Carroll Shelby: the racing driver
Carroll Shelby proved himself a savvy racing driver in a hectic career cut short by a heart condition, laying the foundations for his even greater achievements to come, writes Paul Fearnley
This week in motor sport, Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard started life as world champions, winning the title in Porsche’s second season since it returned to sports car racing. Fellow Porsche man Edgar Barth was born 108 years ago, a driver who ruled the Freiburg-Schauinsland hillclimb in the late sixties.
England’s only World Rally champion Richard Burns claimed his title 14 years ago, and exactly four years later to the day lost his battle with a brain tumour.
The Olympic Stadium in Stratford, London, recovered from the Race of Champions. In 2007, creator and former WRC front-runner Michèle Mouton took us through how the event joined the motor racing calendar.
A brace of Le Mans winners were born: John Hindmarsh, winner driving a Lagonda Rapide in 1935, was born in 1907 and 1995 winner with McLaren Masanori Sekiya turned 66. Staying with the Le Mans theme, Desiré Wilson turned 62 years old.
A Scuderia sensation, and a winner on his F1 debut in a Ferrari ‘Sharknose’ in 1961, Gincarlo Baghetti died 20 years ago, while just this week Ferrari let go a young starlet. Driver Academy member Lance Stroll, subject of a spotlight last year, moved to Williams to become their new development driver.
Carroll Shelby proved himself a savvy racing driver in a hectic career cut short by a heart condition, laying the foundations for his even greater achievements to come, writes Paul Fearnley
With a terse eight words a decade ago, Kimi Räikkönen coined his F1 epitaph, with the series' most-celebrated radio message. More than a meme, writes Damien Smith, it's a throwback to the classic racing spirit
Driving a Formula 1 car is just like riding a bike — you never forget. At least that's Jacques Villeneuve's view after he blasted out of the pits in a 2021 Alpine and found his brain was instantly back in the groove... even if his body wasn't
Alberto Ascari was the first double world champion; the first to win back-to-back titles and still holds the record of the most grand prix wins in a row. He deserves to be more revered, writes Andrew Frankel