One of the feature displays at the show was a celebration of 60 Years of the British Touring Car
Championship, with cars spanning from the sixties Lotus Cortina , through a ‘70s Rover SD1, that won the
championship, but was subsequently disqualified, to modern contenders like the Ford Focus. Another 60th
anniversary was that of Formula Junior, with some of the series iconic historic cars on display, like the
Stanguellini, Lotus 18, Cooper T56 and Brabham BT6. The series was an important stepping stone to higher
formulas, and the cars of the period looked very similar to their F1 counterparts. F1 racing magazine hosted
the regular display of contemporary F1 cars, with examples from Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, Red Bull,
Renault, Force India, Williams and Haas. There was another Williams in the Business/VIP Lounge, a
McLaren next to the Autosport Live Stage, and two further Ferraris on the company’s stand, which was
adjacent to the stage, and without doubt the largest and most impressive stand at the show.
Whilst making mention of the Ferrari stand, it featured a fine array of models that come under the umbrella of
the company’s Corse Clienti and Competizioni GT divisions, and this was the first motor show at which they
have had a stand dedicated to their activities. They comprised of a 2004 F1 car, together with a 2017 F70H
static display F1 car, a 488 GT3 decorated in the FIA WEC class winning colour scheme, a 488 Challenge
car and the spectacular FXX-K Evo static display car, as first shown at the Finali Mondiali gathering at the
Mugello circuit last October. Just as interesting as the cars on the stand, was the film being shown on a large
screen at the rear of the stand, which featured some captivating rare period racing footage. Part of the reason
for the Ferrari presence at the show, was to evaluate the possibility of launching a UK dedicated Chellenge
Series in 2019, so as to gauge reaction from possible clients who might contemplate taking part. The series
would be run under the same current regulations in force for the European Series, which of course UK
entrants would still be eligible to participate in. Further details are due to be announced at the European
Chellenge Series round at Silverstone in April, and at the FIA WEC 6 Hours of Silverstone in August.
There were also Ferrari works GT drivers in attendance including James Calado and Alessandro Pier Guidi,
who won the FIA WEC GTE Class Drivers’ Championship in 2017, together with Miguel Molina and Marc
Gené, all of whom visited the stand and took part in question and answer sessions on the Autosport Live
Stage. This stage also saw a large number of other motor sport celebrities being interviewed over the course
of the show, these included five times Le Mans winner (and nine times consecutive podium finisher) Emanuele
Pirro, who is always great entertainment value, whilst at the same time providing a great insight into the world
of the endurance racing driver. Another was the 2000 and 2001 US Champ Car series Champion and winner of
the 2003 Indianapolis 500, Gil de Ferran, who was also very entertaining and humble. It would be fair to say
that the biggest crowd around the stage were for the great British motor racing hero, “Il Leone” to the Italian
fans when he was driving for Ferrari, Nigel Mansell. He was on the stage with an upcoming star, 18 year old
Billy Monger, who lost his lower legs in a horrific F4 accident at the Donington circuit in April 2017. He has
shown amazing resilience and determination to get back behind the wheel of a racing car, and was doing
exhibition runs, including rubber burning doughnuts, in a Jaguar F-Type in the Live Arena through the course
of the show. Both received rapturous applause at the end of their chat session.
The Coys Auction on the Saturday featured a variety of offerings, including a selection of Ferrari models,
including a wild yellow F40 “Evo”, chassis # 80782, with some Michelotto “trick bits”, and an ex-Colonel
Ronnie Hoare 365 GT4 BB, chassis # 18267, looking very attractive in its original colour combination of
metallic Blu Dino with a beige leather interior. There were also a couple of rare in the UK examples of Italian
market models, a Dino 208 GT4 and a 208 GTS Turbo, together with a pair of US market Mondials, an 8 and
a 3.2 Cabriolet, although both looked in need of some TLC, as did some of the other Ferraris on offer. They
also had a Ferrari “Wanabee” in the form of a 1959 MG Milano, built by JWF Glass-Fibre Industries in
Australia on a MG J2 chassis with a MG TF 1500cc engine, clothed in a Mondial/Monza style sports racing
car body.
Porsche had a stand opposite Ferrari, featuring a 911 GT3 Cup race model and a 911 GT2 RS road car, whilst
Bentley showed their new Continental GT3 model, and there were numerous niche market manufacturers like
Praga from Czechoslovakia, Ginetta, Ligier, Norma and Radical with a selection of models, plus a number of
personalization companies. These included Liberty Walk, with, as last year, some wild custom body kits,
including one on a 488 GTB, which although not as wild as last year’s 458 Italia offering was still pretty wild! If
rallying is your thing then there were plenty of rally cars spread around the halls, the biggest concentration
being on the Dayinsure Rally Wales GB stand, with an array of 2018 WRC contenders, whilst a number of
drivers also appeared on the Live Stage over the weekend. Once again the show was a broad palette of motor
sport at all levels, and attracted vast crowds over the course of the weekend.
Ferrari Models on Display
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