Lotus F1 "The tobacco years" type 72

[Lou Drozdowski]

The glitz and glamour...things weren't always Champagne and fish eggs.

Did you know Cowboys can shoot, ride, rope and usually make anything go faster! 

[Lou Drozdowski]

Jacques Bernard Ickx

He drove for just about everyone...Factory teams, privateers you name it. He drove just about everything...Started on Zundapp 50 cc trial bikes, Cortina's and all sorts of saloons, F2, F1, Can Am, Sport prototypes, endurance and Dakar. His accomplishments are many. Just to mention a few...

Six time Le Mans winner, eight F1 wins, twenty five podiums, Can Am champ in 1979, Paris to Dakar Champion 1983, Bathurst winner, twice touring Champion with the Lotus Cortina.

F1 cars..Tyrell Matra,Cooper,Ferrari,Brabham,Yardley Mclaren,Williams,Lotus,Wolf,Ensign,Ligier and Hesketh!

I won't go into detail on his career in this post. There's not enough time or space...I just wanted to say that he was, and is considered amongst the elite in motor racing. His name alone is synonymous with winning in every category of race craft.

I always admired his loner style, but questioned his politics at times, reminding me of a Euro version of Steve Mcqueen.





   

[BDA]

One of the last holdouts of the safety revolution being lead by Jackie Stewart. He was such an independent that I don't think he joined the Grand Prix Drivers Assn. I wasn't aware of the breadth of his experience and achievement.


Thanks, Lou!

[Bainford]

One of the last holdouts of the safety revolution being lead by Jackie Stewart. !

He was opposed to the Le Mans start, bewildered by the tendency of many drivers to hop into their cars and take off quickly with no regard for safety, not doing up their belts until they were flying down the Mulsanne Straight. He claimed that such recklessness was absurd considering the 24 hour length of the race. I forget the year (I think he was driving a GT-40) but I remember the film footage of him protesting the Le Mans start by walking to his car instead of running, then methodically climbing into the car, getting comfy, and doing up his belts properly before getting underway. He had to run the last half of the distance to the car, though, as other less concerned drivers had already reached their cars are were blasting by him as he crossed the track.

I must admit, the rush and insanity of the old Le Mans start always amused me. It seemed that drivers took such a chance of wrecking their car on the start of a 24 hour race, for very little real gain.

[BDA]

I think maybe Ickx was maybe more opposed to the "safety movement" on individualistic grounds - i.e. more opposed to unions and their tactics - than against added safety features. Even so, some drivers were more interested in going fast and safety was a secondary issue and felt that Stewart was going too far. John Barnard, the car designer, said as much - that the first task of the car designer was to make a fast car... Thankfully, Stewart had the stature to really get the ball rolling. At the risk of repeating myself (yet again), I recommend the movie 1. It's available on Amazon prime and chronicles the history of Formula 1 with safety changes as a subtext.


I agree with you and Ickx about Le Mans starts. They are exciting, but dangerous and stupid. I did one once very early in my short racing career. It was cool because you felt like a "real race driver", but as soon as you were ready to take off, you had the scary situation of cars going all over the place and having to find a way into the melee. Luckily, everybody made it through ok, but it made an impression!


I've heard stories like how Gurney, speeding down the Mulsanne Straight at 200 mph, realized he had to buckle his belts and held the steering wheel with his knees to do it. And on the other end of the spectrum - the Chaparral team would not leave till all the belts were properly fastened.

[Lou Drozdowski]

A little white shop with green doors...like a time warp, it's living history all over again.
 Soon to be vacated, the  Classic Team Lotus new facility is nearly finished.

If you want a tour...check out the article...wwwpetrolicious.com 

[Certified Lotus]

I am glad I got to visit the original office and shop before "progress" stepped in.  I was in awe of the simple aspect of the entire Classic Team Lotus shop and the history behind it. On one of my visits was fortunate to have dinner with Bob Dance, spending the evening talking about his "life with Lotus". Several years later we met up again at a LOG event and then a few more times. Bob and Clive have always been extremely generous with their time and very open to pursuing conversations with enthusiasts, which they demonstrate time and time again.

[Lou Drozdowski]

 I was curious about the first chassis (R1) and it's history...seems it has seen a traveled ownership. First campaigned by John Miles, it was reworked by the team to correct the suspension geometry and designated (R4). Colin, never to waste the investment sold it to Rob Walker, who in the hands of Jo Siffert struggled to keep her competitive. With Walker's move to a Surtees chassis, the car was sold back to Siffert who planned to use it as a rent a ride for club meetings. With Siffert's untimely death the car was then purchased by the Fittipaldi brothers, painted Black & Gold and used for display purposes. It returned to England some eleven years later and rebuilt, by new owner John Foulston, a computer magnet and then co owner of Brands Hatch. Raced by his wife Mary in a few Historic meetings, the fate of this iconic masterpiece to the best of my research had not turned a wheel in anger since 1991.

Still...a wonderful piece of engineering art, if only to look at!       

[Lou Drozdowski]

With today's F1 schedule the jet setters visit some 20 venues...Back in the day it was common practice for the teams to race in non championship events, when there was a long brake between races. Since the majority of the circus were based in England, the locals had a chance to test close to home.

Some rare shots at the Oulton Park meeting in 1972,...mud included!

[BDA]

F1 racing is SO much more civilized now!

[lotusfanatic]

superb photographs!

Thanks Lou,

Mark

[Lou Drozdowski]

Two perspectives...Emerson at Monte Carlo

The first shows a clear and detailed almost calm quality...

The second captures the brutal power and time warp sensation...you can almost feel it!

[Lou Drozdowski]

With appreciation from the Facebook page of Emerson Fittipaldi, his tribute photo to the life of chief mechanic Eddie Dennis.

 

[Lou Drozdowski]

Thinking of the Glen and races past...I was reminded of the "Bog" and all the chaos of stolen cars and a Brazilian charter bus that were torched. No, they did not get Emmo's wheels.

[BDA]

I remember reading in horror and disgust the cars they torched in "the Bog" - including Ferraris! It's too bad the USGP is no longer run there but I'm glad I don't hear more stories about "the Bog."