Quote:
Originally Posted by Colin McKay
Checked the archive. It was GPAO 2010. Scrutineering was also interesting and saw a number of drivers rushing off to buy new gloves which seemed to be target of the day. Meanwhile I was arguing with a final total of 5 or 6 scrutineers who were demanding a certificate (or label, I wasn't sure which) for the roll cage. The confrontation had just reached a crescendo when one of them pointed at his watch. Lunchtime. Suddenly there was no problem. Papers stamped  |
Timing is everything.
I recall some stories about Monza GP events in the 60s and 70s.
The circuit opening times during the meeting were not entirely to the satisfaction of some of the non-Italian teams whose people, having arrived at, say, 7am wanting to crack on and work on the cars were not allowed to enter the circuit until 8am.
The teams being highly competitive at all levels meant that there was an annual challenge to get at least some people through security and into the circuit to work on the cars.
Cue pitched battles with the people of the gates tantamount to an International incident and people who had successfully infiltrated during the commotion being hunted down and ejected.
Come 8am (or whatever the official opening time was) the gates were opened and all were welcomed by the smiling faces of the security people.
Apparently this was a pattern repeated for each day of the event and year after year. Some sort of tradition it would seem.
That said most teams probably has less than 10 people to get through the gates back then.