Sharonlea-based racer gets a taste of historic 1962 RE Alfa Formula 1 (F1) race car
Michael Kernick, from Sharonlea, shared his excitement after he drove a historic 1962 RE Alfa Formula 1 race car.
Sharonlea-based racer Michael Kernick’s dream came true as he got to test drive a historic 1962 RE Alfa Formula 1 (F1) race car.
He explained that it is the dream of every child in the world of racing to be inside this F1 car. “Historic race cars are my first love.”
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According to Kernick, the car was made in Gwelo, Zimbabwe, in 1962 to race in the local South African F1 championship. “It was made by Ray Reed, who had an engineering company called Rays Engineering. That’s why it’s called a RE Alfa, Alfa representing the engine used.”
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The car conforms to F1and uses an Alfa 1 500cc engine. He added that Reed raced the car in a few races and Grand Prix’s. “He raced the car in the 1964 Rand Grand Prix at Kyalami. Unfortunately, he missed out on the 1965 International East London Grand Prix. He then sold the car to Peter Huson, who raced the car in 1966 before having a massive crash which put him into hospital. It then lay around for many years, before it was rebuilt and put back to its former glory.”
Kernick got the opportunity of a lifetime to test the car before its race in the United Kingdom. He said, getting into the car, he felt a big responsibility, and, also, really small, sitting in between two fuel tanks. “The car feels big. My orders were to drive, get used to the car, and look after it. You can feel the history inside the car. As I drove out of the pits, I took a deep breath and thought: ‘This is awesome’. It has more power than I thought, and gets going quickly.”
He added that the car is a load of fun and handles well, pulling its driver to go faster and faster. “I remember thinking, while going up the hill looking through the window, this is what the chaps in the 60s felt. It’s so cool. The car is fast and really good.”
After the test session ended, Kernick pulled into the pits fairly tired, as the car is hard work to drive, but he was absolutely buzzing, feeling on top of the world.
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