Amazing clip with sound from F1 at Spa 1970 - enjoy
Discussion
http://www.sonuma.be/archive/gp-f1-à-francorc...
The cars sounded amazing back then compared to the horrible sound of a modern F1 car
The cars sounded amazing back then compared to the horrible sound of a modern F1 car
thiscocks said:
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The sound of those Matras is insane!
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Only ever heard them 'live' once. That was at the Brit GP at Brands. One of the most impressive sounding F1 engines I ever experienced.The sound of those Matras is insane!
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50-60-70s racing engines sounded superb. Much better than those since, particularly the GP bikes. Check U-tube for the Honda Six GP bike. Best ever sound to my old once young ears.
Edited by MGJohn on Monday 19th August 22:33
rallycross said:
It'd great the way these old cars sounded so different between the makes but at today's F1 they all have the same high pitched scream, most un-car like.
The reason I ask this is it was much later suspected the winning BRM had a 3.5 litre engine, engine note seemed deeper is all, don`t know if this would be the case if the lump were oversized.I saw my first GP in 71 so much of the video brings back fond memories. Not everything was better back then - especially the chances of surviving the season - and some of the races were just as dull as they are now.But the spectacle was fanatsic - in a world of Anglias and Cortinas , MGBs and Spifires the sight and sound of a GP car was life affirming. They moved around a lot - I watched Rodriguez win Oulton Park Spring Trophy in his BRM and every lap - every single lap - Pedro was on opposite lock out of Lodge.
The sounds were spine tingling and even until the late nineties it was reasonably easy to tell one engine from another- the V10 Peugeot for example made such a distinctive doomy howl . But in the early 70s- wow. LOts of DFVs and we all know what they sound like - but the Ferraris had this lovely grainy howl, the BRMs always sounded more mechanical, brutal almost. The Matras - just f***ing astonishing. Like listening to a soprano in a choir full of tenors - the most amazing high pitched scream with an apparently limitless supply of revs. Add in some proper gear changing and watching one of these things be heel and toed into a bend was heaven .
The sounds were spine tingling and even until the late nineties it was reasonably easy to tell one engine from another- the V10 Peugeot for example made such a distinctive doomy howl . But in the early 70s- wow. LOts of DFVs and we all know what they sound like - but the Ferraris had this lovely grainy howl, the BRMs always sounded more mechanical, brutal almost. The Matras - just f***ing astonishing. Like listening to a soprano in a choir full of tenors - the most amazing high pitched scream with an apparently limitless supply of revs. Add in some proper gear changing and watching one of these things be heel and toed into a bend was heaven .
I was born many years too late to have seen these in action in period, sadly. We are tremendously fortunate that so many cars of the period still run in historics. Watching two full fields at the Monaco Historique remains one of the highlights of my motor sporting life. Three MS120s, Ferrari 312T and T2, BRM T160s, even a Tecno shouting among all the DFVs. Absolutely amazing hearing so many different voices bouncing off the buildings - quite different to seeing these cars around any other circuit.
Of course the highlight from the period was seeing the greats at work. Say what you like about JYS but he was a guy who walked the walk. Doug Nye often gives fascinating insights from the period (including dismissing the BRM oversize engine rumour recently) and a recent one really struck me. He described how Denis Jenkinson used to find his way into the top floor of the farmhouse adjacent the Masta Kink so he could study the guys at work each year. He said JYS and Chris Amon were committed through there on a totally different plane to their rivals. You can just imagine JYS winding himself up over the course of the weekend in preparation for taking Masta flat on a low fuel load in qualifying. Sets my lip quivering just thinking about it.
I've driven the old track and the thought of what these guys did - and even more so the speeds they achieved in 3l prototypes during the 1000kms meeting in 1973 leave me spellbound. I can't get my head around what they did - Montjuic, the Nurburgring (pre 1970 sanitisation), Mont Tremblant, Spa...those places were fearsome. I mean, so bloody scary. Every time they buckled up they genuinely didn't know if they'd see their wives again. No wonder the drivers actually cared for one another in those days.
I don't advocate a return to those days - it was so chronically perilous, my constitution isn't sufficiently robust - but what a heritage; what memories, what images and what sonics. Part of what drives my eternal adoration and fascination for this sport.
Of course the highlight from the period was seeing the greats at work. Say what you like about JYS but he was a guy who walked the walk. Doug Nye often gives fascinating insights from the period (including dismissing the BRM oversize engine rumour recently) and a recent one really struck me. He described how Denis Jenkinson used to find his way into the top floor of the farmhouse adjacent the Masta Kink so he could study the guys at work each year. He said JYS and Chris Amon were committed through there on a totally different plane to their rivals. You can just imagine JYS winding himself up over the course of the weekend in preparation for taking Masta flat on a low fuel load in qualifying. Sets my lip quivering just thinking about it.
I've driven the old track and the thought of what these guys did - and even more so the speeds they achieved in 3l prototypes during the 1000kms meeting in 1973 leave me spellbound. I can't get my head around what they did - Montjuic, the Nurburgring (pre 1970 sanitisation), Mont Tremblant, Spa...those places were fearsome. I mean, so bloody scary. Every time they buckled up they genuinely didn't know if they'd see their wives again. No wonder the drivers actually cared for one another in those days.
I don't advocate a return to those days - it was so chronically perilous, my constitution isn't sufficiently robust - but what a heritage; what memories, what images and what sonics. Part of what drives my eternal adoration and fascination for this sport.
jsf said:
Nice footage. I currently race engineer two of the cars that led that race (Stewart and Amon March 701's). In their first race since 1970 they qualified on Pole and Second at Monaco last year at the Historic GP.
Edited by jsf on Tuesday 20th August 00:26
They must have been a fairly sorted chassis, always up near the front in 1970. Dont know if the Tyrell ones differed much from the March Engineering ones?To be honest, even those of us who were around at the time didn't get much chance to see these cars. I lived in Ireland and, with only one circuit of note south of the border, (Mondello) the chances of seeing a full blown F1 car in the flesh were precisely zip.
And TV coverage was patchy at the best.
And TV coverage was patchy at the best.
May have beeen true in Ireland but not in England; typically one could see contemporary F1 cars at Brands Hatch or Silverstone in early Spring; GP in July and Oulton Park Gold Cup in late summer. Affordable and access to paddock and pits usually unfettered . Add in some big banger sports /gt races , some F2 and F5000 and lots of F3 and it was a bloody good time to enjoy one's racing. Now we have ..err.. not a bad GT series at all, next to no F3 , a cynically priced GP and some old Formula Renaults. Oh , and BTCC if you are into pantomime. And time attack if you like to hang out in car parks on saturday nights to show off your Nissan's sound system innit. Thank God for the rise of historic racing say I ..
No truth in the engine rumours on Pedro's car. BRM were patching up broken blocks by 1970. They simply didn't have the resources to build a motor just for one race.
Also, it was only as the cars got faster that the masta kink was an issue. Amon was taking it flat in the ferrari in 1967.
Jenks noted this, as did Amon when asked about it.
Also, it was only as the cars got faster that the masta kink was an issue. Amon was taking it flat in the ferrari in 1967.
Jenks noted this, as did Amon when asked about it.
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