F1 Guest Drivers

[nicanary]

I read a post somewhere on the net in which it was suggested that some GP teams could use guest drivers to make the grid more interesting. Well, to old hands that's quite amusing, cos it was ever thus in the old days.

I've noticed that many threads in this sub-forum are about the 70s/80s onwards, but all the same there must be old codgers like me out there to join in the discussion. So, what was the singularly most successful "guest appearance" in a championship GP race? I bet you're all rushing to get your "Who's who" now.

I remember that Colin Chapman was quite happy to offer a seat if he had a spare car, in exchange presumably for a stuffed brown envelope.There was "Geki" (Giacomo Russi) at Monza a couple of times, and Moises Solana at Mexico. But they were usually money-making exercises, or a PR coup to curry favour with the locals.

I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but do you agree? It was Europe, and he wrote for a living. Can't say any more, really.

[Clive Brown]

Harald Ertl?

[nicanary]

Originally Posted by Clive Brown

Harald Ertl?

I don't class him as a "guest" - he was a regular team driver atking part in whole seasons. Useful driver/journo though.

This whole thing is pretty subjective, and down to personal opinion and interpretation of my question. Not my answer though.

[chunterer]

Vic Elford might fall into this category. He had a few one-offs with various outfits and normally went like stink in fairly agricultural machinery.

My god, is there anything that guy couldn't drive well?!!

[nicanary]

One of the great underrated drivers of them all. I think possibly he just didn't push himself forward in the queue, if you know what I mean.

Makes you wonder what he could have achieved with the right chances.

What I came up with as an answer, by the way, was the eventual result achieved.

[nicanary]

Just off to work,in case you think I'm ignoring you.Back online at about 10am.

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Vic Elford might fall into this category. He had a few one-offs with various outfits and normally went like stink in fairly agricultural machinery.

But he wasn't a journo, so that disqualifies him.

Probably had too much integrity....

[rich50]

From memory of reading too many F1 books in my youth, only journalist I can think of is Paul Frere? I'm sure he was also a columnist in some magazines?

[rich50]

Also going back to 60's, didn't John Love do well in a South African GP?
Not exactly a guest though, as SA had their own F1 series up to the mid 70's.

[rbs]

Not journalists but good guest drives came from Mario Andretti in Lotus in USA, where he put it on pole, Jacky Ickx in a Cooper Maserati finishing 6th and gaining a point in his first "real" GP race. Dr Palmer also gave a good performance in a Williams at Brands Hatch before signing for RAM.

[D-Type]

Reg Parnell finishing 3rd in the 1950 British GP in an Alfa Romeo
Paul Frere finishing 2nd in the 1956 Belgian GP in a Ferrari having finished 4th the previous year also in a Ferrari and 5th in 1952 in a HWM - profession: journalist
Mario Andretti finishing 3rd in the 1982 Italian GP in a Ferrari (but does that count as a guest drive?)
As he drove a Williams four times in 1994 I don't think Nigel Mansell's win in the Australian GP can be considered a guest drive.

[johngee]

I think that the lack of 'guest drivers' today is an unhappy result (perhaps one of many?) of the increased 'professionalism' of F1 where drivers, even test drivers, have to be nominated and registered for the whole season. In my youth it was always fascinating to see an 'unknown' or local driver get a grand prix drive and to follow their progress.
I realise that this isn't really contributing to the original question but just an observation.

[nicanary]

Nice short and sweet thread. I was hoping for a bit more discussion and debate, but hey ho.

It's all in the eye of the beholder, but in my opinion D-type got it spot on. Reg Parnell guested for Alfa and did well, but at the time he was generally regarded as the top British driver. Paul Frere takes it for me - he was only a part-time driver, and Ferrari liked to offer a spare car at Spa to a local favourite. Willy Mairesse and Olivier Gendebien also drove there when they were'nt part of the official team. But Paul was really only a journalist who happened to be a very able driver, and his second place in '56 must be the highest ever for a pure guest (i.e. one-off drive). It'll never be repeated,surely?

I panicked a bit whilst at work last night, when I realised the "Mario" situation which I hadn't prepared for. I suppose the "return of the prodigal son" at Monza '82 would count as a guest drive, but he had been a contracted driver before with the Scuderia, and he drove again that season. And I suppose that he wasn't really an amateur (!!!!!!) - surely that lovely guy was the later equivalent of Stirling, having driven just about everything. OK he didn't do rallies, trials or land-speed records, but SM didn't do dirt-track or midgets, or NASCAR as far as I know.One of my all-time favourite people in racing.

Anyhooo...I agree that there'll never be guesting again, just the occasional drive for the official tester when someone is injured.It's all part of the "2 cars each, and no more" rule (Red Bull, anyone?)(By the way, how the hell did he make so much money from that stuff - have you tasted it?). Time was, when many race promoters were happy to get as many cars on the grid as possible - Alfa often entered four or more cars, and used tester Consalvo Sanesi as their regular spare driver, and Ferrari dredged around a pool of sports-car drivers to field a team.

The floor's still open if anyone can beat my suggestion....

[johngee]

Originally Posted by nicanary

Nice short and sweet thread. I was hoping for a bit more discussion and debate, but hey ho.

Paul Frere takes it for me - he was only a part-time driver, and Ferrari liked to offer a spare car at Spa to a local favourite. Willy Mairesse and Olivier Gendebien also drove there when they were'nt part of the official team. But Paul was really only a journalist who happened to be a very able driver, and his second place in '56 must be the highest ever for a pure guest (i.e. one-off drive). It'll never be repeated,surely?

Anyhooo... (Red Bull, anyone?)(By the way, how the hell did he make so much money from that stuff - have you tasted it?).

The floor's still open if anyone can beat my suggestion....

I agree with your nomination of Paul Frere - a real 'amateur', although a very fine journalist and I was very fortunate to meet him at Le Mans a few years ago - a perfect gentleman and very generous with his time and I quote "You are not disturbing me, I am flattered to be recognised after so many years"

Don't talk to me about Red Bull. I used to drink a lot of it and it was believed to be a contributory factor to my recent stroke.

[nicanary]

I don't want this forum to become the target of court action, but I vaguely recall that when a "certain" stimulating drink was first marketed in Europe, some countries considered banning it until their medical scientists had carried out full research. For some reason the Czech Republic hangs in my mind as one such.

Next thing you know, everyone's drinking it like tap water.And why DO people pay a quid for a bottle when it's free from the tap?(Water that is).Herr Master****s has taken a lot of folks for a ride IMO.

[johngee]

Originally Posted by johngee

Don't talk to me about Red Bull. I used to drink a lot of it and it was believed to be a contributory factor to my recent stroke.

I take your point and I did hesitate over my remark! However I did say "believed to be a contributory factor" so I think that I'm safe from litigation! I also think that smoking was a 'contributory factor' and I now can't drink grapefruit juice either - I'll let you know if I get a writ.

[nicanary]

Originally Posted by johngee

I take your point and I did hesitate over my remark! However I did say "believed to be a contributory factor" so I think that I'm safe from litigation! I also think that smoking was a 'contributory factor' and I now can't drink grapefruit juice either - I'll let you know if I get a writ.

I was actually referring to what I was about to post - I'm the one in for it!

Nice to hear that M.Frere was a gent - I always had him down as one in my mind, don't know exactly why. Some drivers are like that, such as Tony Brooks, who I'm sure is having trouble getting his head round all the fuss of late. He deserves the approbation, but I wonder if he would really rather be home with his family and a nice cup of tea.

John Cobb was probably the all time "man of humility" - he just seems to stand in the background at awards ceremonies or official functions, shuffling his feet and staring at the ground.You can't really miss him - he's a giant of a man, in more ways than one.Even the younger forum-members must have seen THAT photo of the Napier-Railton at Brooklands, all wheels off the ground over the notorious bumps at an AVERAGE of over 143mph.. He just wasn't a gregarious man.

Any shy ones in today's bunch, d'ya reckon? Webber seems ok.