Tony Brooks

[robmarsh]

I was saddened to read on the MotorSport site earlier that Tony Brooks had passed away aged 90.  A potential world champion and a very nice self-effacing gentleman.  As you know I had a chance to speak to him on the phone about 18 months ago.  On checking back on my records I found that I had sold him a book on Vanwall written by Denis Jenkinson and Cyril Posthumus.  Doug Nye has recently upgraded the book into a much bigger version of which only a 1000 are being printed.  I wish I had recognised the initials on the order at the time.

Sadly another of the old guard has passed. RIP Tony Brooks.

[charleselan]

Many thanks Rob for drawing our attention to this sad news. 90 years is a good figure and Mr Brooks lived a fulsome life and his prowess and skills brought joy to many. In my opinion he was one of the giants of the sport and a racing driver icon of the 1950's, a truly golden period. Like many others I feel he was one a select band of drivers who deserved to be world champion, far more so than some who attained that title.

He should have been champion in 1959 when he piloted the gorgeous Ferrari 246 Dino but his sense of self preservation always meant that if he was unsure about a cars condition he would always pit to check it out, something he also related to his catholic faith. That being said it seems odd that he was in his absolute element when on the most dangerous and challenging road courses like Spa Francorchamps to the Nurburgring. These two places being the scene of his greatest triumphs in 1958 at the wheel of the Vanwall.

An absolute artist at the wheel of a car, especially the beautiful front engined cars of the 1950's. He appeared not to get on well with the mid/rear engined cars that followed and made no bones about his dislike of the little 1.5 litre F1 cars that came into being in 1961, after one years driving the Climax powered works BRM he retired. I have always wondered what a fully enthused Tony Brooks would have done in the BRM V8 a year later, might have been very interesting.

One of my childhood heroes of the 1950's and a wonderful human being.

[René]

Thanks for posting Rob. I believe Tony Brooks was the last Grand Prix winner of the fifties still alive. It’s really wonderful that you spoke to him.

I do not know enough about him I have to admit, even if he could have been a Ferrari champion. Have to do some reading. 

RIP Tony Brooks

[robmarsh]

Lovely words and pics John and Rene. Thank you both for sharing. I have a 1/12th scale kit of that last front engined Ferrari. Hope to build it one of these days but presently working on the 1/32 Mosquito I promised Chris many months ago.

[chrisb]

when one of your icons passes away a whole era closes for me - there was something so gentlemanly about Tony so cultured and distinguished - calm and such an incredible talent, I mean when Stirling was asked who he would want in his dream F1 team it was Tony and Jimmy, what a wonderful thing to say,

In saying that I often think Tony's speed in sports cars was often overlooked and his ability to manage a car and a race, I do think he quit motor sport far too early - F1 I would totally agree with the thought of going from those evocative front engined cars to the rather different rear-engined cars that took a year or so to come into their own beauty I can see that but felt given his incredible talent just how well Tony would have gone in the 250GTO's or Ford GT40's but for a man who did have a few nasty accidents to have survived that tragic era and lived a very full life, retaining both his dignity and grace on top of which speaking to our Rob must have been an incredible experience and one that is as you say Rob, treasured

For me there are three cars that epitomised Tony, the DBR1, the Connaught that won at Syracuse and of course that beautiful if not extremely difficult to drive Vanwall of 1958, where his skill and bravery was just outstanding, his drive at Nurburgring was stuff of legends, the tragedy that befall his friend Pete marring what was one of the drives of all time, the other noticeable thing for me was how friendly he was, friends with so many of those stars, Stirling, Pete - not sure about Mike but I never heard a bad word said about him and no disrespect to Jack but Tony would have been such a brilliant 1959 F1 champion and in a way closed that front-engined era properly. 

Rest in Peace Tony, thank you

[charleselan]

Rob,

Just to say I feel your telephone call with Tony 18 months ago is something that you must cherish and the 1/12th scale kit of the Dino 246 should make a truly awesome model, is it the 1959 version?

Chris,

My feelings exactly about Tony and the 1959 World Championship, it would have been fitting for a front engined car to have won in the last year of that decade and no disrespect to Jack Brabham at all.

In a way it was a shame that Tony did not stay with Ferrari in 1960 and on into 1961 but I believe that he signed to drive the reactivated Vanwall which was pretty much a disaster and he ended up driving for the Yeoman Credit team in a Cooper. Just imagine if he had driven the 1961 Ferrari 156 "Sharknose", no slight on Phil Hill or Taffy & Richie but as good as they were they were but number two drivers compared with Tony Brooks.

[robmarsh]

Hi John

Just checked it out and it is the 1960 Italian GP version.

[René]

Very nice words and interesting information and views on Tony Brooks.

Obviously this is really a gap in my knowledge which I need to work on! Searching on model car sites for Tony Brooks cars also gives far less results compared to other names from that period. What a difference winning the World title in 1959 would have made!

Thanks guys!

[robmarsh]

Rene the three types of cars that I know he drove are Connaught, Vanwall and Ferrari in F1 and I think he drove for Aston Martin in sports cars.

There are some Spark models of Vanwall cars he drove.

[charleselan]

Rob & René,

There are models available of cars Tony Brooks drove that I know of in 1/43rd scale in addition to those you mention Rob. There was an excellent version by IXO of the short nose 246 Dino as shown in the Monaco photo I added above, hard to get now and I am kicking myself for not adding it to my collection. Spark have just released two versions of the 1956 British GP BRM P25 that Tony and Mike Hawthorne drove in that race. This is the car that nearly killed Tony when its brakes failed, like many of that period he wasn't a fan of BRM after that. I have ordered the model today.

Another company that made some excellent models back in the 1990's called Quartzo released Tony's Yeoman Credit Cooper Climax of 1960 and they still pop up on eBay at quite reasonable prices. He also drove various Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sports cars in 1959 but not sure if anyone makes these.

As a matter of interest has anyone bought the book on him that came out a few years ago, it was quite pricy but looked very good?

The 1960 Dino 246 wasn't in my opinion as attractive as the 1959 car as the bodywork was reduced in some areas and just did not look as well balanced, the 1959 car was a beauty.

[robmarsh]

Hi John I did have that book and it was very good but I sold it on about 18 months ago.

If any of you want a particular book please ask me as I may have it and unless it has an astronomical market price I will be willing to sell to you guys at the lower of market or original purchase price plus postage. I need to reduce my collection due to space constraints.

[René]

May 5, 2022 18:07:47 GMT robmarsh said:

Hi John I did have that book and it was very good but I sold it on about 18 months ago.

If any of you want a particular book please ask me as I may have it and unless it has an astronomical market price I will be willing to sell to you guys at the lower of market or original purchase price plus postage. I need to reduce my collection due to space constraints.

Anything special on the subject of Ferrari?

[charleselan]

May 5, 2022 18:07:47 GMT robmarsh said:

Hi John I did have that book and it was very good but I sold it on about 18 months ago.

If any of you want a particular book please ask me as I may have it and unless it has an astronomical market price I will be willing to sell to you guys at the lower of market or original purchase price plus postage. I need to reduce my collection due to space constraints.

Thanks Rob, I must try and see if i can still get a copy at a realistic price.

[robmarsh]

May 5, 2022 20:17:44 GMT René said:

May 5, 2022 18:07:47 GMT robmarsh said:

Hi John I did have that book and it was very good but I sold it on about 18 months ago.

If any of you want a particular book please ask me as I may have it and unless it has an astronomical market price I will be willing to sell to you guys at the lower of market or original purchase price plus postage. I need to reduce my collection due to space constraints.

Anything special on the subject of Ferrari?

I have quite a few Rene, let me look through them and I will send you a list.