On the set of 'Grand Prix': Pit stop with Françoise Hardy

John Frankenheimer's 1966 film, a fast-paced story of Formula 1 excitement, featured many genuine racing legends on set - and a young French singer by the name of Françoise Hardy...

With James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford, Antonio Sabàto and Toshiro Mifune in starring roles, John Frankenheimer had put together an impressive international cast. Yet the real reason for the success of 'Grand Prix' - one of 1966's ten biggest box-office hits that year, winning three Oscars - was the thrill of the racing scenes, thanks in large part to help from Phil Hill: he captured real-life footage with on-board cameras at some 1966 Grands Prix, and also drove a GT40 camera car during the making of the film. Other big names making guest appearances on screen included Graham Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jim Clark, Jochen Rindt and Jack Brabham. 

Fast cars, melancholy looks

There was another reason for movie-goers to buy tickets, and that was the actress who took the role of driver's girlfriend Lisa, namely the alluring Françoise Hardy. Her melancholy looks and gentle smile had already bewitched Mick Jagger and David Bowie, and on the set of Grand Prix, where she posed wearing the helmet of fellow actor James Garner, and at the wheel of a Ferrari, she likewise put the film crew under the spell of her innocent charm. She actually suffered from severe stage fright and hated being the centre of attention; hence the picture below, in which she perches, somewhat lost-looking on a float to help launch the film in New York, is all the stranger.

From Grand Prix to style icon

From the 1970s onwards, Françoise Hardy was only rarely seen in public, although she was still very much in the public eye thanks to her fashion photoshoots for Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. 

Marco Melandri signs with Aprilia factory WSBK team

Marco Melandri will be riding for Aprilia’s WSBK factory team next season. The official statement was released the other day when Melandri’s contract with the BMW Goldbet squad expired.

It wasn’t exactly the best kept secret in the paddock, at the Italian was spotted in the Aprilia garage during the final round of the World Superbike championship at Jerez, much to the chagrin and disappointment of Eugene Laverty, who finished as runner-up in the 2013 standings and chalked up a double victory at the Spanish circuit and scored the same number of victories over the season as new World Champion Tom Sykes did.

While Eugene Laverty is poised to sign with FIXI Crescent Suzuki for 2014 with the promise of a ride with MotoGP returnee Suzuki in 2015, for Melandri it will be his fourth team since he debuted in World Superbikes in 2010 - after Yamaha, the BMW factory team and BMW Goldbet who have all pulled out of the championship.

For the 31-year old Melandri won the 2002 250GP World Championship on an Aprilia, this is like a return home, even if Gigi Dall’Igna will no longer be working for the Noale based company who took home the 2013 manufacturers title.

Dall’Igna will be working with Ducati’s MotoGP effort and has been replaced by Romano Albesiano.

Melandri has already tested the RSV4 during the one day post season test at Jerez, with new team mate Sylvain Guintoli, and they will be testing the machine again at the Aragon Motorland circuit in mid November and after his first test Melandri said, “It was amazing, when I went back to the pits, especially after the first run, I was truly happy and I felt like I finally found something I have been looking for a long time. I tried to hide it, though. The bike seems to suit my riding style very welland its compact size allowed me to find a good riding position almost immediately. The testing day was not an easy one, as the weather kept changing the whole time and there were also strong winds. Lap-times were not important, I just wanted to understand the bike and the way of working of the team.”

On the upcoming two-day test he added, “The next test will take place at Aragon on November 14-15, I hope the weather will be on our side so I can try both Laverty’s and Guintoli’s bike configurations, which are quite different. After the test I will decide whether to undergo surgery to remove some malleolus bone fragments from a previous injury, that the doctors found during a recent scan. Anyway I’m so happy of this opportunity and I can’t wait to ride the bike again.”

Polanski’s Ferrari 275 GTB/4: On sale, for the first time in 25 years

Any 275 GTB/4 is an exquisitely special car, but this one has more right than most to make that claim. Ordered new by Roman Polanski in November 1966, it was a generous present to himself to celebrate his early success...

Polanski chose Rosso Chiaro paintwork and sophisticated black leather upholstery for his Ferrari, which was originally to be a ‘standard’ GTB, although he later re-ordered it as a GTB/4 (with the highly desirable four camshafts). We particularly like the fact that under the ‘accessories’ section on the original order form, he casually added a Mini Cooper S 1275cc. Sadly, this useful little add-on was dropped on his final order.

Although, later in life, Polanski said that the 275GTB/4 was the car for which he held the fondest memories, it was also the one which brought back the saddest thoughts, too. It was a favourite of his late wife, Sharon Tate, murdered by Charles Manson’s followers in 1969. After her death he presented the Ferrari to her father, Colonel Paul James Tate.

The actual Ferrari that was delivered to Polanski in 1967, chassis 09729GT, is now available from Kidston SA (boasting a fully documented mechanical rebuild that cost CHF120,000) but still with matching numbers, its original colours, plus the original tools and purchase correspondence. We’re told that it’s the first time in 25 years that this car has been offered on the market.

Photos: Kidston SA

You can find more Ferrari 275 GTB/4s for sale in the Classic Driver Market.

Wales Rally GB 2003: Glory days for Subaru / Gloire à Subaru

Following up on our series of ‘10 Years Ago’ articles published during last month’s Rally Catalunya, we take a look back at the 2003 Wales Rally GB which saw Subaru celebrate the first world title of Petter Solberg/Philip Mills… and the swansong WRC outing of Tommi Mäkinen.

Suite de notre série « Il y a dix ans » entamée au dernier Rally Catalunya… Au Wales Rally GB 2003, Subaru a fêté un double événement devant le Château de Margam : le premier titre mondial de Petter Solberg/Philip Mills et le dernier rallye WRC de Tommi Mäkinen.

The eagerly awaited showdown for the 2003 Drivers’ crown between Petter Solberg (Subaru), Sébastien Loeb (Citroën) and Carlos Sainz (Citroën) was dealt a blow after the first handful of stages in Wales when the Spaniard crashed out on SS3. Citroën Sport’s senior management consequently instructed team-mate Loeb to make sure of Manufacturers’ points, even if that meant forfeiting his fight with Solberg for the Drivers’ title.

Even so, the Frenchman managed to stay on the Norwegian’s tail all the way to the finish but ultimately came second, leaving Solberg to celebrate his crown after SS18 (Margam Castle)! Before diving rock-star fashion into the crowd, he was given a congratulatory embrace by his Subaru team-mate Tommi Mäkinen (3^rd).

November 9, 2003, was a big day for the 39-year old, Puupola-born Finn who, after contesting 139 WRC rounds and harvesting 24 wins and four titles, brought a halt to his glittering career with a 45^th world class podium finish.

After claiming his first victory on the 1994 1000 Lakes Rally in a Ford Escort Cosworth, he progressed rapidly on every type of surface, including asphalt, as demonstrated by his wins in Catalonia and Sanremo, not to mention consecutive Rallye Monte-Carlo successes between 1999 and 2002.

Mäkinen’s most successful period was his spell with Mitsubishi which reaped Drivers’ titles in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 in a series of Group A Lancers which seemed a little uncompetitive at times against the latest WRC machines. His third title will be remembered for a long time to come… After failing to finish RallyGB, he was already on his way back to Finland when he learnt that Sainz had retired 800 metres short of the final stage, making him the 1998 champion!

In 2002, Tommi switched to Subaru and immediately took a win – after a protest – on the Rallye Monte-Carlo. It was already the beginning of the end, though. After three retirements in a row, a frightening accident in Argentina seemed to have a big effect on him. He failed to recover the famous ‘sisu’ fighting spirit for which the Finns are famed and finally bowed out of the sport at the end of 2003.

Après les premières spéciales du Wales Rally GB 2003, Brechfa, Trawscoed, Rheola, Resolfen, le grand match à trois entre Petter Solberg (Subaru), Sébastien Loeb (Citroën) et Carlos Sainz (Citroën) pour le titre Pilotes a tourné court : Sainz est sorti dans l’ES3 et les dirigeants de Citroën Sport, Claude Satinet et Guy Fréquelin, ont alors demandé à Loeb d’assurer les points Constructeurs pour la marque française, quitte à abandonner son duel avec Solberg pour le titre Pilotes.

Sébastien Loeb est néanmoins resté au contact du Norvégien jusqu’à la fin du Wales Rally GB 2003, terminant deuxième derrière Petter Solberg, sacré Champion du monde des Rallyes à l’arrivée de l’ES18 devant le Château de Margam dans l’hystérie générale ! Avant de se jeter dans la foule comme une rock star, Petter « Hollywood » Solberg est tombé dans les bras de son équipier Tommi Mäkinen, troisième.

Pour le Finlandais, ce dimanche 9 novembre 2003 restera une date importante. A 39 ans, après 139 rallyes WRC, 24 victoires et quatre titres constructeurs consécutifs, l’enfant de Puupola a mis un terme à sa carrière sur un 45^e podium mondial.

Depuis sa première victoire au Rallye des 1000 Lacs 1994 sur une Ford Escort Cosworth, le « Flying Finn » n’a cessé de progresser sur tous les types de surfaces, y compris l’asphalte. Il s’est imposé en Catalogne, au Sanremo ou encore au Rallye Monte-Carlo quatre fois de suite entre 1999 et 2002.

Tommi Mäkinen a connu ses plus belles heures chez Mitsubishi avec quatre titres mondiaux consécutifs de 1996 à 1999 sur des Lancer Gr.A parfois « dépassées » face aux nouvelles WRC. De ces quatre titres, celui de 1998 restera dans les mémoires : après avoir arraché une roue au Rallye de Grande-Bretagne, Tommi était en route pour la Finlande lorsqu’il a appris son sacre après l’abandon de Sainz à 800 mètres de l’arrivée !

Tommi a rejoint l’équipe Subaru en 2002 avec une première victoire sur tapis vert au Rallye Monte-Carlo. Mais c’était le début de la fin. Après trois abandons d’affilée, une impressionnante série de tonneaux au Rallye d’Argentine 2002 a marqué un coup d’arrêt à sa carrière. Jamais Tommi n’a retrouvé ce « Sisu » et a sagement pris sa retraite à l’issue de la saison 2003.