Motor Sport memorabilia and gifts: November 2021 selection
Whether hunting for gifts or buying for yourself, you’ll find a miscellany of track-friendly ideas at the Motor Sport Magazine shop
John Ketchell original artwork
There are few things more special to own than an original painting. Prints are all well and good, but nothing ever beats the story, passion and prestige behind an original work. From the textures of the brushstrokes to the feel of the canvas, it all adds to the magic of them.
John Ketchell is a world-renowned motor sport artist and has already created a long line of pieces for both leading companies and individuals, and every now and then some of his work reaches our door. Having studied at art school in Preston, Ketchell opted to devote himself to his passion for speed and initially tried photorealism in his work, but soon became frustrated at how such a style never did quite convey the speed of a racing car. Inspired by the French impressionists, Ketchell instead turned to a more abstract style, using acrylic on canvas to create the dream-like haziness of his images. He’s done everything from Auto Unions to Porsche 917s and classic F1 cars, but he also edges into contemporary every now and then.
This latest one focuses on Lewis Hamilton aboard the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team’s 2021 F1 W12. It’s a real one-off.
£3600
Lamborghini Countach book
If you were a child of the ’80s (or even a big kid) then it’s likely you had a poster of one of these on your wall at some point. When introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1971, Lamborghini’s Countach rewrote car design with its futuristic lines, screaming V12 and sci-fi scissor doors. Between 1973 and its eventual replacement by the Diablo in 1990 (a feature on the latter can be found in our Showroom section) Lamborghini made just 1997 examples, making it exceedingly rare. This 400-page book explores the full story of the model and celebrates every aspect of its history, as the design approaches its 50th anniversary.
£60
Classic Team Lotus t-shirt
Following hot on the heels of the ultra-cool retro Tyrrell apparel we brought you recently comes this equally ultra-cool Classic Team Lotus tee featuring one of motor racing’s all-time great double acts: Jim Clark and the Lotus-Cosworth 49. Each officially licensed shirt is 100% cotton and printed with ultra-high resolution artwork depicting Clark aboard 49 chassis R2 – the very car he raced to victory in the 1967 British Grand Prix.
£18.50
Martin Allen McLaren F1 GTR prints
In the pantheon of all-time great liveries, Gulf Oil is probably quite near the top. The issue is, which one of its many incarnations was best?
Porsche 917, Ford GT or perhaps more modern takes such as Aston Martin’s Le Mans Lola LMP1, or McLaren’s special Monaco GP livery this year? We reckon the iconic McLaren F1 GTR is a good, and often overlooked, shout. Artist Martin Allen has captured every inch of the car’s imposing nature in his art, and prints of the Gulf Team Davidoff car from 1997 are available in a range of sizes from A3 to A1.
From £40.83
Motor Sport Racing at the Movies 2022 wall calendar
A high-quality calendar is the gift that just keeps giving all year round, and our calendar range has been a hit for quite some time now. This season the focus shifts to Hollywood, with each month on Racing at the Movies presenting unique snapshots of the greatest racing films of all time. From classics like Steve McQueen’s Le Mans and Grand Prix through to modern-day greats like Le Mans ’66 (or Ford v Ferrari if you’re not British), Rush and Senna.
£29.99
Original Jaguar E-type book
If you’re lucky enough to be in the market for a Jaguar E-type, or are even more fortunate and actually own one, then you’ll be wanting a copy of this. Malcolm McKay’s work was released to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Jaguar’s most famous model and tracks the intricate design and engineering quirks of every one of its iterations – from Series 1 cars to V12s. As its subtitle states, it really is a guide to originality for owners, restorers and enthusiasts.
£65
About the Motor Sport shop
With hundreds of special and unique racing-themed products, and many new items regularly added, the Motor Sport shop is aimed at both serious and casual collectors with a number of price points to suit your budget.