Always loved the red steering wheel in pictures of Jim Clark's Lotus 49 and it still looks great in this clip from Road&Track.
You are riding, literally, on Alex Rossi's head as he drives the 1967 Chapman F1 creation around the Circuit of the Americas.
Notice how, over the three laps shown in the clip, Rossi adapts to the car which has little grip and is twitch under braking.
You can read more about this on the latest issue of the newly redesigned Road & Track magazine which might be on your news stand (I say might because all the ones around here seem to be sold out) or via iPad.
The article is also online HERE
You can also read the full Rossi story online: http://www.roadandtrack.com/features/magazine/fast-present-future-64-8-roa0513
ReplyDeleteHistoric F1 cars are like beautiful women, they should be judged through time by keeping in mind the time in which they were in their prime. The cars of yesterday may seem rather "soft" by today's standards, but back then you had to be a driver with real fuzz on your peaches to get yourself and your machine home in one piece. I like to think the documentary Champions Forever is a homage to the old school cats.
ReplyDeleteI'd hardly consider a gas tank with a 400hp engine and 4 wheels as "Soft"! I think these things are more hardcore then anything driving in modern racing.
ReplyDeleteI think he means suspension.
DeleteFirst thanks for this posting this video. It bring back memories when I was a GPL FAN.
ReplyDeleteTo me the 67 was the best season of f1 with the best cars.
In my mind I still hope for a F1 without aero and all mechanical grip, pure raw power and hands to take it to the victory as it was on 67.
Don't think for a moment that those cars were easier to drive.
The weight distribution on the braking and the diffs were the cause of the loose rear on braking.
Still the driver needs to learn the power steering to drive this cars as Jim Clark, Amos ,Hill, Surtees, Bandini etc use to .
It may be in Rossi's driving style. He does not seem to match the revs in either the 49 or the ZR1 and in both onboard videos, you can hear the rears locking up on some of his downshifts.
ReplyDeletereally hard to say what's going on in that ZR1 video. I wonder how they mic'd it.
Delete