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It doesn’t sound a bad idea when you first see it: take an outdated monocoque, use steel brakes, Avon tyres, a paddle shift gearchange and a 3.5litre Cosworth XB IndyCar engine with the turbo removed (AKA Nicholson McLaren V8). In fact, the idea that top hillclimb constructors Gould Engineering had is so good that Delta Motorsport have replicated it for the Grand Prix Masters cars. Two differences are that for GPM the Avons are hard control tyres and the aerodynamics look none too sophisticated when compared with the Goulds. With 600-odd bhp these are cars that move on the road. In truth, whilst the recipe of power and not much grip sounds as though it’s there for excitement, the truth is probably that (a) with ages running up to nearly 62 it wouldn’t be a good idea to subject the drivers to three-quarters of an hour of even Formula 3 type downforce and physicality and (b) low technology means reliability and finishing and (c) safety is obviously and wisely paramount. The use of a rolling start was another sign that the organisers wanted a good finishing percentage. The original entry list sounded a little like an ‘80’s and ‘90’s Ferrari reunion. Stephan Johansson (1985-1986), Alain Prost (1990-1991), Nigel Mansell (1989-1990), Patrick Tambay (1982-83), and Rene Arnoux (1983-85). Unfortunately Prost pulled out early (shades of 1991 perhaps?) due, it was reported, to another engagement. Some were surprised that a man capable of managing an F1 team [was he? Ed] can’t also manage a diary. Alan Jones gave the very honest reason that he didn’t consider himself fit enough when he withdrew. The organisers had allocated the charismatic 27 to Jones but with a commendable sensitivity changed his short notice replacement Salazar’s number to 8 during practice. It goes without saying that “Our Nige” got red 5. The links with Maranello didn’t stop with those five F1 drivers. Fittipaldi and Patrese were both amongst the “nearly men” who were invited to drive for the Scuderia, Fittipaldi in 1976 after Lauda’s accident (when he refused) and Patrese in1978, when “agreement was not reached”. We then have the sportscar links of Salazar (World Sports Car 333SP in 1992 and ALMS GT 360 in 2003), and Lammers (Prodrive 550GTS in 2003). Murray Walker’s sidekick for the BBC coverage was the always urbane Derek Bell (1968). And if we’re really desperate for tenuous connections, Danner drove for the Euromotorsport Indycar team, managed by Antonio Ferrari…. A quick plug here for the website, gpmasters.com. The drivers have provided their own CVs and they are not in a standard format. Hence four pages of Derek Warwick explaining why “for various reasons” things didn’t always go right for him, Nigel Mansell quoting his MIRCE Akademy (sic) membership, and Eddie Cheever selling his services as a motivational speaker for business conferences, weddings and Bar Mitzvahs....I might have made up the bit about weddings etc.. Practice put the speed of the cars and drivers into perspective. Since the unusual anti-clockwise Kyalami last hosted a Grand Prix in 1993, a chicane has been installed on the sweep to Gestetner corner. Then, Prost planted his Williams on pole on a 1.15, with a 1.19 best in the race. Adding a pure guess of 5 seconds for the chicane gives 1.20 /1.24, which compares with Mansell’s 1.33.4 pole and 1.36.4 fastest lap. Again as a benchmark of performance, in July the GP2 cars at Silverstone were about 11 seconds behind the current F1 cars. The cars (or at least Mansell) are by no means slow, but do look a tad ponderous when compared to F1 or Goulds. The race itself had mixed reviews. One distinguished commentator described it as “like a slow-down lap after a Brands winter clubbie”, whereas an F3 team manager thought the racing “quite good” and a ferrari classic Master thought it was great. I suspect part of the problem was an inexperienced camera team – poor presentation can make any car look slow. However, 30 laps in 50 minutes 55 seconds is an average lap time for the winner of 1.41.8 – this with a rolling start and a best of 1.36. Some of the laps were clearly steady, and in fact Murray Walker disclosed a driver’s agreement not to race for the first lap. Some observers thought this extended to at least the first 10. It turned out to be the Nigel Mansell Show, with special guest Emerson Fittipaldi. Although the pair bunched up the field for the first 10 laps or so, they put on a good show, with Emo constantly putting the pressure on Il Leone, rarely more than a second behind him. Mansell said after the race “I simply could not have driven any harder out there today. Emerson just didn’t give up…. In those extreme conditions controlling the car was one hell of a challenge.” Who would ever expect comments like that from Our Nige? Fittipaldi called it “an amazing race”. They finished 21 seconds ahead of Patrese who was sensible, reliable, didn’t make any mistakes and was quite quick. Behind him came the the bulk of the race’s position swapping. DeCesaris, sponsored for the race by Unipart (quite apt, as he reduced more racing cars to spare parts than anybody I can remember), was easily the most aggressive racer, having dices with Warwick and Lammers and emerging fourth. Hans-Joachim Stuck had the tail out to hussle past Danner on lap 15, only to be retaken, and again on lap 21 when battling once more with Danner. Passing over the lower midfield, we come to the tail, where sadly three of the Scuderia's ex.s languished. Johannsen, who rarely fulfilled his lower formula promise in F1, was thrown harmlessly off the track on lap 3 by a car failure, prompting the safety car. Brakes were reported as the problem. He was the only non-finisher. A cynic may have wondered whether there was a substantial finishing bonus as Laffite struggled round, sometimes seeming oblivious to other cars, with an obviously sick machine. On lap 25 he came together with Arnoux. The 1983 pairing of Tambay and Arnoux were the last of the real finishers, 30 seconds behind the rest of the field. Ex-Ferrari men really should be a bit closer than that to Chile’s finest, Eliseo Salazar. It seems that to some the whole affair was something of an anti-climax,
but not to me - some things were very well done. The absence of refuelling
gave continuity to the race and resulted in a more relaxed, slightly clubbie
pitlane atmosphere with drivers’ families present. 30 laps/50 minutes
was a well chosen distance – not too long to get hopelessly bored
if the racing is mediocre or to wear out the ageing drivers, but long
enough to be more than just a quick sprint. The racing, even if it was
a bit slower than hoped, was genuine and, towards the end, watchable.
The drivers have some personality and are generally regarded by the 62,000
who attended and the global TV audience with both respect and affection.
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