F1 cars at Brands Hatch

[rallycross]

Found a nice old clip here of F1 cars at Brands hatch in 1983, they sound amazing and great to see the speed they carry into the Paddock Hill...


https://youtu.be/6hAUUznHWm4

[Eric Mc]

rallycross said:

Found a nice old clip here of F1 cars at Brands hatch in 1983, they sound amazing and great to see the speed they carry into the Paddock Hill...


https://youtu.be/6hAUUznHWm4

Although the 1983 British GP was held at Silverstone, a non-championship F1 race was held at Brands Hatch that year - the International Race of Champions. As far as I know, this is the last time current F1 cars ever raced against each other in a non-World Championship related race.

BBC highlights broadcast here -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o475WV0GE48

Last ever British GP held at Brands was the 1986 race -

Full race -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfrgmd60lME

[tight fart]

I was lucky enough to get a full press photographers pass for the 1980 race, oh how times have changed.
Watched the start from behind the Armco on the outside of paddock, then as the pack passed run
across the track to be on the infield for the race.
I think Alan Jones won in the Williams.
Something to do in lockdown, dig some pics out.

[rallycross]

Eric Mc said:

Although the 1983 British GP was held at Silverstone, a non-championship F1 race was held at Brands Hatch that year - the International Race of Champions. As far as I know, this is the last time current F1 cars ever raced against each other in a non-World Championship related race.

BBC highlights broadcast here -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o475WV0GE48

Last ever British GP held at Brands was the 1986 race -

Full race -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfrgmd60lME

thanks will have a look at these, would have loved to see F1 cars going round Brands, same goes for Group C cars must have looked insanely quick!

[johnoz]

I still have the ticket to the race of champions in 83, sad in know.

I was at the 86 race too, sat on South Bank

[Thundersports]

Brands had two contemporary F1 races in 1983 with the European race in the autumn. Halcyon days in that period from 82-86 a race every year.

[rallycross]

the last 5 mins is the best bet they are right on the ragged edge coming through Paddock into Druids - as Murray Walker would have said - its FANATSTIC!

[NeilAndHisMini]

My first experience of live F1 was the ground effect cars through Paddock during the morning warm up for the 1980 race. That stayed with me.

Turned 18 in 1983 and it remains the year in which I went to the most F1 races. The two at Brands, plus a budget coach/ferry trip to Zandvoort.

Rather a sparse grid for the Race of Champions, but the Rosberg/Sullivan battle for the lead made up for that. I'd forgotten that it was also the debut for the Honda turbo.

[Eric Mc]

NeilAndHisMini said:

My first experience of live F1 was the ground effect cars through Paddock during the morning warm up for the 1980 race. That stayed with me.

Turned 18 in 1983 and it remains the year in which I went to the most F1 races. The two at Brands, plus a budget coach/ferry trip to Zandvoort.

Rather a sparse grid for the Race of Champions, but the Rosberg/Sullivan battle for the lead made up for that. I'd forgotten that it was also the debut for the Honda turbo.

With Stefan Johannson driving - and it blew up.

[nickfrog]

Eric Mc said:

Last ever British GP held at Brands was the 1986 race -

Full race -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfrgmd60lME

Thx for that Eric although not sure I can watch it as I think this is when Lafitte broke both legs...

[coppice]

Skip the opening laps ? It was very sad and all that , but we didn't go home on the day. And if memory serves, the 85 European GP at Brands had a fatality(Stephen Langton ) in a support race - bad stuff happens, and I don't think it is insensitive to watch a race where someone was hurt.as long as that is incidental But replaying accidents for their own sake is repellent and crass .

I saw every F1 event at Brands between 72 and 86 and adored it - Silverstone had the insane speed but standing at Paddock Hill , or listening to a 1000bhp F1 car as it accelerated up to Hawthorn was spell binding . I mentioned elsewhere a youtube film of 86 - ' Formula 1 test days 1986 Brands Hatch Mansell/PIquet ' - superb imagery and sound

[nickfrog]

coppice said:

Skip the opening laps ? It was very sad and all that , but we didn't go home on the day. And if memory serves, the 85 European GP at Brands had a fatality(Stephen Langton ) in a support race - bad stuff happens, and I don't think it is insensitive to watch a race where someone was hurt.as long as that is incidental But replaying accidents for their own sake is repellent and crass .

Fortunately I didn't say it was insensitive nor that I planned to replay any accidents.

[Eric Mc]

The accident happened at the first corner on the first lap and the race was stopped. If you want to skip the accident, just fast forward to the restart and you'll be safe.

To be honest, if you are upset by an accident where someone broke their legs, you are probably not the person to watch old motor racing as a lot worse happened back then. For example, on no account watch the 1971 end of season F1 race held at Brands Hatch.

[nickfrog]

Eric Mc said:

To be honest, if you are upset by an accident where someone broke their legs, you are probably not the person to watch old motor racing as a lot worse happened back then. For example, on no account watch the 1971 end of season F1 race held at Brands Hatch.

I can't remember saying I get upset. I have worked in motorsport long enough to know the reality of what can happen.

[sparta6]

coppice said:

I saw every F1 event at Brands between 72 and 86 and adored it - Silverstone had the insane speed but standing at Paddock Hill , or listening to a 1000bhp F1 car as it accelerated up to Hawthorn was spell binding . I mentioned elsewhere a youtube film of 86 - ' Formula 1 test days 1986 Brands Hatch Mansell/PIquet ' - superb imagery and sound

Brands has to be the most compelling race circuit in Europe, alongside Spa.

[Eric Mc]

nickfrog said:

Eric Mc said:

To be honest, if you are upset by an accident where someone broke their legs, you are probably not the person to watch old motor racing as a lot worse happened back then. For example, on no account watch the 1971 end of season F1 race held at Brands Hatch.

I can't remember saying I get upset. I have worked in motorsport long enough to know the reality of what can happen.

You did seem to hint that you didn't want to watch the 1986 race because of the accident. Sorry if I misunderstood what you meant to say.

Have you watched the 1971 race I mentioned?
It was on You Tube although I can't see it at the moment.

[entropy]

Wow, that Tyrrell/Benetton has incredible handling prowess. If it had a turbo it would no doubt have won a race at the very least so no wonder some thought highly of Eddie Cheever. Did Benetton try to purchase Tyrrell? No guessing what Ken thought of the idea!

Speaking of which, the Toleman was looks nimble round the corners as well. Rory Bryne is massively underrated, IMO - Newey's peaks were longer at better teams with better capacity; Stefan Johannson has plenty of good things to say about driving that car.

[WelshChris]

Eric Mc said:

To be honest, if you are upset by an accident where someone broke their legs, you are probably not the person to watch old motor racing as a lot worse happened back then. For example, on no account watch the 1971 end of season F1 race held at Brands Hatch.

Saw it with my own eyes on Hawthorn Hill as a young 12 year-old with my dad Eric. Went down there as there were less people so a better view. What a great driver he was. Tragic.

Edited by WelshChris on Wednesday 15th April 20:57

[tight fart]

Found some old negs but they take an age to scan.
I took this at the start of the Grand Prix then ran across the track once they'd passed.

[Eric Mc]

WelshChris said:

Eric Mc said:

To be honest, if you are upset by an accident where someone broke their legs, you are probably not the person to watch old motor racing as a lot worse happened back then. For example, on no account watch the 1971 end of season F1 race held at Brands Hatch.

Saw it with my own eyes on Hawthorn Hill as a young 12 year-old with my dad Eric. Went down there as there were less people so a better view. What a great driver he was. Tragic.

Edited by WelshChris on Wednesday 15th April 20:57

Although I remember it from the time - it was big news - it's only in recent years that I discovered the TV footage.