Dutch Trivia

[Leo]

On a Dutch F1 forum, we play a similar game like this

My latest question there, seems to be quite difficult, so maybe an international audience is more successfull. Here it comes:

What is the similarity/connection between:

1. Wolfgang von Trips <-> Gunther Bechem
2. Heinz-Harald Frentzen/Michael Schumacher <-> Louis Chiron/Rudolf Caracciola
3. Rene Arnoux <-> Tony Brooks <-> Nigel Mansell <-> Stirling Moss <-> Nelson Piquet <-> Didier Pironi <-> John Watson
4. Norisring <-> Circuit Mexico City
5. Graham Hill <-> Gerard Larrousse

Answers like 'they have the same nationality' or 'they once drove for the same team' are not correct!

[TimD]

Leo, just letting you know I haven't forgotten about this one...

... but it's been four days of searching and I STILL can't find the answers.

[Peter Mallett]

As a suggestion for Frentzen Scumacher and Chiron Carraciola you might try team mates for Mercedes.

[Gerard]

Hi Leo,

This is a very difficult puzzle, but I'm gonna try to answer some of the questions.

Question 1: I know that the parents of Gunther Bechem didn't want him to go racing, instead he did enter the German GP under the nickname Bernd Nacke. All I can come up with regarding your question is that Wolfgang von Trips had the same experience, although I can't remember him ever using a nickname.
So, I think the answer is that 'the parents of both drivers didn't want them to go racing, but they did it under a nickname.

Question 2: This is an easy one, Rudi Caracciola married Louis Chiron's ex-girlfriend, and Michael schumacher married Frentzen's ex-girlfriend.


Question 3 and 4, I just don't know.

Question 5: Not sure, but didn't Gerard Larrousse work for Lola and Graham Hill used these cars with his team?

That's the best I can do.

[TimD]

Doh!

Well done, Gerard. Of course. The wife/girlfriend connection. What was I thinking....

Another hour or so, and I may have the Hill Larrousse one down. You just gave me an idea...

[Leo]

Gerard, you're right with the first 2! Von Trips did race under an alias, but not in F1. His alias was Axel Linther, and he used it racing Porsches in the German Championship. Both drivers used an alias to hide their racing careers from their families.
You can read a Von Trips bio at: http://www.erftkreis-online.de/servi...iographie.html

About Larrousse and Hill: what I was looking for, was that they both used uncompetitive works Lola-chassis, before switching to, even uncompetitive, own designs.

I'll give hints for the remaining two:
3: these drivers are linked through 4 seasons: 1958, 1982 and 1986/1987.
4: these tracks are linked by 2 drivers.

[Peter Mallett]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Leo:


I'll give hints for the remaining two:
3: these drivers are linked through 4 seasons: 1958, 1982 and 1986/1987.
4: these tracks are linked by 2 drivers.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

4: Was it the Rodriques Brothers. I know one of them died at Mexico. Did the other die at Norisring in a sportscar?

[Gerard]

You're right, Peter.
Ricardo Rodriguez died in 1962 at the Mexico City Circuit and his brother Pedro in 1971 at the Norisring, Germany.

[Leo]

Yes, that's the correct answer

Only one left!
On the Dutch forum, there is still not a single correct answer....

[TimD]

Okay, this seems a little obscure but... if it's not the right answer, it's still a good trivia.

The thing that links all these drivers is that they all scored more wins in a season than the driver who actually took the championship.

1958 champion Mike Hawthorn - 1 win
Stirling Moss 4 wins, Tony Brooks 3 wins

1982 champion Keke Rosberg - 1 win
Rene Arnoux, Didier Pironi, John Watson, Nelson Piquet 2 wins each

1986 champion Alain Prost - 4 wins
Nigel Mansell 5 wins

1987 champion Nelson Piquet - 3 wins
Nigel Mansell 6 wins.

Am I close? Or just whistling in the wind...

[Leo]

Well done TimD, that's the right answer!

[Gerard]

Wow, Tim!
I'm impressed. Very well done.