Firsts and Lasts in Motorsports

[Stan Reid]

First driver killed while leading a World Championship race: Bill Vukovich-1955 Indianapolis 500 (he's the one who goes over the fence and flips violently)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhjCm-23pL8

Last driver (hopefully) to be killed leading a World Championship race: Ayrton Senna-1994 San Marino Grand Prix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCZIMwtooR4

[D-Type]

Harry Schell wangled an entry for the Monaco GP, but set no practice time. His Cooper-Jap starting from the back thus was the first Cooper to start a F1 WC race, as well as the first rear engined entry, even though the car was definitely not a F1 car. All for naught as he failed to complete a lap being involved in a 9 car pile up on lap 1. Because he had no practice time, it is difficult to assess his lap times, but he would have been quite a bit off the pace.

The car was definitely not designed to be a Formula 1 car. But the Formula 1 rules were so loose in 1950, with no minimum weight or capacity and no dimensional requirements, that it did comply with the rules so it was a Formula 1 car that day. Likewise, when a Jaguar XK120 sports car ran in the Syracuse Grand Prix,
in that race it was a Formula 1 car.

[Stan Reid]

Top Fuel Dragster driver versatility firsts (corrections welcome):

Art Malone was the first Top Fuel Dragster driver to compete in Champ Car/Indy, running Championship Cars in 1962-65; including two Indianapolis 500s. He also competed in the Nascar Cup Series in 1961 and 1962.

John Andretti was the first Champ Car/Indy driver (1987-2011 including 12 Indianapolis 500s) to race a Top Fuel Dragster driving in the NHRA Series in 1993 for owner Jack Clark. He also competed in the Nascar Cup Series from 1993-2010.

Danny Ongais was the first Top Fuel Dragster driver to compete in Formula 1, racing in the 1977 and 1978 World Championship Grand Prix Series. He also ran in the Champ Car/Indy Series from 1976-1998; including 11 Indianapolis 500s.

Note: After seeing a Top Fuel Dragster race, Formula One World Champion Jack Brabham wanted to drive one of the cars but it never happened due to some conflict with sponsorship or insurance or contracts or whatever.

[Stan Reid]

First pilot to win unlimited races on both water (H-1 Hydroplanes) and in the air (Reno Unlimited Class): Mira Slovak

Corrections welcome

[D28]

The car was definitely not designed to be a Formula 1 car. But the Formula 1 rules were so loose in 1950, with no minimum weight or capacity and no dimensional requirements, that it did comply with the rules so it was a Formula 1 car that day. Likewise, when a Jaguar XK120 sports car ran in the Syracuse Grand Prix,
in that race it was a Formula 1 car.

Thanks. I admit to having difficulty describing exactly what Schell was driving that day.First I consulted Cooper Cars Doug Nye's bible on all things Cooper, then a story of his in Motor Sport and finally some back and forth in Autosport TNF. The issue is what engine was in the back, if it was as intended the 1100 cc twin, then it would no longer be a F3 car.
Correct? Some suggested pictures of the wreck showed possibly he still had the 500 cc motor in, that is why I didn't call it a F3 car.
In trying to be precise in wording, I got it wrong anyway. I assume it was the twin 1100 motor, but I can't really say at this point. Would such a mount be a F2 car, or did that exist in 1950?
As you say, rules were loose then, and with respect to Harry Schell, ordinary rules never seemed to apply.

[Stan Reid]

Thanks. I admit to having difficulty describing exactly what Schell was driving that day.First I consulted Cooper Cars Doug Nye's bible on all things Cooper, then a story of his in Motor Sport and finally some back and forth in Autosport TNF. The issue is what engine was in the back, if it was as intended the 1100 cc twin, then it would no longer be a F3 car.
Correct? Some suggested pictures of the wreck showed possibly he still had the 500 cc motor in, that is why I didn't call it a F3 car.
In trying to be precise in wording, I got it wrong anyway. I assume it was the twin 1100 motor, but I can't really say at this point. Would such a mount be a F2 car, or did that exist in 1950?
As you say, rules were loose then, and with respect to Harry Schell, ordinary rules never seemed to apply.

I think Schell's car could have legally run in F2 being under 2 liter and not supercharged.

This is the engine as best I can determine.4-.jpgClick to enlarge

[D-Type]

1100cc Cooper-JAPs regularly competed in Formula 2 races. So I suppose a reasonable description of Schell's car would be an "1100cc Formula 2 Cooper-JAP"

As Schell drove a Cooper-JAP in the Formula 3 support race, there will be pictures of this car around to confuse the issue. The Monaco organisers would not have allowed him to run the same car in both races so the car must have had an 1100cc engine.

[D28]

1100cc Cooper-JAPs regularly competed in Formula 2 races. So I suppose a reasonable description of Schell's car would be an "1100cc Formula 2 Cooper-JAP"

As Schell drove a Cooper-JAP in the Formula 3 support race, there will be pictures of this car around to confuse the issue. The Monaco organisers would not have allowed him to run the -same car in both races so the car must have had an 1100cc engine.

http://forums.autosport.com/topic/10...-cooper-entry/

This link from 8 years or so includes the back and forth I described, including a comment from one D-Type. Some claim the photos suggest the same car in the F3 race and the GP.
I find it unlikely Schell wouldn't use the bigger engine, but with him how could one be sure?
Also it seems Harry was adept at manipulating race organizers, the 1959 USGP comes to mind, so maybe he did start with the F3 car. I remain confused, but admit it doesn't matter too much, as he didn't travel very far. The 2 records I mentioned above still stand.

[D-Type]

I'd clean forgotten that discussion and that there were any questions about Schell's Cooper.

On the original theme, another 2-cylinder Formula 1 car was the pair of front wheel drive supercharged 750cc DB-Panhards that ran in the 1955 Pau GP with conspicuous lack of success and were never seen again.

[Stan Reid]

In addition to being the first instance of an American running in a World Championshhip event, I believe it was the first and last time that a push rod engine ran in a regular Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix.

Until I find out different, I'm also going to say that Schell's car was the first and last time a chain drive car ran in a World Championship event.

cooper%20jap%20001.jpgClick to enlarge