Large engines lover

The count Rodolphe van der Straten, was a great patron of motor racing and a lover of very powerful engines: after starting with Mini’s and the first Alfa Romeo 33, his Team VDS moved to the V8 Chevrolet in a Lola T70 and in a McLaren M8F that Teddy Pilette drove to second place in the Intersérie race at Hockenheim in 1972 behind the Porsche 917-10 of winner Leo Kinnunen that one can see in second position (main picture).

After many seasons in Formula 5000, the Team VDS crossed the Atlantic Ocean to race in the Can-Am series, here leading the race at Elkhart Lake in 1978 with Australian Warwick Brown leading fellow Australian Alan Jones in an identical Lola T333CS entered by Carl Haas (picture here-under).

Geoff Brabham will win the Can-Am series in 1981 driving a VDS 001, the high point of three decennia of passion.