11 replies to this topic

[island]

Hi!
He outraced everybody at the Nordschleife in
1974 and at Long Beach in 1976.
On the other hand, he baulked the World Champions badly at the Nuerburgring in 1972
and at the Glen in 1975.
What do you think of him?

[Dave Ware]

He also won a Grand Prix in his fifth F1 start, Italy in 1970. I believe he topped a lot of people's lists to be World Champ in 1971.

But, also during '71 and '72 there would often be accidents and Regga would somehow be involved. Wrong place at the wrong time, or something more?

In '73 with BRM he had to be "rested" for a race or two so he could regain his original motivation. I don't think a truly first class driver, a Stewart or Peterson, would need to be "rested."

Niki Lauda regarded him as "occasionally brilliant."

He had some great victories but for the most part, when compared with the greats of his time (Stewart, Fittipaldi, Ickx, Peterson, etc.) I think he was just a cut below. Nothing wrong with that. An excellent number two driver, who would help the team score podiums and points, win a race now and then, and not seriously upset the number one driver who is going for the championship.

My father happened to catch a TV interview w/ Regga a few years after his crippling accident. When asked if he wishes he could race again, his eyes lit up...

Dave

[Ray Bell]

As for 'Class' - haven't I read somewhere that he now conducts lessons for handicapped people to learn to drive?
That would be class...
He was always one of my sentimental heroes.

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Life and love are mixed with pain...

[Barry Lake]

Ray
It's actually a racing school for paraplegics.
I saw a whole field of them. guided by Regazzoni, racing in a one-make touring car race (Fiats I think) at Monza.

[Pascal]

He also raced several times in the Paris-Dakar rally in the 80's, driving a truck.

[Nelson]

Classy guy, classy 'tache.

I liked Lauda's story about Regga: when Louis Stanley invited Regga to Bourne before he signed for BRM, he gave Regga the spiel about how good the car was, how it was expected to be a winner. To which Regga replied "****a the championship, how mucha you pay?"

[Don Capps]

Also keep in mind that when he went to Williams, he raced the entire time there without a written contract, just a handshake...

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Yr fthfl & hmbl srvnt,

Don Capps

Semper Gumbi: If this was easy, we’d have the solution already…

[Dave Ware]

And with Ensign, apparently he took on some English mannerisms, drinking tea and the like.

I should check my local library. They have a book of portraits (written portraits) of Grand Prix drivers. I think it is by Alan Henry. Each chapter is given to a driver, and has a subtitle. For instance, for Jim Clark, the subtitle is "Leader Lost", for Carlos Reutemann, "On a Clear Day", for Pedro, "Anywhere you are." For Regga the subtitle is "Bravest by Far." I suspect that's quite accurate.

D.

[Nelson]

Dave, the book you're referring to is "Grand Prix Greats" by Nigel (We are not worthy) Roebuck. Highly recommended reading.

[Huw Jenjin]

I think Ray Bell has it, and to be honest thats my opinion too.
Regga was one of us. A raw, true, enthusiast.
Like Brambilla , i think, he had the talent that was alongside the best, and when it all clicked into place, we all saw it.
Being what I would call an emotional driver (My favourite sort)he would drive with his heart and not with his head, which would lead to brilliant drives, risky manouvres, and days when he just couldnt work up the tempo.
A look at how often he came close to the championship with the above mentioned "Handicap" of his heart ruling his head, shows his true , great, calibre.
I wish there were more like him. Today's rediculous parades of milk drinking over focussed fitness fanatics have no place for his type.

[Ray Bell]

"Milk-drinking, over-focussed fitness fanatics.." - Brilliant!

And it is like that in all sport... only the very rare ones with exceptional aptitude rise to the top without that these days.

You know, four minutes used to be the goal of the mile runner! What is it now?
As Peter Hopwood once said to me, "They're still men!"

This begs the question: "What is the purpose?"

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Life and love are mixed with pain...

[Vercertorix]

Re: Regazzoni - did he have class?

Yes.