Remembering Alfonso Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, 11th Marquess of Portago, aka Alfonso de Portago, Spanish nobleman, racing driver, bobsleigh driver & jockey, born #OnThisDay in ’28. He started 5 #F1 GPs in ’56 & ’57, & he finished 2nd, beaten only by Juan Manuel Fangio, at Silverstone in ’56.

Remembering Nello Pagani, born #OnThisDay in 1911, a champion motorcyclist who dabbled with cars & entered one #F1 GP, at Bremgarten in ’50; he drove a Maserati 4CLT/48 (pic) entered by Scuderia Achille Varzi & he finished 7th.

#OnThisDay 50 years ago James Hunt won the #USGP after a race-long duel with Jody Scheckter’s 6-wheeled Tyrrell, here leading Hunt’s McLaren. Jody led more laps than James did, but James was ahead at the end, thereby closing to 3 points shy of Lauda’s total (65 versus 68). Next came Fuji...

Eugenio Castellotti, born #OnThisDay in ’30, drove 14 GPs & was killed at 26 testing a Ferrari at Modena. Pic & #AnorakFact: becoming the youngest #F1 pole winner in a Lancia D50 at Spa in ’55, a record that stood until Jacky Ickx took the pole for Ferrari at Nürburgring in ’68.

Murray Walker was born #OnThisDay in 1923. He was the greatest #F1 commentator there’s ever been, I knew him well, I liked him a lot, & on the 100th anniversary of his birth I wrote a @motor-sport.bsky.social column to explain why. To read it, click below.
www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/sin...

There were 2700 executions in 17 countries last year, but according to Amnesty International only 2 countries carried them out publicly: Afghanistan & Iran. Now the USA will join them. Truly, Trump & Hegseth are dragging that once great nation into the Middle Ages.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Can it really be 21 years ago that Kimi Räikkönen drove an utterly storming race to win the greatest #JapaneseGP there’s ever been? Yes, it can be, & it is, for it happened #OnThisDay in 2005. Click below to read a @motor-sport.bsky.social column I wrote.
www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/sin...

Run at scary Mosport #OnThisDay 49 years ago, the ’77 #CanadianGP had it all: Hunt’s & Andretti’s epic dice, a crash between Hunt & his team-mate, a trackside punch-up, & drama in the closing laps. Click to read a @motor-sport.bsky.social column I wrote.
www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/sin...

Remembering David Prophet, born #OnThisDay in ’37. He started 2 #F1 GPs, in privateer Brabhams. Pic: his privateer #F5000 McLaren M10B in the non-championship #F1 #InternationalGoldCup, Oulton Park, ’72. He died in a helicopter after takeoff from Silverstone, ’81.

The last dance in 2026 🕺

This weekend, our team will be at Brands Hatch providing a full press office function for the BTCC for one final time in 2026.

Ash Sutton has already claimed a record-breaking fifth title, but there are Independent crowns still up for grabs 🍿
btcc.net/btcc-battles...

Since today is #InternationalLesbianDay, which celebrates the identity, history & resilience of the global lesbian community while raising awareness of ongoing discrimination & social challenges, let’s hear it for Lella Lombardi, a lesbian & the only woman to score #F1 world championship points. 🌈

EU Referendum Voting Intention:

Rejoin: 52%
Remain Outside: 27%

Via @yougov.co.uk, 4-5 Oct.

A referendum isn’t a life sentence. In 2016 voters chose Brexit, but they didn’t vote to surrender the right of future generations to reconsider it. Since the consequences have proved damaging, democracy allows the freedom to debate, vote again, & change course.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...

The ’78 #CanadianGP, run #OnThisDay 48 years ago, is always remembered for Gilles Villeneuve’s maiden #F1 GP win, but Jean-Pierre Jarier led from the pole in Ronnie Peterson’s tragically available Lotus 79 & he would have won had he not been stopped after 49 laps by an oil leak.