The Motor Racing Legends Annual Dinner took place on the evening of Friday 23rd February, at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall. In the sumptuous surroundings of the Club’s Mountbatten Room, the 211 dinner guests enjoyed excellent food and wine, plus two fascinating after-dinner speakers: Ray Mallock and Professor Gordon Murray.
Following our usual format, Master of Ceremonies Tony Dron interviewed the two speakers, drawing upon some lesser-known incidents from the speakers’ professional lives as well as their more famous successes.
First, Ray Mallock discussed his hugely varied experiences as a Le Mans driver, a chief engineer and – more recently – a class-winning Le Mans entrant with his own team of Lola MGs. It is rare indeed for someone to reach such heights in three entirely different roles.
Legendary F1 designer Gordon Murray then described how he joined the Brabham team almost by accident, when he turned up for an appointment an hour early. Having been mistaken for someone else, he was interviewed and offered the job. Murray’s obvious talents shone through, however, and he was soon responsible for the design of both Alain de Cadenet’s all-British Le Mans racer – and of that year’s Brabham F1 car. His later designs include the 1995 Le Mans-winning McLaren F1 GTR.
Our thanks also go to Gregor Fisken, the fine historic automobile dealership, for providing a car worthy of sitting in the Rotunda at the Royal Automobile Club. In honour of the Motor Racing Legends Dinner, Gregor Fisken brought along one of the most original Ford GT40s in the world: the ex-Nurburgring, Targa Florio, Monza and Montlhèry car, chassis 1003.
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