The Mechanic's Gallon

Chris Hessey - recorded October 2025

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Sat, 11 Oct 2025 16:48:00 +0000

Download the audio here - coming soon on YouTube - 62 mins.

Our guest this time is Chris Hessey who had a thirty year career in Formula One. Chris is unusual in that he never worked in the lower formulae, he jumped straight into Grand Prix racing from being a master mechanic in a garage. We go from 1984 with Ram Automotive through Leyton House March, Simtek, Williams, Pacific Grand Prix, Benetton finally ending up in Formula E with Virgin Racing.

Peter Warr of Lotus

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Wed, 01 Jan 2025 18:13:00 +0000

Download the audio here, also on the YouTube Channel

Here is an excerpt from the interview we filmed with Peter Warr for my Lotus 72 documentary. These are the pieces where he's not talking about the 72! Peter (or PEW as he was known) was the Team Lotus Team Manager as well as at Walter Wolf Racing. But before that, he worked at Lotus very early on. He also tells us one of the ways that Jim Clark won the Indy 500 in 1965, pay driver Alex Soler-Roig at Clermont-Ferrand in 1970 and Dave Walker in F3 in 1971. The interview was conducted by Steve Holter.

Beaky Sims tells us what it was like to work on the revolutionary gas turbine Lotus 56B

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 00:30:00 +0000

Download the audio here, also on the YouTube channel.

Reine Wisell pictured in the 56B in the Silverstone pitlane at the 1971 British GP.

Picture courtesy of the Supercharged Collection.

John Miles explaining the principles of anti-squat and anti-dive suspension pioneered on the Lotus 72

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:11:00 +0000

Download the audio here, also on the YouTube channel.

Beaky Sims pictured with John Miles in the Lotus 64 at the 1969 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Picture courtesy of the Supercharged Collection

Dave Brodie, recorded in April 2016

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 18:26:00 +0000

Download the audio here, also on the YouTube channel

I met the Brode just twice, the first time was to film this interview (April 2016) for my Lotus 72 documentary. The connection to that was that he was Ronnie Peterson's best friend, and indeed, at his wedding to Barbro was not only his chauffeur but also his Best Man!

In this interview I cut virtually nothing out, the Brode was such a skillful storyteller that we needed no re-takes.

Ronnie is my favourite Grand Prix driver and as the interview drew to a close both the Brode and I knew how it was going to end, we both finished with tears in our eyes.

RIP Brode, thank you for your time and patience.

Peter Burns, part 2 of 2, recorded 23rd January 2023

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 14:23:00 +0000

Download part 2 of the audio here

Gary continues his interview with Peter, you can watch the whole conversation on YouTube.

Peter Burns, part 1 of 2, recorded 23rd January 2023

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 14:13:00 +0000

Download part 1 of the audio here

Our guest this time is Peter Burns, who, although not on the front line in the pitlane, still wracked up 35 years in motorsport. After being involved with the organisation of the inaugural Dubai Grand Prix in 1983, he then worked for McLaren in Formula One, being in at the very start of hospitality provided by the teams for their sponsors. In this role he got to know very well people like Alan Prist, Ayrton Senna, David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen.

Having been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2017, Peter is now working with Parkinson's charities, in 2021 he was part of a team who swam the Solent to the Isle Of Wight, raising £47,000. This year they will again swim, this time around the Isle Of Wight! For more information and if you'd care to donate, please visit their website at www.positivelyparkinsons.co.uk

The Grand Prix Trust is a charity formed over 30 years ago by Jackie Stewart to help former F1 employees when times are hard. Both Peter and I are involved with them. Please visit their website at www.grandprixtrust.com

You can also watch it on Gary's YouTube channel.

Ron Tauranac

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 17:37:00 +0000

Another interview from our archive, this time with the late Brabham and Ralt designer Ron Tauranac. Notoriously reticent to be interviewed, I heard from him after I sent him a copy of the interview, he said he wished he had said more! Ron is interviewed by my friend Alan Morgan.

Audio podcast is here.

You can also watch the interview at https://youtu.be/pPHC1JY0kW4

Robin Day, part 3 of 3

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 00:30:00 +0000

In part 3 Robin tells us what it was like to work for Bernie, working on the BT55 then on to Leyton House March in 1987. Then it was a move to Indycar but still with March, back to the F3000s then lastly six months at Pacific Grand Prix in 1993.

All three parts of the interview are also on YouTube at https://tinyurl.com/mryh6f8x

Audio podcast is here.

Robin Day, part 2 of 3

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 00:30:00 +0000

Part 2 continues with the McLaren move to Woking and the extra workload courtesy of Mr. de Cesaris. Then it was testing with Niki Lauda, the drivers strike at Kyalami, switching to Brabham then back to McLaren then another return to Brabham and running Stirling Moss in the car at Brands Hatch.

All three parts of the interview are also on YouTube at https://tinyurl.com/mryh6f8x

Audio podcast is here.

Robin Day, Part 1 of 3

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Sat, 04 Dec 2021 17:10:00 +0000

Our guest this time is Robin, a 15 year F1 veteran. Robin was born in Uganda and was brought up in Kenya. Straight after his apprenticeship with British Leyland he decided to build and sell his own motorbike. In 1978 he was poached by McLaren. He worked on the first MP4 and with driver Andrea de Cesaris.

There are memories of John Watson's British Grand Prix win and his 'light bulb moment' at Zandvoort.

All three parts of the interview are also on YouTube at https://tinyurl.com/mryh6f8x

Audio podcast is here.

Ed Taylor, part 3 of 3

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 23:30:00 +0000

Part 3 sees Ed back in F1 running the Yamaha Engines truck for Brabham and then Jordan. It was into Historic F1 with BMTR tyres and finally he teamed up with European Minardi running their two-seater F1 cars.

Podcast can be downloaded here, watch the interview on YouTube

Ed Taylor, part 2 of 3

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Sat, 09 Oct 2021 14:33:00 +0000

This part sees Ed working at Leyton House March running with Judd engines. He tells how the truckies made a little extra money at the end of the season, how he finished with Leyton House and then back into F3000 with Bromley Motorsport.

Podcast can be downloaded here, watch the interview on YouTube.

Ed Taylor, part 1 of 3

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Fri, 08 Oct 2021 14:25:00 +0000

This week we speak to Ed Taylor whose first job in motor racing was in F1 with tyre supplier Goodyear. He tells us what was put into the tyres instead of air, what it was like when he attended his first tyre test at Silverstone, setting up the stillborn Benetton Trussadi project and when that didn't work out it was into F3000 with Middlebridge Racing.

Podcast can be downloaded here, watch the interview on YouTube.

Doug Garner

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 17:06:00 +0000

Today we chat with Gold Leaf Team Lotus mechanic Doug Garner who tells us about how he got started working for Lotus Cars before being poached by the race team next door to work on his first race car, the type 56 Indycar.

After Indy 1968 he moved on to the F3 team to work on the 41X with John Miles driving. For 1969 it was back to Indy with the type 64 and drivers Graham Hill, Jochen Rindt and Mario Andretti. After that it was into building and racing the legendary Lotus 72 in 1970.

You can listen to the recording here or watch Gary's interview with Doug on YouTube.

Pete Briggs Part 1

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 21:47:00 +0000

Pete Briggs started off 1968 helping out around the workshop of the Winkelmann Racing Formula 2 team. Gradually working his way up to through 1969 and by a roundabout way into Formula 1 in 1970 with the fledgling March Racing team. 1971 was in Formula 2 followed by a switch to the Matchbox Team Surtees F2 team. Then it was back to Formula 1 with March in 1973 before returning again to Team Surtees in 1976 all the way to the teams demise in 1979. In 1980 he bought a Honda road car dealer franchise from John Surtees.

Download the recording here.

Just after our recording session, me on the left and Briggsy on the right.

Eammon Fullalove

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 17:05:00 +0000

This interview features metal guru Eammon ‘Chalkie’ Fullalove, from his start as a delivery boy with a butchers shop in his native Ireland, to his move to Britain and getting a job with Team Lotus in 1965. We follow him through seeing his first race car (the Lotus 38, no less), organising the Lotus F1 truck, his work on the 1966 and 1967 Indycars, his first visit to a race meeting, Indy 1967, to do which he had to forge his date of birth on his passport! Follow him through that year’s disastrous Indy and then 1968 and 1969. He moved to the McLaren Indy team in 1970 and then worked in the US for years plying his trade with several Indycar teams, including AJ Foyt’s.

Download the recording here.

Our recording session in the 'Shed Of All Knowledge', that's me on the left and Chalkie on the right.

Beaky Sims Part 2

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 13:05:00 +0000

Part 2 starts with a quick look at 1972 but then we dive back into the late 60's and his experiences with Jim Clark and Jochen Rindt, then it's on to 1971 with March Racing but in F5000 in the States with Skip Barber. Beaky then moved to Hesketh Racing in 1974, so we finish up with a few stories of James Hunt.

Download the recording here

At our recording session, Beaky on the left and me on the right.

Beaky Sims Part 1

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 13:02:00 +0000

In this exclusive interview you’ll learn how Beaky started, his entry into racing with a friends’ Formula Junior car, his interview at Team Lotus and subsequent work with the Lotus Cortinas, Formula 2 and then Formula 1 cars at the time of the teams’ greatest success, including working with legends like Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Mario Andretti.

Download the recording here

At our recording session, Beaky on the left and me on the right.

Pete Kerr Part 3

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 12:57:00 +0000

Part 3 :
1972 through to 1978 and his work with March then on to Shadow and finally into R&D with Arrows.

Download the recording here

Monaco 1970 and Pete Kerr (right) tends the STP March 701 of Chris Amon. Chris retired the car after 60 laps with broken suspension.

Pete Kerr Part 2

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 12:52:00 +0000

Part 2 :
Is 1969 to 1971 and takes us through his time with Jochen Rindt and the F2 Brabhams at Winklelmann, the 1970 and into Formula 1 with the fledgling March team.

Download the recording here.

Monaco 1970 and Pete Kerr (right) tends the STP March 701 of Chris Amon. Chris retired the car after 60 laps with broken suspension.

Pete Kerr Part 1

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 12:44:00 +0000

Part 1 ;
1950 to 1968 takes us through Pete’s early interests growing up in his native New Zealand, getting involved with saloon car racing, Lotus Cortinas, his move to the UK and working for the Winkelmann Racing team in Formula 2.

Download the recording here.

Monaco 1970 and Pete Kerr (right) tends the STP March 701 of Chris Amon. Chris retired the car after 60 laps with broken suspension.

Cedric Selzer

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 12:40:00 +0000

Here you’ll hear Cedric tell us how his interest in all things automotive started growing up in South Africa, his move to the UK in 1961 and his start as a race mechanic (although he knew nothing of race cars) with Ian Raby, his move to Team Lotus (first race with them in Formula 1 was Spa 1961 and the Lotus 21’s), in 1962 he was mechanic on Trevor Taylor’s car, in '63 he moved over to be main mechanic for Jim Clark, his short F1 career finished in 1964!

Download the recording here.

Bob Dance

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 11:54:00 +0000

In this interview you’ll hear how Bob started at Rootes Group in 1950, how he got his first start with Lotus ten years later, how he moved on to constructing gearboxes at Cheshunt, on to the Lotus Cortinas, the Indy team and finally being elevated to Chief Mechanic in the traumatic, World Championship-winning year in Formula 1 of 1968.

Download the recording here.

Bob Dance (left) in the Brands Hatch pitlane with driver Elio de Angelis.

Welcome to the Mechanic's Gallon!

gary_critcher@yahoo.com (Gary Critcher) — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 11:43:00 +0000

Over the coming months I aim to bring you recordings of pitlane habituees ranging from people who were in at the start of the sport right through to much more recent times.

Formula 1
Formula One
Motorsport
Colin Chapman
Team Lotus
March Racing
Shadow Racing
Motorsport Memories
Formula 2
Brabham
Hesketh Racing
Lotus 25
John Player Special
March 701