12 replies to this topic

[FairWeatherDriver]

Greetings all, newbie logging in for first time. I'm a long-time fan of Alfa Romeo's sportscar team, and in particular the T33 years. I'm looking for a scan or indeed a library copy of an old Autosport report from (I believe) the Dijon 500km or the Monza 1000km in April that year. The headline of the report is "Ees crazy!" and top photo is of a brace of T33s (Brambilla and Merzario) pelting across the start/finish line while the Group 2 cars have barely turned onto the start/finish straight.

My dim memory of the actual report is that Brambilla and Art tangled early on; Merzario pitted and left in a huff, while J-P Jarier took over before retiring.

 

Would anyone have any suggestions where such a vintage report might be found?

[2F-001]

Hello and welcome!

You don't actually say which year, but I'm guessing 1977?

[FairWeatherDriver]

you know, i thought i was giving as much info as possible, and i go and forget the year. 1977 indeed.

[2F-001]

Merzario and Jarier shared - and won - at Dijon, but the three Alfas ran at Monza with solo drivers (at least, according to the programme) and no Jarier - so, of the two races you suggest, the Dijon round seems most likely.

For ref. the Dijon race is shown (in Higham) as being on April 17, so the Autosport report (if that was the source of the article) would be in, what?, the April 21st issue?

I don't have that issue here - may have it in storage or possibly at my parents place; sorry.

Edit:

Apologies - I overlooked your memory of Jarier subsequently retiring the car.

Of the 'World Championship for Sportscars' races that year:
the two you cites were the only ones in April.

Merzario and Jarier shared again at Ricard (in July), but they finished - and won.

Hopefully someone else will have a memory of the report...

Edited by 2F-001, 23 June 2015 - 13:27.

[FairWeatherDriver]

From the little I've gleaned off this here Internet, Alfa entered - or a least practiced - a 3rd (T-car) at Dijon and Monza, with Jarier listed as driver for the spare. 

[2F-001]

I can't see any indication that Alfa actually raced more than two cars at Dijon (Jarier sharing with Art, and winning).

I don't have reports for these races here, only the bare results, but there is a scan of the Monza programme here
http://www.racingspo...1977-04-24e.jpg
of course that could have changed on the day - but that same site suggests that although Jarier was nominated for all three cars, he didn't race (and only two of the Alfas did).

So far as I can see, the only other event that Jarier was involved in was at Ricard, which he finished (and won, also with Merzario) and wasn't in April. I'm thinking the subsequent 'retiring' part must be wrong.

[FairWeatherDriver]

You know, it could also have been the Paul Ricard race in July that year... as I remember it the photo shows the pack coming through a left-right dog-leg into the start-finish straight.

[Roger Clark]

The race you're thinking of is at Paul Ricard, 24 July; the report is Autosport 28 July.  The caption of the picture is "Forzza, forza!.  Vittorio has his own ideas about when to get the race started, and Arturo decides he'd better go with him.  The rest, they just don't understand....".

 

The report says: "Long before the race end of the field had ever rounded the bend before the (rolling) start, Brambilla was hard on the accelerator with Merzario following suit, the two Alfas out of sight around the first bend before the rest of the field had even taken the starting flag"

 

The two Alfas collided on the first lap.  Art said: "He is completely crazy.  He jump the start and then at the end of the straight he spin in front of me.  I had to lift off suddenly and my car is spinning at 200kmh into the catchfencing.  I have to rock the car against the poles to knock them down to get out again, and then the clutch is finished.  I have to take a lawyer if he keeps trying to kill me like this.  He should have a certificate from a doctor before he goes racing again".

 

Motor racing as it should be.

[FairWeatherDriver]

Roger, thanks - that's brought back the memories! Now to Find a copy...

[2F-001]

You could try Pook's in Rothley
http://www.pooksmotorbooks.co.uk
if you're anywhere near them, you could drop by and have a browse for it - but such adventures are usually a trigger to considerable extra, unplanned expenditure as you discover all manner of other material you hadn't realised that you "needed"...

[FairWeatherDriver]

Thanks for the tip - though I may wait until I've built up a little war-chest: from what the website shows, I may not get out of there alive!

[Sebastian Tombs]

eBay is your friend    http://www.ebay.ie/i...t-/370768792534

 

[FairWeatherDriver]

Many thanks indeed Sebastian: been away for a couple of weeks and have done the necessary!