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25 Aug 2013, 10:45 (Ref:3293694) | #1 | ||
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Spa - 1955
When men were men and no-one knew who Bernie Ecclestone was......
I'm sure this has been posted before but it is a magnificent video and should be watched by anyone who doesn't know the challenge the Spa circuit used to present..... 30 wonderful minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=rAiKovUL8FM |
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23 days... |
25 Aug 2013, 11:26 (Ref:3293703) | #2 | ||
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SPOILER ALERT
Isn't F1 so boring? The Mercedes just drove off into the distance |
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Louise: Is the track Slippery when Wet? DC: I didn't know you were a Bon Jovi fan |
25 Aug 2013, 11:47 (Ref:3293707) | #3 | ||
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Very apposite. You've been over on TNF , if I'm not mistaken.
A few reflections... The informality of it all - the dog wandering about, the spectators helping to push Castelotti's Lancia back to the pits whilst the race goes on, the cafe patrons watching from behind the mighty strength of a straw bale. Castelotti passing the pits during a very wet practice, about 1 metre from the mechanics. The water-filled ditch on the outside of La Carriere - death in waiting if you slide too wide. Farina yet again being referred to as a doctor - he had a doctorate in engineering I think, although I know he liked the title. (Did you see him break into a smile on the pit counter before the race? That's a first !) My memory isn't what it was - has Eau Rouge been "straightened" in modern times? Paul Frere being so smooth and fast for a "part-time" driver. Wonderful times. Five years later, and Bristow and Stacey were killed, and Moss and Taylor badly injured, all at the same meeting. And six years after that, Jackie Stewart had a meeting with fate, and things were never the same again. |
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25 Aug 2013, 13:39 (Ref:3293731) | #4 | ||
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25 Aug 2013, 13:41 (Ref:3293732) | #5 | ||
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I'm just watching the 2013 race, having recorded it, and whilst fast-forwarding through the interminable pre-race bumph I noticed that DC and LH had a drive round the old track, interspersed by clips from this very footage. It was a bit disjointed, in that the film was from '55, and they showed stills from the 70s, and remarked on the Armco still remaining.
No Armco in the 50s, but it was still a mighty dangerous place when Henri Pescarolo's Matra went through the Masta kink at 175mph. LH said, I hope in jest, "what kink?". Erm, I think you'ld notice it at 175mph in a 4-wheeled fuel tank with the most basic of aerodynamics. Great days, but at least these days there's less chance of a grieving mother/wife/w.h.y.. No such thing as a free lunch etc.. |
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25 Aug 2013, 13:45 (Ref:3293733) | #6 | ||
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Darn, I missed that - my nipper was watching the MotoGP and I only just turned over with 5 mins to go. I'll have to go back and find that. Always wanted to go over and follow the route of the old track.
It was incredible to see that dog wandering around, the people out front in the cafe at Malmedy and then the young children watching two or three paces from the track with no armco - nothing in the way. It was up to the drivers to stay on the black stuff and not touch each other...... |
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25 Aug 2013, 15:00 (Ref:3293761) | #7 | ||
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Just think what it must have been like at Buenos Aires - as I understand it the crowd were almost uncontrollable, and people just used to wander across the track at will.
I should imagine the British "airfield tracks" were probably the best policed of all in those days, because they were in a confined area. A lot of the Continental races were held on public roads which had been closed for the occasion, and no doubt some of the locals thought it was perfectly acceptable to wander round in their own backyard. Great film, well made and edited. BTW the engine note of the Mercedes wasn't exactly inspiring IMHO - a bit "droning". I was watching a video of the "Gethin" Italian GP the other day, and the combined noise of a gaggle of DFVs, BRM V12s etc was sheer music. Today's stuff hurts my ears, it's too "shrieky", too high-pitched. |
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25 Aug 2013, 15:37 (Ref:3293774) | #8 | ||
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I drove around the old circuit a few years ago. It is absolutely awe-inspiring. The run down from Les Combes to Stavelot brings me out in a sweat, just thinking about it.
The icing on the cake for us was to drive the "wrong way" up towards Les Combes, vaguely looking for things using an ordinary road atlas. Suddenly we came across a fence across the road and there were cars racing 100 yards on the other side. We parked up, went through an open gate and spent the day watching a classic sports car race. |
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26 Aug 2013, 00:44 (Ref:3293949) | #9 | ||
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Quote:
Thought that myself! 13 starters, loose dog bounding around on the race track, Behra letting the "staff" do the work while he strolls back to the pit after wrecking his car, Neubauer issuing team orders, about 4 cars on the same lap at the end. Ridiculously dangerous crowd exposure. ... and still absolutely watchable. Who could have foreseen the disaster spelled out by Nicanary of the race five years later! "Wonderful times. Five years later, and Bristow and Stacey were killed, and Moss and Taylor badly injured, all at the same meeting. And six years after that, Jackie Stewart had a meeting with fate, and things were never the same again." Bernie to his everlasting credit did sort out the medical facilities! Despite all the above, thanks for posting Aysedasi, enjoyed watching it tremendously! |
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26 Aug 2013, 04:37 (Ref:3293991) | #10 | ||
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I wonder if DC and LH bought some chips whilst stopped at the Masta fritterie?
Last edited by terence; 26 Aug 2013 at 05:00. |
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Living the dream,Chief instruktor and racing on the worlds best circuits-The Nordschleife and Spa.Getting to drive the worlds best cars-someone has to do it, so glad its me. |
26 Aug 2013, 05:00 (Ref:3294001) | #11 | ||
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If you haven't explored the area,Burnenville,Masta,Stavelot,go have a look,you can almost hear a 250F on full chat through Masta.several years back we drove back from The Ring,using the Eifel Ardennes Route,that used to bring you up past Miez to Le Combes,bare left at the top of the hill,drove DOWN Kemmel in the opposite direction and realised just how much of a climb it is for the car going in the right direction,as when racing,you really don't notice it.
As an aside,we very nearly bought the second house on the left of Burnenville,its the one that just the roof is visible,long drawn out negotiations[well,it is Belgium!] Once it was determined that we were British,the price shot up! So,walking away from the greedy *******,we then decided that perhaps the RAC de Spa would be more helpful as our second plan was to restore the original La Source Hotel.Obviously that was considered to be a good idea-they did just that themselves! The building is still hardly ever used. Glad we turned our backs on Belgium and settled in The Eifel instead. |
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Living the dream,Chief instruktor and racing on the worlds best circuits-The Nordschleife and Spa.Getting to drive the worlds best cars-someone has to do it, so glad its me. |
26 Aug 2013, 05:02 (Ref:3294004) | #12 | ||
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1
Last edited by terence; 26 Aug 2013 at 05:04. Reason: Double post |
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Living the dream,Chief instruktor and racing on the worlds best circuits-The Nordschleife and Spa.Getting to drive the worlds best cars-someone has to do it, so glad its me. |
26 Aug 2013, 08:54 (Ref:3294083) | #13 | ||
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There is a good set of photos here of the original circuit as it is now - or whenever they were taken......
http://www.circuitsofthepast.nl/nl-N...efrancorchamps |
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26 Aug 2013, 09:19 (Ref:3294093) | #14 | ||
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Sky did show the whole 1955 film several times over the weekend.
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28 Aug 2013, 23:32 (Ref:3295454) | #15 | |||
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Quote:
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29 Aug 2013, 14:30 (Ref:3295726) | #16 | ||
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And now I know why spare cars were called 'T' cars. Very educational.
Thanks! |
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16 Dec 2019, 00:21 (Ref:3946907) | #17 | |||
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Quote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQcaYrbxXMM There's also a modern drive around video (of the old parts of the circuit outside) which is overlaid with the commentary and subtitles from 1962 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APOqEiXEC4g |
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16 Dec 2019, 10:01 (Ref:3946944) | #18 | ||
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Brilliant. Thank you! Scary stuff in the days before health and safety..
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