Out of a small workshop, and against enormous odds, sprang an unlikely world force. But Paul Fearnly believes that what made cooper great also caused it to fail Cooper's numerous…

There are striking similarities between the careers of Damon and Graham Hill, but the new World Champion is very much his own man reckons Paul Fearnley The role of sporting…

Nelson Piquet took things easy, they say, reversed into his title wins. His supporters point to Rio '82, when he drove his socks off in searing heat, on a mercilessly…

Timo Mäkinen contested the Targa Florio with the BMC works squad on three occasions — 1965-67. The first of these was in a rally-spec Healey 3000 co-driven by Australian racer…

He won 25 grands prix and the Indy 500, but, as Paul Fearnley discovers, it was Jim Clark's exploits away from Formula 1 — whether hustling stock cars or rallying…

Kaboom! McLaren's Mephistophelian M8F fires up like the Battle of Jutland. Its eight litres of Chevy Big Block then settles down to a jackhammer tick-over that thuds into your solar…

For two races Brabham had lain in wait, desperate to reintroduce pitstops at the highest level of racing. Two bursts on half-tanks and fresh rubber would be, reckoned Gordon Murray,…

As his wheezy, knock-kneed steed cantered along Kyalami's main straight at almost 150mph — well, it was downhill! — the 'Cowangie Kid' had plenty of time to mull over his…

Key figures associated with Team Lotus tell us what they think about the return of the famous name to Formula 1, and recall why it was special to work at…

Time was running out. On several levels. The most pressing problem, however, was to qualify. This process would have been straightforward — until just a few days ago. Which is…

Everybody's ears pricked up.What a fantastic noise! I, and several others, hastened over the bridge, across the lawn — and gaped. Mercedes had fired up its W154. Waaaap! Rip. Waaap!…

The commanding figure of 'Big Lou' swept through the Formula One paddocks of the 1960s and 70s like an ocean liner. When cowed 'foreigners' mistakenly addressed him as Lord Louis,…