American Made

1/43 Minichamps March Ford 751 1975
Mark Donahue

A great rendition of Minichamps. Nice details. Probably because this model is one of their newer releases. Old models tend to lack side mirrors or driver details.




Donohue debuted in Formula One on September 19, 1971 with a Penske-sponsored McLaren at the Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park, finishing on the podium in third place. After being lured out of retirement by his former boss, Penske, Donohue would return to Formula One, entering into the final two races of the 1974 Formula One season. Donohue finished in 12th place at the Canadian Grand Prix and failed to finish at the United States Grand Prix. A full-on assault of the 1975 Formula One season was planned. The 1975 season turned out to be a difficult one for Donohue and Penske. Donohue was able to muster 5th place finishes at the Swedish Grand Prix and British Grand Prix, but the new Penske PC1 chassis proved problematic, as evidenced by three DNF's in the first six races. At the Austrian Grand Prix, Donohue's career, along with Roger Penske's Formula One aspirations, would take a tragic turn.

Midway through the 1975 F1 season, Penske abandoned the troublesome PC1 and started using the March 751. Donohue had recently arrived in Austria for the Austrian Grand Prix following the successful closed-course speed record attempt in Alabama just a few days earlier. During a practice session for the race, Donohue lost control of his March after a tire failed sending him careening into the catch fencing. A track marshal was killed by debris from the accident, but Donohue didn't appear to be injured significantly. However, a resulting headache worsened and after going to the hospital of Graz the next day, Donohue lapsed into a coma from a brain hemorrhage and died.

The Day Porn came to F1

1/43 Minichamps Williams FW07 RAM Racing
Rupert Keegan
Italian GP 1980

This was the time when Penthouse advertised in Formula One. RAM racing is a team which competed from 1976 to 1985. The team was formed in 1975 by Mike Ralph and John Macdonald, with RAM derived from their names. After running Macdonald in a GRD in British Formula Three, they entered Alan Jones in a Formula 5000 March for 1976. They also bought a pair of Brabham BT44B Formula One cars, and entered the 1976 World Championship, running Loris Kessel and Emilio de Villota for the Spanish Grand Prix, where neither qualified.
This model, of course, is done pretty well. every detail is there except the engine of course. I was thinking, Minichamps would do all they can to exploit the casting of this FW07. They already did more than 5 versions as of now as far as I know.
Nevertheless, I love the detail of this car. the winglets, the livery and the helmet detail. This car is not really a must for F1 fans but if you like to have a car which doubles as a conversation piece, then this car is for you




Rupert Keegan's father was the buccaneer airline boss Mike Keegan, who started out in the aviation business building Wellington bombers at Vickers and later served in the Royal Air Force, flying in the Berlin airlift. He then started his own aviation business called BKS Air Transport and eventually bought a number of other airlines including British Air Ferries. He was one of the pioneers of mass air transport in the United Kingdom.

Money was never a problem for the young Keegan and he began racing in 1973, winning his first race in a Ford Escort Mexico. Not long afterwards he moved into Formula Ford and by the end of 1974 was winning races, despite a tendency to crash. That year his father bought the Hawke racing car company and there was talk that Keegan would fund the construction of a BAF-Cosworth F1 car, designed by Adrian Reynard. It never happened but Reynard did eventually design a Hawke F3 car, though it was not a success. Keegan stayed with March winning the British Formula 3 championship in 1976, gaining himself the reputation of a junior James Hunt.

He tried his hand at Formula 2 in a Chevron but in 1977 went straight into Formula 1 with the Hesketh team. The team was fading and Keegan could not do much and the following year he was in even more trouble with Surtees. He then decided to switch to the Aurora AFX British Formula 1 Championship with Charles Clowes Racing, running an Arrows A1. He won the title and in 1980 tried to make a comeback in the World Championship with a RAM Racing Williams. In 1982 he tried again with the RAM organization but by then his chance had passed.

In 1983 he teamed up with former Hesketh team-mate Guy Edwards to race a Skoal Bandit Porsche 956 and finished fifth at Le Mans. After three seasons in sportscars Keegan decided to go to America and try his hand at CART. He took part in a handful of races with the Machinists Union team and then faded from the international scene. He now lives in the United States.