The price of the first issue of "Motor" that I purchased was 12 ½ new pence.  I was about 12 years old and wanted to know more about Ford Escort Twin Cams and Alfa Suds, but this purchase marked also the beginning of my fascination with Grand Prix racing.  At that time, the magazine was a keen reporter on the F1 championship, and in those pre-Murray Walker-on-the-TV days it became my first and at times only source of racing information.


By the mid 70s Mike Doodson had become Motor's GP correspondent and I lived to read his race reports from around the globe.  In July 1975, the magazine published a spectator's guide to the British GP at Silverstone.  As a pushbike riding, O level studying , cash strapped 15 year old, going to the race was out of the question, but I absorbed every word of the preview, and determined that by the time the race returned in 1977 I would be there.


By July 1977, I had acquired a driving licence, an ex-police van (white Escort Mk 1, two spotlights on the front), two pals and a tent.  We arrived on a baking hot Wednesday afternoon, and paid £2 each for general admission on Thursday, £3 for Friday and £7 for race day.  Long legged Marlboro girls gave us free fags, we drank beer purchased from the local shop and happiness was redefined.


On the radio in July 1977:
Donna Summer - I Feel Love
Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant
Alessi Brothers - Oh Lori


I've checked on Wikipedia and it reminded me that in today's terms an incredible total of 36 cars were entered for the Grand Prix, with the first business of Thursday morning being a pre-qualifying session to weed out the "rabbits".  Six drivers would fail at this stage, leaving 30 cars to battle in regular qualifying for the 26 starting places.


That weekend, a bright yellow 1.5 litre Renault appeared like an exotic flower in the middle of a meadow of 3.0 litre V12s, Flat 12s and V8s and shortly after the race started, its driver Jean-Pierre Jabouille became the first to have "Turbo" listed against his name as the cause of a race retirement.  McLaren had five cars in the event, three in Marlboro colours; one of them was for the F1 debut of Gilles Villeneuve and another for James Hunt.  Hunt won the race and I wanted to be him.