4 replies to this topic

[socman56]

My name is Preston Lerner. I'm a writer in Los Angeles (well, Burbank) who often covers racing, especially racing history, mostly in magazines but also in several books. I've long lurked on this forum and been amazed by the knowledge of the historians and enthusiasts who post here. So I'm wondering if anybody would be willing to share their erudition on this subject.

 

I'm writing a book about racing from 1964 to 1973, roughly bounded by the deaths of Joe Weatherly at Riverside and Francois Cevert at Watkins Glen. Safety will be the overarching theme of the book -- how attitudes and technology changed, how the safety industry developed, etc. But I'll also be covering the many factors that influenced safety, from aerodynamics and Nomex to tobacco sponsorship and driver unions.

 

I'm planning to devote two chapters to television. I have a pretty good handle on what was happening here in the States but I'm woefully uninformed about the state of play in the U.K. and, especially, continental Europe. Seems like there was virtually no live coverage in Great Britain during this era. But I've often read about live broadcasts of Lorenzo Bandini's death at Monaco, presumably on French television, and Roger Williamson's at Zandvoort (on Dutch TV?). But I have no idea who was actually filming these races -- or any other races, for that matter -- and how the broadcasts were disseminated. If anybody can provide any information about this subject, I'd be greatly appreciative because, to be honest, I'm almost totally in the dark here. Yet it's clear that the reach of television, which brought racing to a far, far wider audience that would ever see it in person, played a crucial role about changing attitudes about what was and wasn't acceptable in terms of racing safety.

 

For the record, I'm focusing on Formula 1, Indy car, NASCAR, sports prototypes, sprint cars and drag racing. Sadly, I'm limited by the fact that I can speak and read only English. But insofar as I can, I'd love to include material from the perspective of non-English-speaking countries.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Preston

 

 

[Vitesse2]

Welcome, Preston. Your reputation precedes you! We have a long-running thread which may provide some answers, although there are not necessarily any easy 'one size fits all' solutions to your questions. In general however, the answers involve the individual national broadcasters and co-operation via the European Broadcasting Union aka Eurovision, which - in its current form - has been a thing since 1950: https://forums.autos...overage-thread/

 

In Europe, we saw very little of American racing in that period - generally only brief recorded highlights of the Indy 500, several days later, although (at least in Britain) in the mid-1960s there were sometimes live satellite feeds of the 500 screened in cinemas.

[Rupertlt1]

I can recall watching the French Grand Prix of 1961 on British television.

Rheims, broadcast Saturday 1 Sunday 2 July 1961. I was nine years old.

At the house of a friend from primary school. We didn't have a television at home.

One of the earliest on TV I can remember.

Also one of the most exciting.

In black and white of course.

I think historic TV listings will be a source.

I'll have a look.

BBC:

2.25-3.00—MOTOR RACING. The start of the French Grand Prix.

4.15-4.50—MOTOR RACING. French Grand Prix continued.

Described by Tom Wisdom as "one of the greatest motor racing duels of all time."

The British Grand Prix was featured in Summer Grandstand, Saturday 15 July 1961.

Similarly Monaco Grand Prix shown Sunday 14 May 1961, 4.00-4.30; 5.30-5.50. Not live?

Seems like there was virtually no live coverage in Great Britain during this era.

Not sure this will stand up but coverage may have been recorded?

Monaco: Light Program Radio, Saturday 9 May 1964, 4.55-5.00; 5.45-6.00.

BBC 1 TV: Sunday 10 May 1964, 3.10-3.35 the start; 5.50-6.00 the finish.

French Grand Prix: BBC 1 TV, Sunday 28 June, 2.55-3.30; 5.00-5.35.

British (European) Grand Prix, Saturday 11 July 1964:

"The European Grand Prix from Brands Hatch is the big event

for armchair sports fans.

This motor race comes at a vital stage in the battle for the

world championship and B.B.C. cameras will be dotted around

the course to keep you up to date with the latest position (B.B.C. 1.40)."

Italian Grand Prix: BBC 1 TV, Sunday 6 September, 5.45-6.00.

"The final stages of the Italian Grand Prix direct from Monza."

American Forces Network radio (AFN)?

I seem to recall Anthony Marsh, the commentator, did some work for them?

Monaco Grand Prix, Sunday 30 May 1965, BBC 1 TV, 4.15-4.45; 5.15-5.35. 

French Grand Prix, Sunday 27 June 1965, BBC 1 TV, 5.00-5.25.

THE start and finish of the French Grand Prix will be screened live direct from the mountain circuit at Clermond Ferrand, in the Auvergne, on B.B.C. Television on Sunday. It will be the fourth race in this year's World Championship series. 

Saturday 10 July 1965: MOTOR RACING, Silverstone (ITV. 1.50 , 2.35, 3.5, 3.40). The British Grand Prix will give Jim Clark the chance to increase his lead in the world championship.

Dutch Grand Prix, Sunday 18 July 1965, BBC 1 TV, 3.05-3.30; 5.05-5.25.

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, Yesterday, 11:08.

[Blue6ix]

I can recall watching the French Grand Prix of 1961 on British television.

Rheims, broadcast Saturday 1 Sunday 2 July 1961. I was nine years old.

At the house of a friend from primary school. We didn't have a television at home.

One of the earliest on TV I can remember.

Also one of the most exciting.

In black and white of course.

I think historic TV listings will be a source.

I'll have a look.

BBC:

2.25-3.00—MOTOR RACING. The start of the French Grand Prix.

4.15-4.50—MOTOR RACING. French Grand Prix continued.

Described by Tom Wisdom as "one of the greatest motor racing duels of all time."

The British Grand Prix was featured in Summer Grandstand, Saturday 15 July 1961.

Similarly Monaco Grand Prix shown Sunday 14 May 1961, 4.00-4.30; 5.30-5.50. Not live?

Seems like there was virtually no live coverage in Great Britain during this era.

Not sure this will stand up but coverage may have been recorded?

Monaco: Light Program Radio, Saturday 9 May 1964, 4.55-5.00; 5.45-6.00.

BBC 1 TV: Sunday 10 May 1964, 3.10-3.35 the start; 5.50-6.00 the finish.

French Grand Prix: BBC 1 TV, Sunday 28 June, 2.55-3.30; 5.00-5.35.

British (European) Grand Prix, Saturday 11 July 1964:

"The European Grand Prix from Brands Hatch is the big event

for armchair sports fans.

This motor race comes at a vital stage in the battle for the

world championship and B.B.C. cameras will be dotted around

the course to keep you up to date with the latest position (B.B.C. 1.40)."

Italian Grand Prix: BBC 1 TV, Sunday 6 September, 5.45-6.00.

"The final stages of the Italian Grand Prix direct from Monza."

American Forces Network radio (AFN)?

I seem to recall Anthony Marsh, the commentator, did some work for them?

Monaco Grand Prix, Sunday 30 May 1965, BBC 1 TV, 4.15-4.45; 5.15-5.35. 

French Grand Prix, Sunday 27 June 1965, BBC 1 TV, 5.00-5.25.

THE start and finish of the French Grand Prix will be screened live direct from the mountain circuit at Clermond Ferrand, in the Auvergne, on B.B.C. Television on Sunday. It will be the fourth race in this year's World Championship series. 

Saturday 10 July 1965: MOTOR RACING, Silverstone (ITV. 1.50 , 2.35, 3.5, 3.40). The British Grand Prix will give Jim Clark the chance to increase his lead in the world championship.

Dutch Grand Prix, Sunday 18 July 1965, BBC 1 TV, 3.05-3.30; 5.05-5.25.

RGDS RLT

 

For the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix, it could have been a live coverage depending on it's race time so I think it could have been a partially live coverage for the later stages.

[Blue6ix]

I can recall watching the French Grand Prix of 1961 on British television.

Rheims, broadcast Saturday 1 Sunday 2 July 1961. I was nine years old.

At the house of a friend from primary school. We didn't have a television at home.

One of the earliest on TV I can remember.

Also one of the most exciting.

In black and white of course.

I think historic TV listings will be a source.

I'll have a look.

BBC:

2.25-3.00—MOTOR RACING. The start of the French Grand Prix.

4.15-4.50—MOTOR RACING. French Grand Prix continued.

Described by Tom Wisdom as "one of the greatest motor racing duels of all time."

The British Grand Prix was featured in Summer Grandstand, Saturday 15 July 1961.

Similarly Monaco Grand Prix shown Sunday 14 May 1961, 4.00-4.30; 5.30-5.50. Not live?

Seems like there was virtually no live coverage in Great Britain during this era.

Not sure this will stand up but coverage may have been recorded?

Monaco: Light Program Radio, Saturday 9 May 1964, 4.55-5.00; 5.45-6.00.

BBC 1 TV: Sunday 10 May 1964, 3.10-3.35 the start; 5.50-6.00 the finish.

French Grand Prix: BBC 1 TV, Sunday 28 June, 2.55-3.30; 5.00-5.35.

British (European) Grand Prix, Saturday 11 July 1964:

"The European Grand Prix from Brands Hatch is the big event

for armchair sports fans.

This motor race comes at a vital stage in the battle for the

world championship and B.B.C. cameras will be dotted around

the course to keep you up to date with the latest position (B.B.C. 1.40)."

Italian Grand Prix: BBC 1 TV, Sunday 6 September, 5.45-6.00.

"The final stages of the Italian Grand Prix direct from Monza."

American Forces Network radio (AFN)?

I seem to recall Anthony Marsh, the commentator, did some work for them?

Monaco Grand Prix, Sunday 30 May 1965, BBC 1 TV, 4.15-4.45; 5.15-5.35. 

French Grand Prix, Sunday 27 June 1965, BBC 1 TV, 5.00-5.25.

THE start and finish of the French Grand Prix will be screened live direct from the mountain circuit at Clermond Ferrand, in the Auvergne, on B.B.C. Television on Sunday. It will be the fourth race in this year's World Championship series. 

Saturday 10 July 1965: MOTOR RACING, Silverstone (ITV. 1.50 , 2.35, 3.5, 3.40). The British Grand Prix will give Jim Clark the chance to increase his lead in the world championship.

Dutch Grand Prix, Sunday 18 July 1965, BBC 1 TV, 3.05-3.30; 5.05-5.25.

RGDS RLT

 

For the Monaco Grand Prix 1961 there is at least one another schedule for the race or it's live segments coverage and they were aired possibly supplementing already formentioned parts at 14.30-15.05 o' clock for the start and opening laps and for the finishing parts with eventual final lap and chequered flag at 17.30-18.10 o' clock.

Edited by Blue6ix, Yesterday, 15:52.