Formula 1 & Other Motor Racing

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

you seem to have a nearly un-natural urge to see people die in the most predictable of ways.

 

Honestly, you sound like my ex-husband just before he stuck the spade into the garden, hit the unexploded WW2 munitions and landed on next door's patio table. I had to work extra shifts to buy those explosives, but, what the hell.

 

I'll cop for twisted, insanely curious and seemingly untroubled by the squeamishness that seems to dog others. But angry.....only when my local garage runs out of freebies with the petrol.

[Bennett_Cerf 2]

you seem to have a nearly un-natural urge to see people die in the most predictable of ways.

 

Honestly, you sound like my ex-husband just before he stuck the spade into the garden, hit the unexploded WW2 munitions and landed on next door's patio table. I had to work extra shifts to buy those explosives, but, what the hell.

 

I'll cop for twisted, insanely curious and seemingly untroubled by the squeamishness that seems to dog others. But angry.....only when my local garage runs out of freebies with the petrol.

Yes, I understand that one. I was only a sugar bowl and a creamer away from a full set of Wheatfield Dreams, an entire dinner collection from the local market when they announced they had run out and no more would ever be fired. Needless to say I was distraught for many weeks, and my partner Gavin was incolsolable and needed to spend a year in the asylum. In the end I used the dinnerware for target practice.

 

And sorry to hear of the loss of your husband. Sounds like a simply dreadful way to go, so sudden and so many pieces left for you to pick up.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Bennet re your partner Gavin, apologies if I've wrongly assumed you to be male. Re my former husband it was indeed traumatic, I cried so hard I ended up wiping away tears with the vast bundles of cash landed in life insurance. Then I bought my first Maserati.

[Guest Passive observer]

Bennet re your partner Gavin, apologies if I've wrongly assumed you to be male. Re my former husband it was indeed traumatic, I cried so hard I ended up wiping away tears with the vast bundles of cash landed in life insurance. Then I bought my first Maserati.

 

Er...he might be male.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

F**k sake!

 

Do you think we're that far behind the times in the North West?

 

On second thoughts, don't answer that, yeah it had occured to me too but it also occured to me that I'd referred to our rising star Bennett as 'man' without really thinking too hard about it. Just apologisin' in case I'd inadvertantly caused offence. Would really F*****g well piss me off if I F*****g offended any C**t on here, you know.

[Bennett_Cerf 2]

For those who must know, I am a male. All male the last I looked which was this A.M. while in the shower.

No offense at all taken Maryport.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Cheers Bennett.

 

Just a question, do you think you can keep up this phenomenal rate of posting for a long time? As a rule prolific newcomers burn out spectacularly although there are some notable exceptions to the rule like Windsor.

[Canadian Paul 97]

Just a question, do you think you can keep up this phenomenal rate of posting for a long time? As a rule prolific newcomers burn out spectacularly although there are some notable exceptions to the rule like Windsor.

 

You seem to be fairing fairly well with the "phenomenal rate of posting" thing yourself MPFC...

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Aye indeed CP, strange the way my greater activity hereabouts coincided with the end of League Two action in the UK eh?

 

Incidentally, I'd like to point out to them that's accused me of being obsessed with motor racing that I totally screwed up on this post, the Monaco grand prix isn't this weekend, although the rally of Sardinia is. One of our Cumbrian based Ford cars, driven by Marcus Gronholm, had a 40 second lead, then hit a rock! Team's still in the running for points, but Gronholm will have some explaining to do!

[M.Lawrenson 11]

As far as driver fatalities go, Monaco is one of the safer tracks. Even in the old days of the 1930s no-one ended up with anything more than a smashed up hips (there's a wince-inducing picture of Rudolf Caracciola being carried from an accident in a dining chair of all things). Thing is, the cars never really go fast as there's no room to accelerate. Monaco lap speeds average at about 98mph, as opposed to Monza which is about 150mph.

Alberto Ascari even put his car into the harbour in 1955 and lived.

 

The only driving fatality to date at Monaco was Lorenzo Bandini in 1967. He'd been hauling his heavy steering Ferrari around the streets of Monte Carlo in second place for 80 laps and was probably exhausted. He got it wrong at the harbour on lap 81 and clipped the straw bales (put there to stop cars doing an Ascari). Bandini's car turned over and burst into flames. By the time they put it out, Bandini had been in the fire for about 4 minutes - a long time at petrol burning temperature. And he was still alive when they got him out. Lorenzo Bandini died in hospital three days later of his appalling burns. It would have been better to let him die at the accident scene, one feels. I've seen much horrible and gruesome footage of the accident and it's aftermath, and I hope that when they got him to the burns unit at Monte Carlo hospital, they dressed him simply in bandages and gave him all the morphine in the Principality.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Lawrenson, welcome back. Your matchless knowledge and vivid descriptions of motor racing accidents bring a certain gravitas to the proceedings. Keep 'em comin'.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,194]

The only driving fatality to date at Monaco was Lorenzo Bandini in 1967.

 

Er... I'm sorry, but that's not true.

 

Three have died at Monaco. Bandini, as you've already mentioned. The great Luigi Fagioli died from injuries & stress from an accident there in 1952;

 

Fagioli had an accident in his Lancia B20 on 30 May 1952 during a practice session for the Grand Prix de Monaco - which that year was not a Formula 1 event but, instead, a non-championship race for sportscars up to two liters. In never explained circumstances, Fagioli lost control of the car in the tunnel and crashed it broadside into a stone balustrade at the exit. The car sustained medium damages; Fagioli was thrown out of it and was taken to a hospital unconscious, also suffering a fractured arm and badly broken left leg. He regained consciousness four days later and was reported in serious but stable conditions. His health improved progressively and seemed to be out of danger.On 20 June the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dell’Emilia reported a statement by Fagioli’s doctor informing that the driver was doing well, but that his knee was so injured that it would take eight to nine months for a full recovery. The same report stated that Fagioli was to undergo a surgery to his left leg that same day; however, his condition suddenly deteriorated, and he passed away with a complete failure of the nervous system hours later, at age fifty-four. Sadly, the "Abruzzi Robber" had perished after an accident in the same circuit in which he had obtain a memorable win back in 1935, seventeen years earlier.

 

 

and Dennis Taylor, who was a non-qualifier for a number of Grand Prix's perished there, in 1962.

 

A popular and experienced racing driver, Dennis Taylor from Kent - UK, was liked and admired by all with whom he came in contact: he started racing in 1951 with an Iota 500 and had long and successful career in F. 3 driving JBS, Arnott, Martin, Staride and Cooper cars till he abandoned 500s F. 3 and took to sport-racing and F. 2 machines. During 1958 and 1959 Taylor was seen in F. 2 British races driving 1,5 litre single-seaters Lotus, but when F. Junior began in Europe he acquired a front-engined Lola for 1960 season. The following year he changed the car with a new rear-engined Lola, the same car which he raced the 1962 season and had the fatal accident, during the F. Junior race at Monaco on Saturday of F. 1 Grand Prix

 

 

 

Also, in recent memory, Karl Wendlinger is a very, very lucky boy to still be alive, after his crash there in 1994. His injuries were more severe than mere "smashed hips." Alex Wurz's career never recovered after he crashed there (must've been 1998, I think). I seem to recall a 60's driver crashing there heavily & his career never got going again... So, it is not exactly a safe track all in all, although it's record is suprisingly good for the years it's been going.

 

However these days, injury/death is almost impossible at a Tilkedrome unless for a bizarre chain of events, a la Paletti, or Pryce etc. Monaco is one of those that isn't a Tilkedrome, and it's nice to see drivers have an element of risk - that's what motor racing is about, not the video game dross we have these days.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Incidentally I wanted to mention the following link. Some motor racing videos including the end of Tom Pryce and Roger Williamson, be warned neither is recommended for those of a nervous disposition. The track marshall practically cut in half by Pryce's car is something you don't see every day.

 

On a more cheerful note the same site offers a 1985 trademark - too much ambition too little talent - moment from early DL favourite Andrea de Cesaris.Check it out here.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Monaco THIS weekend, honest.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Can't move in the pits for people roasting venison on their barbies.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Octi do you have a source or a link for that headline?

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

I've just seen the video of the 1977 F1 crash which killed Tom Pryce and a fire marshall. I won't post the link because it's pretty grim (it's easy enough to find if you're that way inclined)

 

I think it's fairly safe to say that the fire marshall was killed instantly.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

I've just seen the video of the 1977 F1 crash which killed Tom Pryce and a fire marshall. I won't post the link because it's pretty grim (it's easy enough to find if you're that way inclined)

 

I think it's fairly safe to say that the fire marshall was killed instantly.

 

Sorry wrong thread !!!

 

[Posts moved - NAP]

Edited August 10, 2006 by Notapotato

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Aye, it's not for the nervous is it, a point I made on the F1 thread. Poor marshal was a 19 year old doing his first big race.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

Aye, it's not for the nervous is it, a point I made on the F1 thread. Poor marshal was a 19 year old doing his first big race.

 

Didn't his mother ever tell him to "Stop Look and Listen" before he crossed a road? Everytime I close my eyes I can see his dismembered body flying through the air.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

It's all about positive thinking DDT, after viewing that footage I thought hard and long and now every time I close my eyes I see Paul Conway weaving his way through the Barnet defence to score a superb solo goal.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Octi, is it raining at Silverstone? Is there oil on any part of the track? Is there - like - any hope at all?

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Grand Prix masters official site. C'mon people - apart from M.Lawrenson and OoO who'd walk it - apart from Fittipaldi, Mansell and Prost, how many other of these 'legends' can you name. Clue: one of those pictures is DL legend Andrea de Cesaris.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Oddly enough I think Andretti would be competitive in this company, he was doing pretty well racing into his late fifties, and continuing helping out after that until he shunted one of his sons cars in testing. I think the biggest block there - other than insuring a guy that old - would be going back on the promise he made to his family to try and die of old age in bed. Piquet has long term mobility problems in one foot doesn't he, as a result of a serious accident at Indianapolis. He get's around okay but he's not up to driving a racing car.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

Cheers Octi, happy to be wrong about Piquet, I remember the accident when his nose came off and he scraped his heel on the track at about 150 mph, all things considered he's doing well.

 

How big a crowd do the old boys pull at Silverstone and is the series making money? The longer it goes on the better our chances that someone will do a Denny Hulme and suffer a heart attack in the car.