4 replies to this topic

[cannell]

A the end of the 1958 season Enzo Ferrari dropped Wolfgang von Trips from the Ferrari team. His crash at Monza that year had been one crash too many. “I'm not amused by drivers who smash up my cars,” Ferrari said. “I expect them to win.” Von Trips seems to laid low for much of 1959. But by 1960 he was was back in the fold. How did that happen? What did he do to redeem himself? Or was it simply that Ferrari needed to fill the spot when Jean Behra died?

[RStock]

I don't know the specifics , but I doubt it had anything to do with Jeannot . He had been fired for punching Tavoni well before his death . Probably more to do with Gurney and Brooks leaving .

[JimBradshaw]

A the end of the 1958 season Enzo Ferrari dropped Wolfgang von Trips from the Ferrari team. His crash at Monza that year had been one crash too many. “I'm not amused by drivers who smash up my cars,” Ferrari said. “I expect them to win.” Von Trips seems to laid low for much of 1959. But by 1960 he was was back in the fold. How did that happen? What did he do to redeem himself? Or was it simply that Ferrari needed to fill the spot when Jean Behra died?

I have often wondered about Ferrari team dynamics - 1959.

The arrival of Brooks, fresh from a 1958 season where had established himself as very close to the level of Moss, Phil Hill, having been a maid-in waiting-for most of 1958 and new boy Gurney, no F1 experience, but heaps of potential, and we have Behra, a veteran of 4 or 5 F1 seasons and unluckily and undeservedly, with no GP wins to his name. In the wings we have Von trips, Gendebein, Frere, etal

My observation over the years and strengthened by what I have read and seen on TNF and other sources, is that Brooks. Hill and Gurney were each simliarly, quiet, no-nonsense guys and that the two Americans accepted Brook's status as Number 1, with no dramas. Behra , on the other hand, must have been hugely challenged by Brook's presence and also by the two "pretenders"

Indeed, at Maserati in 1956 he had challenged Moss' status as No 1 and from what I have read on TNF, he gave poor "Aree" a hard time at BRM too.

I imagine after Rheims, life was easier for the Ferrari team drivers.

Was it not Von Trips who drove into the back of his team leader's car at Sebring 1959 and arguaby, cost the Flying Dentist the 1959 WDC?

Interesting

JB

[cannell]

Was it not Von Trips who drove into the back of his team leader's car at Sebring 1959 and arguaby, cost the Flying Dentist the 1959 WDC?

Interesting

JB

Of course, von Trips only reinforced his reputation as von Crash with that incident. But something must have happened to redeem him. Or else how do we account for his presence back at Ferrari? Or was it simply a case of manpower. Maybe they simply needed him.

[Hugo Boecker]

Remeber the Goodwood TT 1959 - Ferrari lost the Championship to Aston. Why - Ferraris weren't faster than the Bonnier/Trips Porsche.