Why Carroll Shelby was more than just a race car constructor
With the sad news of motoring legend Carroll Shelby's death last week, the chat and tributes to the great man have - probably rightly - focussed on his work with Cobras and Mustangs.
But Shelby wasn't just a car constructor, he was also a racer. As this picture - taken during the 1958 British Grand Prix - proves, he had a fair bit of natural car control, too.
Shelby wasn't a hugely successful F1 driver - he only made eight GP starts, and this picture captures him on the way to ninth place in the non-works Scuderia Centro Sud Maserati 250F (his best GP result was a fourth in Italy). But the very fact he was there, mixing it with the likes of Moss, von Trips et al, makes him even more of a legend to our minds.
nice pic, article doesn't mention he did win Le Mans for Aston Martin, which backs his credentials up somewhat. RIP Mr Shelby and thank you for your contribution to the petrolhead world. Shame he couldn't have enjoyed the 50th anniversary of the Cobra.
Blue with white stripes, I wonder if that's where he got the idea from.
Theyre original, pre-sponsorship, national racing colours (white with blue or blue with white Cunningham stripes). That said, I wonder if he will have a blue with white stripe coffin? Shelby was a true motoring legend, like Ferrari and anyone who raced in Grand Prix in the nineteen fifties deserves recognition as a brave man!
A sad loss to the motoring and racing world - A great Guy ! I was at Silverstone in 1958 to watch Mr Shelby drift that 250F as shown in the photo - at Beckets or Stowe Corner by the look of it - I met him briefly in the Paddock and did the usual 'Autograph ' thing. The Race Colours are basically as stated by other contributors - back then, there was no real sponsorship, so Grand Prix cars raced in the National Colours of the drivers or Car Owners - Blue with 2 White stripes ( or reversed White with 2 Blue Stripes ) were, and still are the official Motor racing Colours for the USA - Red was Italy ( as still used by Ferrari ) Green for England, Silver for Germany, Solid Blue for France etc etc. Now we have all the glaring sponsor colours - I am a bit old fashioned I'm afraid !! Hope this helps. R
