Myths & Curios

Avenues & Alleyways – The 1903 Mercédès Limousine

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what value a location? To stand on a street corner and watch the world scurry past. To stop and smile at the thought of the excitement, innovation, history that once filled a space, so mundane today. The Mercedes-Benz entry for the 1952 Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo […]

Featured France Myths & Curios Rallying

Friderich, Père et Fille – Bugatti, Nice

It’s 24 February 1932 – the event is the Rally Paris-St Raphaël Féminin – the woman is Renée Friderich. She is 20 years-old, and today – as her friend & mentor Hellé Nice sets fastest time – she will lose her life at the wheel of this Delage D8-S. It was a bad accident, perhaps […]

Featured Ireland Myths & Curios

Chasing the Ghosts – Gordon Bennett

I’ve always considered ‘Racing Daydreams’ to be an attitude. The willingness to look beyond presented information, armed with some knowledge and an empathy for times & people past. How better to explore and take joy from our sport? Similarly approached, locations too can rattle the senses. Standing in silence at the top of Dundrod. Inhale […]

Myths & Curios

Video: ‘The Mercedes-Benz Story 1886 – 1992’

It’s no secret that I think many things were better in the nineties – not least your humble correspondent! But surely you would agree that documentaries were better when they had time & space to breathe? To make the best of the available footage – to inform through a simple intelligent script, calmly delivered. If […]

Grands Prix Myths & Curios

The Buck Stopped Here – Original BRM Body Jig Found After 70 Years

I’m sure anyone who reads ‘Racing Daydreams’ will be aware that ‘British Racing Motors’ are producing new V16 BRM Grand Prix cars. Quite the thing they are too… perhaps more effective as glorious nostalgia than they were as Formula One cars. All the same, it’s a hell of a project that has just received a […]

Featured Myths & Curios Northern Ireland Sports Car Racing

Caracciola’s Over-Blown 1930

H.M.S. Catherwood’s central works, Donegall Road, Belfast. Friday, 22 August 1930 The driver retrieved a half Woodbine from his top pocket. “You still here, cub?” “Aye… til the death. Told me to stand here til I got somethin’.” “Wha? Like pleurisy?.. don’t think that would make the morning paper.” The Bo Peep flared on first […]

Myths & Curios

‘Driving to the Future’ – Mario Felice Tecce

Although it is not always understood, competition is something very different from any kind of fight: racing certainly implies to beat other contestants, but this is not the main goal. The main goal of true and real competition is seeking to do the best possible. This can only be done using as reference other participants, […]

“Energy Conquers the Elements”? – Mercédès & the 1905 ‘Coupe de la Méditerranée’ - Racing Daydreams by Colin Johnston

Motorboats Myths & Curios

“Energy Conquers the Elements”? – Mercédès and the 1905 ‘Coupe de la Méditerranée’

“I have in my garden a bronze statue the patina of which has the soft shade of light emerald and which readily catches the eye of the passer-by… The pedestal of the trophy has in embossed letters two inscriptions. The front one is a little compromising: ALGIERS-TOULON RACE FOR MOTOR BOATS – ORGANISED BY LE […]

Grands Prix Myths & Curios

Genevieve Shows Her Teeth – The 1904 ‘Sharknose’

There’s nothing new under the sun, so they say. Still, I imagine that Carlo Chiti and Medardo Fantuzzi must have gazed upon their new Ferrari 156 and thought it rather unique. It was certainly striking and effective in 1961, and it has proven iconic – the ‘Sharknose’. However that wind cheating snout is not without […]

Myths & Curios Northern Ireland

Keeping One Eye on the Past

A nation that keeps one eye on the past is wise. A nation that keeps two eyes on the past is blind Unknown So reads the wisdom on the wall of The Garrick Bar – a Belfast institution. It has seen a lot of laughter & tears from the corner of Chichester Street and Montgomery […]