If you are a fan of the great movie Grand Prix (1966, staring James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, and others) you are probably familiar with racing cars similar to the one on the right. This is a BRM P56 race car from 1961. It is one of the earlier “flattened cigar” rear-engined cars that set the standard for what we have today on the tracks. When you see this car close-up you can see how sleek it is. Notice the narrow wheels and tires. Unlike the modern racing cars, it lacks the sophisticated computer-tested aerodynamics, such as the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton that I mentioned in my last post.
The Donington Collection has over 130 F1 racing cars on display, and this BRM is one of them.