British GP Trophy

I was both greatly amused and impressed this afternoon by Lewis Hamiton's disappointment at what looked like a plastic bauble Santander trophy for winning the British GP, instead of the long-time traditional old 'gold' Mervyn O'Gorman Trophy from the RAC.  "Where's the gold one then?  This one's broken already!" or words to similar effect.  I guess he got to hold the proper job last time he won at Silverstone?  Wasn't there once a thread here on Mervyn O'Gorman?  I can't find it on search.

 

DCN

Apparently, Doug, he got his hands on it for the post-race, non-TV, interviews.

All the money in the world and crap turd like trophies, that's the message I get from Santander.

He had it for the Beeb's post-race Red (as opposed to Jenson) Button show.  Chap who was in charge of it apparently suggested Coulthard had damaged it (dropped it?) when he won it a few years ago.

All the money in the world and crap turd like trophies, that's the message I get from Santander.

Some people may not have seen this ...

 

I know this has been mentioned before, but isn't there a regulation saying trophies should not be designed to look like a commercial logo/represnetation? And if so, why do Santander always get away with these hideous trophies? 

ENI/Agip did it, and famously the Marlboro steering wheels. 

 

Santander give these trophies out at all the races they sponsor, with the exception of the Silverstone winner. This was the first year the winner didn't get the traditional one.

I find it bizarre that Silverstone drum up all the publicity and put on a big show celebrating their 50 years of the British GP and THAT'S the race they decide they won't use their traditional big gold trophy? Except they changed their minds after the moment had passed? What on earth? I almost wonder if it was an accident and it got temporarily mislaid.

All the money in the world and crap turd like trophies, that's the message I get from Santander.

 

The best spin I can put on it is "we at Santander spend your money on wise investments, rather than baubles for multi-millionaires".  If Santander didn't get the worst ratings of big banks that might be a good point.

Can someone please refresh my memory as there seem to have been several different trophies.  I believe Lewis Hamilton was talking about the Mervyn O'Gorman Trophy is, a gold statue of classical figure dating back to the original RAC British GPs at Brooklands.  There's also the Fred G Craner Memorial Trophy (Fred Craner was Secretary of the Derby & District Motor Club and the force behind the Donington GPs).  This was/is a silver cup which was introduced postwar in 1948 or 1949 and awarded to the first British driver home .  Whatever happened to it?  At times the RAC also presented a silver cup, but I think these were awarded on a year by year basis rather than a perpetual trophy

Pictures anyone?.

Edited by D-Type, 13 July 2020 - 18:54.

I find it bizarre that Silverstone drum up all the publicity and put on a big show celebrating their 50 years of the British GP and THAT'S the race they decide they won't use their traditional big gold trophy? Except they changed their minds after the moment had passed? What on earth? I almost wonder if it was an accident and it got temporarily mislaid.

as I've been banging on elsewhere, they didn't seem to understand the difference between having held 50 GPs at Silverstone and 50 years of GPs there - the former being right of course and the latter wrong as they held their first in 1948. Such a lack of awareness probably accounts for the absence of a decent trophy at that 50th event.

Poor show too - I'm glad I don't even think of attending these days.

Don't these trophies live in the MSA Trophy Cabinet at headquarters?

 

Surely it isn't beyond the wit of man to ensure all relevant trophies are delivered to the venue of the British GP just in case they are won?

 

Maybe the powers that be don't want very valuable trophies presented on the rostrum to drivers who then act like six year olds using bottles of champagne like water pistols! Far better to award them after the rostrum shenanigans and prior to the press conference.

I think I read somewhere that the red plastic thingies were the result of a (kindergarten?) art competition, with the first prize being that your design would be presented on the podium at the British and another GP, maybe Germany.  So someone somewhere is no doubt feeling quite proud, assuming they were allowed by their parents to stay up after tea to watch the ceremony and missed all the subsequent comment about their winning design.

 

In answer to Duncan's earlier question, I'm pretty sure I saw the Fred Cramer Trophy four of five years ago at a press preview of one of the big Donington historic meetings, maybe See Red (by coincidence!).  So hopefully it wasn't melted down as part-funding for their Grand Prix bid and is still around.  I think there were different podium trophies when the BGP was at Brands, rather than Silverstone, but where are they now?  Not sure what the Boy received for his Aintree win?

 

I think I read somewhere that the red plastic thingies were the result of a (kindergarten?) art competition, with the first prize being that your design would be presented on the podium at the British and another GP, maybe Germany.  So someone somewhere is no doubt feeling quite proud, assuming they were allowed by their parents to stay up after tea to watch the ceremony and missed all the subsequent comment about their winning design.

 

In answer to Duncan's earlier question, I'm pretty sure I saw the Fred Cramer Trophy four of five years ago at a press preview of one of the big Donington historic meetings, maybe See Red (by coincidence!).  So hopefully it wasn't melted down as part-funding for their Grand Prix bid and is still around.  I think there were different podium trophies when the BGP was at Brands, rather than Silverstone, but where are they now?  Not sure what the Boy received for his Aintree win?

According to the Times this morning the big gold cup lives in Pall Mall

Don't these trophies live in the MSA Trophy Cabinet at headquarters?

Shouldn't think so

According to the Times this morning the big gold cup lives in Pall Mall

As it should, as it would date from well before the RAC Competitions Department moved to Belgrave Square, let alone was rebranded as MSA and sent to Colnbrook

From the BBC Sport website

Lewis Hamilton has been staying at his father Anthony's house during the race weekend, getting to and from the circuit via helicopter.

"Having home cooked food made me more relaxed, it was incredible," he says. "You can't imagine the feeling I have in my heart now [from the fans].

"I'm proud to be British, I love the flag. I just wish our national anthem went on longer as the German one went on forever.

"It really needs to be the turning point. But I don't take yesterday lightly. It's not been the perfect weekend.

"I was looking for the gold trophy but they did not have it. They don't make trophies like that anymore!"

 

 

Scroll down to '16.57' on this blog and you will find a photo of the trophy

http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/28178073

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=mFx3Vsit9fY

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=mFx3Vsit9fY

Is that today's equivalent of being designed on the back of a fag packet?

Care of Nico Rosberg on twitter, the trophy is now on a little rare outing to the Mercedes team factory. I guess in the process just raising more questions than answers. 
 

I'm not up on the history, or even the name, of the trophy. Is it like the Indy 500 where there's only one trophy which lives somewhere else and you get your name added to it? 

 

I went back through Brit GP pictures since the Santander sponsorship started, to see the winner's trophy. Some years it appeared not to have the base?

Is it like the Indy 500 where there's only one trophy which lives somewhere else and you get your name added to it?

The 500 winner used to (and maybe still does) get a miniature Borg-Warner trophy to keep. VERY miniature, according to Mrs Bobby Unser.

Yeah, they're almost souvenirs

 

The 500 winner used to (and maybe still does) get a miniature Borg-Warner trophy to keep. VERY miniature, according to Mrs Bobby Unser.

 

She's obviously spoilt.

If I recall correctly - the O'Gorman Trophy was at best gilt...not pure gold...

 

DCN

As long as they don't scrape the gold paint off ...

Indeed - when I studied it close up about five years ago it really was pretty ropey... But as above, I was really impressed by Lewis saying precisely what he thought. If only he'd bin those naff bloody ear studs.

 

DCN

If only he'd bin those naff bloody ear studs.

 

DCN

 

Diamond geezer...

Good on Lewis for even noticing. I'm not sure how many drivers would.

To be fair, this is the original proposal (from a Spanish design student) that won the trophy design contest

I guess Santander thought making it out of ~red plastic would be same difference. While not my particular taste either way (and certainly not a fan of these sponsor trophies,) they really let their contest winner down with their ghastly realization....

 

I agree though - credit to Lewis for calling them on it

 

 

Edited by fer312t, 08 July 2014 - 09:48.

Good on Lewis for even noticing. I'm not sure how many drivers would.

 

Only the ones that have won the British GP more than once I reckon!

To be fair, this is the original proposal (from a Spanish design student) that won the trophy design contest

I guess Santander thought making it out of ~red plastic would be same difference. While not my particular taste either way (and certainly not a fan of these sponsor trophies,) they really let their contest winner down with their ghastly realization....

 

I agree though - credit to Lewis for calling them on it

 

 

You could have someone's eye out with that!

If only he'd bin those naff bloody ear studs.

 

DCN

 

Seconded!

Hello, TNF
 
One of our RC moderators was wondering if there are any other races with trophies as prestigious as the Mervyn O'Gorman Trophy and interesting stories behind it or if it's a bit of a one-off, following the chat about the poor standard of trophies in the modern F1 game here: https://forums.autos...s-are-terrible/

If you are able to win the Tourist Trophy race you get this one -

 

 

Having never won it myself I don't know if you receive a miniature to keep.

 

This is the description given by the RAC

 

If you are able to win the Tourist Trophy race you get this one -

 

 

Having never won it myself I don't know if you receive a miniature to keep.

 

 

 

 

The Trophy you got to keep used to be just Hermes stood on a square plinth (somewhat like the top half of the big one!)

It was also the inspiration and model for the 'other' Tourist Trophy, held here by Michael Dunlop:

 

 

It apparently weighs 23.7 kilos! Winners get a smaller replica to keep.

 

https://www.iomtt.co...4/a-racing-icon

 

Although it's now kept safely in the Isle of Man and only allowed out on special occasions, at one time the winner was allowed to take it home. After 'Schorsch' Meier won in 1939 it went to Germany and was AWOL until January 1946 when it was announced it had been found in a BMW dealership in the Soviet Zone of Vienna. The Lightweight TT trophy - won by Ted Mellors for Benelli - spent the war buried under an Italian chicken coop!

' Mervyn O'Gorman Trophy from the RAC. Wasn't there once a thread here on Mervyn O'Gorman? I can't find it on search.
DCN

With this thread not being something I might have followed when first posted, I scrolled back to see Doug's original entry.
Being something of a fan of old photographs, the name Mervyn O'Gorman rang a bell. If, as I suspect, it is the same chap, He was a pioneer of colour photography, rather akin to Albert Kahn in the same period, and was celebrated for his famous Lady in Red photographs, shots taken in 1913 of his friend's daughter Christina. A simple internet search under Daily Mail, Mervyn O' Gorman, will lead to a detailed article from 2015, with some delightful early colour photographs, and the story of how they were taken. Some of you may choose to hold your noses at the thought of using the Mail as a research source, but they have a pleasing habit of publishing lovely old archive photographs.
Usual disclaimers.
Perhaps someone might care to post a link to the Mail article from 2015.
If it is not the same chap, then the history of colour photographs may well interest some of you in any case.
Roger Lund

Edit. Spelling of Kahn corrected.

As an aside, it may interest readers to check out Albert Kahn's work. Having amassed a fortune as an investment banker, from 1908 he sent a team of photographers, many using early colour processing, around the world to capture life as it was, for education and posterity. This must have been a very expensive venture. There is a Kahn archive/phot depository in Paris, I believe.
A few years back at Goodwood, Roger Clark and I wondered whether Kahn's team did any coloured/colourised photographs of motor racing, even static shots. I think we both intended trying to visit the gallery......
I believe there was a handsome colour photo book of Kahn's work published some time ago.
Other than the works above, the earliest colour shots I have seen in general galleries are colourised shots of French soldiers in WW1 in their smart blue uniforms, and their colonial regiments in their white kepis.

Sorry , but I have digressed.

Edited by bradbury west, 14 July 2020 - 09:32.

Same chap indeed, Roger. He has a very comprehensive entry on Wikipedia - lacking only the information that he was one of the RAC's two delegates to the AIACR's CSI in the 1930s.

 

https://en.wikipedia...Mervyn_O'Gorman

Perhaps someone might care to post a link to the Mail article from 2015.

Happy to oblige. Have fumigated laptop after visiting Daily Mail website.

https://www.dailymai...hotographs.html