Ford GT40 Hobbs/Hailwood 1969

Ugo Capeto, Ford GT40 Hobbs/Hailwood 1969. Colored pencil on paper, 9"x12". ©2012.
This is John Wyer Automotive Engineering's Ford GT40 number 23, piloted by David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood at the 1969 Sebring 12 hours endurance race. This is an original colored pencil drawing from a photograph in the book "Sports Car Racing, In Camera, 1960-69" by Paul Parker. The artwork is on Stonehenge archival paper.

The car did not finish the race due to front suspension problems. This late Ford GT40 was powered by the 4.9 liter (302 cubic inch) Ford V8 engine.

The story of the Ford GT40 is said to have started after the failed attempt by Ford to buy Ferrari in the summer of 1963. Not being overly happy by this mishap, Henry Ford II decided he would build a car that would beat the Ferraris in their own backyard, the European endurance race tracks with Le Mans (at the 24 Hours) being the ultimate prize.

It took a few years for the Ford GT40 to win at Le Mans but the success was total with a 1-2-3 finish in 1966 (Mc Laren/Amon, Miles/Hulme and Bucknum/Hutcherson). The Ken Miles/Denny Hulme should have won the race but since the three cars crossed the finish line at the same time (for an historic photo op), it's the car that started the further back from the starting grid that won. The engines on those 1966 cars were the big 7 liter (427 cubic inch) Ford V8s.

The name Ford GT40 is not an official name, Ford GT definitely is though. The GT40 moniker was given by the British press because of the height of the car, which happens to be 40 inches. The moniker kinda stuck and the Ford GT40 made history.

Prints are available at Ford GT40 Hobbs/Hailwood 1969 on fineartamerica.com.

Porsche 917K Pedro Rodriguez 1970

Ugo Capeto, Porsche 917K Pedro Rodriguez 1970. Colored pencil on paper, 6"x10.5". ©2012.
Pedro Rodriguez in a Porsche 917K at the 1970 Brands Hatch 1,000 kilometres endurance race. This is an original colored pencil drawing from a photograph in the book "Sports Car Racing, In Camera, 1970-79" by Paul Parker. The artwork is on Stonehenge archival paper.

Pedro Rodriguez was paired with Leo Kinnunen in a John Wyer Porsche 917K at Brands Hatch 1970. The race was run (mostly) in very wet weather. At one point, a flag went up signaling the drivers to slow down and not overtake but Pedro didn't see it and passed several cars. He got black flagged into the pits because of that and he went from an ill-acquired 2nd place to a 12th. Upon returning to the track, Pedro drove like mad in the rain, went up the field of cars ahead of him, and took the lead, which he lost at the driver switch. Eventually, Pedro won the race five laps in front of a Salzburg Porsche 917K.

Prints are available at Porsche 917K Pedro Rodriguez 1970 on fineartamerica.com.

Ferrari 512S Mario Andretti 1970

Ugo Capeto, Ferrari 512S Mario Andretti 1970. Colored pencil on paper, 6"x10". ©2012.
Mario Andretti in a Ferrari 512S at the 1970 "Sebring 12 Hours" endurance race. This is an original colored pencil drawing from a photograph in the book "Sports Car Racing, In Camera, 1970-79" by Paul Parker. The artwork is on Stonehenge archival paper.

Mario Andretti was paired with the Italian Arturo Merzario in that race. They started in pole position, cruised along in first place for quite a while, but suffered a gearbox failure after 10 hours. Everybody thought that was it for Mario, even Mario itself, but no, as Andretti was asked to finish the race in the Ferrari number 21 driven by Nino Vaccarella and Ignazio Guinti when the lead Siffert/Redman Wyer Porsche 917 had to pitstop due to mechanical problems. The only thing between Andretti and the prize was the Steve McQueen/Peter Revson Porsche 908 spider. Thanks to an incredible finish and Peter Revson's probable state of exhaustion (he did most the driving because McQueen had one foot in a cast), Mario overtook the Porsche 908 and won the race.

The Ferrari 512S had an all-alloy V12 engine of almost five liters (550 hp at 8500 rpm). It was built both as a berlinetta (closed top) and a barchetta (open top spider). It took part in the Manufacturers’ World Championship in 1970 and 1971, mostly battling with the mighty Porsche 917s.

Prints are available at Ferrari 512S Mario Andretti 1970 on fineartamerica.com.

Ferrari 312P Pedro Rodriguez 1969

Ugo Capeto, Ferrari 312P Pedro Rodriguez 1969. Colored pencil on paper, 4"x7.5". ©2012.
Pedro Rodriguez behind the wheel of the Ferrari 312P at the 1969 "1,000 kilometers of Monza" endurance race. This is an original colored pencil drawing from a photograph in the book "Sports Car Racing, In Camera, 1960-69" by Paul Parker. The artwork is on Stonehenge archival paper.

The number 2 Ferrari 312P (driven by Pedro Rodriguez and Peter Schetty) did not finish the race as it was put out of commission (accident) after 66 laps. The other 312P that was entered did not finish either (piloted by Mario Andretti and Chris Amon). Disappointment for Ferrari as both cars had done very well in qualifying (pole and 3rd on the starting grid).

Pedro Rodríguez (1940-1971) was a Mexican sports car racing driver. He is probably best remembered for his victory at Le Mans in 1968 with Belgian driver Lucien Bianchi in a John Wyer Gulf Ford GT40. He was the older brother of Formula One Ferrari driver Ricardo Rodríguez (1942-1962).

The Ferrari 312P was a two-seater fitted with a 3.0 liter engine (420 hp at 9800 rpm). It was initially a barchetta (open top) but it soon became a berlinetta (closed top) for the 1969 "24 Hours" at Le Mans. Ferrari abandoned the Ferrari 312P at the end of the 1969 season to focus on the new 5 liter V12 Ferrari 512.

Prints are available at Ferrari 312P Pedro Rodriguez 1969 on fineartamerica.com.

Maserati 250F Juan Manuel Fangio 1958

Ugo Capeto, Maserati 250F Juan Manuel Fangio 1958. Colored pencil on paper, 7"x10". ©2012.
Juan Manuel Fangio in a Maserati 250F at the Reims French Grand Prix in 1958, a race he finished 4th behind Mike Hawthorn and Stirling Moss. This is an original colored pencil drawing from a photograph in the book "Formula 1, In Camera, 1950-59" by Paul Parker. The artwork is on Stonehenge archival paper.

The Maserati 250F was a single seater with a 2.5 liter straight-six engine (240-270 bhp at 7,200-8,000 rpm). Later models were fitted with a V12.

Juan Manuel Fangio won the Formula One World championship title five times, in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1957. The 1958 French Grand Prix was actually his last race.

Prints are available at Maserati 250F Juan Manuel Fangio 1958 on fineartamerica.com.

Cooper T51 Stirling Moss 1959

Ugo Capeto, Cooper T51 Stirling Moss 1959. Colored pencil on paper, 7"x9". ©2012.
British driver Stirling Moss driving a Cooper T51 at the 1959 Monza Italian Grand Prix, a Formula One motor race that he ultimately won for the privateer Rob Walker Racing Team. This is an original colored pencil drawing from a photograph in the book "Formula 1, In Camera, 1950-59" by Paul Parker. The artwork is on Stonehenge archival paper.

The Cooper T51 was powered by a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder inline engine (240 bhp at 6,750 rpm) made by Coventry Climax. It was rear-engined, an engine position the Cooper Car Company introduced in Formula One in 1955. Stirling Moss' win in Argentina in 1958 with a Vanwall Cooper T45 was the first win for a rear-engined car in Formula One history.

The Rob Walker Racing Team was founded by Rob Walker, heir to the Johnnie Walker whisky family.

Surprisingly, Stirling Moss, despite all his successes, never won a Formula One World Championship.

Prints are available at Cooper T51 Stirling Moss 1959 on fineartamerica.com.

Ferrari 335S Mike Hawthorn 1957

Ugo Capeto, Ferrari 335S Mike Hawthorn 1957. Colored pencil on paper, 6"x9". ©2012.
Mike Hawthorn driving a Ferrari 335S at Le Mans in 1957. This is an original colored pencil drawing from a photograph in the book "Sports Car Racing, In Camera, 1950-59" by Paul Parker. The artwork is on Stonehenge archival paper.

At the 1957 "24 Hours of Le Mans", the world's oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, Mike Hawthorn (1929-1959) was teamed up with Luigi Musso, an Italian racing driver, for the Scuderia Ferrari (Ferrari factory team). The Ferrari 335 Sport they were driving suffered a blown engine after 56 laps forcing the retirement of the Anglo-Italian duo from the race.

The Ferrari 335 Sport is the successor to the Ferrari 315, with a more powerful V-12 engine (4.023 liters, 390.0 bhp @ 7800 rpm). It is a spider/spyder (open two seater sports car) with a body designed and built by Carrozzeria Scaglietti.

Prints are available at Ferrari 335S Mike Hawthorn 1957 on fineartamerica.com.