Antony Powys-Lybbe

29/6/1909 - 10/5/2004

Record updated 17-Feb-23

British gentleman racer who owned the ex-"Raph" Alfa Romeo Tipo B. Started out racing Alvis, once beating Hans Stuck in the supercharged 5.3 litre V16 Grand Prix Auto Union at Shelsley Walsh in 1936 (OK it was very very wet!).

Born at Rectory Farm, Streatley, Berks, Antony Powys-Lybbe was from a priveleged background. He inherited when his father died in 1930. In 1932 He took up motor racing, both hill-climbing and on the track. He also enjoyed sailing and skiing.

Pre war he drove an Alvis 12/60 and a Silver Eagle, notably beating Hans Stück in the supercharged 5.3 litre V16 Grand Prix Auto Union at Shelsley Walsh in 1936, albeit in appallingly wet conditions. He purchased a 1902 FIAT as a wreck from a farmer in the West Country. He got it to run and took it on several London to Brighton runs.

He took his racing seriously and even spent a couple of months in London at Alvis' workshops to learn more about the cars. Later he switched to running his cars through Thomson and Taylor at their workshops at Brooklands. They were responsible for at least one of Cobb's land speed record breaking cars and probably a few of his Brooklands record-breaking specials aswell. In 1937 he drove John Cobb's Sunbeam to fourth place in the 500 Kilometre Race at Brooklands, sharing with Charles Brackenbury.

In 1935 he acquired a 2.3 Alfa Romeo Monza which he raced until 1937 when he purchased a Talbot.

In 1948 he bought the ex-"Raph" Alfa Romeo Tipo B. The Alfa was maintained by Thomson and Taylor again. He started racing it on small circuits such as Goodwood. Eventually he took it to Ireland to race at the Curragh and at Dundrod. As long as the Jaguars did not run, he had a modest degree of success, winning quite a few races over the following years, including the Wakefield Trophy in the Alfa in 1949 and 1953, and the Leinster Trophy and Ulster Trophy in 1950.

Eventually the Alfa became less competitive and he ordered a Jaguar D type, but he cancelled the order when the factory raised the price by £1,000.

He retired in 1954 after a race where another driver crashed into the crowd, killing himself and four others.

1956 he sold his 1902 F.I.A.T and the Alfa. An abiding interest throughout his life was music, particularly Bach. He died in Amersham, Buckinghamshire 2004.



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