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Best Ever Grand Prix


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#1 Keir

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Posted 21 February 2000 - 06:38

Here's mine,
Belgian Grand Prix 1970
Rodriguez and Amon, BRM and March, Spa, the Masta Kink being taken flat out. Two drivers linked together for the entire race distance never more than a couple seconds apart.
Now that was real racing!!!

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#2 Ray Bell

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Posted 21 February 2000 - 07:46

For many reasons, it's still the non-title Australian GP of 1965. At Longford, Tasmania, on the 4.5m public road circuit on which they averaged around 120mph. Brabham and McLaren dicing for the lead, Phil Hill getting amongst them as McLaren's team mate and playing the spoiler, Graham Hill and Jim Clark dicing right behind them and ready to pick up the pieces if anyone made a mistake. Less than nine seconds covered the five at the end of the 118 miles.
Phil Hill reckons it was the best race he ever drove. I only saw him at two other races, but I agree anyway.

#3 Keir

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Posted 21 February 2000 - 09:32

Ray,
Interesting choice.
Were Bruce and Phil driving Cooper-Clinaxes
that day?
And what was the engine formula? Tasman or Formula 1?

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#4 davo

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Posted 21 February 2000 - 17:04

Ray Bell

Let me offer you a dorathy dixer...

Why was the Tasman series 2.5L? I am of course assuming that there was some dark antipodean conspiracy at the start of it all.

With thanks,

Davo


#5 Ray Bell

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Posted 21 February 2000 - 18:28

Yes, both in Cooper Climaxes - but Bruce's was a new one, Phil was in the one that Bruce had raced the previous year. The second car from 1964 - the first year of the Tasman Cup Series - was destroyed at the same circuit in 64 when Tim Mayer died.
Why the 2.5 formula?
Simple. There was a stack of 2.5 Climax-powered cars in the two countries and they were still obtainable in England, where visitors would come from. It made good, economic sense, as well as giving a little more speed than the current F1.
But those who thought the Intercontinental Coopers of 1961 would keep on winning were sorely mistaken. F1 technology was right there in the visiting cars, often the chassis being absolutely identical.

#6 Statesidefan

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Posted 22 February 2000 - 12:04

Monaco 84- Senna and Bellof put on a rain clinic.

British 87- Mansell busts a great move on Piquet.

Austrailia 86- :) Prost wins a surprise.

British 93- Senna :)

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#7 Racer.Demon

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Posted 24 February 2000 - 21:58

It's hard for me to pick the top one out of these great Grands Prix:

- 1914 ACF GP: Boillot's lonely battle against the might of the Mercs, on a day war was already declared

- 1935 German GP: Nuvolari's epic achievement against (sorry to repeat myself) the might of the Mercs

- 1953 French GP: Hawthorn ending Ascari's winning streak and beating Fangio in the process

- 1957 German GP: a supernatural race by Fangio, driving demon sub-qualifying laps to overtake the Ferraris and claim the last win for a 250F

- 1958 Argentine GP: Moss' underpowered rear-engined Cooper beating the Dinos on tyres that were completely shot

- 1961 French GP: Baghetti's amazing debut win

- 1968 German GP: Stewart dominating in the mist to win by four minutes

- 1971 Italian GP: the best Monza slipstreamer ever

- 1973 Canadian GP: just because of the pure mayhem the rain managed to cause

- 1978 International Trophy: Rosberg in a Theodore beating the establishment on a very wet track

- 1979 French GP: produced the legendary Gilles/Arnoux tussle

- 1982 Monaco GP: those few final laps saw more action than the whole of a typical Spanish GP at Barcelona (which, as you know, easily manages to produce the dullest race of the season time and again - when it's dry)

- 1985 Dutch GP: Lauda and Prost going at it hammer and tongues

- 1993 European GP: Senna driving circles around the Williamses of Prost and Hill

- 1995 European GP: Schumacher showing himself to be the new Ringmaster with a commanding display in the wet

- 1999 European GP: the race nobody wanted to win. So Johnny did!

Must have forgotten quite a few in the process...

R.D


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#8 Falcadore

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Posted 24 February 2000 - 22:53

How about 1951 Belgian GP when a conservatively driven humble Lago Talbot almost brought the might of Alfa Romeo to it's knees and spelt the end of those magnificent italian pre-war monopostos.

or the 1991 Belgian GP where everyone led the race and Andrea de Cesaris in the Jordan damn near won it.

1990 Adelaide and Mansell's desparate chase of Piquet

1986 British and Mansell's desperate chase of Piquet....

we could go on an on.....

#9 Stephen Herbert

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Posted 25 February 2000 - 04:52

Falcadore,

Are you referring to the Lago Talbot that Raymond Sommer drove?
That was the Belgian GP 1950.
Sommer actually led the 3 works Alfa Romeos, driven by Fangio, Farina and Fagioli for 5 laps before his engine gave up.

How about the Italian GP 1967? Jim Clark made up a lap, having been forced to pit for repairs and the race ended as a photo finish between John Surtees and Jack Brabham.