24 replies to this topic

[Kuwashima]

Thanks to the help with the as-yet unsolved Jaguar sportscar pic, I thought I'd try my luck with another. This pic is taken from the final installment of Thomas O'Keefe's excellent "Team Connaught: Remembrance of Things Fast". I have put it on a different server so people without AtlasF1 subscriptions can view it (hope that's OK ).



My question is - who is this?? What number is the car, is it 14 or 12??

In the article it is placed in a section detailing the 1958 Monaco GP, the race in which Bernie Ecclestone famously entered 2 Connaughts - one driven by himself and Bruce Kessler, the other by Paul Emery. Now I have been trying for as long as I have been alive to find a pic of Bernie in this race, or his other F1 foray at Silverstone that year.

The caption for the LAT pic clearly says that it is Emery. Emery was car 14 at Monaco in 58. But I swear this looks like car 12 (especially if you look at the rear number), which was the Ecclestone/Kessler entry! So is my desire for this to be a Bernie pic making me see numbers wrong, or it is indeed Bernie's steed? In which case is it really him, or Kessler?? Help, please

[Darren Galpin]

Definitely number 12 on the car.

[Flicker]

It's definetely Bernie himself !

AFAIK, the LAT themselves identify this foto as one-and-only Bernie's GP effort, when he was so dissatisfied with the results of his drivers that...

Look here for a bit more better quality pic:




And here it is again - furious and aggresive (as ever)!

[Gil Bouffard]

Re; The second picture..I know that the guy on the right is not Sir Bernard of Gallstone.

The silver/gunmetal helmet makes me think Kessler. It is the shade he wore. I thought Bernie wore a dark helmet. There's an F-3 shot of him somewhere that I remember.

Gil

[Brian O Flaherty]

I'd say it is Bernie Ecclestone.

The picture I've found of Kessler has him wearing a dark helmet with a white stripe going down the centre of it.

I haven't managed to find any pictures of Ecclestone but since this is the only GP entry for Kessler in his career we can presume that because both helmets are different, Bernie's wearing the silver one.

Bruce Kessler

[Roger Clark]

THe picture could be Paul emery. Ecclestone only had one car at Monaco despite having two entries. It's not unknown for teamsto overlook the formality of changing numbers in those days. Th helmet looks similar to Emery's.

Incidentally, for students of Paul Sheldon, he lists the Monaco car as B3, which was the toothpaste tube, whch this car clearly isn't.

[karlcars]

In the photo of Bernie undoing his driving suit that's Bruce Kessler on the left.

Darn it, I was at this race, but I don't seem to have paid much attention to the Connaughts. I will check my notes however.

[Kuwashima]

All this has done is made me more confused!!

LAT Photo have this caption:

1958 Monaco Grand Prix. Monte Carlo. 18 May 1958. Paul Emery (Connaught B-Alta), did not qualify. Entered by Bernie Ecclestone. World - LAT Photographic

Firstly, the car number is definitely 12. Now Roger Clark says that Bernie only had one car at Monaco. I was pretty sure he had two, the Connaught B3 and the B7. Certainly Bernie campaigned both these cars in the Tasman series in the 57-58 winter, and both were present at Silverstone in F1 later in 58.

At Monaco, I thought one was driven by Emery, the other by Bernie and Kessler. This would explain why Emery had 14, and the other two 12. Otherwise, wouldn't they all have shared the same number??

Roger, if this car is clearly not the B3 (could you explain this a bit more?) could this car be the B7? If yes, then we are down to Kessler/Bernie...

BTW, are we sure in Flicker's second pic that that is Bernie on the right? Why don't you think so, Gil? Certainly the driving suit is lighter than the one in the picture, which would lead me to think Kessler...

[bira]

There were definitely two entries, to as much as I could research this.

Pole position: Tony Brooks, Vanwall, 1:39.8



Results:

1  Maurice Trintignant	   Cooper-Climax		   2:52:27.9 = 109.413 km/h

2  Luigi Musso			   Ferrari				 - 00:20.3

3  Peter Collins			 Ferrari				 - 00:42.7

4  Jack Brabham			  Cooper-Climax		   - 3 laps

5  Harry Schell			  B.R.M.				  - 9 laps

6  Cliff Allison			 Lotus-Climax			-10 laps



Fastest Lap: Mike Hawthorn, Ferrari, 1:40.6 = 112.547 km/h on lap 36



Retirements:

   Wolfgang von Trips		Ferrari				 91 laps	 Engine

   Jo Bonnier				Maserati				72 laps	 Accident

   Graham Hill			   Lotus-Climax			70 laps	 Halfshaft

   Roy Salvadori			 Cooper-Climax		   56 laps	 Gearbox	

   Mike Hawthorn			 Ferrari				 46 laps	 Fuel Pump

   Stirling Moss			 Vanwall				 38 laps	 Valve

   Jean Behra				B.R.M.				  28 laps	 Brakes  

   Giorgio Scarlatti		 Maserati				27 laps	 Engine  

   Tony Brooks			   Vanwall				 22 laps	 Engine  

   Stuart Lewis-Evans		Vanwall				 12 laps	 Overheating



Did Not Qualify:

   Ron Flockhart			 Cooper T43-Climax

   Chico Godia-Sales		 Maserati 250F

   Maria Teresa de Filippis  Maserati 250F

   André Testut			  Maserati 250F

   Louis Chiron			  Maserati 250F

   Gerino Gerini			 Maserati 250F

   L. Taramazzo			  Maserati 250F

   Giulio Cabianca		   OSCA F2

   Luigi Piotti			  OSCA F2

   Paul Emery				Connaught B-Alta

   Bruce Kessler			 Connaught B-Alta

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

								 Starting Grid



   Jack Brabham				  Jean Behra				Tony Brooks

   Cooper T45-Climax			 B.R.M. P25				Vanwall VW10

   1:41.0						1:40:8					1:39.8



					 Maurice Trintignant		Roy Salvadori

					 Cooper T45-Climax		  Cooper T45-Climax

					 1:41.1					 1:41.0



   Stirling Moss				 Stuart Lewis-Evans		Mike Hawthorn

   Vanwall VW7				   Vanwall VW5			   Ferrari Dino 246  

   1:42.3						1:41:8					1:41.5



					 Luigi Musso				Peter Collins

					 Ferrari Dino 246		   Ferrari Dino 246

					 1:42.6					 1:42.4



   Cliff Allison				 Wolfgang von Trips		Harry Schell  

   Lotus 12-Climax			   Ferrari Dino 246		  B.R.M. P25

   1:44.6						1:44:3					1:43.8



					 Graham  Hill			   Giorgio Scarlatti 

					 Lotus 12-Climax			Maserati 250F

					 1:45.0					 1:44.7



								 Jo Bonnier

								 Maserati 250F

								 1:45:0



Did Not Qualify:

   Ron Flockhart

   Cooper T43-Climax

   

   Chico Godia-Sales

   Maserati 250F



   Maria Teresa de Filippis

   Maserati 250F



   André Testut

   Maserati 250F



   Louis Chiron

   Maserati 250F

  

   Gerino Gerini

   Maserati 250F



   L. Taramazzo

   Maserati 250F



   Giulio Cabianca

   OSCA F2



   Luigi Piotti

   OSCA F2



   Paul Emery

   Connaught B-Alta



   Bruce Kessler

   Connaught B-Alta

[Gil Bouffard]

I'd accept that the driver unzipping his suit is Paul Emery. he looks too old to be Bernie in 1958. I also offer the following...

From "Encyclopedia of Auto Racing Greats by Robert Cutter and Bob Fendell Prentice-Hall (1973).

BERNIE ECCLESTONE

Perhaps the least known of all the Grand Prix entrepreneurs is the owner of Brabham, or more specifically, Motor Racing Developments, which manufactures, races and sells Brabham cars. Bernie Ecclestone shouldn't be unknown, however, for even though he is in his early forties (born 1931), Ecclestone has been around motor sport for some 2 decades.

He started out as a racer himself, on 2-wheelers, not cars, but soon was driving a Cooper-Norton and then a Cooper-Bristol that once was Mike Hawthorn's. Like Ken Tyrrell, however, Bernie decided early that his talents were better directed at operating rather than driving for a racing team. He retired as a driver in 1956 at the "advanced" age of 25.

Ecclestone's initial team efforts were moderately successful, though tinged with sadness. One of his key drivers was a close friend, Stuart Lewis-Evans, who was killed while driving someone else's car (a Vanwall) at Casablanca in 1958. Lewis-Evans was about the best Ecclestone driver in the ex-factory Connaughts Bernie was operating. Ivor Bueb was another top Ecclestone driver. But after Lewis-Evans’ death, despite having already arranged to run a team of ex-factory Cooper Grand Prix cars, Ecclestone retired from car racing, although he was involved lightly with Norton motorcycles for a time.

The retirement lasted some 8 years until Bernie met another driver who became a personal friend. Jochen Rindt, who was then driving in both Formula I and Formula 2. When Winklemann Racing decided to withdraw from F2, Ecclestone and Rindt formed a partnership.

Bernie also became a close friend of Graham Hill, looking after the World Champion's business matters. When Jack Brabham quit and Ron Tauranac took over MRD, Ecclestone eyed the company for a time and then made an offer to take over control. Although he was resisted for a time, Bernie wore Tauranac down, and in November 1971 he became the major shareholder of the Brabham racing car business. Soon afterwards Hill rejoined the team, despite previous personal differences with Tauranac, and eventually Ron moved out. Under Ecclestone, Brabham would continue as a F1 team, but not operate factory cars in F2 or F3, preferring to support customer efforts in these lower classifications of racing.


So it aint Bernie in the photo.

Gilinator

[Roger Clark]

Originally posted by Kuwashima

At Monaco, I thought one was driven by Emery, the other by Bernie and Kessler. This would explain why Emery had 14, and the other two 12. Otherwise, wouldn't they all have shared the same number??

Roger, if this car is clearly not the B3 (could you explain this a bit more?) could this car be the B7? If yes, then we are down to Kessler/Bernie...

Ecclestone certainly owned B3 and B7, see the thread on the Connaught sale, and he certainly had two entries at monaco, but did he take both cars?

B3 wsa the car fitted with the toothpaste tube or dart bodywork and is easily distinguishable from B7. Paul Emery had driven this in the Aintree 200on the 19th April. Ivor Bueb drove it at the British GP, entered by Ecclestone in both cases. I have photographs of the car in both races.

As regards the cars Ecclestone had in Monaco, the Motor Sport race report said: "Ecclestone sent only one Connaught, which Kessler and Emery had to share", and in a separate article "..a lone Connaught from the Ecclestone stable, this being the blunt nosed B7 car"

So it would seem that both Emery and Kessler practiced in B7, with perhpas a lap or two by the owner too.

[David McKinney]

Bira's data coincides exactly with my own, which is sourced to reports in British magazines at the time. None make any mention of Bernie even trying a couple of laps of the circuit. In fact I'm sure there was never any mention of this until perhaps ten or 15 years ago, by which time the man was getting famous in other spheres.
The driver in the overalls looks to me like Les Leston, who had raced Connaughts earlier. On the other hand I could be persuaded it's Bernie (before he grew his hair back...)
But even if Ecclestone did do a couple of laps at Monaco in 1958 he was not an official entrant in the race, and should not appear on lists of drivers who did not qualify for GPs. Unless such lists also include the others - probably hundreds, over the years - who tried a car in the run-up to races in more relaxed days. IMHO.

[Roger Clark]

Originally posted by David McKinney

But even if Ecclestone did do a couple of laps at Monaco in 1958 he was not an official entrant in the race, and should not appear on lists of drivers who did not qualify for GPs. Unless such lists also include the others - probably hundreds, over the years - who tried a car in the run-up to races in more relaxed days. IMHO.

Including Rudolph Uhlenhaut in a Maserati at Monaco in 1955.

[Graham Clayton]

Originally posted by Gil Bouffard
He started out as a racer himself, on 2-wheelers, not cars, but soon was driving a Cooper-Norton and then a Cooper-Bristol that once was Mike Hawthorn's. Like Ken Tyrrell, however, Bernie decided early that his talents were better directed at operating rather than driving for a racing team. He retired as a driver in 1956 at the "advanced" age of 25.

Gil,
I read somewhere that Bernie had a go at stock-car
racing in England in the early 1950's. Can anyone
confirm this?

Graham

[Flicker]

More pics of Bernie in the early 50s...

Beware! The pics are about 100Kb each.


Brands Hatch 1951 at the wheel of Cooper T15 MkV


Borham 1952(?) Formula Junior

[bira]

here's a cutout of the car/driver in the image's original full size:

[bira]

here's a close-up of the driver, brightened up in photoshop to make more details visible:

[Flicker]

So... what we have to think?..
That Bernie fooled all of us with his F1 experience?

Or smb. else have done this for him?

[bira]

Well the picture caption on LAT says it's Paul Emery. If that's a mistake, I'll fix it in the article, but I don't think in any event that it's Bernie Ecclestone.

[Flicker]

Bira.

The pic I posted also have come from LAT a few years ago to one of our (i.e. russian) magazine...;)

And the description referres to Bernie's GP qualifying experience.

------
And one more close-up



If You try to compare this man with other portraits of Mr. F1 You can see that they are very much like each other (for sure I'm not an antropologist:p ).

[David McKinney]

As I feared, it does look like Bernie.
Paul Emery had a moustache. The geezer in the Connaught cockpit shot - especially Bira's enhanced version - looks as if he could be sporting such a growth

[Gil Bouffard]

Come on guys!

If Bernie "retired," from active racing in 1956 at the age of 25 and the picture of the old guy is two years later is supposed to be the F-1 leader, he had one hell of a bad two years.

Ever think that it might be someone else?

The car in the background is a Maserati 250F.

I reviewed the picture of the driver of the Connaught against a picture of Paul Emery testing one of his Emeryson Formula Junior cars in 1960. This photo is in the "A-Z of Formula Racing Cars, 1945-1990." By David Hodges

There are pictures of Paul Emery in Mike Lawrence's "Directory of Grand Prix Cars," showing him to be a large man without a mustache and his hair combed straight back.

Looking closely at the number twelve car, you will notice that it has the shortened nose cone of the "Toothpaste Tube," car. It could be quite easy to change the tail on the car when you consider that the whole body was held together by Dzus fasteners.

Gil

[Vitesse2]

Or is it just an early example of a "Monaco nose"? It was common practice to run snub noses at Monaco because of the danger of bodywork damage - Bernie being Bernie, he'd probably want to save money by not having to throw away a nose or three ...

[Roger Clark]

THe "toothpaste tube" Connaught (B3) was fitted with a Monaco nose for the Grand Prix there in 1957, and as far as I know, retained it for the rest of its career. I can think of no reason why Ecclestone would have fitted normal B-type bodywork for Monaco and refitted the toothpaste tube for the British GP. He didn't have bottomless pockets in those days.

This is a picture of Paul Emery in May or June of 1957.

[Gil Bouffard]

Re "Or is it just an early example of a "Monaco nose"?"

In 1957 Vanwall and Connaught ran a "Monaco nose," and here we are talking about 1958. It was also common practice for drivers to practice other driver's cars. A look at the windscreen shows that that section of the body and the tail are not from the "toothpaste tube," car.

As Alice said. "Curiouser and curiouser."

Gilster

More info from Mike Lawrence's "Directory of Grand Prix Cars 1945-1965:

(1957)
"In the Glover Trophy at Goodwood, Stuart Lewis-Evans had B3, which had been re-bodied with a curious, wedge-shaped shell which was immediately nicknamed the, "toothpaste tube." With the retirement of Scott-Brown (B7), Salvadori (B.R.M.) and the Vanwalls of Moss and Brooks, Lewis-Evans came home to head a Connaught 1-2 with Fairman (134) trailing in second.

Lewis-Evans had B5 for the Naples GP and there he qualified fifth, but over six seconds off the pace, and his race ended with a broken front hub. So to Monaco, where, Connaught entered cars for Lewis-Evans (B3) and Bueb (B2), and while Bueb retired, Lewis-Evans came fourth, albeit three laps down.

A few days later Connaught Engineering was wound up and its effects were sold by auction that October. It is a bitter irony that within weeks of Connaught’s retirement Vanwall won its first World Championship race and began the British domination in F1.

One car which did not go under the hammer was the prototype C-series car, with its space-frame, long wheelbase and "toothpaste tube," body. This was later sold to Paul Emery, who entered it for Bob Said in the 1959 US GP, but Said crashed lit on the first lap. Later it was bought by some enthusiasts who supercharged the engine and tried, without success, to qualify for the Indianapolis 500."