Déjà vu Monte Carlo - 29 May - 2 Jun 23

'SIDEWAYS SID' a.k.a SAEED AL HAJRI IS HEADING TO MONACO

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:24 AM

20 Mar 23

Saeed Al Hajri, the Qatari driver, has clocked up 18 international wins and was the double Middle Eastern Rally Champion. He competed three times in Ireland in the 1980s and became the darling of the Irish rally aficionados. Due to his exuberant driving he became affectionately known as "Sideways Sid."

In 1986 he slid his Porsche SCRS into second place on an artic Galway International Rally. This extraordinary result was achieved by 'The King of the Dunes' who had hardly even seen snow let alone driven in it before that February!

Saeed's third visit was with the Rothmans Ford Team in a David Sutton run Sierra Cosworth in 1989. Frank Meagher's Mk II Escort gave the turbo car a memorable run for its money on the Cork 20 Rally before succumbing to an engine failure, and giving the visitor his one and only Irish Tarmac win.

He will be co-driven by Andi Schulz from Munich, Germany and they will drive a Porsche 911 Carrera.

Julian Bronson, four times winner of the Historic Monaco GP enters

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:22 AM

Julian started his extensive racing career in banger racing in a Hillman Minx bought for just £5, wearing a pig farming coat for overalls. He soon progressed into rallying as funds allowed and quickly enjoyed success trading fork lifts to fund his passion for speed. He is a fellow member of the very exclusive Ecurie Cod Fillet

Amongst the hundreds of classic cars he has rallied or raced, his favourites include the pre war E.R.A, a Costin Lister Corvette and his beloved 1960 F1 Scarab Offenhauser, which he still owns. He has won the Sussex Trophy, Whitsun Trophy and the Richmond Trophy (Goodwood Revival) the latter in the Scarab.

The highlight of his career was winning the Historic Grand Prix Monaco four times, after which he was honoured with a life time membership of the even more exclusive Automobile Club de Monaco. ?

He will drive a 1972 Ford Escort RS1800 and will be navigated by his wife Heather

SYDNEY and BARRY IN A MIGHTY MEEKE MOTOR

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:21 AM

Sydney Meeke and his son Barry will drive the one-off OPEL CORSA 4 X 4 which Sydney famously designed and built in 1986 but which unfortunately never saw the light of day in world championship rallying.

In 1986 Sydney, anticipating the advent of the new World Championship Kit Car regulations, dove tailed a two-litre fuel injected engine into an Opel Corsa shell and added the four-wheel-drive system from a Vauxhall Cavalier which he had been preparing for the Spanish Off-Road Championship. Only twenty examples were needed to satisfy the FIA’s new regulations, but sadly the Opel factory pulled out and Sydney’s lone Project X only saw action in national and club events. The Corsa has recently been totally restored by Sydney.

Sydney also built and serviced cars for Irish rally legends such as Bertie Fisher, Billy Coleman and Stephen Finlay. He was not just a very accomplished engineer but he was a top class driver in his own right, and the genes were passed on to his other son Kris, who of course is one of the top rally drivers in the world. Who knows, perhaps Kris might show up and demonstrate to his father the knack attacking the famous special stages such as the Col de Turini which are part of the Deja vu Monte Carlo route?

Twice Irish Tarmac Champion co-driver Robbie Philpott joins our team

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:19 AM

7 Feb 23

I'm delighted that Robbie will be helping organise Deja vu Monte Carlo. He has huge experience in rallying having co-driven for Kenny McKinstry, Stephen Finlay, John Coyne, Phil Collins, Philip Young, Mike Dunnion and Brian Nelson.

He won the 1996 Circuit of Ireland with Stephen in a Sierra RS Cosworth, the Cork 20 with Kenny in '91 and '94, the Manx National Rally with Phil in 1990 in a Sierra RS Cosworth, both the Galway International and Lurgan Park in '92 and '94 and the Texaco Rally In Barbados in '93, all with Kenny. https://www.ewrc-results.com/coprofile/7390-robbie-philpott/

And those were only the wins. Add in second in Donegal, the Manx and Rally of the Lakes. Oh, I almost forgot, he and Kenny won the Irish Tarmac championship in '91 and '94.

Robbie was not just a winner in rallies but highly successful in business and was CEO of Synovate Technologies and One Point Global. I'm really grateful to have such a safe pair of hands helping me.

MICHAEL AND LINDA BARRABLE ARE GOING TO MONACO

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:17 AM

28 Jan 23

There aren't many drivers in Ireland whose CV covers all facets of motorsport, not just competing but winning at the highest level, over a span of 40 years. Michael Barrable is one of the few. Hill climbing, racing and rallying, you name it, he's done it and won.

· 1982 Formula Ford Hill climb champion
· 1995 Sexton Trophy Champion
· 1995 Uno Champion and lap record holder to this day
· 2007 West Cork Rally winner.
· 2021 Fiesta Zetec Champion
· 2022 Hawthorn Trophy Champion.

Double British Champion David Franklin, is latest entry

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:16 AM

David is one of the best-known, successful and respected racers of historic sports cars in the UK. http://www.brdc.co.uk/David-Franklin

He started racing in 1965 driving a bog-standard 875cc Hillman Imp in a local hill climb. In 1975 he acquired an F3 Ensign LNF 373 and became BARC Hill Climb Champion. In 1978 he won the RAC British Hill Climb Championship and the RAC British Sprint Championship, driving a March 772-BMW Formula 2 car; the first and only time that a driver has won both titles in the same year.

In 1979 David became RAC British Sprint Champion again, this time in a March 782-BMW F2 car, before making the seamless transition to circuit racing and becoming the 1981 MGCC BCV8 Champion in an immaculate MG BGT V8. Also in 1981 David bought a stunning ex-Can Am McLaren M6B, powered by a 5-litre V8 engine. In 1985 he won the HSCC Historic GT Championship and then in 1986, the British GT Championship. David went on to win the 1987 Steigenberger European SuperSports Championship.

He also won the Monaco Historique GP race in a Ferrari 750 Monza and the 2001 Festival of Speed run-off in the Ferrari 712 CanAm beating all the F1 cars in the process.

David will be accompanied by his wife Deb and they will drive a Mercedes SLK 55 AMG.

"EJ" will give us a bit of his craic in Monaco.

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:15 AM

10 Jan 23

Eddie Jordan, OBE, also known as EJ, Irish businessman, television personality and former F1 founder and team owner will join us for lunch in Monaco and will take questions and give answers in his own inimitable style.

Born in Dublin, EJ worked first at the Bank of Ireland. He won the Irish Kart Championship in 1971 and moved to Formula Ford in 1974. He was the founder and owner of Jordan Grand Prix which operated from 1991 to 2005. He was the chief analyst for Formula One coverage on the BBC from 2009 to 2015 before joining Channel 4 after BBC pulled out in 2016. In February 2016, it was announced that Jordan would join Top Gear as a presenter. Since leaving Formula 1, Eddie has proven to be a very successful entrepreneur and investor.

Those are the Wikipedia bare bones of one of the most successful personalities ever to come out of Ireland. From selling carpets on the side of the Navan Road outside Dublin, to founding his own winning F1 team and "finding" Michael Schumacher, is the stuff of Hollywood movies.
A real genuine legend in his own lifetime.

Eddie has very graciously agreed to join us for what should be a most interesting finale to Deja vu Monte Carlo.

Three times British Hill Climb Champion enters

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:14 AM

Martin Bolsover who won the British Hill Climb Championship three times driving a 1.6 Pilbeam-Hart BDA MP51 has joined the list of motorsport personalities who will be taking part in Deja vu Monte Carlo.

Martin held the titles for three successive years (1982-1983-1984). He was also well known for holding the sportscar record at Shelsley Walsh for twenty years, finally losing it to Nic Mann in 2004.

Martin was awarded the prestigious Autosport Award for "British Club Driver of the Year" in both 1982 and 1983.

He will be navigated by his wife Nicky and they will be driving a 2011 Mercedes SL 63 AMG.

Michael O'Brien enters ex Ken Block Fiesta

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:12 AM

5 Jan 23

In memory of the tragic untimely death of Ken Block, Michael O'Brien and Liam Brennan have entered the Fiesta WRC PX11AWN. In addition to Block, the Fiesta was piloted by Mikko Hirvonen, Ott Tanak, Valentino Rossi and closer to home, Sam Moffett.

Michael, who comes from Churchtown in Cork and who now owns a very successful plant hire company in St. Albans, started rallying in 2003. After a 20 year break from the sport to build his business, he returned to the competitive Peugeot 206 supercup before transitioning to 4wd and WRC machinery, competing in the BTRDA and Irish Forestry championships. He has has numerous successes both in Ireland and UK. https://www.ewrc-results.com/profile/11182-michael-obrien/ Perhaps the standouts in his long rally career are wins in the Jim Walsh and Munster Forestry Rallies in 2013 with Greg Shinors and the Loughman Forestry Rally in 2015 with James O'Brien.

Liam, also from Cork, has been co-driving since 2003, mainly with that master of the art of driving a Ford Escort any which way but straight, Frank Kelly. https://www.ewrc-results.com/coprofile/2994-liam-brennan/233 They were 3rd overall in the Jim Walsh Forestry Rally and the Sean Conlon Memorial. He also co-drove for Andrew Purcell and they won the 2015 Donegal Forestry Rally.

Michael and Liam have shared in rallying success over the years, taking many class wins across the tarmac and gravel stages in Ireland. They are most looking forward to tackling the Col de Turini, one of the most famous rally stages in the world.

Former Irish Ladies Rally Champion, Marie Maloney, enters.

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:11 AM

Marie Maloney Callanan from Dublin, former Irish Ladies Rally Champion and her husband Tom, are the latest entrants in Deja Vu Monte Carlo.

Maria competed regularly in the 80's with co-driver Catherine Treacy and they finished 32nd overall on the 1984 Rothmans Circuit of Ireland in an Opel Corsa SR. Her best result was in 1992, when she returned to the stages in a Lotus Ford Cortina and finished eleventh overall in the Historic Circuit of Ireland.

Her husband Tom is an avid motorsport fan and is a Director of the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car club.

Nicky Condon and Mike O'Neill together again

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:08 AM

15 Dec 22

Nicky Condon, one of the top co-drivers in Ireland in the 70s and 80s will be joined by Mike O'Neill in Mike's 1971 Ford Mexico.

Nicky was a long time pace note reader for Donnie Keating and they had many successes together in Donnie's Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HSR. They won the '82 Circuit of Munster and the Tipperary Stonethrowers, were second in West Cork in '81 and 3rd in Donegal and the Killarney Rally of the Lakes.
Nicky also co-drove for John Keating and they won the Stonethrowers and were 2nd in the Cork 20 in 1973, in a Ford Escort RS1600.

But perhaps Nicky's greatest memory was during the 1971 International Circuit of Ireland when he navigated for the larger than life Paddy O'Callaghan in a VW Beetle 1200. Paddy was a top driver but above all he enjoyed the craic which was such an integral part of rallying in those days. In fact Paddy often led the craic. Nicki relates how during the Kilmackillogue special stage near the Tim Healy Pass in County Kerry, Paddy stopped at the little pub at the harbour to pick up a bottle of beer. That epitomised Paddy'O. RIP Paddy, you knew the meaning of life.

Mike O'Neill is another native of Cork who now lives near Bristol in England. He is a long time rally fan who took part in our first Deja vu event which took place in Killarney in 2015. Mike started rallying a VW Beetle with Nicky when they were students at University College Cork in 1969. "I was the year behind Billy Coleman in academia and 100 years behind in driving talent!" Paddy O’Callaghan started them off and supplied them with an engine/tyres etc FOC. They competed in the Circuit of Munster and the Cork 20 and before he moved to England he navigated for Paddy’O on the Circuit of Munster in a BMW 2002, the Sherry Rally in Spain and the Welsh Rally with John Keating in an Escort Twin Cam.

Dermot Carnegie enters

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:05 AM

11 Dec 22

How many people can claim to have twenty-six national and international motorsport trophies? Well Dubliner Dermot Carnegie has all that silverware and he is the latest legend to add his name to the growing entry list for Déjà vu Monte Carlo.

Dermot has been the master of many forms of motorsport, rallying, autotesting and particularly rallycross. He has won the coveted Castlereagh Trophy which was awarded to the highest Republic of Ireland finisher on the Circuit of Ireland Rally when it was a monster five-day event. Dermot has won ten Hewison Trophies for his autotesting skills. ‘The Hewison’ was Ireland’s most prestigious championship in the post war years, when dexterity tests at cross-roads and navigation was king, before special stage rallying took the limelight. Paddy Hopkirk was a previous winner.

But Dermot’s greatest achievements have been in the short, sharp, and often brutal battles over mixed paved and loose surfaces, that have made rallycross such a firm favourite. Dermot has been eight-times Irish Rallycross Champion, twice Northern Ireland Rallycross Champion, and the icing on the cake has been his six British Rallycross titles. A truly remarkable record.

Dermot will be accompanied by Paul Bosdet, a most accomplished co-driver. Paul started road rallying in 1978 and won the Illuminations Rally in 1982 with Ian Joel. They went on to finish second in the ANCC Road Rally championship. In 1985 he started stage rallying with Ian Joel in a TR8 and won the Roadsport North Stage Rally Championship.

Paul started rallying with Geoff Hall in a Mini in 1982 and they are still competing together after 40 years having won numerous historic rallies in both England and Ireland, the TDC Classic Retro twice. He began navigating for Dermot on historic events back in 2009 and have done 43 events together winning Northern Ireland’s Classic Retro and the Three Castles rally, among others.

He has competed on LeJog three times, twice with Ireland’s Ted Gaffney and achieved a gold medal on his last outing. He currently is competing on HERO historic events with Ed Abbott in his V12

Mr. Subaru joins - David and Georgina Campion latest entries

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:03 AM

David Campion and his wife Georgina are the latest entries in Deja vu Monte Carlo which takes place on May 29th - June 1st next year. David was one of the leading lights in the all conquering Prodrive Subaru Rally Team in both Europe and the USA. He was Prodrive Customer Manager in the UK and Team Manger of the all conquering USA Prodrive Team.

Francis Tuthill enters

Posted: April 7, 2023 3:00 AM

31 Oct 22

Porschemeister Francis Tuthill with Veronica Lord co-driving, will be retracing the steps of former Porsche winners of the Monte next June. Porsche has won the Monte four times, twice in the hands Bjorn Waldegard and Lars Helmer, once with "Quick Vic" Elford and David Stone and in 1978 when Jean-Pierre Nicolas took victory in his Carrera.

Francis probably knows more about Porsches than even Ferdinand Porsche did. He is not just a master engineer but in addition a great rally driver. He and Anthony Showell won the gruelling London to Sydney Rally in 1993.

Déjà vu Monte Carlo

Posted: April 7, 2023 2:59 AM

11 Oct 2022

The Monte is the most iconic rally in the world. Winners such as Paddy Hopkirk became household names throughout the world. When Paddy won the Monte in a Mini Cooper it became the car to have.

Déjà vu Monte Carlo will drive over famous special stages from Valence to Gap, south to Draguignan and four days later ending in Menton. Over stages such as St. Bonnet le Froid, Le Burzet, Sisteron and the most famous stage in the world, the Col de Turini.

The icing on the cake? A conducted walk, by a famous personality, around the Monaco GP track, which was the final special stage in the days of Paddy.

It will be a leisurely run with no timing and no pressure. Navigation will be simple using a combination of SATNAV and tulip diagrams.

There will be plenty of time to take in the stupendous Alpine views and gasp in awe at some of the horrendous drops that the drivers had to navigate on roads covered in ice and snow. You don't have a head for heights, we will warn you in advance, and then you choose a different route on your SATNAV?

You can start whatever time you wish in the morning, the only caveat being that you will have to be on time for dinner. Above all it will a time of great craic, of camaraderie with group dinners with entertainment. What Déjà vu event doesn't have entertainment? And who knows "Guess who is coming to dinner?" might be a lovely surprise.

Website / Details

Posted: April 7, 2023 2:58 AM

Deja vu Motorsport