F1 historic Bits 'n' Piece's

[steveaki13]

I hope the mods are OK with this, but on quite a few threads in F1 forum we talk about moments and people from F1s past.

So I thought it might be nice to have a thread where people can post small things they remember from the past or ask about old drivers, cars, teams or even just great moments in F1's history when maybe a whole thread wouldn't be needed.

Or if someone suddenly remembers a driver from the past, they could mention it here rather than open a thread.

I have only watched F1 since 1991/92, but am researching now into F1's more distant past, so may have some questions and points to make.

I also think it should be OK for people to raise names or points from any point in F1's history as this thread has no real topic.

What do you guys think?

Two examples, firstly the main reason I thought of this thread is because I was watching an old race. Malaysia 2002 and I was talking to my father about Enrique Bernoldi.

He gets remembered most for his 2001 blocking of DC at Monaco, but in Malaysia 2002 after being past by Michael Schumacher he boldly slipstreamed him and repassed the schu. It made me chuckle.

Anyone got any other memories of Bernoldi.

Secondly we also talked about the lap record of Brands Hatch from the past. I found pole for the 1986 British GP to be a 1:06.
I assume this would be the quickest lap of Brands?

So memories of Bernoldi or Brands Hatch fastest laps.

Or anything else they would like to remind us of.

[anfield5]

Jean Alesi probably gave the most memorable moments in recent F1 history, not usually for things he did on the track (although he was a fantastic driver). The best memory of Alesi is this: 1997 Australian GP he apparently ran out of fuel and retired. The story was that he wanted to run a two stop race, the team had decided to run with 3 stops (remember that in '97 refuelling was in). Time came for the first stop and the Benetton team called him in, he ignored the call and kept on driving, the next lap came and the team implored him to stop, but he kept on going, the third time past the pits they demanded that he stop, but he still kept on driving, and half way round the lap his car ran dry, he simply climbed out and sat on the barriers next to the car and glared at it, with the most thunderously black look on his face. Nobody went near him and towards the end of the race he walked back towards the pit complex and without saying a word to anyone left the track.

[D-Type]

I hope the mods are OK with this, but on quite a few threads in F1 forum we talk about moments and people from F1s past.

So I thought it might be nice to have a thread where people can post small things they remember from the past or ask about old drivers, cars, teams or even just great moments in F1's history when maybe a whole thread wouldn't be needed.

Or if someone suddenly remembers a driver from the past, they could mention it here rather than open a thread.

~

This is fine by me. After all that's what the Motorsport History Forum is for!

The only thing I'll ask is please wait until one topic has run its course before introducing a new one. Otherwise it gets totally unmanageable and confusing

[steveaki13]

Jean Alesi probably gave the most memorable moments in recent F1 history, not usually for things he did on the track (although he was a fantastic driver). The best memory of Alesi is this: 1997 Australian GP he apparently ran out of fuel and retired. The story was that he wanted to run a two stop race, the team had decided to run with 3 stops (remember that in '97 refuelling was in). Time came for the first stop and the Benetton team called him in, he ignored the call and kept on driving, the next lap came and the team implored him to stop, but he kept on going, the third time past the pits they demanded that he stop, but he still kept on driving, and half way round the lap his car ran dry, he simply climbed out and sat on the barriers next to the car and glared at it, with the most thunderously black look on his face. Nobody went near him and towards the end of the race he walked back towards the pit complex and without saying a word to anyone left the track.

Yes I remember Murray commentating on it.
Here it is. Still makes me laugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQN49SnvJ_o

I always thought Benetton were fast enough in 1997 to win more than the one race, but it seems Gerhard was getting past it (not taking away the German win) and Alesi as ever was just nuts.

[steveaki13]

I hope the mods are OK with this, but on quite a few threads in F1 forum we talk about moments and people from F1s past.

So I thought it might be nice to have a thread where people can post small things they remember from the past or ask about old drivers, cars, teams or even just great moments in F1's history when maybe a whole thread wouldn't be needed.

Or if someone suddenly remembers a driver from the past, they could mention it here rather than open a thread.

~

This is fine by me. After all that's what the Motorsport History Forum is for!

The only thing I'll ask is please wait until one topic has run its course before introducing a new one. Otherwise it gets totally unmanageable and confusing

Good idea.

Ignore Bernoldi.

What about the Indy 500 being in the championship. It is always said by less informed people I guess (like me) that it was to make it feel completely global, but I mean was that the case? From reading up so far on 1950 and 51. There were no links to F1 I could see.

[D28]

steveaki13: "What about the Indy 500 being in the championship. It is always said by less informed people I guess (like me) that it was to make it feel completely global, but I mean was that the case? From reading up so far on 1950 and 51. There were no links to F1 I could see"


For a good account of the story see the links provided by DType: http://forix.autosport.com/8w/ferrari-i ... -1956.html

True no European drivers qualified in those years, but there were tenuous links to some Grand Prix cars. 2 of the trio of Maserati 8CTFs imported just before the war qualified, albeit with Offy power. Other older European chassis attempted to get in the show.

[journeyman racer]

The only thing I can add to the Enrique Bernoldi story, was that he should've won BF3 one year in the Renaults, but let it slip and Mario Haberfeld won. He also was in a relationship with former tennis player Jelena Dokic.

Jean Alesi probably gave the most memorable moments in recent F1 history, not usually for things he did on the track (although he was a fantastic driver). The best memory of Alesi is this: 1997 Australian GP he apparently ran out of fuel and retired. The story was that he wanted to run a two stop race, the team had decided to run with 3 stops (remember that in '97 refuelling was in). Time came for the first stop and the Benetton team called him in, he ignored the call and kept on driving, the next lap came and the team implored him to stop, but he kept on going, the third time past the pits they demanded that he stop, but he still kept on driving, and half way round the lap his car ran dry, he simply climbed out and sat on the barriers next to the car and glared at it, with the most thunderously black look on his face. Nobody went near him and towards the end of the race he walked back towards the pit complex and without saying a word to anyone left the track.

Wait, so you're saying Alesi kept driving on because he was thinking he had more fuel due to thinking he was on a 2 stop strategy?

[anfield5]

The only thing I can add to the Enrique Bernoldi story, was that he should've won BF3 one year in the Renaults, but let it slip and Mario Haberfeld won. He also was in a relationship with former tennis player Jelena Dokic.

Jean Alesi probably gave the most memorable moments in recent F1 history, not usually for things he did on the track (although he was a fantastic driver). The best memory of Alesi is this: 1997 Australian GP he apparently ran out of fuel and retired. The story was that he wanted to run a two stop race, the team had decided to run with 3 stops (remember that in '97 refuelling was in). Time came for the first stop and the Benetton team called him in, he ignored the call and kept on driving, the next lap came and the team implored him to stop, but he kept on going, the third time past the pits they demanded that he stop, but he still kept on driving, and half way round the lap his car ran dry, he simply climbed out and sat on the barriers next to the car and glared at it, with the most thunderously black look on his face. Nobody went near him and towards the end of the race he walked back towards the pit complex and without saying a word to anyone left the track.

Wait, so you're saying Alesi kept driving on because he was thinking he had more fuel due to thinking he was on a 2 stop strategy?

No, he kept on driving because HE had wanted to race a two stop and he wasn't going to be told by the team that he should do a 3, so he decided to rebel against the team.
If memory serves he said to the press later something along the lines of "I told them I was going to stop twice, ask them why they didn't put enough fuel in the car." (or something to that effect)

[journeyman racer]

No, he kept on driving because HE had wanted to race a two stop and he wasn't going to be told by the team that he should do a 3, so he decided to rebel against the team.
If memory serves he said to the press later something along the lines of "I told them I was going to stop twice, ask them why they didn't put enough fuel in the car." (or something to that effect)

So he knew he'd run out of fuel?

[anfield5]

No, he kept on driving because HE had wanted to race a two stop and he wasn't going to be told by the team that he should do a 3, so he decided to rebel against the team.
If memory serves he said to the press later something along the lines of "I told them I was going to stop twice, ask them why they didn't put enough fuel in the car." (or something to that effect)

So he knew he'd run out of fuel?

Yes. Alesi was a very willful person, he also had the ability to sulk like no one I have ever seen, so when he told the team he wanted a 2 stop race and they refused he decided to show them who was in charge when it came to choosing the best strategy for a race.