Northern Ireland businessman shifts gears, racing Monaco in legendary Historic Formula 1 car

Northern Ireland homebuilder and racing enthusiast, James Hagan has showcased his prowess on the historic streets of Monte Carlo as he took part in the Monaco Historic Grand Prix this weekend.

The event saw cars from the golden age of motorsport compete in races on the very circuit still used in the modern-day Formula One World Championship. This year marked the 14th edition of the three-day event.

James Hagan, who has built more than 5,000 homes across Northern Ireland through his Ballyclare-based business, Hagan Homes, has been involved in historic racing for almost three decades, even going on to win the 2023 Phillip Island Historic Grand Prix at the motorsport festival in Australia last year.

The car he drove, the original 1974 Hesketh 308, clinched victory in the Silverstone International Trophy almost exactly 50 years ago with racing legend James Hunt at the helm, marking both his and the Hesketh team’s maiden F1 victories.

This particular car holds a storied past; it was the very first Formula 1 car built by the illustrious Lord Alexander Hesketh, a flamboyant figure in the F1 world during the 1970s, and the same car that also saw action in 1975 when raced by another F1 legend, future world champion Alan Jones.

The excitement surrounding this iconic car was tangible recently as it made an appearance at the 50th-anniversary celebration of Hesketh Racing's first Formula 1 triumph. At a special gathering at Silverstone, it stood alongside former team members and Lord Hesketh himself, who made an impassioned speech prior to it being demonstrated to the crowd by rising star Callum Grant.

James, who is the chair and founder of Hagan Homes, explained: "I played rugby until I turned 40 and then a knee injury pushed me out of the sport. A friend of mine was racing Formula Fords in Belfast, so I decided to join him and I’ve never looked back. It’s a wonderful sport to be part of and while we all like to win, I’m in it to enjoy myself and meet people."

His transition into Formula One racing came in 2010, marked by an unforgettable experience driving a Surtees F1 car at Monaco. Eventually he acquired the original Hesketh 308, chassis 308/1, which has become his favourite. This year Hagan will also be competing in his 1961 Formula 1 Lotus 18, driven in period by Grand Prix and Le Mans 24 Hours winner Dan Gurney.

Known for his infectious enthusiasm and jovial demeanour on and off the track, James Hagan is a mainstay of the Masters series competition, having raced a diverse array of cars across continents.

He added: “I had a lot of anticipation mounting for this race, not just for the adrenaline-fuelled action but for the symbolic resonance of this event. The backdrop of Monaco's iconic streets, where motorsport history has been etched is a big deal and being part of that race, in the Hesketh 308, during the anniversary year of James Hunt’s win in that very car, was something truly special.”