Heads up - Steve McQueen: Le Mans and the Man

[pincher]

BBC4 at 9pm tonight. No idea if it has been on before but seeing as though we aren’t allowed out to play at the moment, seems like a worthwhile watch.

[thegreenhell]

And is followed by Hunt vs Lauda documentary, to complete an evening of motorsport nostalgia.

[TCEvo]

Good that it's on, shame it's not BBC2 as it would be HD.

[thegreenhell]

It should be available in HD on iplayer afterwards.

[TCEvo]

Turns out it's HD on my TV.

Also just downloaded (free) Football Manager 2020. That's the evening sorted.

[1602Mark]

Just been drooling over the metal in the background let alone those race cars. There's just something about 70's cars that modern stuff just cannot match for me. I'm admittedly biased and middle aged though.

Anyway, can't hang about here as I have drooling to get back to.

[Nickp82]

Tiny subtitles are a bit annoying

[Watchman]

I've been to watch the race a few times in the 90s but I'd trade all those memories to have watched one from this era. I was only 3yo when the film was released but I still feel a connection to the time.

[cuprabob]

TCEvo said:

Good that it's on, shame it's not BBC2 as it would be HD.

BBC 4 is HD on Free view Channel 106.

[TCEvo]

cuprabob said:

TCEvo said:

Good that it's on, shame it's not BBC2 as it would be HD.

BBC 4 is HD on Free view Channel 106.

Freesat for me - 107

[Kinkell]

The actual "Le Mans" film never quite clicked with me. Time to give it another go.
We were at the Silverstone WEC 2014 when the dapper Derek Bell emerged from the building, that's me on the left.

[Halmyre]

TCEvo said:

Turns out it's HD on my TV.

Also just downloaded (free) Football Manager 2020. That's the evening sorted.

Football Manager 2020 - new game play! - painting the house, digging the garden, visiting the jobcentre, cramping the wife's style...

[TCEvo]

Halmyre said:

TCEvo said:

Turns out it's HD on my TV.

Also just downloaded (free) Football Manager 2020. That's the evening sorted.

Football Manager 2020 - new game play! - painting the house, digging the garden, visiting the jobcentre, cramping the wife's style...

Long, long time since I've played FM & found the 2020 version very difficult to use - I'll give it another crack, but I didn't even get as far as a match yesterday evening.

[Randy Winkman]

thegreenhell said:

And is followed by Hunt vs Lauda documentary, to complete an evening of motorsport nostalgia.

I can never decide whether I admire Lauda for his toughness in coming back so quickly or just think he's nuts. Perhaps the trauma had a big effect on his decision making?

In the final race they mentioned 24 seconds for Hunt's wheel change. Anyone know anything about 1970s wheel changes in F1? My understanding is that it wasn't really a routine event in a race but clearly was done as quickly as possible and was important on this event.

How many people for each wheel? What equipment? Was 24 seconds typical?

[Smollet]

Kinkell said:

The actual "Le Mans" film never quite clicked with me. Time to give it another go.
We were at the Silverstone WEC 2014 when the dapper Derek Bell emerged from the building, that's me on the left.

I can go one further
I have lost 4 stone since that horror was taken
Excellent documentary

[Smollet]

Randy Winkman said:

In the final race they mentioned 24 seconds for Hunt's wheel change. Anyone know anything about 1970s wheel changes in F1? My understanding is that it wasn't really a routine event in a race but clearly was done as quickly as possible and was important on this event.

How many people for each wheel? What equipment? Was 24 seconds typical?

You obviously missed the part of the commentary where it was mentioned he had two flat tyres and made jacking the car up fairly difficult hence the 24 seconds it took to change the tyres.

[RichB]

I watched this and a couple of things struck me: I didn't realise McQueen was such a prima donna and his son did not come over well.

[Watchman]

RichB said:

I watched this and a couple of things struck me: I didn't realise McQueen was such a prima donna and his son did not come over well.

The accident with the Swedish acress and the way the dealt with the personal assistant guy left a sour taste.

[P5BNij]

Watchman said:

RichB said:

I watched this and a couple of things struck me: I didn't realise McQueen was such a prima donna and his son did not come over well.

The accident with the Swedish acress and the way the dealt with the personal assistant guy left a sour taste.

All that aside it was nice seeing the behind the scenes footage, some of it was shot by Solar Productions themselves but the b&w news footage of McQueen and the other drivers being driven around in shiny new 911s was a treat. I already have it on dvd but watching it again last night reminded how much I still want a Porsche of some description before I shuffle off.

[Eric Mc]

Randy Winkman said:

I can never decide whether I admire Lauda for his toughness in coming back so quickly or just think he's nuts. Perhaps the trauma had a big effect on his decision making?

In the final race they mentioned 24 seconds for Hunt's wheel change. Anyone know anything about 1970s wheel changes in F1? My understanding is that it wasn't really a routine event in a race but clearly was done as quickly as possible and was important on this event.

How many people for each wheel? What equipment? Was 24 seconds typical?

Changing wheels/tyres had fallen out of favour in F1 from about 1958 to 1982. It was only the advent of turbo-charging (i.e. massive horse power) and super soft tyres that the notion of changing wheels as part of race strategy became a "thing".

Old style wheel changes (pre mid 1950s going right back to the first GP in 1906) were there because the races were longer (300 miles and longer) and the tyres were ste and could not last the distance).