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.
Please pass my "Get well soon" wishes!
