Category: Grand Prix

A few weeks ago I posted a series of photos from pits of the 1964 USGP and mused about the prospect of wandering the pits snapping photos. I got an email the next day from Dick Lees who had a collection of just the types of photos I’m always rambling on about: close to the action, or just ambling through the pits. No barriers, no velvet ropes around the cars, no security ushering the photographer away from a garage.

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Dick was stationed in England in the late ’60s and early ’70s and had an opportunity to attend many races in this glorious era. These are the first batch (he’s promised to dig into his archives—and I plan to hold him to it :)).

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This first batch is from the 1970 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch. Thanks to Dick for sending these in! Very much looking forward to seeing the upcoming sets!

François Cevert was so hard to read. Half the time I look at this shot, I think he’s giving an intimidating glare. The other half of the time it looks like we’re sharing an inside joke. It has to be one of them though, right? There’s either a set jaw or a smirk behind that balaclava.

Edit: Thanks to Kev for identifying the photographer of this marvelous shot as Rainer Schlegelmilch.

Man.

Looking at these photos of the young Rodríguez brothers reminds me that I should stop bitching about how sterile and safe racing has become. Ricardo died at 20, Pedro at 31.

Just ridiculously young.

It’s strange to me that when I look at these photos, I don’t feel the same way I did about a similar juxtaposition of photos from de Portago’s career. Looking at the de Portago photos, I felt a certain, well not joy exactly, but they felt right. Young de Portago playing racing driver in a kiddie car somehow proved that he died doing what he loved.

These photos, however, give me a different feeling, even though the comparison is almost exactly the same. The photo of the young Rodríguez brothers in racing helmets might give me the same feeling, but I can’t help but think of what Pedro must have felt like getting back into a car after Ricardo’s death. How difficult it must have been to climb back into the racing car, but not being able not to. The idea of racing as a passion appeals to me, but in this light it’s more racing as obsession—as addiction—and while I can understand that, it makes these photos feel more heartbreaking.

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The Nostalgia Forum never fails to amaze me with the endless fountain of motorsport minutae. Forum member cstlhn uploaded these photos from his trip to The Glen for the ’64 USGP. This notion of wandering through the pits, capturing these moments of drivers and techs going over the car; getting close enough to the rear end of that Honda to reach out and grab the car; and going over last minute strategies is just so marvelously compelling—and sorely missed.

Set aside a few dozen hours and click over to the Personal Photos from the Track thread for 105 pages of amazing.