Each year at the Australian F1 GP at Albert Park, a number of historic cars, sometimes “themed”, sometimes random, are invited to run in an Historic Demonstration event. These demonstrations are intended not only to showcase the cars, but to adequately demonstrate their capabilities so, thankfully, participants are encouraged to run at about 80% capacity and, apart from a final appearance on the F1 GP event Sunday, are not reduced to a boring 80 kph parade behind a pace car. So from Thursday through Saturday, they appear daily for 15 minute sessions to strut their stuff over the 5.3 km circuit in front of 80-100,000 spectators. Between sessions, the cars remain on display in a designated Historic Garage area open for inspection by all comers.

This year, I was delighted to receive an invitation to run my Cooper Mark VII, formerly owned by noted Norton specialist Bernie Allen, which I imported to Australia in 2000 and have run regularly in sprints, hillclimbs, and the odd circuit race (unlike Europe, we are not so fortunate to have much road racing contemporary competition, and remain envious of your opportunities in the UK). The historic field was 60 strong, and very varied, ranging from a Morgan 3-wheeler, Singer Le Mans, D-Type Jag, Maserati Birdcage, Cooper Bobtail, HWM Stovebolt Special, Maserati 250F and sundry Bugatti, Brabham, Cooper and Ferrari open-wheelers. 500 owners are always conscious of the contrast when we share a paddock with other, invariably larger vehicles, and are often reminded of our status as the smallest capacity present. But I think the organisers in this case were having a little joke as the Cooper found itself garaged next to the largest capacity car in the field, an 18 litre Hispano Suiza, each of its cylinders being three times that of the Cooper-Norton single!

With such an eclectic field, my mirrors were constantly full and the focus of most of my attention. So I had to ignore the disappointment of friends manning one of the flag points, when they complained via text message I was not acknowledging their waves. But the car performed well, and I am pleased to report it came though unscathed, still running at the end, and providing no embarrassment to the air-cooled fraternity. It was certainly the fulfilment of a personal dream to run the modern Albert Park Circuit, where as a boy in the mid-fifties, I skipped school to watch Moss, Behra, Brabham, Murray Rainey (in a supercharged air-cooled) and other local heroes, duelling over the original circuit. And #7353 now has the distinction of having been run by Bernie Allen at the inaugural 1998 Goodwood Revival, and by me at the 2009 Australian Grand Prix. As a commemoration of this fact, I carried on the car the names (and Union flag) of previous owners Les Stone and Bernie Allen in addition to my own, and even wore Bernie’s Goodwood racing suit in tribute.
 

Many congratulations are due to Grant and Brenda Campbell of the Victorian Historic Racing Register for their organisation of the historic participation, including their continuous attendance in the paddock, baby-sitting the cars over all four days and nights. And my pit crew of David Palstra (also a 500 competitor), Teddy Tompkins and Dennis O’Connor certainly earned their free, four-day ogle of the significant incidental attractions of an international GP paddock.