BRMs to star at Classic Nostalgia

By Lizzie Pope
News
 | 7 Mar 2022
Classic & Sports Car – BRMs to star at Classic Nostalgia

Former Formula One team BRM will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its constructors’ championship this summer at Classic Nostalgia.

The meeting at Shelsley Walsh in Worcestershire on 16-17 July is commemorating this success, which saw British Racing Motors take the title at the season’s final race in South Africa.

Pole-sitter Jim Clark, driving for Lotus, led until an oil leak forced his retirement, leaving Graham Hill to win for BRM, sealing his first championship and his team’s sole manufacturers’ crown.

It was also the first time a British driver had won the title in an all-British car.

Classic & Sports Car – BRMs to star at Classic Nostalgia

It is an appropriate location to pay tribute given that Raymond Mays, who founded BRM, achieved huge success up Shelsley Walsh’s hillclimb, claiming Best Time of the Day 21 times between 1923 and 1950.

More than 20 BRMs will be on display at Classic Nostalgia, plus the scenic venue will reverberate to the sound of a V16 when the first ‘new’ BRM performs demonstrations up the hill.

Back in 2020, BRM decided to mark its 70th birthday by building three Type 15 Mk1 BRM V16s.

These continuation cars have adopted three unused, original chassis numbers, and are the work of BRM in collaboration with historic racing car specialist Hall and Hall, because the company’s Rick Hall is a former BRM team engineer and he’ll oversee the cars’ construction.

And these meticulous reconstructions are faithful to the original cars, making use of around 20,000 period drawings, and in the process requiring in excess of 36,000 individually engineered components, of which the V16 motor uses more then 4000.

Classic & Sports Car – BRMs to star at Classic Nostalgia

The continuation V16-powered BRM will be joined at Shelsley Walsh by former team drivers Richard Attwood and Mike Wilds.

In addition, Simon, Nick and Paul Owen, grandsons of Sir Alfred Owen who bought BRM in 1952, will be in attendance.

“It will feel like a real homecoming for BRM,” said Paul Owen. “Not only was Shelsley very special to Raymond Mays, Ken Wharton demonstrated the V16 there during the 1950s, and great hillclimbers such as Tony Marsh, Tony Griffiths and Peter Lawson enjoyed considerable success in BRMs through the 1960s.

“We’re very excited to be going back there for the Classic Nostalgia meeting, and look forward to a new generation of enthusiasts having the chance to see and hear the V16 as well as many other BRMs.”

Don’t forget that Classic Nostalgia on 16-17 July will also host the Classic & Sports Car concours d’elegance, plus we have a special 25% off ticket offer.

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