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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2018 21:01:56 GMT
On this week's Autosprint there is a beautiful feature on the 40th anniversary of Arturo Merzario's debut with his own car in the Argentina GP at Buenos Aires.  |
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Post by Jamie on Jan 16, 2018 21:16:04 GMT
I didn't know he'd raced his own car, how did that come about?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2018 22:33:31 GMT
Is Chapman still in the middle?  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2018 22:35:53 GMT
I didn't know he'd raced his own car, how did that come about? He started racing with his own team in 1977 on a March 761. Then he built his cars for a couple of years in F1, 1978 and 1979, and then in F2 for three years or so. Without meaningful results, always on a shoestring. |
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Post by René on Jan 17, 2018 0:20:56 GMT
Wonderful story Lucio! But what an ugly car that Merzario was!  |
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Post by Carl on Jan 17, 2018 0:59:28 GMT
I didn't know he'd raced his own car, how did that come about? He started racing with his own team in 1977 on a March 761. Then he built his cars for a couple of years in F1, 1978 and 1979, and then in F2 for three years or so. Without meaningful results, always on a shoestring. Arturo Merzario was one of the most sympathetic underdogs. He fought like hell to be competitive and you could not help but root for him to succeed. |
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Post by Carl on Jan 17, 2018 1:05:59 GMT
Wonderful story Lucio! But what an ugly car that Merzario was! Perhaps ungainly because Italians admire wide and voluptuous curves, but you'd think he'd be able to comfortably see out of his own car. |
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Post by chrisb on Jan 17, 2018 5:19:30 GMT
what a lovely story Lucio, thank you
I do remember this car and a certain attitude towards it and Art, who always struck me as 'a take me or leave me character' with his stetson - he was cool - but if memory serves a certain BCE was quite disdainful of Art's efforts and saying he would rather have quality than quantity, I don't think I agree Mr E
and having visited Italy a number of times I would wholeheartedly agree Carl
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2018 12:09:01 GMT
what a lovely story Lucio, thank you I do remember this car and a certain attitude towards it and Art, who always struck me as 'a take me or leave me character' with his stetson - he was cool - but if memory serves a certain BCE was quite disdainful of Art's efforts and saying he would rather have quality than quantity, I don't think I agree Mr E and having visited Italy a number of times I would wholeheartedly agree Carl Indeed, he relates that about BCE, whom the following year asked Arturo to call the car with a new id - A2 instead of A1, I think - despite being initially the same car as the previous year, only because it would look "better" to show all "new" cars in the entrants' list.. |
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Post by charleselan on Jan 17, 2018 12:49:57 GMT
Yet another tale that accurately illustrates what an "oik" BCE had become. Arturo was always regarded with affection within the group of friends that I knew back in the 1970's. I always have clear memories of when he debuted his red privately owned March 761 at the British GP in 1977, it actually looks really crisp and clean, and ran quite well too. I took some quite pleasing shots at that meeting with my then brand new Olympus 35mm system, in the days when spectators could get good images from any point on a circuit. The tale of the Goodyear tyres resonates with an interview that John Surtees gave on UK radio some years ago. Big John was asked who he felt was the best driver that ever drove for him, and without hesitation he said René Arnoux. He then recounted that René simply drove his heart out on tyres that were rock hard in comparison with those used by the big teams. Nothing was ever equal in the "fantastic" world of Formula One. Arturo was a great little sportscar driver and his Targa Florio in 1972 with Sandro Munari was superb. I originally studied to be an Art & Design Teacher and my chosen topic was painting racing cars, which I continued to do in the 1970's. One of my favourites is the painting I did of Arturo in the 312PB at the Targa Florio.  |
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Post by mikael on Jan 17, 2018 13:07:56 GMT
JC,
most impresssive indeed. A very nice level of detail; and so full of life!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2018 15:46:02 GMT
That is a beauty, so crisp and alive. That is talent, seriously.
If you stopped, it's a real shame, because I think you've got it.
Thank you for showing it.
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Post by Carl on Jan 17, 2018 16:10:52 GMT
John Charles,
You and Arturo share art as a defining element of your persons. What a beautiful painting!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2018 16:16:31 GMT
The boy shouting, the lady covering her ears. The Carabinieri! They all jump out of the picture.
Amazing.
Seriously, it's not for the car; it's the way the characters around are represented, in the hot Sicilian weather. Beautiful composition.
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Post by Jamie on Jan 17, 2018 20:26:37 GMT
Incredible John!!
I'd love to have that hanging on my wall as, I'm sure, would any enthusiast.....just brilliant.
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