Brian led a parade of around 30 F5000 machines, all (apart from one) Chevy V8 powered and from the likes not just of F5000 masters Lola but also Gurney-Eagle, McLaren, March, Surtees, Trojan and Chevron. Brian was in the twin-seat Lola 192 – occupying the front seat, naturally – for demo laps of the 500-plus bhp cars on a snowy Goodwood Motor Circuit.
“The last time I drove a racing car in the snow was in 1968 at the Nurburgring south circuit in an F2 Lola,” says the 81-year-old who, these days, is more used to the warmth and sunshine of Florida. “I don’t think a drive around a cold Goodwood will be a problem…”
F5000 lasted only 14 years, 1968 to ’82, but Brian took the championship title three years running from 1974, giving him what he says were “the best years of my racing career”. He would have won the title in 1973 too except that he missed two races because he was busy driving a Ferrari 512 in the World Sports Car Championship.
Brian arrived at F5000 after six seasons in F1 and then excelling at sports cars not just with Ferrari but also with Porsche, Jaguar and Aston Martin, his victories including the 1970 Targa Florio, Sebring 12 Hours twice and the Spa 1000km four times.
His enthusiasm for F5000 is despite it almost killing him.