Kevin McNicholas
Super Mario | Mario Andretti | Lotus 79 | Art Print
A stunning original painting by Kevin McNicholas of Mario Andretti driving his Lotus 79. It proved to be almost unbeatable during the 1978 Formula 1 season, hence the title ‘Super Mario’.
Each original painting typically takes 1500 to 1700 hours to complete. Kevin's smallest brushes are a single hair thick.
Overall size (cm): 35.0 x 25.0 | 14" x 10"
More About This Item
Delivery Information
United Kingdom Delivery: £4.99 | FREE on orders over £75*
Europe | USA | World delivery: From £11.99 - Calculated at checkout based on size & value.
*excludes framed prints, aluminium panels, stretched canvases, sculpture and original artwork where a delivery charge is calculated at checkout based on size & value.
Kevin McNicholas
My interest in motor racing began when I was just a young boy. As I grew older, I became fascinated in not only the racing aspect of the sport, but increasingly about the cars, how they were designed and built.
Like most motor racing fans, I was limited to following the sport by either watching it on TV, or by reading about it in magazines, which was hugely frustrating for me. So, I began to think of ways that would enable me to get closer to the action, to be able to see where the cars were designed and built and to meet the people involved.
I knew and understood that this was never going to be an easy task, as motorsport, especially Formula 1 (F1), is highly technical and the participating teams are renowned for being extremely secretive and guarded about their work. This made it highly unlikely or impossible even, for a normal fan like me to be entrusted with access to their facilities.
However undeterred, I came up with an idea. I enjoyed painting and believed I was reasonably skilled at it, therefore my idea was to paint a picture of an F1 car, then offer the painting to a team owner, or CEO, in exchange for a visit to their Head Quarters (HQ).
As my favourite boyhood team was Team Lotus, my first F1 car painting effort was completed and a photograph of it taken and sent to their Technical Director Frank Dernie, along with a letter explaining my offer. To my absolute astonishment he agreed to my ‘deal’ and I spent the most enjoyable day with him at Ketteringham Hall in Norfolk, where the Lotus F1 cars were made.
Following the success of that venture, I approached Ron Dennis (McLaren CEO) with a similar proposal. Surprisingly, this resulted in another favourable response, and I was subsequently rewarded with a visit to the McLaren HQ, a trip to the British Grand Prix and a book signed by Ayrton Senna.
This now ‘tried and trusted’ method allowed me further adventures, including a visit to the Williams HQ, where I met Sir Frank and my painting was hung in the Williams boardroom. I was also privileged to do a painting for Nigel Mansell. I therefore believe I have been extremely fortunate in having achieved my aim and realised my dreams.
I have since continued with my F1 themed paintings. I use acrylic paint on canvas panels, with traditional brushes in a photorealistic style. I’m keen to retain the texture of the canvas, so the paint is applied in thin layers. This process is very time consuming which means a piece on a canvas panel measuring 36” x 24” usually takes around 1,700 hours to complete.
FAQs
If you have any questions about ordering from us, see our FAQs below. You can also view our full FAQs, or please contact us with any other questions and we'll be pleased to answer them.
Are your products official?
All of our products are original pieces of artwork direct from studios and artists from around the World.
How do you keep my order safe in transit?
All framed prints and original artworks are professionally packaged into strong double and triple walled cardboard shipping boxes or bespoke wooden cases for larger original artworks.
Do you ship Worldwide?
We ship Internationally using UPS, DHL, FedEx or a Royal Mail tracked services. This means that your order is fully tracked until it arrives at it's destination. We will email you a tracking number on dispatch then your order will just take a few days to arrive anywhere in the World. DHL Express typically 1-2 days and Royal Mail 5-7 days under normal circumstances.
If I'm ordering from overseas, do I need to pay import duty?
We accurately describe our goods so that your order passes smoothly through customs and any unnecessary delays are minimised. Any import duties and taxes are the responsibility of the receiver.
Why buy from Historic Car Art?
Our collection is curated. This means we only offer artworks from the best, professional artists who meet our strict selection criteria developed over 20 years of working in this arena. This is not a marketplace where no standard is applied for inclusion. This means we are able to provide the highest quality art available.
What are my framing options?
For each print edition we usually offer a bespoke framing service using the highest quality using acid-free conservation or museum grade materials.