Motoring Literary & Art Festival: Silverstone hosts world-first showcase

“In the time-honoured words of John Cleese, ‘and now for something completely different’,” says book publishing tsar Philip Porter, the brains behind what he claims is a global first. On this, he might well be right. As far as we are aware, the Motoring Literary & Art Festival breaks new ground in ‘our’ world and has the potential to become a new annual favourite.

The inaugural event takes place at The Wing, Silverstone on December 2-3 and, as it says on the tin, will provide a bespoke showcase for specialist automotive publishers, writers and artists. More than 40 exhibitors have already signed up. The roster includes renowned book retailers and publishers, motoring artists, magazine publishers – ahem, including media partner Motor Sport – makers of luxury writing instruments, chronographs and model cars, motoring memorabilia vendors and something that caught our eye: a demonstration of the too easily overlooked art of bookbinding. We’re guessing there won’t be a staple in sight.

Naturally, there will also be some cars, and we’d describe what’s offered as a highly selective coterie: the beloved Ferrari 250 GT SWB ‘Breadvan’; 9600 HP, the oldest surviving Jaguar E-type prototype; and that perennial crowd-pleaser, a BRM P15 V16.

But beyond the exhibition hall, the festival’s headline draw is the varied and busy line-up of guest speakers, Q&As and specialist panels that have been gathered to discuss all things motoring and motor sport, in three separate ‘theatres’ across what promises to be two packed days (full running order overleaf). At this point, we should point out it’s extra to attend each session, beyond the general admission price.

All manner of potential highlights stand out from the schedule. It’s a matter of taste, of course, but given this is Motor Sport we’ll obviously find ourselves drawn mostly to the chatter on this sporting life… Saturday morning kicks off with Richard Heseltine (formerly of this parish) hosting what promises to be a colourful discussion with John Watson and Hexagon Classics chief Paul Michaels, who have plenty of conjoined history. Wattie and Michaels have a deep well of stories to draw from, specifically from their Formula 1 season together in 1974 when the Northern Irishman drove a Goldie Hexagon Racing Brabham BT42 and 44 in a less than glorious shade of ‘flush’ brown. The colour scheme was surely of its time. Still, Wattie picked up his first world championship points at Monaco, the Österreichring and Watkins Glen, plus a wealth of experience.

Elsewhere, Peter Stevens will talk The Business of Going Fast – which judging from usual conversations with the design hero could head off in any and all directions. Then later that afternoon Sky F1 pundit Karun Chandhok will sit down for a chat with Jordan F1 designer Gary Anderson and Channel 4 rival Lee McKenzie, while Wattie returns for a panel discussion on the fêted Group C Porsche 956/962.

Our eye was also drawn to Sir John Egan explaining how he ‘saved Jaguar’ from crumbling British Leyland in the 1980s – should be illuminating – plus a two-hander entitled 70 Years of Ian Fleming’s James Bond. So a focus on Villiers blown Bentleys over Aston Martins? We’d hope so.

On the Sunday, Stevens is back to talk specifically about the Jaguar XJR-15 – but he’ll never stay on one subject, surely – and Lord Alexander Hesketh follows straight after to tell ripping James Hunt yarns from the ‘Superbear’ ’70s. A BRM panel discussion featuring Jackie Oliver, Tony Southgate, Howden Ganley and Mike Pilbeam sounds unmissable, as does ever-popular Mike Wilds talking about his rich racing life.

“Any event that features Ian Flux won’t be short of belly laughs”

Oliver and Southgate feature in another theatre to mull on Ford GT40s; Andy Wallace will entertain with tales from his many views out of racing (and high-powered road car) cockpits from around the world; and conversations about the best (and hopefully worst) car movies, plus cheats in motor sport, should offer plenty of juice. There’s even some chap who rings a bell wittering on about his new book about the Benetton F1 team. Not to be missed, surely.

Porter reckons the festival is “designed for serious motoring enthusiasts” – although any event that features Ian Flux as a guest speaker won’t be short of belly laughs. A welcome lunchtime addition also promising to pop any degree of pomposity – and happily free of charge too – is another Motor Sport old boy, Andrew Marriott, who will host a session each day entitled The Evolution of Motoring Art.

You have to book tickets in advance, so plot your day via the event website. Head to motorlitartfest.co.uk – and hopefully see you at Silverstone in December.

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2
THEATRE 1 

10.00-11.30 John Watson and Paul Michaels in discussion with Richard Heseltine
11.30-13.00 Film: Stewart, supporting Race Against Dementia
14.30-16.00 Karun Chandhok in conversation with Gary Anderson and Lee McKenzie
16.00-17.30 Blowing the Bloody Doors Off with Matthew Field & David Salamone

THEATRE 2 

10.00-11.00 Desire & Design – Keith Helfet in conversation with Philip Porter
11.00-12.00 70 Years of Ian Fleming’s James Bond – Matthew Field and  Ajay Chowdhury
12.00-13.30 Designer Discussion – Ian Callum and Julian Thomson
14.30-16.00 The All-conquering Porsche 956s & 962s – panel discussion with John Watson, Serge Vanbockryck and Sean Roberts, with Mark Cole
16.00-17.30 Camel Trophy Winners – Bob and Joe Ives chat with event photographer and author Nick Dimbleby

THEATRE 3 

9.30-10.30 Three Men in a Land Rover with Chris Wall, Mike Palmer and Waxy Wainwright
10.30-11.30 Professor Peter Stevens on The Business of Going Fast
11.30-12.30 Saving Jaguar with Sir John Egan
12.45-13.45 The Evolution of Motoring Art with Andrew Marriott and guests
14.00-15.00 JUE 477: The World’s First Production Land Rover – Julian Shoolheifer in conversation with author Martin Port
15.00-16.30 Paul Griffin – When is the History Not the Whole Story?

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3
THEATRE 1  

10.00-11.30 Peter Stevens – My Jaguar XJR-15 Story
11.30-13.00 Lord Hesketh in discussion with Superbears author James Page
14.00-15.30 BRM panel with Jackie Oliver, Tony Southgate, Howden Ganley and Mike Pilbeam, hosted by Ben Edwards
15.30-16.30 Mike Wilds – From West London Flat to F1 to Much More

THEATRE 2  

10.00-11.00 Which Is the Greatest Car Film? with Richard Heseltine, Matthew Field and Gary Tomkins
11.00-12.00 Crispian Besley – Driven to Crime
12.00-13.00 Andy Wallace chats with  Richard Heseltine
14.30-15.30 Dr Andy Palmer on The Future of the Auto Industry
15.30-16.30 Damien Smith – Benetton: Rebels of Formula 1

THEATRE 3 

10.00-11.30 GT40 panel with Jackie Oliver, Tony Southgate and Mark Cole
11.30-12.30 For Flux Sake – Ian Flux interviewed
12.45-13.45 The Evolution of Motoring Art with Andrew Marriott and guests
14.00-15.00 Stuart Pringle on The Future of Silverstone
15.00-16.00 Cheats in Motorsport! with Richard Heseltine and James Page