Hall of Fame
Prodrive Impreza headlines Hall of Fame auction
One of the most important cars from Prodrive’s rally history will go under the hammer during the inaugural H&H Classics Hall of Fame auction: Subaru Impreza WRC97 chassis 001.
A development car for the 1997 World Rally Championship season, when the Group A cars were being phased out in favour of the World Rally Cars regulations, its competition record belies a rich history.
The two-door Impreza was designed by 2016 Hall of Fame nominee David Lapworth, and was the car unveiled by Prodrive at Rallye Catalunya as the dawn of the new era. Colin McRae was among the drivers who spent hours behind its wheel during the development phase.
While it might not have been used by the works team in competition, Valentino Rossi stands out on its list of drivers once it was in privateer hands. The 2016 Hall of Fame inductee drove it to eighth on the Rally di Monza in 1999 – one place behind Jean Alesi, as Dindo Capello and Ivan Capelli scored a Subaru 1-2.
Prodrive painstakingly restored chassis 001 – which still has the original bodyshell – returning it to its original spec in 2009. David Richards then signed the restoration book with the words ‘best wishes and congratulations on acquiring a very special car – David’.
Chassis 001 is estimated to fetch between £175,000 and £200,000. The auction will be held on Tuesday, June 6 in the grounds of the Royal Automobile Club’s Woodcote Park as the perfect warm-up to the following day’s main Hall of Fame event. As we closed for press, a rare Tojeiro-Climax had been added to the assignments, with more coming soon.
For more information about H&H Classic’s Woodcote Park Auction at the Motor Sport Hall of Fame, visit
www.handh.co.uk
Hall of Fame artist announced
Award-winning motor sport artist Tim Layzell has been commissioned to produce a special one-off painting to celebrate the Motor Sport Hall of Fame.
Lifelong motor racing enthusiast Layzell is revered as one of the best artists in his field, and his recent works include Moss and Jenks on the Mille Miglia.
“I’m delighted to be working with Motor Sport and the Hall of Fame,” Layzell says. “I have read the magazine with my father and brother from the age of three – we all still do!”
The full plans for the painting will remain under wraps until the official unveiling during the Hall of Fame evening, but Stirling Moss will be the subject.
“The legendary names, exciting races and cars have always been at the heart of my inspiration, none more so than Sir Stirling Moss. He epitomises all that the Hall of Fame represents – he was the man.
“In my work I endeavour to bring to life the stories and achievements of Moss and the other legends of motor racing that are now etched in the minds of every motor sport enthusiast. Using a fresh and exciting approach to my work I create images that bring a unique perspective to the historic scenes of that glorious era.”
The unique commission will be the first of a series of art works celebrating the Hall of Fame and its members over the next few years. The painting will be on display at the awards ceremony; we look forward to seeing it as much as you.
www.timlayzell.com
Hall of Fame is live at Race Retro
For the first time, Hall of Fame Live is heading north for Race Retro in Coventry on February 24-26, taking over a 4000 square foot hall featuring bikes, cars and interviews to kick off the 2017 celebrations. As announced last month, Keke Rosberg’s championship-winning FW08 and last month’s cover star, the Lotus 33, will be among the display cars, plus the Lotus 49B R5/10 (see below). James Hunt’s 1977 M23 has been added along with an ever-popular Tyrrell six-wheeler and a Surtees TS7 and TS14. There’ll be many more announced in the coming weeks – check raceretro.com.
Joining Tom Kristensen as guests on the interview stage will be Freddie Spencer, and as announced elsewhere in this issue (see page 21) rally heroes Ari Vatanen and Markku Alén too.
On display
Lotus 49B r5/10 One of the seven remaining Lotus 49Bs, R5/10 took Graham Hill to the final two of his five Monaco wins. The 1968 and ’69 Monaco Grands Prix were this car’s only victories during its 22-race service life, but Jochen Rindt secured a brace of wins in it during the 1969 Tasman Series, in the Lady Wigram Trophy and Warwick Farm International. But its place in Formula 1 history stretches far further. Both Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi made their Grand Prix debuts in the car, Andretti famously beating the establishment to pole at Watkins Glen in 1968. So original is this 49B that you can still see the Rob Walker Racing blue paint around the inside edge of the cockpit from the 1970 Monaco Grand Prix, when Hill raced John Miles’s unqualified car to fifth from the very back of the grid. It was returned to Gold Leaf colours in time for Fittipaldi’s debut at Brands Hatch later that season.