News: Ross Brawn attempts the Bonhams London to Brighton Run

Retired Ross Brawn takes on the Veteran Car Run from London to Brighton, you wouldn’t believe what he is driving. By Jerrica Leong

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run celebrates the original Emancipation Run, held on 14 November 1896 that marks the Locomotives on the Highway Act. This landmark Act raised the speed limit for light locomotives from 6kph to 22kph (I did not write this wrongly!) and abolished the need for a man walking ahead of the cars waving a red flag.

This year, amongst those that joined is Ross Brawn, the motor racing star that helped countless of other racing titles like Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Ferrari, Benetton, Jaguar and his own Brawn GP team to victory. He also made up the Ferrari dream team of Jean Todt, Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher back in Ferrari’s glorious days.

You wouldn’t believe what Ross Brawn will be driving for the event: the only known surviving British-built Wilson Pilcher.

Here’s a little history about the Wilson Pilcher: It was manufactured in 1904, created by one Walter Gordon Wilson, an engineer who went on to invent the army tank. The Wilson Pilcher car was displayed at the British Tank Museum for years, until Brawn entered the picture.

The car was believed to have always been owned by the Wilson family, Brawn had been acquainted with the family prior to the purchased of the car. Brawn entered the auction battle against an American collector knowing of the latter’s interest. After the transaction the car was entrusted into veteran car expert Nigel Parrott who is currently giving Brawn driving lessons with the Wilson Pilcher.

Brawn described the car as modern for its time with the 2.7-litre horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine which is suspended in a cradle in the chassis. It has a semi-automatic gearbox which, he believes, was a forerunner of the famous Wilson Pre-Selector box. Imagine that, a semi-automatic gearbox in 1904! The suspension is crude and braking takes anticipation hence the need for driving lessons for the inexperienced veteran car Brawn.

The London to Brighton car run will be a challenge of itself but Brawn will not be deterred, not even with the looming bad weather!