Legends Bell and Schuppan to be special guests at Motorclassica 2011
Legendary British racing driver Derek Bell and Australian racing hero Vern Schuppan are heading to Melbourne in October to attend the RACV Motorclassica – the Australian International Concours d’Elegance.
On-track rivals but real-life friends, the two men regularly raced against each other in the 80s.
Bell famously won Le Mans five times between 1975 and 1987. To coincide with the 60th anniversary of Porsche in Australia, RACV Motorclassica will reunite Bell with his 1987 Le Mans-winning Porsche 962, which will be on display at the event courtesy of the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.
Bell’s diverse and highly successful career saw him race in Formula One for the Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees and Tecno teams. He won two World Sportscar Championship titles and finished in poll position three times at 24 Hours of Daytona. By the age of 45, Bell secured his place as Britain’s most successful sportscar driver.
Schuppan won Le Mans in 1983 before going on to win the Japanese Sports-Prototype Championship later that year. His career saw him secure a host of podium finishes across the world’s biggest sports car events.
At RACV Motorclassica, Bell and Schuppan will participate in the visually spectacular Tour Classica through the city which will see all exhibited cars drive in convoy from Albert Park Lake to the historic Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton. They will make appearances throughout the weekend including onstage interviews, cocktail parties and autograph opportunities. They will also sit on the judging panel for the ‘Best in Show’ category.
Event Director and classic car enthusiast Paul Mathers said: “We are delighted to have two of the world’s most respected sports car racers attending our event. With Sir Stirling Moss our guest last year, it just goes to show what a fantastic reputation Motorclassica is quickly establishing across the globe.
“The opportunity to rub shoulders with two such legends is fantastic for our guests. I know Derek and Vern will have a wonderful time with us and certainly won’t be disappointed with the spectacular and diverse range of cars on show.”
The team behind this year’s RACV Motorclassica has been delighted with the overwhelming number of applications received to be considered for the event. More than 200 entries were submitted from around Australia, a 40 per cent increase in applications from the inaugural 2010 event.
Last year’s Motorclassica attracted a massive audience and was named the 2010 World Event of the Year by the highly regarded Octane Magazine (UK) – an unheard of achievement for an event in its first year.
RACV Motorclassica attracts car enthusiasts from all corners of the globe and will run from 21 – 23 October 2011 at Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building, bringing together $100million worth of the world’s rarest and most desirable classic, vintage and veteran cars.
Additional highlights will include:
- A special celebration to mark 125 years of Mercedes-Benz. A large display of these well loved vehicles will be on show, including the oldest genuine Benz in Australia, an 1896 Velo.
- Celebrating 60 years of Porsche in Australia, a parade of Porsches featuring the famous 935 “Moby Dick” and Derek Bell’s 1987 Le-Mans winning 962 will star on the Concours floor.
- The 50th birthday of the Jaguar E-Type will be marked with up to 50 gathered at the Royal Exhibition Building Eastern Forecourt.
- Picnic with the Classics will bring together up to 140 classic cars at Museum Plaza. Outdoor barbeque and catering, roaming entertainment and displays from Victoria’s most prominent car clubs will all be included.
- The Bonhams Classic Car Aution will feature a number of lots including cars, motorcycles and automobilia.
For more information or to purchase your ticket for Motorclassica 2011, visit www.motorclassica.com.au.
