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Champagne + Slicks
  • Aussie battler: Dick Johnson’s road to Bathurst victory 
    Uncategorised

    Aussie battler: Dick Johnson’s road to Bathurst victory 

    ByScott Russell October 13, 2024October 13, 2024

    If Hollywood had written Dick Johnson’s 1981 Bathurst 1000 victory, people would have said it was too far-fetched.

    Read More Aussie battler: Dick Johnson’s road to Bathurst victory Continue

  • Remembering Dave Walker 1941-2024
    Drivers | Obituary

    Remembering Dave Walker 1941-2024

    ByScott Russell July 17, 2024July 20, 2024

    A story you might have missed was the recent passing of Australia’s works Lotus Formula 1 driver, Dave Walker (1941-2024).

    Read More Remembering Dave Walker 1941-2024Continue

  • Ayrton and Roland, 30 years on
    Obituary

    Ayrton and Roland, 30 years on

    ByScott Russell May 1, 2024October 13, 2024

    Born 105 days apart in 1960, they died on the same black weekend, 34 years later.

    Read More Ayrton and Roland, 30 years onContinue

  • The Cruel Sport: Victory and Death at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix
    Feature | Race Report

    The Cruel Sport: Victory and Death at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix

    ByScott Russell March 16, 2024March 17, 2024

    It was only the hand of fate that saw Dan Gurney and Petrus Johannes Maria Alders cross paths.

    Read More The Cruel Sport: Victory and Death at the 1960 Dutch Grand PrixContinue

  • The Legend of the Flying Donkey: AGS and the Team Which Would Not Die
    Feature

    The Legend of the Flying Donkey: AGS and the Team Which Would Not Die

    ByForzaMinardi February 24, 2024February 27, 2024

    Every April, the inhabitants of the southern French town of Gonfaron gather to decorate an effigy of a donkey. As the sun sets, the effigy is burned on a bonfire as the townspeople have a party. Perhaps in today’s busy, materialistic world it’s a strange or parochial custom, but its good fun—and a way of…

    Read More The Legend of the Flying Donkey: AGS and the Team Which Would Not DieContinue

  • Movie Review: Gran Turismo (2023)
    Review

    Movie Review: Gran Turismo (2023)

    ByScott Russell August 22, 2023August 22, 2023

    It would be easy to be cynical about a Sony produced film about a Sony marketing campaign based around a Sony PlayStation game, but the Gran Turismo movie hits more than it misses.

    Read More Movie Review: Gran Turismo (2023)Continue

  • Tommy Byrne: Sex, Drugs and Gunshots
    Drivers

    Tommy Byrne: Sex, Drugs and Gunshots

    ByScott Russell May 22, 2023May 22, 2023

    Tommy Byrne’s career began with dreams of Formula 1 but ended in sex, drugs and gunshots in Mexican Formula 3.

    Read More Tommy Byrne: Sex, Drugs and GunshotsContinue

  • PODCAST: Champagne + Slicks on Lakeside Drive Podcast
    Podcast

    PODCAST: Champagne + Slicks on Lakeside Drive Podcast

    ByScott Russell March 26, 2023May 18, 2023

    Scott Russell joins James Baldwin on the Lakeside Drive Podcast to talk about ‘old’ and ‘new’ fans and where they fit in with Liberty Media’s F1 (HINT: there’s room for both!)

    Read More PODCAST: Champagne + Slicks on Lakeside Drive PodcastContinue

  • Slicks ’88 World Tour Tee Now Available
    Shop

    Slicks ’88 World Tour Tee Now Available

    ByScott Russell March 22, 2023August 22, 2023

    The Slicks ’88 World Tour Tee is back!

    Read More Slicks ’88 World Tour Tee Now AvailableContinue

  • Tim Richmond: Hollywood in a Race Suit
    Drivers

    Tim Richmond: Hollywood in a Race Suit

    ByScott Russell March 19, 2023March 21, 2023

    In a sport full of ‘good ol’ boys’ from the south, Tim Richmond was from another planet.

    Read More Tim Richmond: Hollywood in a Race SuitContinue

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champagneandslicks

Nigel Mansell in a Lotus 87 vs JPS Velden Powerboa Nigel Mansell in a Lotus 87 vs JPS Velden Powerboat 😲

How about Nige slowing down on the grass at 115mph!
Rare photos of Denny Hulme testing a CART Galles R Rare photos of Denny Hulme testing a CART Galles Racing March at Australia’s Calder Park Raceway in 1986.

The Calder Park decals on the car and Bob Jane logo of Denny’s overalls suggest the drive was a promotional activity for Jane’s Calder Park. 

Do you know any more details? 

Let us know in the comments 👇

📸 Unattributed
Vale Enzo Osella - one of Formula 1’s last ‘ga Vale Enzo Osella - one of Formula 1’s last ‘garagistas’
“Honestly your cars are so quick that we would s “Honestly your cars are so quick that we would still be competitive with a few extra pounds used to make the weakest parts stronger“

- Jochen Rindt in a letter to Colin Chapman in 1969. Rindt would lose his life driving a Lotus at Monza the following year.
Your Azerbaijan GP power are in! 🏁🇦🇿 An Your Azerbaijan GP power are in! 🏁🇦🇿 

And it was all about comebacks and turnarounds, with Max’s distant WDC hopes suddenly looking less distant now, Carlos Sainz turning a difficult season into William’s best race in 8 years, and Liam Lawson showing exactly how good he can be. 

Who’s Hot 🔥

+3 🇪🇸 Carlos Sainz – Who saw that coming?! Brilliant race to P3 to score Williams’ first (proper) podium since 2017.

+2 🇳🇿 Liam Lawson – Qualified 3rd, then kept faster cars (within DRS range) behind for much of the race for career-best P5.

+1 🇳🇱 Max Verstappen – The gap to the WDC lead is now 69 points. Too much? Maybe. But before Monza it was 104. Can RBR dare to dream? Clinical.

Who’s Not ❄️

-3 🇦🇺 Oscar Piastri – Anyone seen Oscar? That was someone pretending to be him in Baku, right? WDC damage limited by a tepid Norris performance.

-2 🏰 Modern F1 cars – F1 can have twisty circuits (Baku’s castle section, Monaco) or giant cars, but it can’t have both.

-1 🇬🇧 McLaren pitcrew – With updated RBR on a charge, McLaren can’t afford slow pitstops.

Standings After Round 17 – Who’s Hot 🔥

1. 🇦🇺 Oscar Piastri – 9
2. 🇳🇱 Max Verstappen – 9
3. 🇲🇨 Charles Leclerc – 8
4. 🇬🇧 Lando Norris – 8
5. 🇧🇷 Gabriel Bortoleto – 7
The BTCC Volvo 850 Estate is a cult-classic, but i The BTCC Volvo 850 Estate is a cult-classic, but it’s not the only touring car station wagon.

Enter the Subaru Impreza Wagon which graced the Super Tourer-spec Japanese Touring Car Championship in 1996 and 1998.

The privateer effort, entered by Subaru tuner SYMS, featured a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated boxer engine, providing around 290hp of grunt to the rear wheels.

The iconic Impreza bonnet scoop, bolt-on fenders and a boot-lip spoiler (later changed to a strut-mounted rear wing) gave the car a unique appearance.

Resplendent in a forrest green livery, Japanese driver Shunji Kasuya campaigned it during the 1996 season with limited success - hampered by the dreaded combo of both poor reliability (which saw the car fail to make the start in five occasions) and a chronic lack of pace.

After sidelining the car in 1997, SYMS returned with an updated version in 1998, now painted in a bright yellow livery. 

Japan’s Hideshi Matsuda and Argentine Sebastian Martino shared duties, picking up a trio of top ten results - three P9s, actually.

Had they found a turn of pace? 

Sadly not - by 1998, JTCC grids had dwindled to just nine cars, with the Imprezas routinely qualifying last and running around slowly at the back before being lapped.

After a pair of DNS results at Sugo for Round 3, the project was quitely forgotten, and the unique little Subies was garaged for good.

📸 Unattributed
F1 back to Adelaide? 😮 Sort of, anyway - @redb F1 back to Adelaide? 😮

Sort of, anyway - @redbullracing will demo a contemporary F1 car (expected to be the RB7 - pictured is an RB16B) at this year’s Supercars Adelaide Grand Final, bringing modern F1 back to the circuit which held the Australian Grand Prix from 1985-1995.

📸 (Bottom) @redbullampolracing
Today we remember some forgotten F1 fatalities - 4 Today we remember some forgotten F1 fatalities - 4 historic drivers who died behind the wheel keeping the memories of yesterday alive ❤️

🇬🇧 John Dawson-Damer - as he crossed the finish line during a practice run at the 2000 Goodwood Festival of speed, the former rally champion (co-driver champion in the 1978 Australian Rally Championship) and Lotus collector’s Lotus 63 veered off course and took out the finish line gantry, sadly also killing marshal Andy Carpenter. Another marshal, Steve Tarrant, suffered severe leg injuries in the accident. 

🇦🇹 Fritz Glatz - Long-time racer Glatz (who raced under a variety of pseudonyms and reached Formula 3000 and the World Sportscar Championship under the name Pierre Chauvet) was leading the 2002 EuroBoss round at the Czech Republic’s Most Autodrom when he hit a kerb heavily and somersaulted his Footwork FA17. The 58-year old sadly succumbed to his injuries. 

🇬🇧 Denis Welch - the successful businessman (Jaguar and Austin-Healey parts specialist) and part-time amateur racer was driving a Lotus 18 at the 2014 Jack Brabham Memorial Trophy at Silverstone when he was unable to avoid two crashed cars ahead of him. 

His business, Denis Welch Motorsport, continues on to this day. 

🇫🇷 David Ferrer - The 61 year old Frenchman and fruit business owner was racing an ex-Chris Amon March 701 at the 2017 Historic Masters Grand Prix at Zandvoort when he crashed heavily at the Arie Luyendijk turn. While extricated from the car and resuscitated, he died from his injuries in hospital. 

We remember them all for keeping the spirit of yesteryear alive - and a special shoutout to all the historic racers out there.
2.4-litre V8s, no DRS, and shorter and narrower ca 2.4-litre V8s, no DRS, and shorter and narrower cars. 

What do you reckon - is Max onto something? Would you like to see regulations similar to 2010?
Gerhard Berger, Teo Fabi, and the Twins crossover Gerhard Berger, Teo Fabi, and the Twins crossover you never knew you needed
Your Italian GP power rankings (honourable mention Your Italian GP power rankings (honourable mention: Alex Albon) are in 💪🇮🇹

Who’s Hot 🔥

+3 🇳🇱 Max Verstappen – A ‘greatest hits’ showing from the Dutchman who won with ease like it was 2023.

+2 🇧🇷 Gabriel Bortoleto – Outqualified Hülkenberg for the sixth time in a row. Maximised car potential with strong drive to P8.

+1 🇫🇷 Jean Alesi – Delighted the tifosi by getting behind the wheel of the V12 Ferrari 412 T2. More please!

Who’s Not ❄️

-3 🇯🇵 Yuki Tsunoda – Floor damage after being hit by Lawson can’t justify finishing 80 seconds behind your race-winning teammate…

-2 🇬🇧 Oliver Bearman – Incident with Sainz itself was fairly benign – but bigger picture is he is now on the cusp of a race ban.

-1 🇬🇧 McLaren – Late race Norris-Piastri swap after the former’s sluggish pitstop creates an awkward precedent. Where do they draw the line?

Standings After Round 16 – Who’s Hot 🔥

1. 🇦🇺 Oscar Piastri – 12
2. 🇬🇧 Lando Norris – 8
3. 🇲🇨 Charles Leclerc – 8
4. 🇳🇱 Max Verstappen – 8
5. 🇧🇷 Gabriel Bortoleto – 7
Monza banking through the years… 🇮🇹 The Monza banking through the years… 🇮🇹 

The 6.21 mile configuration incorporating the high-speed oval was used for Formula 1 four times - in 1955 and 1956, and again in 1960 and 1961. 

In 1957 and 1958, the oval itself hosted the 500 Miles of Monza or ‘Race of Two World’, which pitted F1 cars against USAC IndyCars, with the Americans triumphant on both occasions. 

After Wolfgang von Trips and 15 spectators died in a terrible accident in ‘61, F1 never returned to the banking, but it continued to be used for the Monza 1000km sportscar race through until 1969.

Today, the banking serves both as a reminder of a bygone era—and the setting for special stages of the Monza Rally, including during the 2020 and 2021 WRC seasons. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
📸 Unattributed
We’ve been a bit quiet here on C+S over the last We’ve been a bit quiet here on C+S over the last couple of days… 

But I reckon I’ve got the perfect excuse - last week I was off getting married to the love of my life Kristen 💫 

Things might be a bit quiet on here but we’ll be back to normal soon 💛🧡❤️
Ahead of October hearings in his legal bid to have Ahead of October hearings in his legal bid to have the 2008 WDC result overturned, Felipe Massa has spoken to a Brazilian podcast of his motivations, declaring the result an ‘unacceptable conspiracy’:

“It was a conspiracy, unacceptable, and Brazil and I have paid the consequences. It’s very difficult, but justice must be done, not only for me but for the future, so that people know they can fight for what’s right.”
Your Dutch GP power rankings are in… 🇳🇱 W Your Dutch GP power rankings are in… 🇳🇱

Who’s Hot 🔥

+3 🇫🇷 Isack Hadjar – Maiden career podium surely has him a shoe-in for the next promotion/demotion to RBR.

+2 🇦🇺 Oscar Piastri – Took the Grand Slam (won from pole, led every lap, and took fastest lap), with a clinical display.

+1 🇳🇱 Max Verstappen – Drove like a man possessed to get by Norris on lap 1 (after nearly binning at Turn 3) en route to P2.

Who’s Not ❄️

-3 🏁 Stewards – That penalty for Carlos Sainz… Come on! Total racing incident.

-2 🇮🇹 Kimi Antonelli – Rookies make mistakes, but is Kimi making too many? Clumsy crash on Leclerc and pitlane speeding to top it off.

-1 🇬🇧 Lewis Hamilton – Crashed out after making acquaintance with a slippery painted surface in the damp.

Standings After Round 15 – Who’s Hot 🔥
1. 🇦🇺 Oscar Piastri – 12
2. 🇬🇧 Lando Norris – 8
3. 🇲🇨 Charles Leclerc – 8
4. 🇹🇭 Alex Albon – 6
5. 🇩🇪 Nico Hülkenberg – 6

Standings After Round 15 – Who’s Not ❄️
1. 🇫🇷 Alpine -8
2. 🇬🇧 Aston Martin -7
3. 🇮🇹 Ferrari -6
4. 🇳🇿 Liam Lawson -5
5. 🏁 The Race -5
Me when race control says the race will start behi Me when race control says the race will start behind the safety car
M.I.L.F - Man I love Formula 5000! 

I mean, what’s not to love?? Fat slicks, tall air boxes, faster than F1 on some tracks, and a symphony of 5.0L V8 thunder 😍
Juha Kankkunen’s Toyota Celica ST185 scything th Juha Kankkunen’s Toyota Celica ST185 scything through a canyon of fans, Rallye de Portugal 1994 🇵🇹

📸 Unattributed
The great Allan Moffat’s Australian Touring Car The great Allan Moffat’s Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC) winning Mazda RX-7. 

A four-time winner of the ATCC, Canadian-born Moffat was Ford’s answer to Peter Brock during the 1970s, equalling ‘Peter Perfect’s’ four victories at Bathurst during the decade. 

Moffat was responsible for Ford’s crowing achievement, leading home a famous Falcon 1-2 formation finish at the 1977 race in scenes that have been replayed countless times since. 

However, the relationship with Ford soured as the decade closed, and Moffat instead linked up with Mazda to lead the Japanese manufacturer’s foray into Group C racing. 

The nimble, rotary-engined RX-7s resembled a sportscar more than a touring car, and an ugly politically-motivated battle ensued before the cars were finally approved to race by CAMS. 

Moffat used the lightweight Peter Stuyvesant-liveried Mazda to great effect, beating bigger and more powerful cars to win the 1983 championship. There were also a pair of Sandown 500 and Australian Endurance Championship victories, but Mazda’s ultimate goal—victory at Bathurst—remained out of reach. 

With the switch to Group A regulations for 1985, Mazda withdrew and Moffat sat out the season before joining the Holden Dealer Team in 1986. 

In 1988 he returned to Ford to race RS500 Sierras before retiring at the end of 1989 with a tally of four championships, four Bathurst wins and six Sandown 500 victories. 

As well as his exploits in Australia, Moffat also raced sporadically overseas, notably winning the 1975 Sebring 12 Hour race with Hans Stuck, Brian Redman and Sam Posey. There were also class wins at the 1982 Daytona 24 Hour in the RX-7, and at the 1987 Spa 24 Hour driving for the Holden Dealer Team.

📸 Ray Berghouse/Australian Muscle Car Magazine - digitally altered image
Spa, Nordschleife, Monza… absolute classics. B Spa, Nordschleife, Monza… absolute classics. 

But what are the classic tracks of the 21st century?
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