37 replies to this topic

[toovo1985]

Original live footage of the first lap crash at the 1973 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Raymond Baxter commentates as Jody Scheckter loses it coming out of Woodcote and takes half the field with him.

Check here the video: http://bit.ly/kxHxui

[chdphd]

Here's the direct link to that video:

[rayburn]

Well that brought back some memories! Good link, thanks. I was there that day, and remember it well, I was watching from Woodcote, so couldn't see all the action, only clouds of dust and cars flying off everywhere. It was quite frightening at the time, until we heard that there were no serious injuries.

That drift through Woodcote of Jackie Stewart was amazing, the cars moved around so much more in those days!

[Rockford]

And ofcourse this race had the best commentary line ever from Raymond Baxter when Stewart lost it trying to take Peterson: "Now he's really in the agricultural business".. Classic

[f1steveuk]

I was thirteen, and seem to recall the race was on a Saturday? I often wonder what would have happened if Jody hadn't lost it, as up until the stop/re-start, JYS was really, REALLY on it!

I remember Barrie Gill standing amongst the carnage, describing it as "like the scene of an air crash".

I was also gutted as I so wanted Roger Williamson to do well

[alansart]

I was thirteen, and seem to recall the race was on a Saturday? I often wonder what would have happened if Jody hadn't lost it, as up until the stop/re-start, JYS was really, REALLY on it!

I remember Barrie Gill standing amongst the carnage, describing it as "like the scene of an air crash".

I was also gutted as I so wanted Roger Williamson to do well

Yes it was on a Saturday. The first GP I marshalled at (down at Abbey). There was a little funfair behind the Woodcote Grandstand. Roger Williamson was messing about on the dodgems the night before the race.

The Paddock at about 9pm

[john winfield]

Yes, what memories! Thank goodness that there was no worse injury than Andrea de Adamich's ankle. We were down at Club so completely confused for a while. Ronnie was tougher on JYS second time around wasn't he?

Regarding the accident, there was so much going on. There's a bit of footage somewhere shot from low on the outside of Woodcote which shows the huge distance between Jody clipping the grass, rotating, then triggering the shunt. No surprise I suppose that cars ended up down by the Motor bridge. The camera at Copse shows a huge swerve, well held, by Revson, Ickx darting between Jody and the pitwall and what's Rikki von Opel up to? Looks as if something nasty has entered the Ensign's cockpit and he's trying to abandon ship!

Sorry, different bit of film

Edited by john winfield, 05 July 2011 - 15:40.

[alansart]

Yes, what memories! Thank goodness that there was no worse injury than Andrea de Adamich's ankle. We were down at Club so completely confused for a while. Ronnie was tougher on JYS second time around wasn't he?

Regarding the accident, there was so much going on. There's a bit of footage somewhere shot from low on the outside of Woodcote which shows the huge distance between Jody clipping the grass, rotating, then triggering the shunt. No surprise I suppose that cars ended up down by the Motor bridge. The camera at Copse shows a huge swerve, well held, by Revson, Ickx darting between Jody and the pitwall and what's Rikki von Opel up to? Looks as if something nasty has entered the Ensign's cockpit and he's trying to abandon ship!

Sorry, different bit of film

James Hunt was lucky as Scheckter's flying rear wing hit the March's Airbox.

[john winfield]

James Hunt was lucky as Scheckter's flying rear wing hit the March's Airbox.

Yes, and then I think it bounces in front of Clay Regazzoni's BRM. In the longer piece of footage, at the very start, is that Lauda stuck on the grid? People did well to miss him. Funny, if someone had clipped him, leaving a bit of debris to clear up, they might have been showing yellows at Woodcote on the first lap and Jody would have tucked neatly in behind Denny Hulme... and then headed for Copse and taken his team leader around the outside there!
Lauda went very well in the 'second part' until his tyres deteriorated. He spun wildly right in front of us at Club, tyre smoke everywhere.

[f1steveuk]

Rikki certainly was in a hurry to leave the Ensign wasn't he!!!?

[petestenning]

I was actually a flag marshall at Woodcote that day and saw this unfold , it was just unbelievable at the axact moment all seemed to happen so fast , yet also in a bit of slow motion as the cars came to a rest.
I saw Scheckter start to spin and next there was dust and cars going everywhere.

The sad part was seeing all those damaged cars after the dust had settled and the whole Surtees team wiped out in on go.

Pete

[toovo1985]

Well I don't have those kinds of memories yet, but enjoyed that everyone liked the video posting ;)

[alansart]

The sad part was seeing all those damaged cars after the dust had settled and the whole Surtees team wiped out in on go.

Big John was not a happy chap and was after a certain South African's blood!

[BRG]

Let's remember that the unfortunate Andrea de Adamich broke his leg in this accident. Remind me what happened to Jody? Was he punished at all? I cannot imagine what would happen if Hamilton made the same mistake today!

[Skeggysteve]

I was at the race, stood on the grass on the outside of the start/finish straight.
I can remember well the crowd moving away from the accident, as a 16 year old it was not a nice thing.
But all the people around me were very good and looked after me .
The accident was very frightening to a 16year old stood track side. Just glad that the only injury was a minor one.

[toovo1985]

Yes it was on a Saturday. The first GP I marshalled at (down at Abbey). There was a little funfair behind the Woodcote Grandstand. Roger Williamson was messing about on the dodgems the night before the race.

The Paddock at about 9pm

Cool picture thanks for sharing it with us

[alansart]

Cool picture thanks for sharing it with us

My pleasure. More here

[toovo1985]

My pleasure. More here

Great stuff! Thank you for sharing man ;)

[E1pix]

My pleasure. More here

Thanks, Alansart, Great and Nostalgic work!

[Formula Once]

Thanks, Alansart, Great and Nostalgic work!

It was a true miracle that no car caught fire that day; so many cars, so much fuel.

[Hieronymus]

Big John was not a happy chap and was after a certain South African's blood!

Luckily there was no physical confrontation, otherwise Big John would have been demoted to Small John.

[toovo1985]

Agree with everyone, they were all lucky...that accident could have been a lot worse

[doc knutsen]

Agree with everyone, they were all lucky...that accident could have been a lot worse

Worse was to come in the Group 2 saloon encounter at the same meeting.

[toovo1985]

Worse was to come in the Group 2 saloon encounter at the same meeting.

What happened?

[alansart]

What happened?

It was actually before the GP in the Group 2 Saloon car race. David Brodie and David Matthews came across a mini in the middle of Abbey and had a huge accident. All 3 drivers were badly injured. I witnessed the start of it but fortunately missed the end as it was further round the corner, although I saw the aftermath.

It was discussed here; http://forums.autosp...w...odie&st=200

Edited by alansart, 11 July 2011 - 17:31.

[La Sarthe]

One thing I noticed on the first clip which raised an eyebrow was the photographers standing on the track on the inside of Copse. They leap out of the way at the last minute as the cars sweep past. I appreciate that they're allowed to stand as close to the action as possible to get the photos we all love. But on the track?

[toovo1985]

One thing I noticed on the first clip which raised an eyebrow was the photographers standing on the track on the inside of Copse. They leap out of the way at the last minute as the cars sweep past. I appreciate that they're allowed to stand as close to the action as possible to get the photos we all love. But on the track?

Those were other times...Now everything is dangerous! Safety has become an obsession in today's world

[john winfield]

It seems a good time to bump this thread. Tomorrow, July 14th, is fifty years since the dramatic 1973 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.  It's remembered, understandably, for the huge crash at the end of the first lap, but the restarted race was gripping, and ended with Peter Revson taking his first GP victory.  Here's some footage...

 

 

 

 

 

...and here's one of the other related TNF threads:

 

 

https://forums.autos...=+1973 +british

[Dick Dastardly]

I too was there, didn't see the GP accident but witnessed the GP2 one  

I believe but stand corrected, that a lot of extinguishers had been used / emptied in the latter so perhaps a relief all round there wasn't a fire in the GP one...  

[MCS]

I too was there, didn't see the GP accident but witnessed the GP2 one

I believe but stand corrected, that a lot of extinguishers had been used / emptied in the latter so perhaps a relief all round there wasn't a fire in the GP one...  

Interesting post.  What a thought.

[pete53]

I remember watching this on Grandstand. The race was still on a Saturday then. It was a relief to discover that once the dust ( and flying debris) had settled that only one driver was injured.

 

Incidentally, what a pleasure to see the Silverstone circuit in its classic layout. Didn't this accident hasten the introduction of the chicane at Woodcote. 

[68targa]

How galling it must have been to win your first GP and nobody really remembers due to another drivers misdemeanor.

[Henri Greuter]

How galling it must have been to win your first GP and nobody really remembers due to another drivers misdemeanor.

 

 

Ask Alessandro Nannini ......

[john winfield]

How galling it must have been to win your first GP and nobody really remembers due to another drivers misdemeanor.

 

 

Quite right, Targa. Whenever the !973 British GP is discussed I always try and remind people what a good race it was, and what a fine drive Peter Revson had that day.

[Sterzo]

How galling it must have been to win your first GP and nobody really remembers due to another drivers misdemeanor.

And your team-mate, no less. However, many of us can say "we woz there" and saw Revson's fine drive, but didn't see the shunt.

[john winfield]

I remember watching this on Grandstand. The race was still on a Saturday then. It was a relief to discover that once the dust ( and flying debris) had settled that only one driver was injured.

 

Incidentally, what a pleasure to see the Silverstone circuit in its classic layout. Didn't this accident hasten the introduction of the chicane at Woodcote. 

 

Yes, although it took two years, and there were two further International Trophy races with the old layout.  Lauda and Fittipaldi got very close to each other on the last lap in 1975 which may have encouraged the circuit to make a change, bringing in that first chicane for the 1975 Grand Prix.

 

I drove past the circuit a couple of weeks ago on my way from Nottinghamshire to Tring.  From the A43 exit, heading towards Dadford, the modern development, on both sides of the road, is astonishing. I should have been impressed, but wasn't, especially at what was once the quiet little exit beyond Club, where now one sees The Wing, symbol of the unnecessary destruction of the rural 'back-end' of the circuit.  I could moan at length about what keeping F1 at Silverstone has done to the circuit, but instead I'll leave you with this article by Richard Williams from 2017:

 

https://www.theguard...tish-grand-prix

Edited by john winfield, 14 July 2023 - 13:55.

[chr1s]

 In the longer piece of footage, at the very start, is that Lauda stuck on the grid? 

Yes it is Lauda's BRM, apparently it sheered a drive shaft, so while the track was being cleared they fitted one from Beltoise's wrecked car. 

[john aston]

Yes, although it took two years, and there were two further International Trophy races with the old layout.  Lauda and Fittipaldi got very close to each other on the last lap in 1975 which may have encouraged the circuit to make a change, bringing in that first chicane for the 1975 Grand Prix.

 

I drove past the circuit a couple of weeks ago on my way from Nottinghamshire to Tring.  From the A43 exit, heading towards Dadford, the modern development, on both sides of the road, is astonishing. I should have been impressed, but wasn't, especially at what was once the quiet little exit beyond Club, where now one sees The Wing, symbol of the unnecessary destruction of the rural 'back-end' of the circuit.  I could moan at length about what keeping F1 at Silverstone has done to the circuit, but instead I'll leave you with this article by Richard Williams from 2017:

 

https://www.theguard...tish-grand-prix

 I still am a regular at Silverstone, but I am  alive to its faults . In my early years of attending , from 1971 onwards , there were spots - Woodcote, Club and Copse - where one was not only located in the same post code as the track, but got a really good view . The chicane in 1975 messed with the flow, but I saw Rosberg go through it at Mach 2  in qualifying for the 1985 race , and it was  spine tingling. Luffield and the rest of the fiddly bits just screwed up the flow , but my God , Bridge was mighty, a wonderful place to see an F1 car at speed . 

 

But Bridge is no more , and despite the nonsense spouted by every F1 journalist, Becketts isn't great at all from trackside . But I watched F1 practice at Copse last year , on the entry , and it was still magnificent, and the speed jaw dropping . The fact is , though , that you  need F1 or WEC speed to enjoy it there -- and can we have a WEC round again soon please? 

 

Somehow , despite its history , Silverstone has felt like a light industrial estate for years and you need to look hard before you sense  the history. I spend 3 days at the Classic  every year ,and while the Wing is no Taj Mahal , it's  a grand spot in which to look at racing cars close up . I watch racing at Village (slow , but good overtaking ) and Wellington Straight /Brooklands for the faster cars . And it's ....... it's ok . But not in the same universe as  Brands or  Goodwood , let alone Cadwell, for proximity and atmosphere . 

 

But if we wanted to keep the GP , and I think we do , we couldn't preserve the old circuit in aspic . After the Donington debacle there is nowhere else to pander to F1's absurd demands , fiscally and physically .  

Edited by john aston, 15 July 2023 - 06:09.