Famed for his reversed cap, Philippe Etancelin is shown here driving his self-entered Talbot during the 1951 International Trophy meeting at Silverstone. “Phi Phi” would make 12 Grand Prix starts in this car, a machine he acquired in 1948, with his best F1 World Championship finishes being two 5ths at Reims in France and Monza in Italy during the 1950 season.
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1950 Talbot-Lago T26 GS – True Blue

Photo: Pete Austin
Photo: Pete Austin

Cars don’t come much better than this. Born in a golden era of sportscar racing, this French beauty has the most amazing pedigree. Raced at Le Mans by Juan Manuel Fangio and Louis Rosier, driven in the Monaco Grand Prix by Maurice Trintignant and currently in ownership that dates back to 1958, this car is the real deal. This car is French royalty, it has blue blood, it is…true blue.

One thing is certain, success in motor sport sells cars. In the late 1940s, success on the world’s race circuits was seen as a must for Talbot-Lago, so alongside the construction of its road car projects, the marque embarked on the production of an out and out racing car. This machine was designed to be capable of winning Grand Prix races and, in its sportscar form, Le Mans.

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Steve Natale has been playing with cars ever since he was old enough to first hold a matchbox car in his hand. A lifelong enthusiast of anything old with an engine in it or wheels on it, Steve has been active in the hobby for over 35 years. Currently he owns a successful marketing company with his wife Mary, is an automotive photographer, blogger and writer for several automotive magazines and regular contributor to various automotive websites. Steve has attended vintage car events and visited car museums and collections around the world.
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