Formula 1 & Other Motor Racing

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

Good shout on the parachute deaths of late, T, but haven't most of those been people who've decided to end it all and purposely failed to pull their rip cords? Seems a perverse way to go. On the way down your life wouldn't so much flash before your eyes as play back in real time before you hit terra firma.

 

Given Bush Sr.'s age, status as an ex-Pres. (don't forget Saddam tried to bump him off soon after he left office) and ongoing participation in a dangerous activity, seems he merits discussion for '05. And how about wife Barbara? She looked like she was about 75 when she first came to prominence in 1980, which would make her 99 in perceived years today.

[Typhoid Harry 23]

Upon observing Mr. "Private Citizen" Bush Sr. participating in a U.S. Army skydiving activity, I rang my nearest military facility to inquire as to equal treatment for my own b'day (same day as the ex-prez's, BTW). No dice. Seems Orwell was correct, some pigs ARE more equal than others.

[Cerberus 304]

My uncle used to work for Stirling Moss, as a driver, curiously. It's not much of a claim to fame I know, but that, and the fact that I once served three members of B*Witched in a pub, will have to do.

 

 

(Note to josco: B*Witched were a briefly popular "girl group" of the 1990s)

[Josco 49]

(Note to josco: B*Witched were a briefly popular "girl group" of the 1990s)

Please, I may turn my half century this year but I am not a complete old fart (yet).

[Guest One Man Jury]

I may turn my half century this year but I am not a complete old fart (yet).

Just in case, I wouldn't put it to the vote though!

[honez 79]

My uncle used to work for Stirling Moss, as a driver, curiously. It's not much of a claim to fame I know, but that, and the fact that I once served three members of B*Witched in a pub, will have to do.

Definition 10

 

Too much information.

[Tuber Mirum 125]

My uncle used to work for Stirling Moss, as a driver, curiously. It's not much of a claim to fame I know, but that, and the fact that I once served three members of B*Witched in a pub, will have to do.

Definition 10

 

Too much information.

Definition 2b

[Magere Hein 1,400]

Definition 2b

Members (definition 2b) of a "girl group"? I'm confused!

 

regards,

Hein

[Tuber Mirum 125]

It is a little-known fact that Nick Heidfeld and former F1 driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen both come from the same small town in W. Germany. Coincidentally the same town where Joseph Goebbels was born and where I happen to live.

 

If either were to kick the bucket, chances are the Frentzen family firm would be doing the honours.

 

(I linked to the Google translation for those who don't know German yet, and for enhanced comedic value)

[Guest IYG]

It is a little-known fact that Nick Heidfeld and former F1 driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen both come from the same small town in W. Germany. Coincidentally the same town where Joseph Goebbels was born and where I happen to live.

 

If either were to kick the bucket, chances are the Frentzen family firm would be doing the honours.

 

(I linked to the Google translation for those who don't know German yet, and for added comedic value)

I think the creepy factor on that post was too much for me.

 

You live in the town where Goebbels was born? Talk about pride and joy. Gives me the shivers just thinking about him.

 

Also, I think there's already a F1 thread.

[Josco 49]

.... translation for those who don't know German yet, .....

Still time then.

[maryportfuncity 10,662]

IYD: Yeah I started another Formula 1 thread but this dust in the lungs news deserves its own little corner. You can't have too many high octane threads in my book.

 

Thinking of starting another one soon where we relive those great accidents of the heady sixties and seventies, you know: Jo Siffert, Piers Courage, Jim Clark.

[Guest IYG]

you know: Jo Siffert, Piers Courage, Jim Clark.

Actually I don't. I only started paying attention to F1 during the mid 90's before Schumacher was in Ferrari. I believe the driver I was fascinated with was Damon Hill or a name like that.

[lospalmas7 12]

"Damon Hill or a name like that"! He was only the last British driver to win the F1 Championship!! Nevermind.

 

Wiki - Damon Hill

[Guest IYG]

"Damon Hill or a name like that"! He was only the last British driver to win the F1 Championship!! Nevermind.

 

Wiki - Damon Hill

I deserve credit for remembering his name don't I?

[VSBfromH 74]

(I linked to the Google translation for those who don't know German yet, and for enhanced comedic value)

"Adhesion reference: Despite careful contentwise control we do not take over adhesion for contents more externally left. For contents of the linked sides are responsible excluding their operator."

 

... think that's clear enough to all of us!

[Guest M.Lawrenson]

Williamson AccidentShould give you the still images. I couldn't get the link to work directly to the page so you have to spool down the home page to the piece about Roger Williamson.

 

It was a shocker, the safety at the track was pathetic and the reaction of the authorities and the marshalls made things worse. The worst of it was that David Purley could hear Williamson begging him to get him out.

 

It's amazing what you find when you check your referral logs. That's my site you've linked to, and though I appreciate the extra hits, you're probably looking for this page. More info can be found at this page, though viewer discretion is advised.

 

Anyway, to answer some of the questions posed in this thread.

 

You mean that occasion when the chap got beheaded by a fire extinguisher or something? South Africa wasn't it?

 

I believe you're referring to an accident in the 1977 South African GP. Welsh driver Tom Pryce hit an unsighted fire marshal crossing the track at 160mph. Pryce got the extinguisher in the head. He (and the marshal) were killed but he was not decapitated, his helmet coming off and deflecting a lot of the force. There's a notorious clip of the accident on and around the net. It's not nice.

 

Piers Courage collected a few yards of catch fencing in the early laps of the Dutch Grand Prix 1970, not smart when he was driving an alloy bodied car full of fuel. There was bound to be a spark. The resulting fire reduced pretty much everything - including him - to ashes.

 

The car Courage was driving was actually made of magnesium. Yes, they did make cars out of that in those days. These are photos of the accident scene - 1, 2, 3, and the remains of the car. Thankfully, Courage did not have to experience being burned to death as the initial crash removed a front wheel which hit him on the head.

 

The worst accident - ever - was Pierre Levagh's crash into the crowd at Le Mans in 1955, he died, took 82 spectators with him and maimed another 76 or thereabouts. His magnesium bodied car doused spectators with fuel as it went, exploded on impact and disintegrated as it flew through the air. Several spectators were beheaded by the bonnet, others took fatal injuries from the axle.

 

My copy of the accident diagram can be found here. The worst motor racing accident ever. Racing is still banned in Switzerland today because of it.

 

I would post more, but I have a therapy appointment. With my website full of this morbid stuff, are you surprised?

[Deadornot 12]

(I linked to the Google translation for those who don't know German yet, and for enhanced comedic value)

How do you do that?

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

Great posts M. Lawrenson (I'm guessing you're not the ex-Liverpool footballer). Your attention to detail in your chosen field of expertise is impressive.

 

How about that David Purley, risking his own life trying to save that of a fellow competitor? Contrast that to today's "sportsmen" from the likes of Francesco Totti or El Hadj Diouf spitting in their opponents' faces, the drug-riddled exploits of god knows how many track & field athletes, or the dull farce that F1 racing has become.

 

The gall of the FIA, who seem to have no problem making rules up as they go when it suits them, deciding to fine the teams who pulled out of the US grand prix, should be beyond belief, but sadly isn't. The teams in question and Michelin offered to fly in new tyres in time for the race, but the FIA said no. They proposed adding a chicane at the dangerous curve to slow down speeds, the FIA said no. And then the FIA penalizes them for not taking part in the race, even though it was clear had they done so there was an inordinantly high chance the same tyre defect that caused two crashes at the same spot on the track would recur.

 

In hindsight it would have been better had that twisted midget Bernie Ecclestone got his way and bumped the British grand prix off the calendar.

[Death Watch Beatle 41]

Great posts M. Lawrenson (I'm guessing you're not the ex-Liverpool footballer). Your attention to detail in your chosen field of expertise is impressive.

Hear Hear!

 

Ronnie, the only thing you may be wrong on is the FIA not wanting to put in the chicane. I believe all teams had to be in agreement to do it, but Ferrari refused, thus the FIA had to say no to it.

 

DWB

[maryportfuncity 10,662]

Four Horsemen, what a wind up. Can't you post a link?

[Cowboy Ronnie 78]

Ronnie, the only thing you may be wrong on is the FIA not wanting to put in the chicane. I believe all teams had to be in agreement to do it, but Ferrari refused, thus the FIA had to say no to it.

DWB is of course correct in pointing out that the FIA did put it to a vote of all the teams about whether or not to add the chicane. And would you believe it, shock of shocks, one of the three teams that don't use Michelin types, those heroic Italians at Ferrari, decided no, we don't want to add a chicane. By so doing they must have known the likely outcome was that the 7 teams that race on Michelins would have no choice to pull out, leaving them to battle the might Minardis and some other team whose name escapes me already. At least Schumi had a shred of good grace to not squirt the champagne all over the place and admit it wasn't his finest triumph ever.

 

I hear the Premier League is going to follow the FIA's lead and from next season will let the other 19 teams decide what fines and/or point deductions should be enforced next time Chelsea taps up a player/manager/director of football, accuses a ref of being biased or comes up with some other piece of skullduggery that hasn't been thought of by any one else.

 

Formula 1 - all the credibility of professional boxing. But I'd take Don King over Twerpie Ecclestone every time. The King-man is fantabulastifimous.

[Captain Oates 21]

I'm glad someone brought up the Pathe news archive - there's also some footage of a motor racing crash in Penrith in Australia from 1935 which shows a car ploughing into a crowd an people being tossed all over the place - fascinatingly morbid!

......what a wind up. Can't you post a link?

You should find it on this page.

 

For those of you who are fascinated, a search on the same site will take you to a film of the Le Mans 1955 tragedy - complete with dramatic music and commentary!

[maryportfuncity 10,662]

Class. Looks like a game of spectator skittles. Just watched a competitive and totally safe grand prix. They don't make races that the one in Australia anymore.

[M.Lawrenson 11]

Here is the answer to my question:

 

Lauda has emergency surgery.

 

He's only 56 but kidney failure is no laughing matter.

 

Odd. I always thought Lauda's lungs would have gone first, considering his years of smoking and his near-fatal accident at the Nurburgring in 1976. It was lung damage that nearly killed him - his burns looked bad because they were on his face. But it was the fact he'd inhaled smoke, fumes, extinguisher powder etc. that severely impaired his lungs ability to take up oxygen. It was so bad that he was read the last rites in hospital. Lauda now says it was this that made him survive because he was so angry about being written off.