Until 1934, three automotive companies dominated Grand Prix racing: Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, and Maserati. Each year, these companies produced racecars that were faster and more powerful than those of the previous year.
The Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR), the controlling body for motor sport in the 1930s, decided to change the requirements for the 1934, 1935, and 1936 Grand Prix seasons. The most important new requirement for the racers was that the maximum weight could not exceed 750 kg, excluding driver, fuel, oil, water, and tires.
The AIACR believed that Grand Prix cars were becoming too fast and reasoned that the change in weight parameters would limit the size of the engines used.
However, the AIACR had not at all taken into consideration the possibility of the manufacturers using new technology and lightweight metallurgy to create yet more powerful, efficient racers.
In that first year of the new formula, they won the Coppa Acerbo, the Italian Grand Prix and the Spanish Grand Prix. For 1935, they won 9 major races, giving driver Rudolf Caracciola the European Championship.
After our long weekend at the fabulous Goodwood Revival as vendors, Nicolas Cancelier and I went to the Spa 6 Hour Classic race as spectators.
I absolutely love going to that event on such a historic track. The countryside is beautiful, and the track is very challenging. The sights and sounds are amazing!
This time, I set up behind a friend Jason's beautiful Lola T70, and sketched the exposed V-8 and it's sinewy headers and exhaust pipes, and trumpeting brake-cooling ducts.
Another year older and deeper in debt, as the song goes ...
Going to the Revival as a vendor is not for the financially faint-hearted, especially if you are from outside Europe. Wonderful British artist and friend Anna-Louise Felstead graced us with her presence. That
said, it’s a 3-day 13-hour-per-day adrenaline rush of sights, sounds,
contacts made, art sold, friendships renewed, experiences shared … a
very hard combination to resist. We were visited by Mrs Carroll Shelby, a lovely warm-hearted person ... a huge honour for us. My friend Belgian automotive artist Nicolas Cancelier and took another “leap of faith” and returned as vendors again.
I have a passion for the history of Grand Prix and Sports/GT racing. I am now creating and selling my motorsports art related to this history. Please tell me what you think of my work.
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