NEWS
ON THE LIMIT IN A LOTUS ELAN 26R
“Small car, big track. That’s the juxtaposition with this tearway Lotus Elan 26R being driven right on the limit at the Sonoma Raceway in California. Brit Horatio Fitz-Simon, who’s no stranger to the Goodwood Revival, was the man wrestling the diminutive sports car around the expansive circuit for the 2023 Velocity Invitational. Against a host of sports cars of a similar era, he set the pole-winning time of 1min 50sec.
This on-board footage shows Fitz-Simon working hard at the wheel to extract every possible second from the car as it circulates the American raceway. He’s busy at the wheel on the way into, through and out of every corner and making the most of every inch of track width in this dramatic traffic-free run. Hold on tight.” - Goodwood Road and Racing
HORATIO HONOURS ‘HAWKEYE’ WITH INCREDIBLE LAST-GASP FORMULA JUNIOR WIN
“On a Gold Cup weekend peppered with scintillating performances, Horatio Fitz-Simon’s Historic Formula Junior victory first time out in Paul ‘Hawkeye’ Hawkins 1963 Brabham BT6 will live long in onlookers’ memories.
Five years after making his car racing debut at the Oulton Park staple, he passed Sam Wilson audaciously on the exit of Lodge, the final corner. Fuel pump issues left Fitz-Simon at the back of the 33-car grid for the Jim Clark Cup races, marking the Scot’s 1960 Lotus 18 victory here.
Sunday’s conditions were near perfect, when a focused green-flag lap tyre and brake warming regime sharpened Fitz-Simon’s steed. He was fourth after three laps, when Keith Pickering spun his Brittania into the gravel at the foot of Cascades, triggering a one-lap caution. Having got the jump on Hibberd at the green, HF-S homed in on Richards, who he deposed on lap six of 10, then threw caution to the wind catching Wilson. Plunging from Hill Top toward Hislop’s chicane they were almost together, with traffic ahead. Having to round Ralph Carter (Lotus 22) sapped Wilson’s momentum heading towards Knickerbrook, where HF-S shot past Carter in an elegant drift, closing the gap onto Clay Hill, with more lapped cars to negotiate. Horatio drafted Sam out of Druids, braked late for Lodge, turned in from the outside and powered past.” - Autosport
FITZ-SIMON SEALS LURANI TROPHY
"Another resounding double victory for Horatio Fitz-Simon at Mugello last weekend confirmed him as the 2023 Lurani Trophy Formula Junior champion. On his debut at the Italian F1 circuit, Fitz-Simon qualified the ART Car Club’s Lotus 22 on pole and reset the lap record in his dominance.” - Autosport
LOTUS-FORD LOCKOUT IN
CLOSE FOUGHT CHICHESTER CUP
“As the Chichester Cup at the Goodwood Revival shows, a liter and a bit goes a long way when it’s slotted into the back of a cigar-like racer from the 1960s—and even better if it’s in the back of a Lotus 22, driven by Horatio Fitz-Simon. The win was Fitz-Simon’s first at Goodwood, but with a whole roster of historic racing victories already to his name, in everything from Formula Fords to Lotus Elans, it’s unlikely to be the last time we see him on the top step at a Revival.” - Hagerty
HORATIO FITZ-SIMON DOMINATES IN GERMANY
“Victory in both heats went to a Lurani newcomer. Young Horatio Fitz-Simon from the UK switched to Historic Formula Junior racing only last year. His red car was used by Irish Racing Cars back in the day.
He won the event after also scoring Pole position and resetting the Hockenheimring lap record in qualifying.” - Automobilsport
SILVERSTONE GP: CLASSIC REPORT
“Fresh from winning the opening round of the Lurani Trophy Historic Formula Junior Championship at Hockenheim in a Lotus 22, young hotshoe Horatio Fitz-Simon jumped ship to an Elan 26R and added Mintex Classic K and Adams & Page Swinging Sixties victories to his growing CV at Silverstone last Sunday, May 28.
Thirty cars came under starters’ orders at 1520 and Fitz-Simon was clearly waiting for nobody. Horatio out-accelerated Halstead off the line and extended a whopping 6.99 second advantage over the opening lap, a margin aided by Mark locking-up dramatically at Stowe to the detriment of his Elan’s tyres. Fitz-Simon had a lead of 31 seconds when Halstead made his mandatory stop after five laps, the window having opened 10 minutes into the 40. When Fitz-Simon made his stop, after nine laps, so far ahead of Boot, Douglas - both already into their second stints - Conoley (in for Tice), the shadowing Holben and Reece was he, that he could have slackened his pace, not that he did so conspicuously, as he was enjoying himself. Horatio thus rattled the last seven laps off, finishing more than a minute and a half before Boot, in turn 45s clear of Douglas, with Tice/Conoley and Holben also classified on the lead lap. - CSCC
FITZ-SIMON PIPS RICHARDS IN LURANI TROPHY
“A month after winning the opening round of the Formula Junior Historic Racing Association’s Lurani Trophy at Hockenheim, Horatio Fitz-Simon came out on top again last weekend at France’s GP de l’Age d’Or classic at Dijon. Venue debutant Fitz-Simon and Clive Richards were closely matched in their red Lotus 22s, both raced in period by Tommy Reid.
From an extraordinary original entry of 54 competitors, 40 eventually fought to qualify for the 35 grid places. Fitz-Simon, his confidence buoyed by three wins in an Elan 26R at Silverstone in the interim, got the upper hand following a safety car interlude in Saturday’s opening leg, but the battle between the Britons raged throughout Sunday’s sequel, Fitz-Simon beating Richards on the long uphill drag to the finish by less than a second.” - Autosport
FITZ-SIMON TOPS THE SWINGING SIXTIES MASSES
“Once Mark Halstead's Elan had fallen, Horatio Fitz-Simon easily won the Classic Sports Car Club Classic K race, his Elan downing three TVR Griffiths and the Marcos of Allen Tice/Chris Conoley. Best of the tiddlers was Luke Wos, who hurled his Turner to seventh overall, chased
by Brian Lambert's Ginetta G4. Fitz-Simon followed a similar blueprint in the 52-car Swinging Sixties finale, which lost Halstead's G4 twin-cam to a first- corner clash with Jon Wolfe's TVR Tuscan, an incident for which Halstead's licence was endorsed. Wolfe made up 30s during the pitstops, but Fitz-Simon reeled him in and, after several dramatic exchanges, triumphed by 1.438s.” - Autosport
THE BEST BATTLE FROM THE ROLEX MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION
“Fitz-Simon kept the lightweight Lotus on the razor’s edge of its tires’ grip through the corners, catching the bigger, more powerful Cobra in the turns. Every lap, we watched the Lotus slide through Laguna’s third turn, perfectly balanced and seemingly on the brink of losing control. Midway through the 25-minute race, Fitz-Simon managed to squeeze by Farley. Once passed, the Ford remained glued to the Lotus’ toothpick-sized rear bumper. Fitz-Simon took the checkered flag with the Cobras just behind. Trading paint is not going to win you any points among fellow racers, so there’s surely an extra level of caution when racing historic cars, making passing even more difficult than usual. Of course, we’d still show up to see these machines driven at eight-tenths, but when skilled drivers like this duo put on a show, it makes the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion even more worthwhile.” - Hagerty
FITZ-SIMON STARS IN LOTUS
“Historic Formula Ford frontrunner Horatio Fitz-Simon made his Formula Junior debut at Silverstone last weekend, tackling the races in Mike O’Brien’s Lotus 22.
He took to the Junior like a duck to water and loved the whole experience, scoring pole position and winning the opener in commanding style from Clive Richards’s similar machine after a mid-race safety car. Period FJ racer and family friend Howden Ganley encouraged Fitz-Simon to take the chance and was on hand for support.”
FIRST WIN FEELINGS
“Horatio Fitz-Simon scored his first win in the Historic Formula Ford championship at Silverstone two weeks ago. Fitz-Simon credits guidance from Howden Ganley for his Race 2 win, which was by a slender margin of 0.108s over Cam Jackson.
‘It was difficult not winning the opening race because I felt I really commanded it. The same applied in race two; even when the others got a tow on me and were miles ahead, I’d just be so much later on the brakes and could hold on to the lead, especially into Brooklands.’ ”
FITZ-SIMON TO BID FOR HFF CROWN
“California-based Englishman Horatio Fitz-Simon will bid for the Historic Formula Ford title this season in the three-car squad from Silverstone based Classic Team Merlyn.
Fitz-Simon has impressed both in and out of the car. The 20 year old racer has very limited experience from a handful of Historic FF races but has shown tremendous pace and hopes to use success in the Merlyn MK20 as a career springboard.”
FITZ-SIMON IMPRESSES ON WALTER HAYES DEBUT
“Horatio Fitz-simon made his single-seater debut at Silverstone in a Merlyn Mk20 Historic Formula Ford last weekend ahead of a planned British Formula 4 campaign next season.
He was due to take part in the F4 Scholarship yesterday (Tuesday) and raced at the Walter Hayes Trophy with Speedsport to get some seat time. He showed impressive pace on his way to a debut podium.”
HORATIO PLANS HIS TRAFALGAR
“Horatio Fitz-Simon took his first steps in single-seater racing at Donington Park last week, when he tested one of Fortec’s Formula 4 chassis. The 19-year-old former karter has travelled home from his California home to the UK, but was born in Towcester on the former Hesketh Estate. Fitz-Simon returned to the UK this summer, sold his road car and worked at this year’s British Grand Prix as he tries to raise funds for his dream to be a racing driver. He impressed on this outing and has ex-F1 driver Howden Ganley guiding his career…”
BORN TO RACE
“Horatio made a comeback on a recent weekend after a frustrating stint at the Autoclub Speedway in Southern California, where he was in first place in points when a mechanical problem knocked his kart out of the race. Horatio came back Sunday for a win, his second victory in 2013 Challenge of the Americas. While he won, he lost points and the championship for not being able to compete in the Saturday races…
‘He’s definitely one of the up-and-coming driver’s we have in the sport, I’ve watched him over the last two years and he’s coming into his own. I think he’s been making some very big improvements over the last twelve months.’ - David Cole, ekartingnews.com”
Ogden USA Pilot Horatio Fitz-Simon Secures Ticket to Rotax Grand Finals
“For a young driver to overcome so much change at one time proves that he has the skills and abilities to challenge for race wins and championships for years to come. With the event taking place at Sim Raceway on the grounds of the famed Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California, Fitz-Simon stole the show in the Rotax Mini Max ranks. Taking the main event victory, the Ogden USA powered competitor would garner the title with series events still remaining and will now be part of the Rotax Micro & Mini Invitation at the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals and will now be part of Team USA.”
VICTORIES AND CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR PSL KARTING BRANDED DRIVERS IN FONTANA
“Rotax Mini Max pilot Horatio Fitz-Simon entered the finale in Fontana the points leader in his class, but engine woes forced the round one winner to pull out on the opening circuit of the penultimate race. Not one to give up, Fitz-Simon came back on Sunday to take his second victory in the COA Mini Max action after starting in 5th”
ROTAX CHALLENGE OF THE AMERICAS BEGINS 2013 SEASON IN TUCSON
“Horatio Fitz-Simon and Sting Ray Robb were the victors in the HoleShot Drive Systems Mini Max division. Fitz-Simon came from 16th on the grid to score an emotional last-to-first win whilst also setting a new lap record on the Musselman Honda Circuit…”