Motormarques.com | Classic car revival

When I first picked up David Abecassis' new book, I was reminded that I once wanted to own and drive a racing car. But realising how difficult and costly it could be, I gave up the idea.

If there had been a George Abecassis in my life, things would have been different.

George Abecassis was determined to succeed against all odds. He not only built one of the most beautiful and successful sports racing cars in history, he become one of the great Brtish drivers, with such contemporaries as: Stirling Moss, Lance Macklin, Mike Hawthorn, Peter Collins, Tony Gaze, Prince Bira, Sydney Allard, John Cooper, Bob Gerard, Duncan Hamilton, Raymond Mays, and Reg Parnell. 

These names meant more to me than the 12 Apostles. 

Not long out of school, George paid 12 pounds 10 shillings for a standard Austin seven Chummy, which he called 'The Rattletrap'. He immediately stripped it down, fitted it with a body of his own design, and entered it in trials such as the London to Gloucester trial of 1933.

By the outbreak of World War II, he was driving a single-seater Alta racing car, and was well on his way to fame. He entered the Royal Air Force as a pilot in Bomber Command.  Flying such aircraft as the Whitley, Oxford, Halifax, and Stirling, he reached the rank of Squadron leader. On a night mission over Denmark he was shot down, crash landed, was captured and made a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III.

He escaped. When he was returned to England in May 1945, he found that he had been awarded the DFC.

The war changed the world.  Referring specifically to British motoring, David Abecassis notes the post-war growth in the popularity of racing.  Participating in and attending meetings had once been pretty much limited to members of the middle and upper classes.  After the war, it became the province of Everyman.  From a commercial point of view, more money was available for research and development.  Racing circuits and spectator facilities were improved.  The cars got better and better.  And as gate money increased, prize money followed, and the motor racing stables had strong incentive to invest in Grand Prix racing.

As George got racing again, he had successes with Bugatti, ERA and Alta, whilst also concentrating on the development of the H. W. Motors business and more specifically of the HWM racing car. His business partner was a gifted engineer, John Heath, who was the driving force behind the HWM building program.  It was with HWM in Formula 2 and then in Sports Car racing that he joined the ranks of  the young lions who put British racing cars on the map.  It was not all plain sailing.  Jaguar, Aston Martin, Frazer Nash, Connaught, Alta, Cooper, and Allard were setting the pace, but BRM showed how elusive success at the top level could be.

In 1950,  Aston Martin engaged George Abecassis and Lance Macklin to drive at the 1950 Le Mans 24 hours.  In this they won the Index of Performance (a handicap award) and came first in their class and came fifth overall.  In 1951 John Heath's brainchild, the HWM, attracted Lance, George, and Stirling Moss. At Goodwood where there were two cars Stirling and Lance competed in three races and this time they finished in all three with Stirling winning the Lavant cup.

Denis Jenkinson, writing in the December issue of Motor Sport, reviewed the 1951 HWM season and concluded:

    " No praise can be too high for anyone who keeps the English racing green in the forefront of continental racing, and to keep it as high as HWM has done over
      the past season merits the undying respect and admiration of the sporting world."

George became increasingly involved in sports car racing. In 1953 he raced at the Goodwood 9 hours, Sebring 12 hours, the Le Mans 24 hours and the Mille Miglia in an Aston Martin. In 1955 he again drove in the Mille Miglia - this time in an Austin Healy 100 S in which he scored a notable success despite stopping for about an hour to find fuel after he had run out due to the malfunction of the car. 

While having fun was always his main reason to race, he was a brilliant driver and a key player in a national automobile racing team - a capable, intelligent hard worker always committed to high achievement.  He was a good mate, and he was fun.  Such  respect and admiration was shared not the least by David himself, as his magnificent book  attests.

"A Passion for Speed" is a page-turner, with skilfully developed narrative and character. The writing is elegant and simple. The research is encyclopaedic.  The whole thing is a museum, containing photographs, certificates, newspaper clippings, technical illustrations, sketches smuggled out of Stalag III, posters, tickets, cartoons by Brockbank and Sallon, competition details,  newspaper headlines, Imperial War Museum exhibits, diaries, and bits and pieces from the Abecassis family collection

George died on 18 December 1991. He expressed no interest in going to heaven because he said he would not have any friends there.  One thing that is certain is that he has countless friends who "still miss him after all these years" and will treasure the memories of him contained in this wonderful book.

ooOOoo

A Passion for Speed - the life and times of George Abecassis, by David Abecassis. Published by Paul Skilleter Books/P J Publishing Ltd and obtainable from

www.paulskilleterbooks.co.uk . Hardbound with dust jacket (Standard Edition) and leatherbound with slipcase (Limited Edition). 416 pages, 12 x 9 ins, 600

illustrations. ISBN 978-0-9566857-0-4

The price including delivery in Australia is currently GBP70.00 for the standard edition, or GBP161.00 for the leather special edition (these prices may be

increased later in the New Year but we will hold them for now).  Purchases can be made internationally via our website (www.paulskilleterbooks.co.uk) and

credit card/PayPal debits will of course appear on statements in A$.  The book is sent locally, however, from our agent in Perth, WA - which is why the

shipping costs are quite modest compared with airmail from the UK.