Scuderia Veloce

Last updated

Scuderia Veloce won a number of major Australian Sports Car endurance races with this Ferrari 250 LM seen in 2014 1964 Ferrari 250LM (Ralph Lauren), Lime Rock 2014.jpg
Scuderia Veloce won a number of major Australian Sports Car endurance races with this Ferrari 250 LM seen in 2014

Scuderia Veloce was an Australian motor racing team founded by journalist racer David McKay and his chief mechanic Bob Atkin. The team, which competed in many motor racing categories in the 1960s, is regarded as the first professional motor racing operation in Australia. It was based in Wahroonga on Sydney's upper North Shore. It later became a motor car dealership Specialising in Volvo, Porsche and Ferrari with Bob Atkin as the Managing Director.

Chris Amon won both the 1969 New Zealand and Australian Grands Prix and the 1969 Tasman Series driving a Dino 246 Tasmania for Scuderia Veloce Amon-AGP-Graham-Ruckert.jpg
Chris Amon won both the 1969 New Zealand and Australian Grands Prix and the 1969 Tasman Series driving a Dino 246 Tasmania for Scuderia Veloce

McKay gained prominence as a racing driver and as a motoring writer during the 1950s. He won many races including the inaugural Australian Touring Car Championship in 1960 driving a Jaguar Mark 1.

McKay's operation began sporting the Scuderia Veloce name in 1960, following a change of sponsorship from Ampol to Castrol. [1] It ran Cooper-Climax, then Brabham-Climax open racings cars in the Tasman Series, Australian Grand Prix and Australian Drivers' Championship. In 1969 the team was Ferrari's official Tasman Series team and had Chris Amon and Derek Bell in the drivers seats. The venture was a success with Amon winning the 1969 Tasman Series, which included winning the Australian Grand Prix at Lakeside and New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe.

Scuderia Veloce also competed in Appendix J Touring Cars running a variety of cars, as well as competing in Sports Car racing with Ferraris. A Scuderia Veloce entered Ferrari 250 LM won the 1965 Six Hour Le Mans, the 1966 Rothmans 12 Hour International Sports Car Race, the 1967 Rothmans 12 Hour and the 1968 Surfers Paradise 6 Hour.

As well as his own racing efforts, McKay supported several drivers including Brian Muir and Greg Cusack, although the driver most associated with SV would be Spencer Martin.

Tasman Series results

YearEntrantChassisDriver12345678RankPoints
1964 Scuderia Veloce Brabham BT4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Graham Hill LEV PUK WIGTER SAN WAR
4
LAKLON
1
6th12
Brabham BT6 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greg Cusack LEV PUK WIGTER SAN WAR
11
LAK
7
LON
10
-0
1965 Scuderia Veloce Repco Brabham BT11A Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Graham Hill PUK
1
LEVWIGTERWAR
5
SAN
Ret
LON
4
7th14
1966 Scuderia Veloce Repco Brabham BT11A Flag of Australia (converted).svg Spencer Martin PUK
Ret
LEV
3
WIG
4
TER
Ret
WAR
5
LAK
Ret
SAN
Ret
LON
5
7th11
1969 Scuderia Veloce Dino 246 Tasmania Flag of New Zealand.svg Chris Amon PUK
1
LEV
1
WIG
3
TER
3
LAK
1
WAR
Ret
SAN
1
1st44
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Derek Bell PUK
4
LEV
Ret
WIG
5
TER
5
LAK
2
WAR
2
SAN
5
4th21

Related Research Articles

Scuderia Ferrari currently competing as Scuderia Ferrari HP, is the racing division of luxury Italian auto manufacturer Ferrari and the racing team that competes in Formula One racing. The team is also known by the nickname "The Prancing Horse", in reference to their logo. It is the oldest surviving and most successful Formula One team, having competed in every world championship since 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Surtees</span> British racing driver and motorcycle road racer (1934–2017)

John Norman Surtees, was a British racing driver and motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1952 to 1960 and in Formula One from 1960 to 1972. Surtees was a seven-time Grand Prix motorcycle World Champion, with four titles in the premier 500cc class with MV Agusta. Surtees won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1964 with Ferrari, and remains the only driver to win World Championships on both two- and four-wheels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce McLaren</span> New Zealand racing driver, automotive designer, engineer and motorsport executive (1937–1970)

Bruce Leslie McLaren was a New Zealand racing driver, automotive designer, engineer and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from 1958 to 1970. McLaren was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1960 with Cooper. In endurance racing, McLaren won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 with Ford. He founded McLaren in 1963, who have since won eight World Constructors' Championship titles and remain the only team to have completed the Triple Crown of Motorsport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Amon</span> New Zealand racing driver and motorsport executive (1943–2016)

Christopher Arthur Amon was a New Zealand racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from 1963 to 1976. Widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers to never win a Formula One Grand Prix, Amon won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 with Ford, as well as the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1967 with Ferrari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro Rodríguez (racing driver)</span> Mexican racing driver (1940–1971)

Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega was a Mexican racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1963 to 1971. In endurance racing, Rodríguez won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968 with Ford, and was a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona with Porsche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jo Siffert</span> Swiss racing driver (1936–1971)

Joseph Siffert was a Swiss racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1962 to 1971.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorenzo Bandini</span> Italian racing driver (1935–1967)

Lorenzo Bandini was an Italian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1961 to 1967. Bandini won the 1964 Austrian Grand Prix with Ferrari. In endurance racing, Bandini won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1963, as well as the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1967, both with Ferrari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derek Bell (racing driver)</span> British racing driver (born 1941)

Derek Reginald Bell is a British racing driver. In sportscar racing, he won the Le Mans 24 hours five times, the Daytona 24 three times and the World Sportscar Championship twice. He also raced in Formula One for the Ferrari, Wheatcroft, McLaren, Surtees and Tecno teams. He has been described by fellow racer Hans-Joachim Stuck as one of the most liked drivers of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ludovico Scarfiotti</span> Italian racing driver (1933–1968)

Ludovico Scarfiotti was an Italian racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1963 to 1968. Scarfiotti won the 1966 Italian Grand Prix with Ferrari. In endurance racing, Scarfiotti won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 12 Hours of Sebring, both in 1963 with Ferrari.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tasman Series</span> 1964–1975, a motor racing series in Australia and New Zealand

The Tasman Series was a motor racing competition held annually from 1964 to 1975 over a series of races in New Zealand and Australia. It was named after the Tasman Sea which lies between the two countries. The Tasman Series races were held in January through to late February or early March of each year, during the Formula One off season, taking advantage of winter in the Northern Hemisphere to attract many top drivers to summer in the south. The Tasman Cup was the permanent trophy awarded to the winning driver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooper T51</span> Formula One racing car

The Cooper T51 was a Formula One and Formula Two racing car designed by Owen Maddock and built by the Cooper Car Company for the 1959 Formula One season. The T51 earned a significant place in motor racing history when Jack Brabham drove the car to become the first driver to win the World Championship of Drivers with an engine mounted behind them, in 1959. The T51 was raced in several configurations by various entrants until 1963 and in all no less than 38 drivers were entered to drive T51s in Grand Prix races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longford Circuit</span> Motorsport circuit in Tasmania, Australia

The Longford Circuit was a temporary motor racing course laid out on public roads at Longford, 23-kilometre (14 mi) south-west of Launceston in Tasmania, Australia. It was located on the northern edges of the town and its 7.242 km (4.500 mi) lap passed under a railway line viaduct, crossed the South Esk River via the wooden Kings Bridge, turned hard right at the doorstep of the Longford Hotel, passed over the railway line using a level crossing and traversed the South Esk again via another wooden structure, the Long Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Australian Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1969 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race held at Lakeside in Queensland, Australia on 2 February 1969. The race was promoted by the Queensland Motor Sports Club and was open to Australian National Formula cars and Australian Formula 2 cars. It was the thirty fourth Australian Grand Prix and was race five of the 1969 Tasman Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1969 Tasman Series</span> Motor racing competition

The 1969 Tasman Series was a motor racing competition staged in New Zealand and Australia for cars complying with the Tasman Formula. The series, which commenced on 4 January 1969 and ended on 16 February 1969 after seven rounds, was the sixth annual Tasman Series. It was won by Chris Amon, driving a Dino 246 Tasmania.

The Holden Dealer Racing Team (HDRT) was an Australian motor racing team, covertly backed by Holden through its dealer network so as to get around General Motors's worldwide ban on the company being involved in motorsport. The HDRT contested the 1968 Bathurst 500 endurance race at the Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst, as well as the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon using Holdxen's latest car, the Holden Monaro HK.

The Rothmans International Series was an Australian motor racing series which was staged annually from 1976 to 1979. Initially open to Australian Formula 1 cars, for the final year it was for ‘’Australian Formula 5000’’, ‘’World Formula 1’’ and ‘’Australian Formula Pacific’’ cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Reynolds (racing driver)</span>

Haldane George Reynolds was an Australian racing driver.

David McKay was an Australian journalist and prominent motoring identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1965 New Zealand Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1965 New Zealand Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Pukekohe Park Raceway on 9 January 1965. The race was held over 50 laps of the 3.5 km (2.2 mi) combined circuit for a total distance of 175 km (110 mi). The Grand Prix was run for open wheel racing cars, specifically conforming to either the 2.5 litre Tasman Formula regulations or the 1.6 litre New Zealand National Formula regulations.

Spencer John Martin is an Australian championship-winning racing driver. Martin's short career was highlighted by two Australian Drivers' Championship victories in 1966 and 1967, racing for Bob Jane Racing.

References

  1. Barry Lake, Gentleman racer, Motor Racing Australia, No 84, Feb/Mar 2005, pages 75-78