THE MEN MAKE THE MEMORIES
Motorsport is all about heroes. And heroes are usually decided upon when the mind is in its formative stages. As a kid, there weren’t posters of footballers on my bedroom wall – there was only space for one man, Gilles Villeneuve. I was only nine when he was killed and it was a heart-breaking weekend for me. It didn’t dilute my passion for motorsport, which was ramping up at that stage, but I can honestly say that I have never felt the same way about a driver since Gilles passed in Belgium 40 years ago. Sure, I have backed certain racers – Johnny Herbert being prime among them – but the hero-worship has never been as strong.
We look back on his legacy in the company of a couple of other Villeneuve fans on page 16 of this issue. The fond memories spread far and wide among the motor racing community, and it is great to reminisce with like-minded people. It is even interesting to have the debate with those who didn’t buy into the Villeneuve myth, and we have given them their space in this issue too.
As if to prove the passion that one man can bring to any sporting arena, there was a huge crowd at Brands Hatch’s GT World Challenge Europe event last weekend, and that was solely down to one man: Valentino Rossi. The multiple motorcycle World title-winner was the box office draw in
Kent and he delighted the thousands of fans who had turned out to see him make his racing debut on the hallowed Tarmac. Star names still sell tickets, no matter how fancy the cars are, and this shouldn’t be forgotten.
In this issue, we also talk to one of the stars of the British Touring Car Championship, Jeff Allam. From flinging a Capri or a Rover around to mastering the art of a two-litre, frontwheel-drive Vauxhall, Allam was at the heart of the BTCC as it grew into the biggest championship in the country, and his stories are fascinating.
Elsewhere, we are on the hunt again. The latest MN poll, which is launched on page 18, is to seek out the readers’ favourite racing Jaguars. For those who grew up watching Group C, there are many candidates, but those with a longer memory can hark back to a time when the Big Cats first took on and conquered the world. The poll will run for the next month and the results will be published in our Jaguar Special, which is to come out on May 26. Get involved and make your voice heard: details of how to register your favourite are included on the spread.