Formula 1's Golden Era.

[Peter Mallett]

I spotted this comment in a thread about David Purley. It relates to a video by John Watson who considers the seventies to be the golden era.

I think he has a point.

We had greats like Stewart, Hill, Petersen, Pryce, Hunt, Lauda, Andretti, Villeneauve to name a few (not in any order of precedence).

We had all those teams running cars up to three years old and still being competitive.

We had more power than gtip.

We had the first shoots of technologies without the complete understanding we have now.

We had accessible racers.

We had great circuits.

We had team mangers with personality.

The list goes on. But is Watson right? If not why not and which era is your "golden" era?

[MikeM]

It's right for me. Exciting races and plenty of different winners. Small teams could do well with DFV engines. Seemed to be more characters involved.

[Adam43]

That is pretty much all true. I would, personally, take that forward to the mid '80s.

Of those on that list the things I associate most importance to the great circuits and the more power than grip. This allowed the characters to shine. Conversations were about slides and cool corners, not traction control and chicanes.

More power than grip and great circuits also allows for more racing. For two reasons, one the cars allowed for this and secondly there was (and needed) to be more respect out there.

Nowadays, arguably, things are more professional and done better. But equally we don't see today's professionals grappling with (completely) new ideas and technology.

[cirrus]

I agree with Watson, but I'd add that the cars all looked different then. If a Brabham BT44 was painted in JPS colours, for example, it would still be instantly recognisable as a BT44. I reckon that if the 2003 F1 grid were all sprayed white and lined up for an identity parade, I'd be hard pressed to pick the Sauber.

[henk4]

so we didn't have windtunnels, and Bernie was still under control. These two aspects are to a large extent responsible for the sterile sport F1 has become.

On the other hand the 70-80 period also saw much more casualties.

[Spudgun]

The '70s period was to early for me to appreciate at first hand, but from what I have learned and seen from the era, they were some very good times.

As Adam has said, from first hand experience this time is the mid '80s. Just watching those turbo cars was immense. One of my most vivid memories was Mansell's comeback drive at Silerstone in '87 in the days when the driver had to play a balancing act with boost pressure and fuel economy.

The Honda V6 had this distinctive sound which was very nostalgic when I saw Ricardo Patrese take the 1987 Williams up the Goodwood Hill.

[davemorganfan]

Originally posted by cirrus
I agree with Watson, but I'd add that the cars all looked different then. If a Brabham BT44 was painted in JPS colours, for example, it would still be instantly recognisable as a BT44. I reckon that if the 2003 F1 grid were all sprayed white and lined up for an identity parade, I'd be hard pressed to pick the Sauber.

100% agreement here. It's just one of the reasons that current day F1 makes me so miserable. But it wasn't just the fact that the cars looked so different in the 70s. Even the drivers had differing styles - compare Peterson (spectacular) and Stewart (smooth), for instance.

[Neil C]

For all the reasons above, I tend to agree with Mr. Watson. But also, the 70's were the zenith of fan involvement with the sport. Access to the drivers and teams was great, races were events that rivaled rock festivals for their atmosphere and entertainment value, and the politics that later alienated F1 from much of North America had not yet shown it's face.

Yes, the mortality rate was unacceptable, but it contributed to the high esteem in which drivers were held. Now, drivers seem to be much like most other highly paid, self centered professional athletes and celebrities.

[Peter Mallett]

I had hair then.

[eldougo]

Peter .I still got some HAIR however thin. Yes the 70.s
where the best not becaused i worked in F1 in that time
however those cars had character not clones like we have had since the end of the 80.s
I gave some teams a chance to get into the top 6 or 10
placeswithout too much money the friendship between teams
was good and it allowed young designers to get into the sport and show different ways of making a car.
Any those days have gone more the pity we just have to wait
until it become RETRO and we see those times again??????

[strad]

There's one huge difference...sponsorship...corporate influence...oh and Peter had hair back then..

[simon drabble]

70's F1 rocked! with great looking cars and characters like Hunt and Graham Hill etc.. and small teams like Hesketh as well as Tyrell and JPS is was certainly my highlight. I seem to recall being able to spectate at Silverstone directly above the pits - or was that earlier?

[Dan Rear]

70s for me, no doubt. Variety of cars, more cars able to compete on equal-ish terms, upsets we hardly ever get now, eg Hesketh/Shadow/Penske wins, cars that lasted more than a year. Plus lesser formulae more numerous, with, again, much more variety in cars.

I HATE that word "Professional", its a euphemism for dull, boring, efficient.

[simon drabble]

undoubtably the most charasmatic sportscars as well - the Le Mans Matra and Porsche 917 immediately spring to mind

[zefarelly]

I wasnt properly aware until the mid 80's but Id have to say 70's . . . .the perfect blend of charisma, and performance, without all the downsides of corporatism and sponsorship.

and Peter had long flowing locks !

[Peter Mallett]

Oi! The hair reference was just a bit of humour! Stop reminding me!

Seriously though, there is a good point here. As has been said, loads of opposite lock, big heart and no thought of the sponsor.

[simon drabble]

James hunt was a great example of that - he stopped working for the sponsor as soon as he was out of the car (with the exception of the Vauxhall promotions!!) - it was a truly golden era!

[strad]

From D.David........
""In 1967 two major oil suppliers, BP and Esso, withdrew from Formula 1 and Firestone, the American tire manufacturer would no longer offer free tires. The small British teams were put under tremendous financial pressure and petitioned the CSI to change their long standing policy restricting advertising on race cars. By the Grand Prix of Monaco, Lotus would no longer be painted green but would now display the colors of Gold Leaf tobacco and would hence forth be known as Gold Leaf Team Lotus. The influence of this new "foreign" money would in due time alter the balance of power and spell the end of privateers.
A new type of driver, with their own private financing, would be able to make the jump to the pinnacle of motorsport. On some teams the second seat would become just another "revenue stream". Louis Stanley would later remark that one of his biggest regrets was introducing Marlboro to Formula 1."""""""

[Kojima_KE007]

70's Formula One had a lot of variety in terms of car design. It was made possible by the common components there were, such as the legendary Ford Cosworth DFV, Hewland gearbox etc. They not only supplied them but fairly to any teams.

Good old days...

[jj2728]

i'll go as far to say that the late 60s/early 70s was THE modern age golden era for most major forms of international motorsport....not only f1, but sports cars/prototypes, can-am, and even the trans-am series....

[BSchneiderFan]

Hmmm. But to what extent is it a matter of natural progression? F1 cars couldn't now run on the Nordschleife; it would be absurdly dangerous. Likewise the old Spa-Francorchamps. We now say that what happened then would be unacceptable.

There is a danger in bemoaning the present day. Things change, often because they have to. I'd love to see a Porsche 917 at full chat round the old Spa, but I wouldn't force a driver to risk his life so that I could be gratified.

[Armco Bender]

Bring Back the '70's

Thats when the real racing was,flared jeans,big sideburns and the Ford DFV.

F1 started dying at the British GP '77,when Renault turned up with the turbo car.

[strad]

The problem is that nowadays the FIAs rules dictate the shapes of the cars...there is very little room for real innovation...and even if the rules were looser there is too much at stake to go too far out on a limb....Sponsorship taking such a controlling intrest had a damaging affect on F1....imo

[Teretonga]

The present F1 rules mean NO technical innovation and that I think is one of the reasons for the rather predictable results and lack of excitement in present GP racing. The mid-late 60's had too few cars but the 70's and the 80's were fantastic. Even when McLaren dominated the duel between Prost and Senna kept the interest high.since the early nineties its al gone a bit flat I'm afraid. There is such a thing as being too professional- it becames rather antiseptic, a bit to PC...

[Adam43]

There is an excellent Thoroughbred GP program on at the moment on Motors TV. Lots of race footage of this years races.

I'm sure it'll be on again!