Austria 2002, Singapur 2008, USA 2005 - in the last years Formula One had many scandals.
But was that in former times really different?
I heard of the lotterie GP of Tripolis 1933. I know that some historians said the story is not really true.
But were there any scandals before 1950?
Scandals before 1950
Started by
HistoryFan
, Jan 23 2011 15:34
3 replies to this topic
#3
simonlewisbooks
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- 2,118 posts
- Joined: January 02
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Posted 24 January 2011 - 00:30
Farina's on-track antics were often considered somewhat scandalous (and in one case fatal) apparently....
The bed-hopping antics of 1930's racing-wife ''Baby'' Hoffman likewise, but they were somewhat incidental to the actual racing itself and not exactly front page news.
Then there was Varzi's chemical dependency, but I doubt that was widely spoken off, or even known outside his immediate circle.
Luis Fontes and Kay Don both did 'time' for involvement with fatal road accidents.
One-time Le Mans entrant Lord de Clifford was tried before his peers in the house of Lords for something similar(the last such case of trial by peers in British legal history) but was aquitted, however he never competed again as a result. That must have been pretty big news at the time.
FW Dixon was such a naughty lad when it came to booze/cars/speeding/fists that he ended up getting a lifetime driving ban and a stretch at His Majesty's Pleasure.
In terms of races, there was the French GP at Miramas (1926?) which eventually featured just three Bugattis and almost led to a riot among unhappy spectators.
Generally, however, there either seemed to be either "less of it about" back then, or people were less well informed or less easily shocked by media hype, or more tolerant.
The bed-hopping antics of 1930's racing-wife ''Baby'' Hoffman likewise, but they were somewhat incidental to the actual racing itself and not exactly front page news.
Then there was Varzi's chemical dependency, but I doubt that was widely spoken off, or even known outside his immediate circle.
Luis Fontes and Kay Don both did 'time' for involvement with fatal road accidents.
One-time Le Mans entrant Lord de Clifford was tried before his peers in the house of Lords for something similar(the last such case of trial by peers in British legal history) but was aquitted, however he never competed again as a result. That must have been pretty big news at the time.
FW Dixon was such a naughty lad when it came to booze/cars/speeding/fists that he ended up getting a lifetime driving ban and a stretch at His Majesty's Pleasure.
In terms of races, there was the French GP at Miramas (1926?) which eventually featured just three Bugattis and almost led to a riot among unhappy spectators.
Generally, however, there either seemed to be either "less of it about" back then, or people were less well informed or less easily shocked by media hype, or more tolerant.
#4
HistoryFan
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- 7,839 posts
- Joined: November 07
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Posted 24 January 2011 - 16:51
Thank you for that examples!
