Ask Goodwin

Dear Colin,

Why do racing drivers have a 2D print-out of the circuit they’re racing on in the middle of their steering wheel? Are they really that geriatric? Sillywet

Dear Sillywet,

Good question and I’m not entirely sure. I presume it isn’t there to remind them which way the circuit goes. Do they do it in F1? I wouldn’t know because I don’t watch these days. I reckon any half decent racing driver can learn a circuit within a dozen laps or so (as long as it isn’t the Nürburgring). I once asked Jacques Villeneuve if he used driving games to learn circuits and he said it wasn’t necessary, presumably because he could learn a circuit quickly enough in real life.

Dear Colin,

Would you consider any sub £30k classic or almost classic car useable as everyday transport? I keep catching myself scrolling through pre-’82 Mercs wondering how nice cheap insurance, no tax and some actual character would be. Josh B

Dear Josh B,

Absolutely. For starters I’d rather risk conking out in an old classic than have to live with some of the boring new cars that I have to test each week. Years ago we had a 1970 Porsche 911S and my wife drove that every day as it was her only transport. In 65,000 miles it broke down twice: a snapped clutch cable and a wonky ignition module. That was replaced by a 1984 Mercedes-Benz 280SL which was also her daily drive. The thing you must do with a classic is use it very regularly and then it will be reliable. Usually. Go for it.

Dear Colin,

Do you have a motoring new year’s resolution(s)? Susan Davenport

Dear Susan,

Several. Sometime in 2022 I must buy myself a classic car and I want to go to more historic car events in Europe. Top of my list is the Ollon-Villars historic hillclimb in Switzerland which is being held in August. I’m rather bored with Goodwood and UK events like it and want to be more adventurous. Any suggestions would be gratefully received; especially from those with first-hand experience.

Dear Colin,

What’s your ultimate guilty pleasure car? The one you’d want nobody to see you driving but you’d just love to have. Alex Belmonte

Dear Alex,

This is a surprisingly hard question because I often drive cars that I’d not like to be seen driving in case people think that I actually own them. Cars like the BMW X7 or worse, Rolls-Royce Cullinan. I think the answer is a Messerschmitt bubble car. I love the idea of them but I think I’d feel a bit daft driving one.

Dear Colin,

I was reading in Autocar last year about Rolls-Royce’s plans for electric cars. It strikes me that these huge luxury cars, probably weighing at least 2.5 tonnes, might be more environmentally friendly than a V12-powered car but are in fact incredibly wasteful of resources. Do you think Rolls (or Bentley for that matter) could build a very small and light car without sacrificing their brand image? Charlie Croft

Dear Charlie,

I don’t see why not. Why does luxury have to be big and imposing? A Rolex or Cartier watch is very desirable and expensive but are no larger than the £275 watch that I’m wearing. I’m not sure that future generations will tolerate the sight of big, ostentatious cars on the road so perhaps these companies will have to actually think about this.

Dear Colin,

If you could be any automotive sports personality for a day, be it driver, team principal, engineer etc, who would you be and why? Steve G

Dear Steve G,

Difficult, very difficult. I think it would have to be Adrian Newey. It would be great to know what it would be like to have a brain that big even if it was only for a day. I’d get up really early and design myself a very simple sports car – like the Light Car Company Rocket but with a Ducati Panigale V4 engine – and then in the afternoon I’d drive some cars from my collection like the Lotus 49 in Gold Leaf colours that I know Newey owns. If I could choose someone no longer with us it would be Ken Tyrrell.