8 replies to this topic

[AAA-Eagle]

I'm looking for information about when was it decided to use:

a) national flag to start an automobile race?
b) light-signal start system to start an automobile race?
c) light-signal start system to start a GP race?
d) light-signal start system to start the WDC race?

I think that national flag to start an automobile race was used since the very first car races in the end of 19th century, but it is interesting to know your opinion.

The light-signal start system was used to start well-know 1933 Tripoli GP, but was it for the first time in GP races?

Was the 1975 British GP the first WDC GP in which light-signal start system was used? Does anybody have the photo of this system from Silverstone'75?

And finally when and in where national flag was waved for the last time in WDC event?

[AAA-Eagle]

Hey, I can't believe that nobody here can help me! Don Capps and D-Type wrote this for me on motorsport.com forum:

Originally posted by Don Capps
"The traditonal British flag start was replaced by a new light-signal start system and as it turned to green...." Jeff Hutchinson, "British Grand Prix: Emerson Slides It Home," Formula, November 1975, p.25.

Originally posted by D-Type
Lang confirms that lights were used at the 1975 British GP says " There, instead of waiting for the Union Jack to be dropped, it was all eyes on the red and green lights that had been substituted ...."

[AAA-Eagle]

Guys, please, help me!

[Stefan Schmidt]

First race with light signal start was Austria '76, right?

Last with flag was Germany '77, after a truck destroy the light signal system

[Don Capps]

First race with light signal start was Austria '76, right?

Wrong.

[Stefan Schmidt]

Teach me!

[AAA-Eagle]

Originally posted by Stefan Schmidt
Teach me!

Stefan thank you for the story about Germany'77! About the first use of starting light system in WDC - I don't know for sure where it was for the first time, but it was used at Silverstone'75 WDC GP (see my second reply in this thread).

[Arthur Anderson]

While certainly not GP, or WDC, Indianapolis Motor Speedway started using the system of green lights (along with yellow for caution) to signify the start of the race, in conjunction with the regular starter's green flag to start the race in the late 1930's. Of interesting note: The green and yellow lights facing the track (at the end of each straightaway and at the end of each turn) began their lives as Pierce-Arrow headlights, and remained in use for decades afterward--I believe they were replaced in the last 15 years or so).

NHRA drag racing went to the "Christmas Tree" staging/starting light systems in the middle 1960's.

Art

[Kvadrat]

Originally posted by AAA-Eagle


a) national flag to start an automobile race?

Did starting flag using begin when collective start began to be used? How race officials did signal drivers that they are allowed to go in separated starts in early years of motor racing?