Our Blog 2/2023

Reg Parnell at the International Trophy in 1951 navigating the Ferrari Thinwall Special

Here we see Derbyshire pig-farmer Reg Parnell at Lake Silverstone in Tony Vandervell’s privately entered Ferrari. Parnell would use his knowledge of the local tides and currents to beat the finest Grand Prix drivers that the World could then muster.

08-Feb-23 historicracing.com

This is the 55 lap Final 1951 BRDC International Trophy race at Silverstone, run to F1 regulations.

And, though a little rain never stopped a race back then, this was considered precipitation on another level and proceedings were brought to a sensible conclusion after the 6th lap, Parnell, by this time, had lapped the whole of a class field that included Fangio and Moss! Only Duncan Hamilton was on the same lap though 21 seconds down.

Fangio was apparently overheard to mutter that “only the English could race in this”. Which was amazing. Because it was thought that he could only speak Spanish!

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