27 replies to this topic

[HistoryFan]

With the current covid-19 crisis is affecting Racing very hard, I wonder what part did the oil crisis played in Racing back in 1973?

 

I did a bit of research here in this forum and found some information that the oil crisis was one of the big factors why Formula 5000 disappeared.

 

What effects did the crisis had on Racing for example in Le Mans and Formel 1?

[Allen Brown]

It's hard to say now, because some of the things blamed on it turned around quite quickly.  For example, it was said to be the reason March pulled out of F1 at the end of 1973, but come the start of 1974, there they were again.  It was also said to be the reason Rondel lost their Motul sponsorship so they couldn't move into F1, but come the start of 1974, there was the Motul sponsorship on the side of the BRMs.  
 
The oil crisis was one of the triggers for the 1973-1975 recession, but it wasn't the whole story.  UK manufacturing had been in trouble for some years, but its problems had been largely disguised by "The Barber Boom" in the preceding two years.  The recession highlighted how uncompetitive it had become, making the recovery much slower.  Ham-fisted attempts by the government to keep wage increases below inflation led to worsening industrial relations, and it all got quite ugly quite quickly.  A sizeable chunk of UK manufacturing never did recover, and it's hard to justify sponsoring racing cars when you're closing factories and letting staff go.  All that impacted sponsorship budgets, notably from "trade" companies.  I'm not sure I'd see a direct causal link between the oil crisis and the end of F5000. 
 
If you want to explore this subject, this is a good starting point:
 

[d j fox]

From memory not much In sports cars in 1973. Le Mans saw a titanic Matra v Ferrari plus Ford v BMW battle . The 1974 Nurburgring 1000 kms became 750ks However the fuel crisis plus general economic downturn saw the 1975 Le Mans run to the ACO’s Fuel Economy “formule” Cars had to cover at least 20 laps without refuelling Triple winners Matra had only managed 16.....Anyone else have any F1 comments?

[E1pix]

The oil crisis did take out F5000, but like this:
-- Crisis helps kills Can-Am
-- F5000 killed to be New Can-Am
-- New Can-Am never replaced either

[Rob Miller]

The oil crisis killed off the South African international 2 Litre sports car series, run over the Northern winter.

[IanMH]

It was bad History Fan, but unlike today's crisis racing still took place...racing cars was seen as frivolous and not something that fuel should be wasted upon...in Britain practice sessions were shortened...races were shortened...and even circuits were shortened...Oulton Park's dreadful Foster's layout was a direct result...Cheers Ian

[chr1s]

I seem to recall some doubt about the South American races taking place at the beginning of the 1974 season, but I could be wrong, its so long ago now!

[Tim Murray]

I can’t remember now who conducted it, but at the time a survey was carried out to determine which sport was the most wasteful in terms of fuel used per participant. Top of the list was angling.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, I remember that angling was well up the list too... though I'm not sure that it related to the UK...

 

But weekend sightseeing was even bigger, if I recall.

[Lee Nicolle]

There has been too many 'crisis' 

73 it was a little difficult to buy fuel. Though my only motorsport of that period ran on normal pump petrol.Which at that time I bought by the 44 gallon drum on my fathers account.

There was also a couple of national strikes which did not help. again still buying on my fathers account.

Soon after that though it was cheaper at the retail sites so we gave up on petrol. Diesel however was still cheaper in bulk.

Late 70s was another crisis, at least here in Oz. Reputedly the oil came from somewhere not producing? to make Avgas.

At that period instead of using avagas I was using 16L of super grade petrol  with 4l of toluene. Performance was ok but not quite the same,, and it stripped paint as well!

There has been too many crisis since then, mostly manufactured ones to increase the pump price.

Normal?? petrol was $1.75 a litre here a few weeks ago and is now under a $1. The barrel of oil is now near record low for this century.

[Rob G]

NASCAR shortened the first 15 Winston Cup races (out of 29) by 10% in 1974.

[E1pix]

I can’t remember now who conducted it, but at the time a survey was carried out to determine which sport was the most wasteful in terms of fuel used per participant. Top of the list was angling.

Not where I thought you were going Tim, Thanks for a good laugh. :-)

[1969BOAC500]

Going from my own memory, I recall that the oil crisis was blamed at the time for 'clipping the wings' of the ETC. '73 was the classic 'Batmobile' year ( some of us may remember the '73 TT at Silverstone ). '74 looked to be even better, with rear-radiatored ( oil-coolered ? ) Cologne Capris taking on uprated CSLs but both Ford and BMW subsequently reduced their efforts in '74. This was certainly reported  as being due to motor sport being viewed as 'politically incorrect' in Germany as being wasteful of fuel.

 

Now, whether that was just journalistic hype or convenient PR, I don't know. But I remember being very disappointed at the time.

[john aston]

Anglers can travel a long way for their  sport, but don't have to- .I fly fish a stream 50 yards from my front door.   Back in '73 , many coarse anglers didn't even have a car , and coaches were organised by most big angling clubs for Sunday matches . 

 

These days - or at least in the good old days of 2019 - I'd bet football spectators use far more than motor sport does over many weekends . But , as usual , we delude ourselves if we think that is an argument which will silence criticism - of course it won't . Because unlike angling . football , horse racing and every other sport, where fuel usage is incidental  , the essence of  most motor sport is the consumption of fossil fuel . It doesn't matter about carbon offsetting , the fact that F1 cars today are so efficient and so on - it  is sport which (in happier times) will become harder and harder to defend .

[jcbc3]

Speaking of angling: https://www.si.com/m...ing-coronavirus

 

Last sport standing....

[MCS]

It was bad History Fan, but unlike today's crisis racing still took place...racing cars was seen as frivolous and not something that fuel should be wasted upon...in Britain practice sessions were shortened...races were shortened...and even circuits were shortened...Oulton Park's dreadful Foster's layout was a direct result...Cheers Ian

And Snetterton, which is even worse nowadays . . .

[opplock]

The controlling body in New Zealand banned all motor racing due to take place after the Teretonga International meeting on 26 Jan 1974. Racing resumed in September. Horse racing was unaffected along with almost every other sport. Other controlling bodies either seemed to realise that the problem wasn't an oil shortage but the country's Balance of Payments (remember when that was important) or as the Horse Racing people said "no way we're shutting down, jobs are at stake".  

 

"New Zealand motorsport organisation was rarely brilliant but by 1975 it was in the pits" (Vercoe).  

[DCapps]

I can’t remember now who conducted it, but at the time a survey was carried out to determine which sport was the most wasteful in terms of fuel used per participant. Top of the list was angling.

A similar survey in the USA determined that the rodeo circuit was at the top of the list. As already mentioned, NASCAR reduced the length of its events as did several other series. The Daytona 24 Hour and the Sebring 12 Hour races were canceled thanks to the fuel issue.

[E1pix]

Circling us back to the soon-to-be standard of e-racing.

Good thing I'm 59, please remind me to die just before the inaugural IndE 500.

[E1pix]

Speaking of angling: https://www.si.com/m...ing-coronavirus
 
Last sport standing....

This really chaps my bass.

(not really, LOL)

[HistoryFan]

Thank you for the good comments. Very interesting to read.

[Doug Nye]

Interesting to see plans announced - or suggested? - for virtual Formula 1 racing involving current drivers to commence on-line.

 

Thin end of the wedge, boys!  Once the money men realise how much they can save, while still providing their companies' sponsors with brand exposure, they'll have discovered where they've been going wrong all these years....they don't actually need real cars, real circuits, real hardware, real crews, real logistics, real transport - oh my, this Pandemic has blown the whistle on us!

 

Reality costs.  

 

DCN

[Sisyphus]

On the plus side of e-racing (and I am really trying hard here...), they can bring back the real Spa and Nordschleife!

 

Basically, I'm with you E1pix.

[opplock]

 

Circling us back to the soon-to-be standard of e-racing.

Good thing I'm 59, please remind me to die just before the inaugural IndE 500.

 

Too late for that. Happened in 1969. Field consisted of a front engined Offenhauser and Lotus 38. The race was only held once as competitors decided that oval racing was boring and reverted to racing on road circuits.    

[E1pix]

Interesting to see plans announced - or suggested? - for virtual Formula 1 racing involving current drivers to commence on-line.
 
Thin end of the wedge, boys!  Once the money men realise how much they can save, while still providing their companies' sponsors with brand exposure, they'll have discovered where they've been going wrong all these years....they don't actually need real cars, real circuits, real hardware, real crews, real logistics, real transport - oh my, this Pandemic has blown the whistle on us!
 
Reality costs.  
 
DCN

You just ruined my whole damned day, Doug.

;-)

Sad but true on racing horizons to come. Hence my "glad to be older" Mantra I pretty much apply to everything of late.

We sure witnessed some fortunate times, didn't we? I'd take being 69 instead of 59 if I could have seen another decade of it.

(Make that 79...)

[E1pix]

Too late for that. Happened in 1969. Field consisted of a front engined Offenhauser and Lotus 38. The race was only held once as competitors decided that oval racing was boring and reverted to racing on road circuits.

Haha, Oops, sorry Gents!

By "e-racing" I meant electric cars, not virtual racing!

But this dialog is waaaay better anyway. :-)

[Ross Stonefeld]

Sim-racing is fun but I have about 1% interest in watching it. 

[RCH]

Everyone seems to have missed that apart from the RAC rallying was banned completely in the UK. There was an argument at the time that all the fuel consumed during the RAC Rally was actually less than that consumed in pursuit of football over a typical weekend.