Alright when was that again.....?

[Michel Forest]

If u dont know but on YT there is a full movie called Grand Prix 1966.
This is in a very good quality and with very astonishing perspectives!
This is imo more interesting than some of actual movies!
Its very interesting to see the old tracks with race cars on it. Very interesting

"Grand Prix" is widely considered the greatest racing movie of all time. There are so many interesting facts about the making of that movie that I would need a long time to name them all. If you buy the blu-ray edition, there's a great documentary on the subject. James Garner sums it up well: "I don't know how Frankenheimer did that movie!" It was shot in 1966, so we get to see the infamous 1966 Belgian GP at Spa, when there was a sudden and massive shower that flooded the track. And of course, we get to see the real life drivers of the day: Graham Hill, Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren, Dan Gurney, Jo Bonnier, etc.

I'm pretty sure most people on this board have already seen it but if you haven't, it's an absolute must for any race fan.

 

[Fat-Alfie]

And a great chance to see the Charade circuit in all its glory, too

 

[tonydean2]

Well thanks so much Paul for making me feel sooo old lol. I have watched most of this series and it certainly brings back so many happy memories for me. As a young driver in my twenties, like so many others at that time around March/April I would load my car onto it's trailer, chuck in as many spares as I could afford, a tent then go pick up my mate who was wrenching for me and head for Dover and the channel ferry. For the next three to four months we would tear round Europe going from track to track wherever the start money was best. You see unlike here in the UK where it cost a small fortune to race with entry fees and little in the way of prize money, in mainland Europe the circuit owners and in some cases if it was a street circuit, the local mayors appreciated motorsport as a money earner for the local area. They also loved Brit and American drivers and would offer start money as well as prize money. Many of the tracks of that era were public roads that were closed off on Sunday for racing. Rheims, Rouen-Les-Essarts are prime examples along with places such as Charade and Chimay. These tracks were invariable fast and damned dangerous with little or nothing in the way of driver, or spectator safety. It didn't matter, we as drivers would tear through France or Belgium to get to a track before the entry list closed just for the start money and the crowds turned out en masse. Happy days indeed, many future champions including Hunt and Lauda cut there teeth and learned their race craft on these circuits. Sadly most are now gone apart from the odd historic festival. Exterminated by a certain wee Scotsman on a safety crusade. Different times indeed. I often wonder what would happen if todays rookies were told they had to race on them

 

[davehenrie]

Lewis did well in passing backmarkers. Botas never had the chance to pass backmarkers, he was stuck with the midfield pack. Not sure how many more Lewis would have passed had the race been longer. Botas ran consistently all race long. Just what a #2 should do.(are ya listening Seb?) Folks are saying Ferrari cheated this past year, well if this was an indication of the Merc's true pace, have THEY been cheating the past 6 or 7 years?

 

[JimLee]

Bottas was complaining on the radio that he could not race the car with the engine setting he had to use. Probably his engine setting was completely different from Hamilton’s?

My understanding of the FIA rules was that the engine mfr set the mode and all (in this case MB) ran the the same mode regardless of team???

 

[Chris Haye]

I can't believe we got to page 2 without someone mentioning Birmingham

 

[Jonathan Young]

Great move from Renault IMHO. Alpine may not be be the biggest name in sports cars, but it's one of the most interesting. I'd love an A110 personally, they're fabulously quirky and very French.

Renault's performance this year has been pretty strong, helped by a very reliable Danny Ric and an improving Ocon. Next year, with the new branding, new livery and the arrival of Alson, I think Alpine will be one to watch.

Mclaren vs Alpine is a wonderful Britain vs France match-up!

 

[Jonathan Young]

Gasly for sure. My son and I have been rooting for him all year. He's had such a plucky come-back from having been so badly (and unwisely) mistreated by Red Bull. He's grown this year, and his confidence has strengthened, when you would have thought it would go the opposite direction. Such a calm drive from one so young, under serious pressure from a very fired-up (and talented) Carlos Sainz.

Yes, F1 is boring at the front on most days. But the mid-pack racing is as good as it's ever been and is a joy to watch this year.

 

[AccAkut]

well it's not much, but this track is/was like 5 minutes by cycle from where I live. Still used for marathon running today

 

[Oldzeb]

Alpine is part of motor sport history!

 

[alexin2020]

Simon Roberts new team principal.

Williams appoint Simon Roberts as Acting Team Principal | Formula 1®

Williams’ new owners have opted to promote from within following the departure of Sir Frank Williams and his daughter Claire as they reveal Simon Roberts will step up as Acting Team Principal…

www.formula1.com

i hope he does well for the team

 

[racedrift]

Monsanto Circuit (Lisbon) - Portugal

 

[ZeldaACFan17]

There's rather a nice PDF documenting 100s of historic circuits from around Europe here

http://www.wegcircuits.nl/RennenRacesVitesse.pdf

No pictures, but lots and lots of descriptions.

I find it fascinating to read some of the descriptions and then trace the routes in Google Earth. I have probably found 9 or 10 future projects in that PDF - it's a real mine of information.

Wow! Please make some more tracks with new Google data (Your fictional vintage tracks go really well with vintage cars)

 

[Stig Bidstrup]

Walking the back stretch between the bankings in 2015 at Monza.
Monza with the bankings have always been something very special for me.
Grand Prix The Movie started this nearly 40 years ago when I watched it for the first time.

Copying some of the camera work from Grand Prix in a simrace I have waited for the last 2-3 years.
Finally earlier this year the circumstances where perfect at a online league race.
Close to 30 very capable drivers where fighting for positions in a 1 hour race .

 

[Michel Bélisle]

At least, the car will have a dominant blue livery. Blue is the traditional colour for French race cars. That part sounds about right.

 

[profposeidon]

If u dont know but on YT there is a full movie called Grand Prix 1966.
This is in a very good quality and with very astonishing perspectives!
This is imo more interesting than some of actual movies!
Its very interesting to see the old tracks with race cars on it. Very interesting

Very good. I don't remember when I first saw this movie but it remains one of my all time movies! Great racing sequences on some famous tracks from back in the day. You see them racing on the banking at Monza and you knew folks back then were absolutely insane. I also liked out they mixed real drivers in with the fictional characters. In some of the scenes you actually see drivers like Graham Hill and others. I may have to watch the whole thing again soon (I have it in VHS as well as DVD, lol!)

 

[Nick Hill]

My dad bought me an F1 team and all I got was this crummy 3rd place trophy!

 

[bondyboy]

I got lost once while in Monza, ended up here, thought it was a funny looking road

 

[BillyBobSenna]

"Grand Prix" is widely considered the greatest racing movie of all time. There are so many interesting facts about the making of that movie that I would need a long time to name them all. If you buy the blu-ray edition, there's a great documentary on the subject. James Garner sums it up well: "I don't know how Frankenheimer did that movie!" It was shot in 1966, so we get to see the infamous 1966 Belgian GP at Spa, when there was a sudden and massive shower that flooded the track. And of course, we get to see the real life drivers of the day: Graham Hill, Phil Hill, Bruce McLaren, Dan Gurney, Jo Bonnier, etc.

I'm pretty sure most people on this board have already seen it but if you haven't, it's an absolute must for any race fan.

Le Mans is also a classic racing movie with great race footage. There is a great documentary on Amazon Prime about the making of the movie (Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans).

 

[bsmooth]

All the circuits in Europe are amazing. I have to say my parents just never seemed to go anywhere at all, maybe it was just the way things were in the 50's, but I'm sure it had to do with money as well. My mom was from the UK, so she used to tell me about what she saw from the 40's and it was amazing, especially about being in the Blitz..
Well I didn't want to fall into the I'm just going to stay local so 3 years ago we went to Italy. I had to go to Monza, mostly because Grand Prix legends and the Movie Grand Prix. But more than anything else it was who walked and drove there, all the greats had stood and raced on that very same ground. If you do go wander the entire grounds and there are all sorts of hidden places that are pretty cool to find.
The place just reeks of racing history. Thanks to everyone who decided NOT to tear down that banking.
If I had the time I would visit every old track I could find !