Great quote on the racer's mindset
07-08-2004, 10:10 PM
#16
Lifetime Rennlist Member
Originally posted by Mike in Chi
Most formula cars put the fuel under your butt or behind your back to this day, but now there's a fuel cell in there.
Most formula cars put the fuel under your butt or behind your back to this day, but now there's a fuel cell in there.
07-08-2004, 10:14 PM
#17
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
There was a lot of "dare devil" in the old racers.
I can recall reading as a teenager (during the Jurasic period) Rudy Caricciola's (sp) autobiography. His description of the great competition between Mercedes, Auto Union (Dr. Porsche's designs) and Alfa Romeo in the pre-war Grand Prix circuit is interesting reading even today. He also describes the horrible crash that killed Berndt Rosmeyer while attempting to set a new land speed record for Auto Union on a stretch of the still under construction autobahn.
Three years ago, Phil Hill was the guest dinner speaker at the PCA Zone 1 "Tech Tactics" gathering in Springfield MA. He was wonderful. As part of his talk, Hill brought along his personal slide collection, including pictures of the 1955 24 hours at LeMans in which he drove, but did not finish in a Ferrari. He explained what led to the terrible pit lane/grandstands accident that year.
It's difficult to measure the real legacy of those brave racing legends today. They were more than just drivers. There is one thread that connects us to them still. They drove powerful automobiles as fast as they could because they loved it.
Richard
I can recall reading as a teenager (during the Jurasic period) Rudy Caricciola's (sp) autobiography. His description of the great competition between Mercedes, Auto Union (Dr. Porsche's designs) and Alfa Romeo in the pre-war Grand Prix circuit is interesting reading even today. He also describes the horrible crash that killed Berndt Rosmeyer while attempting to set a new land speed record for Auto Union on a stretch of the still under construction autobahn.
Three years ago, Phil Hill was the guest dinner speaker at the PCA Zone 1 "Tech Tactics" gathering in Springfield MA. He was wonderful. As part of his talk, Hill brought along his personal slide collection, including pictures of the 1955 24 hours at LeMans in which he drove, but did not finish in a Ferrari. He explained what led to the terrible pit lane/grandstands accident that year.
It's difficult to measure the real legacy of those brave racing legends today. They were more than just drivers. There is one thread that connects us to them still. They drove powerful automobiles as fast as they could because they loved it.
Richard
Last edited by richglickel; 07-08-2004 at 10:50 PM.
07-09-2004, 12:45 PM
#18
Race Director
I remember hearing stories of the Auto Union & Mercedes cars.
Said there was a hold in body work in the cockpit so that the drivers could look at their rear tires during a race. If the saw a red band it was time to pit since the tire was ready to explode. They figured they only got something like 4-5 laps from those things on the really fast circuits like Monza and Avus.
Said there was a hold in body work in the cockpit so that the drivers could look at their rear tires during a race. If the saw a red band it was time to pit since the tire was ready to explode. They figured they only got something like 4-5 laps from those things on the really fast circuits like Monza and Avus.
07-11-2004, 07:32 PM
#19
Back in the '70s, when I attended F1 GPs at Watkins Glen drivers dying seemed almost a monthly occurence - even the best would fall victim to bad luck, error or sometimes equipment failure. ( this was when cars could still be built in a big bucks garage , not the equivalent of a mini NASA was required).
Although, the overall competence level was lower ( there were still a few rich sportsman involved), the best drivers were as likely die as the backmarkers.
Francois Cevert, Jo Siffert, Peter Revson, Mark Donohue, Ronnie Peterson are just the one I can remember. I think Jackie Stewart realized that it was not a matter of If, but when- leading to his retirement after Cevert was killed in practice.
Passion definitely overruled instincts for self preservation in those days.
Although, the overall competence level was lower ( there were still a few rich sportsman involved), the best drivers were as likely die as the backmarkers.
Francois Cevert, Jo Siffert, Peter Revson, Mark Donohue, Ronnie Peterson are just the one I can remember. I think Jackie Stewart realized that it was not a matter of If, but when- leading to his retirement after Cevert was killed in practice.
Passion definitely overruled instincts for self preservation in those days.
07-11-2004, 08:32 PM
#20
Three Wheelin'
SundayDriver
Are you sure it was Maston Gregory that did the jumping thing. I followed GP and sports car racing back then,(I'm real old) and I seem to remember that it was Jo Bonnier that did that. I remember him jumping out of a Maserati in an enduro in Argentina in 1958 or so. My memory of back then is better than my memory of now.
Bill Seifert
1983 944 Race Car
Are you sure it was Maston Gregory that did the jumping thing. I followed GP and sports car racing back then,(I'm real old) and I seem to remember that it was Jo Bonnier that did that. I remember him jumping out of a Maserati in an enduro in Argentina in 1958 or so. My memory of back then is better than my memory of now.
Bill Seifert
1983 944 Race Car
