A Moment of Awesomeness.

If Pedro Rodriguez and Jo Siffert were given team orders at the start of the 1970 1000 Km of Spa, they certainly paid no attention.

The race was won by Siffert and Brian Redman with an average speed over 71 laps of 149.415 mph but Rodriguez turned a race lap at 160.513 mph. On the same track, that was 14 seconds faster than the fastest Formula 1 lap that year and 3 seconds faster than his own pole position! Awesome.

A longer clip after the jump.

F1 in 8mm

I found a great time capsule for those of you who enjoy the history of racing.

There isn't much information about these mid 60's 8mm films other than they are credited as being shot by Heini Mader. It's possible they might be an extra on the" Jo Siffert, live fast, die young" DVD.

Heini Mader was a famous Swiss engine tuner who's career spanned 40 years. From the 1960's when he worked on Jo Siffert and Jo Bonnier's cars to the 80's when he worked on BMW and later Megatron turbos, through the 90's with F3000 and sports car engines to 2003 when he sold his company to Mechachrome.

There are three clips and I'm guessing it's 1964 (Actually I know it's 1964 from the podium at the German GP...). You see everybody. Siffert of course, Bonnier. Dan Gurney chugging, what else, a Coke. John Surtees, Hill, Bandini, Ireland. Just the pictures of the Formula 1 Paddock are priceless. I think you'll enjoy the time travel!

Two more clips after the jump...

The Little Nürbugring

In its former 5 mile configuration the Charade circuit near Clermont-Ferrand in central France was considered more difficult than the legendary Eifel track. So twisty that drivers complained of motion sickness and, at a time when they had a choice, preferred open face helmets... just in case. Races were held on the "long" track for 30 years, from 1958 to 1988. The track is still in operation but it has been reduced to 2.4 miles. 

Let's go back first to 1970, a year when Lotus made everyone else obsolete with its 72, the fist car to move its radiators to sidepods and sport a ram air overhead intake scoop. The race was won by Jochen Rindt who later became the only posthumous world champion after his accident during practice in Monza (I was there with my father that day, and I'll never forget the site of the his broken car  being flat-bedded back to the pits).

It's a great clip with great drivers, some now almost forgotten like Pedro Rodriguez and Jo Siffert who were both to die the following year.

After the jump you'll find a clip of the Nürburgring and the 1969 German GP. Check out the grid preparations, I wonder if any of the mechanics for Team Mclaren still work there today? 

Finally we go back to Clermont-Ferrand, the 1965 French GP. This is a really cool clip (though with an inexplicable choice of music), Fascinating to anyone interested in GP history. Very cool the apperance of the Honda RA272 with its transversely mounted 1.5 liter, 48 valve V12 which produced what at the time was an amazing 230hp at 13000rpm. 

Take your time and enjoy these clips!   (other videos are HERE)