Scotland has an extremely rich history of generating successful racing and rally drivers Stewart, McRae, Coulthard, Franchitti, McNish, Clark, to name just a few. But when it comes to Scottish racing teams there's one name that stands out: Ecurie Ecosse.
Translated from French, it means 'Scotland stable', and while this team put Scotland on the racing map when it won Le Mans in 1956 and 1957 with a Jaguar D-type, the team now focuses on supporting young Scottish drivers. We're at Goodwood today, joined by not just one, but two Scottish racing drivers. We suspect you are familiar with Gregor Fisken - as well as being the founder of Fiskens Fine Historic Automobiles in London, he happens to be rather a handy driver himself, having raced at Le Mans four times - but we're also here to meet Chloe Grant, the first female Ecurie Ecosse team member. Not only that, having been born in Perth in 2006, she embodies the young, Scottish heartbeat of the team's heyday.
The selection of machinery here at Goodwood - its Fisken's own track-day is phenomenal, including an Aston Martin DBR9, Blower Bentley recreation and none other than the 1962 Ecurie Ecosse Tojeiro-Buick. And sitting innocently in the paddock is one of the most significant racing C-types in existence. We'll get into its history later, but for now all you need to know is that this is XKC006 - the original Ecurie Ecosse C-type, owned and raced by Ian Stewart, one of the team's three founders.
Today is a celebration of Ecurie Ecosse, then, and what better way to celebrate than with its youngest modernday team member getting behind the wheel of one of the most important cars in the team's history? Chloe has been racing since 2013, getting into karting at just seven years old. In 2020 she was the youngest driver to gain a Motorsport UK Racing Driver's Licence. She was 13.
This story is from the October 2024 edition of Octane.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2024 edition of Octane.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Jem Marsh
The hard-bitten Marcos boss was driven like few others and never knew when he was beaten. Thankfully
Vandamm House
A Mid-Century Modernist masterpiece that was immortalised on celluloid - despite never actually existing
Making light
Alfa Romeo's post-war renaissance began with the 1900 saloon - and matured with Zagato's featherweight coupé version, as Jay Harvey discovers
FULL OF EASTERN PROMISE
Is burgeoning classic car interest in the Middle East good for the global classic market? Nathan Chadwick investigates
Before the beginning
This rare Amazon Green pre-production Range Rover is Velar chassis number 4. James Elliott charts its historically revealing factory restoration
Ben Cussons
As the outgoing chairman of the Royal Automobile Club hands on to his successor, Robert Coucher quizzes him about the evolution of this great British institution
BULLDOG & THE PUPPIES
We gather five motoring masterpieces by avant-garde designer William Towns - and drive all of them
Below the tip of the Audrain iceberg
As the Audrain organisation grows, we take a look behind the scenes at the huge car collection that feeds it
Flying the Scottish flag
Young Ecurie Ecosse driver Chloe Grant gets to grips with the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar C-type at Goodwood. Matthew Hayward is Octane's witness
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO
Audi Tradition has unveiled the Auto Union Type 52 Schnellsportwagen - only 90 years since it was designed. Glen Waddington takes an exclusive ride with Hans-Joachim Stuck
