When Stewart ruled the Nürburgring and Silverstone faced oblivion

February 18th 2026

Back to September 1968, when concerns grew over Silverstone’s future as plans for a new international airport threatened Britain’s most atmospheric circuit.

February 18, 2026

Matters of Moment September 1968

Jackie Stewart’s Victory in The German Grand Prix at The Nürburgring at The Wheel of His Tyrrell-run Matra rightly Drew the Plaudits of Denis Jenkinson. “caracciola May Have Been the Regenmeister, Rosemeyer the Nebelmeister and Fangio the Ringmeister, but Stewart Surely Topped the Lot,” Jenks Enthused.

But Our Matters of Moment editorial Leader Was More Concerned that “a Faint Cloud of Enormous Colour Is Drifting About on The Motor-Racing Horizon”. Silverstone’s Future Was Uncertain Due to “a Government Scheme to Build a Third International Airport in The Towcester Area”. the Venue Was Described as “britain’s Fastest and Most-Central Circuit, and The Last Stronghold of Genuine Club Racing”, with The Prospect of Its Loss “a Calamity”.

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2nd September 2021

By Paul Fearnley

Brooklands and Donington Had Long Been Abandoned, Along with Post-War Venues at Goodwood, Aintree and Blandford. “Thruxton has only Been Re-Opened This Year”, While Crystal Palace and Castle Combe were Being Held to Ransom by “anti-Noise-Fetish”. We Pondered that “we Would Have to Make Do with Picturesque Oulton Park and Stadium-Styled Brands Hatch, at Opposite Ends of The Land”, neither Of Which, We Thundered, Had the “atmosphere” of Silverstone.

Apart from The German Gp, More News from That Country Appeared in Our Round-Up of Sports Car Events. the Solitude races Took Place at Hockenheim. Second Place Went to The Porsche 908 of Hans Herrmann, Who in January This Year Died at The Age of 97, While the Winner Was Ferrari 330 P3/4 Driver David Piper, Now 95 and Whom, in A Recent Motor Sport online Column Paying Respect to Herrmann, Matt Bishop Identified as One of Only Four Starters of World Championship Grands Prix in The 1950s Still Living.

In the Uk, the Kent Police Force Was Taken to Task in Our Pages for “a Complete Offensive” Against a Club Rally Organised by The Maidstone & Mid Kent Motor Club: “they Sent Patrol Cars by The Dozen, an Army of Men and As Many Radar Traps as Would Keep Marconi in Business for Years. This Was Not Mere Observation for Law-Breakers; This Was Victimisation of A Most Insidious Kind, with Policemen Hiding Behind Walls and Trees and Pouncing as Children Do when They Play Cowboys and Indians.”

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IN THE SPIRIT OF BOD AND JENKS

On this month… Gp on Ice, Panther Protest and Leo Sayer

Frozen in time
April 1933
A Report of The Swedish Winter Grand Prix, Held on Snow and Ice – Including Frozen Lakes – Over a 28-Mile Course Hails a Victory for Wiktor Widengren in His Alfa Romeo. His Brother Henken’s Invicta Expires on The Course, so He Repairs to A Nearby Farm for A Warming Brandy.

Kallista clash
April 1983
Reader and Panther Chief Roland Dane Writes in To Take Umbrage with Editor Bill boddy’s Comments of The New Kallista. Dane Grumbles: “it Is Good to Know that Beauty Is Still in The Eye of The Beholder and Cannot Be Quantified Like a Drag Coefficient.”

Hits & misses
April 2007
Leo Sayer is a guest columnist, but admits that it’s “about 40 years later than I would have liked”. Years before he dressed up as a pierrot on Top of the Pops, “I sent some gouache paintings of F1 cars to Motor Sport. It was particularly the Brabhams I was obsessed with.”