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1955 Belgian GP movie tells the story of Spa

With the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix happening this weekend, Shell reminded a few guests what the Spa-Francorchamps track and Belgian countryside were like in 1955. That year the petroleum company made a 30-minute movie about the grand prix - this is back when the track was called the Francorchamps National Circuit, near the town of Spa, and a list of its important corners didn't include a mention of Eau Rouge - where it was doing the same thing it still does today: working on fuels and lubricants via its technical partnership with Ferrari.
To create the mood, journalists were invited to a vintage cinema where they mingled with Ferrari F1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa and other extras in period fifties gear, and watched a screening of 1955 Belgian Grand Prix. You can scroll down for a screening of your own, as well as the press release, minus the petits-fours and pinups.

Multimillion-dollar Ferraris line up for Pebble Beach

Wherever high-value classic cars are being sold, you can bet that vintage Ferraris will be topping the list. Especially at Pebble Beach. And that's precisely the auction for which Gooding & Company has lined up a trio of multi-million-dollar examples. Arguably the most enticing (and sure to fetch the highest price) of them all is a classic red 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, complete with the highly-coveted covered headlights – just like the one in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Chassis number 3095 GT is one of just 37 made in this configuration. It's been fully documented and certified, but not restored. This is the first time this particular example will be offered in the United States, and Gooding expects it will fetch around $17 million - placing it at the high end of the Sports Car Market database of prices paid for 250s of any kind. Joining the California Spider is a striking 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica – the fastest road-going sports car of its time with a top speed in excess of 150 miles per hour. Painted in metallic grey with a contrasting dark red roof and red leather interior, this Series II coupe was purchased by Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. It went with his wife following their divorce, and was awarded first in class at Pebble Beach in 1978. It's projected to raise between five or six million in financial scholarships, potentially eclipsing any record for Superamericas to date. Finally, in what could be a footnote only in this rarefied company, is a 1965 Ferrari 500 Superfast that boasts similarly lofty provenance, having been delivered new to Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan. In stunning dark blue with red leather, chassis 6049 SA is anticipated to sell for over $3 million (over a million more than any Superfast yet) when the gavel drops at the Concours d'Elegance next month. Gooding & Company Announces Multiple Show-Stopping Ferraris Including a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider to Headline Pebble Beach Auctions This quintessential open-air Ferrari is expected to set record-breaking numbers when it crosses the block this August SANTA MONICA, Calif. (July 14, 2015) – Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance®, is pleased to announce the addition of three unparalleled classic Ferraris to its sale in August – a 1961 250 GT SWB California Spider, a 1957 410 Superamerica Series II Coupe, and a 1965 500 Superfast.

Ford GT40 makes historic return to racing at Goodwood

Is there a more iconic, American racecar than the Ford GT40? That may be a discussion for another day (although by all means, tell us how wrong we are in Comments), but this video of heaps of GT40s running in the Goodwood Revival races certainly has us thinking that Ford's Ferrari-killer might just be the best racer the Land Of The Free and Home Of The Brave has ever come up with.
That's completely ignoring the fact that the GT40 was largely developed by Brits using American money, but that's besides the point (there was also a rather brash Texan, who had a big role later in development). The resulting vehicle was dominant, besting the cars of Il Commendatore from 1966 to 1969, although it should be noted that Ford's GT40 was unable to beat Ferrari in its first two Le Mans outings in 1964 and 1965.
Those four years of dominance, which started with Ford sweeping the podium, were enough to establish the GT40's legend. And now, here we are almost 50 years later, celebrating the mid-engined monsters at Goodwood, in their first ever one-make race. Take a look below for the entire video.