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Post by René on Oct 28, 2017 10:10:09 GMT
John Charles, Rene has made you a junior member, which could be either a promotion or a demotion since the designation is undefined. Has Rene's competitive spirit tempted him to assess you with a grid penalty because your superlative comments rival his equally excellent ones? Will there be a battle of Titans comparable to Dijon? Ferrari and Renault want you both back safe and sound... -Carl Carl be aware! You are also on the brink of becoming a junior!  Remember, I have the power here!  The battle of Titans in Dijon style; the clash between the tiny snowmobile king in the Italian bloodred thoroughbred and my namesake in la voiture jaune Francaise. That is a tough act to follow and I am far too impressed with JC's knowledge to ever challenge him in any way! |
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Post by charleselan on Oct 28, 2017 21:53:55 GMT
I think we have many equally knowledgeable members on this unique site; let us all be "Juniors", I like that as it doesn't make me feel so old!!
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Post by charleselan on Oct 28, 2017 22:16:33 GMT
Chris,
That would have been the year we had the four Rover SD1's; two Patrick Motors cars and two Daily Express cars duelling with the red Gordon Spice Capri's and Vince Woodman etc. As you so correctly say when it was proper touring car racing and not demolition derby. Thruxton was always a certainty to have a really great race back in the 1980's, wonderful times indeed.
John Charles
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Post by chrisb on Oct 29, 2017 6:42:37 GMT
John Charles,
yes, that was it, wonderful, my word that has brought some very fond memories back JC, also the drive was more like a GP, our friends in blue seemed to have more of a sense of humour in those days...
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Post by René on Oct 29, 2017 11:38:19 GMT
Chris and John Charles, One of the attractions at the first Formula One Long Beach Grand Prix was a demonstration run of several laps by many of the greatest pilotes ancien, including Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Rene Dreyfus, Dan Gurney, Innes Ireland and in the natural spotlight, Juan Manuel Fangio, who I watched from the top of my grandstand, looking down as he got into his car and adjusted his helmet and goggles, awesome to see in and of itself! But Fangio wanted to race, not simply drive around! And most fans also wanted more than a hurried parade. I still don't know what insurance adjuster advised against. It still was cool to see them in their most famous cars. Cool...as in lukewarm. Here's Fangio and Brabham at speed two years later: Carl, that must have been an amazing experience to actually see the meastro at work. The video of Fangio and Brabham is also beautiful; they haven't forgotten how to drive for sure! Mentioning the names of Stirling Moss and René Dreyfus in one sentence brings back a nice memory for me. When I was at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2009, I bought a book on Stirling's career (a so called scrap book with loads of pictures) and Sir Stirling was there to sign it. So he asked me my name for a personal note and I said "René, like in René Arnoux" upon which he said with a smile "or like René Dreyfus, but that is probably before your time! Have you heard of him? He was very good and a likeable man". He then signed my book and of course wrote my name correct with the accent on the e. I felt honoured. |
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Post by charleselan on Nov 2, 2017 13:56:09 GMT
René,
A late reply to what was a lovely little cameo story. Stirling Moss is indeed a true gentleman and your tale is one just of so many I should imagine. I am certain you probably know this anecdote already but I will tell it anyway; from the late 1950's until the 1980's whenever a young hot shot driver was stopped by the police in the UK it was very often accompanied by the phrase "who do you think you are, Stirling Moss"! I wonder if it will ever transcend to someone being referred to as Lewis Hamilton, can't really see that myself.
A wonderful man and very great driver.
JC
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Post by René on Nov 3, 2017 12:54:43 GMT
Yes indeed, a wonderful man. Only a short exchange of words that lastet a few minutes but for me a memory to cherish. I remember reading a version of that anecdote once. Don't know the exact year but it must have been in the mid 80's. Ayrton Senna was late for morning practice for the British GP and while rushing in his rental car to the circuit he was stopped by a police officer. When Senna opened the side window, the officer asked: "Who do you think you are, Nigel Mansell?". I remember reading this in an English magazine but I don't know if is really true. Funny anecdote though. Attached a picture my brother in law made of me and Stirling at Goodwood. Next to this photo a signed "René Arnoux" card.  |
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Post by charleselan on Nov 3, 2017 13:31:20 GMT
A moment to cherish indeed René.
An excellent collection of Ferrari F1 cars there; what scale are they, 1/43rd?
As you mention René Arnoux I attach a monochrome shot I took in the Pit Lane at Brands Hatch 1984, one of my favourite portrait photos. The scan of the original print I made sadly isn't as good as the original but still OK. This was when I refer to René becoming 1980's "Miami Vice", gone is the little French chap seen in previous years!
Attachment Deleted
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Post by René on Nov 3, 2017 18:39:01 GMT
That is a great picture! Love the monochrome and the naughty look in his eyes.  The Ferrari's in the picture are indeed 1/43. Attached two pictures that give a broader overview but I will do a feature on my Ferrari collection (1/43 and 1/18) in the model car section soon. |
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Post by charleselan on Nov 3, 2017 19:17:50 GMT
That is a lovely collection of Ferrari's. I look forward to seeing your feature on the whole collection René.
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Post by Carl on Nov 3, 2017 20:08:53 GMT
René,
A late reply to what was a lovely little cameo story. Stirling Moss is indeed a true gentleman and your tale is one just of so many I should imagine. I am certain you probably know this anecdote already but I will tell it anyway; from the late 1950's until the 1980's whenever a young hot shot driver was stopped by the police in the UK it was very often accompanied by the phrase "who do you think you are, Stirling Moss"! I wonder if it will ever transcend to someone being referred to as Lewis Hamilton, can't really see that myself.
A wonderful man and very great driver.
JC John Charles, Didn't this happen once to Stirling Moss himself? I remember reading that Moss himself was stopped and asked whether he thought he was Stirling Moss. |
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Post by charleselan on Nov 3, 2017 20:40:56 GMT
I think that you are correct Carl.
Didn't it go along the lines of ..... "who do you think you are, St....... Oh! you are Stirling Moss!!"
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Post by Carl on Nov 3, 2017 20:51:01 GMT
Most likely exactly so. A man in blue uniform and red face.
I wonder if Moss, because of his awesome talent and great fame, had unspoken special rights. So many of the great drivers drove like crazed speed-demons. I've read about friends and associates of Gilles Villeneuve and Jo Siffert refusing to ride with them ever again. On the other hand, Jim Clark apparently drove very conservatively on the road.
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Post by charleselan on Nov 3, 2017 21:02:11 GMT
Carl,
Jim Clark, maybe not so. Did you see the YouTube film I attached somewhere about him driving his Lotus Cortina while being filmed by his good friend Ian Scott-Watson. Some overtakes in that were shall we say marginal, but then again who am I, and others who commented, to correct the great man and his undoubted impenetrable judgement.
John Charles
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Post by Carl on Nov 3, 2017 23:59:52 GMT
John Charles,
Yes, and I enjoyed the rare look at Clark on public roads. It seemed to me, perhaps because he was being filmed, that Clark was driving slightly self-consciously. He was, as you know, not always at ease away from the track, where his confidence was supreme.
There's a great story told by Ian Scott-Watson, about Clark's very first race. Clark had accompanied his friend several times to races and at one meeting was encouraged by Scott-Watson to try his hand in Scott-Watson's amateur sedan. When Clark returned after his maiden event, having passed many cars, he asked his friend why the others were driving so slowly. Scott-Watson had to explain that they were driving as fast as they could and that he, Clark, had perhaps a rare natural talent.
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