Reg Parnell

 ( Sportspeople From Derby ) 

Whilst racing his Maserati, under the Scuderia Ambrosiana banner, he then became involved with BRM, initially as a test driver of the original V16 and later as the team's lead driver of the BRM Type 15, although BRM did not make many appearances. He remained under contract to BRM for 1951, but raced his Maserati because BRM could never get him a car, first with a win in the Chichester Cup at Goodwood, then having to retire in the Gran Premio di San Remo. When the BRM did work, it was at Goodwood that the car had its first victories when Parnell won the Woodcote Cup, then the Goodwood Trophy later the same day.

After the trip in Italy, Tony Vandervell approached him which saw Parnell driving Vandervell's Thinwall Special (a highly modified Formula One Ferrari 375) in numerous F1 races. He left a star-studded field standing in conditions so bad that the BRDC International Trophy final raced through hail, lightning and heavy rain. With poor visibility and the track under as much as six inches of water, the race had to be stopped after six laps due to Silverstone being flooded and too dangerous to continue. When the race was abandoned, Parnell was in the lead; no official winner was declared, so although he defeated the Alfa Romeo team, it was not until two months later in the 1951 British Grand Prix that the Alfas suffered their first real defeat. After the race Reg said, " It's a pity it was stopped as I would have liked the race to have continued. I was a minute ahead of the Italians and I am sure they would not have made this up. It was like aquaplaning in an ice-cold tub, but in the cockpit it was very hot and steamy so that at 80mph I only had a dim outline of the comers and only the outlines of spray telling me that another car was in front."

Vandervell immediately entered Parnell for the Festival of Britain Trophy at Goodwood, just a few weeks later. Parnell won the first heat, breaking the outright lap record on his first lap, from a standing start, from Farina and his 4CLT. He would go on and win the final, after a tremendous battle with Farina.

Parnell was back in the 4CLT at Dundrod for the Ulster Trophy. Following his defeat at Goodwood, Farina arrived with a works Alfa Romeo 158. At the start, the Italian had the better start and took the lead with Parnell running second. This was a tactical move, as the Farina knew that he would have to stop for fuel, whereas Parnell could run the race without stopping. As Farina exited the pits, Parnell shot past into the lead, but just one lap later, the Farina ate up Parnell's 3-second lead, passed him and won the race with Parnell taking second.

At the Grand Prix de l'A.C.F., BRM announced they would race at Reims-Gueux with Parnell, so Vandervell offered the Thinwall Special to Brian Shawe-Taylor. However, as the BRM failed to show up, and Shawe-Taylor was clearly at the same level as Parnell, Vandervell offered the Thinwall to Parnell, who finished fourth. After finishing second at Goodwood, he ended his season by taking the Scottish Grand Prix, at Winfield.

June 1952, over 25,000 spectators squeezed into Boreham Circuit to see Parnell take his only Formula Two victory aboard a Cooper –Bristol T20.