Discussion
Very sad to hear that Alan Jones has died, a few days after his 80th birthday . The archetypal tough Aussie racer , who became the template for the sort of driver Frank Williams and Patrick Head favoured. I saw him race many times, and while I remember his ballistic pace at Brands Hatch and Silverstone Grands Prix , my most abiding memory of him is the sight of the F5000 March 75A(with howling Cosworth GA V6 ) at Mallory Park in 1975. Tough guy , whose battles with Nelson Piquet were gloves off ....
Before my time but a tough driver and a character.
Some nice footage of Alan testing the new 1981 F1 cars.
From that 1981 BBC Horizons documentary on ground effect cars being banned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orXDyNS-GMg
Some nice footage of Alan testing the new 1981 F1 cars.
From that 1981 BBC Horizons documentary on ground effect cars being banned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orXDyNS-GMg
Edited by SoulGlo on Thursday 5th November 07:24
Edited by SoulGlo on Thursday 5th November 07:24
He was one if toughest of his time, and hugely unlucky not to win more titles, should have won again in 81were it not for horrendous bad luck. Then the weird comebacks with Arrows and very well paid with Beatrice that was pulled before it really got chance to fet anywhere.
What he also did was provide a template for Frank and Patrick that few lived up to, he set the tone really in that team for what drivers do, and only Mansell really lived up to it, with all the histrionics he bought.
He liked a drink did Alan, and did not hold his tongue, a familiar Aussie trait, but when he was goid he was simply untouchable from 79 to 81, against some very tough drivers.
What he also did was provide a template for Frank and Patrick that few lived up to, he set the tone really in that team for what drivers do, and only Mansell really lived up to it, with all the histrionics he bought.
He liked a drink did Alan, and did not hold his tongue, a familiar Aussie trait, but when he was goid he was simply untouchable from 79 to 81, against some very tough drivers.
Ahh bugger. My first F1 'hero'.
Two memories - first seeing him and Patrick Tambay walking along Chelmsford High Street in the early 80s wearing Beatrice Hass gear (they'd been testing at Boreham which is what I think that video mentioned above covers).
And 2005 I think - A1GP. He was the seat holder for Team Australia. I was doing a bit of media - radio interviews - and grabbed an interview with him. Afterwards we started chatting about Brands Hatch and i think he picked up that I was a bit of a fan. The support race was historic F1 and his old FW07 trundled past and parked up at the back of the pits waiting to go out. "There she is"... and proceeded to show me round the car behind which was Roseberg's FW08. Keke then wandered over and started swapping stores with Jones with me in awe in the middle.
Nelson Piquet was sat on a wall looking miserable. In front of him was his old BT49 and he showed absolutely zero interest in it. I pointed his ambivalence out to Jones who responded... "yeah, well, he's a
!" :-) I'm not certain if that was a friendly jibe or not.
Top fella.
Two memories - first seeing him and Patrick Tambay walking along Chelmsford High Street in the early 80s wearing Beatrice Hass gear (they'd been testing at Boreham which is what I think that video mentioned above covers).
And 2005 I think - A1GP. He was the seat holder for Team Australia. I was doing a bit of media - radio interviews - and grabbed an interview with him. Afterwards we started chatting about Brands Hatch and i think he picked up that I was a bit of a fan. The support race was historic F1 and his old FW07 trundled past and parked up at the back of the pits waiting to go out. "There she is"... and proceeded to show me round the car behind which was Roseberg's FW08. Keke then wandered over and started swapping stores with Jones with me in awe in the middle.
Nelson Piquet was sat on a wall looking miserable. In front of him was his old BT49 and he showed absolutely zero interest in it. I pointed his ambivalence out to Jones who responded... "yeah, well, he's a
!" :-) I'm not certain if that was a friendly jibe or not. Top fella.
1980 was the first year I really watched F1 without wanting to miss any races. It was an impressive championship win. I’m pretty sure I saw him race at Hockenheim in 1986 too.
A favourite memory was an interview, I think at Brands Hatch in the pits when he was asked how important tyres had been. “Well, they stopped the bottom of the car dragging along the ground”.
Proper bloke and always interesting to listen to.
A favourite memory was an interview, I think at Brands Hatch in the pits when he was asked how important tyres had been. “Well, they stopped the bottom of the car dragging along the ground”.
Proper bloke and always interesting to listen to.
Followed the Hunt / Lauda era but it was 1980 I was 15 , Dad got pit passes from work and took my brother and I to Brands Hatch for the weekend it was the year i really got into F1.
wandering around the Paddock we met most of the teams , a memorable time .Ive never missed a grand prix since .
Alan was always a hero , his no nonsense approach and the iconic Williams FW07
I remember watching this live and having a little giggle to myself.
Very much his own man, at his very best no nonsense approach.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PCXHz2HBvkE&ra=m
Very much his own man, at his very best no nonsense approach.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PCXHz2HBvkE&ra=m
He presented the F1 coverage in Australia on Channel 9 in the 80's and 90's, and I remember was a guest commentator on the BBC with Murray Walker. I can't find a video of it, but I found it quoted on the Autosport Forum, which is probably more accurate than my memory....
Poster on Autosport forum said:
Adelaide 1995, Murray Walker on the BBC with Alan Jones.
Schumacher and Alesi are in a serious battle for position:
Murray: "Shumacher tries to get down the inside of Alesi and Alesie shuts the door I don't know what Alesi is thinking!"
Jones: "I can hazard a guess Murray, Alesi is thinking your not going to overtake me there you arrogant little Kraut!"
Although terribly politically incorrect, I couldn't help myself laughing. :lol: And I am a Schumacher fan.
You need to hear it in Alan Jones voice.
Needless to say that was the last time the BBC made use of Alan Jones' services...;)
Schumacher and Alesi are in a serious battle for position:
Murray: "Shumacher tries to get down the inside of Alesi and Alesie shuts the door I don't know what Alesi is thinking!"
Jones: "I can hazard a guess Murray, Alesi is thinking your not going to overtake me there you arrogant little Kraut!"
Although terribly politically incorrect, I couldn't help myself laughing. :lol: And I am a Schumacher fan.
You need to hear it in Alan Jones voice.Needless to say that was the last time the BBC made use of Alan Jones' services...;)
smack said:
He presented the F1 coverage in Australia on Channel 9 in the 80's and 90's, and I remember was a guest commentator on the BBC with Murray Walker. I can't find a video of it, but I found it quoted on the Autosport Forum, which is probably more accurate than my memory....
It’s in the clip above.Poster on Autosport forum said:
Adelaide 1995, Murray Walker on the BBC with Alan Jones.
Schumacher and Alesi are in a serious battle for position:
Murray: "Shumacher tries to get down the inside of Alesi and Alesie shuts the door I don't know what Alesi is thinking!"
Jones: "I can hazard a guess Murray, Alesi is thinking your not going to overtake me there you arrogant little Kraut!"
Although terribly politically incorrect, I couldn't help myself laughing. :lol: And I am a Schumacher fan. You need to hear it in Alan Jones voice.
Needless to say that was the last time the BBC made use of Alan Jones' services...;)
Schumacher and Alesi are in a serious battle for position:
Murray: "Shumacher tries to get down the inside of Alesi and Alesie shuts the door I don't know what Alesi is thinking!"
Jones: "I can hazard a guess Murray, Alesi is thinking your not going to overtake me there you arrogant little Kraut!"
Although terribly politically incorrect, I couldn't help myself laughing. :lol: And I am a Schumacher fan.
You need to hear it in Alan Jones voice.Needless to say that was the last time the BBC made use of Alan Jones' services...;)
Purosangue said:
Followed the Hunt / Lauda era but it was 1980 I was 15 , Dad got pit passes from work and took my brother and I to Brands Hatch for the weekend it was the year i really got into F1.
wandering around the Paddock we met most of the teams , a memorable time .Ive never missed a grand prix since .
Alan was always a hero , his no nonsense approach and the iconic Williams FW07
What a great pic, thanks for posting. We were sat a bit further round Paddock Bend. That was the first GP I went to, AJ was my first F1 hero as he looked a bit like my dad!wandering around the Paddock we met most of the teams , a memorable time .Ive never missed a grand prix since .
Alan was always a hero , his no nonsense approach and the iconic Williams FW07
Mentioned on another thread the other week, we stayed at a hotel in Sevenoaks the night before the race, and found out the Williams team were eating there in a separate dining room.
Can’t remember how, but we were invited to meet them; both Franks, Patrick Head and AJ and Carlos Reutemann. AJ signed our Autosport GP preview and I was made up!
RIP AJ
I was a big fan. Had a big poster of him in his FW07 and got to meet him on the Leyland Trucks stand on Press Day at the 1980 Motor Show at the NEC. He was probably bored out of his mind being asked dumb questions by fawning schoolboys, but he humoured us. He is the only person I have ever asked for an autograph.
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