Introduced by former 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner, riding his prized 1925 Australian made Waratah, ‘Spirit of Speed’ chronicles Australian motorcycle racing's classic era, from the beginning of the 20th century to the start of the modern racing era in the mid to late sixties. Each chapter of this exciting story, told through rare film footage and photographs (much of which has been sourced from private collections), is enriched by insightful commentary from acknowledged motorcycle racing historians, Jim Scaysbrook and Rob Saward, and a host of motorcycle racing greats, including Australian champions Maurie Quincey, Bert Flood, Max 'Atom' Rathbone, Linsay Urquart, Ray Owen and international speedway star, Neil Street.
Spirit of Speed’ examines various aspects of the evolution of the motorcycle and the inevitable pitting of these machines against each other in races. The film features the first velodromes and speed trials of pre World War 1, reliability trials, grass track, aerodrome meetings, speedway and scramble; and introduces the road and track meetings, which preceded the high-tech forms of racing we enjoy today. The efforts of Australians at the Isle of Mann are also covered.
A main feature of the film is the quality and quantity of stunning archival film footage, which includes Ballarat Park (1946), Fisherman's Bend (1947), Phillip Island (1937), the Reliability Trial of 1936, Jack Booth's speed trials of 1920, and Sydney Speedway just to name a few.
Jim Scaysbrook
Author and pre-eminent Australian motorcycle racing historian. (Old Bike Magazine)
“As someone who is constantly immersed in Australian motorcycling history, I was delighted to hear that Darren Jones was committed to producing a DVD on the subject. There have been quite a few books written on the subject, but very little in the way of moving pictures. I think the result is excellent and is a very valuable contribution to the preservation of our heritage, and I am sure that without Darren’s intervention, much of the early footage in ‘Spirit of Speed’ would have remained locked away forever. Now of course, Darren will have to complete the story by producing Part Two!”
Wayne Gardner
Former 500cc World Motorcycle Champion
"When I was racing professionally, I guess my focus was on the next race. But since then I’ve come to appreciate the history, and I am really pleased to help out with the production of ‘Spirit of Speed’. It’s a terrific record of where the sport came from, and it gave me the perfect excuse to drag out my old (Australian made) Waratah – hasn’t been run for 15 years!" Take a good look at the footage?
dimanche 8 mars 2015
Rally Mexico (WRC): Hat-trick d’Ogier au Mexique / Ogier’s Mexican hat trick
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia et Volkswagen/Michelin ont remporté leur troisième Rallye du Mexique consécutif avec, pour la troisième fois, une avance de plus d’une minute. Les Norvégiens Mads Ostberg (Citroën, +1min18s8) et Andreas Mikkelsen (VW, +1min25s1) complètent le podium. En WRC-2, c’est aussi le champion en titre, Nasser Al-Attiyah, qui s’est imposé sur sa Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin.
A la lecture du nouveau règlement sportif WRC 2015 imposant au leader du championnat d’ouvrir la route jusqu’au dimanche matin, Sébastien Ogier ne se donnait aucune chance de victoire au Mexique, premier rallye terre de la saison, où le phénomène de balayage est particulièrement important et pénalisant.
Pourtant, les deux premiers pilotes en piste, Sébastien Ogier et Thierry Neuville, ont terminé la première boucle de spéciales en tête ! Les deux leaders du championnat avaient profité de températures très fraîches vendredi matin pour panacher leurs montes de pneumatiques Michelin LTX Force H4 (hard) et S4 (soft) et bénéficier d’un excellent grip sur des pistes recouvertes de gravette.
En tête de l’épreuve, Sébastien Ogier a ensuite bénéficié des sorties de route de ses deux challengers les plus menaçants, Thierry Neuville (ES8) et Jari-Matti Latvala (ES12), pour prendre une avance très confortable à mi-parcours. Le Français a ensuite « déroulé » pour décrocher sa 3e victoire à Leon, son 3e succès consécutif cette saison, et avec le bonus maxi de 3 points en prime…
Comme chaque année, le Rallye du Mexique est particulièrement piégeux. En 2014, 10 pilotes avaient eu recours au Rally2 pour être classés. Cette année, 12 voitures ont abandonné sur l’une des trois étapes, dont 5 World Rally Cars sur sortie de route le premier jour. L’accident le plus spectaculaire fut évidemment celui d’Ott Tanak dont la Ford Fiesta RS WRC a plongé dans un lac. La vidéo a fait le tour du monde (6,2 millions de vue sur les réseaux sociaux du WRC). L’équipe M-Sport a réussi l’exploit de faire repartir la Fiesta n°6 en course dimanche matin.
L’étape dominicale fut marquée par un duel de Norvégiens pour la 2e place dont Mads Ostberg (Citroën) est sorti vainqueur face à Andreas Mikkelsen (VW) grâce à un meilleur temps dans la plus longue spéciale du rallye (55,82 km). Comme en 2014, le Gallois Elfyn Evans (Ford) termine au pied du podium après une course régulière. L’Espagnol Dani Sordo, de retour à la compétition après avoir manqué le Rallye de Suède, complète le top-5 et sauve l’honneur de l’équipe Hyundai Motorsport.
En WRC-2, l’équipage vainqueur du dernier Rallye Dakar, Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel, s’est imposé au volant d’une Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin après la sortie de route de l’Ukrainien Yurii Protasov (Ford) qui était leader avec une trentaine de secondes d’avance. Nicolas Fuchs (Ford) et Jari Ketomaa (Ford) montent sur le podium final.
Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia and Volkswagen/Michelin triumphed in Mexico for the third time running by more than a minute today. They were joined on the podium by Norwegians Mads Ostberg (Citroën, +1m18.8s) and Andreas Mikkelsen (VW, +1m25.1s). WRC2 honours went to the class’s defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah (Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin).
Given the new WRC rule which stipulates that the championship leader must run first on the road until the end of the second leg, Ogier believed he had little chance of winning Rally Mexico, the first dirt event of the season and one where the phenomenon of road sweeping tends to be a particularly big handicap.
But that didn’t prevent the Frenchman and Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville (who were first and second in the championship after Sweden) from completing the first competitive loop in front. They took advantage of Friday morning’s cool temperatures to fit a combination of hard- and soft-compound Michelin LTX Force tyres which provided them with outstanding grip on the gravel-coated stages.
Ogier then benefited from the accidents of his two biggest threats Neuville (on SS8) and team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala (SS12) to emerge comfortably in front at the halfway point. From that point on, the Frenchman was able to cruise home to his third Rally Mexico success and his third win of 2015. He also pocketed the three Power Stage bonus points.
This year’s Rally Mexico proved as tough as ever. In 2014, 10 drivers had to thank the Rally2 ruling for reaching the finish, while this year’s event saw 12 cars ‘retire’ over the weekend, including five World Rally Cars which crashed on Leg 1.
The most spectacular accident was that of Ott Tanak who crashed his Ford Fiesta RS WRC into a lake. The video of the incident has been watched 6.2 million times on the WRC’s social media. M-Sport managed to get the car back on the road for Sunday’s action.
The last day was marked by a duel for second place between Ostberg (Citroën) and Mikkelsen (VW). The silver medal ended up in the former’s hands, helped by a fastest time on the rally’s longest stage (55.82km).
As in 2014, the consistency of Welshman Elfyn Evans (Ford) was rewarded with fourth place, while Spaniard Dani Sordo - who missed Sweden - rounded off the top five to save Hyundai Motorsport’s honour.
The 2015 Dakar winners Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin) came first in WRC2 after early pace-setter Yurii Protasov went off in his Ford. Nicolas Fuchs (Ford) and Jari Ketomaa (Ford) joined the Qatari on the podium.
The most surprising cars of the Geneva Motor Show 2015
What’s left to say about a motor show when the majority of the debuts were leaked in the press weeks in advance? Well, our man on the ground Jan Baedeker deliberately ignores the crowd-drawing premieres, and instead focuses on the special, unexpected stories…
Let’s skip what you already know: Ferrari is using Geneva to bury its long-held tradition of naturally aspirated V8 sports cars, Porsche is unleashing several ultra-focused road cars, and Mercedes just made limousines cool again. But following the crowd has never been the Classic Driver way. So, rather than a comprehensive list of the new metal on display, we bring you the ‘Best in Show’ guided by our personal highlights.
Carrozzeria Touring
The fact that Carrozzeria Touring is in Geneva among the industry giants is a minor miracle in itself. As was the case in its post-War heyday, the Milanese design emporium continues to focus on craftsmanship – forging expertly detailed bodies from aluminium to dress some of the most advanced chassis of the time. For the Berlinetta Lusso, the basis is a Ferrari F12berlinetta, the inspiration is a 166 MM, and the result is simply stunning. Only five will be built, each taking 5,000 man-hours to produce. Svelte details such as the razor-sharp shoulder line that ‘disappears’ mid-arch – the type usually seen only on Villa d’Este’s finest – would be almost impossible to achieve using ordinary production methods. The obvious passion of brand chief Piero Mancardi, designer Louis de Fabribeckers, and the rest of the tight-knit team shines brighter than the glitz of all other manufacturers put together.
Rolls-Royce Phantom Serenity
With Rolls-Royce’s latest show-car, the (significant) value is not in the badge prestige, but rather the sheer volume of skilled work that has gone into it. Commissioned by an Asian royal, the Phantom Serenity was customised by the in-house Bespoke department to a level not seen since the Maharajas. Taking inspiration from Japanese gardens and Far Eastern tailoring, Giles Taylor’s design team created a silk headliner, hand-painted and embroidered with cherry blossoms. Furthermore, the seats are covered with imperial-quality silk cloth from China, while the Hanami motif is reflected in mother of pearl, inlaid into the cherry wood of the doors. The Bespoke team worked day and night for almost a year to complete the car – and must have relished the opportunity to demonstrate their creative thinking.
Aston Martin DBX and Vulcan
In comparison to previous years, conceptual design studies are sparse at this year’s show – and few would have expected it to be Aston Martin that brought two stylistic surprises, considering the stagnation of creative spirit in the last decade. But it seems the British manufacturer is back on track – literally – by introducing not only an ultra-limited circuit car for the gentleman racer elite, but also an all-electric crossover it bills as the ‘future of luxury grand touring’. The Vulcan is dramatic enough to have come from the Sant'Agata stable, and its rear light ‘sticks’ remind us of the Bertone Pandion that made its debut here five years ago. Meanwhile, the DBX is a surprisingly successful attempt at finding the proportional balance often missing from SUVs, and its jacked-up coupé appearance is somewhat reminiscent of a DB2. Inside, the minimalist leather interior has the feel of steampunk meets Star Wars. Perhaps not one for the purists, but it’s refreshing to see Gaydon’s creative waters running freely.
Ruf CTC
Who said motor shows should be restricted to modern cars? Porsche ‘artist’ Alois Ruf dares to follow Singer and co. for its latest project, albeit with a different focus: the firm’s engineers have turned their hands to a 964 Turbo, bestowing it with 425HP and a variety of subtle visual modifications. Wearing ‘Fashion Grey’ with a contrasting Sherwood Green plaid interior, the RUF 964 Turbo is undoubtedly one of the most successful ‘rebirths’ of the show.
Ford GT
As ‘Classic Drivers’, we naturally gravitate towards the original rather the re-interpreted, so it was the stunning GT40 that first caught our instinctive eye. However, it must be said that the 60-year-old’s grandson exudes a similar level of charisma on its European debut. While a hybridised V6supplants a multi-cylinder monster of a motor, the ‘blue wonder’ has all the visual drama of its hypercar rivals, with a dash of humour, too: a billboard at the show’s entrance entices visitors to inspect ‘LaFord’ once inside. Now, we simply await a Le Mans-ready racing version.
McLaren F1 Longtail
Forget the ‘La Finale’ Bugatti Veyron or the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman – the most valuable car of the show is likely to be the longtailed McLaren F1 GT that flanks its pseudo-successor, the 675LT. The dark green, road-ready ‘Big Mac’ is one of only three GTs made to homologate the legendary GTRs that won the GT1 category at Le Mans in 1997. With standard road cars supposedly commanding eight-figure-euro sums today, the mind boggles at what this GT would be worth should its owner – which happens to be the McLaren factory – ever decide to sell it.
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
A nimble, two-seater Bentley would be a reason to rejoice, particularly if it ends up looking as good as the experimental Speed 6 concept. But after absorbing the pretty shape in its entirety, you might begin to notice some familiarities. The stillborn Hunaudières supercar concept from the 1999 Geneva show has clearly provided some influence, but not quite as understandable are the side window graphics and rear lights that must be giving Jaguar and Aston Martin’s patent lawyers some food for thought, at the very least. Should these issues be remedied on its (inevitable) path to production, Bentley would have a sure-fire hit on its hands.
Land Rover Defender Heritage
When you’ve had your fill of premieres and supposed world-firsts, it’s a relief to be able to turn to a faithful old friend in the form of a Land Rover Defender. With the primitive legend finally being retired from service this year, that won’t be an option for much longer – but the wonderfully nostalgic Heritage Editions represent a silver lining if ever there was one. Even the old-style badges are enough to warm the collective heart, before a little piece of it is taken away forever when the dependable dinosaur is rendered extinct.
Photos: Jan Baedeker
You can find all the most important news from Geneva 2015 in our overview.
CUSTOMIZING A CLASSIC: CRD’S BMW R80ST
Café Racer Dreams don’t exclusively build BMWs, but you could call them specialists. With several elegant examples under their belts—including these two stunning R100s—they’ve learnt a thing or two about turning wrenches on Bavaria’s finest.
Most of CRD’s classic BMWs share similar technical upgrades and under-the-hood mods. Yet each new ‘airhead’ that rolls out of the Madrid-based workshop is unique—and still manages to capture our attention.
That’s because proprietors Pedro García and Efraon Triana have something that can’t be taught: impeccable taste, with an eye for lines, proportions and details.
CRD #59—a 1983 R80ST—is one such bike. It’s the first time that CRD have given a BMW a more traditional café treatment, and they’ve done a stellar job.
Pedro explains that “classic” and “very low” were keywords when #59 was conceived. Essentially a road-going R80G/S, the stock R80ST benefits from a classy single-sided swingarm and monoshock setup—but it’s anything but low. CRD sorted out the stance by slamming the forks and kicking up the rear with a longer shock. The front brake was upgraded with a Galfer disc and a braided hose.
As with all of their BMWs, CRD un-bolted the stock subframe, removed its mounting tabs and welded on a shorter and slimmer unit. In the process they removed the unsightly “ears” that usually hold the muffler and passenger pegs. New passenger peg supports were added, and equipped with a set of Tarozzi pegs.
A R75/5 ‘toaster’ tank was sourced and fitted. Out of love for the original toaster design, CRD opted not to repaint it—installing it with a little patina intact. They then created a café-style seat to complete the lines. The bike’s finished off at either end with custom steel fenders. They’ve been polished to match the tank’s side panels.
And yes, those tires are Firestone Deluxe Champions. Pedro explains the choice: “This is a bike for enjoying, not for racing—and the Firestones look better than anything else.”
The R80 engine was still mechanically sound, so CRD merely swapped its covers out for more vintage looking ‘peanut’ items. The airbox was removed, and the battery relocated to its space—housed in a hand-made leather box.
CRD built the R80’s peculiar exhaust in-house. It’s designed to leave the left side of the bike clear, to help show off the bike’s single-sided swingarm. We dig it, and would love to hear it.
Another habit that CRD have formed is rewiring each of their BMWs with a full complement of Motogadget bits. At the heart of the new electrical system is the Motogadget m-Unit: a pricey yet effective digital control unit.
Other bits include m-Switches at the handlebars (with the wires running inside the bars), and a Motoscope Tiny speedo mounted in the headlight.
For an ultra-low front end, CRD inverted a set of Renthal bars. The grips are from Biltwell Inc., and the headlight, taillight and turn signals are all available from CRD’s own online store.
CRD #59’s finishes are delightfully subtle: everything’s either been powder coated black, cleaned up and left raw, or polished.
We’ll chalk it up as another win for Café Racer Dreams—and another classic BMW that we want for ourselves.
Photos by Enrique Pacheco | Cafe Racer Dreams website | Facebook | Instagram
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