- 01 Jun 08, 02:53#45922Thanks to all for the kind words. Not really all that old...
I hate to admit it but maybe I could be considered middle
aged (middle aged if I live to be 107).
LOL. Knowledge? Maybe just sounds that way since I've
been dropping in on F-1 since Moss, Clark, Gurney, etal.
Very sad now. The sport hardly resembles F-1. The paint
and sponsors are different, but aside from that, they are
so regulated that the cars are almost identical. Safety has
change the sport for the good, and for the worse.
Better for obvious reasons.
Worse:
1. You can't see the driver or watch him work his craft.
2.Drivers had to be very skillful when driving at the edge.
Pushing too hard now could mean the gravel pit and a DNF.
Back then it meant death by trauma of fire.
Some nice changes? Here's a few recommendations, Bernie:
Make F-1 more affordable (as if that were possible).
Ease off the regulations.
Bring back the privateers, and govern so they too have a fighting chance.
Back in the mid '60's a Ferrari was $100,000 so even then it was far from affordable.
For a while I thought about starting Formla 250 outlaw karting. In the U.S. for example,
twenty races could be held on city streets in each state. Only the top ten of a drivers
finishes would count for scoring. The top drivers from each state would then go to regionals,
and the best of regionals would go to the national race. The karts and tracks would be very
regulated for safety, the engines, fuel, and hydraulic shifter would be supplied, and there
would be a minimum weight. Races would be from a standing start. There would be no other
rules about pit crews, sponsors, width, tires, or any other nonsense. Just pure formula racing.
My first interest in F-1 was about Late '62 or '63. Might pay a good
price for a copy of the issue of LIFE magazine that got me interested.
Could have been around FEBRUARY OF '63. That might have been a long time ago but
I'm really (REALLY!!!) not that old. Hey, I'm younger than Piquet, or Lauda!
-Rick
