Six of the best from 2018

Six favourite memories from 2018

What are my six top memories of 2018 which can be represented by some great pictures I took during the year?   Looking back at 2018 there is much to choose from, including my first visit to Spa-Francorchamps, driving around the old Targa Florio circuit, seeing Toyota win their first 24 Hours of Le Mans, revisiting Brands Hatch after so many years and seeing all of the beautiful old sports cars at the Le Mans Classic and Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI.

No.6 - Seeing a different person win at the Course de Côte de Sancerre.

Jordan Lamonica winning a Sancerre in 2018 in a Norma.

I have been at every Sancerre Hillclimb since 2013 and for five years it was always the same winner - Serge Thomas.  This year he didn't compete so there was a good battle between Gael Boisson in a F3 car and Jordan Lamonica in a Norma M20FC sports car.  Eventually, Jordan pulled out a great third run up the the hill to take victory.   I like this picture, as unusually for me, I don't include the whole car.  I also like the green vegetation giving the image of speed in the foreground.  For more pictures of this event and to find out why this is my favourite hillclimb, click on the link below:
http://rouenlesafx.blogspot.com/2018/06/course-de-cote-de-sancerre-2018.html

No.5 - Another great day out watching the Tour Auto.

BMW 2800 CS on the Tour Auto in Nuits-Saint-Georges.

Watching the first day of the Tour Auto has become a habit since 2014.  This year the first day was through the beautiful region of Burgundy.  I saw the first stage near Auxerre, moved on to the Dijon-Prenois circuit and then saw the cars drive through the famous wine town of Nuits-Saint-Georges.   I love this picture that I took in Nuits-Saint-Georges as I captured both a beautiful car and framed it with a vine.   For more of this event, click on the link below:
https://rouenlesafx.blogspot.com/2018/04/2018-tour-auto-competition-cars-1966-to.html

No.4 - Seeing Alonso and Toyota both win their first Le Mans.

The winning Toyota just a dusk begins to fall.   A magical time to view the cars through the Esses.

I live relatively close to Le Mans so it is somewhere I tend to visit at least one or twice a year.  This year, it was good to see Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, Fernando Alonso and Toyota all win their first 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Also quite sociable this year as I went with Gareth Rees and met up with a couple of his American friends.   For more pictures, click on the link below:
https://rouenlesafx.blogspot.com/2018/06/24-heures-du-mans-2018-lmp1.html

No.3 - Seeing some great cars and battles during the Le Mans Classic in July.

Two Ford GT40s battling too hard and getting caught overtaking under a yellow flag period.

My second visit to Le Mans was for the Le Mans Classic with six great plateau of cars plus the Group C race, Global Endurance Legends and Jaguar and Porsche races as well.  A real feast whether on track or in the paddock.  I particularly enjoyed capturing this moment in the first plateau four race where two Ford GT40s were battling so hard that they didn't see the yellow flag in time.  A picture that tells a story is always good.  For more pictures from this plateau, click on the link below:
https://rouenlesafx.blogspot.com/2018/08/le-mans-classic-2018-plateau-four-1962.html

No.2 - WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Franchorchamps.  My first visit to this classic circuit.

A Ford GT driven by Harry Tinknell speeds past the spectators on the way down to Eau Rouge.  He crashed heavily shortly after this picture was taken.

I was very lucky to have great weather for my first visit to the classic Spa-Franchorchamps circuit.  The occasion was the WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Franchorchamps and Alonso's first WEC win.  I was also lucky to have a Spa veteran, Gareth Rees, show me the ropes and guide me around the circuit.  A memorable day.   I like this picture as it shows the crowd in the foreground as well as the car. 

No.1 - The amazing Porsche Rennsport Reunion VI at Laguna Seca.

A 1972 Porsche 911 RSR descending the corkscrew at Laguna Seca.

Two days of photographing classic Porsche racing cars and racing drivers at Laguna Seca - this is almost my idea of heaven!   This is a circuit I have loved from the time I saw Rennsport Reunion V there in 2015.  With good weather and experience of the circuit, I think I took some of my best pictures to date.  So many to choose from, but I love the crispness of the front of the car but movement in the rest of the picture as well as the overall composition.  For more great pictures from this race, click on the link below:
https://rouenlesafx.blogspot.com/2018/10/porsche-rennsport-reunion-vi-weissach.html

So that was some of my highlights from 2018.  For more select your event from the following page.
https://rouenlesafx.blogspot.com/p/motor-sport.html

John Etherton asserts his copyright to all of the photos on this blogpost.  However, you may post the photos elsewhere on the web as long as you credit the photographer, John Etherton, and this blog post, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com and provide a link to this page.

John Etherton affirme son droit d'auteur à l'ensemble des photos sur ce billet de blog. Cependant, vous pouvez poster des photos ailleurs sur le web aussi longtemps que vous créditez le photographe, John Etherton, et ce blog, Rouenlesafx@blogspot.com et fournissez un lien vers cette page.