Here’s a look at how this rich racing culture began in South Africa, with a brief history of the Birkin classic race car:
East London the venue of the first Grand Prix in 1934
The sleepy sea-side settlement of East London hosted the nation’s first Grand Prix in 1934. Classic race cars whizzed around a circuit constructed on the outskirts of the city. The Inaugural winner was American ace, Whitney Straight, in a Maserati! Thirty years on, South Africa hosted its first F1 World Championship, a race won by Graham Hill. Formula One was firmly entrenched in the country’s motorsport lore until 1992, when the political system of apartheid effectively scuppered all international sporting ties.
The advent of the A1 Grand Prix World Cup of Motorsport in 2005 placed South Africa back in the motor racing spotlight. Of the 25 nations competing in the FIA backed event, South Africa is the only representative of the African continent.
The Birkin Brand – proudly South African
The South African connection to classic race cars, however, isn’t confined to the tracks. A classic race car, which is designed and manufactured in South Africa, by a South African, is the Birkin S3. Fashioned on the popular Lotus 7, the Birkin is considered by many classic race car lovers, the world over, as the finest of the modern Super-7’s. With the look of Lotus and the name ‘Birkin’, the S3 Roadster is more than a classic race car, it’s a racing phenomenon!
Descendant of Bentley Boy, Sir Henry Birkin
The South African designer and producer of the Birkin classic race car marque, John Watson, is a descendant of 1920’s race car driver, Sir Henry Birkin. He, together with a group of wealthy British motorists, the Bentley Boys, enhanced the Bentley brand by winning a number of important international motor races, including the world’s oldest endurance race, 24 Hours of Le Mans! Today, the Birkin S3 is sold throughout the world either as a turn-key model or as a DIY kit. To get behind the wheel of one of these beauties is no longer the exclusive right of the wealthy or seasoned race car driver.
Last 5 posts by Deepak Shrivastava
- Choosing Ski Boots to Match - July 27th, 2010
- Get a new look By Cosmetic Dentistry - July 26th, 2010
- Better Ski Technique - July 24th, 2010
- How to move your site - July 23rd, 2010
- Celebrity Fake Jacob Watches! - July 21st, 2010