Historic motorsport, classic car features Retro-Speed classic car magazine

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FLYING FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN

Visitors enjoy splendid Shuttleworth spectacle Click to view our Gallery. Held on Sunday 6 June 2021 the Shuttleworth Collection’s Flying Festival of Britain air display took place under ideal conditions, in other words, light winds and an ever-increasing amount of blue sky. This allowed even the oldest, and flimsiest, of vintage aeroplanes, some dating back to the very first days of f...

THE CAR THAT WOULDN'T DIE - Omnibus 8 : Peter Baker

The Car that wouldn’t Die Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page There’s something in the air With Bertram otherwise engaged Marie harboured little inclination, on such a fine summer’s day, to head back into London. It was such an utterly depressing place. Surely, driving the country lanes of Surrey in an open-topped car,...

FACTS AND FIGURES : Ales Norsky

Williams' 750 Grands Prix? Words by Ales Norsky According to the Williams Racing's website, at the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, the British team becomes only the third in the sport’s history to participate in 750 Grands Prix. Congratulations certainly are in order but, in my humble opinion, the statement requires a little clarification. There was a team in Formula 1 at least partially ow...

MASTERS HISTORIC FESTIVAL BRANDS HATCH - Editorial Ramblings : Peter Baker

Superbly Atmospheric Words and images by Peter Baker, Click to view our Gallery. I grew up with Brands Hatch and clearly remember being just 14 but still mixing with the likes of Jim Clark, Graham Hill and all the rest, while wandering the paddock. I also remember Boxing Day at the track. They were great times. Sadly, yours truly was also at Brands the day the music died, in other words, whe...

THE CAR THAT WOULDN'T DIE - Omnibus 7 : Peter Baker

The Car that wouldn’t Die Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page All Fired Up. Although their time together in Paris had been short, he recognised her the moment she walked into the room. Bertie was more a soldier than a ladies' man and fumbled for something to say. "Hello Marie. Would you like some rice pudding?" They spent all af...

PRESCOTT MINI FESTIVAL 2021

Multifarious Minis at Prescott Words and images by Ken Davies Prescott’s Mini Festival, held at the Bugatti Owners' Club historic hill climb on Saturday 22 May 2021, celebrated all things Mini, but particularly marked the 60th Anniversary of the first 997cc version of the Mini Cooper, debuted in September 1961. Under cloudy skies, and with strict Covid controls in place, this was an a...

BAKER STREET : Peter Baker

Motoring down to Monte Words and images by Peter Baker Monte Carlo, one way or the other, has always figured highly in my motoring life. Going back a few years, first time south to the sun, or rain as is often the case, was in a Citroen CX, the ultimate comfort machine. I wafted there and back, the 2,000 or more miles, suspended on a cushion of air. The CX was ‘Car of the Year&rsq...

THE CAR THAT WOULDN'T DIE - Omnibus 6 : Peter Baker

The Car that wouldn’t Die Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page Hide And Seek. Lofty, now a serving officer in the Royal Navy, was home on leave, and having just learned of Bertie's apparent demise, was on this damp morning in September 1943, propping up the bar of the Coach and Horses public house. "Now come along sir, ain’...

THE CAR THAT WOULDN'T DIE - Omnibus 5 : Peter Baker

The Car that wouldn’t Die Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page Give the man a cigar. In truth, both men spent more time checking their watches than playing good chess. And after a prolonged series of bad moves they gave up. "Fifteen minutes to go before the deadline." "Let’s go through everything again Bertram. If, at one mi...

FIA EHRC CONTENDERS PENTTI VEIKKANEN AND TIMO JAAKKOLA - Jeff Carter

Getting to know Pentti Veikkanen and Timo Jaakkola Words and image by Jeff Carter Finnish duo Pentti Veikkanen and Timo Jaakkola have been a regular feature on the FIA EHRC for many years in their distinctive Category 3 Porsche 911 SC, which they have named ‘The Red Devil’ In 2019 Pentti and Timo finished 2nd in class on no less than five occasions, in Vltava, Asturias, Ypres,...

THE CAR THAT WOULDN'T DIE - Omnibus 4 : Peter Baker

The Car that wouldn’t Die Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page Call it intuition, training on the ground, or just Bertie’s sixth sense, that of self-preservation. Whatever, it sent alarm bells ringing. Just as it had in Cairo, downtown New York, Berlin and several cities in India. Bertram’s nose twitched. He was being f...

THE CAR THAT WOULDN'T DIE - Omnibus 3 : Peter Baker

The Car that wouldn’t Die Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page Ropey saved Dotty’s life. He threw a blanket over the flames and manhandled her from the cockpit. Meanwhile, the others pushed the Bentley into open space and watched it burn. A sad end indeed to their race. Out on track a classic ending to Le Mans 24 H...

FIA EHRC CONTENDERS ERNIE AND KAREN GRAHAM : Jeff Carter

Getting to know Ernie and Karen Graham Words and images by Jeff Carter Husband-and-wife team Ernie and Karen Graham have been a regular feature on the FIA European Historic Rally Championship since 2017. In 2019 they had their best season with several Category 1 victories in their Ford Escort Twincam, enabling them to finish second overall at the end of the season, just two points behind c...

RAMBLING AROUND WITH THE VSCC AND BOC - Editorial Ramblings : Peter Baker

Up and down hills Words and images by Peter Baker Saturday 24 April and I’m pointing the trusty MG ZTT towards the Welsh Borders and day one of the VSCC Herefordshire Trial. It’s going to be hot and sunny which, of course, is all wrong for trialling. We need mud, mud, glorious mud, not dust, dust and more dust. That said, quite a few competitors still managed to cock-up the all...

THE CAR THAT WOULDN'T DIE - Omnibus 2 : Peter Baker

The Car that wouldn’t Die Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page The sixth Grand Prix of Endurance took place at Circuit de la Sarthe over the weekend 16-17 June 1928. With the circuit now fully surfaced, and weather set fair, record-breaking was taken for granted. Without doubt, the Bentley four-car team were favourites, but could ...

THE CAR THAT WOULDN'T DIE - Omnibus 1 : Peter Baker

The Car that wouldn’t Die New Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page It was September 1924. No, I tell a lie. It was the second week of October. At the International Motor Car Show, Olympia, where a very young Bertie Bannister of Difflock Mansions, Mayfair, egged on by his latest girlfriend Lena Thataway, handed over a substantial amou...

FIA HISTORIC MOTOR SPORT COMMISSION : Jeff Carter

Q&A with the President John Naylor Words and image by Jeff Carter In December 2020 John Naylor was appointed President of the FIA Historic Motor Sport Commission, taking over from Paolo Cantarella, who had held the post since 2014. John Naylor brings with him a wealth of experience as a competitor, engineer and official, both in his native Ireland and on the international stage. We ca...

THE SCOTTS GO MOTORING - Omnibus 13: Peter Baker

The Scotts go Motoring Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow the daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page Way before Noakes was comfortably tucked up, George had decided on his course of action. He picked up the microphone. “This is your captain speaking. I know things look pretty grim at the moment, but actually folks, trust me, there’s not much to worry about. This...

FIA EHRC CONTENDER JEAN-FRANCOIS MOURGUES : Jeff Carter

Getting to know Jean-Francois Mourgues Words and image by Jeff Carter The 2001 French Rally Champion and former World Rally Championship competitor Jean-Francois Mourgues will take part in the 2021 FIA European Historic Rally Championship at the wheel of a BMW M3 with co-driver Denis Giraudet, who has five WRC rally wins between 1993 and 2001, one with Juha Kankkunen and four with Didier A...

THE SCOTTS GO MOTORING - Omnibus 12: Peter Baker

The Scotts go Motoring Serial copyright Peter Baker Follow the daily episodes on Peter Baker’s Facebook page It was raining again, thanks to another warm front working its way east along the coastline, and their primitive windscreen wipers had long since ceased to function. Robert, trying be helpful, suggested a potato might help, but Florence was in no mood for flippancy. “W...



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