Project Trust

The Grand Prix Mechanics’ Charitable Trust day at Silverstone on October 6, organised by Jackie Stewart, was adjudged a huge success. As detailed last month, participants paid £120 for the right to be chauffeured around the GP circuit by Luca Badoer, Mark Blundell, Martin Brundle, Erik Comas, Andrea de Cesaris, Mika Hakkinen, Johnny Herbert, Damon Hill, Pedro Lamy, Ukyo Katayama, Nicola Larini, JJ Lehto, Allan McNish, Michael Schumacher, Derek Warwick, Alessandro Zanardi, Julian Bailey, Tim Harvey, Will Hoy, Alain Menu, Tiff Needell, Patrick Watts, David Coulthard, Gil de Ferran, Paul Stewart, Kelvin Burt, Dario Franchitti, Jackie Stewart and John Watson. Cars were supplied by Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Mazda, Mercedes, Nissan, Peugeot, Renault and Vauxhall, and the racing drivers ended up enjoying themselves almost as much as the public.

Between them, sponsors such as Allsport, Agip, Camel, Canon, Castrol, Cosworth, Elf, Forte Hotels, Ford Electronics, Goodyear, Ilmor, Lamborghini, Philip Morris, Sasol, Seita (Gitanes), Shell and Yamaha pushed the total raised to beyond £70,000.

Michael Andretti and Alain Prost also made cash contributions, while Ayrton Senna gave a cash donation and a silver trophy for the Formula Finesse competition. Further income was generated during the popular evening auction of various drivers’ and team personnel clothing.

“We’d like to run another one,” said Stewart the following week. “Maybe not next year, though we will organise fundraising events of some kind for the Trust, but certainly in 1995. The whole thing worked really well. Silverstone and all the suppliers were just fantastic.”