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For one season only, the groovy colours of Paul Michaels’ Hexagon Racing team – run from his London car dealership – gave F1’s big boys a scare thanks to a…
Silverstone hosts F1 legends for first Motoring Literary & Art Festival
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- Last updated: December 12th 2023
Drivers, designers and authors held forth at the first Motoring Literary & Art Festival at Silverstone last weekend, with fans getting to hear some of racing's greatest stories
Motoring Literary and Art Festival held a successful first event at Silverstone
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The nights may have drawn in as the racing season goes into hibernation but, as last weekend’s Motoring Literary & Art Festival held by Porter Press at Silverstone showed, there’s still much for motor sport fans to get involved in.
Leading the two-day event was a series of fascinating in-depth talks given by F1 legends and luminaries alike, including former McLaren and Brabham race-winner John Watson, world-championship-winning F1 designer Pat Symonds, and James Hunt’s first GP team boss Lord Hesketh.
Accompanying the interviews and lecturers was a multitude of stalls offering some of the finest motor sport books, art and automobilia available.
Event catered for practically all racing tastes
Motoring Literary and Art Festival
The harsh December weather did little to dampen the spirits of those in attendance, enthused by the chance to listen and participate in discussions on a wide variety of racing.
From the archive
Watson was on hand to talk all things both Hexagon Racing – the plucky indie outfit with whom he scored his first F1 point – and about driving the astounding Porsche 956/062, the fearsome Group C sports car category’s most successful car.
While fellow ‘70s F1 player Lord Hesketh recalled highs, lows and high-jinks of his eponymous team’s short world championship tenure – which included James Hunt’s first F1 win – an eye was also cast over modern day matters.
Sky Sports analyst Karun Chandhok gave his view on the current state of the sport, as well as his memories of starting out as a young marshal at Silverstone who eventually made it to F1, while his opposite number on Channel 4 Lee Mackenzie spoke about her new book Inside F1: Life alongside Legends.
BRM V16 on display
Motor Sport
In recognition of its 60th anniversary, iconic British racing brand BRM had its cult favourite V16 reproduction on resplendent display in the main hall of the Silverstone ‘Wing’, while drivers Jackie Oliver, Howden Ganley, designer Tony Southgate and engineer Mike Pilbeam reminisced about the team and its mercurial long-time boss Louis Stanley.
“Stanley was good at raising money, got Marlboro into F1,” said Oliver during the highly amusing and informative talk. “But he wasn’t good at everything – though he thought he was…”
It wasn’t just racing which was under the spotlight. Renowned car designer Peter Stevens shared stories of Tom Walkinshaw’s infamous Jaguar XJR-15, while former Aston Martin and Nissan COO Professor Andy Palmer gave his thoughts on the future of the automotive industry.
Rounding off the weekend was an in-depth discussion with former Benetton engineer Symonds who, with Damien Smith, looked back on the key moments of the brilliant and sometimes absurd moments of a unique team, which culminated in it winning three world championships.
Motor sport enthusiasts were left happily laden with both memorable stories and numerous racing gifts of their choice, with no doubt many looking forward to next year’s edition.
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