Types 78 & 79...Game changers

[BDA]

You always find those interesting details most likely forgot! Thanks, Lou!

[Lou Drozdowski]

Gunnar Axel Arvid Nilsson...

With the departure of both Peterson and Ickx after the ill fated and disappointing type 76, Colin Chapman was looking for a development driver on the all new type 77.  Having  captured the British F3 Championship in 1975, Colin turned and signed Gunnar, along with Bob Evans and finally Mario Andretti. A fast learner, Nilsson's first season showed flashes but, reliability misfortunes held him back to scoring only 11 points.

The following year however in the new type 78, he held station to Andretti and scored his only win at Zolder. Finishing eighth in the championship, all of his thirty two starts in F1 came with Team Lotus. When Peterson was coaxed back by Chapman, a contract with the Arrows team for the new season was looming.

A medical checkup then showed testicular cancer,  which rapidly progressed to his lymph nodes ending his driving. He died in October 1978 at age thirty...Just weeks after Peterson Monza accident.     

[BDA]

How incredibly sad to have died so young! RIP Gunnar!

[Roger]

I was a Gunnar fan too. Such a really nice bloke, and quick too. So  sad.

[Lou Drozdowski]

When the hair on the back of your neck bristles...

Mario keeping a watchful eye on Gilles, ready for the challenge!

[Lou Drozdowski]

 Swedish meatballs... Ronnie and Gunnar duel it out.

I was fascinated by the P34 project and although short lived, fell in love with it's design. Peterson's style was perfect for showing the extreme virtues of the Tyrell and was a pleasure to watch in action. I find it ironic, that this photo was to predict the future of Peterson's return to the black and gold cars and the swan song of another who's days were soon to end. 

[Bainford]

I certainly wouldn’t say the P34 was an attractive F1 machine, but it was definitely one of the most intriguing ever built. I’ve always been fascinated by this engineering marvel, and glad it was validated with a win.

I feel the same about the BRM H-16 in the Lotus 43. Such a wild and improbable bit of engineering, and cool as hell, and glad it too was validated with a win. Wild ‘outside the box’ engineering is always interesting, but it’s the validation of a win that solidifies it as awesome.

[Chuck Nukem]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-stjGl0axGU

Unbelievable music!

[Bainford]

Oh Yeah!! Thanks for that. Made my day. Stick shift and a big, hairy, analog tach. A real race car.

Sounds just like my Europa

[Lou Drozdowski]

Carlos "lole" Reuteman...

Undoubtedly one of the quickest drivers during his ten year career in Formula one. Starting with Brabham, he was to share the unique distinction of putting the BT34 on pole in his first start in his home race in Argentina. His tenures would also include stints with Ferrari, Lotus and Williams.

For the 1979 season, he would team with Mario Andretti as the permanent successor to Peterson. With Martini sponsorship, the green bodied type 79 would catapult him to the driver's point lead early on. His first eight races had seven top fives and four podiums to his credit. The remaining events included  four dnf's and would drop his efforts to finish sixth in the final championship's standings.

Moody at times and always a thorn to his fellow team drivers, Carlos seemed a step behind the cars that could have made him champion. First with Lauda, and then leaving Ferrari when Scheckter won with the 312B4 . Again with Williams and the feud with Alan Jones, his legacy will always be over shadowed for shortsightedness.

He would persue a place in local politics after his racing and become Governor of Santa -Fe in Argentina. He would be later awarded the honor "Commendatore" by Ferrari.

His career stats...146 Starts, 12 Wins, 45 Podiums, 6 Poles...
 

 

[BDA]

Reuteman is another in a long list almost/shoulda/coulda been champion. The 79 is beautiful regardless of the color but it will always be "Black Beauty" to me.

[Bainford]

Interesting stuff, Lou. Cheers.

[TurboFource]

Man is that awesome sounding!

[Lou Drozdowski]

F1 finally starts up in July...A double header at Red Bull's home track.
 With no fans allowed for the first eight events, for now it will be interesting to see the teams deal with all the changes to protocol. No podium celebrations and gatherings, limited media...watch for more one on one profiles and in car broadcasting.

note: My prediction...Verstappen is the only real threat to dethrone Hamilton. Therefore I will root for Vettel to stick it up Ferrari's ass and win going away.

Now...How about a great picture of Ronnie?

[BDA]

Great picture of Ronnie!

It's about time we get going on the F1 season! It will be very different without fans. You just can't FaceTime or Zoom an F1 race!

I agree that Verstappen has the best chance to dethrone Hamilton. I would also add Bottas to as a potential spoiler. Without anything to compare the teams it will be hard to make sense of much.

I've never been a Vettel fan and I think he's fallen off his game since he left Red Bull. If you do nothing else, you must beat your team mate - and not only didn't he, but his team mate was only in his second season! I don't look for that to change and I expect he'll retire after 2020. He won't get a ride at Mercedes or Red Bull and there's no reason to go to a midfield team. Maybe he'll go to another type of racing like endurance racing or even Indy Car (I wish we still had CART!!!!)

That's my prediction.