Motor Racing and Formula One

Jenny Mclane asked:


Americans have been known for their many passions which includes speed. This apparent need for speed has led to the creation of motor races which have been attracting Americans year after year. While the sport may not seem as physical as other sports such as baseball, football, and basket ball, a huge number of Americans are supporting sports based on the speed of automobiles. And when one speaks of car race, the first thing that comes to mind is the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

The said championship series has captured the imagination of millions of Americans who are known for their attraction to speed contests. The United States is also undoubtedly the biggest market for automobiles in the world which is a reason for the love of automobiles shown by Americans. As popular as the Nextel Cup Series may be, there are still a large number of people who are still in the dark what this sport is about.

Basically, the Nextel Cup is a series of races where the best race car driver, as judged by the number of points received during the duration of the entire series of races is crowned as the champion. The motorsport can be traced back to the days when races are between “strictly stock” cars or cars which have not been modified in any way. During those early days, one can bring a car to the tracks and race it.

Today though, the race cars used in the Nextel Cup Series are tailor made for racing. Although teams can tinker with their cars to make it better than the competition’s, NASCAR imposes rules to keep the cars equal. This year, four car brands have their vehicles racing at the series. These are Ford, Dodge, Toyota, and Chevrolet. The latter has been dominating the current series by winning nine of the last ten races.

While a NASCAR Nextel Cup race car can be modified for racing, they must have three stock parts from manufacturers. These three parts are the roof, the trunk lid, and the hood of the cars. Aside from these three parts, the chassis, the drive train, suspension, steering, and other systems can be modified to make the car so as to be suited to the demands of high speed operations. In fact, aftermarket parts such as the Pacesetter exhaust parts can be used by these race cars. While these systems can be tinkered with, NASCAR set some rules that each team must meet including the weight of the race car.

Currently, the weight set by NASCAR for race cars is 3,400 pounds. Another rule is that the distance between the front and rear wheels should also be uniform on all race cars which would compete in the Nextel Cup Series. The wheelbase of all race cars should be 100 inches. The fuel capacity of these race cars are also controlled by NASCAR. For most tracks, the mandated fuel capacity is 17.5 gallons. All race cars entering the contest should have the same fuel type which is 110 octane unleaded fuel as ruled by the sport’s sanctioning body. The cars’ top speed also has a limit which is set at 235 miles per hour.

For a car to be permitted to race at the Nextel Cup Series, its engine should conform to the rules set by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing or NASCAR. For instance, electronic features are not permitted and instead, mechanical parts are used. This keeps the costs from ballooning for the benefit of teams competing in the races. Engines allowed to be used on race cars competing in the Nextel Cup Series should have eight cylinders with combustion chambers measuring 358 cubic inches. To keep the cars equal power output is set at a maximum of approximately 750 horsepower.

An interesting fact about these race cars is their headlights. Since these cars are raced only during the day, they do not need to have a pair of headlights. The actual headlights that we see in front of these cars are in fact decals which look realistic enough to fool the unknowing person. Another interesting fact about these race cars is that they have to meet a number of templates that NASCAR is using to make sure that the shape of the cars is almost uniform. The tires used on these cars have no tread on them which is the reason why the Jimmy Stewart 400 was postponed due to the rain that poured during the event. The absence of treads on the tires of these cars makes them impossible to race in wet tracks. The tire compound used on these cars’ tire is harder than those used by other motorsport vehicles given the fact that these race cars significantly weigh more.



Jocelyn

Thomas Pretty asked:


For those who were hoping that the F1 season would be open for all teams and drivers are likely to be disappointed. Sponsors, F1 bosses and merchandise producers are all trying to claim that this year will see the most open season for almost a decade in terms of team performances.

The early rounds of testing however are proving otherwise. So far of all the F1 practice sessions the two teams that have come through strongest are Ferrari and McLaren; good news for the sponsors and merchandise producers linked to those teams, but what of the rest of the pack?

Schumacher; the greatest statistical driver F1 has ever seen has been recorded as saying this week that he sees the upcoming season as a two horse race. Merchandise companies and sponsors will be trying to play down the former champion’s claims as the risk of F1 becoming a procession rather than the pinnacle of racing will dent profits severely.

The chances of the season being a battle between the prancing horse and the silver arrow seems likely, testing has shown they are clearly the fastest cars on the track, the question is with new regulations; will a more exciting season be forthcoming?

Sponsors and merchandise produces will be hoping that the new regulations on the banning of traction control systems will create more exciting racing. Without traction control it is clear that the F1 cars will be even harder to control. Driver mistakes will be more disastrous than ever and if it is wet, expect to see cars flying off the track in abundance.

Smooth driving will be the name of the game for drivers and aggressive driving is likely to be unrewarding, sticking to the racing line will be increasingly important if drivers want to win races. This sounds as if the racing will become duller but with a mistake now likely to cost more than it has in the past, the opportunities for other drivers to capitalise on mistakes will be evident.

Merchandise and sponsorship companies in Britain will be hoping that Lewis Hamilton can build upon the impressive performances he put down in 2007. Worryingly however it seem as if the British F1 team will be undergoing a management shake up in the weeks leading up to the first race.

Ron Dennis, who has been team manager at McLaren since the late eighties is set to leave following increasing pressure from team bosses; although the company line is it is due to his want to spend more time with his family. Dennis, who has been like a father to the young Hamilton, will be a great loss to the British driver. As his most ardent supporter in the team Hamilton will be losing some of his support structure in the upper echelons of management.

Of the other teams, most have seen Renault and BMW as the biggest rivals of the two favourites. Renault have signed former champion Alonso after his clashes with McLaren management throughout the previous season and will undoubtedly raise Renault’s sponsorship and merchandise profits in Spain; as he has arguably trebled the fan base in his home nation in the past few years.

BMW however will have their work cut out if they wish to achieve the podiums they so strongly desire. Kubica, a driver for BMW has stated that the BMW F1 08 is still way behind the pack after radical changes to aerodynamics and engine design. Although winter testing has been troublesome for the team, the supporting sponsors and merchandise companies will be hoping the car will come good by the time of racing in Melbourne.

Hopefully the new season will be able to throw up some surprises; Raikkonen and Hamilton may well be the favourites for the title in their Ferrari and McLaren respectively but there are other drivers who may add to the excitement for the title race.

Alonso, although in a poorer car will undoubtedly bring home results with his unique driving style and Kubica in his BMW will be hoping to build on his good results from last year. For those of us in the F1 fraternity, the wait for the new season is nearly over; as the race gets underway in Melbourne in a couple of weeks, we will see how exciting the 2008 season will be.



Alexandria

Adam Singleton asked:


The Formula One world championship season has ended for the season, leaving many Brits a little disappointed. Everything was looking good for racing prodigy Lewis Hamilton, who at the tender age of 22 looked as though he had the world title in the bag.

However, things weren’t to be; in the final race in Brazil, it all went wrong for Hamilton who suffered from mechanical problems with his car and finished 8th in the race, meaning he was just beaten to being crowned the youngest ever F1 champion.

Hamilton’s team, McLaren, have stated that they may appeal against the stewards’ decision not to penalise Williams and BMW Sauber for alleged fuel irregularities, but despite this meaning that Hamilton would then be crowned champion, he has publicly stated that he does not want to win the title under such circumstances. He has announced that he wants to win the world championship on the racetrack, not in an appeal court, adding that such a situation would be detrimental to the sport of F1.

Even though the F1 season is over for another year, there are still plenty of world class motoring events to keep petrol heads happy; The World Rally Championship, the Karting World Championship and the European Drag racing championship amongst others.

And for those who wonder how motor sport could ever be seen as ‘green’, the FIA Alternatives Energies Cup is a growing competition that pits various green forms of alternative energy powered vehicles against each other, such as solar power and electrically powered automobiles. Hardened motor sport enthusiasts may miss the scream and smell of the petrol engine, but the Alternative Energies cup is helping to further renewable and less damaging forms of vehicular technology whilst at the same time providing some superb racing sport.

And don’t forget the hundreds of local motor races that take place throughout the country at small club circuits every week. These may not carry the prestige of world cup events, but they can be just as entertaining and it’s here that you’ll find some of the most interesting classes of vehicles being pitted against each other; coaches, taxis, ambulances, tractors, minis - even sit-on lawn mowers, if it’s got wheels and an engine, there’s likely to be a club of enthusiasts that races them.

We all know that a massive part of the attraction of motor sports is the element of danger and the chance of a spectacular crash; and this is one area where local banger racing circuits can almost guarantee entertainment, as many local race days will end with a real crowd pleaser - the demolition derby. This is a ‘last man stands’ affair - enter all ye who dare, rev up your engines and then bump, crash, scrape and collide until only one car can still move. The perfect end to a day at the races.



Ivan

Alex Bradburry asked:


Car racing, a form of motor racing involving cars built to combine aspects of racing and touring cars. Although there are many conflicting definitions of sports cars, it is usually conceded that in normal production form they do not resemble Grand Prix (Formula I) racing machines. Whereas the latter is a single.seat design carrying spartan cockpit furnishings and utterly functional equipment throughout, the sports car is usually a two- seater, sometimes a four, characterized by its nimble abilities (if not speed and power) together with general suitability for high- speed touring on ordinary roads. Unlike a Grand Prix car, it is usually series-produced,handmade. Some manufacturers of Grand Prix machines, such as Ferrari and Lotus, also make sports cars. Other makes include MG, Jaguar, Aston Martin, AustinI Healey, Triumph, Porsche, Lancia, Morgan, and Chevrolet Corvette. Although not usually designed exclusively for racing, sports cars are nevertheless able racing machines and are often entered in competitions with their own kind, Most of the world’s sports-car racing is conducted for amateur drivers by local and regional organizations. Some of the world’s tccsctcam cot taesng, tsptciaiy in suc’n important as Mans, where the reputations of manufacturers are very much at stake, has brought about some prototype sports cars that are, in reality, little different in their power and speed potentials from Formula I machines. A world sports-car championship was awarded from 1953 to 1961. It was replaced in 1962 by a manufacturer’s championship, for which grand touring and prototype cars also compete, awarded annually to the make of car that achieves the best record in a specified series of races.



Derick

Amelia Stenson asked:


South African motor racing was given a long overdue shot in the arm last month when the world class Kyalami Race track hosted the A1GP for the first time. Long discarded as a preferred international venue for the really big league of motor racing, Formula One, Kyalami proved to both its detractors and supporters that it is indeed ready to host the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and the rest of the F1 racing daredevils.

Kyalami rises to the deafening sound of A1 racing

Right up until 1985, when South Africa’s entrenched apartheid policies raised the ire of the racing fraternity, Kyalami was the venue of the elite South African Grand Prix, but since then the deafening noise on the track has been silenced.

The 4,26km Midrand track did not belie its name (meaning “My Home” in Zulu) when teams from all over the globe took part in the A1GP. Even Brazil’s favourite racing son, Felipe Massa, was on hand at the anti-clockwise track to give his A1 compatriot a couple of tips before the race.

Although South Africa had to acquiesce to the flair and sheer velocity of Team Netherlands on the day, it was a heavenly and historic moment for auto racing in South Africa.

Formula Vee National Champs at the Phakisa Freeway soon

The incumbent king of the national Formula Vee championship, Dennis Johns, is back on home turf in an attempt to defend his title and there is an entire harem of consummate drivers out there to test the young man’s nerves and skill.

Formula Vee is the baby brother of motor sport, with the class based on the precocious and enduring 1963 VW Beetle. Although the likes of Barrichello and Button may well scoff at the lowly and inexpensive formula, it has proved to have tremendous stamina in the popularity stakes of both drivers and its ever-growing fan base.

The national championship takes place at the Phakisa Freeway on March 14, a track that has often been likened to the hugely acclaimed Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. The Free State track is rated as one of the safest circuits on the GP tour and MotoGP, organisers of the World Grand Prix circuit, believe it is a superb venue and one of the best in the world – yet another accolade for the resurgent South African auto-racing sector.

Apart from the signature race, fans are in for a dynamic mix of single seater, sports, GT and saloon racing including



Historic saloon cars

Historic sports and GT cars

Formula GTi & 250cc Super Karts

Club championship events for Formula Libre single-seaters & Marque cars



Linda

Fazal Zubair asked:


Auto racing (also known as automobile racing, motor racing or car racing) is a motorsport involving racing cars. It is one of the world’s most watched television sports.

History

The beginning of racing

Racing began soon after the construction of the first successful petrol-fueled automobiles before that time people raced in other vehicles such as horse-drawn buggies. The first race ever organized was on April 28, 1887 by , by the chief editor of Paris publication Le Vélocipède, Monsieur Fossier. It ran 2 kilometers from Neuilly Bridge to the Bois de Boulogne. It was won by Georges Bouton, in a car he had constructed with Albert, the Comte de Dion, but as he was the only competitor to show up it is rather pointless to call it a race. On July 22 1894, the first real contest was organized by Paris magazine Le Petit Journal, as a reliability test. The Comte de Dion was first to arrive in Rouen on his steam car, but a Panhard et Levassor was judged to be the winner.

In 1895, the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris Rally was held and this was the first real race as all competitors started together. The winner was Émile Levassor in his Panhard-Levassor 1205 cc model. He completed the course in 48 hours and 47 minutes, finishing nearly six hours before the runner-up.

The first regular auto racing venue was Nice, France, run in late March 1897 as a “Speed Week.” To fill out the schedule, most types of racing event were invented here, including the first hill climb (Nice - La Turbie) and a sprint that was, in spirit, the first drag race.

An international competition, between nations rather than individuals, began with the Gordon Bennett Cup in auto racing.

The first auto race in the United States took place in Chicago, Illinois. The course went from the South side of the city, North along the lakefront to Evanston, Illinois and back again on November 28, 1895 over an 54.36 mile(87.48 km) course, with Frank Duryea winning in 10 hours and 23 minutes, beating three petrol-fueled and two electric cars.

City to city racing

With auto construction and racing dominated by France, the French automobile club ACF staged a number of major international races, usually from or to Paris, connecting with another major city in Europe or France.

These very successful races ended in 1903 when Marcel Renault was involved in a fatal accident near Angouleme in the Paris-Madrid race. Nine fatalities caused the French government to stop the race in Bordeaux and ban open-road racing.

See complete details with images at

http://classic-auto-racing.blogspot.com/



Kody

Kayla Reid asked:


Man is undoubtedly attracted to both speed and intense rivalry, be it on the ocean, land or in the heavens, judging by how frequently these three elements are taken on by the masters of racing. Each high velocity sport offers both riveting thrills and bone-breaking spills - but which of these full-throttle races reigns supreme?

Extreme power-boating

Extreme power-boating has been around for quite some time, although the regulated F1 version was first inaugurated less than three decades ago. Based on Formula One motor racing, the powerboats are effectively the thoroughbreds of the oceans’ depths.

The boats, tunnel hull catamarans, are specifically designed for extreme speed and exceptional manoeuvrability. The design creates an air cushion under the hull so that when the craft is barrelling along at full speed, a neck-breaking 240kph, only a few inches of the craft actually touches the water, giving one the impression that the boat is literally flying in the air.

As with F1, power-boat racing takes place at 13 different international venues on the standard H2O track; a 350m circuit set out on either a river, lake or a balmy bay, sheltered from the worst of the elements. Again, emulating their race buddies on terra firma, qualifying periods determine the grid and specialised timing apparatus records each performance, with championship points handed out to the quickest.

Although power-boat racing has grown in popularity and regular action includes 360° barrel rolls, with the hapless crew knocked out cold at times, as well as the occasional ‘full ejection’ of the crew from the craft, it hasn’t captured as much attention as its land based counterparts.

Red Bull Air Race World Championships

Then there’s the Red Bull Air Race World Championships, a hair-raising event where accomplished pilots rocket their aircraft at full speed around a demanding obstacle course in the sky. Pilots fly against the clock doing the tightest of turns through a slalom course consisting of 20m high ‘Air Gates’.

Again, the championship is contested at different venues throughout the world, with the lion’s share of the sky tracks set out above a body of water….just in case they miss the mark. Air racing, the new kid on the racing block, has only been contested at its highest level since 2003 and, while it has its fair share of supporters, its still motor racing that commands the most attention!

Nothing beats Formula One motor racing

Perhaps it’s the deafening shriek of the powerful engines, the charisma of the championship drivers or the constant threat of an untimely collision between racing cars, but nothing quite matches the exhilaration of motor racing.

If in any doubt as to the pure pedigree of Formula One, why not take the challenge and drive an F1 car? Dedicated motor racing companies in South Africa can organise a day at the track, either as a corporate event, or simply a real spoiler for that all-important person in your life.



Rafael

Jessica Whittaker asked:


Audi is one of the best known supercars.

Over the years, Audi has been actively involved in motor sports. The participation of Audi into motor sports dates back to 1930’s with their former company the Auto Union. The Audis dominated the Touring and Super Touring categories of motor racing in the 1990’s.

The four wheel drive Quattro, launched by the company in 1980 was successful in winning rallies and races worldwide. The Quattro is one of the first cars to make use of the new rules of rally racing then, which allowed the use of four-wheel drives for racing. However, the critics saw the four-wheel races as too heavy and difficult. The Quattro gained significant success in the World Rally Championship winning the 1983 (Hannu Mikkola} and the 1984 {Stig Bolmquist) drivers titles. The Quattro also got home the manufactures title in 1982 and 1984.

In 1984, Audi launched the short-wheelbase Sport Quattro. This car dominated the races in Monte Carlo and Sweden, by taking all the podium places. Audi also received the rally honors in the Honk Kong to Beijing rally in the same year. Michele Mouton is the only race driver to win a round of World Rally Championship and a driver for Audi. In 1985, Michele raced the S1 in the Pike Peaks and set a record of 11.25.39. She is the first woman to set a Pike Peak record. Walter Rohrl claimed a title for the company setting a new Pikes Peak International Hill Climb record of 10:47:85 in the Audi S1. The Audi S1 employs a 5-cylinder turbo charged engine and generates over 600hp (447kW). The S1 serves as the bas for all the S models of the company. The company entered the Trans American Racing in the year 1988. In 1989, Audi moved to International Motor Sport Association (IMSA GTO).

Touring Races

The company was successful in marketing and selling its cars in the United States of America. In the 1990’s Audi returned to Europe. The company began racing into the super touring series. The company participated in the French Supertourisme and Italian Supertourisme. The company also participated in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). The Federation International de Automobile (FIA) faced difficulties in regulating the Quattro four-wheel drive system and the impact it had on the competitors, which eventually led to the ban on use of four-wheel drives for competitions. The company then started focusing on the sports car racing. The company raced with their RS4 in the Speed World GT Challenge. Few of the races allowed the use of four-wheel drives and thus enabled the Quattro to dominate as the Champion.

Sports Car Racing

Audi entered the 24-hour Le-Mans races in the year 1999. In 2003 two Bentley Speed 8s, with Audi engines competed the GTP and finished in top two positions. These cars were loaned to the fellow Volkswagen Group then. In the 2005, Le-Mans two R8s entered along with an R8 from the Audi PlayStation Team Oreca. Audi continues its active participation in the 24i Hour Le- Mans.



Marshall

rob anderson asked:


Err, hi.

 If you are here to find out where the connection is between motor racing and the internet marketing system is - great. I am glad. But I am going to warn you up front, I am going to explain it the long way around. This is not going to be a quick 500 word article. In fact I admit a huge amount of it is for my own benefit. Sorry.  In the future when all the disbelieving scrubbers come to me, hat in hand, saying, “ahh - please Rob, could you help me do as well as you have?” or “do you have some money for me please?” there is I high chance that I am going to tell them to fly! I will tell you why at the end - maybe - perhaps my cynicism will have shown through.

I love honesty.

By understanding this analogy perhaps the 90% dropout rate could be lowered. To be honest I do not really care that much if I save you or not. If you are one of the start up and drop out types - well, hello and goodbye.

So here is how it works.

If I told you that there is going to be a new type of motor race and anybody can enter, race and even make money, hey, a lot of money, would you be interested?

You will be supplied a racing car, given a workshop to work in, shown how to build, tune and then race the car. You will be given step by step instructions on exactly how to drive and race. Even a huge bunch of tips will be supplied on how to overtake, slipstream and ultimately get to the front.

For $50 dollars I will give you the chassis of a formula one racing car. I will throw in all the parts to make up the newest type of engine available, it will include all the tyres and even an extra dozen tyres. You will get every single nut and bolt needed to build up this high tech racing machine. We will even give you a racing driver. What more could you ask for?

Here is the best part; you don’t even need to race on the same day. If your car only starts running at eleven at night then cool, off you go, do a few fast laps, and they will count towards that days times. Then the next day someone will work out that you did the fourth fastest lap, and wow, you will get $300.00. Then you do it again the next day.

You will be offered 79000 different types of races, 16000 different types of tyres to race on and you can even enter races where you have to push the car.

AND IT ALL WILL COST YOU NOTHING!

Well nothing after paying the initial car price.

So having been given that offer how many of you think that you could build your car, learn to tune it, practice driving skills etc etc, in 48 hours. Ahhh! Come on. Be realistic, out there on the track are 12000 other drivers that have all been driving a lot longer than that. So what the hell gave you the idea that as a brand new driver, you will win a race in a few days?

Yes, but if you did build your car carefully and read all the instructions correctly, then carefully tuned it. And re tuned it. Eventually you will be able to hear that it is starting to sound the same as those cars going around the track all the time.

Then and only then can you venture out carefully onto the track and start doing a few laps. And yes, after a few laps you will see that it is quite easy and pick up speed. Pretty soon you will be lapping with the fast guys, and making money.

So my question is this, how long, (be real with your answer here), would it take you to learn how to, and build, tune etc a high tech racing car? Even if you do it every day? Personally I think about 4 weeks at the very fastest. Remember I am learning a brand new skill. If I have any problems at all it could easily slide into 3 months.

So, finally I can get to the point. WHY do newcomers to the internet expect to be wealthy instantly? Do you come to the internet with a full and 100% understanding of how everything works? Are please, gimme a break, yes they said you can start earning money immediately, and in some extreme cases it is true. But if you believed that then I want to offer you a few other products. And they are very expensive, but you will double your money…… ha ha. Just click here!

No, please be serious. As with any new business it will obviously take a month or two to even get the ball rolling. Then a few more months to get a good grip on the proceedings. And then finally you really will start making the huge amounts of money that is possible.

So why do newbie’s start bleating within a few days about how they all got lied to, and how all these promises are a bucket of crap? When in reality they have only done two or three weeks work. And most of that in a completely confused manner because they allow themselves to be distracted by brightly colored banners all the time.

Do this. Get a really good training course. I did, and it was an absolute bargain. Do every minute of the training. Do it again. Then set up a proper plan, and simply stick to it. It is so easy that I am still amazed. Every day I wonder why everybody in isn’t doing this. If you do that you might not be the first newcomer onto the race track, but when your car does start lapping the other guys will sit up and take notice.

There is another way to think about it. Every year a huge number of very bright youngsters leave school and enter university. They then proceed to work very hard studying for at least 4 years, get qualified, and then only get their first job. The place that they will reach in about 10 years after they start, is the same place you could be in within 12 months of doing hard work for one year. Starting today.

Same story. Get trained properly, make up a game plan, and then apply it. Work hard for at least a year. And then you will be able to say if you got lied to or not.

All the newbie’s that are trying to race their cars with only two of the wheels on are stupid. Seriously I really mean - STUPID. That is why they will be told to fly. Think - even just a little, and I will willingly give you a huge amount of my time. Thanks for following my rant, now let’s rave.

So - Let’s Go Racing.



Bria

Carazoo.com asked:


Car racing is the ultimate display of engineering and driving dynamics. It is a test of man and machine on the aspects of speed, acceleration, aerodynamics and endurance skills. The earliest racing cars were built with what we now know as simplest of the technologies, but which were revolutionary then. As the engineers and designers learned from mistakes, cars got racier and leaner. Some great racing cars owe their existence to some innovation.

Ford GT40

When Ford lost its bid to buyout Ferrari at the last moment in early 60’s, it vowed to set a greater example than the Italian sports car company. Ford set out to make its own sports car. The company came up with the stunning Ford GT40. Ford and Ferrari fought hard to win events since it was launched in 1966. The GT40 won Le Mans in 1966 as well 67, 68 and 1969. The Ford GT40 endurance racer was the first car to exceed 200 mph speed. They defeated Ferrari’s at several events. By winning Le Mans and several other racing events, Ford demonstrated that the traditional V8 engine typical to American cars was sufficient to compete in world racing events.

Matra Simca MS670

When Le Mans that was essentially, a French event was dominated by other European, a lone French sports car company announced its desire to win the 1969 Formula one and Le Mans, ahead of the race. As FIA had changed rules to allow every sports car to receive only 3 litre prototype engine, Matra’s option were limited. Matra fitted the Simca with V12 engine with 60 degree block angle, twin overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinders which demonstrated high level of build standards. The car however faced a disappointing run in 1969. The company refined it to give it more boost. The new car for 1970 was called the MS670 which sported a barchetta body and a rear wing. This car won convincingly at the Le Mans in 1970. It grabbed the imagination of sports car enthusiasts and was named one of the greatest win.

Jaguar XJR-12

Jaguar has had a long history of racing. It won the Le Mans for 7 consecutive times with the last one being in 1990. It was also the last British car to win the Le Mans. The XJR-12 was installed with the same aspirated V12 engine that was fitted in XJR-9. The FIA rules were relaxed and the sports were allowed to have engine with any capacity and any number of cylinders but had to weigh a minimum weight of 1000 kgs, The XJR-12 embodied smart looks and performance. The team of four Jaguars raced at the 1990 event. They were ahead of the Porsches and Nissans. At the finishing line two Jaguars grabbed the second the third position at the racing. It demonstrated that endurance of the sports car in toughest conditions like the Le Mans which is a 24 hours event.

Ferrari 250

This Ferrari Grand Touring car was the most beautiful car ever driven on racing circuits. The GTO was designed in such a manner that it had gained the perfect balance and aerodynamic abilities.  It was called the ballet dancer of motor racing, by racing enthusiasts. In its very first race, the 250 GT won the Mille Miglia event in 1952 and also gave its best performance at the Le Mans. The GTO was termed as the the top dog in racing. It went to win many races till 1964, untill  it was relegated to behind lines by the Daytona Coupe.

Porsche 956

The 956 is a remarkable Porsche sports cars holding some phenomenal record in motorsports. It was created after the FIA brought in new rules in 1982, allowing participants a limited amount of fuel per car per race. The 956 was given a turbocharged aluminum flat six engine and a new aluminum monocoque construction, which was new development in racing cars then. It gained superb aerodynamics which gave it its seductive looks. Due to the technology 956 generated over three times more downforce than Porsche 917. There was a remarkable change was in the fuel economy too as it got a 2.7 litre engine producing 620 bhp power. The 956 enjoyed four consecutive victories at the Le Mans 24 from 1982 to 1986.



Sam