The glamour and potency of motor sport has been celebrated by artists over many decades, and no more so than at this year’s Race Retro, held at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, from 12-14 March, where painters, photographers and sculptors will display their work in an exclusive open-plan gallery. The Artists Gallery, situated in Hall 1, will bring together artists from all over the UK and Europe to create a visual feast of motorsport imagery and design.

A main orchestrator of the gallery at Race Retro is historic racer and owner of Historic Car Art, Rupert Whyte. Historic Car Art brings together automotive Fine Art, Sculpture and Vintage Posters from some of Europe’s leading automotive artists such as John Ketchell, Peter Hearsey AFAS, Barry Rowe AFAS, Graham Bosworth, Klaus Wagger, Paul Chenard and many others. The company will also showcase a large selection of original vintage race posters and limited edition prints.

Also included will be Motorsportclassics.com which offers stunning images of racing legends taken in the late '70s and early 80s including Formula 1 driver Bruno Giacomelli who will be a guest at this year’s Race Retro. Some of the images are limited editions that have been signed by either photographer Steve Theo or in some cases by the driver themselves. Motorsportclassics will also be revealing a new range of images called Motorgraphics, which are prints of modern and retro cars.

Artist Paul Smith’s passion for motoring started as a child and having worked for automotive companies on interior and exterior design, he knows cars inside and out. Paul will be displaying his most recent work which includes original oil paintings inspired by visits to Goodwood and Brooklands. Paul will also have images of stunning Alfa Romeos to compliment the show’s celebration of 100 years of the Italian marque.

The classic styling of the Alfa Romeo will also be showcased by Craig Warwick Illustrations. His montages of great racing champions and their cars in a blend of watercolour, gouache and oil, are the perfect introduction to an artist of phenomenal range, whose work is highly sought after on both sides of the Atlantic.  

A novel twist on motor sport art is Paul Pennel’s Artistry in Aluminium, where ‘paintings’ are created out of the lightweight material normally used in competition car construction. Paul is promising two or three pictures of pre- and post-war Alfa Romeos to mark this year’s celebrated marque, and will be on hand to discuss commissions.

Paul Dove’s paintings have made a big impact on the motor sport art scene and he will be showing several examples of his work, which will be for sale. Working mainly in oils, Paul’s work is on display in the Haynes Museum, and if you too would like one, he’ll be on hand to meet potential customers.

Autosports Gallery is showing its wide range of prints, a notable one being of Rudolf Caracciola winning the 1932 Monaco Grand Prix. Other subjects and eras will be covered by the prints Autosports Gallery is bringing, with some making their debut at the show.

Gary Smith’s sculptures capture the dynamism of a racing car, and he offers several examples, including Bugatti, Ferrari and Maserati models. New for Race Retro will be a Jaguar XK120, and in addition to his sculptures, Gary will also be showing his radiator grille parts for Alfa Romeo models, which are made from bronze and then chrome-plated for added lustre and longevity.

Adding a twist to Race Retro’s artistic angle is Sue Scott’s motoring memorabilia: for enthusiasts looking for period collectibles such as St Christophers, motor sport items and silver decorative pieces, there’s bound to be something that will appeal.