Greatest Racecar? Alfa Romeo P3

Many would assume that I would choose a Ferrari as my greatest racecar. However, although I know little about the Alfa Romeo P3, it is a car that has always fascinated me. I suppose one could loosely say they were the forerunners of the Ferraris. If I really wanted another car—although I’m not in the market at the moment—I wouldn’t mind swapping one of my Ferraris for an Alfa, particularly a Nuvolari car; although I’m not too sure that I would get one on that basis!

I found a Type 51 Bugatti about 30 years ago in Simonstown, South Africa; it was an actual Varzi car. It hadn’t been interfered with at all; it was beautiful. It came from the tiny Hendel Collection and was given to one of Hendel’s relatives to help him through university. I nearly bought it; it was just $10,000. In fact, the chap who was selling the car wouldn’t do a deal until the car was started and running properly. He said, “Come back tomorrow and we will do a deal then.” I went back and he told me that someone had beaten me to it earlier in the day. I couldn’t believe it; the car had been available for some years and, as soon as I was interested, it was snapped up by someone else.