Two Days, Two Circuits, Two Photographers

Report by David and Andrew Harbey

18 April 2023

With the weekend looming it was time for Andrew and I to decide the what and where of our Easter motorsport snappery.  In recent years, Monday has been quickly sorted; it could only be British GT at Oulton Park - whatever the weather.

We agreed quickly on Saturday, too; the Masters Historic Racing at Donington Park. Despite his more tender years, Andrew likes his historic racing – and given that historic seems to have become “not a current race series” – he was around for many of the cars taking part in period.

I have yet, though, to fully convince him of the merits of two wheeled racing, so I was on my own at Silverstone for Friday Free Practice for the British Superbikes.

All in all, Friday was a pleasant day – warm, sunny and very unlike some April days I have spent at Silverstone. Home then to download the photos and re-charge the batteries – ready for an equally pleasant day weather wise at Donington for four wheeled action starting with the Masters Endurance Legends. I think I saw this car race at the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona in 2017 …

I don’t usually shoot at Redgate / Hollywood, but having taken a few shots there at the GT Cup meeting, we decided to start there. It’s a different angle with a very different backdrop.

Whilst some of the grids were rather small for various reasons, the HGPCA brought decent sized front and rear wheel drive Grand Prix car grids. Oliver Nuthall in the Cooper Bristol was particularly spectacular.

Prior to the lunch break, we then headed up the Esses on the outside. Again, learning from the previous weekend, I was shooting alongside or through the fence at the rear of the cars. Given the very fast nature of the chicane they produced some good images; they sounded good as well!

Two of the Porsches had a near miss – apparently, neither was damaged. The fast shutter speed for the rear shots doesn’t work so well when cars are side on though – pin sharp wheels.

Lunch was taken at Garage 39, the café at Donington. Andrew then disappeared off to the pits. There was a GT3 spec AMG racing and he wanted to see if he could blag a sit in it.

As an avid online racer with a Huracan replica steering wheel he was clearly sussing out the opposition. Thanks to Wayne Marrs for allowing him to try the driver’s seat.

Then it was off to Coppice. The double step had given up the ghost and with a replacement yet to be purchased, I was on a single step. This meant that the wall on the inside of Coppice was more prominent, but not as prominent as the fence on the approach - bit of a marmite shot that one, I suspect !

The next race was entirely one for me – well, I was in very short trousers at the time. What the early sixties grand prix cars lack in downforce, they gain in simple beauty.

The final race of the day was for 60s Touring Cars. Again, very much one for me! The driving, however owed more to modern touring cars by the look of the dented panels on some cars by the end.  However, we did get flames!

A return to the Esses on the way back to the car park rounded out the day. Both the Masters and Historic Festival meetings at Donington have suffered from some small grids in recent years.

Whilst there will always be something good to see or hear, the races can become little more than long demonstration runs. It is always worth checking out the entry list ahead of the event.

Sunday was a day for alternating between BSB and Paris Roubaix on the box before the early and damp start to Oulton Park on Monday morning. The weather promised to be “mixed” … better make sure we have the right clothing! These shots were taken – facing in opposite directions within five minutes of each other.

As the cars came round to the grid for the first British GT race of the season, I couldn’t help but go all Thin Lizzy – The Boys Are Back In Town! 

We split our approach at Oulton. I went to the outside of Lodge with 500mm prime and 70-200mm zoom and Andrew took the 200-500mm zoom to Cascades on the outside of the track.

Both are good morning spots if the sun is out – and actually half decent if it isn’t. At Lodge I was shooting through the fence, but you can get very close and at right angles to it, plus it is in shadow. A portrait shot here works well.

There’s also likely to be some action; the Lamborghini heading to the beach was taken with the shorter zoom lens round the corner where there is no fence.

Walking back towards the footbridge, it is possible to get a decent angle looking up to the cars at Lodge. It’s through the fence, but can work well.

Walking even further towards the footbridge you are at broadly the same height as the cars; you will need all of the 500mm focal length and be careful of that ambulance though – it seems to running fourth in GT4 here …

Meanwhile down at Cascades, there are a good range of backdrops for your panning shots and sometimes even some foreground too.

Star shot is this one of the evocatively livered AMG Mercedes taken at 1/50^th second on the way down the Avenue. Hand held - no monopod!

For the afternoon, we both crossed the track at Clay Hill – actually on the track as the bridge there is away for refurbishment until the end of April. I whiled away the afternoon in the environs of Knickerbrook with the 500mm prime. Having had a mixed morning race weather-wise we had more of the same.

I like shooting in the rain; it can really add to photos – there is a softness if it is drizzling, of course, and you do need a decent camera rain cover – and a decent photographer rain cover too!

Andrew walked further – as far as Brittens – with the 200-500mm zoom with some nice reflections on offer.

By the time it was home time, the sun was out and there was blue sky to be seen. We literally had four seasons in each race, never mind one day. Was it worth it ?  British GT round Oulton Park in the wet – oh yes!!

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