Racing Through Time

Italy's champion drivers of the early 1950's are profiled in their world championship winning years for Alfa Romeo and Ferrari.

This programme focuses on triple world champion Sir Jack Brabham who is the only driver to have won the world championship in a car of his own manufacture - the Repco Brabham in 1966. Sir Jack also won the 1959 and 1960 world championships in the Cooper, the car that revolutionized Grand Prix racing and went on to Indianapolis introducing the rear engine cars there. Includes interview with Jack Brabham, John Cooper, 1967 World Champion Denny Hulme, Frank Gardner and designer Ron Taurenac.

This is a unique record of a controversial era in the history of motor racing, where national interest overwhelmed the sport. Between the world wars, two German companies, Mercedes and Auto Union, pushed racing to levels never seen before. With Nazi support, the teams staged a technical and organizational war, designed to help German prestige.

This documentary looks at the careers of Britain's 'golden boys' of the 1950's, Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins, known for their lively characters and dare devil attitude to the sport and life. The programme follows their careers from Hawthorn's early days in a Riley Sports car, his breakthrough to Grand Prix success in 1953 and through the dramas and triumphs of the World Championship year in 1958. Featuring interviews with rivals and team managers of the time.

The history of the world’s most famous sports car race, from the beginning in 1923 up to 2002, it’s the race that all drivers like to have on their records. Full of drama the race is important to car companies as well. Some like Bentley and Jaguar made their reputation at Le Mans.

Fangio is compared with five-times world champion Michael Schumacher. Winner of 5 world championships, Fangio was the most revered figure in racing history. The Argentine set the standard for driving in the 1950's, and his reputation and integrity remain intact to this day.

Profile of the Cooper, which grew from a garage in Surbiton, London to show the way in GP racing and win world titles in 1959 and 1960. Interviews with John Cooper and Jack Brabham.

Focusing on the achievements of this debonair Englishman who is also father to the 1996 World Champion, Damon Hill. Graham Hill was a gritty driver who won two world titles in 1962 with BRM and in 1968 with Lotus, holding the team together after a season of tragedy.

The Nurburgring: Tucked away in the Eiffel Mountains in Western Germany is a racing circuit that is longer, more dramatic and more difficult to master than any other racing circuit in the world. Not known for a particular race, unlike Le Mans, Indianapolis or Monaco, the Nurburgring is famous simply because it is the most challenging circuit ever built!

Colin Chapman helped establish the British racing industry with his shoestring operation. His innovations led to a new approach racing and he also manufactured road cars too, such as the Élan and the Elite. The second part of the Lotus story with the 1960s Grand Prix racing cars. Innovations and world championships continued in the last flowering of Lotus' success in the 1970s

The Great All Rounder - Still considered the best all rounder of racing driving and having never won the world title, this documentary focuses on legendary driver Stirling Moss. His most famous win was the 1955 Mille Miglia in Italy - 1600 miles of public road, at 100 miles per hour.

Classic action from sports car racing around the world in the 1970's. Porsche were one manufacturer who produced sports cars that were faster than F1 cars and the result: spectacular racing.

Linked forever to the Le Mans 24 hours Jaguar began their success with the C type in 1951. We speak to the drivers and mangers about this famous car. A further development was the D type which continued Jaguar's winning at run at Le Mans in the mid 1950's and established the company worldwide.

Jaguar returned to sports car racing in the 1980’s. We pick up the story as the Cat comes back, to once again win at Le Mans.

The chronological journey of the personal and professional life of this amazingly gifted sporting champion.