A weekend at Silverstone, 1971
#1
Posted 22 September 2004 - 21:29
It was the spring of 1971…exams at Oxford Polytechnic were just finished, so a group of like minded but impoverished petrolheads set off to Silverstone for the International Trophy. We arrived to watch practice on the Friday, and I’m ashamed to admit that we entered by climbing a six foot wire fence at the back of the circuit somewhere. Ripped my new jeans in the process….
We were able to easily get to watch practice from an unprotected area inside the circuit: on the approach to Maggots, I think. Siffert in the gorgeous BRM P160 that came dressed as a scent bottle, Amon in the flute like Matra,
Pescarolo in the Williams March 711,
discretely displaying a tiny Courage cockerel an the side of the cockpit.
Back in the paddock we were able to get in everyone’s way, no problem. My bargain basement Zenit SLR was almost overheating. Close-ups of Pedro,
and Seppi talking to Andrew Ferguson, JYS and Tim Parnell.
Lobster claw Brabham with one nostril taped.
Adjustments to the Ronnie’s Alfa powered 711.
We watched some more practice from the outside of Copse. Wee Jackie was spectating from the prohibited area in front of us with a bloke with a silly perm. (After a while I realised it was George Harrison). The gas turbine Lotus glided unimpressively by…a bit of a heat haze and an uninspiring woosh. Practice all over, we went back to the paddock. There was still much activity, especially around the turbine Lotus. It might have sounded silent and innocuous out on the circuit…but when you stood next to those revs as the mechanic wound it up, bodywork on the ground next to it…..a different matter altogether.
Then we went for a stroll through the now empty spectator enclosures around the circuit. Between Club and Stowe I found a solitary chair and struck a daft pose….
We found an empty St John Ambulance tent on the outside of Becketts: it became our accommodation for the night. Our slumbers were interrupted at about 2.00 am by the sound of vehicular activity close by, accompanied by various unearthly clanking and clinking noises. When all was quiet again we peered outside…a fully stocked Coca Cola stand had seemingly landed from outer space.
Well stocked with soft drinks, we take up position at Copse Corner for the day. That year the GKN had joined the Daily Express in sponsoring the International Trophy, and the race had been spilt into two parts. The F1 field was topped up with F5000 cars of rather varying standard.
The first race was one of those that Jackie Stewart chose to render uninteresting by winning rather too easily .the only thing I can remember is that Ronnie crashed the March Alfa heavily at Becketts, knocking himself unconscious.
In part two of the International Trophy JYS provided a little more entertainment for us at Copse than he might have wished. As the field screamed towards us, the Tyrrell suddenly became engulfed in tyre smoke as Jackie battled against a stuck open throttle..I tried to get a few shots with through my grotty Dixon’s 400mm lens, struggling top maintain focus before the Tyrrell thumped into the bank immediately in front of us.
Graham Hill went on to win the aggregated pair of races in the Brabham BT34…his last F1 win.
Later I watched the Stewart crash sequence on TV. The television camera man had been directly in front of us, and what I watched now an exact recreation of what I had desperately trying to follow through my camera viewfinder.
Those were the days.
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#2
Posted 22 September 2004 - 21:56
Love the bit about the accomodation and the drinks stall! Glad to hear I'm not alone in being prepared to own up to a employing a little 'free enterprise' in order to go racing the 'proper' way...
Great days...
Twinny
BTW any idea why the kilted one was watching practice and not taking part?
#3
Posted 22 September 2004 - 21:58
Originally posted by Twin Window
BTW any idea why the kilted one was watching practice and not taking part?
There were good supporting races in those days?
#4
Posted 22 September 2004 - 22:00
IIRC Ronnie's visor was found imbedded in the tyre on one of his front rims after that shunt...
#5
Posted 23 September 2004 - 06:20
“I thought Oh Dear, Oh Dear!”
-brought the house down where I was standing.
How nice to see a photo of it after all these years. That woosh of the Lotus turbine was very odd, dull but quite fascinating.
#6
Posted 23 September 2004 - 08:33
Thanks again for kindly letting us use three of your pictures in the book.
More images from the '71 Trophy Race can be found on Mike Hayward's site.
Here's a link:
http://www.mikehaywa...bumName=album17
Chris
#7
Posted 23 September 2004 - 09:14
For those who aren't already aware 'the book' CNE modestly refers to is in fact 'The Forgotten Races' written by CNE (Chris Ellard) himself, published by W3 Publications (ISBN 0-9545352-0-0) and covers all the non-championship F1 races of the 3-litre formula between 1966 and 1983. Added interest for TNFers is the fact that on top of David Beard's pics, there are also ones from the lenses of Barry Boor and GaryC.Originally posted by CNE
Thanks again for kindly letting us use three of your pictures in the book.
I got mine last week, and I'm rather glad I did as I have since learned by chance that only 500 copies have been printed... I believe the remaining copies are available from Chris himself and Simon Lewis Transport Books.
Dither at your peril!
Twinny
#8
Posted 23 September 2004 - 11:41
Another Silverstone/JYS memory is from '73. I was with my father chatting to some F3 friends in their paddock area halfway down the club straight towards Becketts. An Elf Tyrrell van appeared and a couple of mechanics and Ken jumped out infront of us. Shortly afterwards JYS burst into view through the crowds in 005. Jackie then blasted away, turned around by the barriers down towards Becketts and came back, turning again infront of us and repeating this four or five times, bedding in brakes apparantly.
He then stopped by the van, mechanics played with the car and they had another go, but by now the noise had drawn a much larger crowd leaving little room for manoeuvre. Such a pity that the modern paranoid F1 world does not allow fans such close experiences of contemporary Grand Prix machinery. Those were indeed the days.
#9
Posted 23 September 2004 - 11:51
Originally posted by CNE
Great memories David.
Thanks again for kindly letting us use three of your pictures in the book.
More images from the '71 Trophy Race can be found on Mike Hayward's site.
Here's a link:
http://www.mikehaywa...bumName=album17
Chris
Not really a question of kindly letting you have them, Chris. I feel privileged to see my unprofessional efforts in such a smashing book.
One of the Mike Hayward photos-this one in fact...
http://www.mikehaywa...bum17/527_G.jpg
follows on from my two shots of the Stewart crash. If I look closely I can see the youthful Beard trying to get a final shot of the impact. And alongside I can see two of my chums with whom I am still in contact. One is these days a Lotus 12 owner and Registrar for the type, the other an Osella TGP mechanic and Dulon Porsche racer.
#10
Posted 23 September 2004 - 12:06
Absolutely - when privateers really were privateers!Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Those were indeed the days.
Still at Silverstone, at the British GP '73. A penny for Wattie's thoughts as he casts an envious eye towards the works Brabham encampment...
Running an F1 team out of a Transit and a tiny tent. Bloody brilliant!
Twinny
PS see the bloke in a pink shirt enjoying the Hexagon 'hospitality' area! And he's not alone!
#11
Posted 23 September 2004 - 12:49
Does Hexagon hospitality offer one Twiglet and a glas of Tizer? If you're a VIP, you get two Twiglets.
Great stuff. Many current F3 teams have a 100 times as much tackle as these guys.
Edward
#12
Posted 23 September 2004 - 13:21
Paul also has a truly fabulous collection of classic cars, - which he still delights in trading in.
That's a great photo Stuart, do you have any thing else on Hexagon , _ I do have a special reason for asking ?
#13
Posted 23 September 2004 - 15:58
I've got this from the GP at Brands in '74...
...but again, it's taken on my Instamatic.
#14
Posted 23 September 2004 - 16:45
Originally posted by Andrew Kitson
Another Silverstone/JYS memory is from '73. I was with my father chatting to some F3 friends in their paddock area halfway down the club straight towards Becketts. An Elf Tyrrell van appeared and a couple of mechanics and Ken jumped out infront of us. Shortly afterwards JYS burst into view through the crowds in 005. Jackie then blasted away, turned around by the barriers down towards Becketts and came back, turning again infront of us and repeating this four or five times, bedding in brakes apparantly.
I was there with you, Andrew. That's when I got this shot....
#15
Posted 24 September 2004 - 03:24
#16
Posted 24 September 2004 - 13:23
That is the best close-up I have ever seen of Pedro. The king of cool with a rollneck, Brylcream and suede jacket.
Make sure that you send it to Luc.
By the way, did he ever suffer a broken nose? He looks like a prop forward.
Edward
#17
Posted 27 September 2004 - 09:20
about when car races deserve the passion we always felt.
Because today the only topics we could share are about GPL.
CIAO.
#18
Posted 27 September 2004 - 19:25
#19
Posted 27 September 2004 - 23:59
But peebo, you too have access - as you've proved by posting here!Originally posted by peebo
Stories and pictures like these are the reason why TNF is so valuable to me. You guys were so lucky to be able to get access like this.
Don't hold back; if you have an opinion, or some old photos - or whatever - then please get involved! These blokes don't bite, you know.
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#20
Posted 28 September 2004 - 03:39
Originally posted by David Beard
...and Seppi talking to Andrew Ferguson, JYS and Tim Parnell.
I figured out why this picture is vaguely familiar...
http://forums.atlasf...476#post1091476
#21
Posted 28 September 2004 - 12:05
Originally posted by Seppi_0_917PA
I figured out why this picture is vaguely familiar...
http://forums.atlasf...476#post1091476
Yes, I have to admit I have posted most of those on TNF before, but I thought no one would remember!
Just thought I would string them together to make a story....
#22
Posted 28 September 2004 - 12:31
#23
Posted 28 September 2004 - 13:38
accessible and made from people that you could admire or at least identify the personality.
Real person, real track, real drivers, real racing cars.
What personality we have today Briatore? Ecclestone? Ralf Schumacher? Kimi Raikkonen?
If you compare the interviews of this people to the ones of our heroes of the 60's 70s'
it seems that they dont do the same sport ( ......in effect they dont do it anymore......)
I mean drivers and protagonists that really have something to say, to teach ot simply to tell us.
Yes those tents, it look like a little absurd, but who cares...............
today we have more person on the PR department of a racing team, than all the team that run
a Lotus 49 for example.
Faraonic motorhomes and hospitality, and PR men or women in order to tell what..........?
The impression of Kimi Raikkonen about the race...............?
Who cares?
MonzaDriver.
#24
Posted 28 September 2004 - 14:11
#25
Posted 28 September 2004 - 14:32
What I would like to see is an end to people who host web sites with pictures including those bloody awful "watermarks" or other silly gimicks designed to stop downloading.
Now I know that some of the web site hosters do indeed own the pics but, look at Rainer S.
a better photog you will rarely see and his pics are free to download. And print and adorn your living areas with autoracing art!!
BAN THE WATERMARKS
............and if you are in the business of selling your pictures, then get yourself a bloody catalog and mail them the old fashioned way. There was very little theft of pics when catalogs were the primary source of sales.
Sorry, but I just had to vent a bit after going to the Mike Hayward Collection.
Nothing against Mike himself but the watermark ruins the pics!!
#26
Posted 28 September 2004 - 14:47
Not I...!Originally posted by MonzaDriver
The impression of Kimi Raikkonen about the race...............?
Who cares?
Sad, but oh so true...Originally posted by Seppi_0_917PA
Agreed, these days, the typical practice session quote from a driver: "We collected good data today." Wow, what passion...
#27
Posted 28 September 2004 - 15:43
In particulary I was sure about Twin Window.
I dont know how to insert the smiles, but it will be thumbs up.
Personally I have only one hope, that the tv audience in next few years will go so bad,
that no one televisions all around the world will buy the rights for F1.
So a lot of people like Ecclestone Briatore Schumacher Todt and all the whole "company"
go retired or they dedicated their " manager capacity" into something else.
Then becasue no one of this people invented or created motor racing,
the whole mechanism restart with more sport inside, and less "money for everyone" environment.
This year I have had some paddock pass for the private practice in September,
all I have seen are the trucks of team parked in order and a lot of telemetry antennas on the roof.
Nothing more.
So I started to wonder that maybe if my dream became true,
all those fantastic trucks could be used for next F2 or F3 team of the future.
When those "fast billboard" will dont use it anymore.
And I was speaking about "test teams" only.
But I know this things is a very usual ones for the members of this forum.
I would like only to know if someone else share with me this dream.
Those Faraonic motorhomes and Trucks to sell, at very good price,
for the teams of the future.
And, sorry, not becasue I am Italian I dont want to offend anyone, especially British person,
a nation that have so great part in motor racing, but also the hospitality of McLaren team,
the construction that if I am not wrong need 5 days to mount.
Also this little " villa" I would like to see with the " On sale"
It is with a great grief that I use this sarcasm, because the McLaren M23 of James Hunt, 1976
is something really impressed in my heart. Forever.
MonzaDriver.
#28
Posted 28 September 2004 - 15:43
Given the choice of seeing pictures with watermarks or not seeing them at all, I know which I'd go for.Originally posted by Keir
A little off topic but,
What I would like to see is an end to people who host web sites with pictures including those bloody awful "watermarks" or other silly gimicks designed to stop downloading.
Now I know that some of the web site hosters do indeed own the pics but, look at Rainer S.
a better photog you will rarely see and his pics are free to download. And print and adorn your living areas with autoracing art!!
BAN THE WATERMARKS
............and if you are in the business of selling your pictures, then get yourself a bloody catalog and mail them the old fashioned way. There was very little theft of pics when catalogs were the primary source of sales.
Sorry, but I just had to vent a bit after going to the Mike Hayward Collection.
Nothing against Mike himself but the watermark ruins the pics!!
And believe me, those are the options.
#29
Posted 28 September 2004 - 16:25
There are a number of sites which do not mar their pics and it is those that I frequent.
The others should go into that dark, dark night and never return!!
#30
Posted 28 September 2004 - 16:44
Originally posted by David McKinney
Given the choice of seeing pictures with watermarks or not seeing them at all, I know which I'd go for.
And believe me, those are the options.
I'm afraid to say that if I knew how to add a watermark, my fuzzy old photos would have them too....
#32
Posted 04 October 2004 - 23:20
#33
Posted 05 October 2004 - 02:23
Originally posted by MonzaDriver
.....today we have more person on the PR department of a racing team, than all the team that run a Lotus 49 for example.....
How sadly true this is...
And how glad I am to have decades of memories of times that were much better!
And even though I might not have ever been to a Silverstone or a Monza or a Spa in those wonderful days, we always had Jenks to take us there.
So that's another thing that's been lost forever...
#34
Posted 10 October 2004 - 19:08
Twinny... I know that you will like at least three of the photos
Keir........ no watermarks
All.......... feel free to download and use my photos (no problem)
Graham Hill Brabham BT34
Pedro Rodriguez BRM P160
Jo Siffert BRM P160
Ronnie Peterson March 711
Chris Amon Matra MS120B
Howden Ganley BRM P153
#35
Posted 10 October 2004 - 19:23
Actually, Rob, I love them all...!Originally posted by Rob Ryder
Twinny... I know that you will like at least three of the photos
#36
Posted 10 October 2004 - 22:20
Originally posted by Sedward :
That is the best close-up I have ever seen of Pedro. The king of cool with a rollneck, Brylcream and suede jacket.
Here's another picture of Pedro taken 3 days before his Spa victory with the BRM at Spa 1970.
He was doing some pr job for Yardley in a Brussels Shopping Mall :
.......sitting in a Yardley BRM H16 !!! :
#37
Posted 11 October 2004 - 04:00
#38
Posted 11 October 2004 - 21:55
Good pics!!!
#39
Posted 17 February 2006 - 13:25
I was at the 1971 British GP meeting viewing at Becketts. Suddenly this big Ford Granada rolled up with JYS 1 registration. Out hopped Jackie Stewart and George Harrison (what a co-incidence I hear you all cry!). They moved into the crowd and as the next practice session began JYS was explaining the line, how to settle the car etc to a very intense George Harrison. There was a steady stream of autograph hunters and JYS obliged. The bloke stood next to me asked would I mind keeping an eye on his bag whilst he got an autograph. I said OK as I was never a big JYS fan. The bloke wandered over and joined the queue. When it came his turn JYS reached out for the pen but the bloke snatched it away and said "I don't want your autograph I want George Harrison's!". As you may surmise Wee Jackie was not impressed!
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#40
Posted 17 February 2006 - 14:51
Good boy !! lol
#41
Posted 17 February 2006 - 17:51
David
#42
Posted 19 May 2008 - 17:11
Originally posted by David Beard
Not really a question of kindly letting you have them, Chris. I feel privileged to see my unprofessional efforts in such a smashing book.
One of the Mike Hayward photos-this one in fact...
http://www.mikehaywa...bum17/527_G.jpg
follows on from my two shots of the Stewart crash. If I look closely I can see the youthful Beard trying to get a final shot of the impact. And alongside I can see two of my chums with whom I am still in contact. One is these days a Lotus 12 owner and Registrar for the type, the other an Osella TGP mechanic and Dulon Porsche racer.
I think the photo link above doesn't work anymore. but last weekend I met up again with the two characters mentioned above, Keith Martin and Mike Bennett (now a TNFer)...
Keith took lots of photos while alongside me at a number of events of the period. His camera was a Zenit B...as against my more posh Zenit E with built in exposure meter. I have wrenched some of his old prints away from him and will post shortly on various threads. For me, they provide an interesting alternative slant on my own memories.
#43
Posted 20 May 2008 - 07:36
Did you tell Mike how well the Lotus 12s have been going?
#45
Posted 21 May 2008 - 09:24
Originally posted by David Beard
Keith Martin's photo of the Lotus turbine engine. That's me in the backgound on the left. I can tell by the Gold Leaf Team Lotus sticker on my camera bag
Are you sure as I was at the same meeting and i also had a GLTL sticker on my camera bag!
#46
Posted 21 May 2008 - 09:44
But I don't remember seeing either of you two!
#47
Posted 21 May 2008 - 11:10
Originally posted by Keir
A little off topic but,
What I would like to see is an end to people who host web sites with pictures including those bloody awful "watermarks" or other silly gimicks designed to stop downloading.
Now I know that some of the web site hosters do indeed own the pics but, look at Rainer S.
a better photog you will rarely see and his pics are free to download. And print and adorn your living areas with autoracing art!!
BAN THE WATERMARKS
............and if you are in the business of selling your pictures, then get yourself a bloody catalog and mail them the old fashioned way. There was very little theft of pics when catalogs were the primary source of sales.
Sorry, but I just had to vent a bit after going to the Mike Hayward Collection.
Nothing against Mike himself but the watermark ruins the pics!!
Keir
As a fellow Amon supporter, I hope you don't object to my photos having my name tucked away in the corner? I do agree about watermarks right across the important bits, but those folk are trying to make a living, I guess, from selling them. In my case, I'm cataloging my complete collection of photos, both bad and very bad, without any intention of selling them. It's purely for my own benefit - if I can share them with interested parties (on here for example) I'm really happy if they are occasionally appreciated, or fit into a particular thread.
Several requests I've had, from people wishing to reproduce them are always answered in the affirmative, and generally supplied with a copy without my name on it, if that's what is required.
You can always have any of my Amon photos
#48
Posted 21 May 2008 - 11:23
I don't mind people putting their names on pics that they do indeed own or wish to sell, so long as they are out of the way of the pic itself.
watermarks as I have said, are just bloody awful and ruin the picture.
Thanks for the offer of Amon pics, I can never get enough of those !!
#49
Posted 21 May 2008 - 18:56
Originally posted by Stephen W
Are you sure as I was at the same meeting and i also had a GLTL sticker on my camera bag!
No, it's me. Mike Bennett took this snap of me snapping Pedro...see the sticker. And, yes, it is the same person as the fat bloke in the middle in post 42, honest.
#50
Posted 21 May 2008 - 19:03