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Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 1:49 am
by Arai_or_Nothing
How's this for vintage?!!?!??...

So I took the day off work to surprise my son by pulling him out of school early so we could spend the day together racing our RC Cars at a new track an hour away. We get there, set up but the track was reserved for 2 hours for a birthday party so we take off to go eat dinner and when I get back, the guy who just arrived and is setting up right next to me is none other than the great and legendary Rick Mears!!!!!

I mean what are the chances??!?!???

I looked at him and immediately said hi Rick Mears??!?? He says nah, his twin brother! Had a laugh and exchanged pleasantries. Even helped him set up his shirt course truck. I'm still here in the middle of qualy rounds but I don't have the nerve to ask for a picture with him and my son.

I'll keep you all updated...

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 2:04 am
by ob1kenobi.23
Arai_or_Nothing wrote:How's this for vintage?!!?!??...

So I took the day off work to surprise my son by pulling him out of school early so we could spend the day together racing our RC Cars at a new track an hour away. We get there, set up but the track was reserved for 2 hours for a birthday party so we take off to go eat dinner and when I get back, the guy who just arrived and is setting up right next to me is none other than the great and legendary Rick Mears!!!!!

I mean what are the chances??!?!???

I looked at him and immediately said hi Rick Mears??!?? He says nah, his twin brother! Had a laugh and exchanged pleasantries. Even helped him set up his shirt course truck. I'm still here in the middle of qualy rounds but I don't have the nerve to ask for a picture with him and my son.

I'll keep you all updated...
I always wished he had come to F1. When he tested with Brabham he was as quick as Nelson IIRC.
I think he decided himself not to do it but I can't remember why.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:53 am
by POBRatings
Arai, what a story! What about asking Rick's brother for an intro? Someone I know who knew nothing of racing got an intro second-hand and Rory Byrne met him in Maranello for dinner! Two hours and this guy (with his wife and two kids there!) did not know what to ask Byrne about!

You'd have so much to talk to Rick Mears about.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 2:52 am
by Arai_or_Nothing
Here's a crappy pic with rick and my son!

Image

I have a better pic but I have to open it up in photoshop to properly remove the little bit of red eye and correct the lighting but that be da man!!! Who knew this Puerto Rican kid that used to look out his grandmother's window at an old retired track whilst playing with his cheap lotus and march toy cars which was converted for training thoroughbreds, would one day meet 2 of his biggest heroes??!?!???

First Mario, now Rick!!! Been 24 hours and I still can't believe it!

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 8:29 am
by Fiki
POBRatings wrote:Graham Hill had a great sense of humour. From 1962-1968 he was usally on the front row or close to it. For one of the mid-sixties races his car was not right in qualifying, and he had to start at the back. Before the start, the others, Clark, Brabham, Gurney, etc teased him about his low starting position; Graham responded: "Yes, but you meet a much better class of person back there".
Something to tell Hamilton...

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:07 am
by jono794
Fiki wrote:
POBRatings wrote:Graham Hill had a great sense of humour. From 1962-1968 he was usally on the front row or close to it. For one of the mid-sixties races his car was not right in qualifying, and he had to start at the back. Before the start, the others, Clark, Brabham, Gurney, etc teased him about his low starting position; Graham responded: "Yes, but you meet a much better class of person back there".
Something to tell Hamilton...
A better class of monkey...
Image

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Thu Feb 20, 2014 5:50 pm
by POBRatings
Although this one is from pre-F1 times, the story is too funny to miss.
1934 Mercedes-Benz grand prix team runnig three to four drivers in their technically advanced, fast cars. They had employed the xperienced Italina driver fagioli as a replacement for their previous number one, Caracciola, who had suffered sevre leg and hip injuries after crashing into the wall at Monaco. Fagioli was really the number one driver, but politics insisted that German driver Von Brauchitsch should win the Eifel GP at the Nurburgring. For a few laps Fagioli sat behind, but at his first pitstop he fumed at team manager Neubauer that he was much faster and be allowed to pass von Brauchitsch. Not permitted. After another pitstop shouting match, Fagioli wheelspun off, drove around to a deserted spot in the forest of the 22 km lap, parked the car well off the road in the trees, and walked off. It took the team two hours to find the car after the race.

At Malyasia 2013 all Red Bull team had to face were two unhappy drivers; they did not have to look for one of the cars.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 1:26 am
by mmi16

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 3:10 am
by ob1kenobi.23
Gret vid mmi 16. I have the complete set of a Gentleman's Motor racing diary by John Tate & all this kind of stuff is on it.
It was given to me by a good friend.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 4:54 am
by mmi16
ob1kenobi.23 wrote:
Gret vid mmi 16. I have the complete set of a Gentleman's Motor racing diary by John Tate & all this kind of stuff is on it.
It was given to me by a good friend.
Amazing what was considered 'safe' in 1955 as compared to the present.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sat Feb 22, 2014 5:09 am
by ob1kenobi.23
mmi16 wrote:
ob1kenobi.23 wrote:
Gret vid mmi 16. I have the complete set of a Gentleman's Motor racing diary by John Tate & all this kind of stuff is on it.
It was given to me by a good friend.
Amazing what was considered 'safe' in 1955 as compared to the present.
Yes & I witnessed it first hand as I was at the Ulster TT at Dundrod in 1955 where drivers were killed that day.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/trage ... ulster-t-t

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:02 am
by Lt. Drebin
Image

At Imola in 1982, Vileneuve, dissapointed by Pironi's behaviour, looks somewhere in the distance during the ceremony. The plate that was given him for the 2nd place had an interesting history. It's told by Jonathan Giacobazzi, a member of the Giacobazzi family (notable vine producers) that sponsored him:

"When Gilles climed out of his Ferrari after the chequered flag, he stormed in our motorhome totally upset. He didn’t want to show up on the podium. My father told him to go for the sake of his fans. Then he came back, threw his trophy, a silver plate away, saying, This is not mine, mine was stolen by the other. He didn’t mention Pironi’s name. The plate remained in our motorhome, so my father phoned him a week later asking what he should do with, since it wasn’t our. Gilles told him to bring the trophy to Zolder and to give it to Ferrari. Then it turned out that my father had some business obligation and couldn’t go Belgium and a collegue of his brought the plate to Zolder which later became a piece of the colletion of the Villeneuve Museum in Berthierville."

From: http://f1classic.blog.hu/

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 10:31 am
by hittheapex
POBRatings wrote:Although this one is from pre-F1 times, the story is too funny to miss.
1934 Mercedes-Benz grand prix team runnig three to four drivers in their technically advanced, fast cars. They had employed the xperienced Italina driver fagioli as a replacement for their previous number one, Caracciola, who had suffered sevre leg and hip injuries after crashing into the wall at Monaco. Fagioli was really the number one driver, but politics insisted that German driver Von Brauchitsch should win the Eifel GP at the Nurburgring. For a few laps Fagioli sat behind, but at his first pitstop he fumed at team manager Neubauer that he was much faster and be allowed to pass von Brauchitsch. Not permitted. After another pitstop shouting match, Fagioli wheelspun off, drove around to a deserted spot in the forest of the 22 km lap, parked the car well off the road in the trees, and walked off. It took the team two hours to find the car after the race.

At Malyasia 2013 all Red Bull team had to face were two unhappy drivers; they did not have to look for one of the cars.
Great story POB, I can just imagine the Mercedes team becoming increasingly worried as he didn't come round again, giving way to confusion due to no trace of what they may have presumed was a serious accident.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 11:14 pm
by Ron Mexico
Lt. Drebin wrote:Image

At Imola in 1982, Vileneuve, dissapointed by Pironi's behaviour, looks somewhere in the distance during the ceremony. The plate that was given him for the 2nd place had an interesting history. It's told by Jonathan Giacobazzi, a member of the Giacobazzi family (notable vine producers) that sponsored him:

"When Gilles climed out of his Ferrari after the chequered flag, he stormed in our motorhome totally upset. He didn’t want to show up on the podium. My father told him to go for the sake of his fans. Then he came back, threw his trophy, a silver plate away, saying, This is not mine, mine was stolen by the other. He didn’t mention Pironi’s name. The plate remained in our motorhome, so my father phoned him a week later asking what he should do with, since it wasn’t our. Gilles told him to bring the trophy to Zolder and to give it to Ferrari. Then it turned out that my father had some business obligation and couldn’t go Belgium and a collegue of his brought the plate to Zolder which later became a piece of the colletion of the Villeneuve Museum in Berthierville."

From: http://f1classic.blog.hu/
Great story Lt., another piece of this story... Villeneuve was quoted afterwards as saying,
"I'll never speak to Pironi again in my life." They proved to be prophetic words, as he was still not on speaking terms
with his teammate, Pironi when Villeneuve was killed during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks later.

I wonder how much anger he was carrying into that Q session after get jacked out of 1st plc at Imola 2 weeks prior.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:36 am
by netdog
I've still got an All American Racers charter member patch somewhere. Dan Gurney was my childhood hero, and I got to meet him in the pits at Silverstone when I was about 7. Big thrill.

For those who don't know, pit passes in the sixties put you right on pit lane before and after the race where you could get close to all the cars and meet all the drivers. Man, times have changed in that regard.

And never could a guy like Gurney build his own car and field his own team today as a driver. I love F1 still, but I miss the days when it was all done by mechanics and engineers armed only with pencils, paper, a welding gun and a stopwatch.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:41 pm
by Jules_b
Lt. Drebin wrote:

At Imola in 1982, Vileneuve, dissapointed by Pironi's behaviour, looks somewhere in the distance during the ceremony. The plate that was given him for the 2nd place had an interesting history. It's told by Jonathan Giacobazzi, a member of the Giacobazzi family (notable vine producers) that sponsored him:

"When Gilles climed out of his Ferrari after the chequered flag, he stormed in our motorhome totally upset. He didn’t want to show up on the podium. My father told him to go for the sake of his fans. Then he came back, threw his trophy, a silver plate away, saying, This is not mine, mine was stolen by the other. He didn’t mention Pironi’s name. The plate remained in our motorhome, so my father phoned him a week later asking what he should do with, since it wasn’t our. Gilles told him to bring the trophy to Zolder and to give it to Ferrari. Then it turned out that my father had some business obligation and couldn’t go Belgium and a collegue of his brought the plate to Zolder which later became a piece of the colletion of the Villeneuve Museum in Berthierville."

From: http://f1classic.blog.hu/
The Multi 21 of the 1980s!!! (minus the certainty of the order)

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:52 pm
by Jules_b
I like the one Alan Jones said were Ferrari had shown interest in him and wanted to sign him up to race for them in 1978 (I think). He was told he had to come and meet Enzo Ferrari to discuss the drive but the whole matter needed to be kept completely secret and under wraps. Jones made a good effort and sneaking off to Italy without any one knowing and was successful until he reached Italy expecting a driver to pick him up from the airport and drive him to Maranello to see Mr Ferrari. As he walked out of arrivals he immediately spotted the driver, kitted head to toe in Ferrari gear, holding a placard with "Alan Jones" written on it in big letters....

so much for incognito!! Incidentally he got the contract but was edged out by Villenueve before he even started and his contract was deemed null and void.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 12:03 am
by number27
Ron Mexico wrote:
Lt. Drebin wrote:Image

At Imola in 1982, Vileneuve, dissapointed by Pironi's behaviour, looks somewhere in the distance during the ceremony. The plate that was given him for the 2nd place had an interesting history. It's told by Jonathan Giacobazzi, a member of the Giacobazzi family (notable vine producers) that sponsored him:

"When Gilles climed out of his Ferrari after the chequered flag, he stormed in our motorhome totally upset. He didn’t want to show up on the podium. My father told him to go for the sake of his fans. Then he came back, threw his trophy, a silver plate away, saying, This is not mine, mine was stolen by the other. He didn’t mention Pironi’s name. The plate remained in our motorhome, so my father phoned him a week later asking what he should do with, since it wasn’t our. Gilles told him to bring the trophy to Zolder and to give it to Ferrari. Then it turned out that my father had some business obligation and couldn’t go Belgium and a collegue of his brought the plate to Zolder which later became a piece of the colletion of the Villeneuve Museum in Berthierville."

From: http://f1classic.blog.hu/
Great story Lt., another piece of this story... Villeneuve was quoted afterwards as saying,
"I'll never speak to Pironi again in my life." They proved to be prophetic words, as he was still not on speaking terms
with his teammate, Pironi when Villeneuve was killed during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks later.

I wonder how much anger he was carrying into that Q session after get jacked out of 1st plc at Imola 2 weeks prior.
He was carrying a lot of anger, but that wasn't the reason for his crash at Zolder.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 9:43 am
by partyboyu

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:10 pm
by AngusWolfe
Not sure where else to put this, but Rubens Barrichello has competed in over a third of all Grand Prix. And will have to wait until 2017 before he can no longer make that claim.

Just a fun fact I found.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:01 am
by TBWG
My first memory of going to a motor race (although I must have been to some before that) was being at Brands Hatch when they announced over the tannoy that Jim Clark had just been killed in an F2 race at Hockenhiem.

Although I do not have any personal anecdotes I do recall one of my favourite driver of all time Pedro Rodriguez. He was at Brands Hatch for the British GP and in those days wives or girlfriend's kept the lap chart. Pedro not one to do things by halves had his wife in 1 pit and his girlfriend in the next doing the honours.

Also I was fortunate to see the race of my life The BOAC 1000kms at Brands hatch see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0YCGF3ncEY

In which Pedro driving the Gulf Wyer Porsche 917 managed to lap the field even after being called into the pits for a bo**ocking by the Clerk of the course.

Someone earlier mentioned Jaques Laffite I have fond memories of hearing him going through the gearbox on the Matra V12 screaming down the back straight at Brands. The changes where smooth and seamless so much so I was convinced he had an electric leg!

Ah ... you have started me off now! The only way you can tell the different cars these days in by the livery. Not a problem in the days of the 4 wheel Tyrell, the Brabham lobster claw, the lotus 72 the BRM P180, The Teapot Ligier and the STP March 711. Those where the days ... Umm I sound like my dad now!

That reminds me I have just remembered my encounter with James Hunt but that is another story!

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 11:07 am
by POBRatings
Wonderful memories TBWG; especially interesting observation about Laffite's driving and that Matra V12. Now you can't leave us hanging about your encounter with James Hunt.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 1:43 pm
by TBWG
POBRatings how could I refuse a request like that.

Back in 88-90 I was watching my son play in a Saturday afternoon school football match, and who should be there supporting his sons prep school team none other than James Hunt.

In the post match parents tea I approached him for a chat. I happened to mention that one of my motor racing buddies had had lunch with Jean Pierre Jarier at Brands Hatch and dropped it into his motor racing tales at every possible opportunity. To which he replied “Oh dear the poor chap”

I said I could now say that I have had afternoon tea with an F1 World Champion and surely that must outrank a French F1 pilot with over a hundred starts and no wins.

It was only a few years later that he died and I must admit when I saw him he did not look too good and was a bit scruffy but I put that down to his anti establishment attitude.

These days things are a lot different and you would not get a current F1 driver having pie & chips with the riff raff! Although on this occasion it was a test day rather than a full blown GP.

Ah well that’s reminded me about my time with Mike Wilds but that’s another story!

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 3:00 pm
by Alex53
Not F1, but I couldn't see a better thread than this one to post this;

McLarens in their orange livery dominating in a 1967 Can-Am race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRlcOnccfgg

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 5:00 pm
by POBRatings
TBWG wrote:POBRatings how could I refuse a request like that.

Back in 88-90 I was watching my son play in a Saturday afternoon school football match, and who should be there supporting his sons prep school team none other than James Hunt.

In the post match parents tea I approached him for a chat. I happened to mention that one of my motor racing buddies had had lunch with Jean Pierre Jarier at Brands Hatch and dropped it into his motor racing tales at every possible opportunity. To which he replied “Oh dear the poor chap”

I said I could now say that I have had afternoon tea with an F1 World Champion and surely that must outrank a French F1 pilot with over a hundred starts and no wins.

It was only a few years later that he died and I must admit when I saw him he did not look too good and was a bit scruffy but I put that down to his anti establishment attitude.

These days things are a lot different and you would not get a current F1 driver having pie & chips with the riff raff! Although on this occasion it was a test day rather than a full blown GP.

Ah well that’s reminded me about my time with Mike Wilds but that’s another story!
That must have been so nice to chat to James H informally. I was shocked to read of his death, but subsequently read that Jame's lost his money in investments that went wrong, and was desperately poor after 1991. Sounds as if the stress could have caused his early death?

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Thu May 08, 2014 1:55 pm
by Lt. Drebin
This day, 32 years ago, I was waiting for the report from qualification, and instead, I got chills and cried in my bed. I was just 10 years old.
Bad day to announce that Jacques Villeneuve Sr. a brother of Gilles battles with an advanced cancer.

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/204145/1/j ... ancer.html

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sat May 17, 2014 9:11 am
by TBWG
Whilst having a cappuccino in a local coffee shop two names just popped into my head for no apparent reason!

Well the Monaco GP is approaching so that may have something to do with one of the names, as I seem to recall that Johnny Servoz-Gavin left a Matra? with less than its full compliment of wheels in the middle of the track whilst trying to qualify in the principality. He got out of the car walked away never to be seen again!

The other name George Eaton a Canadian playboy BRM driver who also sank without trace.

Hmmm the memory is a strange indeed.

TBWG

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 1:21 pm
by number27
TBWG wrote:Whilst having a cappuccino in a local coffee shop two names just popped into my head for no apparent reason!

Well the Monaco GP is approaching so that may have something to do with one of the names, as I seem to recall that Johnny Servoz-Gavin left a Matra? with less than its full compliment of wheels in the middle of the track whilst trying to qualify in the principality. He got out of the car walked away never to be seen again!

The other name George Eaton a Canadian playboy BRM driver who also sank without trace.

Hmmm the memory is a strange indeed.

TBWG
The bold M. Servoz-Gavin's last F1 hurrah was at Monaco in 1970, when he failed to qualify his March. Given that as an F1 rookie two years earlier he'd stuck his Matra MS10 on the front row (whilst deputising for the injured Jackie Stewart), his excuse that he was suffering from the effects of an eye injury seems a reasonable one. He still holds a unique place in F1 history as the only man ever to have scored a world championship point in a four wheel drive car, the Matra MS84.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:36 am
by Harpo
number27 wrote:
TBWG wrote:Whilst having a cappuccino in a local coffee shop two names just popped into my head for no apparent reason!

Well the Monaco GP is approaching so that may have something to do with one of the names, as I seem to recall that Johnny Servoz-Gavin left a Matra? with less than its full compliment of wheels in the middle of the track whilst trying to qualify in the principality. He got out of the car walked away never to be seen again!

The other name George Eaton a Canadian playboy BRM driver who also sank without trace.

Hmmm the memory is a strange indeed.

TBWG
The bold M. Servoz-Gavin's last F1 hurrah was at Monaco in 1970, when he failed to qualify his March. Given that as an F1 rookie two years earlier he'd stuck his Matra MS10 on the front row (whilst deputising for the injured Jackie Stewart), his excuse that he was suffering from the effects of an eye injury seems a reasonable one. He still holds a unique place in F1 history as the only man ever to have scored a world championship point in a four wheel drive car, the Matra MS84.
He didn't fail to qualify, he just quitted the track, F1 and motor racing during the qualifications... It was also said (and he said it too) that he had less and less pleasure driving race cars and that he felt that the pleasure couldn't compensate the danger anymore.
Anyway a very fast "play boy" driver. At the rainy Le Mans 1968, he stopped his Matra at the end of the first lap because the wipers didn't work, returned to the track last and gave back the car to Pescarolo at the ninth place. He died in 2006.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 7:06 pm
by Lt. Drebin
Anyone willing to discuss 1982 season with me? Where there is a discussion about it, I hear how Ferrari was the best car that year. Yet, I clearly remember that Renault dominated that season, and that it lost only due to bad reliability. Did I missed something about it, and what is the truth? I start doubting myself and mine own memory.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2014 4:26 pm
by TBWG
Few interesting oldies at Festival of Speed, Goodwood 2014

Image

Image

Image

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 11:02 am
by number27
Harpo wrote:
number27 wrote:
TBWG wrote:Whilst having a cappuccino in a local coffee shop two names just popped into my head for no apparent reason!

Well the Monaco GP is approaching so that may have something to do with one of the names, as I seem to recall that Johnny Servoz-Gavin left a Matra? with less than its full compliment of wheels in the middle of the track whilst trying to qualify in the principality. He got out of the car walked away never to be seen again!

The other name George Eaton a Canadian playboy BRM driver who also sank without trace.

Hmmm the memory is a strange indeed.

TBWG
The bold M. Servoz-Gavin's last F1 hurrah was at Monaco in 1970, when he failed to qualify his March. Given that as an F1 rookie two years earlier he'd stuck his Matra MS10 on the front row (whilst deputising for the injured Jackie Stewart), his excuse that he was suffering from the effects of an eye injury seems a reasonable one. He still holds a unique place in F1 history as the only man ever to have scored a world championship point in a four wheel drive car, the Matra MS84.
He didn't fail to qualify, he just quitted the track, F1 and motor racing during the qualifications... It was also said (and he said it too) that he had less and less pleasure driving race cars and that he felt that the pleasure couldn't compensate the danger anymore.
Anyway a very fast "play boy" driver. At the rainy Le Mans 1968, he stopped his Matra at the end of the first lap because the wipers didn't work, returned to the track last and gave back the car to Pescarolo at the ninth place. He died in 2006.
I must dig out my copy of Johnny Servoz-Gavin's autobiography, "Mes Excès De Vitesse". It's probably typical of the man that the cover of the book has a picture of a horse-drawn caravan on it!

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 1:41 pm
by Lt. Drebin
Interview with Alain Prost. What a legend:

http://bbs.hupu.com/5113933.html

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 5:21 pm
by Lt. Drebin
Another piece of insight at Imola 1982, I never knew before, from the mouth of the witness from the Ferrari box, namely the Antonio Tomaini - race engineer of Gilles Villeneuve at Scuderia Ferrari.

http://f1classic.blog.hu/2014/01/11/you_never_ge

"His reaction was reasonably furious, not for the race itself, but for his team mate's behaviour who not only ''stole'' his race, but he felt he cheated on their friendship which until that point Gilles was convinced was beyond question. Previously the two showed amicable behaviour. To confirm his idea of what friendship was, still in Imola, during qualifying, Gilles had showed us already by his actions, considering that usually drivers are very selfish particularly while they are fighting against their own teammate who is their worst opposition It was real proof. It was the first era of turbo engines when they were strong but weak. In Didier's car the engine was broken very soon. Gilles, in friendly and collegial way, let us give him the spare car which was supposed to be his. Pironi, after a few laps, had that one break down as well. In the meantime Gilles got his best time. He then came to help his teammate to qualify at least. He gave him his own car. We quickly made the necessary adjustments for Pironi and he shot out to get something in the remaining time of qualifying. So Pironi could manage to put the car beside Gilles on the second row. That was Villeneuve. He would do almost the impossible for a friend. This is how one can understand the reaction of Gilles after his team mate's eventual performance."

The legend of Gilles just grew on me.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:00 pm
by froze
I was just wondering, why was DC replaced by Mansell in the last 3 races of 1994 season?

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:06 pm
by POBRatings
froze wrote:I was just wondering, why was DC replaced by Mansell in the last 3 races of 1994 season?
Renault insisted on having a big name driver in the Williams! They paid Nigel a huge amount, DC was furious, and some in the team said DC'd have done about as well as Nigel did.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:21 pm
by POBRatings
Lt. Drebin wrote:Another piece of insight at Imola 1982, I never knew before, from the mouth of the witness from the Ferrari box, namely the Antonio Tomaini - race engineer of Gilles Villeneuve at Scuderia Ferrari.

http://f1classic.blog.hu/2014/01/11/you_never_ge

"His reaction was reasonably furious, not for the race itself, but for his team mate's behaviour who not only ''stole'' his race, but he felt he cheated on their friendship which until that point Gilles was convinced was beyond question. Previously the two showed amicable behaviour. To confirm his idea of what friendship was, still in Imola, during qualifying, Gilles had showed us already by his actions, considering that usually drivers are very selfish particularly while they are fighting against their own teammate who is their worst opposition It was real proof. It was the first era of turbo engines when they were strong but weak. In Didier's car the engine was broken very soon. Gilles, in friendly and collegial way, let us give him the spare car which was supposed to be his. Pironi, after a few laps, had that one break down as well. In the meantime Gilles got his best time. He then came to help his teammate to qualify at least. He gave him his own car. We quickly made the necessary adjustments for Pironi and he shot out to get something in the remaining time of qualifying. So Pironi could manage to put the car beside Gilles on the second row. That was Villeneuve. He would do almost the impossible for a friend. This is how one can understand the reaction of Gilles after his team mate's eventual performance."



The legend of Gilles just grew on me.
Great quote; and very accurate regarding Gilles' openness and Pironi's duplicity and ruthless ambition.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:42 pm
by POBRatings
Lt. Drebin wrote:Anyone willing to discuss 1982 season with me? Where there is a discussion about it, I hear how Ferrari was the best car that year. Yet, I clearly remember that Renault dominated that season, and that it lost only due to bad reliability. Did I missed something about it, and what is the truth? I start doubting myself and mine own memory.
Completely agree with you that he Renault was the fastest car and only lost because of poor reliability (17 retirements from 32 starts); by my reckoning Prost/Renault was the fastest package, but equalled by the Gilles/Ferrari, then very close behind the Arnoux/Renault and Piquet/Brabham-BMW tied. The Brabham-BMWs retired 15 of 22 races! The Ferraris (Gilles,Pironi, Tambay, Andretti) retired 4 times of 22 races, plus one dsq for Gilles at Longbeach. While the Ferraris were slower than the Renaults, they were much more reliable.

It was a really intense, exciting and very close season, with many top drivers and the very fast new turbo cars. But some Cosworth cars were competitive.

The good performances of the new carbon-fibre tub McLaren-Cosworth seems overlooked: driven by Watson and Lauda, they were almost as fast as the Williams-Cosworth , but got superior results: 4 wins to Williams/Rosberg's's one. McL retired 11 of 29 races, Williams 8 of 29, so Williams scored on reliability. Piquet and Patrese scored 2 wins from 7 races in the Brabham-Cosworth, retired 3 times. Tyrrell-Cosw and Lotus-Cosw also won a race each.

Imo Gilles and Piquet were the fastest drivers, Prost and Pironi next and close behind.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 8:10 pm
by POBRatings
Lt. Drebin wrote:Interview with Alain Prost. What a legend:

http://bbs.hupu.com/5113933.html
Good to have Prost's side published. I'd not put money on Fangio, Ascari, Moss, Clark or Schumacher to beat Prost in same-cars! The number of wins he racked up against Senna in 88-89 was amazing. To me Prost and Stewart seem to be most similar as drivers, smooth and thinking.

Re: Vintage F1 thread

Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:00 pm
by Lt. Drebin
I stumbled across this picture today and got stunned how beautiful were the cars back in 1984 compared to that of today both in design and in livery. On the picture are Nigel Mansell (Lotus) and late Michelle Alboreto (Ferrari).

Image

Copyright unknown, taken from http://i.kinja-img.com
Appears also on http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/