8 replies to this topic

[Louis Mr. F1]

I was reading this book last night and I felt it is quite an interesting book, with a lot of insight into the character. To my surprise, he considered himself as a calculated driver, eg. Prost type, not willing to take unneccassary risk. also he thinks Gilles's driving style was very exciting but not one that can win a championship. He also recalls some of the battle he had with Gilles before they moved up to F1.

It also quotes Lauda saying:"It would be a disaster if Rosberg wins the championship this yr (82)"
Keke replied something like: Niki has just returned from retirement and he was overshadowed by his teammate despite his hugh salary, he had to say something to put himself in the spotlight"
Was there a secret rivalry between the two?

I think its a pretty good book, i bought it for $20. unfortunately, i don't have much time to read it, only read several pages last night ~ 12:30am. The book was co-written by Keith Botsford. I had bought another book, Alan Jones: Driving Ambition, by the same author. It's still in the mail, anyone know the quality of it? Anyone knows any other F1 related book by the same author?

[dmj]

Nigel Roebuck has an interesting idea about Keke. See his today's answers at Autosport site.

[ensign14]

Jonesy's book slags off anyone and everyone, so worth a read! Jtust take it with a pinch of salt. Where did you get Keke for $20??? Seems a bargain.

Botsford used to write for the Sunday Times and Grand Prix International (in the fortnight era).

[Don Capps]

I hope Nigel doesn't mind, but here is what he said:

Dear Nigel,
What do you think of Juan Pablo Montoya's suggestion that an experienced, courageous, ex-F1 driver should be the adjudicator of racing incidents? This would be a new avenue for F1, but as you know, CART had this system in operation for years with Wally Dallenbach. Who would you nominate to do the job?
Weenson Andrew Oo, Richmond, London

Dear Weenson,

I agree entirely with Montoya's suggestion. Over time other drivers have proposed the same thing, but nothing has ever been done about it, unfortunately.

In an incident such as the one Juan had with Michael Schumacher at Sepang, the counsel of an experienced ex-F1 driver would have been invaluable. Even Schuey said he thought Montoya had been harshly dealt with, and other drivers, when they had seen the video, said the same thing. "I can't for the life of me see what Montoya did wrong," commented Eddie Irvine, "and yet he was penalised, whereas in Australia Barrichello was clearly at fault in the accident with Ralf Schumacher, and nothing was done. It's the lack of consistency that's the problem in these decisions..."

Any such ex-driver who accepted the job of adjudicator would, as you say, indeed need to be...courageous. His decision would have to be absolute, for otherwise there would be no point in having him there, and he would need to be a sufficiently strong character not to be bamboozled into modifying it, let's say. Sometimes the pressure to do so can be quite considerable, I'm told.

Then there's the problem of finding an ex-driver with the inclination to continue spending his life in F1 paddocks, simply to fulfil the somewhat thankless task of sorting out the little boys' antics - a thankless task, because no matter what you decide, you can be fairly certain you're going to upset someone! Frankly, I doubt that such a person exists - and even if he could be found, his inevitably sizeable fiscal requirements would probably make the FIA go pale.

To my mind, the ideal person would be Keke Rosberg. There isn't a hope in hell of persuading him, mind you, because he isn't cheap, and he, more than most, has had his fill of long flights and hotel rooms. Setting those things aside, however, Keke would be my choice, because, in his own racing days, he was hard, but scrupulously fair.

This was what he had to say when I interviewed him back in 1984 - when 'driving manners' were beginning to change.

"Today I don't think there's very much respect in this business. The discipline has changed. When I came into Formula 1, in'78, the drivers were the best, and the behaviour was to that standard. Now, it seems, it's kids coming straight in from Formula 3 - and bringing Formula 3 behaviour with them.

"When I started that was out of the question. One thing I've never forgotten is South Africa that year, my first race. I felt a bit out of place, you know, and I was wandering behind the pits somewhere. Mario Andretti came up and said, 'Nice to see you in Formula 1, and I hope you do well', all that sort of thing. I appreciated that. He had no need to do it.

"Then, just as he was about to leave, he turned round. 'By the way', he said, 'you know we do things a bit differently in Formula 1? Take care of yourself. See that you learn the trade, do it like we do it'. That was all he said - all he needed to say. The only way to get into the game is to get accepted by everyone in it. And you ain't going to do that if you're going to bugger around.

"Five years ago, if someone slipstreamed by you, and passed, good for him. Today we've come a situation where weaving on the straights, and blocking on a narrow street circuit, are totally acceptable - even praised! And I find that a shame.

"Think about Gilles Villeneuve's win in Spain in '81. He had four guys right behind him for most of the way - but Gilles didn't block once in that race. His car was horrible in the corners and quick in a straight line. He took his line into the corners, and stayed on it - no more, no less. No one could complain afterwards because no one was ever quite close enough to overtake him. He never changed his line deliberately to block someone, and that's what I'm talking about.

"The thing is, Gilles was a giant of a driver. And he drove that race in a giant's way. Completely fair. What angers me is when a guy makes a mistake, letting you get alongside, and then chops across straight at you, so you either give way - or hit him. That's not Grand Prix racing. There's a difference between being tough and being unfair.

"I don't think the basic talent in Formula 1 changes very much from era to era - it's the attitude that has changed, the discipline. The respect for Grand Prix racing is not what it was."

Now, as then, I agree with every word of that, so I'd be delighted to see Rosberg deciding what was what, not least because I know he'd stick to his guns, whatever pressure was exerted upon him. Not sure Michael would like it, though...

[Wolf]

Why not make that a pannel of Drivers (capital D is no slip of a finger, so choose your nominees carefuly ;)) then- one driver's judgement could be slightly biased or faulty... I'd nominate Moss, Gurney, perchance Brabham and Stewart, plus fe more recent guys. Whaddya think?

[Leif Snellman]

Originally posted by Louis Mr. F1
It also quotes Lauda saying:"It would be a disaster if Rosberg wins the championship this yr (82)"
Keke replied something like: Niki has just returned from retirement and he was overshadowed by his teammate despite his hugh salary, he had to say something to put himself in the spotlight"
Was there a secret rivalry between the two?

Well, in Niki Lauda's Autobiography you can find this:

"...and along comes Keke that same evening and says the whole business makes him feel sick. At that moment I felt some empathy with him - which is saying a lot, if you know the man.

[Jeroen Brink]

They lived in eachothers vicinity in Ibiza. Keke complained that Niki was giving comments like above whilst being friendly in Spain.

[David M. Kane]

There's a reason Eddie Irvine and Niki Lauda get along...

To be successful at F1 or Professional Tennis or any other individual sport
you have to be by nature rather selfish. Niki raised the bar to a new level.

[LittleChris]

Quite interesting to hear Mosley's comments on ITV today about having ex-drivers acting as stewards. PRAT !!!