94 replies to this topic

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138 at 2010-07-18


Whilst chatting with Kingsleyrob at Cholmondeley yesterday, I reminded him that this weekend marks 40 years exactly since Jochen Rindt inherited a rather fortuitous victory in the Lotus 72 on his way to a posthumous world championship when Jack Brabham ran out of petrol. I watched on in amazment from the grandstand at Clearways as events unfolded and was aware that Rob was at Brands that day too, 40 years ago to this day.
I had travelled down to Brands as a 16 year old with a member of Aintree Circuit Club in an MG Midget, swapping a ticket to the race for the ride there and back. We left Liverpool at midnight, joining the queue for the circuit at 4am....................
I have also become aware that several if not many other TNFers were also present that day at Brands. If so, let us know and what are your abiding memories of that day?


By giraffe138 at 2010-07-18

Edited by Giraffe, 18 July 2010 - 10:44.

[sterling49]

I too, was there, with my dad and we had positioned ourselves at our customary spot, just up from the Motor bridge going out onto the long circuit. I was surprised that Black Jack had the legs on Jochen and my favourite car, the Lotus 72. The BT33 was a stunner though, especially in the new (turquoise?) colour. I have to say, I really felt for poor Jack as he freewheeled around Clearways, he had driven a faultless race, but lived to tell the tale, unlike Jochen who was fortunate to gain from Jack more than once in 1970. Sadly his luck ran out as we all know, the September race always has sad memories for me, Italy, a place not so kind to Lotus, whatever colours they might be.

[Stephen W]

Whilst chatting with Kingsleyrob at Chlomondeley yesterday, I reminded him that this weekend marks 40 years exactly since Jochen Rindt inherited a rather fortuitous victory in the Lotus 72 on his way to a posthumous world championship when Jack Brabham ran out of petrol. I watched on in amazment from the grandstand at Clearways as events unfolded and was aware that Rob was at Brands that day too, 40 years ago to this day.

I too, was there, with my dad and we had positioned ourselves at our customary spot, just up from the Motor bridge going out onto the long circuit.

My Dad and I were in the Grandstand next to the main grandstand towards Paddock Hill Bend. I was taken aback when Brabham slipped into the lead and had just two or three unexposed frames left on the last roll of film. As I waited for Brabham there was confusion and then Rindt burst into view and crossed the line to win. I used up my last frames on Rindt and one of Brabham pushing the car over the line before we legged it to the carpark to make the long journey home. We heard on the car radio when we were up round Birmingham that Rindt had been disqualified.

I doesn't seem 40 years have flown by since that day.

[sterling49]

........................... over the line before we legged it to the carpark to make the long journey home. We heard on the car radio when we were up round Birmingham that Rindt had been disqualified.

I doesn't seem 40 years have flown by since that day.

.......I had been driving for just over a month, and took at least 20 minutes to get home because of the traffic, the Grand Prix really was rather special at Brands, a great day out and brilliant support races too...........................but that was then

Edited by sterling49, 18 July 2010 - 08:28.

[john winfield]

On raceday, I was up against the fence at Clearways - I was 12 and this was my first Grand Prix. I have many vivid memories of the weekend especially the nervous tension as the field came round to the startline, Ickx's performance during those first five or six laps, Pescarolo losing the Matra in front of us and the disbelief when Rindt appeared under the bridge with Brabham nowhere to be seen.
For me the whole weekend was wonderful, from the moment we climbed up into the startline grandstand on practice day and Beltoise came wailing past in the Matra : sleeping on the back seat of the family Austin 1100 in the 'campsite', the one very slow water tap, learning to play Frisbee with some Americans over to support Gurney and Andretti, wandering the paddock, Ickx and Regazzoni chatting on the Ferrari transporter steps and me stepping over the low rope of the team plot to collect their autographs. I became hooked on the Formula 3 event too and saw them a few times that year. Mike Beuttler's yellow Brabham is etched in my mind. Perhaps my gloomy side appeared young too. My father had died suddenly just over a year before and I became very aware of death and loss; wandering around the McLaren and Frank Williams teams, knowing that Gurney and Redman were there because Bruce and Piers were dead, was unsettling. I can remember wondering how the teams could carry on.
Great weekend though - I wonder if we can find a TNFer at key points all around the track!

[Isetta]

My father took me to the 1967 British GP and my oustanding memory of the day was the wonderful ovation given to Stirling during his demonstration of the 300 SLR in the Historic Car Parade. It raised by no doubt the greatest heartwarming cheer of the day, even more so dare I say than that by the winner of the actual GP.

Boy, you're a tough crowd to get into

[Giraffe]

Boy, you're a tough crowd to get into

I think in 1967, polite applause was the order of the day.

[john winfield]

A few other things that caught my 12 year old's attention that weekend - being driven right through the middle of London to Brands (pre M25, pre Dartford bridge, pre-congestion charge), the incongruous centrefold in the programme (setting up the shot must have been a laugh), the splendidly gaudy Yardley BRMs, Pete Lovely, Forghieri and the very Italian feel to the Ferrari camp in the paddock, walking around the whole track on practice day (such a contrast to my home track, Silverstone), Frank Gardner's Boss Mustang, and the Grand Prix timed practice sessions. I loved sitting in the stand, opposite the pits, with a clip board and a watch, seeing who looked quick, taking the occasional time, noting down official times as they were announced over the loudspeakers. Leisurely in comparison to today's structured, frantic qualifying but, I would say, good value, given the amount of practice lappery that took place.

Two magazine photos stay in my memory - Autosport, I think, had on the cover Jacky Ickx diving inside Brabham to take the lead at Druids on the first lap, two wheels on the grass if I remember, while another shot somewhere shows, from behind, Rindt diving inside Brabham as Ickx slows at Paddock. Imagine, if Jochen had taken all three off, Oliver's BRM would have led, only to break down, and Denny Hulme and Clay Regazzoni would have been fighting for the win!

Talking of photos..Stephen, I don't think Brabham had to push the BT33 over the line did he? He just managed to roll home I thought. Also, in the Jack Brabham / Doug Nye book, there's a photo supposedly of Jack coming in second. Can't be right surely, it looks more like a mock-up recreated at something like his farewell meeting later that year. What does anyone think?

[Tim Murray]

Talking of photos..Stephen, I don't think Brabham had to push the BT33 over the line did he? He just managed to roll home I thought. Also, in the Jack Brabham / Doug Nye book, there's a photo supposedly of Jack coming in second. Can't be right surely, it looks more like a mock-up recreated at something like his farewell meeting later that year. What does anyone think?

I'm sure you're right, John. In the Autosport report there are two photos showing the man waving the chequered flag, first at Rindt and then at Brabham, who is indeed still in his car as it coasts across the line. The flag man is dressed completely differently to the man in the Brabham book photo, the chequered flag itself is different, and the people in the pits in the Brabham book photo don't look like team personnel. It also looks a bit damp in the Brabham book photo ...

[David Lawson]

I was at Brands Hatch forty years ago today.

I have many memories of a great race but I have no memories of what time we set off in our Austin 1300 (UJN 211H) or of queuing to get in, we bought our ticket on the gate and found a spot up at the front of the fence halfway down the hill between Druids and Bottom Bend.

Looking through my 4s programme that I still have to this day, I see that the total budget for staging the grand prix was £70,000 and the F1 prize fund totalled £32,000 and that sadly there is a notice apologising for the inclusion of a picture of the late Piers Courage.

Sadly I remember the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car from the film being driven around the circuit - why does that stick in my mind?

I distinctly remember Henri Pescarolo howling down the paddock link road to the pits, the engine sounding wonderful, was he late leaving as I don't remember any other cars being driven through at that time.

Here are the worst possible quality photos that I took on the day some of which have appeared elsewhere in this forum. I'm sure no one needs them captioned but I will just in case.


Jochen Rindt


Jack Brabham


Mario Andretti, Ronnie Peterson and Jean-Pierre Beltoise


Paddock Hill Bend


Jackie Oliver


Henri Pescarolo


Jo Siffert leading Graham Hill


Hawthorns Bend


Pedro Rodriguez walks back after hitting the bank at Druids


Denny Hulme


Winners parade lap

David

[Nick Planas]

I was there that day too, at Clearways. I think I've already mentioned elsewhere some (most) of my memories of that day - sadly I don't have the family programme being just ten and the younger brother - which included seeing Pescarolo stuffing the brand new Matra in front of us, and Gurney spinning at the same place soon afterwards and j-u-s-t managing to miss the car and the marshals, and the earth bank with an amazing display of car control.

Apart from the Rindt 'shock' win (oh dear, I'm starting to sound like a tabloid journalist) and the aforementioned Matra modification, the rest of my memory is taken up with the five hour journey home via bus to Swanley, train to Victoria, tube to Uxbridge and bus to Iver Heath. When we got home we heard that actually Rindt had been disqualified. My mother seemed to know more about the race than we did! We had to wait till the next days papers to find out that he had been reinstated. Even then it dawned on me that the facilities at the track were pretty poor if you could attend the actual race but have to get home to find out what was going on - but I still went back year after year for the atmosphere.

It was some time before I heard about the Ron Dennis / Nick Goozee incident - and I agree it would have been easy for Ron to point the finger; impressive that he didn't.

[Jagjon]

By giraffe138 at 2010-07-18


Whilst chatting with Kingsleyrob at Cholmondeley yesterday, I reminded him that this weekend marks 40 years exactly since Jochen Rindt inherited a rather fortuitous victory in the Lotus 72 on his way to a posthumous world championship when Jack Brabham ran out of petrol. I watched on in amazment from the grandstand at Clearways as events unfolded and was aware that Rob was at Brands that day too, 40 years ago to this day.
I had travelled down to Brands as a 16 year old with a member of Aintree Circuit Club in an MG Midget, swapping a ticket to the race for the ride there and back. We left Liverpool at midnight, joining the queue for the circuit at 4am....................
I have also become aware that several if not many other TNFers were also present that day at Brands. If so, let us know and what are your abiding memories of that day?
f

By giraffe138 at 2010-07-18

I've still got my program signed by Jack Brabham.
I cruised down from North Wales in a Mk10 Jag, my father, a pal from a local garage and 2 youngsters Clive and Jonathan, who used to hang around our garage helping! We got to Brands, parked in the upper field near the private aircraft.
Went to inspect one that had nose dived on landing! Then made our way into the circuit.
Bought all the usual stuff and walked around to watch the racing from various parts, like Hawthorns and Dingle Dell.
After it all ended and we were walking back to our car, we were surprised at the result as Jack was leading when he passed our spot.
Then we heard that the Lotus was in scrutineering and that JB had run out of fuel, I remembered watching the Monaco race and thinking he's making a habit of loosing to Rindt.
Arriving back at our car dad decided he needed the toilet in view of a 250miles return trip so I drove to the gate at the top of the paddock. Parked there and we walked down to look at something and visit the loo.
Walking back up the hill we passed a woman struggling to carry bags and a large suitcase which I thought was strange, so joking I asked "was she going on holiday, and did she need some help?"
She said "thanks, but I think my husband could use some help," at which point we turned around to find Jack Brabham carrying a very large box (champagne) and a bag.
So we helped carry the stuff and asking had he his aircraft in the field, offered to take them to their airplane, which they accepted.
Offering our thoughts re the race and that someone had said the Lotus was being scrutineered, they smiled, and Jack said something about the wing height in question and she laughed and said "somebody will lean on it until it's right!"
The 2 youngsters in my car were both open mouthed with surprise, and young Clive had to ask Jack "was he really Jack Brabham?" He kindly talked and signed autographs and then they were gone.
The large box contained his share of the prize for equal fastest lap in practise, but I didn't get a bottle!
I drove back to the paddock gate, collected my dad who wondered where we had all gone, and who had missed the excitement.
It made for an interesting day.
If Jack was annoyed at what had happened with the fuel situation he seemed to be in tired but good humour in my experience.
I'm not sure what the others are up to but Jonathan is a manager at my local BMW agency and still remembers that day
It wasn't the first time to speak with Jack, as another friend Terry B. was a fan, Jack was always willing to have time for the fans.
In fact you could talk to most of the "stars" then, in 1970, but after that decade it changed.
It seems a long time ago and a different era, but I find modern F1 equally as interesting if not more so.

[Barry Boor]

Coincidentally, I was just talking to my cousin Peter Connew and he remembered that this day was the debut race of the Surtees TS.7 which Shahab Ahmed and Peter had co-designed, with a certain amount of input from some bloke called Surtees. He recalls being in the pits during the race.

I was standing just before Hawthorn's Bend, with a friend and had taken a young lady on a first date. She later became Mrs. Boor #1 (happily she moved on years ago).

I have some movie film from the race but it is rather dark as the camera was playing up at that time. Cars are recognisable though.

[Giraffe]

I have the race and the supporting saloon car race on Standard 8mm movie film too Barry.

Programme & racecard 1970: 4 shillings. 2010: £12.

[Doug Nye]

He just managed to roll home I thought. Also, in the Jack Brabham / Doug Nye book, there's a photo supposedly of Jack coming in second. Can't be right surely, it looks more like a mock-up recreated at something like his farewell meeting later that year. What does anyone think?

Absolutely right. Choice of that photo and its captioning was my fault entirely. Choose and caption in haste - regret for ever... The shot was taken at Jack's farewell bash at Brands at the end of the season. Dammit!

DCN

[Rob Ryder]

Add me to the growing list of future TNF attendees! Missed the excitement at thye finish because I was ove on the exit of Druids.

I was at Brands for 4 days under canvas at the well appointed campsite . I drove down from Hartlepool with my friend in my ageing Moggie 1000. It took hours and hours but well worth the effort and the first of many visits to Brands.

I'll post a few memories, and photos if I can find any, whan I have a little more time.

Rob

[Barry Boor]

Blimey! Nearly half the attendance that day was TNEffers of the future.

As a follow-up to my comments about the Surtees, here it is in the pits on the Friday, with Peter Connew (orange sweater) and Shahab Ahmed (white sweater) in attendance:

Edited by Barry Boor, 18 July 2010 - 20:00.

[David McKinney]

I was there in spirit ;)

[mfd]

Blimey! Nearly half the attendance that day was TNEffers of the future.

It makes me wonder what some of todays' GP spectators would have made of it all? The Jack Brabham courier service story is for one, unbelievable

[Giraffe]

I'm so glad I started this thread!
I've read the programme, entry list & lap charts again today & it's been quite a moving experience. A special thanks to David and Barry for your very special photos!

[sterling49]

I must say David, even back then you were taken good photos dammit! Great shots, brings it all back again, I see you travelled in an Essex registered car too we had an HJN.................

[seccotine]

@david lawson,
Wonderful photos. It is a pity they aren't bigger and sharper...
Not only it is a pleasure to see the cars but those photos also bring back very precise memories about the 70s, the looks and the styles.
Great, really!

[Charles E Taylor]

It was some time before I heard about the Ron Dennis / Nick Goozee incident - and I agree it would have been easy for Ron to point the finger; impressive that he didn't.

It is interesting to hear of the recollections about this event after all these years.

That Jack Brabham ran out of fuel on the last lap was a great disappointment to all supporters of this great driver. Hearing much later that there has been an admission from his mechanics that the fuel mixture was set incorrectly is very interesting.

The Lucas fuel metering unit on the DFV at that time had 5 mixture settings on an eccentrically ground cam. These ranged from full rich (Used for cold starting) to full lean. Occasionally for operation at high altitude circuits (Kyalami, Mexico City) there were alternative cams, which were further offset to allow an additional 10% lean mixture.

The 5 notch settings on the cam allowed a coarse adjustment. A cold engine would be started on the full rich setting and when the engine was at operating temperature the cam was set normally to the “1 off Full Lean” for track operation. The cam was moved by light pressure against a light spring, rotated to the desired position and then the spring located the cam at the chosen setting. Sometimes this required tools as the can could be sticky.

There is no chance that a DFV engine car could get anywhere near a full grand prix distance running in the full rich position on the fuel metering cam, not unless it was grossly over-fuelled at the start.

The DFV was well known for its vibration modes, one of these was a severe vibration of the fuel metering unit and distributor assembly which sat in the “V” between the inlets.

Cosworth modified the mounting of the front of this metering unit several times over the life of the DFV, the first was a pair of machined bolts which constrained the lateral vibration mode, at the end of its life there was a machined mounting with AV bushes.

This lateral vibration mode could coincide with natural frequency of the light spring, this together with the additional “G” force of the car cornering could un-seat the cam which would then rotate to the Full Rich position.

This happened many times over the life of the DFV and many teams have found themselves suffering from this condition. In the early days many mechanics found themselves admonished for incorrectly or not setting the Fuel Mixture cam, where in many, many cases it was just the result of vibration.

After this condition became more widely know several countermeasures were used to avoid this situation, the introduction of spring clips and lockwire saved many red faces.

It is interesting to speculate that this was the real reason for the situation that befell Jack at the British GP. I find it inconceivable that Jack would not have noticed that his engine was set to full rich as he left the pits for the grid. The difference in engine response is vast, even the inexperienced could hear that there was no crackle on the overrun with the engine set like this.

It is interesting that the mechanics accept that they had made mistakes, maybe they did, more likely they accepted the evidence of the engine being found on the full rich setting at the end of the race.

Like many things, this is perhaps not as black and white as it seems.


It was a great meeting.



Charlie

[Giraffe]

By giraffe138 at 2010-07-18

[Tim Murray]

It is interesting that the mechanics accept that they had made mistakes, maybe they did, more likely they accepted the evidence of the engine being found on the full rich setting at the end of the race.

Like many things, this is perhaps not as black and white as it seems.

How fascinating. Many thanks, Charlie. Perhaps both Dennis and Goozee are innocent after all.

[john winfield]

By giraffe138 at 2010-07-18

Giraffe,
Thanks for posting the front cover - any chance, when you have a moment, of that alluring centrefold?

Returning to the cover for a second; I've always wondered what I'm looking at. Is that a works Lotus? A 63 or a 49? Is that Alan Rees back left? Tony Rudd back right? And who is the driver do you think? I'm ashamed not to have worked this out for myself in the last 40 years!

[mfd]

Giraffe,
Thanks for posting the front cover - any chance, when you have a moment, of that alluring centrefold?

Returning to the cover for a second; I've always wondered what I'm looking at. Is that a works Lotus? A 63 or a 49? Is that Alan Rees back left? Tony Rudd back right? And who is the driver do you think? I'm ashamed not to have worked this out for myself in the last 40 years!

I think it's a 63, but I'm pretty certain that's not really the true colour of the driver's helmet. Standing ready to be corrected though

[frp]

Returning to the cover for a second; I've always wondered what I'm looking at. Is that a works Lotus? A 63 or a 49? Is that Alan Rees back left? Tony Rudd back right? And who is the driver do you think? I'm ashamed not to have worked this out for myself in the last 40 years!

It certainly looks to be one of 63s at Silverstone at the previous year's GP. They were driven by Bonnier and John Miles, but the driver on the cover appears to have been 'montaged' in, or at least his helmet and suit recoloured.

Andy

Edit: you beat me to it mfd!

Edited by frp, 18 July 2010 - 22:50.

[Giraffe]

Giraffe,
- any chance, when you have a moment, of that alluring centrefold?

Sheesh John, if it helps you sleep! It doesn't all fit into my scanner, but here you go...............


By giraffe138 at 2010-07-18

Edited by Giraffe, 18 July 2010 - 23:05.

[john winfield]

Sheesh John, if it helps you sleep! It doesn't all fit into my scanner, but here you go...............


By giraffe138 at 2010-07-18

Giraffe, you're a treasure. Don't worry about the missing bits; all the essentials are there. Masking tape, oil filters AND screen wash. I never thought the poor girl really enjoyed this assignment, did you?

[Giraffe]

Giraffe, you're a treasure. Don't worry about the missing bits; all the essentials are there. Masking tape, oil filters AND screen wash. I never thought the poor girl really enjoyed this assignment, did you?

No, but it may well have contributed towards her pension that she is most probably enjoying now.............

[Prototype]

There is a great photo of Brabham diving under Rindt and touching rear tyres going into Paddock Hill bend; has anyone seen or have that photo and want to post it?

[john winfield]

There is a great photo of Brabham diving under Rindt and touching rear tyres going into Paddock Hill bend; has anyone seen or have that photo and want to post it?

Is that where Brabham took Rindt? I know that Jochen nipped past Jack into Paddock as Ickx slowed at the beginning of lap 7, and the cars were all very close. I can't remember where, after shadowing the Lotus for so long, Brabham passed Rindt before pulling away so comfortably. I thought Jochen missed a gear somewhere, so I always imagined it coming out of a corner.

[Giraffe]

Is that where Brabham took Rindt? I know that Jochen nipped past Jack into Paddock as Ickx slowed at the beginning of lap 7, and the cars were all very close. I can't remember where, after shadowing the Lotus for so long, Brabham passed Rindt before pulling away so comfortably. I thought Jochen missed a gear somewhere, so I always imagined it coming out of a corner.

Jack overtook Jochen at South Bank with 11 laps to go. On the next lap he set the fastest lap of the race and in four laps and pulled out 10 seconds on Rindt until........

[ErleMin]

This was the first time my friends and I attended a Grand Prix weekend - campsite and all. All I can remember was the superb weather. We never did get the chance to cheer the moral victor because he didn't get as far as us at Bottom Bend after the finish. We waived in rather half-hearted fashion at Rindt as he passed by because we were a bit bemused.

[jatwarks]

I cycled from West London, as I had for my first GP 2 years earlier: And to Silverstone for 1969.

I was at Paddock Hill bend and first became aware that something was happening with Brabham when Emerson suddenly appeared in the Lotus 49, with no sign of Jack, who had lapped him.

From my debut at Brands in 1968 I attended every British GP from then until 1984 (or was it 1985?).

At the end of the day on that last occasion it was announced that tickets were on sale for the next year, at double the price; If I remember correctly they went up from £19 to £38 for General Entry.

As by then we were arriving on the Thursday evening and leaving on the Monday morning we decided to look elsewhere. We switched our annual racing adventures to the Le Mans 24 Hours where, again if my memory is still functioning correctly, a whole week of practice and racing cost £25. Pits & paddock were included too!

My clearest memories, of course, were of my first GP in 1968 where, looking for an adventure, I decided to cycle; having no route planned I set off towards the East through Central London looking for signs towards the A20. I arrived before the gates opened and had a nap in one of the sheds that would be used by the ticket collectors, until they arrived and kicked me out.

Watching qualifying on TV on Saturday it had been foggy, and these wonderful winged machines would appear out of the gloom. I recall that the Brabhams had two-part rear wings, pivoted in the centre, that seemed to flap!

Race day was hot, bright and sunny though, and everybody seemed to lead at some point, and then retire, leaving Seppi to take the flag.

If these facts are all wrong, then I wouldn't be at all surprised.

[sterling49]

Race day was hot, bright and sunny though, and everybody seemed to lead at some point, and then retire, leaving Seppi to take the flag.

If these facts are all wrong, then I wouldn't be at all surprised.

..........Seppi won in 1968, but some great memories there jatwarks! .........how could you sleep in those stand up pay booths????

[john winfield]

..........Seppi won in 1968, but some great memories there jatwarks! .........how could you sleep in those stand up pay booths????

Sterling, I think jatwarks is referring to 1968, along with the Brabham wings and foggy practice. I've never slept in a pay booth but I'd recommend the Marlboro cigarette stalls that arrived in the 1970s; unmanned until 9am with plenty of floor space.

Back to 1970, seeing Barry's picture of the lovely Surtees and David's interesting photos, I can just about recall some of the midfield battles. Presumably, for quite a while, the Hulme/Regazzoni battle included Stewart's March, and further back Surtees was battling away in a big pack. Is that him in David's Andretti /Druids shot, behind the Marches and Matras? Could be Dan Gurney up next?
Can anyone remember whether, apart from Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver, if any of the retirements were from top six spots? Sometimes the result sticks in my brain and I forget developments in the race.

One thing that did stick in my brain from standing at Clearways for hours: 'Melaware, light as air, break resistant tableware' on a hoarding to my right. The power of advertising. As soon as shops opened on the Monday morning I rushed out to buy boxes of the stuff with my pocket money.

Edited by john winfield, 19 July 2010 - 12:33.

[Fred Gallagher]

Great weekend though - I wonder if we can find a TNFer at key points all around the track!

I was in the open stand opposite the pit exit. Two of us came over from Northern Ireland in an MG Midget and took in the previous weekend's Interserie and F3 at Croft as well as a drag race meeting at Santa Pod on the way!

Fred

[sterling49]

...no photos then Fred?? Meanwhile, admitted I had to rise early, but I slept in my bed !

[Andrew Kitson]

I was there too..watched from on South bank. Jochen did indeed dive inside Jack touching wheels ( just ) as Ickx slowed infront of them. I think the next day ( Sunday ) I was at Cadwell for the F3 meeting, as were most of the F3 boys who had raced at Brands.

[d j fox]

I drove down from Stafford and stayed with my mate in Petts Wood, near Orpington—then driving the back roads to Swanley and the (in)famous Death Hill on the A20
We went to both days of practice too and I remember walking to our usual spot at Clearways on the Thursday and almost instantly being deafened by “Pesca’s” V12!
Rolf Stommelen in the “Auto Motor Sport” Brabham had a curious accident as he overtook Graham Hill in Rob Walker’s Lotus 49; the German sliding wide, got well off line and slid very gently into the Clearways bank—but did enough damage to become a non-starter.
Clay Regazzoni was having his first Ferrari F1 race and Emerson Fittipadi his first for Lotus , I think this was also Mario Andretti’s first UK race in the day-glo STP March and of course Surtees debuted the TS1
There were two Formula Three heats on the Friday too—with names like Dave Walker, James Hunt, Mike Beuttler, Dave Morgan, Carlos Pace, Wilson Fittipladi, Jurg Dubler, “Fearless” Freddy Kottulinski, Francois Migault and a certain N. Lauda in a Bosch Racing Team McNamara ( he crashed at Clearways….).
Race Day was very hot…I recall Ickx leading and we all hoped for a Ferrari victory, but he was soon passed by Rindt and Black Jack.
One thing I do well remember was the huge number of punctures in the GP. This was in the pre-kerbing days so any time anyone cut the corner the track was littered with grass, dirt and very sharp flints.
Stewart was driving desperately, the March entourage being totally outclassed here; he always seemed to me to become ragged when he was under real pressure.
Poor Pescarolo hit the bank just up the hill from us …my mate and I both exclaiming “Merde” in unison! Gurney, too , nearly hit the bank but gathered it all up.
Once Brabham took the lead we all thought OK that’s it…end of race… we were all amazed when Rindt appeared under the Clearways bridge on the very last lap!
Monaco all over again!

As a footnote at the “Salute to Jack Brabham” meeting at the end of the season I remember Anthony Marsh telling us all that, as Jack set off on his parade laps , the BRSCC had placed cans of petrol every 100 yards around the track!!

David Fox

[Giraffe]

Gurney, too , nearly hit the bank but gathered it all up.

I captured Dan's 'off' on my dad's 8mm movie camera borrowed for the day, and finally got him to sign the programme almost 39 years later at the Goodwood FOS last year! IIRC it was also Dan's last F1 drive.

Edited by Giraffe, 19 July 2010 - 15:15.

[Barry Boor]

Yes, sadly it was.

Funny, I seem to remember a cloudy day and not hot......

And it was TS.7 by the way, David.

[scheivlak]

Clay Regazzoni was having his first Ferrari F1 race

Minor detail: it was his second.
I saw his F1 debut at Zandvoort, I was surprised how good he was.

[richie]

This event has been my one and only visit to a Grand Prix, sadly in 40 years. As a 16 year old I wrote to John Surtees asking to visit the factory in Edenbridge near my home but was invited to a test day for the new TS7, so it was a joy to see the car racing at Brands. I had hoped to see Silvio Moser's Bellasi but that was a non starter. I still have my paddock pass and adult/child ticket. Programme 4 shillings what do they cost now?

[sterling49]

Yes, sadly it was.

Funny, I seem to remember a cloudy day and not hot......

Actualy, my recollection too Barry, now 1972 and '74 were hot...................

[john winfield]

This event has been my one and only visit to a Grand Prix, sadly in 40 years. As a 16 year old I wrote to John Surtees asking to visit the factory in Edenbridge near my home but was invited to a test day for the new TS7, so it was a joy to see the car racing at Brands. I had hoped to see Silvio Moser's Bellasi but that was a non starter. I still have my paddock pass and adult/child ticket. Programme 4 shillings what do they cost now?

240 shillings, I'm afraid. More than eleven guineas!
£12 I think, Richie, and they're too big, glossy and standardised for my taste.

[Rob Ryder]

As promised here are a few memories and snaps from Brand all those years ago…

Brands in 1970 was the first time I spent the whole meeting at a GP. I had been to previous F1 races but only 'Arrive-Grandstand seat-Leave'. I had not even visited an F1 paddock! For 1970 my friend and I drove down to Brands overnight on Tuesday and returned home on the following Sunday. Over 9 hours in a Moggie 1000 from Teesside was quite a marathon for a teenager. I remember driving round the North Circular (no M25) at 5am and meeting a herd of cows coming the other way!

After we had pitched the tent on Wednesday morning it was off to the track, and some of the transporters had not even arrived. The 'campsite' was something to behold, being a single field opposite the paddock entrance with zero facilities. Thank God for the high hedges in the Brands area. A few years later it had expanded to 3 fields with portable toilets and running water – heaven. Off each evening to Fawkham Green for steak and chips with a few pints (Fawkham Arms?).

I could write reams about how great Brands once was, but I am sure others are more eloquent than I am so I'll stick with a few photos and some screen grabs from my grainy 8mm Super8 movie..

I only have 4 photos from the GP. I lost all of my 1969 & 1970 prints/negatives, but that is another story. In 1971 I switched from a 'happy snap' camera to a Zenith SLR using transparencies so luckily these I still have.
These were taken on practice day on the entrance to Druids (without debris fencing).



Now a few screen grabs. Lousy quality but maybe they give a flavour of the time when all you needed was a Paddock Transfer and a camera….


Colin Chapman works on Jochen's car before practice. When was the last time you saw Montezemolo with and oily rag in hand?




Ronnie relaxes signing autographs while his car is taken (via the tunnel) to the pits.


Mario chats with Bette Hill outside of the Paddock Pavillion, a little later Graham joined them.
Yes, in those days the drivers used the same facilities as Joe Public and thought nothing of it. I still have a fond memory of having a pee standing between Mario and Ronnie in the paddock toilets while they talked about the up-and-coming practice session!


The crowds cheer Rindt after his unexpected victory. I must have been standing no more than 30 feet from David Lawson!!

Happy times and happy memories.

Rob

Edited by Rob Ryder, 19 July 2010 - 20:28.

[sterling49]

After we had pitched the tent on Wednesday morning it was off to the track, and some of the transporters had not even arrived. The 'campsite' was something to behold, being a single field opposite the paddock entrance with zero facilities. Thank God for the high hedges in the Brands area. A few years later it had expanded to 3 fields with portable toilets and running water – heaven. Off each evening to Fawkham Green for steak and chips with a few pints (Fawkham Arms?).

Happy times and happy memories.

Rob

The "Rising Sun" on Fawkham Green Rob, we eat there quite recently, lots of the drivers used to stay there too as they did B&B.I saw Brian Jones enjoying a pint there, a nice watering hole