Arnoux vs Gilles French GP 79

[Poltergeistes]

I often lose myself on youtube, i go to look at a certain thing, and from there i always end up watching f1 videos, So i stumbled across this video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl2tI...eature=related ) of this epic battle and it got me asking myself alot of questions.

We know that Schumacher is the ferrari driver with the most impressive numbers, but I can't think of anybody that spelled out FERRARI more than Gilles, it was just such an unique explosive combination.

And then you start to ask yourself, what happened to f1? When do we ever see such fierce battles like this one on that video? I wonder if Gilles came to F1 these days if he would even get a chance to race, would somebody hire a driver that gets into every turn sideways just because he is always driving too fast? I don't think they would... F1 nowdays became this sport where everything became too valuable in terms of money, that it would be insane to hire a driver that would put in jeopardy the car that many times during every race.

I miss this type of racing, the one where drivers don't have to back down from the wheel to wheel, where theres only the dogfight between those 2 drivers and nobody else gets in the middle, no race stewarts no politics no FIA.

Now it's a whole different approach to it, you either think you have the car to overtake the car ahead, and so you go and do it nicely and easy and you do it in one shot or maybe 2, or they will tell you to stay where you are, not attack, not go for it to keep the points you already have.

Like Vettel and Massa last race, why did Vettel stay behind Massa like that for so long? The ferrari is faster than it used to be, but I think that the redbull had a good chance as well, but the dogfight never even took place, what kind of racing is that?

I love watching it still, and so you get used to the way they do it now, it's the normal pattern you are used to, but then when you look back and remember how it used to be, I think that the last golden years of prime F1 was the Prost and Senna years... everything after them changed...

When compared to the 80s and 70s f1 lost what made it the best racing series, it lost it's edge, it lost it's boldness, and now the real races are raced backstage, probably inside Bernie's or Max's motorhomes, and it happened because we lost the drivers that were edgy and bold, and to replace them it's like they tried to grow them, like it was in a military school, pick them when they are very very young, sign them up, get this manager, get this agent, get this sponsor to support the career.

So I wonder if this "fabricated" versions that we get mostly these days are actually stealing away space from those that are just pure talent but doesn't have "the people" to back them up off the track.

Then again people like Gilles are unique... No other...

[REDARMYSOJA]

I often lose myself on youtube, i go to look at a certain thing, and from there i always end up watching f1 videos, So i stumbled across this video ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl2tI...eature=related ) of this epic battle and it got me asking myself alot of questions.

We know that Schumacher is the ferrari driver with the most impressive numbers, but I can't think of anybody that spelled out FERRARI more than Gilles, it was just such an unique explosive combination.

And then you start to ask yourself, what happened to f1? When do we ever see such fierce battles like this one on that video? I wonder if Gilles came to F1 these days if he would even get a chance to race, would somebody hire a driver that gets into every turn sideways just because he is always driving too fast? I don't think they would... F1 nowdays became this sport where everything became too valuable in terms of money, that it would be insane to hire a driver that would put in jeopardy the car that many times during every race.

Good post Poltergeistes , and some good questions you've asked .

As for whether or not Gilles would make it to F1 these days , who knows . He was doing well in FF and FA , but the one main impetus that put him in an F1 car is definatly missing today . That would be the Formula Atlantic race that attracted F1 drivers like James Hunt , Patrick Tambay , and Patrick Depallier .

Hunt recommended Gilles to Teddy Meyer , which gave Gilles his break into F1 . Today , we would not see current F1 drivers in a lower formula event , and would a team manager listen to his drivers recommendation on an unknown ?

And would , as you say , anyone risk a car to a driver who would put one in jeapordy , the way Enzo did with Gilles ? Perhaps it could still happen , but I say the likelyhood is becoming less and less every year .

Enzo - I like thinking Ferrari can build drivers as well as cars. Some says Gilles is crazy. But I say: let him try."

I miss this type of racing, the one where drivers don't have to back down from the wheel to wheel, where theres only the dogfight between those 2 drivers and nobody else gets in the middle, no race stewarts no politics no FIA.

Now it's a whole different approach to it, you either think you have the car to overtake the car ahead, and so you go and do it nicely and easy and you do it in one shot or maybe 2, or they will tell you to stay where you are, not attack, not go for it to keep the points you already have.

Like Vettel and Massa last race, why did Vettel stay behind Massa like that for so long? The ferrari is faster than it used to be, but I think that the redbull had a good chance as well, but the dogfight never even took place, what kind of racing is that?

I love watching it still, and so you get used to the way they do it now, it's the normal pattern you are used to, but then when you look back and remember how it used to be, I think that the last golden years of prime F1 was the Prost and Senna years... everything after them changed...

When compared to the 80s and 70s f1 lost what made it the best racing series, it lost it's edge, it lost it's boldness, and now the real races are raced backstage, probably inside Bernie's or Max's motorhomes, and it happened because we lost the drivers that were edgy and bold, and to replace them it's like they tried to grow them, like it was in a military school, pick them when they are very very young, sign them up, get this manager, get this agent, get this sponsor to support the career.

So I wonder if this "fabricated" versions that we get mostly these days are actually stealing away space from those that are just pure talent but doesn't have "the people" to back them up off the track.

Then again people like Gilles are unique... No other...

There's no doubt Gilles would not have rode station . He would have pushed for all he was worth to find a way by .

Gilles - "I race to be the first even when I can't win, I like racing all the same, for the sake of racing. This is my job and nothing stops me. Should I not think this way I could not be a driver...As long as my car goes I drive it. I like racing to the limit, first and last."

That's certainly something we don't see as much of today . And something that is sorely missed .

[Ken]

Ahhh the good old days

When everyone drifted round corners with the back hanging out.
When men were men and the races were a constant game of chicken at every corner.

I think though the modern F1 car cannot be raced in that old Gung Ho style. There are to many breakable aerodynamic parts hanging off them now, and the repercussions for losing or breaking any one of those parts are too serious.

Yea lets ban the aero packages and see what all our modern drivers are made of :twisted

[PTforGV]

My stage is shared by many millions
Who lift their hands up high because they feel this
We are one, we are strong
The more you hold us down, the more we press on
CREED - what if

[sav_pap]

Just superb driving...

[INTO TOSA]

al02.jpg

[INTO TOSA]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sDtn8QnpF topgear
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CsUp456gX4 digione 1979
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50lWwjsDNh0 dijon 1979 livutag

three great videos on the battle of dijon '79