Motor racing surely can’t complain about the amount of coverage it now receives on television, but transmission of motor sport actually started before WWII, even though there were few viewers of those first programs. There were interviews with drivers, but even when television started again after the war and audience growth exploded, despite increased radio coverage there was no outside broadcast on TV as it was obviously much more expensive for a production to be covered “live.”

Even in the early ’50s there were very few outside broadcasts, perhaps some rally-type driving tests, but normally only post-produced coverage was transmitted, to which interviews were added. The news occasionally included motor sport items, but all too often covering an accident rather than reporting race results.

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In 1936, Stuck returned to Shelsley Walsh. It was a very wet meeting and Raymond Mays’ Zoller supercharged, 2-liter R4B (not C or D as it became in 1938) managed a time of 41.6. The German driver, Walter Baumer, in the little 750-cc Austin and A.F.P. Fane’s Frazer Nash single-seater managed a 42.6. Hans Stuck in the huge 6-liter, 600 bhp Auto Union managed a 45.6 as his first climb in the pouring rain and the spectators felt his second run might bring his time down. Those spectators, who I recalled listening to in 1946 at the beginning of last month’s column, had still not forgotten witnessing the almost broadside start of this huge car, on the still wet track, in 1936. It seemed the car was never straight, climbing the hill in lock-to-lock slides, in the hands of the man who became the “Hill Climb King.”

After considerable success on circuits, in the later 1930s, Stuck was still good on the hills. Now in his late thirties or older, there were more visits to South America managed by Paula, and after an argument in 1937 Stuck left Auto Union and then re-joined the team after Rosemeyer was killed in a record attempt in early 1938. When he did return to the team there were not enough cars at times. By then, with the new 3-liter formula, Mercedes had the edge on drivers and cars. The drivers, Caracciola, Lang, von Brauchitsch and Seaman were a handful. Sometimes, as in the past, Stuck could cope against them, but the task was even more difficult than in the magic days of the likes of Rosemeyer and Varzi. In 1938, Tazio Nuvolari joined Auto Union and the ex-motorcycle star, Herman Muller, gave Stuck problems too. There were some good days, but some unreliable cars and a few shunts.

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At the first Shelsley Walsh meeting after the war, only the weather was as predictable as the belief among spectators that Raymond Mays would establish Fastest Time of Day (FTD). The weather was dreadful and, for a small boy, it was almost like the echo of voices from the past to hear spectators who had been present in 1936 recall when Hans Stuck and the Auto Union was there. After 10 years and the Second World War, Hans Stuck was a legend.

In July 2016 his son, Hans-Joachim Stuck, President of the German Motor Sport Association, was at Shelsley driving one of the 1936-’37 Auto Unions some 80 years after his father drove one there. So, who are the Stuck legends, father and son?

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Tazio Nuvolari Biography

Tazio Nuvolari a legend in his own lifetime, was known as Il Montavano Volante, the Flying Mantuan. He epitomized courage and daring and for 30 years he amazed the racing world with his exploits on both two and four wheels. He was born November 18, 1892, in Casteldrio near Mantua. His uncle Giuseppe was a Bianchi dealer and introduced his nephew to motor sports. After serving in the Italian Army as a driver he started racing motorcycles seriously when he was 28. He raced Nortons, Saroleas, Garellis, Fongris and Indians.

His riding was noticed by the powerful Bianchi team and he became a member and eventually Italian champion. At the Monza Grand Prix for motorcycles he crashed during practice. This resulted in two broken legs. After doctors put plaster casts on both legs he was told that it would be at least one month before he could walk again let alone race motorcycles. The next day he started the race having himself tied to his bike. He required his mechanics to hold him upright at the start of the race and to catch him at the end. The legend of Tazio Nuvolari began that day when he won the race. Nuvolari began racing cars in 1924 at the age of 32 while still competing in motorcycles. In 1927 he started his own team, buying a pair of Bugatti 35Bs which he shared with his partner Achille Varzi who was also a successful motorcycle racer. This partnership would later turn into an intense rivalry. Nuvolari began to win races at the expense of Varzi who left the team. Varzi, the son of a wealthy merchant could afford better equipment and bought an Alfa P2. With this car he had the better of Nuvolari. He signed on with Alfa Romeo in 1929 and was a teammate of his rival Varzi once again. The Mille Miglia of 1930 would go down in history when Nuvolari caught an unsuspecting Varzi while driving in the night sans headlights. Three kilometers from the finish he suddenly pulled along side, smiling at his startled teammate he flicked on his headlights and powered on to victory.

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Niki Lauda came back into Grand Prix racing, because he could!

It has been suggested that he needed the money, or was bored with retirement, but whatever the reasons he certainly believed that McLaren could do the job. Above all, he felt sure he could. I think the real story was slightly different, but perhaps not so simple.

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I first watched Niki Lauda as he “learned his trade” in his days with March and BRM, before he won his first World Championship in 1975. His background was Formula Super V and sports cars before joining March, where he paid for his drive. No one should forget that Niki Lauda, as a driver or a businessman, is a very intelligent man. His courage is equalled only by his skill and common sense. In his early career in Formula Two, I particularly remember meeting him at Oulton Park when, during a brief chat, I became very aware of his self-confidence and by the race I was convinced of his ability behind the wheel.

Lauda was so anxious to drive in Formula One that he hired the spare “works” March to make his debut in Austria, in 1971. The car retired with either electrical or handling problems—probably both—but Lauda was not dismayed. He described the 1972 March as a “bloody awful” car and it nearly finished his career. He did not see much for the £35,000 he paid for the drive, and while Robin Herd tried hard to pour oil on troubled waters, even he admitted to wishing they’d taken more notice of Lauda’s views. After a very disappointing and financially difficult season, the stressed team had to let Lauda go.

The post Niki Lauda – Part I appeared first on Sports Car Digest.

Some years ago I was invited to talk “motor sport” at a winter club evening in Bristol and the evening seemed to be going really well until I “dropped a brick.” It happened during the question period, and I was standing before my audience when someone asked, “What do you think of women drivers?” My reply was immediate and, I thought, amusing, for with a sweeping gesture of the hands (right to left) I replied, “Women drivers are either good or bad.”

If I had not glanced from right to left, it would have been fine. As it was, a) I did and b) I smiled! It was not fine! A person of the opposite sex was deeply offended as, at the end of my gesture my eyes apparently alighted on her. An argument within the audience broke out—I attempted to apologize, but finaly just smiled, or at least tried to, and said “thank you and good night.”

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Over the last few weeks, preparations for the 2016 Grand Prix season have been hectic as the teams have to pass their safety checks and manage all the other schedules, documentation, travel arrangements, etc. These all have to be completed before they can start the new season. Whatever the excitement of these final weeks, my lifelong interest in a motor racing season has never been surpassed by the pre-season Formula One presentation by March prior to the start of the 1970 World Championship.

In 1969, I was commentating at a race meeting at Silverstone when I had a visitor in the box, Max Mosley, whom I’d first met when he was racing in UK events. He was born in 1940 and educated in both Europe and the UK. I had followed his move to Formula Two and subsequent career, and between races we chatted about cars, drivers and the future. Max is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met and would, of course, remain in motor racing throughout his business life.

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After the First World War and into the ’20s, many car manufacturers throughout Europe became involved in Grand Prix racing. They believed that advertising, prestige and development were in their interest and they were right. Demand for the motorcar began to increase. Most of these companies ran “Works Teams.” They employed the people who they believed to be the winning drivers, designers and engineers. Of the drivers, some were so-called “professionals,” selling, demonstrating and developing cars, while there were others who were well able to afford to pay for their own motorsport activities. It was this that fueled the careers from the ’20s into the ’30s of the great drivers. Antonio Ascari, Caracciola, Farina, Nuvolari and Varzi were just a few of the great names whose association and success with, say one Type 35 Bugatti over another similar car, increased that particular car’s value. It assisted the market and specific demand for the model. Stardom has continued to attract sales even in the present day—an ex-Fangio, Moss, Senna, Prost or Brabham car is always worth a few bucks more!

When the ’20s drew to a close, changes in the economic conditions resulted in the cost of designing, building and financing racing teams becoming very expensive. The increasing demand for road cars by the population as a whole, found many of the manufacturers stepping back from competition to concentrate on selling to this increasing market. When they did so, some sold their cars and walked away, others dismantled or stored their cars, but there were manufacturers who were so involved in the sport that they continued to build cars for racing. Bugatti had enjoyed tremendous success throughout the ’20s, as had Maserati, so they led the way to a certain extent and were happy to sell cars to well-heeled drivers. Another manufacturer, Alfa Romeo, continued producing racing and sports cars, but set about organizing their own marketing. Alfa built cars and sold some of them off directly, but spearheaded their entries, sales and racing organization through a deal with a chap named Enzo Ferrari.

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After a very successful year in 1935, Prince Chula Chakrabongse, who financed Prince Birabongse’s racing, decided that they should strengthen their team of Voiturette racing cars by adding another ERA to “White Mouse Stable” and disposing of, among their other cars, their Aston Martin Sports car and Riley Imp. Their MG Magnette was retained on the basis that it was another spare car, while a new Ford V8 Chassis was bought and converted into a transporter. In 1935, Thompson and Taylor had prepared their cars. In 1936, Chula bought premises and GW Wyats joined the White Mouse Stable together with a friend of Chula’s Shura Rahm.

The reliability of the 1935 ERA R2B was impressive, as was its performance, so the purchase of another ERA, R5B, made sense as the parts were interchangeable. The only differences were a slightly larger supercharger and a dark blue seat, Bira called R5B “Remus” the identical twin to R2B “Romulas” thus creating an ERA legend.

The post The Bira ERAs – Part 2 appeared first on Sports Car Digest.

As I write these notes, the 2015 season is coming to an end with just a few more Formula One races. There may still be a surprise winner of the Championship…at least one competitor hopes!

From the start of 2015 many people seemed to write off the chances of everyone but Lewis Hamilton, which since Round One seems easy to understand. It was clear to anyone who is seriously interested that a) the Mercedes Team has as much trouble as every other team in motor racing when trying to prepare two cars that are really equal and b) as the reigning champion, Hamilton’s influence, drive and persona clearly have given him the upper hand in the “food chain,” since the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in 2014. Nico Rosberg had two decisions to make in Japan, move out onto the grass or give way to Hamilton, a Spa replay with another media and Mercedes post mortem that he would surely lose.

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As a small boy my love of cars and motor sport meant I went to every race meeting my late Father could afford to take me to. The books written by Prince Chula Chakrabongse made fascinating reading for a small boy and they covered his recollections of the career of his cousin, Prince Birabongse—alias B. Bira—when there really were not that many books on motor racing. Over the years, others came along, including George Monkhouse and Sammy Davies.

My father and I were still regularly going to race meetings and I had started commentating. Tom Leake, at that time Motoring Editor of the Express and Star Group, encouraged me to become interested and involved with writing about cars and motorsport. My experience let me move forward into scripts for motor racing films, and I am still as fascinated by motorsport history as ever.

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