#079 Gulf prototypes

by modelM43in liverieson Posted on

Published February 1, 2025 | Last update August 2, 2026 | 14 models online

Gulf sponsored the JWA team in the end of the sixties and early seventies, these can be found in separate collections. After 1976 Gulf stopped sponsoring for almost 20 years. In 1994 the Kremer K8 appeared at Le Mans in a slightly different color scheme. Since then, Gulf is back on the international race tracks. In this collection I present some fine Gulf liveried prototypes and even some formula 1.

Le Mans

1994 Le Mans 24h, Kremer K8
Group C came to an end and Kremer built a LMP car with Porsche 962 technology. The Kremer K8 was fast, qualifying second in front of the Dauers and Toyota. In the end they finished 6th. This was the first K8 built, which was originally the 962 CK6-07 with lots of adjustments to fit the new regulations. The car is now part of the legendary ROFGO Collection. It was Derek Bell’s last Le Mans 24h race with Porsche.
Gulf Oil Racing #5: Derek Bell (GB) / Jürgen Lässig (D) / Robin Donovan (GB)
Results: Start-grid 2nd / time 3:51.750 / race 6th – 317 laps / 3rd LMP1
Kremer K8 – LMP1/C90: Powered by 3.0 liter Porsche 935/76 flat-6 twin turbo, approx. 550 hp. Dunlop tires. Weight 950 kg. Aluminium honeycomb and carbon monocoque, chassisnr. 07SP (Thompson)

  • SPARK Kremer Collection S0329 (resin)
    • Overall rating: 5 STARS | Quality details: 5 STARS | Estimated value: 5 STARS
    • Also appears in #120 Derek Bell / #079 Gulf Prototypes

2001 Le Mans 24h, Johansson Audi R8
Joest Audi entered two cars for the 2001 Le Mans race and offered two year one year old cars to selected teams. One of them is Stefan Johansson‘s in the famous Gulf Livery, who raced the entire European Le Mans Series with it with technical support from Arena Racing. At Le Mans, the car retired after electric problems.
Johansson Motorsport #4: Stefan Johansson (S) / Tom Coronel (NL) / Patrick Lemarie (F)
Results: start-grid 5th / time 3:35.128 / race DNF electrics – 35 laps
Audi R8 (2000) – LMP900: Powered by 3.6 liter Audi V8 twin turbo, approx. 600 hp. Michelin tires. Weight 900 kg. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnr. Audi / Dallara #403

  • IXO Modern Le Mans & GT Cars LMM004 (diecast)
    • Overall rating: 3 STARS | Quality details: 3 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Also appears in #018 Audi Customer teams

2001 Petit Le Mans, Johansson Audi R8
The Johansson / Arena Motorsport Audi also competed in the Petit Le Mans. They finished in 2nd place, 3 laps down on the Joest Audi.
Johansson Motorsport #18: Stefan Johansson (S) / Patrick Lemarie (F)
Results: start-grid 4th / time 1:11.939 / race 2nd – 291 laps
Audi R8 (2000) – LMP900: Powered by 3.6 liter Audi V8 twin turbo, approx. 600 hp. Michelin tires. Weight 900 kg. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnr. Audi / Dallara #403

  • MINICHAMPS MC400 010918 limited to 1440 pcs (diecast)
    • Overall rating: 3 STARS | Quality details: 3 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Also appears in #018 Audi Customer teams

2006 Le Mans 24h, Courage C65
Paul Belmondo Racing entered 2 Gulf sponsored Courages this year. They use the Mecachrome built (badged Ford) V8 engine. But none of them finished, the #37 car had a heavy crash because of a blown tire, the #36’s gearbox failed. The LMP2’s still are very fragile cars.
Paul Belmondo Racing #36: Claude-Yves Gosselin (F) / Pierre Ragues (F) / Karim Ojjeh (UAE)
Results: Start-grid 31st / time 3:56.460 / race DNF gearbox
Courage C65 – LMP2 : Powered by 3.4 liter Mecachrome V8 90º (badged Ford), approx. 500 hp. Pirelli tires. Weight 765 kg. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnr. C65 #007

  • SPARK S0147 (resin)
    • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Also appears in #049 Courage

2007 Le Mans 24h, Zytek 07S
Zytek became a producer of sports cars after they bought the remainders of the Reynard factory. Among it was the design of the Reynard 02S which became the Zytek 04S. This Gulf sponsored 07S is the third model under the Zytek name. The Barazi Epsilon entry failed to finish after a crash.
Barazi Epsilon #32: Michael Vergers (NL) / Juan Barazi (DK) / Karim Ojjea (UAE)
Results: Start-grid 20th / time 3:48.935 / race DNF crash -252 laps
Zytek 07S – LMP2: Powered by 3.4 liter Zytek ZG348 V8, approx. 500 hp. Michelin tires. Weight 765 kg. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnr. #01

  • SPARK S1422 (resin)
    • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Also appears in #101 Reynard

2009 Le Mans 24h, Aston Martin DBR 1-2
After the success of last year’s Charouz Lola, Aston Martin entered LMP1 with a complete factory team. However the car was somewhat different from the 2008 version, the ACO refused to homologate it as an Aston Martin, so it officially remained a Lola. They had no chance against the diesels from Peugeot and Audi, but the best AM (#007) finished 4th, best of the rest. The car with the fastest line up (Verstappen, Davidson and Turner) only finished 13th. They had to drive an updated 2008 chassis because Verstappen destroyed the 2009 car during testing.
Aston Martin Racing #008: Jos Verstappen (NL) / Anthony Davidson (GB) / Darren Turner (GB)
Results: Start-grid 8th / time 3:27.180 / race 13th – 342 laps / 11th LMP1

The scale model of the #009 is the slightly different presentation version.
Aston Martin Racing #009: Peter Kox (NL) / Harold Primat (CH) / Stuart Hall (GB)
Results: Start-grid 17th / time 3:33.968 / race DNF accident – 252 laps
Lola Aston Martin DBR 1-2 – LMP1: Powered by 6.0 liter Astin Martin V12 60º approx. 650 hp. Michelin tires. Weight 900 kg. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnrs. DBR1-2/4 (Lola B08/60 HU04) and DBR1-2/2 (Lola B08/60 HU02).

  • SPARK S1457 (#008, resin)
    • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 4 STARS
  • SPARK Aston Martin Gulf Presentation (#009), #1650 / 4000 pcs (resin)
    • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 3 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Both also appear in #091 Lola LMP

2011 Le Mans 24h, Aston Martin AMR-One
Aston Martin raced their beautiful V12 LMP for the last few years. A great car but it stood no chance against the diesels from Audi and Peugeot. With the new 2011 rules, Aston Martin asked Prodrive to develop a new sports car with a 2 liter 6-cylinder direct injection turbo engine. The car was okay but the engine a complete failure. It caused so much trouble that the car hardly drove at test days and races were cancelled. At Le Mans, the #009 only managed two laps in the race, the #007 did double that after a 4 hour pit stop … Aston Martin finished the season with the old reliable V12.
Aston Martin Racing #007: Darren Turner (GB) / Stefan Mücke (D) / Christian Klien (A)
Results: Start-grid 22nd / time 3:45.918 / race DNF – 4 laps

Aston Martin Racing #009: Harold Primat (CH)  / Adrian Fernandez (MEX) / Andrew Meyrick (GB)
Results: Start-grid 25th / time 3:48.355 / race DNF – 2 laps
Aston Martin AMR-One – LMP1: Powered by 2.0 liter Prodrive straight-6 turbo, approx. 550 hp. Michelin tires. Weight 900 kg. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnrs. #1 & #2 (Prodrive)

  • IXO LMM 208 (#007, diecast)
    • Overall rating: 3 STARS | Quality details: 3 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
  • SPARK S 2537 (#009, resin)
    • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Only appear in this collection

2012 Le Mans 24h, Morgan LM P2
In the new LMP2 class, cars use production based engines, mostly from Nissan, Honda-HPD and BMW-Judd. Chassis are affordable and LMP2 has become a very attractive category in only two years time. This Morgan is no Morgan at all, it’s a French built Pescarolo that is managed by also French Oak Racing. The Gulf liveried car is among the fastest LMP2’s but fails to finish because of an oil pressure problem in the Judd engine.
Oak Racing #24: Jacques Nicolet (F) / Mathieu Lahaye (F) / Olivier Pla (F)
Results: Start-grid 15th / time 3:38.598 / race DNF oil pressure – 139 laps
Morgan LM P2 – LMP2: Powered by 3.6 liter Judd HK V8 (BMW BMW S65), approx. 450 hp. Dunlop tires. Weight 900 kg. Dunlop tires. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnr. Oak-Pescarolo #01-14

  • SPARK S2548 (resin)
    • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Only appear in this collection

2012 Le Mans 24h, Lola B12/80
Another LMP2 car was present in 2012 was this beautiful Lola from Gulf Racing Middle East. Unfortunately it was the slowest of the LMP2’s and the first to retire. The sister car #28 didn’t finish the race either but it was 12 seconds per lap faster in qualifying …
Gulf Racing Middle East #29: Jean-Denis Deletraz (CH) / Keiko Ihara (J) / Marc Rostan (F)
Results: Start-grid 45th / time 3:58.895 / race DNF – 17 laps
Lola B12/80 – LMP2: Powered by 4.5 liter Nissan VK45DE – V8 90º, approx. 460 hp. Dunlop tires. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnr. Lola #HU-02

  • SPARK S3718 (resin)
    • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Also appears in #091 Lola LMP

2019 Le Mans 24h, BR1 – Gibson
Italian specialists Dallara developed a new LMP1 car based on the 217P LMP2 car. It is dubbed the BR1 in reference to the first customer, Boris Rotenberg‘s BR Engineering. While BR Engineering backed the initial development, Dallara does offer the car to other customers as well. DragonSpeed is one of those and races at Le Mans in the famous Gulf livery. The chassis is all the basis for the Cadillac Dpi V.R.
DragonSpeed #10: Renger van der Zande (NL) / Ben Henley (GB) / Henrik Hedman (S)
Results: Start-grid 7th / time 3:20.200 / race DNF gearbox – 76 laps
BR Engineering BR1 – LMP1: Powered by 4.5 liter Gibson GL458 V8 90º, approx. 650 hp. Michelin tires. Weight 900 kg. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnr. Dallara BR1 #07

  • SPARK S7905 (resin)
    • Overall rating: 4 STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 4 STARS
    • Also appears in #056 Hypercars & Prototypes

Formula 1

1976 Monza, Tyrrell 007
Italian Scuderia Rondini entered a Tyrrell 007 for privateer Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi on four occasions in 1976; Nürburgring, Austria, Zandvoort and Monza. It would be the last Gulf sponsored formula 1 car for a very, very long time.
Scuderia Rondini #37: Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi (I)
Results: Start-grid 21st / time 1:44.620 / race 18th – 49 laps
Tyrrell 007 – Formula 1: Powered by 3.0 liter Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º, approx. 500 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 625 kg. Aluminium monocoque, chassisnr. #007/4

  • MINICHAMPS MC400 760037 #982 / 1008 pcs (diecast)
    • Overall rating: 3 STARS | Quality details: 3 STARS | Estimated value: 3 STARS
    • Only appears in this collection

2021 Monaco, McLaren MCL35M
McLaren F1 struggled some years, first with Honda power and later on with the Renault engine. Now they have access to the powerful Mercedes power unit, the team is competitive again. For the Monaco Grand Prix the cars wore the famous blue and orange Gulf livery. Lando Norris finished third on that occasion. After the 2021 season Gulf switched to support Williams.
McLaren F1 Team #4:Lando Norris (GB)
Results: Start-grid 5th / time 1:10.620 / race 3rd – xx laps
McLaren MCL35M – Formula 1: Powered by 1.6 liter Mercedes M12E – V6 60º turbo hybrid, approx. 1000 hp. Pirelli tires. Weight 752 kg. Carbon fibre monocoque, chassisnr. unknown.

  • SPARK S 7679 (resin)
    • Overall rating: 4STARS | Quality details: 4 STARS | Estimated value: 4 STARS
    • Only appears in this collection

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