Motor Racing in the 1960s

From about 1962 to 1968 (late teens) my main passion in life was Motor Racing. But even though I pored over publications like ‘Motor Sport’, ‘Autosport’ and ‘Motoring News’, I only managed to get to three big events; two at Silverstone and one at Brands Hatch. And these visits were actually on Practise Days as opposed the big events themselves, partly due to cost but also because I preferred to wander in the paddock (astonishing to think of such freedom now) and examine the latest technical details rather than watch the cars flying past as drivers tried to knock tenths of seconds off each other. The action for me was always in and around the paddock and, occasionally, whatever was to be seen from the pits balcony. I found the colour and spectacle irresistible.

I used very cheap amateur cameras and, although this collection of pictures has been scanned on a top quality professional film scanner, it has to be admitted that the results manifest what enthusiasts of film would appreciate as ‘the real grit and graininess of emulsion’! However, for me it’s the documentary content of the pictures that is of interest.

www.hitchcox-photography.co.uk