F1

The Second is The First, and Fourth Shall be The Greatest - Racing Daydreams by Colin Johnston
Grands Prix Sports Car Racing

The Second is The First, and Fourth Shall be The Greatest

22nd May 1921 – one hundred years ago. A 28 year-old man is about to take the start for his first real motor race. Last year he retired his 600cc Della Ferrera motorcycle from the Circuito Internazionale di Cremona. In March he won the Coppa Verona regularity trial, bimbling along at average of 39.709 kph […]

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- Racing Daydreams by Colin Johnston
Grands Prix Northern Ireland Sports Car Racing

C’était un Déluge

We’re lucky to have a lot of motorsport heritage in Northern Ireland. We don’t make enough of a fuss about it. To that end – to make a start – here’s a look at Dundrod. Epic, terrifying, bloody quick Dundrod. Scene of many motorcycle battles, but also the Ulster Trophy for Formula One & Formula […]

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F1 @ 40 - Racing Daydreams by Colin Johnston
Grands Prix

F1 @ 40

2021 sees the 40th anniversary of the ‘FIA Formula One World Championship’. To explain, here’s something I put together for the 2020 “70th Anniversary Grand Prix”. So it’s time for the “70th Anniversary Grand Prix”… but 70 years of what? Not Formula One, not the F1 World Championship… It’s 70 years since the thing that […]

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Deal with Austrian Businessman Secures Daimler’s Racing Future - Racing Daydreams by Colin Johnston
Grands Prix Myths & Curios Sports Car Racing

Deal with Austrian Businessman Secures Daimler’s Racing Future

December 22nd 2020 will be the 120th anniversary of the first car, as we know it. Commissioned by the gentleman in the photo – Austrian businessman & diplomat, Emil Jellinek – the 35HP model was designed by Wilhelm Maybach and Paul Daimler. A purpose-made long & wide steel chassis. A powerful 5.9 litre 4-cylinder engine, […]

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Simon Says… Change Drivers! - Racing Daydreams by Colin Johnston
Grands Prix

Simon Says… Change Drivers!

Sehr geehrter Herr Kollege! There has been some last-minute drama. ‘Mercedes-Benz-Team’ cannot field their driver. A substitute has been chosen, and he is already revelling in the ‘Mercedes-Benz-Formel-rennwagen’. The drive has gone to… André Simon. Who?! What?! Monaco and Mercedes have history. The race began in 1929 – as Caracciola and the SSK were creating […]

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Spats in The Sand Pit – The Lost Tripoli Streamliner - Racing Daydreams by Colin Johnston
Featured Grands Prix Myths & Curios

Spats in The Sand Pit – The Lost Tripoli Streamliner

The 2020 Formula One titles have been decided and the teams are preparing to leave for Bahrain. This season – this mad year – we will see two races at the Bahrain International Circuit, the second of these being held on the high-speed outer circuit. Described variously as an oval(!), or like Thruxton – according […]

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When Mercedes-Benz Comes Out to Play - Racing Daydreams by Colin Johnston
Grands Prix Myths & Curios

When Mercedes-Benz Comes Out to Play

The Mercedes-Benz Formula One demo at Goodwood Speedweek made me think of the day in June 1958 when Mercedes brought a W125 and a W154 to Oulton Park. Peter Collins & Tony Brooks got to play with them, and ‘Riverside Records’ was there to capture the moment. This is special.

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