Racing and Competition

1961 Jaguar E-Type chassis 860001, the very first right-hand-drive production Fixed Head Coupé restored by Classic Motor Cars Ltd (CMC), has been driven to 146 mph on a German autobahn by British Hill Climb Champion, David Franklin. David was recreating for Octane magazine’s 150th issue one of the most famous road tests ever undertaken, attempting to match the 150 mph a Jaguar E-Type reached on a Belgian motorway in 1961, and he nearly made it! David said: “I saw 146mph and it was still accelerating when I had to back off because of cars and lorries in the distance. When you’re travelling at that speed you have to err on the side of caution. You’re catching other traffic up quite quickly and you have to remember that there’s no ABS, although the brakes felt strong and progressive.It would comfortably have […]

The McLaren 650S GT3 continued winning ways over the weekend with a lights-to-flag victory for McLaren GT customer team Clearwater Racing at the second round of the Asian Le Mans Series in Sepang. Factory driver Rob Bell, alongside teammates Mok Weng Sun and Keita Sawa secured pole position and overall victory in the GT3 category to extend the championship lead. Round 2 of the highly competitive Asian Le Mans Series took place in hot conditions at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, with very different conditions to the wet race of round 1 in Fuji, Japan last month.  Despite the change in weather, Clearwater Racing showed the competitive edge once again in a close battle throughout qualifying with factory driver Bell securing pole position for the start of the three hour endurance race.

Advance discounted tickets are now on sale for the 2016 Donington Historic Festival (Saturday April 30th, Sunday May 1st and Monday May 2nd), perfectly timed for those looking to secure the idea Christmas gift for a historic motorsport or motoring fan. Over five very successful years, the Donington Historic Festival has gone from strength to strength, with world-class historic racing for grids from the 1920s to the 1990s supplemented by hugely popular features such as the exhilarating historic rally car and karting demonstrations and special paddock displays and track demos.  For 2016 the race content is building to be the event’s strongest yet, while the track action will also include some very exciting historic F1 car demos – always guaranteed to quicken the heartbeat of motorsport fans!

The ‘She’s a Beauty’ theme given to this year’s Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, held at Birmingham’s NEC from 13-15 November, is set to bring together some thrilling women and their prized classics. The show will team concours classics with motorsport marvels, highlighting the efforts of women across the classic car scene. The Bentley 4.5-litre entered into the Benjafield 24 by the Bentley Belles will take pride of place on the feature display stand, along with Bentley Belle Katarina Kyvalova. The team, which also included Gillian Carr, Georgina Riley and Georgie Brewster, only met for the first time the day before the endurance event, and entered the record books as the only all-female team to campaign a Bentley in a 24hr endurance race, ever. Since then, they have added the same accolade to their list for the Spa Six Hour […]

The 16MY Bentley Continental GT Speed has been taken to its top speed of 206 mph (331 km/h)* by Australian racing legend, John Bowe, on the derestricted Stuart Highway** deep in the Northern territory. The 635 PS (626 bhp), 820 Nm (607 lb.ft) W12-powered GT Speed Grand Tourer reached Vmax in just 76 seconds, covering a distance of 9.4 kilometres in the process. At top speed, the 6.0-litre twin-turbo Grand Tourer was covering a staggering 92 metres (or one football pitch) per second. John Bowe said: “This isn’t a modified racecar; it’s a luxurious grand touring road car fresh off the production line. It took us a little over a minute to go from a standstill to 206 mph. That’s extraordinary. Even when you break through the 200 mph barrier, the GT Speed just keeps accelerating.” The Stuart Highway covers […]

The McLaren 650S GT3 claimed its first championship over the weekend in Barcelona as McLaren GT customer team Teo Martin Motorsports secured the International GT Open Championship title, and also saw the first victory for the McLaren GT Young Driver Programme. A hard-fought double podium finish for factory driver Alvaro Parente and teammate Miguel Ramos secured the championship, while Young Driver Andrew Watson took overall victory in the weekend’s opening sprint race alongside Fernando Monje. A third 650S GT3, entered by customer team Peter Kox Racing also secured fastest lap of the race to reinforce the dominant display. Still only in its debut competitive season, the results in Barcelona underline the success from the outset for the latest model from the Woking-based outfit. The 650S GT3 is based on the road-going 650S Coupe, with a lightweight carbon fibre MonoCell chassis […]

Last Thursday, Bournemouth-based author and former Anglican Priest, Bryan Apps, launched his new book at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu. Laced with fascinating anecdotes, Raymond Mays’ Magnificent Obsession reveals a pivotal figure in motor sport history and describes the author’s enthusiasm for BRM, detailing his visit to Raymond Mays in Eastgate House, Bourne, in 1963. An intimate congregation of friends and motor racing enthusiasts gathered around the National Motor Museum’s Mk1 BRM for a talk by the author, followed by a presentation of the book to Beaulieu’s Chief Executive, Russell Bowman, and a signing session. Bryan Apps said: “I was given a very warm welcome at Beaulieu by Russell Bowman and Museum Manager, Doug Hill and was delighted to give a signed copy of Raymond Mays` Magnificent Obsession for the Museum Library, which is an essential resource for any student […]

The 2015 season of Caterham’s five official race series reached their conclusion in a gripping finale at Silverstone on 17-18 October, with four championships going down to the wire and six champions being crowned in total. The GQ Caterham Academy, Caterham’s introductory race series designed exclusively for rookie racing divers, saw two full grids compete for the title. The season saw the competitors gaining their race licence at the start of the season and then progress from sprint events to circuit racing. In the Green group, Rui Ferreira had already sealed the title prior to the final weekend with three wins throughout the season. Andy Perry secured the championship in the White group with a second place finish at Silverstone proving enough to secure the title. The next step up the Caterham Motorsport ladder, the Roadsport class, saw 2014 Caterham […]

The Lotus Driving Academy is pleased to announce the addition of the new, critically acclaimed Evora 400 to its fleet. What’s more, the entire fleet is renewed, with five Elise 220 Cup, two Exige S and one Exige S Club Racer model joining the new Evora 400 and now available to drive on the famed Hethel test track at Lotus’ Norfolk HQ. Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, commented: “We are pleased to offer potential customers and track driving enthusiasts the opportunity to drive the new Lotus Evora 400 and our other high-performance models at our Hethel test track. Lotus prides itself on offering benchmark handling and pure driving experience and the Evora 400, developed at Hethel, is the latest proof of this concept. To drive the Evora 400 at the very track used throughout the model […]

Bentley Motors enjoyed an exciting and successful weekend at the 17th Jochpass Oldtimer Memorial and Historic-Rallye in Bad Hindelang, Germany. Four historic Bentleys competed in the world-renowned classics event between 9 and 11 October, including the Team ‘Blower’, R-Type Continental, Speed 6 and a Bentley 4,5 Litre Le Mans. About 18.000 enthusiastic spectators were in attendance to admire the 280 classic cars on show. The drivers travelled from all over Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

McLaren established itself throughout the 1960s and 70s as a world-beating force in one of the most extreme forms of motorsport, Can-Am, winning five consecutive championships between 1967 and 1971. In honour of the 50th anniversary of the 1966 inaugural season, McLaren Special Operations (MSO) has created the limited production 650S Can-Am which takes its inspiration from the race cars of this golden age of motorsport.  The 650S Can-Am can be commissioned now priced at £255,850 with deliveries set to commence in the spring of 2016, 50 years on from the first race at Mont Tremblant, Canada.  Just 50 examples will be produced globally, all based on the 650S Spider. The Can-Am series, or Canadian-American Challenge Cup, was a no-holds-barred battle of power and speed around some of the most iconic circuits in North America and Canada.  It attracted the […]

The Bentley Continental GT3 has won its first major race car championship, as customer team Bentley Team HTP took the Blancpain Sprint Series drivers title following a pole position and two race victories at the final round at Zandvoort this weekend. Just two years after the Bentley Continental GT3 was launched, drivers Maxi Buhk (DE) and Vincent Abril (MO) fought off stiff competition from the 2014 championship-winning Audi, to take one of the most sought-after titles in GT3 racing. “This is a fantastic achievement for Bentley Team HTP with the Bentley Continental GT3,” commented Bentley’s Director of Motorsport Brian Gush. “The Blancpain Sprint Series is very competitive and there is no room for error. Maxi and Vincent with Bentley Team HTP have been the perfect team to take our race car to success.”

Eighty-five years after three-time Le Mans winner Captain Woolf Barnato famously raced the ‘Blue Train’ from Cannes to Calais, modern day Bentley Boy, Steven Kane, has reinvigorated the legendary spirit in a tense four-hour 14 minute sprint against Saudi Arabia’s only desert passenger train. The dune train takes a 480 km route from Riyadh – deep in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula – to Dammam on the Arabian Gulf. The new Continental GT V8 S Convertible raced this unique locomotive on August 15th across the scorched, baren landscape and won, with six minutes to spare. Bentley Team M-Sport driver, Steven Kane, said: “Four hours is the same time as a stint at Le Mans.  But this was far more stressful. The heat, the conditions, not knowing where the train was, while driving within the limits of the country’s regulations.   […]

Goodwood is delighted to announce provisional dates for the 2016 Festival of Speed and Revival, ahead of tickets going on general sale on 5 November. The Festival of Speed, which celebrates the very best from the past and present of motoring and motor sport, will be held on 23-26 June, 2016*. As usual, the event will open with the Moving Motor Show on Thursday, 23 June, featuring many of the world’s largest motor manufacturers showcasing their latest models, alongside exciting and innovative concepts. From Friday-Sunday, 24-26 June, the famous Goodwood hill will be taken over by a glittering collection of the greatest cars, bikes, drivers and riders from the history of motor sport. The Revival is the world’s largest and most celebrated historic motor racing and vintage culture event, bringing back to life Goodwood Motor Circuit’s glory days as an […]

After the summer break, Defender Challenge by Bowler returns this weekend for its fourth round as nine teams battle it out at the Trackrod Rally, part of the annual Rally Yorkshire event. Based at Pickering Showground, the course takes in 53 miles of rally stages that twist through the spectacular Yorkshire countryside over two days and opening with the daunting prospect of challenging night stages. The FIA-approved Land Rover Defender 90 Hard Tops are modified by Bowler Motorsport specifically for rally competitions. Engines are tuned to 170bhp and 450Nm of torque and the suspension system features uprated dampers and roll bars. Lighter wheels, a full roll-cage and rally safety features complete the specification. This weekend, a number of Land Rover employees and apprentices join the Bowler technical teams to support the rally. In addition to their ‘day jobs’, enthusiasts from […]

Norman Dewis, OBE, chief test driver and development engineer for Jaguar Cars from 1952 to 1985, is set to become the oldest ever contestant when he drives in this year’s MPG Marathon – at the tender age of 95! Dewis, who was born in 1920, will be entering this year’s event, rated as the UK’s most prestigious lean-driving challenge, in a rear wheel drive, 2.0 litre 163hp Jaguar XE alongside Jaguar Heritage communications officer, Tony O’Keeffe. Over the years, Dewis has played a major role in the development of some of Jaguar’s most iconic models, including the E-Type, XJ6, XJ-S and many more. He was behind the wheel of a Jaguar XK120 in October 1953 when it reached 172.412mph at Jabbeke, Belgium, a record for production cars. Awarded the OBE for services to the motor industry in the New Year’s […]

As many as half a million spectators will line the route of the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run this November, when the longest running motoring event in the world sets off on its annual adventure from London to Brighton (Sunday 1 November). Like the hardy teams piloting their amazing horseless carriages from the capital to the coast, the spectators brave whatever the weather conjures up to salute motoring’s pioneers: every car taking part was built before 1905. Best of all, every vantage point along the 60-mile route offers completely free viewing allowing everyone to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of more than 400 veterans as they ‘put-put’ their way to Brighton. Although the Run follows more or less the same route as last year, there have been a few changes to make it even better for participants […]

Caterham Cars is entering the UK’s most prestigious eco-driving event, the MPG Marathon, for the first time in a two seater sports cars billed as the manufacturer’s ‘most frugal ever’. The British sportscar maker will be entering the entry level version of the iconic Caterham Seven, the 160, rated as the most economical in the company’s history and the most cost-effective two-seater sportscar on the market. The 160 is powered by a super-compact, turbocharged three-cylinder Suzuki engine, which enables it to achieve an impressive 57.6mpg, emit just 114g/km CO2 and yet reach 0 – 62mph in a blistering 6.5 seconds. “We are delighted that Caterham Cars is entering the MPG Marathon, the UK’s leading lean driving challenge, for the first time,” said organiser Jerry Ramsdale, publishing director of Fleet World. “We will be very interested to see how it compares against […]