2599 replies to this topic

[Beri]

This is it; the annual countdown topic is back! Finally the season is over to hand us some really good winter time!

105 days till Bahrain, so I'll kick off with this gem:

The Gillet Vertigo driven by Renaud Kuppens and Bas Leinders at the 2005 FIA GT race at Imola. They did not finish due to a drive shaft issue.

[Atreiu]

105 already? Sheesh. Time for hibernation. See ya.

[OvDrone]

Straight away Beri, holy s*** you absolute Legend   

Not a specific driver/car from a series but one of my favorite ever cars, the Alfa Romeo 105 GT:



Best thread here on these Forums is back 

Edited by OvDrone, 20 November 2022 - 15:02.

[squarewun]

Hehey, just 105, it'll go by in a jiffy.

[Ivanhoe]

Countdown time again, my favourite thread of the year! Thanks for starting Beri 

 

I’ll kick off with the Targa Florio. Here’s Guido and Carlo Mancini in their FIAT 1100 E, finishing 33rd overall and 1st in the 751-1100cc class in the 1950 edition.

[ConsiderAndGo]

Need a nice big break from F1. Seasons far too long.

[DeKnyff]

Thanks, Beri. Here we go again!

 

 

The Cadillac 62 of local driver Alfonso Oviedo (codriver unknown) at the 1951 carrera Panamericana. He finished 32nd.

 

The car features Article 39 of the Mexican Constitution painted on the body. I imagine it had some political meaning.

 

You can purchase the original photo here.

[Risil]

And where can I purchase Article 39 of the Mexican constitution?

[red stick]

Article 39
The national sovereignty is vested, originally and essentially, in the people. Public power comes from the people and it is institutionalized for the people’s benefit. People, at all times have the inalienable right to change or modify its form of government.

[red stick]

Viva la revolution.

[Risil]

Damn right!

[Ivanhoe]

The beautiful Mercedes 300 SLR of Sir Stirling Moss and Peter Collins on its way to victory at the Targa Florio of 1955, eternalized by the great Bernard Cahier. Moss also won the Mille Miglia that year with Denis Jenkinson in the same car. It also was the year that Mercedes withdrew from motorsports after the drama at Le Mans only to return in 1989.

[DeKnyff]

 

More Targa Florio:

 

The Ferrari GTO of Scuderia Sant'Ambroeus at the 1963 event. Driven by Maurizio Grana and Gianni Bulgari, they finished an excellent 4th overall and won the GT 3 litre class.

 

In August 2018, this car (chassis #3413GT) became the most expensive car ever auctioned, being sold for 48.4 M$ by Sotheby's.

[Ivanhoe]

 

In August 2018, this car (chassis #3413GT) became the most expensive car ever auctioned, being sold for 48.4 M$ by Sotheby's.

It's interesting to note that record was broken this year by a car like the one in my picture above 

https://www.cnbc.com...43-million.html

[BRG]

Article 39
The national sovereignty is vested, originally and essentially, in the people. Public power comes from the people and it is institutionalized for the people’s benefit. People, at all times have the inalienable right to change or modify its form of government.

Ah, hence the Mexican Institutional Revolutionary Party, a title I was always puzzled about.

[OvDrone]

Long-time runner of the NHRA Drag Series in the Eliminator category, Frank Affronti, pictured here in his ( maybe ) 2012 #104 Chevy Eliminator.



I remember watching this when the NHRA was one of the only series you could watch in those dreaded Pandemic days:

[barrykm]

Congratulations to self - I got in on day +1, far earlier than ever before. 

 

Looking forward to some great pictures 

[Beri]

Great to see familiar faces chipping in already with some absolute gems! If this is any indication on what this thread will behold, then I am very much looking forward to the rest!

My entry for today is the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider Zagato at the 1931 Mille Miglia. This car was driven by Tazio Nuvolari and Giovanni Battista Guidotti. They would end up in 9th overall.

[Beri]

The beautiful Mercedes 300 SLR of Sir Stirling Moss and Peter Collins on its way to victory at the Targa Florio of 1955, eternalized by the great Bernard Cahier. Moss also won the Mille Miglia that year with Denis Jenkinson in the same car. It also was the year that Mercedes withdrew from motorsports after the drama at Le Mans only to return in 1989.

That picture is absolutely fantastic. Would fit my office quite well on the wall. But what's with the signage at the bend which is obviously a Mercedes Benz star? 😉

[red stick]

Ah, hence the Mexican Institutional Revolutionary Party, a title I was always puzzled about.

Nothing takes the sting

out of revolution like

"Institutional."

 

[#99]

[Frood]

 

Thierry Neuville on his way to victory in a TCR Germany race at the Nürburgring in 2019. Neuville took pole position, led every lap, and took the fastest lap in his first ever circuit race. He went on to finish 6th in the wet second race of the weekend. Presumably, he found circuit racing too easy, as he's not strayed away from the WRC since!

[OvDrone]

Oh wow. 

I really like Neuville and I didn't know that at all. Thank you Frood!

Hey, if he never achieves ultimate WRC glory, then surely this new era in TCR will surely offer him some substantial success in the future. Something to look forward to indeed. Cheers.

[r4mses]

Acutally I'm surprised we don't start with single digits.

[DeKnyff]

 

Bill Weldon relaxes in his Porsche 550 before (or after?) winning one of the SCCA races at Watkins Glenn in 1955.

[Ivanhoe]

Piero Taruffi in his Ferrari 500 (and a brave photographer) at the 1952 German GP, where he would finish 4th.

[BRG]

I can see Schloss Nurburg in the distance, but which bit of the 'Ring is this?  It looks very wide and very open, neither being characteristics we associate with the 'Ring

 

Acutally I'm surprised we don't start with single digits.

Then it would be Countup and we wouldn't have the lovely Rachel and Susie to help us.

[Aaaarrgghh]

I can see Schloss Nurburg in the distance, but which bit of the 'Ring is this?  It looks very wide and very open, neither being characteristics we associate with the 'Ring

From GPL memory, could it be the Kleine Karussell?

Edited by Aaaarrgghh, 22 November 2022 - 09:31.

[LegendInTheMaking]

Piero Taruffi in his Ferrari 500 (and a brave photographer) at the 1952 German GP, where he would finish 4th.

This was in fact the only F1 race in history in which (all) cars drove with 3-digit numbers. Hence, Taruffi was the only points scoring #103 at this race. 

[OvDrone]

I think the thread is not complete without one shot of a Skoda Rally2 car, so here's ERC 'midfielder' Alberto Battistolli at Rally Catalunya that ran in parallel with the WRC.



Battistolli started the season well with a Top 5 at Rally Fafe - or Rally Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras if you want to be full obscure posh - but petered off with some bad luck at the end.

You can find highlights of all the rallies on the official ERC channel on Youtube if you ever have to scratch that rally itch through the off-season:

[Beri]

I am somewhat in doubt on this one. Obviously it is a Alfa Romeo Giulietta SV. But I'm in doubt of who and where. Sources say it's the 1956 Mille Miglia. The Mille Miglia is somewhat certain since the starting place used back then does match the one on the picture. But who used the #103 during the 1956 race? I can't find any source on it. So is it the 1956 race? And who is it?

The 1956 Mille Miglia reserves some headlines for another Giulietta. The one of Ivo Badaracco and Max Berney with starting number 112 was in a severe accident that did cost Berney his life.

[Ivanhoe]

Maybe a practice session? Not all cars entered for the race, actually started,

[DeKnyff]

I am somewhat in doubt on this one. Obviously it is a Alfa Romeo Giulietta SV. But I'm in doubt of who and where. Sources say it's the 1956 Mille Miglia. The Mille Miglia is somewhat certain since the starting place used back then does match the one on the picture. But who used the #103 during the 1956 race? I can't find any source on it. So is it the 1956 race? And who is it?

The 1956 Mille Miglia reserves some headlines for another Giulietta. The one of Ivo Badaracco and Max Berney with starting number 112 was in a severe accident that did cost Berney his life.

 

According to racingsportscars.com, there was a Giulietta SV #103, driven by Alessandro Zafferri, at the 1956 Mille Miglia. It should be your car (which did not finish the race).

[Henri Greuter]

That picture is absolutely fantastic. Would fit my office quite well on the wall. But what's with the signage at the bend which is obviously a Mercedes Benz star?

 

Marking for an upcoming service point or asking for a dangerous point that needs extra attention ? 

 

 

By the way, I think it should be tried, if possible to make a countdown thread with pictures of the Mexican Road race  and/or the Mille Miglia only.

[Beri]

According to racingsportscars.com, there was a Giulietta SV #103, driven by Alessandro Zafferri, at the 1956 Mille Miglia. It should be your car (which did not finish the race).

Brilliant stuff Detective Knyff! Thanks a million. Also for that website 😉

Marking for an upcoming service point or asking for a dangerous point that needs extra attention ? 
 
 
By the way, I think it should be tried, if possible to make a countdown thread with pictures of the Mexican Road race  and/or the Mille Miglia only.

Well Henri, you could (and I think should) chip in! Feel free to ask how to host or post pictures.

[Frood]

 

An "interesting" exhaust system solution attached to Henry Zumbrink's Volvo S60 during a Supercar Challenge race at Zandvoort in 2014.

[red stick]

This caught my eye.  Moving ad for a contemporary film, c. 1973.

 

[Ivanhoe]

This caught my eye.  Moving ad for a contemporary film, c. 1973.

Nice catch red stick, found many pictures of models of that car, but none of the original one that participated in the Tour de France rally  

[red stick]

Not from "in-period," but from vintage racing.  Also, probably a bit early, but I'm on the road tomorrow for the holidays.

 

Oh well . . . 

 

[Ivanhoe]

Couldn’t chose, the Targa Florio in two pictures. Amazing cars, great drivers, beautiful scenery and a fantastic crowd. Pictured is Wolfgang von Trips in the factory Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa that he drove with Mike Hawthorn in the 1958 event. They finished 3rd, behind the winning 250 TR of Musso and Gendebien and runner ups Behra and Scarlatti in a Porsche 718 RSK.

[Ivanhoe]

Not from "in-period," but from vintage racing.  Also, probably a bit early, but I'm on the road tomorrow for the holidays.

 

Oh well . . . 

No countdown thread without some proper Can-Am cars 

 

And you were't too early for us Europeans, posted on the 23rd!

[Henri Greuter]

Well Henri, you could (and I think should) chip in! Feel free to ask how to host or post pictures.

 

 

As much as I like these kind of threads, I always feel a bit hesitant about them if it comes to the abuse of copyright matters being honored. So that is why I only want to participate with using pictures I made myself.

And other then when I was at Indy, My collection of pic's isnt big enough....

[DeKnyff]

 

Renato Balestrero, driving a Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 at the Pontedecimo-Giovi hillclimb in 1938.

 

It is clear that driving was more 'physical' back then...

[GlenWatkins]

Renato certainly is demonstrating the proper elbows out technique.

Edited by GlenWatkins, 23 November 2022 - 08:47.

[Beri]

Not from "in-period," but from vintage racing.  Also, probably a bit early, but I'm on the road tomorrow for the holidays.
 
Oh well . . . 
 

 
Perhaps an unpopular opinion? UOP is as much an iconic sponsor as Rothmans, John Player Special, Marlboro or Martini. I love any UOP liveried car.
 

Couldn’t chose, the Targa Florio in two pictures. Amazing cars, great drivers, beautiful scenery and a fantastic crowd. Pictured is Wolfgang von Trips in the factory Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa that he drove with Mike Hawthorn in the 1958 event. They finished 3rd, behind the winning 250 TR of Musso and Gendebien and runner ups Behra and Scarlatti in a Porsche 718 RSK.

Fantastic pictures. Certainly the first one. That second one has the same signature as the one in the number 12 post of yours. You got a whole collection of this photographer? 

[Beri]

 
Farina hard at work in his Tipo 500. Rubbing those Engleberts over the asphalt in 1952 at the Nurburgring during the German Grand Prix. This was the first of two seasons where F1 ran under F2 regulations (can you imagine this nowadays?).
Nino would end up in 2nd behind his teammate Ascari who won.

[LegendInTheMaking]

The Rondeau M379C of Lucien Rossiaud, Noel del Bello and Bruno Sotty at the 1986 Le Mans 24-hours.

 

This car made its debut in 1981 as a potential front-runner, as its predecessor the M379B had taken the 1980 win by a surprise and this particular car hosted a strong line-up of Patrick Tambay and Henri Pescarolo. The 1981 edition proved to be one of mixed emotions. Jean-Louis Schlesser, Philippe Streiff and Jacky Haran took second place overall and a class win, but Jean-Louis Lafosse had a deadly indicent. Amidst all that, Tambay had a strong start but retired due to ongoing fuel pump problems.

 

After 1981 this chassis did not race until 1984 when it was picked-up by a range of lower-tier privateers and drove at Le Mans until 1988. Within the nostalgia forum, there has been a nice topic on the various Rondeau cars and apparantly this car has now been restored to its 1981 look, see here.

 

As a final odd fact: the car as shown in the picture marks the first time #102 had been used at Le Mans.  

[BRG]

The Rondeau above was a descendant of the Inaltera GTP car that Rondeau built for the wallpaper company of that name - possibly the only wallpaper sponsor in top-line racing?  I used to enjoy these semi-private Le Mans entries, such as the super-fast WM cars.  Made a nice counterpoint to the heavy hitters like Porsche.

[Beri]

And they looked the part too. I love the look of those 80s sportscars.

[Collombin]

This was the first of two seasons where F1 ran under F2 regulations

Strictly and pedantically speaking (but an important distinction), it was the world championship races that ran under F2 regulations. F1 regulations in 1952 and 1953 were no different to what they had been in 1951.