Gin and tonic pit stop photo

[pits]

Could anyone help me tracking down a photo of an early F1 pit stop, where I'm sure the pit board says
"G and T?"
I want to say Jim Clarke possibly

[aka_kerrly]

Presumably Gas & Tyres rather than concern about the driver's fluid levels

[TheDeuce]

aka_kerrly said:

Presumably Gas & Tyres rather than concern about the driver's fluid levels

Although if you go back far enough, there are stories about fag breaks and quick 'sharpener' during pit stops in some race series

[Evangelion]

pits said:

... I want to say Jim Clarke possibly

Might be better if you said Jim Clark.



[Pistonheads .. pedantry matters.]

[ralphrj]

TheDeuce said:

Although if you go back far enough, there are stories about fag breaks and quick 'sharpener' during pit stops in some race series

Pierre Levegh attempted the 24 hours of Le Mans single handed in 1952 by quaffing Champagne to keep himself going.

He retired from a 4 lap lead in the final hour with engine failure (often attributed to fatigue but was actually a manufacturing defect).

Levegh was killed at Le Mans in 1955 when his car clipped another and landed in the crowd.

[jjones]

[Evangelion]

I've seen a photo from the 50s where a driver is smoking a pipe, seemingly oblivious of the fuel filler cap inches behind his head.

[FourWheelDrift]

[Evangelion]

Yes it was just like that - except that in the picture of the guy smoking a pipe, the car was actually moving!

[TheDeuce]

Evangelion said:

I've seen a photo from the 50s where a driver is smoking a pipe, seemingly oblivious of the fuel filler cap inches behind his head.

sounds very dangerous but it's actually not possible to ignite fuel with smoldering tobacco. Chuck a lit cigarette in to a pool of petrol and it will go out.

There was a experiment on TV years ago, can't find it - so instead here is a clip of a hillbilly doing the same thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsZOE1nvlhI

Also mobile phones won't ignite fuel, unless they're very old mobile phones which had a mechanical on/off switch. Which is ironic as early mobile phone warning signs in petrol stations said you should turn them off!

In various other ways, drinking champagne and smoking whilst racing potentially could be dangerous though

[Halmyre]

Mike Hawthorn managed to obtain a pint of shandy on the cooling-down lap of the 1958 British Grand Prix. It was a hot day and the marshalls were taunting Hawthorn by raising pints of beer every time he went by, so after the finish he stopped and nabbed one.

[TheDeuce]

Halmyre said:

Mike Hawthorn managed to obtain a pint of shandy on the cooling-down lap of the 1958 British Grand Prix. It was a hot day and the marshalls were taunting Hawthorn by raising pints of beer every time he went by, so after the finish he stopped and nabbed one.

That should be a thing now. The winner gets the champagne during his victory lap

Might conflict a little with the 'never drink and drive' banners around the track...

[cuprabob]

TheDeuce said:

Halmyre said:

Mike Hawthorn managed to obtain a pint of shandy on the cooling-down lap of the 1958 British Grand Prix. It was a hot day and the marshalls were taunting Hawthorn by raising pints of beer every time he went by, so after the finish he stopped and nabbed one.

That should be a thing now. The winner gets the champagne during his victory lap

Might conflict a little with the 'never drink and drive' banners around the track...

Just replace the champagne with milk, like they do at the Indy 500

[coppice]

NASCAR driver Dick Trickle (really ) had a hole drilled in his helmet so he could spark up a smoke in the dull bits . Also in NASCAR , Tim Flock was accompanied by his pet monkey (Jocko Flocko) when he won a race at Hickory in '53 .

[Oldwolf]

coppice said:

Also in NASCAR , Tim Flock was accompanied by his pet monkey (Jocko Flocko) when he won a race at Hickory in '53 .

Thank you - my life is better knowing this :-)

[gtsralph]

Smoking is not dangerous

[Mr_Thyroid]

Felice Bonetto smoking a pipe while racing in the 1952 German GP

[rallycross]

gtsralph said:

Smoking is not dangerous

Wow what a great photo.

Sidecar mentalist ✔️
Helmet not fastened ✔️
Whilst Smoking a fag mid race? ✔️

[Supersam83]

gtsralph said:

Smoking is not dangerous

A health and safety official's head would explode if they saw that picture

Surprised the weight of his balls aren’t slowing down the bike

[Evangelion]

Mr_Thyroid said:

Felice Bonetto smoking a pipe while racing in the 1952 German GP

Well done, you've found it! That's the one I remember seeing. I was in a talk someone was giving, about early F1 racing.