Grand Prix Seasons Past......

[mikael]

Great coverage of a couple of GP's of the past: the 1969 Monaco GP, and the 1970 Spanish GP. (And perhaps the first is related directly to the present banner.)

[René]

Not sure if this was shown here before but this is an absolutely fascinating and compelling registration in full color of the 1961 Belgian Grand Prix. 10 minutes of pure joy. Watch it full screen and the volume up. Enjoy! 

[mikael]

Ref. the 1961 Belgian Grand Prix: Watching a film like this, the small 1.5 litre Formula One cars seemed plentifully fast!

[René]

Feb 4, 2023 16:31:46 GMT mikael said:

Ref. the 1961 Belgian Grand Prix: Watching a film like this, the small 1.5 litre Formula One cars seemed plentifully fast!

True, but if you see how close people are standing next to the track, I wouldn’t dare that with the modern monsters!

[mikael]

Ferrari 1-2-3-4; that was very impressive indeed!

A very strong performance by non-factory-Ferrari driver Olivier Gendebien!

According to the excellent book "The Cruel Sport" by Robert Daley, Gendebien was, like von Trips, a nobleman (heir to a baronetcy) who lived a stylish life, completely in line with that background. Still, again just like von Trips, he wasn't a pay-driver, in spite of such a privileged background - he was an extremely talented racing driver.

Gendebien, 1961 Belgian Grand Prix

Olivier Gendebien (1924-1998) - Four-times Le Mans winner (1958, 1960, 1961, 1962)

[chrisb]

I was asked the question aside from 1964 end of season colours and the above when else did Ferrari race in any other colour other than red? In F1 obviously I can’t think of any other time but perhaps?

[René]

@ Mikael: Olivier Gendebien was no slouch! As you mentioned, a multiple Le Mans winner and many more races. And even if he wasn't running an official works car, the yellow Ecurie Francorchamps car practically was one. Founder Jacques Swaters was a personal friend of Enzo's and like the Scuderia Filipinetti, they received direct factory support.



@ Chris: I actually think they never ran in any other color than red as an official Scuderia Ferrari entry. When Ferrari raced with the American colors in the last races of 1964, they were registered by the North American Racing Team. Ferraris were raced in many different colors but always by privateer teams like the green David Piper cars or the yellow Ecurie Francorchamps cars as above. But please correct me if I'm wrong, maybe Rob knows more.

[Carl]

Feb 5, 2023 16:56:39 GMT chrisb said:

I was asked the question aside from 1964 end of season colours and the above when else did Ferrari race in any other colour other than red? In F1 obviously I can’t think of any other time but perhaps?

Chris,

          When René confirms a post about Ferrari, you know it's right.   For vague intramural Italian reasons, Enzo Ferrari surrendered his entrant license, so his friend Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team served as surrogate in its blue and white colors.

          I love the Belgian national bright yellow and one of my favorite Ferrari sightings was a 275 GTB/4 on Highway 101, stunning in bright canary yellow.

                                         Bellissimo!    Attachment Deleted

[René]

YELLOW was in fact Enzo’s favorite color. If it was up to him, his cars would have raced in yellow. Yellow also the color of Modena of course. 

[Carl]

Why then and how and by whom was red decided?

[René]

Feb 5, 2023 21:45:23 GMT Carl said:

Why then and how and by whom was red decided?

National colors, Carl. Already before the war, different colors were assigned to individual countries, like with the other national sports teams. The only ‘problem’ was that both France and Italy used blue. That’s fine with football where one team can change shirts if they play each other. But that’s a bit more complicated with race cars so it was decided Italy would use red. All Italian teams would race in red, French in blue and British green, American white/blue, etcetera. And yellow was assigned to Belgium. 

Because of Ferrari’s success in racing around the world, red became synonymous with Ferrari. 

[chrisb]

cheers chaps, so taking this a step further, was Cooper racing in Scottish colours, but what of Lotus and BRM? wasn't BRM British Racing Green, or was that Vanwall, oh dear age and confusion because wasn't Germany actually white but became the silver arrows to save weight?

thanks Rene, I guess the national colours stopped in the late 50's and colour choice was up to the entrant?

[Carl]

It's likely that national colors were re-established as an homage to the origins of Grand Prix racing very early in the 1900s, when racing was seen as a contest between countries.

I remember really liking the tradition when it was derailed by Team Lotus early in 1968 during the Tasman Series with a dramatic new color scheme as, in collaboration with John Player and Sons, Gold Leaf Team Lotus was born. Most people were dismayed, but reluctantly accepted this as another innovation from Colin Anthony Bruce Chapman.

[Carl]

Feb 5, 2023 20:29:16 GMT René said:

YELLOW was in fact Enzo’s favorite color. If it was up to him, his cars would have raced in yellow. Yellow also the color of Modena of course. 

That's fascinating, René!  Enzo Ferrari was even cooler than I'd thought. 

[René]

Feb 6, 2023 14:30:51 GMT chrisb said:

cheers chaps, so taking this a step further, was Cooper racing in Scottish colours, but what of Lotus and BRM? wasn't BRM British Racing Green, or was that Vanwall, oh dear age and confusion because wasn't Germany actually white but became the silver arrows to save weight?

thanks Rene, I guess the national colours stopped in the late 50's and colour choice was up to the entrant?

Chris, as far as I know, it was just a matter of a British car being green. What grade or tint of green was not relevant as long as it was green. Or red for Italian cars. I think teams simply gave it their own touch. Aston Martin used a more metallic'ish grey/green and Alfas were always a darker red compared to the scarlet Ferraris.