As the long, hot summer of ’53 developed, Ruth was herself developing a group of new friends who were lot more interesting than the paunchy businessmen and manufacturers who she normally socialised and occasionally slept with. They were a group of young, noisy, exuberant thoroughbreds, which raced cars for a living. Led by Mike Hawthorne -- a twenty-three-year-old, six feet two inch tall, blonde Adonis type -- this group based themselves at the Steering Wheel Club, located across the road from the Hyde Park Hotel.
Hawthorne drove for the Ferrari racing team and his fellow driving enthusiasts included Sterling Moss, Peter Collins, Roy Salvadori and the Italian up-and-coming ace, Alberto Ascari. They would drift into Carroll’s late in the afternoon along with the groupies and wannabes, to drink and socialise.
Ignoring the spelling mistakes:rolleyes: I'm especially intrigued by the mention of Ascari and Moss. Were they really part of the same social circle as Hawthorn and Collins, and what would Ascari be doing in London anyway?
Further on there's a mention of Hawthorn chasing Blakely around the club after Blakely had shoved ice down his neck - was this typical behaviour at the Steering Wheel?Graham Hill famously hung around the club with a half of bitter in his hand, picking up gossip and contacts, but reckoned more of his beer evaporated than was actually drunk. Anyone got any more stories about the club or able to throw any light on the above?
DCN
