41 replies to this topic

[moffspeed]

Irrespective of your allegiance/sympathies Lewis Hamilton definitely won the Grand Prix at Silverstone last week. Each lap he negotiated the "Hamilton Straight".

 

This got me thinking - has there ever been a circuit curve/straight named after an active F1/GP driver - "active" being the key word - i.e. prior to F1 retirement or an untimely death ?

 

It stumped me.

[Collombin]

The entire Rio track was named after Piquet whilst he was still racing I believe.

[Michael Ferner]

Oh, it's not named after Duncan? Disappointed.

 

 

As for the question, I'm sure I once saw a period track map with a then current driver's name on it, I think it was Clark. But for the life of me...

Edited by Michael Ferner, 21 July 2021 - 14:12.

[moffspeed]

Oh, it's not named after Duncan? Disappointed.

 

 

As for the question, I'm sure I once saw a period track map with a then current driver's name on it, I think it was Clark. But for the life of me...

Michael - it was the one curve that came to my mind prior to posting the question.

 

As far as I can make out prior to Spring '68 it was still simply "Clearways Bend" ??

[Collombin]

Did Clark Curve get its name around the same time as Hailwood Hill and Graham Hill Bend? I think those were around 1976.

[john winfield]

Oh, it's not named after Duncan? Disappointed.

 

 

As for the question, I'm sure I once saw a period track map with a then current driver's name on it, I think it was Clark. But for the life of me...

 

There's Clark Straight at Brands, Michael, but I don't think the name was used in Jim's lifetime.

 

And no, sadly, Hamilton Straight is not named after Duncan, but after the equally outrageous Emma, Lady Hamilton. She was Nelson's mistress. Vice-Admiral Lord Horatio, that is, not Piquet.

 

 

Edit.  This is factually incorrect.  It is, of course, Clark Curve, not Clark Straight.

Edited by john winfield, 21 July 2021 - 14:31.

[Collombin]

All the old names at Brands are still in place in Douglas Rutherford's Killer on the Track novel, published in 1973.

[john winfield]

I think Moffspeed and Collombin are right.  Around 1976 (when certain corners were reshaped?) the names seemed to have appeared.  Of course Clark Curve, not Straight.  Apologies. Yes, someone seems to have decided to restrict the Clearways tag to the corner entry, and add the Clark Curve name to the swooping, undulating second apex.

[Tim Murray]

Stirling Moss raced five times on the new long circuit at Brands Hatch in 1960 and 1961, and thus drove around Stirling’s Bend quite a few times. My understanding, though, is that the corner wasn’t named after him but after a nearby farm.

The major modifications to Brands took place in the winter of 1975/76 and were ready just in time for the 1976 Race of Champions. This was when various corners were reprofiled, the gentle curve behind the pits straightened, and many of the features named or renamed in honour of the likes of Clark, Surtees, McLaren, Brabham, Graham Hill, Cooper, Minter etc.

[john aston]

T' Yorkshire Dales Autograss track has 'Nutters' Bend ' . No shortage of drivers in this bonkers sport  for whom 'nutter' would be the mot juste.

 

Some purists may affect disdain at this very blue collar sport but c'mon - a replica Mini pick  up with  two 200 bhp Hayabusa engines in the back - one for each wheel.    

[Michael Ferner]

Nono, definitely not Brands - I didn't even know that Clearways is now Clark Curve! I want to say it was a South African or Australian track, but I'm really not sure.

[Lights]

From the Nurburgring wikipedia page:

 

"Prior to the 2007 European Grand Prix, the Audi S (turns 8 and 9) was renamed Michael Schumacher S after Michael Schumacher. Schumacher had retired from Formula One the year before, but returned in 2010, and in 2011 became the second Formula One driver to drive through a turn named after them (after Ayrton Senna driving his "S for Senna" at Autódromo José Carlos Pace)."

[BRG]

At Silverstone last weekend, two of the W Series drivers, Abbi Eaton and Abbi Pulling raced through the Abbey curves.

 

Oh, that doesn't count?

[moffspeed]

Pre-war I think Whitney Straight pipped all of these...

 

There are various theories as to which GP driver inspired the naming of the "Tosa" curve at Imola .

Edited by moffspeed, 21 July 2021 - 15:30.

[Vitesse2]

Earl Howe had a whole circuit named after him in South Africa! And one of the corners was called 'Howe's Choice'.

 

http://www.kolumbus....man/t9.htm#HOWE

[moffspeed]

I have been contacted by the family of the Rev'd D. Ingle-Dell who believe their relative was the first GP driver to have a curve named after themselves.

 

Ingle-Dell was a firm believer in mating small capacity engines to single seaters and had a massive crash in his 851cc Brabham-Panhard whilst attempting to qualify for the British GP at Brands in 1964. The site of the accident, the corner following Westfield, was then named after him. Ironically, the following year, he crashed his Cooper Steyr-Puch at the same corner whilst competing in the Race of Champions.

 

He retired from racing soon after but, having identified the error of his ways, now visits his parishioners in his Tesla converted to 5.7L. Hemi Cuda power.

[Dave Ware]

Moss Corner at Mosport. The track was finished in early ‘61 and in June Moss won the Player’s 200.

[Nick Planas]

All of these things are better, in my humble opinion, than Turn 1 or 17 or 23 which becomes meaningless, especially when track layouts are changed and turns 7&8 become turn 6 or whatever... I know, I know, it's because of computers, etc. 

[dbltop]

Also, the Andretti Straight, after Moss' corner at Mosport.

[D28]

Also, the Andretti Straight, after Moss' corner at Mosport.

The straight was named when Mario hit 178 mph in  a USAC race Jul 1967. He raced there many times subsequently including several F1 Grand Prix.

[Dave Ware]

I always wondered why they named the straight after him. Now I know. Cool.

[ensign14]

I assume Jim Karussell and Gerhard Bergwerk must have raced at the Nurburgring.

[Yamamoto]

Hamilton had a bend named after him at Snetterton when it was revamped, although I don't suppose he's likely to race a Grand Prix there in the near future.

[DogEarred]

I believe Turn 2 at Indianapolis was named after a famous driver…

[Michael Ferner]

Yes, Johnny Southeast!

[2F-001]

Irrespective of your allegiance/sympathies Lewis Hamilton definitely won the Grand Prix at Silverstone last week. Each lap he negotiated the "Hamilton Straight".

 

 

I can't find a 'Hamilton Straight' on the circuit maps; Wellington Straight, maybe... 

 

Has there been a very recent renaming of the features of the circuit layout - or was this some repeated mistake by a commentator that I wasn't aware of?

Edited by 2F-001, 22 July 2021 - 08:34.

[moffspeed]

I can't find a 'Hamilton Straight' on the circuit maps; Wellington Straight, maybe... 

 

Has there been a very recent renaming of the features of the circuit layout - or was this some repeated mistake by a commentator that I wasn't aware of?

 

Late 2020 - As Prince would put it "the straight formerly known as "Pits'.

Edited by moffspeed, 23 July 2021 - 07:43.

[AJCee]

My hazy memory seems to recall that there was a rather ugly attempt at a chicane at Zandvoort around 79/80 that was referred to as the Scheckter Chicane. Is that correct and if so was it an official name?

[john winfield]

Late 2020 - As Prince would put it "the straight formally known as "Pits'.

 

Would that be "the straight formerly known as the run up from Club to Abbey"? 

[john winfield]

I assume, in anticipation of the British GP moving to Lincolnshire, Cadwell named 'Charlie's' after Ferrari's Leclerc.

[2F-001]

Ok - that had passed me by entirely. And the producers of Silverstone's printed material and documentation don't seem to know about it either!

Edited by 2F-001, 22 July 2021 - 09:33.

[Sterzo]

Stirling Moss raced five times on the new long circuit at Brands Hatch in 1960 and 1961, and thus drove around Stirling’s Bend quite a few times. My understanding, though, is that the corner wasn’t named after him but after a nearby farm.
 

Pig farm, no less. And Hawthorn was named after a tree, not a Mike with a bow tie.
 

[moffspeed]

This may need fact checking but I think 'Trintignant curve" at Berne (Bremgarten) was thus named after Maurice nearly wiped himself out there during a particularly costly (in human terms) Swiss GP in 1948.

 

He returned and raced there several times with the corner name well established - I think...

[Michael Ferner]

My hazy memory seems to recall that there was a rather ugly attempt at a chicane at Zandvoort around 79/80 that was referred to as the Scheckter Chicane. Is that correct and if so was it an official name?

 

Not an official name, and I doubt Trintignant Curve was. You tend to refer to corners "where XY had that big accident" as the XY corner. I myself have refered to the lefthand bend before Bergwerk as the Lauda Curve; Niki himself called it Barbecue Bend

[Dave Ware]

Watkins Glen had that "Scheckter Chicane" for a while, though why they named it after him, I don't know.  I don't think the chicane was popular with anyone, so I doubt Scheckter got much pleasure from driving through it. 

[moffspeed]

Not an official name, and I doubt Trintignant Curve was. You tend to refer to corners "where XY had that big accident" as the XY corner. I myself have refered to the lefthand bend before Bergwerk as the Lauda Curve; Niki himself called it Barbecue Bend

Yes I think you might be right - although it is clearly printed in some contemporaneous circuit maps.

 

Climbing downwards on the racing hierarchy ladder you might arrive at a small hillock of Kentish soil, merely a ripple in the contours of a field. Somewhere where perhaps you might perch and take in the scenery whilst munching on a pork pie and a glass of dandelion & burdock. However, to a certain fraternity, this was the infamous "Mabbs Bank".

[Tim Murray]

Bob Gerard raced at Mallory Park a number of times, so would have driven the corner named after him, but never in an F1 race.

[Dick Dastardly]

Who was the driver named Knicker that gave his/her name to Knickerbrook....

[2F-001]

What about the Caracciola-Karussel (to use its official name) on the Nordschleife? (I believe it was given that name whilst Rudolf was still active, no?)

 

[d j fox]

Can we stray into the world of Moto GP?

 

 Jerez has Curva Sito Pons, Curva (Dany) Pedrosa, Curva Angel Nieto, Curva Alex Criville and Curva  (Jorge) Lorenzo. Lorenzo's corner was named whilst he was still active. Somewhat ironically his ( and everyone else's) nemeses  M.Marquez barged him out of 2nd place at the 2013 Spanish MotoGP at his eponymous corner!

 

 Austin/COTA  has (Nicky) Hayden Hill and Philip Island (Casey) Stoner Corner...oh and Brands has the Derek Minter Straight named after the so called "King of Brands"

 

I'll get my (leather) coat....

Edited by d j fox, 22 July 2021 - 19:59.

[Alan Lewis]

Can we stray into the world of Moto GP?...

Or rallying? Mikkola's bend is still out there in the depths of Dalby Forest.

[Stephen W]

Who was the driver named Knicker that gave his/her name to Knickerbrook....

 

Dear Mr Dastardly, please consult the following Blaster Bates the naming of knicker brook. - YouTube