LE MANS CLASSIC 2012

2012 was probably my most memorable year in racing so far.  Not only did the boys and I succeed in bringing the Ecurie Ecosse name back to top flight international GT racing, but we came very close to winning the British GT Championship at first attempt in an old-spec car, and we proved in the Blancpain Endurance Series that we could compete at the very highest level in what is arguably now the hardest GT Championship in the World.

Shortly after it was restored following 40 years in an Australian museum, I became the second person ever to drive the Tyrrell March 701 F1 car driven to victory by Sir Jackie Stewart in the 1970 Spanish Grand Prix.  In my first ever competitive outing in the car I started the Monaco Historic Grand Prix from Pole Position (as the car did in 1970!), and after building up a 45 second lead I suffered an unfortunate puncture but still managed to finish on the podium after pitting for a wheel change during a 20 minute race.

Jackie Stewart leading the 1970 Monaco Grand Prix in his Tyrrell March 701-2

Andrew Smith in the ex-Jackie Stewart Tyrrell March 701-2 through Casino Square during
the 2012 Monaco Historic Grand Prix

At the Le Mans Classic this year, I was given an epic opportunity by a friend and prolific historic car collector and racer, Carlos Monteverde, to drive three very special cars sharing with him and Gary Pearson.  These are cars that I had only ever dreamed of driving, never mind racing them round the circuit at La Sarthe!

These cars were the ex-Jim Clark Border Reivers Jaguar D Type, the 1970 Le Mans winning Porsche 917, and the 1977 Le Mans winning Porsche 936.  This was quite simply one of the best experiences of my life.  The highlight had to be racing the 936 during one of the night stints in torrential rain, powering up the Mulsanne Straight at nearly 220mph - to be honest I can't quite describe it!

ex-Jim Clark Border Reivers D Type

1970 Le Mans winning Porsche 917

1977 Le Mans winning Porsche 936

 As much as I love driving the BMW Z4 GT3 and it presents an entirely different challenge, for me nothing really comes close to driving a highly powerful and historically important racing car around an evocative race track.

AS

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My Top 5 Historic Race Cars- Joe Twyman

The Ecurie Ecosse blog is intended to give in insight into the lives of the people who make the team what it is today.

Andrew, Olly, Alasdair and myself have all put a huge amount of effort into getting the team back on the grid and we all met through historic racing. 

Olly and I have been great mates for the best part of a decade and I met the Scottish contingent probably 5 years ago.

With my historic racing I have been given some amazing opportunities and have driven some fantastic cars. Thinking of things to blog about I thought it would be good to rate the 5 best historic racing cars I have driven.

It will be interesting to see what the others come up with!

Here we go:

Porsche 917 013.

Porsche 917 at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Lotus 15 at Goodwood Revival with Roger Wills

To anyone who claims to be a petrol head a Gulf 917 is right up there among the very best. 013 boasts a fantastic period history with the likes of Pedro Rodriguez, Jackie Oliver and Derek Bell having raced it. When I drove the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed it was a big box ticked! I probably didn't get a true feeling for the car but for the weekend I certainly felt like Steve McQueen in "Le Mans". Ironically the car was run by Barwell Motorsport (who run the EE Z4) and at the time I think team principle Mark Lemmer thought "who the hell is this 19 year old pinching my seat for the weekend?" If you look in the photo you can see a very young looking Mikey Brown (who has now defected to the newly reformed Gulf Racing team) and Terry who looks after tyres on the Z4!

Lotus 15 

Having raced a Lotus 11 for a few years I was always at the envy of those in Lotus 15's. When my boss Roger Wills bought the ex Graham Hill car I was very excited about the opportunity to drive it and it certainly didn't disappoint. Over the past few seasons we have had a great time with the car winning races at Le Mans and Goodwood amongst others. The car has such a good balance and is able to overcome its "small engine" in the corners. It may be a 50 year old car but it certainly doesn't feel like one 3 a-breast into Maggotts Becketts at 130mph!

Cooper T45/51

Leading the later Lotus 25 and Cooper T66 at Monaco

The Cooper is essentially the Grand Prix version of the Lotus 15. Running the same engine and similar gearbox the car is a lot lighter which enables you to throw it round even more than you would the 15! With an amazing period history (Salvadori, Burgess, Von Trips etc) the owner doesn't like the car being raced week in week out and as such I have only raced it 6 times in the past 5 years. First time out I was 2nd overall at Silverstone and my second event was Monaco (talk about baptism of fire!) I raced the car twice at Monaco and I won the class both times (the 2nd year I was 3rd overall with the oldest car on the grid). Its like a big Formula Ford with rubbish brakes. I like that!

Ford GT40 P/1009

Like the 917 it is one of the boxes to tick. The most extensively raced GT40 in period 1009 didn't just look the part, it felt it. I drove the car at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (sharing the driving with it's original pilot Peter Sutcliffe) and also at the Spa 6 Hours in the same year. We were leading the 6 Hours at the 2hour mark and the gearbox let go. The noise, the smell, the performance makes it one of the best! If I ever get the change again it won't take a heartbeat to say yes!

GT40 P/1009 

Elva Mk 7

Elva Mk 7- Goodwood Revival.

The final spot was a very tough call. Not many people will have heard of an Elva Mk 7 whereas one could argue the others on my list are quite well known! The Elva is here because it just does everything you want it to. Its predictable, fun, easy to drive and is a giant killer! I have done so many races in this car I can't count and have always been very excited about doing so when I have been asked. In all those races the highlight has to be winning the Sports Racing Masters race solo at Portimao, beating the bigger engined McLaren's and GT40's (told you it was a giant killer!). The last race I did in the car was actually with Ecosse team mate Olly Bryant (again at Portimao) and I am sure he will back me up that these are fantastic little race cars!


OK I really cant leave out the Tyrrell P34 either so I have to have 6! The 6 wheeled Tyrrell is a very strange car to drive but utterly brilliant. I have never raced the car but have driven it extensively in testing and also in filming for the forthcoming Rush F1 movie directed by Ron Howard. There is nothing quite like the kick from a DFV and the noise it makes is music!

Ex Patrick Depailler Tyrrell P34/2.

So, there we have it... Choosing 5 (6) was really difficult. I am extremely lucky with the opportunities I have had over the years. Someone asked me the other day what the worst car I have driven is. Despite their being a few contenders I think all the opportunities i have had have been learning experiences and I treat them as such! Some of the experiences haven't been great but I very rarely get out of a race car without a smile on my face!

JT

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