The five best unconventional golf finishes in motorsport

The news that the McLaren will swap its conventional papaya orange paint scheme for the blue and orange of its fuel partner met with great excitement on Sunday and brought back memories of the iconic machines it has adorned over the years.

From the Ford GT40, Porsche 917, McLaren F1 and Aston Martin DBR9, it has been linked to numerous success stories over the years.

While most closely related to these cherished machines, it has also appeared in many unexpected places.

Originally published in the March 12, 2020 issue of Autosport magazine, here are five of our favorite golf-themed alternative machines.

5th 2013 Subaru Impreza

Juha Salo, Rally Finland 2013

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Finnish national rally driver Juha Salo (unrelated to ex-Ferrari F1 driver Mika) often joined the fraternity of the World Rally Championship for his home lap. He enjoyed the continued support of the Golf, which resulted in his Mitsubishi E9, E10, Subaru Impreza and Peugeot 208 T16 sporting the official livery. In this case, however, we opted for the Impreza because Salo finished the 2013 event in 14th place instead of being canceled.

4. 2016 Aguri FE Spark

Salvador Duran, Aguri Formula E 2016 Long Beach

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Without a hint of irony, Gulf signed a deal with Aguri’s Formula E team in 2016. All-electric cars with the trademark of an oil company … This venture in FE, however, was part of Gulf’s slow recovery from a disastrous merger with Chevron at the end of the last century. And the connection had a certain logic when Gulf supplied the cars of Antonio Felix da Costa and Salvador Duran with lubricants for the drivetrain.

3. 2001 Audi R8

Stefan Johansson, Audi R8 Le Mans 24 hours 2001

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For 2001, ex-Formula 1 driver Stefan Johansson took over golf sponsorship for his Audi R8, which was discontinued by Johansson Motorsports. Above all, he sewed the crown of the European Le Mans Series with a victory. Johansson only played half of the American 10-round campaign, but still finished ninth in the LMP900 standings. At Le Mans, however, electric Gremlins had to give up after just 35 laps.

2nd 1976 Tyrrell 007

Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi, Tyrrell 1976 Austrian GP

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The private driver Alessandro Pesenti-Rossi took part in four Formula 1 world championship races in 1976. He made his debut at the Nürburgring in dark blue golf colors before switching to the lighter setup. Pesenti-Rossi drove a Tyrrell 007, which was first introduced two years earlier. He didn’t score a point but qualified three times and finished each of those races. His best result was 11th place at the Austrian GP.

1. 1994 Kremer K8

Derek Bell, Kremer Porsche K8 1994 Le Mans 24 hours

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At the top of that list is a car that reflects the origins of golf in golf. The Kremer K8 used a darker blue – as seen when the company first sponsored a car for the Daytona 24 Hours in 1967 – when it finished sixth in the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans. The K8 also reunited Derek Bell with the famous brand after winning the race with Jacky Ickx in a Mirage GR8 in 1975 to complete a three-year stint with Gulf.