Post by charleselan on Mar 22, 2022 11:03:18 GMT
Sad to read yesterday about the passing of another driver from the golden era. At the age of 80 years Reine Wisell has passed away.
Reine will always be remembered for his early career rivalry with fellow Swede Ronnie Peterson in the late 1960's, where the two had some epic Formula Three battles, none more so that at the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix supporting F3 race. Reine was two years older than Ronnie and it has been reported that in their early days Ronnie actually learnt from Reine during some coaching sessions in Sweden.
There was little doubt that Reine was a very talented driver but after success in the lower formulas this did not translate in Formula One. After Jochen Rindt's death and John Miles deciding to stop racing Team Lotus entered two new and young drivers at the 1970 US GP at Watkins Glen with Emerson Fittipaldi and Reine Wisell. Emerson won a memorable victory, although somewhat fortuitous and Reine came home a solid third; remember that Emerson had been given a few earlier races that season in the old Lotus 49C so this was Reine first experience of a Cosworth DFV powered car.
This led to him being signed for the following season but it was a year in which Lotus were not at their best and two inexperienced drivers probably did not help, however the foundations were being built for huge success the next year. Reine had some good finishes but was dropped at the end of the year in favour of Dave Walker which probably was a poor decision by Colin Chapman. Reine joined the ever expanding Marlboro BRM team in 1972 but that was far from successful and he left the team and then made one or two spasmodic appearances in a march before walking away from motor sport.
I always had the feeling that when Chapman signed him for 1971 Colin looked upon Reine as the "wrong Swede", his eyes had already fallen upon Ronnie and that is who he wanted.
Rest in peace Reine and always remembered as one of the stars of the golden age of Formula Three.
Reine Wisell in the works Chevron during the Monaco F3 race in 1969.
The two Swedes together at the Spanish GP in 1972.
Reine leading Ronnie during their epic scrap at Monaco in 1969, Rene in the very pretty Chevron and Ronnie in his legendary Tecno.
Reine will always be remembered for his early career rivalry with fellow Swede Ronnie Peterson in the late 1960's, where the two had some epic Formula Three battles, none more so that at the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix supporting F3 race. Reine was two years older than Ronnie and it has been reported that in their early days Ronnie actually learnt from Reine during some coaching sessions in Sweden.
There was little doubt that Reine was a very talented driver but after success in the lower formulas this did not translate in Formula One. After Jochen Rindt's death and John Miles deciding to stop racing Team Lotus entered two new and young drivers at the 1970 US GP at Watkins Glen with Emerson Fittipaldi and Reine Wisell. Emerson won a memorable victory, although somewhat fortuitous and Reine came home a solid third; remember that Emerson had been given a few earlier races that season in the old Lotus 49C so this was Reine first experience of a Cosworth DFV powered car.
This led to him being signed for the following season but it was a year in which Lotus were not at their best and two inexperienced drivers probably did not help, however the foundations were being built for huge success the next year. Reine had some good finishes but was dropped at the end of the year in favour of Dave Walker which probably was a poor decision by Colin Chapman. Reine joined the ever expanding Marlboro BRM team in 1972 but that was far from successful and he left the team and then made one or two spasmodic appearances in a march before walking away from motor sport.
I always had the feeling that when Chapman signed him for 1971 Colin looked upon Reine as the "wrong Swede", his eyes had already fallen upon Ronnie and that is who he wanted.
Rest in peace Reine and always remembered as one of the stars of the golden age of Formula Three.
Reine Wisell in the works Chevron during the Monaco F3 race in 1969.
The two Swedes together at the Spanish GP in 1972.
Reine leading Ronnie during their epic scrap at Monaco in 1969, Rene in the very pretty Chevron and Ronnie in his legendary Tecno.
