15 years ago: Senna wins on my F1 debut 28 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.Tags: Alesi, Benetton, Berger, Blundell, Brabham, Bravo, Damon Hill, F1, Ferrari, FIA, Fittipaldi, Ford, Formula 1, Formula Ford 2000, Grand Prix, grid, Guarulhos, Harry Hawelka, Herbert, Ilmor engines, Indianapolis, Interlagos, Katayama, Kyalami, Lehto, Ligier, March F1, Martin Whitaker, McLaren, Michael Andretti, Michael Schumacher, Minardi, Pacific, Piquet, Prost, Renault, Riccardo Patrese, Safety Car, Sauber, São Paulo, Schuey, Senna, Suzuki, Team Lotus, Transamérica, V10, V8, Wendlinger, Williams, Willy Weber, Zanardi
add a comment
That’s right: 28th of March 1993 was the day I had my Formula 1 Grand Prix debut in Interlagos… as a nofficially FIA sanctioned journalist. And what a great memory that race would provide for many years to come. It still gives me goose bumps to remember the roar of the crowd as Ayrton Senna won at his home track – for the last time.
Memories – Elio de Angelis would turn 50 today 26 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.Tags: Alan Jones, Brabham BT55, Chapman, Chevron B42, de Angelis, Ecclestone, Essex, Ferrari Dino, Formula 1, Formula 3, Imola, Lotus, Lotus 93 T, Mansell, Minardi, Misano, Monaco, Monza, Patrese, Paul Ricard, Pironi, Renault, Rosberg, San Marino, Scuderia Everest, Senna, Shadow, turbo, Watkins Glen, Williams
1 comment so far
Elio de Angelis was a polite young Roman, a fine sportsman, good tennis player and downhill skier, accomplished classic piano virtuoso, apart from being a quick and very smooth race driver. He suffered with team mates like Mansell, Senna and Patrese, much more agressive on track and quite political this side of the pit wall. If he still were with us, he’d commemorate his 50th birthday today. He was born 26/03/1958 in Rome, Italy, and died in an accident while testing the radical and problematic Brabham BT55 at the Paul Ricard track.
Monday, 24 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.Tags: F2008, Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Sepang
7 comments
Sepang 2007
Sepang 2008
Some things never change…
24 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.add a comment
24 March 1978 – Oulton Park stages the first ever round of the British based Aurora series. It replaced the Shellsport series that ran F1, F2, F5000 and Formula Atlantic cars in the same races and was open exclusively to Formula 1 machinery. Tony Trimmer won the 65 lap race in a McLaren-Cosworth M23 and went on to win the 12 round championship.
HAPPY EASTER 23 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.Tags: 250cc, 350cc, 500cc, Bell, BRM, Clay Regazzoni, Endurance, F1, F2, F5000, Formula 1, Formula 5000, Formula Junior, George Medal, Gulf-Mirage, Hailwood, Kyalami, Lotus, McLaren, Nürburgring, Siffert, Surtees, Tasman Series, Tourist Trophy
1 comment so far
23/3/1981, Michael Stanley Bailey Hailwood dies.
Diferently from John Surtees, Mike Hailwood raced in parallel on wo as well as on four wheels. As motorcycle racer “Mike the Bike” won a total of 10 World Championships in motorcycle racing, including five consecutive 500cc titles as well as three 250cc titles and a further two in 350cc. He first tried his hand in F1 in 1963 driving a Reg Parnell-run Lotus and reappeared on occasion in 1964 and 1965 before concentrating on bikes and only occasionally taking part on Endurance races, winning a couple of those events. It was only from 1969 on he had another go on his four-wheel-career and after three years in Formula 5000, John Surtees gave him another chance in F1 with a third car towards the end of 1971. And Mike showed great promise with a 2nd place at the Italian GP. In 1972 he raced in F1 and F2 for Surtees, winning the European F2 Championship and having several promising performances in F1 including battling for the lead in South Africa with Jackie Stewart until he retired with a rear suspension failure. The following year he won the George Medal and the Prix Rouge et Blanc Jo Siffert for bravery for rescuing Clay Regazzoni from the burning wreckage of his car at the South African Grand Prix but the rest of the year proved to be frustrating although he shared victory with Derek Bell in the Spa 1000 in a Mirage-Ford sports car. For the 1974 season he moved to McLaren, driving a third car in Yardley colours until a big accident at the Nürburging left him with both ankles broken and his right knee badly damaged. The accident ended his motor racing career but in 1978 he made a sensational return to bike racing to win the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man for the 13th time. Sadly he was killed in a road accident with his daughter Michelle, only son David survived.
Born: 2nd of April 1940 in Great Milton, Oxfordshire, UK.
Died: 23rd of March 1981 near Birmingham, UK, aged 40.
Saturday, 22 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.add a comment
22th of March – Today is the anniversary of Peter Revson’s death, seen here in the 1972 CanAm McLaren M20.
Ayrton Senna, 48 21 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.add a comment
Today would be Ayrton Senna da Silva’s 48th birthday. Due to persistant internet connection troubles unfortunately I’m unable to provide a decent post in the late Brazilian’s honour.
Just in case you missed it, there’s a post from 2007, a bit a reminiscing about my own on encounters with Ayrton.
HAPPY EASTER, EVERYONE
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.Tags: Albi., Cooper, Formula 3, Formula Junior, Grand Prix, John Love, Trevor Blokdyk
add a comment
19/3/1995, John Trevor Blokdyk dies.
A former South African speedway champion, Trevor Blokdyk raced in European Formula Junior in 1962. When the money ran out, he then returned home to contest the South African championships – and his only Grand Prix – in the ex-Love Cooper. A couple of attempts in European F3 followed, but a massive crash at Albi hospitalised him for three months with pelvic and leg injuries. Nevertheless he presed on with his European career, but never made it past F3. And so he returned to compete a while in South Africa, later retiring into farming. He died suddenly of a heart attack, aged just 59.
Born: 30th November 1935 in Krugersdorp (Gauteng), South Africa.
Died: 19th of March 1995 in Hekpoort (Gauteng), South Africa, aged 59.
Today’s birthdays:
Nicola Larini, 44 years
Vern Schuppan, 65 years
US$80 million for Toro Rosso 18 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.add a comment
Up until this week, 63-year-old Dietrich Mateschitz had always denied any rumours about a potential sale of his second team. But right after the Australian Grand Prix, for the frist time ever, he admitted his intentions to sell when talking to the new website Motorsport-Aktuell.com .
Exclusive: Toro Rosso to be sold! 18 March 2008
Posted by grandprixinsider in Formula 1.1 comment so far
I can now reveal that new motorsport website Motorsport Aktuell will report exclusively in their 18th of March edition that Italian based Formula 1 team Toro Rosso is up for sale, despite repeated denials by owners Dietrich Mateschitz and Gerhard Berger in recent times. Further details as the story is revealed by Motorsport Aktuell.
