Authors note: When the founder of The Mechanists, Hedi Sersoub, tasked me with writing a piece on an influential woman in automotive design and engineering, my mind drew a blank. I had barely heard of such a figure and, yet, it never occurred to me that there might be one. Most, if not all, influential…
Category: Bloody Heroes
Bloody Heroes: Jean Ragnotti
Having announced his retirement at 74, we look back at the accomplished life and history of Jean Ragnotti. Known as “The Acrobat”, Jean Ragnotti is the fearless driver with wins at Group B and WRC, among other racing disciplines. He even had a career as an accomplished stunt driver. The success of Renault’s famous sporty…
Bloody Heroes: Niki Lauda 1949 – 2019
I bring you this edition of Bloody Heroes with a heavy heart. It was recently announced that Niki Lauda has died peacefully on the 20th of May 2019 at the age of 70. We write this obituary as a celebration of his life and contribution to motorsport. Niki Lauda was an accomplished entrepreneur and Formula…
Bloody Heroes: Michèle Mouton
Our Bloody heroes editorials celebrate the icons in motorsport who have, against the odds, risked their lives to display their immense skill, bravery and ( possibly) insanity behind a steering wheel. Introduction You may have heard the saying “WRC is for boys, Group B was for men.”. At The Mechanists, we beg to differ.…
Bloody Heroes: Juan-Manuel Fangio
Introduction Last time on Bloody Heroes, Juan-Manuel Fangio was briefly discussed as a mentor to Sir Stirling Moss’, but he was more than just that. He was nicknamed by many as El Maestro (“The Master”) and seen as a father figure to Moss. We will be looking at how he earned that title and what…
Bloody Heroes: Stirling Moss Part 2
It was a victory Stirling Moss himself described as his “greatest win”, and is a record that still stands to this day; over 1000 miles on unfamiliar public roads, with spectators spilling onto the course and the possibility of death looming over every twist and bend, Moss managed to complete the Mille Miglia in just…
Bloody Heroes: Stirling Moss Part 1
If you have even the faintest interest in cars or motorsport you will have heard of Stirling Moss; of the 529 races he entered during his racing career, he won almost half, with 212 victories between 1948 and 1962. Often described as “the greatest driver never to win the World Championship”, he won 16 Formula…