Grand Prix Seasons Past......

[charleselan]

Great pic René. The re-bodied 1977 car was quite swoopy looking and could have been such a good car, but thanks to Goodyear it wasn't............

The prototype P34 was different again from the car that actually raced in 1976 and to this day i can remember it being demonstrated at the 1976 International Trophy meeting at Silverstone where everyone around me began looking at one another in amazement at this strange device, as it passed us on the way into Club Corner.

Returning to Carl's comments about Hans Stuck a few posts back, it bears noting that he had a great career in the States as well particularly when he was the lead driver in the Audi Team. He was an incredibly quick and spectacular driver at times but as Carl notes he was also very precise and controlled when he needed to be.

I have many memories of Hanschen driving so many diverse vehicles; obviously the stand out ones must be the BMW 3.0 CSL Coupé and the later 320 Turbo's sometimes teamed with Ronnie. Then that stellar period in the factory Porsche Group C cars, followed by equally outstanding performances in a variety of categories with Audi Sport. It is still hard to fathom why someone with that amount of talent did not set the F1 world alight, but Hans more than made up for that elsewhere.

[chrisb]

we agree to disagree Rene, not sure I have seen the prototype JC,

Hans Stuck was a real racer and a great character, my word was he quick, loved him in the wet, superb - and very adept at many different classes, including his F2 victories

[charleselan]

There were two early prototype versions in actual fact Chris. The first one which was demonstrated at the International Trophy event in 1976 by Patrick Depailler had a different more wedge shaped full width nose cone and featured the then legal high airbox. It also had much flatter side pods something like those on the March cars of the period.

The team then had another bodywork variation during a test I believe in Spain (Jarama) which had a completely different nose cone somewhat like a dolphin nose with outrigged fairings in front of the small wheels, but very similar to the race version elsewhere. I also recall it had the low airbox but with forward facing nostrils either side of the roll over bar, these were also rounded in appearance.

[charleselan]

Well it would appear that my long term memory for minute detail is slipping with the passing of the years as some of the facts posted above are not strictly true. Firstly it seems that my recollection that Patrick Depailller demo'ed the prototype P34 during the International Trophy Meeting in 1976 was incorrect as it appears that it was Jody Scheckter doing the driving as he raced the year old 007 car in the race that weekend. 

Also it wasn't the original prototype that as used but the one I earlier referred to as having the "dolphin nose" with the high air box as seen in the attached photograph.

To compound my annoyance it seems that the car that ran at the Spanish GP in Jarama was the "standard" race car of '76 but with the strange horned air box. Maybe in future I should check my research before putting forward my recollections merely from memory .





Below is the prototype Tyrrell P34 seen here with the "horned" air box and a rear wing design I have not previously seen on the car before, shades of Ferrari inspiration with the delta shape.



Now a good B&W photo of Patrick in the very original P34 at Silverstone, maybe a test session or run at a early season meeting as a demo possibly the opening Formula Three meeting in March of 1976?

[René]

Feb 7, 2020 18:05:39 GMT charleselan said:

Fantastic picture! The airbox looks huge!

[René]

Here's another nice short movie, this time an official FIAT film. It's about Ferrari's 1975 success season highlighting Monza, Monaco, Belgium and the US. Also an interview with Enzo. All in Italian but the footage and atmosphere are great. Forza.

[mikael]

Thank you for the posting of the film, René. Looking it through, a suggestion to an English version popped up. I'm posting it herewith.

[chrisb]

damm it chaps I need to get a move on, what a brilliant piece, oh well why rush [pun?] when motor racing is on, thanks guys

[chrisb]

so sad to see the Embassy Hill's especially as it is Graham's birthday today, but so good to listen to the music of those engines,

[René]

Feb 15, 2020 8:16:53 GMT mikael said:

Thank you for the posting of the film, René. Looking it through, a suggestion to an English version popped up. I'm posting it herewith.

Thanks Mikael, that is much more convenient I guess. But I still prefer the Italian version!

I made a mistake in my original caption by the way, the focus is on Monaco and Monza only and some footage of Fiorano.

[René]

Feb 15, 2020 9:18:01 GMT chrisb said:

so sad to see the Embassy Hill's especially as it is Graham's birthday today, but so good to listen to the music of those engines,

Thanks for reminding us of his birthday Chris.

What a great driver Graham was and what a charismatic personality. He is often overlooked when discussing the greatest drivers which is actually very strange for a man who has won the F1 crown twice, won the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 hours! That is not only the result of hard work and surely not luck, that is being exceptionally good at what you do.

[René]

I found some amazing video footage the other day. Remastered, upgraded, colored vintage film. And there's more.

Enjoy, it's magic.

[Carl]

Rene,
          Like the brilliant administrator you are, you came through with some wonderful races after a disappointing weekend.

          Poor Jack Brabham would have had his fourth championship if not for remarkable bad luck at Monaco and Brands Hatch. I was in Europe at the time, somewhere in Italy, not yet having gotten to England and wish now I had reversed my schedule and been at Brands Hatch.

Cheers, Carl

[chrisb]

Rene, superb, brilliant, fantastic, and that is after watching just the first clip, I hadn't seen the Montjuic clip before and the picture of Ronnie in such vibrance actually was really emotional, what a way to start a day! will watch the others later but wonderful, a real street circuit.

[René]

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