Photographer Allan de la Plante

Over the past few years, I’ve followed a path of highlighting automotive motor sports history through my art. And all along the way, I’ve been blessed with meeting wonderful people … Nicolas and Dirk in Belgium, Jennifer and Stephen in USA, Lyndsay and Ralph in the UK, John in Scotland, Peter and Rob in Canada …
Allan (left) talking to his friend Bobby Rahal 
Photo courtesy and © John R. Walker 2012

There are many many more, all of whom I can call my friends. Another one of those special people is sports and motor sports photographer Allan de la Plante from British Columbia, Canada.
"Four into Four" © Allan de la Plante 1976

We connected a few years back, through a friend of a Facebook friend, and through his FB albums I became aware of his fabulous photography, and in particular, the wonderful photos of his dear friend Gilles Villeneuve.

On Monday evening, Allan was at the Halifax airport, a stop-over on his way to Newfoundland. He notified me of this, so my friend Alan Coles and I scooted out to meet him.

I have to say that it was to have Allan there in person … what a heck of a guy! It was like meeting an old friend for the first time!

We had all but 10 minutes to chat, but Allan graciously signed my Villeneuve book and my Canada Post Villeneuve stamps, talked with pride about his old son’s forays into motor sports photography and golfing, and then told us 3 quick motor sports stories, none of which I can publish!

Now, I have a goal of meeting up with Allan again, and spending more time listening to one a greats of motor sports photography. Merci, Allan!

Ronnie Peterson - The Quiet Storm

Swedish Formula 1 driver Ronnie Peterson was one of the few in Formula 1 who was liked and appreciated by all those who met him.

'Four into Four' - Ronnie Peterson in a March 761, James Hunt in a McLaren M23, Patrick Depallier in a Tyrrell P34 and Mario Andretti in a Lotus 77 roar down into Turn Four at Mosport 1976.
Photo © Allan de la Plante
Available as a limited edition - www.allandelaplante.webs.com/

Born in 1944, he was quiet, shy and an all-round nice guy. But once in a race car, he drove flat-out, pushing his cars often past their limit.

Peterson in a Lotus 72, 1974 Italian Grand Prix
Watercolour pencils and marker of archival stock, 12"x 6"
© Paul Chenard 2009
This original illustration is available, as are limited editions.

He started successfully in karts, rose through F3, and F2, and quickly caught the notice of the Formula 1 teams.

He started with March, moved to Lotus, March again, then Tyrrell, then finally back to Lotus. He had a total of 10 Grand Prix wins in eight years, but his life came to an abrupt and sad end in a crash while driving a Lotus 78 in the 1978 Italian Grand Prix.

Nose-piece from Ronnie Peterson's crashed Lotus 78 from the 1978 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
Sourse: Anonymous

The impact of the death of this much-loved driver can be seen even today, with countless of tributes set up on websites worldwide.

Dijon 1979 - A race not easily forgotten ...

The Renault Team was favored to make a clean sweep of the 1979 French Grand Prix. A French car on French soil driven by a Frenchman and fueled by French "carburant" had the making of P.R. gold.

But they didn't count on the tenacity of the Canadian driving for Ferrari ...
Pen & ink and Prismacolor pencils on gray archival stock
© Paul Chenard 2008
Original art available, as are limited editions.

Photographer, author, keynote speaker Allan De La Plante had the chance to witness that famous race; in his words:

Hi Paul,
I was there In Dijon that crazy day and it was something else. When I returned to the pits Gilles' T4 was sitting there all alone with the front tires completely spent, but the thing that got to me was the car was growning and creaking as it cooled down. It almost seemed to talk! I am sure the car was as satisfied as everyone, well almost everyone, that saw that almighty duel.
Nice work!

You can see Allan's fabulous photography at http://www.allandelaplante.webs.com/