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The apprentice and the teacher

François Cevert debuted in Formula One midway through 1970 (picture below), subbed into the Tyrrell team alongside Jackie Stewart in a Ken Tyrrell-entered March 701. “He came in as a Formula 1 rookie,” says Stewart, “and from that point on, I took him on…” Cevert was taken wholly under Stewart’s wing – at first at the […]

Clay and the tifosi

The 1970 Italian Grand Prix was held at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza on September 6, 1970. Sadly, the race was marred by the death of championship leader Jochen Rindt, who died driving his Lotus 72, during the practice session on Saturday. The 68-lap race was won by Swiss Ferrari driver Clay Regazzoni, who narrowly […]

“We would never obey…!”

The 1972 Ferrari 312 PB was a pearl of a machine, and it came powered by Ferrari’s new flat-12 Formula One engine which offered power and torque in abundance. Even in detuned long distance specifications, it gave 440 bhp at 10,600rpm, which was way more than what the V8’s Alfa Romeo or Cosworth could deliver. Ferrari […]

Turning point

Niki Lauda took out another loan to buy his way into the BRM F1 team in 1973. The BRM P160E had an efficient chassis and reacted well to the changes in set-up required by the Austrian, but it was not reliable and the engine lacked power. Nevertheless, Niki was instantly quick and the perception one had […]

Prost passes by Pau

The 1978 Pau Grand Prix was a Formula 2 race held on 15 May 1978 at the Pau circuit. The race was won by Bruno Giacomelli in a works March 782-BMW. Eje Elgh finished second in a Chevron-Hart and Marc Surer third, in the second works March-BMW. The entry field was impressive at Pau that […]

Mansell betters Moss

The 1991 French Grand Prix was held on 7 July 1991. This race had been moved from the Circuit Paul-Ricard near Marseille to the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours in the centre of France, to mixed reviews. Prost was leading the race in his Ferrari, but Mansell (Williams-Renault) pressured him and on lap 21 made his […]

Spare wheel

End of 1967, Chris Amon had convinced Ferrari to prolonge the career of the sublime 330 P4 in the popular Can-Am series, where a spyder version was entered by the NART (picture above) for the Kiwi at Laguna Seca, where he finished a good fifth. Jonathan Williams also raced it at Riverside and Las Vegas, […]

Flavio, Michael and me…

Riccardo Patrese recalls his time at Benetton in 1993 and his relationship with both Flavio Briatore and Michael Schumacher. Patrese: “After Monza in 1992, I believed there was no longer a place for me at Williams, Mansell had not yet decided to go to the IndyCar, so I signed for Benetton.” “Flavio Briatore said he had […]