7 replies to this topic

[LaurensDeJong]

I am currently doing a historically "accurate" full-length season of _Grand Prix Legends_ and in the process of getting the grids right I stumbled upon a hole in my knowledge. I don't want to bore this forum's denizens with questions that they will not learn anything from, but even less do I want to not ask my question. So I crave your indulgence.

What were the rules for qualifying in 1967? What did you have to do to DNQ? Were these rules standardized across all the Grand Prix that year?

[Udo K.]

I don't think there were any qualifying rules in 1967. I could not find a single DNQ in the whole season. Race organisers were happy to have all entered cars on the grid, as there were not too many. 20 (Silverstone) was already a great achievement. Only at the Nürburgring we had more cars on the grid: 25 including 8 Formula 2 cars to "fill up" the field and to make the race more interesting. 17 formula 1 cars get somehow lost on a track of 22.8 KM with only 15 laps to race.

[LaurensDeJong]

Udo,

You may have overlooked the Monaco GP. Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Bob Anderson, and Richie Ginther DNQ. I assumed that only Monaco had such qualifying rules, but even then I don't know what they are!

In my photocopies of Motor Sport (also available on line), I read:

Of the 22 cars and drivers entered for the 25th Grand Prix of Monaco, ony 11 were assured of a place on the starting grid. The remaining 11 had to fight and struggle among themselves for the last five places on the grid that had not been allocated to the works teams, knowing that even though they put in faster laps than the works entries, yet still they might not win a place on the starting line.

Oh, I think I just answered my own question. The works teams (BRM, Cooper, Brahham, Ferrari, Lotus and Honda ) all qualified outright. That's Spence, Stewart, Pedro Rodriguez, Rindt, Hulme, Brabham, Amon, Bandini, Clark, Hill, and Surtees. Yes yes, that's eleven. So the others qualified in the order of their respective timed laps in practice on Friday and Saturday. I get it now.

So this practice of a grid limit was only in place in Monaco, then?

[Doug Nye]

Only 16 on the grid at Monaco by stated reason of circuit capacity - the Dutch GP at Zandvoort was always restricted by poverty on behalf of the organising KNAC organisation - Nurburgring would run virtually everybody who showed interest, normally, as did Monza.

DCN

[scheivlak]

Please, don't overlook the illustrious Tom Jones - the tragi-comic Canadian GP DNQ !
His story in full: http://f1rejects.cro.../biography.html

[David M. Kane]

Hmmm! Makes one wonder about the good ole days?

[LaurensDeJong]

Doug, thank you. I'll try to tweak _Grand Prix Legends_ so that it reflects the grid limit. Do you know what Zandvoort's limit was, then? Twenty, perhaps? I found four non-qualifiers behind twenty on the grid in the 1970 Dutch GP. Twenty-four starters in '71, though, and twenty-five in '72 with two DNQ. Depending perhaps on how much money the KNAC had, from year to year?

Scheivlak, great story!! Thank you, too.

[mikedeering]

Slightly OTL I have just read Ken Tyrrell's biography by Maurice Hamilton, and it suggests that the Monaco organisers used to reserve a place in the race for the previous years winner and current World Champion - irrespective of whether they actually qualified or not. Anyone have further details on this?

The book states Jackie Stewart and Ken didn't agree with this rule as they perceived it as elitist - and felt no one had right to grid spot if they weren't quick enough on the day, regardless of past success.