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Olivier Grouillard and AGS

Started by Geza Sury , Nov 24 2001 18:02

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10 replies to this topic

#1 Geza Sury

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Posted 24 November 2001 - 18:02

In this thread Kuwashima asked for a picture of Gregor Foitek at Jerez, 1989. It seemed to be an impossible task to find such a picture, but surprise, surprise, TNF members pulled one out from the bag.

I have an even more hopeless request. But here's the story first: Fondmetal had sacked Olivier Grouillard just before the 1991 Spanish GP. Quote from 'The 1991 F1 Yearbook' by Luc Domenjoz:

On the Monday after the Portuguese GP, Grouillard received a terse telegram signed by Gabriele Rumi (R.I.P.) manager of the Fondmetal team telling him there was no point in making his trip to Spain.' (...) Grouillard found a refuge with AGS. But he was unable to prequalify. "Oh well, at least I tried" - he concluded. "I was one set behind everybody on the circuit: while they all out there I was having my seat fitted."

The AGS team folded immediately after the Spanish GP. So Grouillard drove a maximum of 10-12 laps in the AGS. I know it's vitually impossible, but does anybody have a picture Olivier driving the car?

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#2 fines

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Posted 17 January 2002 - 16:44

Sorry, I don't have a pic, but a bit more information on his performance there:

"I was one set behind everybody on the circuit: while they all out there I was having my seat fitted."

Not true. In fact, he was the first car out of the pits, and did the most total laps (25, the same as Alex Caffi) and the most flying laps (15, also the same as Caffi). Here's a rundown of his laps:

1: 2'01.827" (out-lap)
2: 1'37.380"
3: 1'37.791"
4: 1'32.886"
5: 1'33.335"
6: 1'30.879"
7: 1'30.115"
8: not timed (in-lap)
9: 13'24.756" (out-lap)
10: 1'31.604"
11: 1'29.696"
12: 1'29.612"
13: not timed (in-lap)
14: 9'25.183" (out-lap)
15: 1'30.421"
16: 1'29.528"
17: 1'28.312"
18: 1'27.667"
19: not timed (in-lap)
20: 8'19.675" (out-lap)
21: 1'26.202"
22: 1'25.305"
23: not timed (in-lap)
24: 4'40.602" (out-lap)
25: not timed (in-lap)

As a comparison, both Brabhams did 1'29" on their first flying lap, less than ten minutes into the session, and 1'23" before half an hour was gone.

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#3 Geza Sury

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Posted 17 January 2002 - 18:50

Thank you very much for the info Fines, it's worth more than a picture! It seems our Olivier exagerrated his difficulties a bit! After 15 timed laps he was dead last in the new AGS JH27, more than half a second slower than his team-mate Fabrizio Barbazza driving the old JH25B...

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#4 Marcor

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Posted 18 January 2002 - 01:19

Maybe there's a picture of Grouillard and the AGS in Auto-Hebdo (french mag). Have to check it...

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#5 Marcor

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Posted 18 January 2002 - 01:50

I'm right. The Auto Hebdo n°798 includes two pictures of Grouillard in the AGS - and also a picture of Tarquini in the Fondmetal.

My problem is that I can't promise to send a picture as I've no scan and It's difficult to count of a friend. I'm still waiting for the scan of a Lwow GP article...

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#6 Kuwashima

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Posted 18 January 2002 - 03:40

Not exactly what we all were looking for, but here's a picture courtesy of some friends of F1 Rejects who sent it to us (we have a profile of Olivier). Still we're on the lookout for a pic of him on track... Oh how I wish I had Auto-Hebdo!!!! :stoned:

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#7 Geza Sury

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Posted 18 January 2002 - 07:13

Thanks a lot, Kuwashima, it's much better then nothing!

Marcor, thank for digging out that Auto Hebdo issue! I'm waiting for more than ten years for this picture, so one or two months are not a problem...

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#8 Rediscoveryx

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Posted 18 January 2002 - 07:22

Where did you get that kind of information fines? :eek:

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#9 fines

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Posted 18 January 2002 - 19:58

Formula One 1991 Computerised Results & Timing Service, issued by Olivetti and Longines every year throughout the late eighties/early nineties, approved of by FIA and FOCA.

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#10 arttidesco

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Posted 14 June 2010 - 19:58

Congrats on becoming a member :-)

You might have seen this already, but in case your still looking, a picture of Olivier Grouillard in the JH27, that you were looking for in 2001 was posted in 2007 :-)

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#11 Geza Sury

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Posted 12 December 2010 - 18:38

Sorry to bring up this old thread (my first by the way), but I have fresh evidence.

"I was one set behind everybody on the circuit: while they all out there I was having my seat fitted.".

Perhaps Grouillard was referring to the first of the two familiration sessions, which were held on Thursday. I think spectators weren't allowed to watch the practice, but what about photographers? Were they allowed to make pictures from trackside? In this case, it must not be so difficult to find a picture of Grouillard driving the AGS, as these session were at least one hour long each, if not more.

Edited by Geza Sury, 12 December 2010 - 18:39.