RE: Button drives Senna's McLaren: Time for Coffee?
Tuesday 30th June 2015
Before you get completely Goodwooded out, here's a video from the Festival of Speed that really is worth spending a minute or so on.
Button drives Senna's McLaren: Time for Coffee?
One of the most beautiful Formula 1 cars of the modern era on the hill at Goodwood
Most Formula 1 cars tackle the hill at either a gentle 'display' pace, or stopping every ten yards to perform yet another burnout. Not so Jenson Button, who had the opportunity to forget McLaren's miserable season so far by driving this magnificent MP4/6 from 1991. The car was driven by Ayrton Senna who took seven victories and his final Drivers' Championship in it.
And while it's clear that Button isn't trying to break the course record, he's also not hanging around - taking the chance to have a proper go in a properly special car, in the way we probably all wish we would given half a chance. The MP4/6 was the last car to win a Formula 1 Championship with a V12 engine, and also the last one to do so fitted with an 'H' pattern manual gear selector. We doubt Jenson was revving it out to the full 14,000, but it still sounded superb as it blasted up the hill. (And does here, behind the commentary.)
Full credit to McLaren for the repaint, too - a close facsimile of the 'fag packet' livery it wore in period, without actually advertising cigarettes.
Watch it here.
Discussion
I've watched coverage of the weekend on Motors TV, and realised why I really must visit next year.
If I were Button I'd have been unable to drive through the tears of joy and sadness I would be crying from just sitting in the seat of the greatest Grand Prix driver of modern times.
As for the approximation of the livery, why wouldn't they repainting it in full Marlboro colours? It's hardly advertising tobacco products in a competition environment, and we all remember the team/car back then as the 'Marlboro McLaren', just as men of a certain age will go all misty eyed at the mention of the 'JPS Lotus'...
Marvellous, and bravo to McLaren for letting us see and experience this most magical machine.
If I were Button I'd have been unable to drive through the tears of joy and sadness I would be crying from just sitting in the seat of the greatest Grand Prix driver of modern times.
As for the approximation of the livery, why wouldn't they repainting it in full Marlboro colours? It's hardly advertising tobacco products in a competition environment, and we all remember the team/car back then as the 'Marlboro McLaren', just as men of a certain age will go all misty eyed at the mention of the 'JPS Lotus'...
Marvellous, and bravo to McLaren for letting us see and experience this most magical machine.
I've watched coverage of the weekend on Motors TV, and realised why I really must visit next year.
If I were Button I'd have been unable to drive through the tears of joy and sadness I would be crying from just sitting in the seat of the greatest Grand Prix driver of modern times.
As for the approximation of the livery, why wouldn't they repainting it in full Marlboro colours? It's hardly advertising tobacco products in a competition environment, and we all remember the team/car back then as the 'Marlboro McLaren', just as men of a certain age will go all misty eyed at the mention of the 'JPS Lotus'...
Marvellous, and bravo to McLaren for letting us see and experience this most magical machine.
If I were Button I'd have been unable to drive through the tears of joy and sadness I would be crying from just sitting in the seat of the greatest Grand Prix driver of modern times.
As for the approximation of the livery, why wouldn't they repainting it in full Marlboro colours? It's hardly advertising tobacco products in a competition environment, and we all remember the team/car back then as the 'Marlboro McLaren', just as men of a certain age will go all misty eyed at the mention of the 'JPS Lotus'...
Marvellous, and bravo to McLaren for letting us see and experience this most magical machine.
rtz62 said:
I've watched coverage of the weekend on Motors TV, and realised why I really must visit next year.
If I were Button I'd have been unable to drive through the tears of joy and sadness I would be crying from just sitting in the seat of the greatest Grand Prix driver of modern times.
As for the approximation of the livery, why wouldn't they repainting it in full Marlboro colours? It's hardly advertising tobacco products in a competition environment, and we all remember the team/car back then as the 'Marlboro McLaren', just as men of a certain age will go all misty eyed at the mention of the 'JPS Lotus'...
Marvellous, and bravo to McLaren for letting us see and experience this most magical machine.
The Festival of Speed is great, the only downsides are queuing to get in and the ticket cost. It's like many car museums brought to life, as the Revival is classic racing brought to life. I'd also like to go to the Choldmondely Pageant of Power and Silverstone Classic at least once.If I were Button I'd have been unable to drive through the tears of joy and sadness I would be crying from just sitting in the seat of the greatest Grand Prix driver of modern times.
As for the approximation of the livery, why wouldn't they repainting it in full Marlboro colours? It's hardly advertising tobacco products in a competition environment, and we all remember the team/car back then as the 'Marlboro McLaren', just as men of a certain age will go all misty eyed at the mention of the 'JPS Lotus'...
Marvellous, and bravo to McLaren for letting us see and experience this most magical machine.
PhantomPH said:
I know it's trivial, but it really takes the edge off it for me that they have changed the livery. Why????? We wouldn't repaint a Picasso if some of the content suddenly was deemed 'old thinking', so why change this work of art? Heathens!! 
EU directives and UK laws banned tobacco advertising on TV.FourWheelDrift said:
PhantomPH said:
I know it's trivial, but it really takes the edge off it for me that they have changed the livery. Why????? We wouldn't repaint a Picasso if some of the content suddenly was deemed 'old thinking', so why change this work of art? Heathens!!
EU directives banned tobacco advertising on TV.Unless they are new/replica body panels and the original ones are back at Woking ready to bolt back on, that's still the wrong solution in my mind.
PhantomPH said:
I know it's trivial, but it really takes the edge off it for me that they have changed the livery. Why????? We wouldn't repaint a Picasso if some of the content suddenly was deemed 'old thinking', so why change this work of art? Heathens!!
Hopefully it's just a vinyl and they'll take it off when it goes back to the museum!PhantomPH said:
FourWheelDrift said:
PhantomPH said:
I know it's trivial, but it really takes the edge off it for me that they have changed the livery. Why????? We wouldn't repaint a Picasso if some of the content suddenly was deemed 'old thinking', so why change this work of art? Heathens!!
EU directives banned tobacco advertising on TV.Unless they are new/replica body panels and the original ones are back at Woking ready to bolt back on, that's still the wrong solution in my mind.
Yeah, I get all that - I was really just having a moan at the daftness of it all.
Do we also have to start editing movies where cigarette brands are referenced? Or cutting out every scene where a character smokes and looks cool? What about drinking?
To me this was the same as the current 'Queen' line up. Yeah it's awesome music and it's still most of the same parts, but it's not the actual 'Queen', is it?
Do we also have to start editing movies where cigarette brands are referenced? Or cutting out every scene where a character smokes and looks cool? What about drinking?
To me this was the same as the current 'Queen' line up. Yeah it's awesome music and it's still most of the same parts, but it's not the actual 'Queen', is it?
rtz62 said:
I've watched coverage of the weekend on Motors TV, and realised why I really must visit next year.
Though I haven't been for a few years now, I feel that the whole thing has changed beyond all recognition. I went to the 2nd FoS and found it to be more of a garden party/village fete with cars; I also went several years later and it had evolved into a corporate day out, dominated by men in the standard uniform of cream chinos, blue Oxford weave shirt and navy blazer, drinking wine! Whilst I applaud the fact that it is so popular, it's just got too big.
PhantomPH said:
Yeah, I get all that - I was really just having a moan at the daftness of it all.
Do we also have to start editing movies where cigarette brands are referenced? Or cutting out every scene where a character smokes and looks cool? What about drinking?
To me this was the same as the current 'Queen' line up. Yeah it's awesome music and it's still most of the same parts, but it's not the actual 'Queen', is it?
There aren't laws banning cigarettes in movies, so not sure what the comparison is... As for Queen... well it isn't the actual Ayrton Senna in the car either. Do we also have to start editing movies where cigarette brands are referenced? Or cutting out every scene where a character smokes and looks cool? What about drinking?
To me this was the same as the current 'Queen' line up. Yeah it's awesome music and it's still most of the same parts, but it's not the actual 'Queen', is it?
Bottom line is, the car retains the iconic red/white colours in the same proportions and design (which is actually the same Marlboro branding carried by Penske, Williams and countless others at various points in time) but just replaces the explicit wording of 'Marlboro.' Really don't see what the fuss is all about tbh.
But then again, I smoke Silk Cut.
Just wondering how long it will be before F1 or any other racing car driver won't be able to drive these historic cars in demo runs anymore because everything nowadays is flappy paddles. Nothing against flappy paddles but just thinking it will be a shame as modern teenage drivers don't come into contact at all with H pattern manual changes
I see the livery as fully authentic, not just something for today. Even when it was Marlboro (can I say that?!) there were still a few races in that era where they changed it to McLaren. Assume it was something they had to do for certain markets only before there was a global ban.
Was the same with rothmans / racing, benson and hedges / buzzin Hornets etc
Was the same with rothmans / racing, benson and hedges / buzzin Hornets etc
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff