Classic Motorsport Photos

[Liquid]

1990 French Grand Prix

Driver: Jean Alesi FRA
Car: Tyrrell 019 (3.5L Ford V8)
Finished: DNF (Differential)

Drivers: Thierry Boutsen BEL & Ivan Capelli ITA
Cars: Williams FW13B (3.5L Renault V10) & Leyton House CG901 (3.5L Judd V8)
Finished: DNF (Engine) & 2nd

Drivers: Nigel Mansell ENG #2 & Alain Prost FRA #1
Car: Ferrari 641 (3.5L Ferrari V12)
Finished: 18th (Engine) & 1st

 

[Dolph Drago]

F1 cars were so beautiful in the early 90's.

 

[Legro]

F1 safety cars of the past.

1981 Monaco GP - Lamborghini Countach was used for the Monaco round in the early 80s.

1996 Argentinian GP - Safety car became an official part of F1 in 1992. Renault Clio Williams.

1997 Belgian GP - Mercedes-Benz becomes the official supplier of safety cars for the 1997 season.

 

[G_Parrilla]

1996 Argentinian GP - Safety car became an official part of F1 in 1992. Renault Clio Williams.

View attachment 606915

One of the four Clio Williams of that GP is still used as safety car in club races at the Buenos Aires Autodromo today. The other three were sold as used cars and should be rambling on argentine roads right now as far as I can tell.

 

[dingodile_r89]

Beautiful, innit?

 

[Liquid]

Did You Know?

The first Paris-Dakar rally was held in 1979 and won by Alan Genister in a Range Rover? The event also saw the participation of a Rolls-Royce.

 

[DK]

That "Dianetique"-branded car in the first pic posted by @dingodile_r89 must be one of the few cases of a team paying a sponsor for their branding.

 

[dingodile_r89]

If only they knew what was about to unfold...

Le Mans. 1955. I believe nothing more needs to be said.

Bonus image. Mike Hawthorn after winning said race.

 

[PASM]

Second and third photo not showing for me @dingodile_r89

 

[dingodile_r89]

Second and third photo not showing for me @dingodile_r89

Fixed one, other one is right buggered I'm afraid.

E: Added a different one.

 

[TheCracker]

Bonus image. Mike Hawthorn after winning said race.

The last time Le Mans was won by someone wearing a cravat?

 

[dingodile_r89]

The last time Le Mans was won by someone wearing a cravat?

Considering the circumstances in which the race was won, I'd say fashion was the last thing on his mind.

 

[Liquid]

Mike Hawthorn's obviously explainable scruffiness makes him unfortunately look like Boris Johnson.

 

[Liquid]

This is probably one of my favourite motorsport photos ever. The Nissan Primera is the only works car not in this but that aside, it just looks great having a succession of different cars from 1st to 7th.

BTCC, Oulton Park (1997)

 

[jontikis]

Formula 1, 1984

Nigel Mansell vs. Michele Alboreto

1958 Belgian GP

Luigi Musso (Ferrari Dino 246) crosses the bridge at the bottom of the hill.

Formula 1, 1981

John Watson brings the McLaren MP4/1 out of the Silverstone pit garage for its first test. This car was the very first carbon monocoque F1 car.

Mille Miglia, 1955

Stirling Moss won the race with the aid of his navigator Denis Jenkinson, driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR.

Targa Florio, 1928

Eliška Junková, also known as Elizabeth Junek. With her sights firmly set on winning the 1928 Targa Florio, she acquired a new Bugatti Type 35B to enable her to be on an equal footing with the top male competitors. At the end of the first lap Junek was fourth behind the famous Louis Chiron in his factory sponsored Bugatti, but on the second lap she took the lead. On the final lap she ran into trouble and ended up finishing fifth but still beat 25 other top drivers including the likes of Luigi Fagioli, Rene Dreyfus, Ernesto Maserati and Tazio Nuvolari. She is regarded as one of the greatest female drivers in Grand Prix motor racing history.

 

[G_Parrilla]

With the Macau GP this weekend, here are some shots form 1982.

 

[dingodile_r89]

I see your Elizabeth Junek and raise you a Michele Mouton.

Some Pat Moss

And arguably, the icon of Group B rally, Henri Toivonen

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

 

[RazorSharkz]

That Daytona Coupe picture👍👍

 

[Dotini]

Is this Richie Ginther on the right? What were the circumstances under which this photo was taken? There does not appear to be racing number on the car, so possibly this is the aftermath of a testing accident on a public road?

Or maybe this is the 250 TR 60 he retired from the 1960 Targa Florio? He was #202, but I see no number.

 

[G_Parrilla]

Is this Richie Ginther on the right? What were the circumstances under which this photo was taken? There does not appear to be racing number on the car, so possibly this is the aftermath of a testing accident on a public road?

Or maybe this is the 250 TR 60 he retired from the 1960 Targa Florio? He was #202, but I see no number.

It's from the 1960 Targa practice. After this accident he started the race with another TR, numbered 202, which he also crashed. 👍

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

Is this Richie Ginther on the right? What were the circumstances under which this photo was taken? There does not appear to be racing number on the car, so possibly this is the aftermath of a testing accident on a public road?

Or maybe this is the 250 TR 60 he retired from the 1960 Targa Florio? He was #202, but I see no number.

It was during the weekend of the 1960 Targa Florio. The caption says it's a Ferrari factory car, probably one used for practice. But it's not really known what the car was for.

EDIT: What the guy said above me.

 

[Dotini]

Ginther was said to be highly valued at Ferrari in part due to his abilities as a test driver. A gigantic technology development - the downforce generating tail spoiler - is attributed in part to Richie Ginther.

Above and below, Ferrari 246 SP prototype presented in courtyard.

Targa Florio, 1960. Notice full width spoiler across the tail. 4th place and class winner in '60, overall winner in '61 and '62.

With regard to Ferrari spoilers and aerodynamics, Phil Hill said this:

"Much of this began with a testing session at Monza, when Richie Ginther tried a 246 SP with its rear tail section removed and found he could go a lot faster through corners such as Lesmo and the Ascari curve, though the car was slower down the straights. That led to the first spoiler across the back of a Ferrari. I don't know if this episode was the initial use of such a spoiler, but it may have been"
http://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/news/a18029/ferrari-gto-history/

^Phil Hill winning the Nurburgring 1000 km, 1962


Early versions of the 246 SP wore a high windshield then required by the regulations. Later models had a much lower profile windshield and tail. With a torquey V-6 derived directly from the contemporary F1 car, it must have been great fun to drive - and music to the ear!

Ferrari 246 SP, raced '60-'62, first Ferrari sports car with rear engine
DOHV V-6, 2417cc, 275+ hp, 590kg, 270 km/h

Giving away close to 600cc to other cars in the under 3.0 liter Sports class, the 246 SP was at its best on twisty tracks, taking overall wins at the Targa Florio ('61, '62) and Nurburgring 1000 km ('62), with a class win at Sebring ('61).

 

[Obelisk]

If I'm correct, Jim Hall's work with the Chaparral 2 series was the key factor for wings becoming a regular thing in motorsports. Interesting to see that someone else had the same idea.

 

[Dotini]

In 1928, Opel used wings on its rocket car.

• 
  
• 
• In 1956, Michael May used a wing on his Porsche 550.
• 
  
  Michael May, German-born in 1934, talented automotive engineer and his innovative Porsche 550 Spyder, 1956. This and other images from Type550.com.
  
  
  
  May’s winged Porsche 550 Spyder, 1956

Below, from Pebble Beach concours d'elegance

 

[Panoz]

Back in the day when there was no such thing as pit garages.

 

[Dotini]

Ferrari V-12 Testa Rossa, 1957-62, the ultimate front-engine Ferrari racing car.

From 1958 to 1961, the largest displacement allowed for international sports car racing was 3.0 liters. The legendary Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa dominated almost this entire period (excepting Aston Martin in 1959).

Below is seen, in the background, the 1957 250 TR, one of which traded recently for $39,800,000, surely some kind of record price. In the foreground is the 250 TR61




Below, the one of a kind Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Spyder, purpose built to win the 1962 le Mans 24 hr race. It had a 4.0 liter Lampredi V-12 of 390 hp, 50 more than its predecessors. It was longer and stronger to handle the bigger engine, with independent rear suspension and superior "no-lift" aerodynamics for the fast bends at La Sarthe.

This is last, final and ultimate front-engined Ferrari. It entered only 10 times in 8 races, with 2 wins, 6 podiums, 3 poles and 2 fastest laps. Phil Hill said it was easy, almost pleasant to drive

 

[G_Parrilla]

With the news of Castro this seems fitting, maybe, I dont know. 1957 Cuban GP.

Fangio won the race in a Maserati 300S. The next year he couldn't defend the trophy as he was kidnapped by Castro's guerrilla before the start. They also wanted to kidnap Moss, but Fangio convinced them that the british was in his honeymoon.

 

[marco89IT]

A little bit of a tribute for a (deserved, in my opinion) F1 World Champion who announced his retirement from the sport today.


"Remember Nico, Mirabeau is the best spot to park your car in Monaco, especially if you're in the middle of an F1 qualifying. It's just a bit more uphill from here, I'll show you."

"C'mon Nico, don't be mad at me. I'll let you win a race or two when we'll be in Formula 1. Yeah, sure!"

"They keep on telling me I'm not enough of a "bad boy", and I put AMG sponsors on a Formula BMW. I'm such a rebel, they must be shocked now"

"Just out of curiosity, Keke: how low have they set the air conditioning at McLaren if your boy wears an heavy sweatshirt? We're in the middle of May, it's sunny, we're in Barcelona!"

"Why is everybody focused on Hakkinen...I like Coulthard, I want to be like him"

 

[Liquid]

View attachment 611604

Sometimes I forget how much Keke Rosberg looks like Mr. Kraft from Sabrina The Teenage Witch.