[b]The Real Racers, Holy Schidt[/b]

[Valve Bounce]

"Holy Schidt"!! That's what I said 7 seconds into the tape. And what a stroke of luck. I just lucked onto the April MOTOR SPORT and found the tape Auto Union Action attached to it: a 40 minute celebration of the marque's history. It had answers to many questions asked so far in the F1 forum: who was the greatest F1 driver ever, the greatest racing car, grooved tyres vs slicks, pit stops, wind tunnel tests, a car finishing following his rear tyre across the finish line, the first Porsche racing car, why the McLarens are not "Silver Arrows", and last but by no means least, my answer to the hot topic of Bernoldi and DC, Sporstmanship or Racing. I have for years only seen a few seconds of the real Silver Arrows in action and now my cup runneth over. For those of you who have not heard of this tape, find out which of your friends bought the April Motor Sport, and beg, borrow or steal this tape. You won't regret it. You will see how Porsche built the great Auto Union F1 car, see Bernd racing at the Nurnburgring in fog much faster than anyone else, see how these guys were racing on grooved tyres less then half the width of those on my Volvo, how a pit stop cost Bernd a race, cars that were wind tunnel tested, and what the great Tazio Nuvolari did racing the Alpha Romeo when Bernd Rosemeyer came up behind him in the faster Auto Union at an F1 race. And to see races started with a cannon, (omigod) as opposed to bloodey lights??? And find out that the last time the Silver Arrows raced was in 1939. No! there was no Traction control, automatic gear changes, launch control, engine mapping, and all these stupid computer driver aids. This was real driving, real racing, see cars with tyres shredded, Bernd coming into the pits to have his hands treated, and so on. Yes!! My vote for hte greatest racing driver ever is Bernd Rosemeyer, and the greatest racing car ever is undoubtedly the Auto Union Silver Arrows built by Ferdinand Porsche. You will see the real gods of motor racing, and find out what the word "Sporstmanship" really means.

[Peter Mallett]

Er.

Have you noticed that the BB codes don't work in the title box?

Just asking that's all.

[DNQ]

Valve Bounce, I take it you were impressed

I got that magazine this morning, and was thrilled to get the free video. Some nice pre war footage. I never realised just how much those cars used to slide about. Great Racing. Incredible infact. Nice rally footage at the end of the tape as well.

[Wrex]

Top effort Valve on the BOLD subject attempt, I wish I'd thought of that

[Bononi]

Why it does not work ?

It will be nice to have bold all around !

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by DNQ
Valve Bounce, I take it you were impressed

I got that magazine this morning, and was thrilled to get the free video. Some nice pre war footage. I never realised just how much those cars used to slide about. Great Racing. Incredible infact. Nice rally footage at the end of the tape as well.

I just watched it again. I was most impressed what Bernd's wife said about Nuvolari. I guess these days, sporstmanship in GP races has become a dirty word.
And I am even more impessed that 3 posters so far have been more impressed by the lack of bold capability on the title box than the Real Racers.

[Peter Mallett]

Actually Bonio that's a good point. It would be nice to be bold. But maybe Moff can help.

BTW. I would have thought that this thread would go down well in the Historic forum. (Maybe Valve hasn't noticed).

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett


BTW. I would have thought that this thread would go down well in the Historic forum. (Maybe Valve hasn't noticed).

I particularly wanted this to be in the F1 forum, especially when I heard what Bernd's wife said about Tazio Nuvolari. This was in relation to the Bernoldi and DC racing or sporstmanship thread I posted.
Anyway, I am sure EERO will drag this into the historic forum once he sees it, and I will get this in both forums.

And these guys got their pit stops down to 25 seconds, changing all 4 wheels and putting in 200 litres of fuel. When you see how they did it, .......wow!! They used mallets to hammer the wheel central nuts off and on.

[Peter Mallett]

No Valve, you haven't noticed that the BB codes don't work in the title block.

[Speed]

VB, thanks for the tip !

PD: And VB, these funny guys are just joking...

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Speed
VB, thanks for the tip !

PD: And VB, these funny guys are just joking...

Well, they have succeeded in making my valves bounce.

[Bononi]

VB could you please give me a more detailed information about this magazine ?

I am going to buy it in a bookshop that sells imported magazines.

[JeremySmith]

Wonderful thread Valve..I have seen some of the footage you describe on speedvision here in the states..Called "Legends of Motorsport"

[Sonatrap]

V.B.

Thanks for the enthusiastic review. I have a copy still wrapped in its cellophane sitting on my shelf because it´s incompatible with the video players over here.I've often wondered how it would be and now I can´t wait to watch the action when I visit England this summer.

No driver's aids...real racing...magic machines...Yes!

And let's hear it for Motorsport...an excellent magazine.

[Bononi]

VB,

I'm still waiting...

[Valve Bounce]

BONONI The magazine is called MotorSport. April edition. The Magazine cover always has a green background except (I think) when one of the great GP drivers died some years ago when it was black). The cover features Jackie Stewart in the BRMP261, and there should be a full sized video casette attached to the cover.
SONATRAP Try to find out who in the U.S. has a multi system video and TV - many of the more recent ones are multi system.
There is an excellent article of the oldest rookie in F1 who possibly could also be the shortest career: Jo Schlesser, who drove the awful Honda air cooled V8 car that spelled Honda's doom in F1. It is also a very sad story.

I forgot to tell you guys, that Bernd's wife said of Tazio: "he was a great sporstman; when Bernd came up behind him in the Auto Union, Tazio (driving the Alpha) just waved him past because he was in the faster car." I wonder what Liz would say if she saw the film? Bloody Affirmative Action No Hoper etc. etc. etc...

For those who havn't seen the footage, wait till you do. Holy Schidt!!

[RPM]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
...my answer to the hot topic of Bernoldi and DC, Sporstmanship or Racing. I have for years only seen a few seconds of the real Silver Arrows in action and now my cup runneth over. For those of you who have not heard of this tape, find out which of your friends bought the April Motor Sport, and beg, borrow or steal this tape. You won't regret it. You will see how Porsche built the great Auto Union F1 car, see Bernd racing at the Nurnburgring in fog much faster than anyone else, see how these guys were racing on grooved tyres less then half the width of those on my Volvo, how a pit stop cost Bernd a race, cars that were wind tunnel tested, and what the great Tazio Nuvolari did racing the Alpha Romeo when Bernd Rosemeyer came up behind him in the faster Auto Union at an F1 race.

Not having seen that footage, I have to assume that Nuvolari pulled over to let Rosemeyer by. Perhaps Nuvolari had given up already, perhaps he owed Bernd a favour. Or maybe he felt Bernd would have passed him anyways and there was nothing to prove. The point is that he didn't have to. And a driver like Bernoldi should not have to either. In fact he should be proving that he can race with the front runners, despite the handicap of a slower car.

[Sonatrap]

The jan 2001 issue of Motorsport is a another gem worth looking out for . With the title ´1000bhp Heroes'it´s a celebration of the magnificent Turbo era. Need I say more?

[Peter Mallett]

May I commend to your viewing the Shell series of motorsport. It is a three part video collection starting somewhere around 1905 and taking things all the way to 1955.

You will particularly appreciate the second video "The Titans" which covers (and I'm working from memory here) the years 1928 to 1939.

Enjoy.

[Valve Bounce]

Originally posted by Peter Mallett
May I commend to your viewing the Shell series of motorsport. It is a three part video collection starting somewhere around 1905 and taking things all the way to 1955.

You will particularly appreciate the second video "The Titans" which covers (and I'm working from memory here) the years 1928 to 1939.

Enjoy.

Where are these tapes available from?

Quote from RPM:
The point is that he didn't have to. And a driver like Bernoldi should not have to either. In fact he should be proving that he can race with the front runners, despite the handicap of a slower car.

Quite right, he didn't have to. The point Bernd's wife was making was the sportsmanship that existed in those days. But you will have to see the film to really apreciate all this.

I also remember Stirling stopping his car in the pits, jumping out and dragged Fangio to take over his car as Fangio's car had expired. Fangio reluctantly did, and went on to win the race and also the championship. More Affirmative Action Skulldugerry. I am sure those more in the know would be able to tell us which race of which year this occurred.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce

Where are these tapes available from?

Try your local reputable motor racing bookshop. Failing that why noy look at the shop on this site whre there is an ad for Duke Marketing?

Originally posted by Valve Bounce


I also remember Stirling stopping his car in the pits, jumping out and dragged Fangio to take over his car as Fangio's car had expired. Fangio reluctantly did, and went on to win the race and also the championship. More Affirmative Action Skulldugerry. I am sure those more in the know would be able to tell us which race of which year this occurred.

It was Peter Collins in the Ferrari 1954.

Had it been Moss it would have been 1955 in the Mercedes, but unless I'm much mistaken those cars ran like trains all year. Maybe Tim D or one of my other mates from the Historic forum can help?

[Bononi]

Thanks VB, I am going to buy it. !!!!

[Maxmil]

Originally posted by Valve Bounce
I also remember Stirling stopping his car in the pits, jumping out and dragged Fangio to take over his car as Fangio's car had expired. Fangio reluctantly did, and went on to win the race and also the championship.

VB: If you were refering to the race at Monza in 1955, it was actually Peter Collins who gave over his car to Fangio who then went on to finish second to Moss. Fangio did win the championship as a result of this.

Correction: That was 1956.

[Liz]

Nuvolari also insisted that a rival of his be given his spare car (as the rival had no drive) because he thought the other man deserved the chance and he wanted to race him. Can you see Mr. Affirmative Action handing Mika or JPM his backup car? Try suggesting it!

I believe it is correct to say that Nuvolari did the gentlemanly thing in those two cases because he had nothing left to prove .* And Peter Collins handed his car over to Fangio out of sportsmanship, not because Fangio had a clause in his contract commanding his teammate to give up his car even when his teammate was better placed to win than he was. At least I never heard that Fangio had that kind of contract.

I have always admired Nuvolari, even before Enzo compared Gilles to him. IMO he was a real racer.






================
*My continuing question regarding TGF and his Affirmative Action Contract is: If he doesn't need Affirmative Action to enable him to win, why does he insist on having his right to his teammate's points written into his contract?

[TimD]

The car-swap story is definitely Peter Collins in 1956. More selfless than it seems at first, because Peter had a better than even chance of getting the Championship himself had he finished the race rather than offered up his car to his team leader.

As for the videos, the Shell History of Motor Racing is an absolute must, as Peter Mallett has suggested. It should be widely available in European and US formats, and is worth every last penny. As a bit of trivia, it was put together by Bill Mason, father of Nick Mason, the historic racer and Pink Floyd musician.

Am I right in thinking that if you clickthrough from the 10-tenths shop to Duke Video and order online they contribute a few pennies to the running of this forum?


The Motor Sport magazine video of Auto Unions is indeed excellent, but suffers a little from political revisionism. If you listened to the soundtrack, you would never have any idea where the billions of Deutschmarks for race car development came from. After all, Audi have put the film together to celebrate their history, and they don't necessarily want to recall that the team budget (and that of Mercedes too) was provided by the German government, keen to see that German technology was dominant in motor sport.

And I think you can guess why Audi are not too keen to be associated with a German government from the 1930s...!

But watch the show for the racing, and try to imagine the skills and sheer guts involved in driving a 700bhp supercharged V-16 racing car weighing 750kilos tops, on skinny tyres, round Monte Carlo in the pouring rain, with no seat belts, against three team mates, and four more determined drivers in a car of similar performance - a car which can spin its wheels in any gear, at any speed, on any road surface in any conditions.

And appreciate why it truly was the age of titans.