Wednesday 2nd July 2008

Lagonda V12 Wins Brooklands Festival

Inaugural event attracts 15,000 visitors

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The winning Lagonda V12

A Lagonda V12 Prototype beat 129 other cars to win the inaugural Brooklands Motoring Festival at the weekend. The event, called The Double Twelve, is a concours d’elegance combined with a series of driving tests based on the JCC Rallies of the 1930s.

Jonathan Oppenheimer was at the wheel of the Lagonda and received a gold laurel wreath and a magnum of champagne from McLaren Mercedes Formula 1™ driver Heikki Kovalainen. Also presenting the prizes was The Earl of March, whose Grandfather was a regular competitor at Brooklands.

Competitors in The Double Twelve participated in six tests based on and around the original Brooklands circuit: Test Hill, Steering Test, Wiggle Woggle, Parking, The Half-Mile and Quick Start. Vehicles were judged against the exacting criteria of a Concours d’Elegance by a select panel of experts with points awarded for both concours and test performances.  

Peter O’Halloran, managing director of Mercedes-Benz World, which organised the Festival in conjunction with the Brooklands Museum, said: ‘The standard of entries in The Double Twelve was excellent – we had competitors travel from as far afield as Japan and California to enter the contest.’

Allan Winn, Brooklands Museum, added: ‘The judges all agreed Jonathan’s Lagonda was simply outstanding, and typical of the world-class standard associated with the vehicles exhibited at international Concours d’Elegance events such as Pebble Beach.’

CLASS: Austin – Healey Sprite Mk1, 50^th anniversary
First: Peter Renn, Austin Healey Mk 1 Sprite
Finalists: Alex Postan, AH  Sprite; Hilary Stevens, AH Sprite

CLASS: Austin Martin DB4, 50^th anniversary
First: Bryan Smart, Aston Martin DB4 Series 1
Finalists: Damen Bennion, DB4 Series 2; Lord Harris of Peckham, DB4 GT Zagato

CLASS: The ‘Grand Tour’ Pre-War
First: Christopher Claridge-Ware, Lagonda M45 Tourer
Finalists: Michael Drakeford, Lagonda M45 Tourer; Derek Green, Lagonda M45 Rapide

CLASS: The ‘Grand Tour’ Post-War
First: David Gasken, Bentley R Type Continental
Finalists: Robbie Webb, Alfa Romeo 1900C SS; Dennis Simanaitis/MB Classic, MB 300SL Roadster

CLASS: The Triumph Roadster
First: Roger Pearce, Triumph Roadster
Finalists: Ron Cromar, Triumph Roadster; Andrew Morley, Triumph Roadster

CLASS: Prototypes and ‘One-Off’ Specials
First: Jonathan Oppenheimer, Lagonda V12 Prototype
Finalists: James Anderson, Ford Mustang Four Wheel Drive Prototype; Anthony Brazzo, Jaguar E Type by Frua

CLASS: Mille Miglia/RAC Rally
First: Anthony Hussey, Lancia Aurelia Spyder
Finalists: Simon Constable, Aston Martin DB2; Guy Loveridge, Morgan Plus 4

CLASS: Veteran and Edwardian
First: Robert Vincent, Panhard et Levassor
Finalists: John Dennis, Dennis Tonneau; John Dennis, Berliet-Curtiss Racer

CLASS: Historic Brooklands, Vintage
First: Christopher Jaques, Bugatti Type 35
Finalists: Adrian Stevens, Bentley 3-4½ Litre; John day Bugatti Type 35

CLASS: Historic Brooklands, Post Vintage Thoroughbred
First: Geoff Radford, MG Mk 3 Tigress
Finalists: David Naylor, MG L2 Magna; Richard Wadman, Alvis Speed 20

CLASS: Spirit of Brooklands, Pre-War
First: David Hince, MG K3
Finalists: Julian Grimwade, Bentley 4½ Litre Bobtail; Patrick Gardner, MG 18/80

CLASS: Spirit of Brooklands, Post-War
First: Paul Lovett, MGA Twin cam
Finalists: Nigel Tipping, Sunbeam Tiger; Michael Wooding, Jaguar XK120 Roadster

[mark3man]

Anyone from here go ? A good day out and loads of older cars.
Nearest I'll ever be to an F1 car doing 150mph - about 10 feet and the thickness of the Armco.

[oliveman]

I was on the Test Hill all day sat, helping out the Museum. Shame Mercedes Benz would not let Lewis Hamilton come over to the Brooklands side of the 12/12 event and even better to let him drive a classic up the Test Hill and other areas.

Many people commented on this at the time, again it looks as if MB are running these things as there own. Just another opportunity for them to push MB cars

[Myobb]

Yes very interesting BUT last year some 20,000 people (including myself) attended the roughly equivalent event & generally it was considered to be mediocre. As a result I deceided not attend this year. In particular I thought the Mercedes building horrendus. It broods over Brooklands like some giant vulture & spoilt the whole ambience of the circuit.

[magnus911]

Yes I was there - GF's father took a Sunbeam to compete but unfortunately the starter motor fell off just before his slot!

Had fun though, there were some exceptional cars there.

[Mrs_T]

Steve_T and I plus our trusty band of TVR owners manned the TVR stand across the weekend. It was great to meet so many people. the Saturday was much noisier than the Sunday as the local residents complained about the Merc's making too much noise in the passenger rides area. The blue estate was certainly giving it some. Top marks!

As for Lewis Hamilton, talk about being in the right place at the right time. I got to meet him and he signed our mascot.











I think that the MB bit needs a better tannoy system as we couldn't hear everything that was going on. Having said that, it was wonderful to see such rare and exotic cars being put through their paces. I'm sure this event will improve with age.

[Fetchez la vache]

Anybody get any pictures of the cars?

[Mrs_T]

Here are some shots from across the weekend. :0)

[duggan]

Happy days - my car glanced into a photo - the red AC Cobra on the left - ok - not its greatest photographic moment - I'll post a few photo's I took when I get a chance:



I thought the weekend was a good first attempt at a nostalgia style show, although the comments on MB wrestling to be in the limelight are very true. The display put on by the AC Heritage was impressive, as were the other car clubs, but I feel that, as is the way with so many events of this ilk, there is too much attention paid to the "star" driver - Lewis H. Great to see him at the event, but too few cars on the track during the day - MB have access to some amazing machines and it would have been nice to see these getting put through their paces (in addition to other vehicle - seemed to be a very sedately affair for non-MB cars), as would some audible commentary on what is actually going on....

[shithotfast]

went both days, sat better (weather and more going on) Did seem a bit thin as far as attendance goes by Sunday afternoon it was fairly empty. Great for me as you see everything - bit like going to Goodwood FOS but without any crowds, seats in grandstands very free, went in the mercs on sat only £10 for a few laps sideways. Great day I thought, but the organisers must have felt the attendance was lower than hoped for.

[Kinky]

sthotfast said:

the organisers must have felt the attendance was lower than hoped for.

Well, if they had a half-decent website, then we'd have gone.

There was no:
info on what was happening on which day
info on which day to avoid (when LH/HK would be there)
info on what was happening at which location
timetable or schedule.

And I thought it expensive (£60 for the 3 of us). And £4 parking on top of that.

K

[mr tipping]

oliveman said:

I was on the Test Hill all day sat, helping out the Museum. Shame Mercedes Benz would not let Lewis Hamilton come over to the Brooklands side of the 12/12 event and even better to let him drive a classic up the Test Hill and other areas.

Many people commented on this at the time, again it looks as if MB are running dthese things as there own. Just another opportunity for them to push MB cars

hope my sunbeam tiger sounded ok did a 10.2 just waiting to put it on you tube got a nice kiss from the lady marshal!!