78 replies to this topic

[Graham Clayton]

There are some sensible reasons why a car did compete in a
race, eg accident to driver, mechanical breakdown,

However, during research for the "Strange looking cars"
thread I came across two of the more unusual reasons
why a DNS was recorded. Here they are

1. BRM P207 - 1977 Argentinian GP.
The BRM didn't even make to the track. The
reason was that the car was delivered to an
airline in the UK in a crate that was too big
to fit inside the aircraft's hold!

2. VM car - 1954 GP des Frontieres (Chimay).
One of my favourite GP stories. Viglielmo Matozza
entered a Tatra based car. He put in a few
"all-nighters" to get the car completed.
When he arrived at Chimay, he was so tired
that fell asleep, missed practice and thus the
race! The car never appeared again.

I am sure list members would have their own
favourite DNS's

[FLB]

In Brazil, in 1988, Stefan Johansson came very close to missing the start of the parade lap because he had an urgent nature call!;)

[Ray Bell]

That didn't daunt James Hunt at Winton, where he was to drive the Elfin MR8 in the Rose City 10,000... he got caught up in interviews before the start, then they were calling him to the car... he walked behind an ambulance in the paddock and had a leak there... went on to win the race.

Allan Moffat had his car stolen before the Aidelaide endurance race once, but was loaned Murray Carter's car and went on to win... there's a pattern here... Dan Gurney's BRM was taken for a joyride at the 1961 Ballarat meeting... he also went on to win!

The car was found among the haybales...

[Michael Müller]

Monaco Grand Prix 1930. Training on Thursday, the Englishman Bobby Bowes entered his Frazer-Nash, elegantly dressed, he reported for duty in collar and tie, but after after seing the others blazing around the narrow street track, he quickly concluded that perhaps this was not the thing for him after all.

[Marcor]

Bobby Unser (BRM P138) and Mario Andretti (Lotus 49B) took part to the practice of the 1968 Italian GP. They were both qualified (at the back of the grid) but as they also raced in a USAC race the same week-end, the two US drivers were not authorised to run the GP...

[Marco94]

Allan Moffat had his car stolen before the Aidelaide endurance race once, but was loaned Murray Carter's car and went on to win... there's a pattern here... Dan Gurney's BRM was taken for a joyride at the 1961 Ballarat meeting... he also went on to win!

Wow Ray,

do you realize that would mean Prost, Senna and Schumacher together must have lost over 130 cars! Or am I missing something.

Marco.

[BRG]

In the case of Andrea Moda and Life, it was more the bizarre WDTEE (Why Did They Even Enter?) than Did Not Start...

[fines]

Mario Andretti did hardly qualify for the back of the 1968 Italian GP grid, he was 10th fastest overall despite missing most of the practice! There's a nice story about how they rushed back to Monza on Sunday morning, ignoring carabinieri et al, only to find out they were disqualified!

[Racer.Demon]

I guess Otto Stuppacher's story also deserves a mention here. His private ÖASC Tyrrell did not even get close to qualifying at Monza in 1976, as was to be expected. But then Messrs Hunt, Mass and Watson saw their practice times disallowed by officialdom due to their use of illegal fuel - that was one for the Italians in 1976's Ferrari-McLaren protesting match. For Stuppacher it meant that he moved up the order and onto the grid! Sadly, poor Otto had already got onto the Saturday evening flight to Vienna and thus missed his big chance to start a Grand Prix...

[Frank de Jong]

... and wasn't Merzario persuaded to forfeit the same race by a little money from Penske?

[jmcgavin]

i'm not sure if this is a chinese whisper but i'm sure i was told a story about George Eaton eating a full English breakfast to build up his strength for the race poss Canada 70 or 71, then through nerves brought it all back up again on the start grid, i thought he then DNS, although this doesn't show in Forix

is this another case of the facts interupting a good story??

[Boniver]

Masarykuv Okruh grand prix 1934
circuit Brno (CS)

Local driver Josef Bradzil have borrowed money to buy a Maseratie
and when unable to pay back, he had ended up in jail.

Some of the drivers of the GP appealed to authorities to release him, so he could take part in the GP, returning to jail after the race.

On his first practice lap Bradzil spin into a corner with full speed,
and crashed into the woods totally destroying the car.

Bradzil died immediately.

DNS - fatal crash

he had never race a other race..............

[FLB]

For Bradzil, hasn't there been speculation that it was a suicide? I remember reading about that in Court's Grand-Prix Requiem.

Also, didn't Ronnie Peterson miss or come close to missing practice at Spa 1970 because he was in a local jail?

[fines]

René Arnoux was once jailed after failing to qualify for the Belgian GP of '81, giving a wild ride to a policeman (?) clinging to the windscreen wipers of his rent-a-car!

The story about Eaton is probably too good to be true, I remember almost having to throw up seeing somebody having English breakfast on TV!

[FLB]

Jacques Laffite, DNS 1975 US GP

On race morning, he wanted to put eye-drops in his eyes. Instead, he mistakenly put visor cleaner in them.

He nearly lost his sight.

[Frank de Jong]

How about a Nearly DNS?
John McDonald's RAM-Brabham BT44's at the Nürburgring, 1976: after the final qualification, Loris Kessel had McDonalds cars seized before the German GP; now Lella Lombardi was not qualified anyway, but Rolf Stommelen was left in the could. but could continue in the third works Brabham-Alfa Romeo, albeit without any practise. Even then, there were regulations to follow; but when Ecclestone (Brabham works team owner for the youngsters out there) was asked if it did not cause problems with the stewards to get Stommelen in the third car, since he practised in a Brabham-Ford, he told: "Why? I just said Stommelen practised in a Brabham, type Formula One". Stommelen started the race at the grid position of the BT44, finished sixth and even got 1 point.
However, history reveals that a much more serious incident took place at that famous race...

[John B]

Not technically a DNS, but Michael Andretti starting 3 laps behind the field at Montreal after his car had a flat battery on the grid.

Also Naninni and Mansell, same track in 1990 when they were let out of the pit lane ahead of the field on the starting grid, then disqualified.....

[Ray Bell]

FLB... use search for Bradzil, there's more about him and this incident, and the car's owner, on another thread... probably the Brno thread.

Frank Matich performed a classic act to avoid a DNS once at Warwick Farm... 1972, I think... not a major race, but he was on pole with his A51/52 and had a brake lock on half way round the warm-up lap.

He simply drove into pole position, let force majeure rule as he got the mechanics to change the right front upright completely. Max Stewart was fuming, he could have won the race without Matich in it... and David Bones, Clerk of Course, was fined for letting it happen... as if he had some way of carrying Matich and his car off the grid!

[Jeroen Brink]

Somehow Vittorio Brambilla comes to mind. Reportedly he was also linked to bizarre racing incidents. Michele Alboreto made a sport out of telling stories on incidents with the Gorilla of Monza and his brother as actors. Though I can't think of bizarre DNS's realting to them, I suspect there must be something. Anyone?

[philippe charuest]

Originally posted by Racer.Demon
I guess Otto Stuppacher's story also deserves a mention here. His private ÖASC Tyrrell did not even get close to qualifying at Monza in 1976, as was to be expected. But then Messrs Hunt, Mass and Watson saw their practice times disallowed by officialdom due to their use of illegal fuel - that was one for the Italians in 1976's Ferrari-McLaren protesting match. For Stuppacher it meant that he moved up the order and onto the grid! Sadly, poor Otto had already got onto the Saturday evening flight to Vienna and thus missed his big chance to start a Grand Prix...

i remember that otto stupacher he was at the 1976 canadian gp at mosport he qualified 15 second slower then the pole.in the seventies we were used to see some quiet slow privateer in f1 but that was too slow

[Wolf]

Well, I was feeling something's apparently missing from this thread and 'Monza Gorilla' jogged my memory cells. I wonder how is it that nobody posted his Nurburgring DNS for Surtees, of which Jenks wrote:

NB – When it was all over someone pointed out that Vittorio Brambilla had not been seen since Friday afternoon. John Surtees had been so busy looking after his new driver, Vern Schuppan, that he hadn’t noticed, and had assumed that Vitt waas “just getting on with it and not complaining”. A search on Monday morning found the Beta Surtees down at the bottom of a ravine and a note from Brambilla saying he had gone home as he could not see any way of retrieving the car.

Courtesy of Roger Clark, recently on another thread.

[Ray Bell]

You know, I've been retelling that part of that story for years from memory, and I was sure it said the deepest ravine!

[Marcor]

This race was reported in the Maurice Louche's book "Les Grand Prix de Provence et de Marseille" and in Volume 2 of "A record of Grand Prix and voiturette racing". Motorsport even related the race "recently". I'll like to speak about the 1927 GP de Provence, especially the final as the race was run in 3 qualifying heats and one final. Titled by Maurice Louche as "The Scandal", here's the report of the race taken from the Sheldon's book.

"Once again an entry list flattered only to deceive. This time, the cyclecar enthusiasts were the losers with the defection of the entire Salmson team. The non-starters were the losers because they missed one of the strangest motor races in the history of the sport. Despite the absentees, there was still enough to ensure a good meeting at the Miramas track with a full Talbot team (Albert Divo, Jules Moriceau, "Williams") and the solitary Delage of Benoist as well as many excellent private entries.

The organisers were not helped when there was torrential rain during the morning. The start of the heats was postponed until 12 noon when the rain was easing off and the heats were shortened to 5 laps (50 km). The first heat featured the combined 2 and 3 litre classes and won easily by Louis Chiron backing off. The 1.5-litre heat was dominated by the Talbots with Benoist surprisingly far back possibly taking it easy...

All the heat finishers qualified for the Final but Talbot decided the conditions were too bad and withdrew all 3 cars. In addition of this Benoist did a fast warming up lap and arrived on the final straight to find the track blocked. He ran into 3 cars including the Amilcar of Arthur Duray (2nd in the cyclecars qualifying heat) and the Buc of Jean de Maleplane, the latter car being too damaged to take part. Benoist sustained a leg injury and also withdrew.

The final got under way with Chiron leading the way easily from André Morel (Amilcar 6C). The crowd thought they were being cheated of their race and suddenly invaded the track and stopped the charade after only 5 laps (50 km). They also attacked the Talbot pits and tried to find the drivers as well; Luckily this seems to be the only time this has happened. The results were declared as the time of the stoppage..."

[Boniver]

1922 GP d'Italia - Monza

39 cars entered

8 cars starts

and 31 cars did not start
Fiat had won the GP de l'ACF with Nazzaro
and Ballot, Sunbeam, Bugatti, Mercedes, Bianchi, Benz , Talbot,
Rolland, Delage wont not again lose of the Fiat

and Austro-Daimler give forfet when driver Kuhn was killed in the practice

[Barry Boor]

Not so much a bizarre DNS, but a very stupid one is attached to the F1 Connew's final race.

Having seen the engine fail in August, we had sat around forlornly with the engine stripped down and no money to mend it. Then David Purley came along with his Dad's Lec Refrigeration money, paid for the rebuild and the re-paint and the car was entered for the end of season Victory Race at Brands in the October.

During the Rothman's race (where our engine had failed) Purley had suffered a stuck throttle on his March and had received a major fright! He insisted that we fit a button on the steering wheel that would stop the engine should such an event re-occur. We did.

The wiring for said button wound around the steering column and disappeared into the depths of the car to connect to, amongst other things presumably, the battery. As David was cruising around on the parade lap, naturally turning the wheel to go around the corners, the wires snagged on something, pulled out of the button and the engine died.

car #22 David Purley, Connew Ford PC.1. DNS

I am often given to wondering if he had had a reasonable race, would he have come on board for '73 as he said he wanted to, and where would we all be now? Oh well..................

[fines]

Barry, you'd probably jog around the Interlagos paddock trying to satisfy the needs of the corporate guests of the Connew F1 Team. No time to watch practice or the race, just make sure there's enough champagne to sip, and oh the caviar supply is done, where can I get some in Sao Paulo on a Sunday morning? What a life...

[Pullman99]

Not wishing to start a ndew thread, I thought this might be an appropriate "home" for these strange goings on at circuits. I am sure that the history of motorsport must be full of these, but to kick off, here are three experienced personally.

British Grand Prix 1979.

I watched this race from Copse grandstand - Clay Regazzoni’s famous first win for my all-time favourite team, Williams. About half-distance, just as Jochen Mass was exiting the pits in the Arrows A1B, a smallish whirlwind or “twister” made its way – taking a perfect racing line and picking up loads of debris from the track – from Woodcote, all the way along the straight, to Copse. Jochen must have noticed it too as before rejoining the circuit he stopped at the pit lane exit to let it by!

Rothmans F5000 meeting Brands Hatch September 1971

As a BRSCC member, I used to marshal as often as possible – mainly because it was the cheapest way to see races – and I was on “yellow” flag just prior to Westfield. Practice for the race was over two sessions (I think) in the morning and it was before the second session that the following “incident” happened. Just as we could hear the cars exiting the pits and heading into Paddock, much to everyone’s astonishment, a humble Morris Minor was seen joining the circuit from behind the post just up from Hawthorn’s! As it motored majestically past us and into Westfield, we could hear the first of the F5000s approaching Hawthorn’s. Whilst the Observer frantically telephoned Race Control, I put out a waved yellow (Hawthorn’s responded too) and we hung out just about every other flag too. I think Alan Rollinson was first through in the Surtees TS8. He must have passed the Morris somewhere approaching Dingle Dell and apparently the humble Minor got as far as Clearways before he could be stopped!

Spring Bank Holiday F2 Crystal Palace May 1971

I was reminded of this by Colin Bennett’s mention at a recent Northern TNF gathering in Cheshire of what he regarded as one of Emerson Fittipaldi best races with Emerson winning this race on a (mostly) three-cylinder Lotus 69. I can still remember the sound now. For practice (on the Saturday) and race day, I was marshalling at South Tower which is before the main start/finish straight. This incident relates to the Saturday. Practice had gone well but I think that it was the second session (again!) that was interrupted by water suddenly appearing on the track (on a sunny and warm London day) and trickling at an increasing rate back down the hill (Maxim’s Rise – named after the site where Sir Hiram had experimented with his steam-powered aeroplane). This meant that as the cars approached us at speed they could be in a bit of bother. I noticed the bubbling water next the track – it was a broken water main believed to be from the original Crystal Palace building (moved to Sydenham Hill from Hyde Park following the Great Exhibition of 1851) that burst just at the wrong moment - and alerted the Observer who then ‘phoned Race Control. Again, flags were hung out hurriedly including the yellow/red slippery surface one of course. First car through was Graham Hill in the Rondel Brabham BT36 and he promptly spun and continued. To our amazement, and before Race Control could stop the session, Graham continued around for a second lap and spun again! Very unfortunately, he got collected by Hannelore Werner in the Eifelland March 712M and received a very nasty bang on the head. I was also marshalling at Brands on the Sunday and Graham was driving a Ford Capri in the “celebrity race”, still suffering I think from the Saturday incident. I always meant to ask him why he had done another lap after having spun the first time but I thought better of it as he was clearly in some discomfort. The incident was reported in the following edition of Autosport and there’s even a picture of me looking at London’s newest river!

Hopefully, someone else may recall these incidents. I am sure there are many more such stories out there.

[Rob Semmeling]

American driver Bill Scott came to the Nürburgring for the third succesive year in 1970 to contest the Formula Vee support race for the German Grand Prix. Before practice, he was hit by a car when crossing the street as a pedestrian... DNS.

At this year's Le Mans, Narain Karthikeyan DNS because he fell and injured his shoulder when jumping over the pit wall to visit the rest room, shortly before the start of the race. His two team mates shared the 24 hours between them as a result.

Edited by Rob Semmeling, 09 July 2009 - 18:11.

[Jesper O. Hansen]

Regarding Le Mans. Looking through various Le Mans entries, the British Jensen marque only appear once. In 1959 former Grand Prix driver Leslie Johnson had entered himself and the car, and had the best excuse for a DNS although not able to deliver the explanation himself - he died from a heart attack less than two weeks prior!

Jesper

[GrzegorzChyla]

I have a bizzare DNS I would like to share.

It happened during Rally of Poland in Wroclaw, I think it was 1989.
Rally headquaters was in Hotel Wroclaw, with Parc Ferme on a big parking place ahead of it.

Jerzy Wierzbolowski, a driver from Wroclaw finished first leg on a unexpected good position, and he walked into the Hotel, and met one of his sponsors. This sponsor was so happy because of the result so he offered a room in the hotel for the night for the driver. There was a problem during checking in because the driver did not have any document. This problem was solved by lending and id from a fan and friend of Jerzy.

I must add that Jerzy W. was well known among friends that he liked to sleep long.

So when he woke up the following morning, preparing for final day of the rally and looked through the window on the Parc Ferme he thought:
"OMG! All cars from Parc Ferme has been stolen! Only my car is left!"

Of course it was well after start of the leg.

In the meantime his co-driver was trying desperately to find his driver, but according to hotel documents a person of that name did not stay in the hotel... (remember - id)

[ensign14]

Jeff Weinbren told us at Goodwood he was listed as a driver for a South African FJunior race, because the entry blank demanded his team put a driver (TBA was not acceptable), so his name was put on there and listed in the programme...

[Graham Clayton]

Ian Scheckter was set to compete in the 1977 Japanese Grand Prix in a March 771 for Rothmans International, but he was detained and then expelled from Japan due to only having a tourist visa in his South African passport and Japanese objections to the South African apartheid regime.

[john medley]

A well known Australian historic racer arranged a one race rent-a-drive at, I think, Silverstone, flew around the world all at his own expense and was most excited to be there. He as usual engaged in his habitual have-a-chat, perhaps even more so because he was so excited --- when he noted HIS race field driving by on the warmup lap.

[Graham Clayton]

After qualifying for the 1933 Indianapolis 500, Howard Omar Wilcox (who raced under the name Howdy Wilcox II to differentiate himself from 1919 Indianapolis 500 winner Howdy Wilcox) was not allowed to start after race officials learned of health problems he was suffering due to diabetes. Other drivers tried to persuade officials to let him race, but his car was taken over by future three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Mauri Rose.

Reed, Terry "Indy - The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500", Potomac Books 2005, page 31.

[john medley]

Damon Beck's yawn( which was so spectacular that it dislocated his jaw ) prevented him from starting as polesitter in an Oran Park Vee race

[seldo]

At my very first race-start at Towac Park (outside Orange, NSW) in 1965 I had done pretty well for an 18yo beginner and was 3rd on the grid on the 2nd row in my fairly stock Volvo 122S.
The local hero whose name escapes me at present (Nev/Len Smith??) had a pretty quick EH Holden and he was behind me in P5.
Lined up on the grid, the last words of my mate , who was an experienced racer, ran through my mind ..."Just make sure that you are in first gear - not 3rd..."
So - with the flag raised and ready to drop, I took it out of gear, pushed hard to the left and forward....just as the flag dropped!
I gave it everything it had and dropped the clutch............and went backwards...!!!
Needless to say - local man hit me fair up the clacker, and then compounded the fair bit of damage (that I couldn't afford) by giving me a very embarrassing earful afterwards, and several of his mates also gave me a sound haranguing downtown later.
None-the-less, it was still a fairly successful weekend with placings in each of the 5 races I started in.

Edited by seldo, 04 July 2011 - 06:20.

[john medley]

So, David Seldon, if we are to include not merely embarrassing and other DNS but "Almost Started at Towac and Brought Down the Local Hero" particularly since some of us know of your earlier Eastern Suburbs activities, I will (again) provide the wonderful Team Party House support for Barry Sharp in his Wolseley 6/80 as he sat on an Oran Park starting grid for his first race WITH HIS HELMET ON BACKWARDS.

We also understand your phraseology of " a sound haranguing downtown later" . Many a good man has been lost at the Canobolas Hotel

And, just before the awful moment, I am somehow reminded of a lovely story on a starting grid like the person in Your Local Orange Hero's position as he saw those/ your reversing lights come on, at top revs. That 18 year old earned the abuse he copped

[seldo]

So, David Seldon, if we are to include not merely embarrassing and other DNS but "Almost Started at Towac and Brought Down the Local Hero" particularly since some of us know of your earlier Eastern Suburbs activities, I will (again) provide the wonderful Team Party House support for Barry Sharp in his Wolseley 6/80 as he sat on an Oran Park starting grid for his first race WITH HIS HELMET ON BACKWARDS.

We also understand your phraseology of " a sound haranguing downtown later" . Many a good man has been lost at the Canobolas Hotel

And, just before the awful moment, I am somehow reminded of a lovely story on a starting grid like the person in Your Local Orange Hero's position as he saw those/ your reversing lights come on, at top revs. That 18 year old earned the abuse he copped

Huh? ...Eastern Suburbs?...."I know nothing...!"
I also received an anonymous note on my windscreen overnight from some local sage -

"Don't knock The Kid,
When on the grid,
Select first,
Not reverse."

Oh - the embarrassment...
I wish I could remember the poor bloke's name...

[Graham Clayton]

Grant Adcox withdrew from the 1975 Talladega 500 after crew chief Gene Lovell suffered a fatal heart attack on the 10th of August while working on the team’s car.
In a sad twist of fate, Adcox's withdrawal allowed Tiny lund to take part as an alternate entry when the race was run later due to rain. Lund was killed in an accident early in the race.

[D-Type]

In 1964 Jim Clark participated in a Cortina promotion at the Winter Olympics resort Cortina D'Ampezzo. He took part in a snowball fight with journalists [/] and injured his back. Consequently he was unable to take part in that year's Rand Grand Prix .

There's an interesting aside to this. For the one race Team Lotus engaged a young Scot named Jackie Stewart which is how it comes about that he made his Formula 1 debut in a Lotus and started from pole, the only occasion that he drove one.

[Graham Clayton]

Moises Salana withdrew from the 1962 Mexican Grand Prix in practice, claiming that his Cooper-BRM was too slow.

[Amphicar]

Juan Fangio did not start the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix because the night before he had been kidnapped by supporters of Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement. He was released, unharmed once the race had finished.

[Graham Clayton]

Jo Siffert turned down a sports car drive in Germany to compete in the 1963 Rome Grand Prix. Ecurie Filipinetti, the team he was going to drive for, lobbied the Swiss Automobile Club, who refused to give Siffert a visa to race in Rome.

[D-Type]

Not a DNS, but it could have been.

1961 Safari: One driver at the start line with the car keys, other driver at home with the car.

They managed to unite the two but started 28 minutes late. They pulled out all the stops and made the first control only 3 minutes late! They went on to finish the rally and, I think, were 2nd in their class.

[Graham Clayton]

Pierro Necchi did not start in Round 11 of the 1979 European F2 Championship at Misano in his AMS 279 after he had a fistfight with track marshalls after practice:

http://www.formula2.net/F279_20.htm

Can anyone provide any reason why Necchi was involved in the fracas?

[Tim Murray]

The incident happened during the final practice session. Necchi’s AMS stopped on the circuit with an electrical problem. A marshal then tried to get Necchi to leave the car by, according to Necchi, pulling his arm so hard he caused bruising. Necchi then clocked the marshal and was excluded from the race. This was sad as it would have marked the debut of the new AMS F2 car and engine.

[AAGR]

Wasn't there a case in the 1990s when Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F1 car blew up spectacularlly on the Parade Lap ?

Or doesn't that count ?

[bsc]

Wasn't there a case in the 1990s when Michael Schumacher's Ferrari F1 car blew up spectacularlly on the Parade Lap ?

It was the '96 French Grand Prix. Damon Hill's Arrows also retired on the parade lap for the following year's Australian GP.

[Graham Clayton]

Edward Lilly did not start in the 'Patriotic Grand Prix" that was held in the Perth suburb of Applecross on the 11th of November 1940, due to his car being involved in a collision with a truck on the evening of the 26th of October. Lilly received injuries of lacerated knees and a chipped knee-cap, while his car was extensively damaged.

[Graham Clayton]

Barry Jones was a DNS in the opening round of the 1988 AMSCAR touring car series at Amaroo Park on the 27th of March due to medical reasons. Jones was listed as the driver for Tony Mulvihill's Holden Commodore. Jones was on a hospital waiting list for a kidney transplant, and was told before Heat 1 that his transplant was ready. Mulvihill arrived at the circuit in time to drive in Heat 2.