Alex Brundle with the Pearsons Engineering Lister-Jaguar at Donington Park earlier this year
Motor racing is a harsh world. If you can put a driver back behind the wheel, if they have been let down, shoved out or de-contracted by the system, then great. For me that’s a part of what historic racing should do. I know from my own experience what that’s like. And as I wrote in my first column, I won’t pretend the ‘I’ll do it myself then’ nature of running these cars in this way is not just a little ‘activist’.
Perhaps a mini-illustration, at an achievable level, that it’s possible to plan out a programme to a budget, be upfront, have everything turn up when you said it would, in a way which seems to elude so much of modern motor sport… Is it really that hard?
I drove together with James Dorlin in a Mk1 Jaguar in the St Mary’s Trophy at Goodwood in 2025, and he was mega. The old Jag wouldn’t work all day. But he had a typical young racing driver vibe. He was lead driver, chief engineer, team manager and problem solver all in one; I really rated him for that. Oh, and he won the race on the day.
That year, he was also competing in the BTCC, and the same again this year, but the commercial realities of that level of racing are tough for a guy like James, and he had to relinquish his drive in both seasons. So here he was in my Mini at Silverstone, above, taking part in the Swiftune Mini Series. Not illustrious, but it’s the best we could do, and you never know when you might meet a guy…
This is the same car destroyed after a bump at Brands Hatch in June. It was repaired by Mini specialist Endaf Owens. When we dropped it off, the crumpled remains appeared unfixable. On return it looked like it had just been stamped off the end of the production line.
James was fifth in one race, sixth in the other. With a Mini you’re convinced you’ve got no power at the bottom end and there is certainly a ‘best spec motor’ floating out there in the ether. So often, understeer’s the culprit, leading to wheelspin and costing you speed.
The elite world of Formula 1 might not appear to have much in common with the door-banging melees of the British Touring Car Championship, but there have been plenty of drivers — including world champions and race winners — who have bridged the two worlds
The solution’s engineering complexity is mind-blowing. The two big bump rubber cones supporting the front suspension, which are basically all a Mini front suspension amounts to, were knackered in the crash and replaced with new ones. As you bounce about out there, you kind of ’squish them a bit ’, and that drops the front ride height and gives you that lovely front grip. Remaining unsquished though, you can never get the front quite low enough. Now they’ve settled, we’ll take it to the flat patch and the problem should ’self-cure’.
By the time you read this, I’ll have been in action at Silverstone too, Motor Racing Legends, sharing the Lister-Jaguar I drove at Donington earlier this year with Gary Pearson. Many in historic racing drive multiple cars over a weekend. Gary is the only one I know who drives more than one in the same race. I’m called in to do the ‘other bit’.
In the workshop, it’s time to fiddle with the glassfibre of our Lola T292. Plenty of chances to fettle and a whole winter to dream that any of it is going to work!
Hyde Park to Madeira Drive, November 1
If Motor Sport’s former and very-long-standing editor Bill Boddy was still alive, he’d be 113 – and you can bet he’d have been on this vintage car run. Look out for the world’s oldest surviving Rolls-Royce, a 1904 10hp Two Seater, chassis 20154 – which first tackled this south coast jaunt in 1954.
Santa Pod, Northamptonshire, November 6
“The sky won’t know what hit it,” promises dragstrip venue Santa Pod, whose family friendly Frenzy mixes choreographed pyrotechnic wizardry with monster truck rides and a funfair. Car pass (maximum seven people) £53. Gates open at 5pm.
Anglesey Circuit, November 6-8
Poppies at the ready for a 12-hour endurance race centred around a Remembrance Sunday service in the pitlane. More than 50 teams will be taking part, with Caterhams to Citroën C1s and Lotus Elises to Mazda MX-5s. Admission is free.
Daytona, Florida, November 11-15
Historic Sportscar Racing rolls back the years for some night-time racing along Daytona’s famous banking. E-types, Shelby Cobras, Corvette C2s and more. Entrance from £39.
NEC, Birmingham, November 13-15
This is the UK’s largest classic car show, spanning seven floors, with more than 3000 cars and bikes in attendance. Clubs are here (320 of them in fact, from the Aston Martin Owners Club to Allegro Club International), there’s masses of automobilia and 500 cars will be crossing the block with Iconic Auctioneers. Entry from £40.20.
More events |
| Nov 7 Britcar Into the Night – Brands |
| Nov 7-8 2 Tours d’Horloge – Paul Ricard |
| Nov 22-27 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge |
