A Day on the Lawn at Vale Royal Abbey

There is a particular kind of clarity that comes with time spent amongst fellow enthusiasts who love driving cars. This time though I took a break from the racing circuit, rallying events or simply road tours to join the Northern Ferrari Owners Club for their annual Concours at Vale Royal Abbey.

I was persuaded to enter my California T Speciale (which in Verde British Racing Green with Cuoco interior stood out in a sea of red) because ‘I would get a better parking place’. 

The California represents to me the enduring DNA of Maranello because it is the last of the small Ferraris before the arrival of the extremely wide ‘special’ cars. It’s a beautifully proportioned touring car which is superb fun to drive as we found out last summer driving 3500 miles around Europe following the racing.

The standard of entries at the Northern Concours was exceptional so the fact that we came third was amazing. It is the only concours I shall do, as cleaning is not my thing, so I’m finishing at the top.

I’ve always said that if you’re going to do something, do it well. Andy and Dave achieved that.

Refining a collection or choosing the right car is often a complex journey, but days like this strip away the complexity. They remind us of the simple pleasure of a beautiful car in a beautiful setting. So if you're thinking of buying, selling, or perhaps starting to build your own collection that reflects your own definition of “supercar", please remember that I'm here to offer technical and impartial advice.