Zolder 1978

Fifteen drivers in the GP field had won races · (Lauda, Fittipaldi, Hunt, Peterson, Ickx, Andretti, Reutemann, Scheckter, Regazzoni, Brambilla, Depailler, Jones, Laffite, Mass and Watson);

Five more would go on to do so · (Villeneuve, Jabouille, Arnoux, Pironi, Patrese);

And Keke Rosberg was a non-qualifier. Surely this is the record, and is unlikely to be challenged...

Hmmm... amazing stats!

And ones which are unlikely to be repeated, methinks...

Well, good ground to explain my passion for this era ! Seems to be a scientific explanation of what can be seen otherwise as an old man nostalgia of his early days ;)

and many thanks Subh !!!

That really is incredible. I recently watched some footage from the 1979 season and considered that a large percentage of the drivers were household names - even my sister had heard of most of them. Don't think you could say that now!

Originally posted by subh
Fifteen drivers in the GP field had won races · (Lauda, Fittipaldi, Hunt, Peterson, Ickx, Andretti, Reutemann, Scheckter, Regazzoni, Brambilla, Depailler, Jones, Laffite, Mass and Watson);

Five more would go on to do so · (Villeneuve, Jabouille, Arnoux, Pironi, Patrese);

And Keke Rosberg was a non-qualifier. Surely this is the record, and is unlikely to be challenged...

Very good Subh.

Something very curious too happened at the Monaco GP 1980. The last four places at the grid were for Rene Arnoux, who was leading the championship by then, and three champions: Fittipaldi, Andretti and Scheckter.

Statistics can be used to tell you anything, but its great to see them used for something that you want to hear! Those times were magic, the seasons were fluid and dynamic - you really could expect the unexpected. I don't think we are a load of bleating old farts - it really was better in the old days!!

The list of GP winners on the grid in China 2005 was quite impressive:
Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso, Giancarlo Fisichella, Kimi Raikkonen, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, David Coulthard, Jarno Trulli, and Ralf Schmacher. Only 50% of the grid though.

Originally posted by Maldwyn
The list of GP winners on the grid in China 2005 was quite impressive:
Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Fernando Alonso, Giancarlo Fisichella, Kimi Raikkonen, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve, David Coulthard, Jarno Trulli, and Ralf Schmacher. Only 50% of the grid though.

I wonder how many of the others can be expected to go on to win races? I guess Button might eventually do it, and Webber as well? And Massa if this year's Ferrari is more 2004 than 2005. Lots of ifs, and it won't match Zolder 1978, but not so far away.

This year will make or break Button. I suspect it will break him as I don't see DeFerran giving him better than equal equipment vs. Rubens. I became convinced of this when he crashed out of the Canadian GP last year. I "think" it was a mental error brought on by poor training...he has no stamina.

I went to 18 GPs in the '70s and maybe 10 GPs in the last 5 years...the quality and depth just isn't there. Past the top 6, the falloff is scary!

Originally posted by WHITE


Very good Subh.

Something very curious too happened at the Monaco GP 1980. The last four places at the grid were for Rene Arnoux, who was leading the championship by then, and three champions: Fittipaldi, Andretti and Scheckter.

As Graham Hill said "You meet a better class of driver at the back of the grid!"