The Chequered Flag

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

For those who care about such things, two ex-F1 non-qualifiers have died recently, Andre Testut & Azdrubal Fontes Bayardo.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Sad double bill of news States-wise.

 

Mike Magill, ex-Indy 500 racer has died, aged 86 & Len Sutton, another ex-Indy 500 racer, is suffering from an advanced form of cancer. I hope he pulls through, I know Len personally & his stories & memories themselves are little treasures.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Octi, with your insiders knowledge and that, have you heart any follow up of Mika Salo's announcement after surgery that he had carbon dust in his lungs. It' s no so much him that I was wondering about but he speculated that since Schumi and others had done many more Grands Prix than him, breathing in carbon dust off brake pads, their long term health might be in danger.

 

I think the initial results were inconclusive. You must remember Salo smokes, so his lungs are probably in not as good shape as Schumi's.

I've not heard much about it lately, and certainly no-one else of that era seems ill or is dead, so far.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Goodwood Revival -

didn't go to it but others did - Hannu Mikola, ex-rally champ looks well but very fat and apparently, Phil Hill wasn't in brilliant shape. Wasn't frail or gaunt or anything like that, but at least two people said that the Tribute Weekend all seemed a bit too much for him come Saturday. Could be one to keep an outside eye on, but I think he'll be fine for a few years yet, unless I hear anything else to the contrary.

[M.Lawrenson 11]

It's not been a good time to test cars. Apparently, Paul Frere, former F1 driver and journalist has been seriously injured testing a car near the Nurburgring. Frere is 89.

 

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2006/09...iously-injured/

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

What kind of car manufacturer lets an 89 year old test their machines? Shopmobility trolleys maybe, but a hot hatch! I'm guessing the paramedics had to lever his dentures out of the steering wheel and replace them.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

What kind of car manufacturer lets an 89 year old test their machines? Shopmobility trolleys maybe, but a hot hatch! I'm guessing the paramedics had to lever his dentures out of the steering wheel and replace them.

 

Until this accident, Frere was quicker than most people more than half his age & with 60 years of testing experience, who better to choose as a tester than someone who knows it all & has tested virtually every car going?

 

More respect please, MPFC, for Mr. Frere, and John Fitch, who also tests cars, and is also 89.

 

After all, Bentley Warren, the ex-Indy 500 driver has just won a major race in the US. Warren is 66, some of the young pups he thrashed were not even 20.

 

 

Go racing drivers!

 

 

Anyway, looks like Paul will pull through, which is testament to his strength & fitness at 89, but it may end his testing days.

[DevonDeathTrip 2,358]

Not an F1 crash, but during the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series this week, there was a very nasty 200 kmph accident between two drivers. Both are fighting for their lives.

[VSBfromH 74]

Not an F1 crash, but during the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series this week, there was a very nasty 200 kmph accident between two drivers. Both are fighting for their lives.

 

As Doc McCoy would say "It's worse than that, he's dead DDT!:"

 

Link

[M.Lawrenson 11]

After reading an article (and looking at the pictures, oh the sad pictures) of the latest issue of Motor Sport, I'd hazard a guess that 1961 F1 Champion Phil Hill will not be with us for much longer...

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

After reading an article (and looking at the pictures, oh the sad pictures) of the latest issue of Motor Sport, I'd hazard a guess that 1961 F1 Champion Phil Hill will not be with us for much longer...

 

I mentioned as such on this site a month or so back after I saw him at Goodwood. Son Derek has retired from racing to look after him. Terribly rapid decline, he was the very picture of health in summer 2005. At the moment, he's just outside my top 20 for DDP, but is in my picks for the CPDP.

 

But it hurts, really genuinally hurts, to have to even pencil his name in.

[themaninblack 2,112]

After reading an article (and looking at the pictures, oh the sad pictures) of the latest issue of Motor Sport, I'd hazard a guess that 1961 F1 Champion Phil Hill will not be with us for much longer...

 

I mentioned as such on this site a month or so back after I saw him at Goodwood. Son Derek has retired from racing to look after him. Terribly rapid decline, he was the very picture of health in summer 2005. At the moment, he's just outside my top 20 for DDP, but is in my picks for the CPDP.

 

But it hurts, really genuinally hurts, to have to even pencil his name in.

 

A good DL candidate for 2007....

[M.Lawrenson 11]

After reading an article (and looking at the pictures, oh the sad pictures) of the latest issue of Motor Sport, I'd hazard a guess that 1961 F1 Champion Phil Hill will not be with us for much longer...

 

I mentioned as such on this site a month or so back after I saw him at Goodwood. Son Derek has retired from racing to look after him. Terribly rapid decline, he was the very picture of health in summer 2005. At the moment, he's just outside my top 20 for DDP, but is in my picks for the CPDP.

 

But it hurts, really genuinally hurts, to have to even pencil his name in.

 

I avoided watching the the ITV Goodwood Revival show after hearing about Phil Hill. According to the Motor Sport article he needs help for virtually everything, which I'm not surprised about as the relatives of mine who've reached a similar age required much the same. But none of them could leave their house, never mind take transatlantic flights, so I give PH major credit. And as I'm sure he knows, he's had much more life that his old teammates Taffy Von Trips and Ricardo Rodriguez had. Even Richie Ginther had a similar rapid decline, but 20 years earlier than P.Hill.

 

I read 'The Cruel Sport' last year, so I give major respect to P.Hill.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Other drivers who are in varying forms of ill-health that I can tell you about after a little search;-

 

Ian Stewart (Friend of mine - I hate to see him poorly)

Sam Posey

Eddie Russo

Lloyd Ruby

John Paul Jr

Graham McRae

 

Only T. Rolt is guaranteed a British obit, Posey/Ruby/McRae & Stewart may also achieve one. Ruby & Posey certainly would in the US.

 

As for Hill:- (sorry bout the large pics when you click on them)

Phil Hill in 2005, still racing & well: (with Vic Elford & Jim Hall, both of whom, thankfully are doing much better)

 

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/images/gall...orics2005/2.jpg

 

Phil Hill in 2006 (as taken by good friend of mine at Goodwood):-

 

 

says it all really.

[themaninblack 2,112]

That's too rapid to be attributable to just age, probably an illness....

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Am I allowed a shameless plug if I back it up with some death related motorsport news?:

 

Dead:

Johnny Coy, US sprint & midget car legend, ex-Indy 500 entrant. Link

Steeve Marcel, chief engineer at the ART GP2 team, aged only 32, from cancer. Link

Lucho deCastro, touring car driver, killed in a plane crash. Link

 

Shamless plug:

The interviews, Nannini included, I did at the Grand Prix Masters. May be of some interest to those who like their motor racing on here. Not death related, may I add...... This is a new part of the site, the general stats are on the other domain of the site. Anyway...

 

Shameless Plug.

 

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Oscar Gonzalez, Grand Prix racing driver who was presumed to have died in 1999, even by his own country's motorsport federation, actually died earlier this week. Link

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Eugene Martin, who was one of the last pre-war Grand Prix drivers, one of the oldest living Grand Prix drivers & one of only three survivors of the very first Grand Prix, has died, at his home, in Rochelle, France.

 

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Survivors from 1950:

1st race:-British GP - de Graffenried, Rolt

2nd race:-Monaco GP - Gonzalez, de Graffenried, Manzon

3rd race:-Indianapolis - J Rathmann

4th race:-Switzerland - de Graffenried

5th race:-Belgium - no survivors

6th race:-France - Manzon, Gonzalez

7th Race:-Italy - de Graffenried, Manzon, Pietsch

 

Total Survivors: 6

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Len Sutton, former Indianapolis 500 driver and personal friend of mine, has died, I'm very sorry to say.

News Mention

 

He had cancer.

 

Len, you'll be much missed.

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

Clay Regazzoni, former Ferrari racing driver, GP winner (including the first man to win for Williams), and an inspirational & thoroughly decent human being, has been killed in a road crash in Italy.

Link

 

 

Words almost fail me, as I'm distraught about this news, especially so soon after Len's death. All I can say is Arrivederci, Gianclaudio. It was a pleasure to have been in the presence of your company.

[maryportfuncity 10,646]

He was a charger and a man who gave entertainment to millions of F1 fans, sad news indeed OoO. Saw a film once of him winning the Italian GP in a Ferrari. The Italian fans loved it.

[Magere Hein 1,400]

Clay Regazzoni, former Ferrari racing driver, GP winner (including the first man to win for Williams), and an inspirational & thoroughly decent human being, has been killed in a road crash in Italy.

Link

 

 

Words almost fail me, as I'm distraught about this news, especially so soon after Len's death. All I can say is Arrivederci, Gianclaudio. It was a pleasure to have been in the presence of your company.

/me nods. What a loss.

 

regards,

Hein

[Octopus of Odstock 2,195]

It now appears Clay had a stroke which caused him to crash. It matters not a jot, all that matters is he is no longer with us.

[M.Lawrenson 11]

Clay Regazzoni, former Ferrari racing driver, GP winner (including the first man to win for Williams), and an inspirational & thoroughly decent human being, has been killed in a road crash in Italy.

Link

 

 

Words almost fail me, as I'm distraught about this news, especially so soon after Len's death. All I can say is Arrivederci, Gianclaudio. It was a pleasure to have been in the presence of your company.

 

Just seen the news on Wikipedia. Truly shocking. Regga was one of those people that you think would have the determination to live forever, despite all he'd been through. A very good driver, though according to some sources lacking in astuteness, though this made him a more agreeable personality than many drivers of his time. As someone once said, if you're sat next to an F1 driver on long plane journey, you should hope to be sat next to a driver like Regazzoni or Jacques Laffite for whom racing is just one part of a full life. Though Clay, like Jacques, would have raced for nothing.