 1983. The winner plus the other podium finishers made a grand entrance.
They assumed pride of place in front of the Palace, a truly historic grid still looking as dramatic today as they did over 60 years ago.
More endurance legends were on hand. Three in particular caught my attention as I shot all three in period for clients. This Jaguar XJR-8 raced at Le Mans twice and scored four wins in the 1987 World Championship taking Raul Boesel to the Driver's title.
Arguably the most famous F1 GTR of them all is #06R resplendent in yellow and green, better known as the Harrods McLaren. This fantastic car ran for two incomplete seasons in BPR in '95 and '96 with four outright wins and third place at Le Mans, a record that stands comparison with any.
Into the 21st Century with this Aston Martin DBR9 , chassis #01. In 2005 this was a factory car, winning the GT1 class on its début at Sebring and defeating the top dogs, Corvette, on home ground. The rivalry inspired by that triumph still lasts to today. A few weeks later and #01 saw off the cream of the FIA GT Championship contenders at Silverstone to take victory in the Tourist Trophy. This was followed up with a podium at Le Mans. In the following season Larbre Compétition took team and driver titles in the Le Mans Series and in 2007 managed a class win at the Mil Mihas. The Aston retired for two seasons but came back to run in the FIA GT1 World Championship under the Hexis AMR banner. A win in the 2011 opening round at Abu Dhabi was the high point of the season as Hexis AMR headed to the Team's title.
Leaving competition aside there is much else to enjoy; super cars, classics rarely seen, 60 amazing cars to dream about.
Then each day the car clubs bring along yet more automotive treats, all in the most fantastic setting.
Tickets are very reasonable and offer a chance to explore the Palace itself, all of this information and an indication of what is on offer this year can be found at https://concoursofelegance.co.uk/
I would advise attendance if possible, you will not regret it.
John Brooks, August 2018
This entry was posted in Notes from the Cellar and tagged Aston Martin DBR9, Concours of Elegance, Hampton Court Palace, Jaguar D-Type, Jaguar XJR-8, McLaren F1 GTR on August 27, 2018 by John Brooks.
The slide from one year to another encourages us to reflect and recall the past both recent and distant. I am on a scanning mission at present and this moment from the 1996 Pre-Qualifying at Le Mans caught my eye while plundering the archive. Not just the F40 GTE and the F1 GTR catapulting on to the Mulsanne Straight in pursuit of a distant 911 GT2 but the riot of emerald green.
Simpler, happier times, or am I just dreaming?
To the readers, may I wish you and yours a happy and healthy 2018, anything more would be a bonus.
John Brooks, January 2018
This entry was posted in Nostalgia, Notes from the Cellar and tagged Ferrari F40 GTE, McLaren F1 GTR, Mulsanne Straight on January 1, 2018 by John Brooks.
BPR Blues – how we got what we wanted but lost what we had.
I have been at this internet blogging/posting/opinion lark for over 20 years now. I long ago accepted that most of my output will hardly be read, much less commented upon, bloggers write for themselves for the most part. Back in late 1996 I was following the BPR Global GT Series. For a season and a half it had been absolutely fantastic, great cars, great racing but by the last few races in '96 it was clear that it was doomed. The arrival of the Porsche 911 GT1 run by the factory had changed the landscape irrevocably, those of us who enjoyed the congenial atmosphere of the BPR howled in protest, those who were really in the business made more pragmatic plans for 1997.
The sense of frustration that I felt was articulated in the following piece, posted on, I think, Club Arnage (actually it was the lamented P9.com), but I could be wrong, time does that. It had not long been up when I received a short, sharp, phone call from BPR, explaining that I was no longer welcome at their races and that my invitation to Zhuhai had been withdrawn. Perhaps I deserved that, you can't take The Man's shilling and expect not to be considered bought and I was more than a bit direct in my piece. In any case I was just a minnow, easier to make an example of me than Michael Cotton or Jean-Marc Teissedre, a 'pour encourager les autres' sort of gesture, not that I would compare myself to those two giants of the sportscar media tribe.
I had severely pissed off Jürgen Barth, the B in BPR and re-reading the piece at the time I saw why, though these days we are reconciled and he later had the good grace to admit that most of what I written was on the money. Well it should be, I had good sources. So I stumbled across this document while looking for something in the archive and felt it was time to give it another airing…………somehow I don't think that there are any invitations left to cancel these days…………….
John Brooks, February 2015
Since the summer recess and the trip to Suzuka we have had three rounds of the Global GT Championship organised by the BPR.
Four events have dominated the past six weeks. Ray Bellm and James Weaver have secured the title in their GTC Competition Gulf Racing McLaren by scoring victory at Nogaro, while similar results for Porsche Motorsport at Brands Hatch and Spa have threatened the very future of GT racing in Europe. The Harrods backed McLaren, victors at five races in the past year, withdrew from the series amid a welter of speculation of family disagreements and financial problems. At Nogaro, the talented and popular GT2 driver, Soames Langton sustained serious head and neck injuries and still lies in a coma as this article is being written. This dreadful situation makes all the political posturing and wrangles witnessed over that weekend pretty dam irrelevant.
The general feeling of well being and contentment that was so evident at Silverstone back in May has evaporated in the face of the performance of the GT1 Porsche. Disbelief at Brands Hatch was followed by depression at Spa and last weekend discord and dissent at Nogaro. The series itself is in danger of falling apart with the three organisers at loggerheads with each other and with the teams.
How has this state of affairs been allowed to develop and is the situation beyond redemption?
The teams are almost unanimous in their opposition to the decision to allow the works Porsche 911 GT1 to run in the latter part of the season. The objections are based on the fact that the car is not yet for sale in a road going form and is a brilliantly conceived racing car which COULD be adapted for road use – much like the Dauer 962 which won Le Mans in 1994. The guiding principle behind the concept of GT racing as set out by BPR was to take road cars and adapt them to race on the track, like the F40 Ferraris and F1 McLarens . About the only person who can hold this view of the Porsche GT1 with a straight face is Jürgen Barth who, aside from being the B in BPR, is also a manager in Porsche Motorsport. He is also a former Le Mans winner for the brand. While Barth sees nothing wrong with this conflict of interest others are not so generous.
The main objections to the newcomer are not based wholly on the crushing superiority displayed by the 911 at Brands Hatch and Spa – though this must feature somewhere, no one would care if it were slower. The objections raised by the more articulate existing competitors are firstly that the Porsche is outside the letter and spirit of the regulations as currently exist, whatever anyone cares to say about it. Secondly the appearance of this kind of prototype will drive away the gentlemen drivers on grounds of performance and cost. Cars that develop shed-loads of downforce and have ABS on their carbon fibre brakes will be outside of the current driving abilities of the amateur drivers, until recently the raison d'être for the series and certainly forming the backbone of the entry. As to cost, it is said that the Porsche engines will only run for a maximum of 30 hours. That means a rebuild every two to four races against, for instance, the V12 BMWs which are unchanged throughout the whole season excepting a quick check prior to Le Mans. The team overheads would rocket with additional "spanners" required for the ABS system, the turbos, the engine itself and also for data logging; this could amount to 3 or 4 extra guys per car which would put maybe £600,000 plus on to the operating costs for a two car team. This is only the tip of the iceberg.
Another consideration with finance is that if the running budgets get much above the £1-£2 million bracket that the top teams spend each season, then there is a little man in Prince's Gate who has the opinion that such wealth should be going into Formula One and not be wasted in sportscars or anywhere else. As history shows he is not beyond manipulating circumstances to ensure that this becomes the case. In addition manufacturers only involve themselves in racing when there is some commercial payback so will not hesitate to up the ante financially till they are winning, driving away the private teams and drivers.
It must be acknowledged that, after Formula One, only Touring Cars provide an adequate TV audience and exposure for the investment required. Peugeot went into the Grand Prix arena in 1993/94 and reduced it's outgoings from the stratospheric levels required to run a pseudo-F1 car at Le Mans for 24 hours. It was reported at the time that over £50 million was spent in 1992/93 which really is commercial lunacy, even for those receiving state subsidies on a French scale.
Those of us who witnessed a strong sportscar championship, Group C, disintegrate in 1991 and 1992 will feel an uncanny parallel with the circumstances that are unfolding around us. Porsche indeed may regret their approach if they succeed in remaining eligible for the 1997 Championship. With the demise of ITC there are a number of teams and manufacturers looking to find an outlet for their sporting ambitions. It would not be beyond the bounds of reason that a Mercedes or an Alfa Romeo could commission Zakspeed or Dave Price Racing to build a two seater Grand Prix car which would blow the doors off the GT1 Porsche much like Jaguar, Sauber and Peugeot did to the 962 in Group C after 1987.
The row over the eligibility of the Porsche has given a focus to the general discontent with the BPR Organisation. The teams have had problems with the way that the series is run. The proposal (made in June) to introduce two rounds to be staged in Brazil during mid December angered those who had already finalised their plans and budgets. Even when these events were no longer to be points-scoring, they seemed to be symptomatic of management that acted on day to day reactive basis, without any strategic considerations or appreciation of the obstacles faced by a team in running a race programme.
During the Nogaro weekend the ire of the teams was further inflamed when Barth brought round representatives from Enna-Pergusa, which has been touted as the location of the first round of next year's championship. No one wants to visit Enna (and this has been made pretty clear in the past two months) or indeed any circuit which does not have proper facilities for the teams and media (such as Anderstorp, Nogaro, Paul Ricard, Brands Hatch or Moscow). The teams contend that there are plenty of locations with modern facilities that are crying out for the great package that is GT racing and that there is no need to return to any backwaters, no matter how friendly the locals. Sometimes it is held that this is not the fault of the clubs but of indecision on the part of BPR. At Anderstorp the organising committee put forward a proposal to alter the layout of the pits which would ease the problems faced by the teams but this went largely unheeded by BPR.
Where all this will go is anyone's guess but the status quo will not be maintained. The three BPR founders, Jürgen Barth, Patrick Peter and Stéphane Ratel, are having a summit this weekend and the word on the street is that only B and R will be around to meet with Bernie Ecclestone next week. The FIA is expected to take over the TV rights, and possibly the series, which will leave the survivors out in the cold. Even if this does not happen then there are serious threats from the proposed German GT series which is being set-up out of the wreckage of the ITC failure, with big funding and the backing of manufacturers which will dilute support for the European series. There have also been rumbles from other parties who have threatened to do a BPR and arrange an international championship, properly funded and run through the FIA.
Meanwhile, Andy Evans was at Spa, having allegedly purchased IMSA (I lost track of THAT story while on holiday), and he was courting teams to go to his new GT based championship in the States. He had the fervour of born-again Christian when talking about GTs and sportscars, declaring that we have to get the young people involved (God not them again, can't we just have a series for old farts like me, somewhere safe for us to dribble on about the good old days, when Oasis was something that Omar Sharif shot people over). Evans, it is said, has the ear (and pocket) of Bill Gates of Microsoft and has to be taken as a heavy shaker and mover. Some of his pronouncements were a little hard to understand such as the assertion that he had agreed the take-over of TV rights on sportscar racing from Bernie…..as this is the real substance of the "Bolt's" control over motorsport I found it hard to accept that this asset would be transferred but Bernie is almost always ahead of the pack, so it COULD be true for some arcane reason – perhaps it is the final expression of his contempt for this form of competition.
While all this wretched politics has been going on what has the action from the tracks been like?
Well, the three locations of Brands Hatch, Spa Francorchamps and Nogaro gave an interesting contrast. Brands Hatch is a fantastic place to race and spectate but is dated in terms of '90s motorsport with a lack of run off areas and cramped pits, it has the air of a faded '60s rock star trying to live off former glories when in fact the show has moved on.
Spa offers Brands Hatch a vision of what is possible as it is probably the greatest circuit in the world, magisterial in scope and setting. It arose out the ashes of the original Spa public road course, which by the early '70s was outdated for modern motorsport, though admittedly the Belgian alternatives were pretty grizzly, Zolder or Nivelles. Nevertheless the old Spa was a place of dreams and nightmares, representing the brighter side of the traditional track at the weekend were those sportscar icons backed by Gulf Oil, the Ford GT40 and the Porsche 917. This raised a sparkle in the eyes of those who witnessed Pedro and Seppi door handling their 917s into Eau Rouge in the 1970 edition of the 1000Kms. The revised circuit has distilled the essence of the great original in a way that the new Nürburgring has signally failed to do. The drivers love it as if you achieve something in the Ardennes it gives a sense of intense satisfaction, a job well done. On Friday night at the BPR dinner Lindsay Owen-Jones was bursting to tell someone (in this case me) that he had managed 2:22 on a track that was still drying off and from the look on his face and the emotion in his voice he had conquered his own personal Everest.
Nogaro was somewhat less grand than either Spa or Brands Hatch and epitomised the problems of racing at these upmarket club circuits. First it should be recognised that there is great enthusiasm and passion shown by the clubs at places such as Nogaro, indeed most of us would go back just for the food and wine, especially the wine…… but the pits were wholly inadequate for international racing with all the equipment having to be transported under a tunnel from the transporters and then back for each session. The accident which befell Soames Langton was handled in an exemplary fashion from the medical side. However one would have to question the judgement of those who did not bring out the pace car when the full extent of the incident and the length of time that it would take to extract the stricken driver became evident. (I have subsequently learnt over the years how easy it is to be an armchair critic of Race Control and generally how wrong most of such criticism is and how easy it is to be wise after the event. I have no doubt that this falls into that category.) This is highlights one of the biggest problems facing the BPR series in the difference in attitudes and approach between those who go racing for a living and those who do it for fun and reconciling these two philosophies has not proved easy.
During the track action at both Brands Hatch and Spa it was as if a third class had been introduced above GT1 and GT2 with the appearance of Stuck and Boutsen in the Porsche. At both circuits the car was in a completely different race to all the others. It had more power, had better fuel economy, had more downforce, ABS brakes and in Stuck and Boutsen really experienced, very quick drivers, in short it had everything. The team had a vaguely embarrassed look on their faces when the car crossed the line for victory at Brands Hatch and then Spa. Thierry Boutsen managed to introduce a Formula One-style bullshit press statement with some lame swill about how hard it had been and that something could have gone wrong at any time, blah, blah, blah. The Belgian got out of the 911 at Brands Hatch looking like he had taken granny for a trip to the shops, not been in a two hour stint behind the wheel of a racing car, Boutsen is not demonstrative at the best of times but here he was almost asleep. I don't mind Porsche building a better car within the rules, but I do feel insulted when they try to convince me with PR gibberish that my eyes and brain are deceiving me as to the real action on the track.
Ray Bellm and James Weaver took the title at Nogaro and most in the pit lane would say that they deserved it. Ray is far and away the best of the non-professional drivers. He can be a little prickly to deal with but he has earned the Championship with five wins in '95 and five more in '96 (if you ignore the Porsche at Spa). The partnership with James had the right combination of speed and pragmatism that title victories are made of. GTC Competition took a long hard look at why they were pipped at the post in 1995 and put these minor problems right and the result is there for all to see. Congratulations are due…..
Both at Brands Hatch and at Spa first lap indiscretions led to great comeback drives which ultimately did not get their just reward. John Nielsen tripped up at Druids and then he and Thomas Bscher drove the West McLaren on the limit for three hours but ran out of petrol within sight of the line, losing third place to the second Gulf F1 GTR of Lindsay Owen-Jones and Pierre-Henri Raphanel. At Nogaro a Touring Car-style attempt to win the race at the first corner by Peter Kox (substituting for a Japanese-bound John Nielsen) led to Jean-Marc Gounon in the ENNEA Ferrari F40 and Jan Lammers in the Lotus taking a trip into the barriers. Gounon got pushed back onto the track and appeared to wait for the race to be restarted by blocking the racing line, when that did not work he set off in pursuit already a lap and a half down. He drove the doors off the F40 and was visibly quicker than anything else out there. With 20 minutes to go he came in for a splash and dash while just 20 seconds behind the leading McLaren, Jean-Marc gave the clutch death by dropping it on the rev-limiter, braking a driveshaft or so it seemed from my angle. A poor reward for such a epic drive. He kicked the car in frustration………
Down in GT2 the decision of the Konrad and Roock teams to dispense with any further attempts to make the EVO 911 GT2 work and concentrate their efforts in GT2 has upped the ante for all the competitors in the class. At Brands Hatch and Nogaro Bob Wollek and Franz Konrad emerged triumphant after a long battle with the Marcos of Cor Euser and Tommy Erdos and the Roock Racing 911 driven by Ralf Kelleners, Gerd Ruch and Bruno Eichmann. The class victory for the season will now go to Ruch and Eichmann which, like their GT1 counterparts Bellm and Weaver, is thoroughly deserved, a solid performance from team and drivers, always on the pace.
Soames Langton, Rest in Peace
Further back on the grid if any illustration was needed of the great highs and terrible lows that involvement in motorsport will inflict on you the Lanzante Team will serve as a good example. Last year as a private team (with some help from the factory) they triumphed at Le Mans. Since Suzuka at the end of August it has all been downhill. Soames Langton wrote off the car in practice at Brands Hatch. Then a struggle with engine maladies at Spa appeared to end with a podium finish, till they were disqualified for Paul Burdell not doing the required time behind the wheel. Then came the accident at Nogaro last week with Soames suffering grievous injuries. Those of you waiting to read on your Ceefax of Damon Hill's triumph in Japan (hopefully) will also get a message (page 366) that Soames is out of his coma and on the way to full recovery, at least that's what will happen if there is any justice in this world.
Next it is off to China if there is still a series.
"It's a funny old world" as someone once declared.
Well I got the China bit wrong and tragically Soames never did wake up. He finally passed away in 2011, a blessed relief for his family and for him. I paid tribute to him back then HERE
The photos are from the 1996 season and give a small reminder of a time when GT Racing was flourishing. Indeed Stéphane Ratel celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of his SRO outfit in 2017, bulging grids and great racing in his flagship Blancpain-backed GT3 series illustrate perfectly that he learnt the lessons from the problems encountered in 1996 to 1998 seasons. We are lucky that he did not allow the ship to founder.
This entry was posted in Nostalgia, Notes from the Cellar and tagged Andy Evans, Bob Wollek, BPR Global GT Series, Brands Hatch, Bruno Eichmann, Cor Euser, Franz Konrad, Gerd Ruch, Hans Stuck, James Weaver, Jean-Marc Gounon, John Nielsen, Jürgen Barth, Lindsay Owen-Jones, McLaren F1 GTR, Nogaro, Patrick Peter, Porsche 911 GT1, Ralf Kelleners, Ray Bellm, Soames Langton, Spa Francorchamps, Stephane Ratel, Thierry Boutsen, Tommy Erdos on February 1, 2015 by John Brooks.
The McLaren of Jane Austen – or The Pie, The Bull and other things…
The events that led to this fine story took place a few years back, when my friends Lizett Bond and Kerry Morse paid a visit to the UK. As usual when Kerry is around things get a little out of focus, nevertheless this tale is worth repeating and New Year's Eve is as good as any time to do so. And it is also an appropriate time to remember those who are no longer here to celebrate a New Year, one such individual was Jim Bamber, the great cartoonist and artist who passed away in the summer. He is greatly missed by his friends.
So to those who persevere with this site, may I wish you and yours a happy and healthy 2015.
Think of Jane Austen country. What comes to mind? Landed gentry, leisurely strolls through verdant pastures, sheep, cattle and, of course, the horses? Yet, might there be horses of another type hidden in those peaceful, green hills? Sense tells us this is prime horse country, what if sensibilities were interrupted by the roar of something that travels on four "legs" of a different kind?
I love horses. I cut my teeth on "National Velvet". One of my favorite daydreams consisted of riding The Pie across a pasture, wind whipping my short hair. In this daytime fantasy, Mi coached from the fence line.
Imagine how I jumped when the opportunity arose to actually spend some time in the English countryside. When I discovered that the village of Bentley, my destination, was in Jane Austen territory, I adjusted, trading in Mi and The Pie for Colonel Brandon, Mr. Willoughby, and romance.
Jane Austen country, so steeped in history, was soon to provide some modern surprises, and the contrast between historical and modern would prove pretty striking.
There were several reasons to be in Jane's neck of the woods. First, the MP4/3 McLaren. A Formula One racecar with historical significance and modern interest, I would have the privilege of observing the shakedown of this fine steed at the famous Donington Park racetrack.
The second was to spend time with a Jaguar XJ and a bright yellow Porsche 997 Carrera. These fine carriages, provided by the manufacturers, awaited our arrival at Heathrow Airport after a flight from Los Angeles on Virgin Atlantic.
Our destination was the Bentley Mill Inn. Cars aside, during my visit I wanted to meld into the community and meet the locals. I wanted to belong, if only for a short time.
It was dark as we rolled into the outskirts of Bentley, and after an unplanned tour of the small village, we found our lodgings. Ann and David Hallett, proprietors of the converted mill, proved the quintessential English hosts. A cross between English country gentleperson farmers and extremely cultured, worldly travelers, we were welcomed into their home. In spite of the comfort and quaint ambience of this establishment, there was an air of quiet refinement, as one would expect. A paper mill, originally built in 1640, the Bentley Mill sits virtually atop The River Wey.
And there were more delights to follow. A short walk from the Mill sits the Bull Inn. The classic English Pub, right down to the fireplace, the locals and the atmosphere, The Bull Inn serves breakfast, bar snacks, drinks and dinner. Oh, heaven! If I wanted to experience another world firsthand, I'd found it. Or as Ms Austen would say, "one half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other". The regulars at the Bull Inn are right out of a PBS Masterpiece Theatre production. Sandy, an occasional bartender at the Bull, is the perfect character to stand behind said bar, a lot of fun, and "Sex In the City" has nothing on her. One would expect an old curmudgeon, but instead, the owner of this establishment is an ultra modern sophisticate, driving a Porsche and vacationing in Vail, Colorado.
Feeling as if this was now my local, dinner at the Bull became a nightly ritual. One special evening at the Bull was topped off by dinner with renowned race cartoonist and artist, Jim Bamber and his wife Sally.
How could one resist the urge for further exploration? In order to access the hamlet of Bentley from the Mill Inn, one has two choices; get in a car and trek the A31 or, the best to any traveler, stroll right out the front door, turn right on the narrowest country road ever and hit the footpaths through the pastures. Bentley was meant for ambling and the juxtaposition of historical cottages and new mansions was marked as I sauntered along. The imagination is well exercised with a pasture promenade and, like Jane Austen, I preferred "taking a turn in the shrubbery". I fancied an encounter with Miss Steele as I traveled the footpaths to the little village of Bentley.
Another day trip included a visit to Austen's home in Chawton, where she resided for the last eight years of her life and penned some of her best works. The house is now a museum.
An excursion to the city of Winchester also provided some timeless contrasts. Being December, the weather was quite chilly and rather dreary, but a Christmas Market at Winchester Cathedral, along with street musicians and the aroma of assorted treats, set the mood. I was transported to another century. Walking into Winchester Cathedral, I was struck by the presence of the humanity who had trod these floors before me.
However, leaving Winchester in the comparative safety and luxury of a new Jaguar XJ jolted me back to modern times.
However, speaking of centuries past, The Bishops of Winchester inhabited Farnham Castle in the village of Farnham, for over 900 years. Bentley is just a stones throw from Farnham.
Since my countryside reverie was about to be interrupted, combined with, or attached to, a trip to Farnham, I began to wonder just what this little escapade would bring to the table. How could it possibly compete with Bentley, and Ann of the Mill, or Sandy of the Bull Inn, of sheep in the pasture, or ancient bibles, and, well, all of it? But seriously, as the purpose of the trip was car stuff, what could complete this trip more than a visit to the "shop" of a major historic racecar player?
Once there, the contrast took my breath away. Obviously a horse and cattle operation in times past, the fantastic barn had been restored to its original splendor. What was behind those wooden doors? How about a fantastic collection of vintage racecars. Vintage, in Jane Austen country, is a relative term. What constitutes a vintage car? Well, cars are a relatively new creation and Ms. Austen would not have known them, so we are modern/historical in a relative sense. Our prejudices are just challenged. But I digress.
The purpose of the visit is a photo shoot. And not just any old vintage racecar either; a McLaren MP4 Porsche powered F1 rolling stock. To record the event, eminent racecar photographer John Brooks is on hand, with all his paraphernalia, along with racecar historian Kerry Morse. Their goal, to photograph the McLaren, in the mist, in the cold, in the historic setting, to express the essense of the car and the people who influence racing.
But, wait, there's more! Did I want a ride in an F1 GTR McLaren? The ex Ray Bellm 1996 F1 GTR still in Gulf Oil colors? Of course! Did I realize what I was getting into? Of course not! This fabulous looking McLaren rolled out of the shop, still wearing those championship Gulf colors of blue and orange. It was, well, romantic and loud and full of horsepower. It was Colonel Brandon and I was in Jane's countryside. It was The Pie and a steeplechase. I wanted to cut my hair short and pretend! Did I turn down the ride? Of course not.
I pried myself around the roll cage and into a tiny racing seat located to the left of the driver, as the McLaren is a center steer. Strapped into a seat that allowed for NO movement, I decided my safety was in the hands of my driver. "These cars are built for catastrophe," I told myself, and, "Hey, this guy knows what he is doing". I plastered a quivering smile on my face and we were off. Nothing compares to a drive through the English countryside in a McLaren "street legal" racecar with a proficient driver. Behind us, yet another McLaren F1 followed, this example being of the production type. Bringing up the rear came Brooks and Morse, in the yellow Porsche 997, trying their best to keep up with the McLaren duo.
I could scarcely turn my head, partly out of fear, and partly out of, well, the inability to turn my head in such tight seating. Feeling a bit like Plato's workers in the Allegory of the Cave, I was aware only of what was going on directly to the front of me. Conversation with my intrepid driver was impossible. He couldn't hear my silent screams, and his reassurances would fall on deaf ears. Not that he seemed to feel any need to comfort me. I could see, in my peripheral vision, people staring at the ride. I focused on the road ahead, foot mashing an imaginary brake pedal. Seriously though, is there anything cooler than traversing speed bumps, in front of a school full of teenaged students, in an extremely rare and fast car?
As we sped into the countryside, cows, horses and sheep grazed quietly in a pastoral setting, not even raising their heads at the roar of the McLaren. I was able to see these creatures, sort of…they went by so fast! I felt as if the cows were tigers about to be churned into butter. Finally, we pulled into what appeared to be an upscale dairy. Upscale, indeed. We'd arrived at a warehouse chock full of historic racecars. Let's see, historic racecars in a modern warehouse in the middle of land that makes me think that all creatures are truly great and small. Old, new, old…wow, forget Mi and Colonel Brandon, even Mr. Darcy…bring me Mr. Firth, bring me Mr. Rickman!
Eventually, I had to come back to reality, to my own half of the world. I had to say goodbye to Ann and David of the Mill, Sandy of The Bull Inn and to Brooksie….the 'other half' of SportsCarPros. A confession; the countryside, the Jag, and the sightseeing took precedence over Donington. While the intrepid crew of SportsCarPros was shooting away at the track, I was tooling around in that beautiful black Jag or in my own black riding boots, which doubled as walking boots. After all, as Jane once wrote, "Why not seize the pleasure at once, how often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation?"
Lizett Bond, December 2006
This entry was posted in Cool Stuff, Nostalgia, The Social Pages and tagged Jaguar XJ, Kerry Morse, Lizett Bond, McLaren F1 GTR, McLaren MP4/3 on December 31, 2014 by John Brooks.
Over the Hills and Var Away
The second year of the BPR Series saw more victories for the McLaren F1 GTR, this time GTC Competition would not throw the title away. From the outset, Ray Bellm and James Weaver were on the pace. On a chilly, crisp day at Paul Ricard during the opening round they had the measure of the field, even the Ferrari F40 GTE.
This entry was posted in Nostalgia, Notes from the Cellar, The Blink of An Eye and tagged BPR, GTC Competition, James Weaver, Le Castellet, McLaren F1 GTR, Paul Ricard, Ray Bellm on December 8, 2012 by John Brooks.
A Touch of Class
1995 and one of McLaren's golden years. Winning the Le Mans 24 Hours at the first attempt and trouncing the opposition in the BPR Global GT Endurance Series with their fabulous McLaren F1 GTR. OK they had a crap season in F1, but regular readers (both of you) will know that such matters are regarded as a mere trifle on this blog.
In the run up to La Sarthe the pack headed to Donington and once again it was a McLaren fest. The above GTC Competition example did not fare so well as the others, being delayed with a broken gear linkage and so relegated Championship contenders Ray Bellm and Maurizio Sandro Sala to 15th place, out of the points. A rare slip from Woking's finest.
This entry was posted in Nostalgia, Notes from the Cellar, The Blink of An Eye and tagged BPR, Donington, GTC Competition, Maurizio Sandro Sala, McLaren F1 GTR, Ray Bellm on December 6, 2012 by John Brooks.
Ain't No Brakeman
Tree Fellers
Preparing tax returns and generally clearing the office I stumble across a copy of "Pursuit of Perfection" made by an old mucker of mine for McLaren. Of course any distraction is welcome, but this stuff is pure gold, back in one of my favourite times.
The Bells Toil
That year I shot for Harrods amongst others, and their entry was in the hunt for victory right till the end. But it was the Ueno Clinic backed entry, run by Paul Lanzante that triumphed.
Prelude To A Kiss
On the film the first lap was electric, with Yannick Dalmas in the driver's seat and some of the slickest camera work and editing ever seen on a motorsports video. Add to this the wailing sound track of V12 BMW overlaid by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers pounding out "Ain't No Brakeman" and it is getting into perfection territory……….JuJu of the strongest kind. You can judge for youreselves HERE
NO TYRE CHANGE! NO TYRE CHANGE
Of the many highlights on the film, two have stuck with me on this viewing. The expression of wonder in the voice of Paul Lanzante at the pace of JJ Lehto during the very wet night. "We set a time to maintain throughout the race, 4 minutes 10 seconds. I think JJ thought he had to do that in the wet……………
Then the final scene brings a lump to my throat as Soames Langton, who had helped his friend Lanzante at the race, sprayed Champagne all over those standing in the pitbox. It was a time of great happiness.
Rest in Peace Soames
God Speed JJ
This entry was posted in Nostalgia, Notes from the Cellar, Real Men, The Blink of An Eye and tagged JJ Lehto, Le Mans, McLaren F1 GTR, Paul Lanzante, Soames Langton on December 30, 2011 by John Brooks.
Echoes from Mulsanne
The Rites of Spring
Evoluzionare
Paris Métro
John Brooks on Echoes from Mulsanne
Martin Raffauf on Echoes from Mulsanne
Lee Self on Echoes from Mulsanne
Dimitri on The Land that Time Forgot
Bridgehampton Guy
Creeksider
From A Continental Correspondent
From A Special Correspondent
Kensington Gore
Notes from the Cellar
Oh Dear…..
Race Reflections
Rare and Interesting
The Big Figure
The Blink of An Eye
The Golden State Correspondent
The Social Pages
Trumpet Blowing
Vue de l'autre côté de la Manche


text:
Female mortician shares her fascinating career
Staff Writer • 10 March 2019 11:34AM • 0 comments
Not many people are able to handle just the sight of a lifeless body around them, worse still if it is not that of a relative or friend.
For funeral directors, dead bodies are their stock in trade.
Talk to any undertaker or staff who work for funeral parlours, they all have fascinating stories to tell about how they ended up in the profession.
For Chengetai Jones, a mortician at First Funeral, she was inspired into taking up the profession after witnessing a body being expertly embalmed at a mid-tier funeral parlour in Harare.
She realised her passion for "beautifying" the dead during the time that her late mother worked as an accountant for that same funeral company.
Whenever she visited, Jones would pester a mortician who was popularly known as Lenon to grant her access into the mortuary.
Her first encounter with a dead body was when Lenon allowed her to watch as he was cleaning and patching an accident victim, who had bruises and deep cuts all over the body.
"…it was an adventure and I could not believe the results: the wounds and cuts were no longer visible after the patching and embalming. At that point I felt that it was exactly what I wanted to do," she recalled with nostalgia.
"Lenon admired my bravery and encouraged me to join the profession but when I later tried looking for him after my mother's death, I was gutted to hear that he had passed on. His workmates then told me that First Funeral required a female mortician."
She was invited for an interview at First Funeral on September 13, 2006 and got the job.
The rest is history.
She has been a mortician at the parlour for 14 years.
The zeal she enthuses in embalming dead corpses defies the morbid stereotypes associated with the once male-dominated career.
She has since learnt to live each day as if it were her last and to treat dead bodies as her friends.
Jones said she is no longer scared of death nor is she afraid to comfort someone who would have suffered a loss.
She says as she would be doing her job, she gives the deceased the same love and attention that their friends and family would if they were the ones caring for the body.
"I'm not scared of corpses. I can confidently visit an accident scene and rescue people when other men are covering their faces in fear.
"I had the privilege of dressing a number of my deceased close relatives and I was the first person to be called whenever death occurred in the family.
"Corpses have become my friends. I have seen it all and death does not scare me anymore. For me, it is simply a transition to the afterlife and I know my day will also come."
To demonstrate how comfortable she is in the company of corpses, Jones can even take her food while in the mortuary.
She said: "I enjoy my food and would sometimes actually carry it to the mortuary and quickly eat before finishing dressing the body. There is nothing unusual. For me, a dead person is only different from the living because they cannot talk."
The mother of two says she can actually communicate with the dead bodies that she calls her friends.
For 11 years, she worked single-handedly at the parlour until she was joined by another female mortician.
Before then, she would only ask for assistance from her male workmates to pull corpses placed in top drawers for embalming.
"Most of them cannot stand the mortuary; it takes a lot of courage," she told the Daily News on Sunday.
Jones says it is quite encouraging that more women are taking up the profession and excelling.
"This says a lot about gender responsibilities that women have for long been restricted from venturing into by society. It is just like any other job," Jones said.
Like any other profession, being a mortician isn't an easy job.
But contrary to perceptions that morticians take drugs to deal with dead bodies, Jones says this is far from being the case.
"It is a lie that morticians take drugs to maintain a sober sense. I have done this job for years but never took any drugs or alcohol," she argued.
She also dismissed cultural beliefs that forbid pregnant women from going near a dead body to protect the unborn baby from diseases or being tormented by evil spirits.
Jones has carried pregnancies for her two children while on duty.
"I could even have the corpse's head rub against my belly and nothing happened to me. In fact, I would work up to the ninth month and normally went for maternity leave a few days before delivery," she said.
Once in a while, she has had unpleasant moments.
At one time, while preparing a body that had been brought to her in a decomposing state, fluids gushed out and smeared her whole face.
She said she developed warts, as a result.
"I was later treated and thank God it was not one of these sexually transmitted infections. The warts looked like herpes and for a moment my heart skipped.
"The work is physically and emotionally demanding and you must be willing and able to work long hours. An ever-present sense of urgency is another reality of the job and one ought to have a strong stomach for the post-mortem sights and smells," she admitted.
She is happy to have a supportive family which also utilises her expertise whenever a family member has passed on.
But does she have a moment she would rather forget quickly?
Jones narrated to the Daily News on Sunday how staff at a local hospital she could not name for professional reasons tested her resilience.
She had visited the hospital to pick up a body and prepare it for burial.
She least expected the worst would happen.
Hospital personnel ushered her into the room where the body lay and with the help of a driver from her funeral parlour, they had hoped to quickly retrieve the corpse and have it cleaned up in time for burial.
Unbeknown to them, the deceased person had encountered a dreadful accident that detached his body into two.
She held the body part which had been wrapped in clothe by the legs while her driver got the upper body and on the count of three, they were going to lift the corpse but Jones fell to the ground because the corpse's other body part followed her and everything became a mess.
"It was one of the worst of my experiences. I will not say the name of the hospital but I was a regular there and the nurses used to tease me for choosing this line of profession, so, that day, when I arrived, they had shouted 'that girl is here and today and we have an ace up our sleeve for her'," Jones said as she reflected on her 14 years as a mortician.
"My robe got soiled but we just took our body and returned to the parlour. I never did anything else but just washed myself and left for home."
That experience taught her to be extra careful.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


JERA, the Japanese energy giant, purchased LNG from the US for the first time at the beginning of January this year.
JERA believes the purchase of US LNG will contribute to a stable supply in Japan through the diversification of procurement regions and LNG price Indices.
Ahead of Gastech Japan 2017, which will be held in Tokyo this April, the Senior Executive Vice President of JERA has confirmed that senior team members will be in attendance at the Gastech Exhibition and Conference in order to seek business opportunities and network to strengthen its gas and LNG business. The company is currently one of the largest LNG buyers in the world.
As part of its business strategy, the company aims to double its revenue from 2,200bn JPY ($19.4m) to 4,600bn JPY ($40.5m), and to make a 14-fold increase in net income between 2016 and 2030. In terms of its business and operational activity, JERA aims to maintain its LNG transaction volume from 30 to 40 million metric tonne per annum, investing in a total of 12 projects worldwide, and nearly doubling its LNG transport vessels, from 16 to 30.
Like JERA, many other renowned Japanese energy companies will come together to host Gastech 2017.
The Gastech Consortium will enable attendees to explore further business opportunities at the global level. The Consortium consists of Japan's 10 leading energy companies: JERA, Tokyo Gas, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui & Co, INPEX Corporation, ITOCHU Corporation, Japan Exploration & Petroleum Corporation Co., Ltd (JAPEX), JX Nippon Oil & Energy, Marubeni Corporation and Sumitomo Corporation.
Air Liquide Global E&C Solutions, the engineering and construction division of the Air Liquide Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Atlantic, Gulf and Pacific Company (AG&P), an integrator of infrastructure solutions across the LNG supply chain, to develop small-scale LNG infrastructure for LNG distribution across Asia.
The demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) hit 265 million tonnes in 2016, opening yet more opportunities for equipment crossovers between the LNG industry and the industrial gas sector.


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Top Ten Hottest Female Singers of South Korea who are very popular, famous, gorgeous, well, known and very renowned celebrities among the people of South Koreas as well as across the world by showing the abilities and capabilities in the field of singing and acting in various musical shows and television serials.
Chou Tzu-yu is popular with the name of Tzuyu commonly who is a very beautiful Taiwanese singer based in South Korea as well as the member of the K-Pop girl group. She appeared in the television of South Korea in which she was publicized by holding the flag of the Republic of China flicker argument in China in 2015. she is one of the Top Ten Hottest Female Singers of South Korea.
Noh Yi Young a Korean pop singer who is known commonly with the name of E-Young. She is also a member of the girl After School. She made her debut "make it happen" with the collaboration of Japanese group. She plays the guitar, electric guitar, flute, piano, drums, bass, cello, and violin etc and she has won more than 30 awards against dancing, singing, cello and piano playing.
She is a very handsome singer and actress of South Korea who is frequently known as Hyoseong. She was selected in Mnet's Battle Shinhwa which directed to her singing with superior entertainment. She was born on 13th October 1989. She introduced with her Song Jieun, Han Sunhwa, and Jung Hana in 2009 and she appeared as a solo artist in 2014.
She is a very attractive pop singer from Korea who is known as Kaeun. She is a popular associate of the girl group after school. She made her first debut with the group on their 05th single "Flashback". She was born on 20th August 1994 in Seoul, South Korea.
She is a very good-looking singer and actress of South Korea who is acknowledged as Jooyeon commonly. She is also a famous former member of the girl group after school. She was born on 19th March 1987 in Seoul, South Korea. She prepared her acting presentation in the drama Smile Again as well as participated in various dramas. She is one of the beautiful Top Ten Hottest Female Singers of South Korea.
Kim Jungah is known as Jung Ah who is the professional singer of South Korea. She has also remained a member of Kiss Five as well as ex-leader of after school. She was instinctive on 02nd August 1983 at Incheon, South Korea. She appeared with her first debut After School on 29th December 2008 at the SBS song party by performing "Play Girlz" with Son Dambi and Kahi.
She is celebrated by her stage name Kahi and her full name is Park Ji-Young who is a very beautiful and popular singer, dancer and actress of South Korea. She is familiar as a previous manager of the girl group after school by starting on a solo singing and acting career. She was born on 25th December 1980 at Daegu, South Korea.
Her full name is Oh Hye-Rin who is the famous South Korean singer as well as songwriter and notorious with her stage name Raina. She has remained songster of South Korean Girl Group and also the head of after school sub-unit Orange Caramel. She was intuitive on 07th May 1989 at Ulsan, South Korea. She entranced as a solo singer with the single "You End and Me".
Kim Yu-Jin is the very popular South Korean Singer as well as the actress who is renowned by her stage name Uee. She is also well known as a previous member of South Korean Girl Group from 2009 to 2017. She was born on 09th April 1988 in Jung District, South Korea. She has also performed as an actress in a variety of television dramas such as Queen Seondeok, Ojakgyo Family, Jeon Woo Chi, Golden Rainbow and Marriage Contract etc.
She is a very beautiful South Korean Singer and actress who is generally famed with the name Lizzy. She appeared first time as a new member of gild group in 2010. She has also performed in numerous television dramas including as All My Love and Angry Mom. She is one of the most attractive Top Ten Hottest Female Singer of South Korea.


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Japan is one of the top travel destinations among affluents.
While authenticity has been a leading focus for heritage hospitality and travel brands, ultra-personalized experiences are set to overtake it, according to a new report from Virtuoso.
For affluent travelers, these personalization requests go beyond upscale accommodations and events and instead include specific meals and personal photographers. Social media continues to play a major role in travel planning, from inspiring some adventurers and motivating others to seek out under-the-radar experiences.
The global travel network surveyed more than 1,000 travel advisors from affiliated agencies across the globe for its 2018 Luxe Report.
At the heart of burgeoning vacation trends is an emphasis on destinations and activities that reflect travelers' own interests. Social media inspiration is also one of the main motivations for travel, especially among younger generations.
According to a survey from Allianz Global Assistance, about half of millennials say social media influences their travel decisions. Peer-to-peer word of mouth holds the most sway, as 86 percent of consumers trust their own social networks to post accurate content about travel experiences, while 55 percent deem brands to be truthful on social media (see story).
For affluents, however, social media means more than simply capturing a photo for Instagram. Virtuoso has worked with clients to organize professional photoshoots, sometimes themed, at various destinations.
Hotel brand The Dorchester Collection is looking to help guests create and capture memories of their trips by launching a collection of city guides.
Curated by a select group of influencers, the #DCmoments City Guides are designed to inspire people to explore and share their favorite places on social media (see story).
Travelers are also exposed to new locales through social media, leading them to seek out unusual accommodations, like igloos or treehouses, that have not been overdone. They also expect transportation providers to cater to them, whether through more accessible travel routes or VIP service while going though customs.
Lastly, conservation is also a growing priority among travelers, especially animal lovers. Not only do some guests want to attend safaris or go whale watching, but they will also seek out animal protection facilities and other welfare-oriented interactions.
As travelers become more environmentally conscious, luxury hotel brands are introducing more sustainability initiatives that prove hospitality does not need to sacrifice upscale experiences to achieve ecological and social responsibility (see story).
When it comes to destinations, different countries and cities find popularity depending on the purpose of travel.
Italy is the top global destination, and also ranks the most popular among families, millennials and honeymooners. South Africa is the most popular adventure destination and Japan is the top emerging country.
Japan is also the most popular travel destination among Asian millionaires. This is a result of its strong heritage, a variety of destinations across the country and the low yen (see story).
Exploration and experiencing new cultures outranked relaxation as the primary motivation for travel. The leading vacation types are multigenerational travel and adventure trips.
According to a report from Travel Leaders Group, adventure travel, which includes activities such as hiking and nature exploration as well as cultural and culinary exploration, is growing in popularity. This finding is consistent with an overall shift in luxury consumers' habits, favoring experiential purchases (see story).
In addition, many luxury hospitality brands are already emphasizing their commitment to customer service.
For instance, in its first digital-led campaign, Hilton's Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts gave concierges the starring role. All of the videos emphasize face-to-face interactions, a conscious choice the brand made based on their own consumer data (see story).
"Travel is enhanced through human connection," Ms. Hansen said. "That is the one element that cannot be fabricated, knocked-off or replicated through technology.
"Consumers want an experience that is as individual as they are," she said. "Luxury brands that connect with guests on a deeper level and offer something that's non-Google-able will find themselves viewed as something other than a commodity."


text:
The World Beyond BetterMost »
The Culture Tent (Moderator: Sheriff Roland) »
In the New Yorker...
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Author Topic: In the New Yorker... (Read 683189 times)
serious crayons
BetterMost Moderator
Re: In the New Yorker...
Quote from: Monika on November 16, 2012, 01:19:53 am
that´s a pretty bold statment
How so? I think of it as a simple statement of fact: Keanu usually plays heterosexuals.
I guess I can think of one role in which, as I recall, Keanu played a gay man (My Own Private Idaho), so if you were thinking of that one, or some other role in which he's gay that I'm not thinking of, or maybe even some role in which his sexual orientation is not specified, then my statement was simply incorrect. Still not particularly bold, though.
The larger point I was making is, unless you've spent time with Keanu outside of his movies, you haven't seen what he's really like, so how would he set off your gaydar or not? And as I said earlier, I don't see much about Keanu outside of his movies -- haven't seen him on talk shows or red-carpet interviews or things like that. But maybe you watch different shows than I do and you have seen him as himself.
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We are all the same. Women, men, gay, straight
Quote from: serious crayons on November 16, 2012, 09:01:37 am
Uhm...of course I don´t personally know Keanue Reeves. If I had, you´d definately know by now....
I have as much to go on as you do when you say you think he might be in the closet.
I thought by playing "the heterosexual role" you implied something more than just characters he portrays on screen. If an actor portrays a heteresexual man on-screen it doesn´t neccessery impact my thoughts on the person´s sexual orientation. I have a recent example - I have just started watching an old favorite tv-show of mine again - The Pretender - that I haven´t watched in more than 10 years. I used to be ADDICTED to it in the late 90´s. I´m delighted that I still love it. Back then - in the late 90´s - I wasn´t very aware of the chance that I guy I liked might be gay. It was simply never on my mind. This time around though - more than 10 years - and many experiences - later - my gaydar was set off instantly regarding the very good-looking male lead - Michael T Weiss. A quick google search later and yes - indeed he´s gay. And I might add that, on the show, he portrays a heterosexual man. It´s difficult to know what exactly sets the gaydar off, but it usually works.
So no, Keanue Reeves doesn´t show up on my gaydar. Simple as that. But might he still be gay? Of course.
Michael T Weiss. The eyes...they eyes.....mmmmm
The larger point I was making is, unless you've spent time with Keanu outside of his movies, you haven't seen what he's really like, so how would he set off your gaydar or not?
I think gaydar doesn't necessarily work that way. Everyone's gaydar seems to have its own way of functioning.
Neil Patrick Harris set off mine years before I learned that he actually is.
Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on November 16, 2012, 10:08:45 am
That's a point. Plus, I would guess that gaydar functions best for people or in situations where it's useful or important to distinguish whether someone is gay or not. In most cases, for me, it doesn't affect my life in any way, so maybe it's not as strong. When it does go off, it's like noticing a person's ethnicity or age -- an interesting characteristic, but not a significant factor in most situations.
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Brokeback got us good.
Something I hardly ever do is to read ahead electronically rather than waiting for my print copy to arrive. But I just had to read what David Denby said about "Life of Pi." I'll wait until Thursday to read about David Petraeus.
Too much to do. . .I don't have time to get old!
Jill Lepore is another author I always read when she has an article in the magazine. Her article on the history of taxation in the Nov. 26 issue is amazing.
Slightly OT, but I mysteriously started getting New York magazine in the mail for some reason. I must have received a magazine subscription with something I purchased, but I swear I don't remember ordering it.
I love New York too --- compared to the New Yorker, it's a little edgier and more risk-taking, though not generally as deep, and of course more pop-culture focused. Either way, though, there's a whole nother pile of weekly magazines to accumulate.
For some reason, probably the fault of the postal service, I got the December 10 issue before the December 3 issue.
I spent an hour this afternoon in the company of Calvin Trillin! He was in town to promote his latest book, and he stopped by the paper and talked to reporters, mostly about the New Yorker, where he became a staff writer in 1963. He talked a lot about his "U.S. Journal" series, which he wrote every three weeks, from the late '60s to the mid-'80s. He'd go through newspapers and find an interesting story somewhere in the country, travel to the place and spend a week there talking to folks, then return to NY and write a 3,000 word evocative charming memorable piece. Of course, that's not how he described them. He was low key, mild-mannered, non-assuming and pretty funny.
He name-dropped William Shawn and John McPhee, the latter of whom he said had a really elaborate writing system that involved bringing home his draft (typed on paper, in those days) and stuffing it into some niche in his house that he felt was unlikely to succumb in case of fire. "Is that neurotic?" McPhee asked Trillin. "Nah," Trillin told him. Not if that's what works for him.
Quote from: serious crayons on December 07, 2012, 01:59:38 am
Wow! Lucky you!
Of course, I spent some time with him yesterday, too--reading his piece on food in Oaxaca (sp?).
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