BRM V16 to star at 2015 Castle Combe Autumn Classic

Following the announcement of the appeal by the National Motor Museum to preserve its BRM V16, the Castle Combe Circuit will see and hear the car run again at its 2015 ‘Autumn Classic’ race meeting on Saturday 3rd October, almost 60 years to the day since the Wiltshire track was the scene of the legendary car’s last ever race.On 1st October 1955, Scotsman Ron Flockhart piloted one of the unforgettable V16s to second place in the Empire News Formule Libre race at Castle Combe, bringing to an end six years of competition for the cars. To mark the occasion the National Motor Museum Trust’s V16 BRM Type 15, currently undergoing extensive renovation, is planned to appear at the 2015 Autumn Classic. The Trust has appealed for funds to help with its restoration and Castle Combe has agreed to make it the ‘charity of the day’.Introduced in 1950 as Britain’s great new ‘Grand Prix’ challenger, the complex and ground breaking V16s were raced by top drivers of the period such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Froilan Gonzales, Stirling Moss and Reg Parnell. In 1953 Ken Wharton won Castle Combe’s Hastings Trophy race in a V16 Type 15, also setting a new lap record of 89.77 mph, while Ron Flockhart drove a revised Type 30 V16 to 2nd place finishes in 1954 and 1955.A V16 BRM was last demonstrated at Castle Combe by Nick Mason in 1996, while the National Motor Museum’s car appeared in the hands of Rick Hall two years earlier.After the outstanding success of the 2014 event, which many described as its ‘best ever’ meeting, Castle Combe’s 2015 race line-up is expected to be similar, with the additional demonstration of the BRM V16 adding a notable element to the circuit’s 65 year history.For regular news updates on the 2015 Castle Combe Autumn Classic check the dedicated website www.castlecombeautumnclassic.co.ukFor further details of the NMMT’s BRM preservation appeal see www.nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/BRM_appeal

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