Frank Williams on Ayrton Senna

Worked for me. Kind of sounds like an 80's TV theme song...

 

I have it. If I ever get my scanner working with (one) of my computers I'll be more than happy to scan some pages. I had it out the other week and looking at the cars with the fiberglass bodywork really shows how exposed the drivers were. I'm sure some drivers look back on it and say "what were we thinking?"

 

Great days... great thread!

I didn´t know that you speak portuguese, Andrew...

Cheers

 

Carlos , Im brazilian

Tudo bem ?

 

Carioca ou Paulista?

 

My wife is from Natal, Brasil...tchau.

 

Ena!!! You too Tony? Amazing!...

 

Carlos, 66 Lancia Fulvia? Wow that is one of my favorite cars, very beautiful.

 

Eu so paulista mas moro em paris desde que tenho um ano ! ..

 

Got plenty of F1 shots, but when I went through my archive I realized, that only in one other race did I witness Ayrton myself. The years in between were "lost" studying at college, no time and no money, que lastima!

So here is one shot from the 93 Canadian GP. Also threw in some pics from Morumbi where I paid my respect years later.
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Here it is. Check this link: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=135437223#post135437223

Hope you like it! Tchau!...

 

Muitissimo obrigado, seu carro eh muito lindo.

 

I will be glad to give you a ride, the day you come to Oporto!

 

I am in my sick bed(flu) reading this , so I thought I know so here goes,,,,
What a discussion, Who was best, when was he best, why was he best. Even The FIA would change the rules to favour drivers "Styles", ie best eleven out of 16 would always help Senna, all races would always help Prost, and Lauda did not care, just would compute the rules to his best advantage, pressing Mansell knowing his brakes were at their limit before the race started!
I had the fun for working for Team Lotus in those days, I knew these drivers, shared hotels with them, had dinner with them, had holidays with them.
Yep, even Senna off the track had a great wit. It was the Phoenix GP,(The Great Senna Alesi Battle)and It was also Hakkinen's first drive. Remember he was an F3 driver, and had never even sat in the Lotus until the Friday before the race at Firebird Raceway, where it caught fire after 3 laps!
So his taem-mate Julian Baily, an experienced driver, does not qualify his lotus, H- jumps in and places 7th...now that got everyones attention,
So now what, a lot of drivers show up to the Lotus Motorhome to see the new Kid and in walks Senna. The look on Hakkinen face was unchanged (just how he was) . Senna smiles and introduces himself, and asks, "ever done a pitstop?...Hakkenin says ...ah...no, Senna smiles, and says again...they take practice...good luck. Then Leaves!
Well, the whole crew is exploding with laughter.....H- is their new Star, and it was only Senna of all people who would point out the brutally obvious,,,,no pitstops in F3!
We had a no engine start before 8am at the track, so at 6am we were pushing the Lotus into the pits making engine noise"rummmm rummmm rummmm" and pushing him out for two hours, to practice, and who was up to watch on the pit wall, Senna.
I spoke to Senna about it time later, and he said that he liked to know who his competition was, and as we all know, H- was one of the few to outqualify Senna in a team car. Funny how all the greats, instinctivly know who the new challenge will be.
It was agreat era in Motorsport, and for my two pence, Clark had them all beat, but if you have to debate Prost /Senna, good luck!
PS Frank Williams is one of the funniest guys in F1. He simply believes in the driver as part of the team. Trust me, no one ever walks away from Frank with out a smile, and even the various Current World Champions he "released" still stay in touch! If you read the great book "Piers Courage", you will understand what makes Frank tick....
have fun out there, F1 aint what it used to be!
Jay

 

Jay767..........Great post, Thank you

 

Jay, fantastic post, thanks. Did you meet him at the Marriott in Phoenix.? I think that was the hotel that McLaren were staying at, I met him in the Lobby and he was a terrific guy. By the way, although I was a bit too young too have seen Clark race in person, from what I have seen and read, I believe Clark was arguably the best.

 

Im still with the flu, and slow today...
My recollection as to which hotel is not good, but I remember that this was Taem Lotus resurection race. Chapman was gone, and A fight had occured within various entities for control of the "works" name and assests.
Both Peter Wright and Peter Warr finally won and with full approval from Helen Chapman the "New Team Lotus" was formed. But they were dreadfully underfunded, and needed paying drivers. Julian Baily and XXX.
Ron Dennis had a contract on Hakkenin, and was sold on the idea of a little Hard Seat time...for a price...yep, McLaren was subsidising Lotus! H- spoke basic English, was told about his new "job" on the wed. before the Phoenix GP and got his rear end on a jet.
Unfortunatly Lotus had a motorhome and no hotel rooms! So guess who ended up helping out.....Dennis/Senna! They spilt a suit for H- and if that was the Marriot...you'd be right. cause I was driving both H- and S- to and from the hotel on the thurs/fri/sat. They got to know each other guite well.....I was stuck in another motorhome bunking down with a friend and his family, some English git called Mansell...but thats a whole 'nother story.....
Ps Frank Williams also tells the best damn dirty jokes you have ever heard!
Happy Holidays, Jay
PSS Saw Clark in action all over europe, and have a number of signed autographs from him and others, and even our photo together...me Mum took it..I was 15!...I am slighty older now,,,you can do the Math!