15 ways car culture just got supercharged
3. Ineos also owns Belstaff, the original purveyors of the waxed motorcycle jacket loved by the likes of David Beckham, Daniel Craig, and Gandy. “I like that it’s in British ownership as previous owners have really got it wrong,” Gandy says. “It needs to go back to its roots and history, which works perfectly with the Grenadier. Where Barbour is more country and farmer, Belstaff is more automotive, bikes and racing.” – Adam Hay-Nicholls[1][2]
Susie and Toto Wolff mean business
Toto Wolff had a difficult upbringing, losing his father when he was a teenager.
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team principal and CEO has had to fight for everything, showing flashes of talent as a racing driver but a good deal more as an entrepreneur. Motorsport[3] has enriched many, but few as much as Wolff: his estimated net worth is GBP1.6 billion. Technology and internet investment vehicles earned him almost as much as the four-wheeled and bewinged ones he’s known for. Along with Mercedes and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos, he owns a third of the F1 team and under his leadership the outfit won eight consecutive constructors’ championships, from 2014.
This has brought him considerable influence in one of the world’s biggest sports, but ahead of a new season, in which the aim is to end Red Bull’s dominance with Lewis Hamilton and a resurgent George Russell[4], he insists he is motivated by other factors. “The power is not interesting at all. I would like to perform well, meet my own expectations, that’s most important, and those of Mercedes,” he says. But he is unquestionably one half of a motorsport power couple.
Wife Susie – another former racing driver – is on the cusp of her biggest year yet. She’s heading up the new F1 Academy, a women-only single-seater championship. “It was vitally important to see so much support from the paddock,” she says. “It’s the first time F1 teams have given their liveries to another series and we’re very honoured.” – Jason Barlow
Join the UK’s buzziest revhead gang
Two classics at Krazy Horse’s Weekender festival Not to be confused with the famous Parisian striptease establishment of the same name, Krazy Horse is a small chain of garages selling low-production motorcycles (such as Indian, MV Agusta, Norton, Caballero and Zaeta), in-house custom and modified bikes, rakish Caterham and Morgan sports cars and bellicose Dodge and Ram trucks.
Once a month, its Bury St Edmunds HQ opens its doors to around 1,500 petrolheads to rev engines and kick tyres. It’s free to get in and there’s always a bar, food trucks and a live band. “We welcome anything and everything,” says Krazy Horse’s Steph Taylor. “Like-minded people just enjoying seeing each other’s vehicles. We’ve had steam-powered cars, trucks, VWs, loads of bikes from vintage to sports.
Youngsters come on their little 125s, and soon they’re buying special bikes from us.” What’s more, the place is planning a 30th-birthday festival in July next year.
If the monthly meet-ups are anything to go by, it’ll be Glastonbury with gears. – Adam Hay-Nicholls[5]
Your next addiction is Formula E
Jake Dennis is the star driving Formula E’s reputation
References
- ^ waxed motorcycle jacket (www.gq-magazine.co.uk)
- ^ Daniel Craig (www.gq-magazine.co.uk)
- ^ Motorsport (www.gq-magazine.co.uk)
- ^ George Russell (www.gq-magazine.co.uk)
- ^ motorcycles (www.gq-magazine.co.uk)