F1 Past

[Eric Mc]

For me Villeneuve's death was just one in a long line of deaths. And, to me, one I felt had an air of inevitability about it - because he drove with an air of reckless abandon - in an era where reckless abandon also meant a reckless approach to mortality.

[anonymous-user]

coppice said:

He got an unfair press really , as he was a very handy driver but paired with Senna he was never going to come out of it well . And, unlike his dad , who was born in Italy of course, and very comfortable away from the USA , MA never quite clicked with the European vibe of F1 , even remaining in the USA between races. Maybe there's something to learn here - Andretti Senior was brilliant wherever he raced, the sublimely cool Peter Revson was as comfortable in Europe as the USA , as was Dan Gurney - but great drivers like Mark Donohue never really shone outside the USA.

I remember watching MA spin at McLeans in '93 , on the dry Saturday of Doington's European GP , shortly after watching Senna go through the Craner Curves at what was reported to be 175mph ....MA was good all right but Senna was quite extraordinary.

Great to hear your take on the Andretti saga.

I felt for him in 1993. A lot of pressure just entering F1 and also the fact that many were stating he would be a World Champion as well.

To have Senna as well alongside you must have made it a very steep learning curve.

The 1993 McLaren was not exactly the best either.

[anonymous-user]

I love when you all come and share your stories or memories.

This is as important as the actual footage

[anonymous-user]

yoshisdad said:

Strange how you remember things.

Last week was the anniversary of the death, in 1982, of Gilles Villeneuve. I was 14 and can remember hearing it on the new radio my dad had just had put in his Escort Van, by my uncle Vick. My brother and myself would travel in the back on an old mattress. I remember feeling that the news was important because it was about a driver I had heard about.

Looking back on it now as a 50 year old, his death was the first that affected me at a conscious level. With the deaths of family, friends, colleagues and racing drivers during my life,some were more painful, some more memorable, but his was the first.

As yourself and Eric have mentioned about Villenueve it was my first time of knowing about someone dying.

I was only 6 and didn't understand what exactly had happened but I do remember it being on the news later on and being upset.

Clearly my understanding was limited as I did wonder why he was not at the next few races.

Oh to be young and naive.

[cgt2]

Vocal Minority said:

Michael was in some ways unlucky to be the son of possibly the best all rounder ever as well.

If you look up a documentary series on Youtube from 1993 about McLaren (I think it was called ''The Team'') they gave a very in-depth view of that season, and one episode focused on Andretti. There were factors such as commuting to every race from the US but the contrast was obvious when Hakkinen came in for his first practice session and beat Senna's time at Estoril.

[anonymous-user]

This time it's Patrese's big accident/misjudgement

1992 Portuguese Grand Prix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMoi1sDgN0Y

[anonymous-user]

cgt2 said:

If you look up a documentary series on Youtube from 1993 about McLaren (I think it was called ''The Team'') they gave a very in-depth view of that season, and one episode focused on Andretti. There were factors such as commuting to every race from the US but the contrast was obvious when Hakkinen came in for his first practice session and beat Senna's time at Estoril.

Just noticed this when looking at the Andretti footage earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8aGub_2QyQ

Hakinen's accident during the Australian GP weekend of 1995

Eurosport coverage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wsqbJqtvJQ

In car

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPgkm-wsc6M

With the protection now he would have walked away without injury.

[anonymous-user]

The Shortest Race In History | 1991 Australian Grand Prix

Featuring

Crazy weather

Prost being fired

Gianni Morbidelli replaces Prost

Nelson Piquet last GP

Only 16 laps completed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ps29eT1_rs

[Mr_Thyroid]

That was the last race of 95. For the start of 96 they had lateral head protection so one race later and he may well have walked away.

[cgt2]

Going Critical documentary that was shown on CH4 a couple of years after the Senna crash. Also has an interview with Alboreto shortly before he passed away too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luLFMoW1IuE

[coppice]

Got to share my favourite Niki Lauda story , prompted by the mention above of the shortest GP. A journalist was pointing out to Lauda that , technically speaking , the 1976 German GP in which he had his dreadful accident , had not taken place as the race was stopped and restarted , with no aggregation of times from the first start.

Now , you've got to imagine this being said in Lauda's distinctively accented voice - 'OK . So what the fk happened to my ear? '

I never had a hero but if I had it would be Lauda , the man whom Harry Carpenter in a BBC interview described as being the bravest he had ever met . Nobody changed gear better than he did - I recall being at Brands in 82 listening to him in the McLaren MP4 and his gearchanging was metronomic . Lightning fast, and revs matched perfectly on every downchange - this in an era of stick shift heel and toe of course.

I saw Lauda win his last GP at Zandvoort 85 and I left a very a happy man.

[paua]

coppice said:

Got to share my favourite Niki Lauda story , prompted by the mention above of the shortest GP. A journalist was pointing out to Lauda that , technically speaking , the 1976 German GP in which he had his dreadful accident , had not taken place as the race was stopped and restarted , with no aggregation of times from the first start.

Now , you've got to imagine this being said in Lauda's distinctively accented voice - 'OK . So what the fk happened to my ear? '

I never had a hero but if I had it would be Lauda , the man whom Harry Carpenter in a BBC interview described as being the bravest he had ever met . Nobody changed gear better than he did - I recall being at Brands in 82 listening to him in the McLaren MP4 and his gearchanging was metronomic . Lightning fast, and revs matched perfectly on every downchange - this in an era of stick shift heel and toe of course.

I saw Lauda win his last GP at Zandvoort 85 and I left a very a happy man.

I think he is a bit under-rated by the general public/ casual fan. He was quite special, not just in his bravery ( nobody needs a larger wheelbarrow to carry his cojones), but also his blunt honesty. Before the accident, he was also pretty damn quick - had the record for poles in a season. His books are worth reading.

[Vocal Minority]

He absolutely is under-rated - He was PDQ after the accident as well!

He's in any right thinking persons top 10 in my opinion.

I suspect the man's an utter ahole....but I quite like him!

Edited by Vocal Minority on Thursday 17th May 09:00

[paua]

Vocal Minority said:

He absolutely is under-rated - He was PDQ after the accident as well!

He's in any right thinking persons top 10 in my opinion.

I suspect the man's an utter ahole....but I quite like him!

Edited by Vocal Minority on Thursday 17th May 09:00

Middle of top ten in my book

[coppice]

I don't care too much about the general public's view of Lauda or anybody else as it's a view which tends to be as under-infomed as I am on the ball games played by Manchester Rovers etc ..

Lauda hit the radar in 73 with some great drives in the BRM , a car two years past its best. With better luck and fewer mistakes he'd have won the championship in 74, did so in 75 , came within a gnats of winning in 76, did so in 77.then wasted time in Brabham Alfas until walking away in 79. He came back in 82, but unlike some drivers who made a comeback (eg Jones, Schumacher) Lauda was on it immediately and won the championship (from Prost !) in 84 .

I have read his books and enjoyed them . I don't think he's unlikeable at all- he is very smart , very articulate, funny , has an extraordinary power to zero in on key issues and appears utterly fearless .Respect .

[paua]

coppice said:

I don't care too much about the general public's view of Lauda or anybody else as it's a view which tends to be as under-infomed as I am on the ball games played by Manchester Rovers etc ..

Lauda hit the radar in 73 with some great drives in the BRM , a car two years past its best. With better luck and fewer mistakes he'd have won the championship in 74, did so in 75 , came within a gnats of winning in 76, did so in 77.then wasted time in Brabham Alfas until walking away in 79. He came back in 82, but unlike some drivers who made a comeback (eg Jones, Schumacher) Lauda was on it immediately and won the championship (from Prost !) in 84 .

I have read his books and enjoyed them . I don't think he's unlikeable at all- he is very smart , very articulate, funny , has an extraordinary power to zero in on key issues and appears utterly fearless .Respect .

Agreed
There's no one in F1 I'd rather have a beer with.

[Vocal Minority]

oh i didnt say i didnt like him

[anonymous-user]

Niki Lauda testing some more modern F1 cars

Not exactly hanging about. WOW

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

[anonymous-user]

This is a stunning clip from 2015.

How good do these cars look.

Alain Prost

Niki Lauda

Gerhard Berger

Nelson Piquet

Jean Alesi

And more

Vintage Vroom - F1 Legends at the 2015 Austrian Grand Prix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kTxc6K3vs8

[anonymous-user]

Nigel Mansell Williams FW16 test 1994

Part 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1uPnURYYWQ

Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVFG7gYPK_g