8 replies to this topic

[Bruce]

In another thread someone mentioned Nelson Piquet letting his Brabham go driverless down the straight in testing...

This brought to mind some other pranks...

In 1984 when Piquet was still with Brabham, there was an instance (I believe at Hockenheim) where the Brabham had a gearbox problem and Piquet lost the lead and pulled into the pits, knowing his race was done - but instead of pulling into the garage, he pulled into his pitbox, motioning for his crew to change his tires. It was only after all the tires were changed and the car dropped that NP shut down the engine and stepped out of the car....

Of course there are the famous incidents with Berger and Senna...

Berger once took Senna's brand new brief case and through it out of their helicopter as they were leaving (I believe) Silvertone... when the helicopter was already several hundred metres up... and in Milan once, Senna grabbed the keys from Bergers Ferrari ignition while they were sitting in traffic and chucked them out the window.... unthinkingly as it turned out, because both had to go out and start looking for them, crawling under cars and such - and of course when the Italians realized who it WAS was looking for their keys the job was made considerably more difficult...

How about you? Ever heard any particularly clever, nasty or funny stunts pulled by an F1 type?

[John B]

I heard Senna retaliated for the briefcase incident by filled Berger's with something, possibly live mice or liquid or something.

[Mila]

Australia 85, Piquet and the Brabham boys moon the public from the pit garage.

Austria 87, Piquet, finding himself on TV, pretends to pick his nose. inspired by the worldwide audience, he proceeds to flick the imaginary boogers into his mouth.

[Bruce]

Classy guy, that Piquet!!

[coyoteBR]

Ok, Berger was always next to Senna, therefore close to Galvão Bueno, brazilian TV f1 narrator. It was said once Galvão helped Senna making a revenging practical joke against Berger.
Gehard discovered, but said nothing. A couple of hours before the next GP starts, Gehard's personal trainer went to the press booth and ofered some orange juice to Galvão Bueno.
He thought that was odd, specially because the guy insisted for him to drink it. The brazilian refused.
Lately, he discovered the juice was full of sleeping powder! He would fall asleep in the middle of the race transmition

What mean brazilians would suddenly have a better transmition, without mr. Bueno's talk

[Shadow]

I heard Alesi (or was Berger?) changed Senna picture from his passport, he put a picture of a nude girl on it, when they are going to the GP weekend in Argentina. Then Senna try to use it on the airport...

[John B]

my second Arnoux 1981 story of the day(!)....at Monza he complained about not being able to grip his steering wheel, so the mechanics put one of those big fluffy covers before qualifying...

[hyper!! james]

Senna and Berger were the pranksters of F1 without question.

Once Berger filled Senna's hotel room with live frogs. Then as a retaliation, Senna paid the favour back by putting rotting fish carcasses in Bergers room (I could have got the two mixed up, but you get the idea!)

Although during Berger and Alesi's days at Ferrari, apparently Jean Todt let Gerhard and Jean borrow his car to get to a race. With Gerhard at the wheel, he drove to the circuit in possibly the most reckless fashion conceivable.

Then coming into the circuit car park, Berger started pulling of doughnuts and all sorts of other stunts until the car actually flipped over, and they had to be helped out of the car by staff at the circuit!

And apparently Todt was completely unaware of this event until he went to drive to the airport after the race to find his mangled car upside down in the car park!

Needless to say I'm awaiting the day Berger superglues Sir Frank to his wheelchair...

[Jhope]

Originally posted by John B
I heard Senna retaliated for the briefcase incident by filled Berger's with something, possibly live mice or liquid or something.

Actually, Senna took hold of all og Gerhards credit cards, drilled holes in them, and put a massive bolt through them as to hold them together.

I miss Senna and Berger's jokes. they were pure genious!