Old Spa footage (unusually good quality film and sound 50’s)

[rallycross]

I’ve read about the old circuit at Spa a fair bit, always sounded amazing but never seen any really good film of it until I saw this today.

https://youtu.be/7exBtOgys7I


The sound quality is especially good and gives a good idea of how things were back in the 50’s - watch and enjoy Fangio vs Moss in their Mercedes vs Frere, Hawthorn, Tringon etc in a mix of Ferrari, Lancia and Vanwall.

No barriers, no seatbelts, leather helmets!

[StevieBee]

Great find! Cheers for sharing.

We moan about run-offs and over zealot safety these days but my word, that's the polar opposite!

"There's a ditch to catch a misjudged exit" !!!

[Eric Mc]

Fantastic. I'll be watching that some evening soon.

If anybody wants to understand what the "soul" of Grand Prix racing is, watch films like this (and lament what's been lost).

[FourWheelDrift]

There are a few nice clips around from back then I've seen the 1958 Spa race in colour, but can't find a clip of it but here's Monaco in colour in 1962 and HD.

When you take the wrong turn and find yourself in an F1 race - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCv-dIFGcd0

[RDMcG]

Great clip indeed. I drove modern Spa in July but even in the old clip Radillon and Eau Rouge are readily apparent.

[generationx]

It's well worth hunting out the "old" circuit and taking a look at the Masta Kink too. Flat out in a 917...

[Mark-C]

Eric Mc said:

Fantastic. I'll be watching that some evening soon.

If anybody wants to understand what the "soul" of Grand Prix racing is, watch films like this (and lament what's been lost).

It's amazing to watch but that "soul" came with all sorts of things that are unacceptable these days - mostly injury, death and a lack of corporate friendliness. If you want to avoid the latter then there are many great racing series still about at a lower level but I'm not sad to see the back of the F1 driver deaths that were common when I got into the sport.

Having said that Spa has seen a relatively low rate of car racing deaths given it's reputation --> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Circuit_de_S...

[The Moose]

Wonderful footage. Great find!

The dog running around was amusing.

While the circuit is clearly spa and many of the modern features of the track layout can be made out when compared with today’s track, it’s almost unrecognizable as a racing series.

Amazing what these guys did. Big cahonas!

[RDMcG]

The Moose said:

Wonderful footage. Great find!

The dog running around was amusing.

While the circuit is clearly spa and many of the modern features of the track layout can be made out when compared with today’s track, it’s almost unrecognizable as a racing series.

Amazing what these guys did. Big cahonas!

Well, I have done this..no seatbelt, open, short sleeved shirt, no nannies. Not a big deal at all.
In fact it is the way I always drive a golf cart

[OlonMusky]

Well I've learnt that "t car" stands for "training car". I never bothered to check that before!

[Crafty_]

That monaco video is stunning.

Back to Spa, also in 1962 an onboard with Lucien Bianchi https://youtu.be/VnMFPBWyk24

1956 onboard from LeMans with commentary from Mike Hawthorn https://youtu.be/IpRFagIbcPE

1967, Zandvoort. First time out for the Lotus 49 & DFV. https://youtu.be/V6cm3eWEHM0

[Evangelion]

FourWheelDrift said:

There are a few nice clips around from back then I've seen the 1958 Spa race in colour, but can't find a clip of it but here's Monaco in colour in 1962 and HD.

When you take the wrong turn and find yourself in an F1 race - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCv-dIFGcd0

Amazing to see the action of cars with hard skinny tyres and no downforce - they seem to almost 'float' along.

[Eric Mc]

On tippy toes. To me, that's what motor racing is all about - balance at speed.

Down force removes all that - everything is securely planted.

[TheDeuce]

Eric Mc said:

On tippy toes. To me, that's what motor racing is all about - balance at speed.

Down force removes all that - everything is securely planted.

Until, it suddenly isn't! All extra downforce does is extend the potential of what is still mechanical grip. The only difference in a high downforce car is that when you finally find the limit and the car spins... All the downforce is lost and it might as well be on ice.

Aero downforce basically just means you're travelling faster when you hit the limit of traction. The balance exists today as it did back then, the drivers have the same feel for it. As a viewer, obviously downforce is invisible so it's impossible to appreciate if you don't understand it. It's no less impressive as a driver challenge though..

Edited by TheDeuce on Friday 13th December 00:38

[coppice]

Mark-C said:

It's amazing to watch but that "soul" came with all sorts of things that are unacceptable these days - mostly injury, death and a lack of corporate friendliness.
--> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Circuit_de_S...

I don't think 'corporate friendliness ' was a term on many lips back then ... And , whatever it means ,all l know is that I could walk round a Grand Prix paddock for nowt . or next to nowt , before F1 disappeared up its own fundament and decided it was a (retch ) 'brand '..

[Eric Mc]

TheDeuce said:

Until, it suddenly isn't! All extra downforce does is extend the potential of what is still mechanical grip. The only difference in a high downforce car is that when you finally find the limit and the car spins... All the downforce is lost and it might as well be on ice.

Aero downforce basically just means you're travelling faster when you hit the limit of traction. The balance exists today as it did back then, the drivers have the same feel for it. As a viewer, obviously downforce is invisible so it's impossible to appreciate if you don't understand it. It's no less impressive as a driver challenge though..

Edited by TheDeuce on Friday 13th December 00:38

Not arguing any of that. However, the balletic balance of a skilled driver sliding and gliding a car at speed around bends and corners is more or less invisible in modern F1 (and other forms of motor sport), so the spectacle is much lessened, if not pretty much invisible. Knowing that a driver is being precise and skillful but not being able to see it happen is pretty pointless to me.

It's like saying I can sing an operatic aria perfectly in my head, but can't do it out loud.

[iandc]

Brilliant video! So amusing with dog, people wandering around the track, mechanics working on hot engines with no gloves on and if you crash just borrow a team mate's car! The speeds those guys got up to with cars like that and no chance of living if you crashed hard. I love the "change the plugs" approach when the car stops performing! Overall a wonderful watch.

[Mr. White]

You've sent me down a YouTube rabbit hole! After watching a few about Dick Seaman I'm now on this:

https://youtu.be/EhlUBuLG3T0

1936, the mist at the Nurburgring is insane, and nazi flags flying high...

[Mr. White]

Grand Prix 1933, including the "new" Donington Park circuit, and the tragic Campari, killed in his final race before he planned to devote more time to his other great loves - grand opera and great food! (He was, let's say, a man of size)...

https://youtu.be/9C9ou2yuUrg

[Mr. White]

History of Grand Prix racing, part 1 of 4, 1902-1914:

https://youtu.be/ggHsuo4kWG4