They drove that car?

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Nelson Piquet drove the Brabham BT46B "fan-car" in the Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Trophy at Donington Park in 1979.

image does not work

Fingers crossed.

[Everso Biggyballies]

works for me.

The actual Gunnar Nilsson Trophy itself was a bit of a non event in the end with no actual race per se. Only 5 cars in it, and it ended up being each car doing a series of 5 timed laps against the clock. The event was planned as a non-championship F1 race, with a full grid, but the FIA refused to recognise the event and most of the teams withdrew leaving just 5 cars.

Jones recorded the fastest lap in a Williams.
*Edited in light of new info provided by @EB
A bit of trivia for you is that, from all accounts it was the the last time Hunt competed in an F1 car, who retired from racing immediately afterwards (This Donington weekend was on the 2-3rd June 1979, the weekend after Hunts final GP at Monaco the weekend prior.)

James did partake in the one off Mercedes Coswork 'Race of Champions' saloon car race to launch the new neutered Nurburgring short track that F1 started to then use. (Pics and details follow in a couple of posts

1. Alan Jones, Williams FW07, 1'01.37
2. James Hunt, Wolf WR8, 1'02.54
3. Mario Andretti, Lotus 79, 1'02.67
4. Nelson Piquet, Brabham BT46B, 1'03.61
5. Rupert Keegan, Arrows A1B, 1'05.09

There was however other races at the meeting, a (non championship) BMW M1 Procar race (won by Piquet) a non championship F3 race, a BMW "Celebrity" race won by Martin Brundle and a demonstration of Historic F1 cars which included Fangio, then near 70 years old, in the Mercedes Benz W125 Others in the Historic demo were Denny Hulme on a Cooper-Climax, Dan Gurney in a BRM P25, and Jackie Stewart in a Tyrrell 006/2. Also in that was Beatle George Harrison, who drove Stirling Moss's 1961 Lotus 18.

George Harrisson and Jackie Stewart did a TV interview at Donington which, other than confirming what a wonderful person Gunnar was, also heavily promoted the Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Cancer Foundation, set up by Gunnar himself in the final weeks of his life before he died, to generate funds for cancer research.

At the same time George Harrison's famous "Faster" single was released with proceeds from the record sales donated to Gunnar's fund


Anyway another of the Brabham from Donington that weekend, with Piquet at the wheel..... not the best quality but....

[EB]

A bit of trivia for you is that, from all accounts it was the final competition event for James Hunt

Not of any kind, he raced in that Merc saloon event to "celebrate" the Ersatzring in 1984, and took part in Driving Force in 1985

[Everso Biggyballies]

A bit of trivia for you is that, from all accounts it was the final competition event for James Hunt

Not of any kind, he raced in that Merc saloon event to "celebrate" the Ersatzring in 1984, and took part in Driving Force in 1985

I stand corrected. Thanks. I will revise that to the last time he competed in an F1 car. I will edit my original post to correct.

As far as I can determine "Driving Force" was very much none F1

Famous personalities are teamed with equally celebrated professional drivers to race bulldozers, buses, rally cars and army transporters, to complete a Trials Cars circuit and then have a puncture. Actor Oliver Tobias joins Britain's most successful rally driver, Roger Clark. Tom O'Connor becomes Britain's fastest comedian with the help of Grand Prix driver John Watson. Sarah Kennedy is with Britain's last World Grand Prix champion, James Hunt. Pink Floyd's Nick Mason has driven regularly in the Le Mans 24 hours race and now joins World Landspeed record holder Richard Noble.

A quick look around confirms he drove the #15 car at that 1984 'Nürburgring' (Ersatzring) Champions’ Cup and here is a pic in the paddock.



Another where you an just see the Hunt name on the screen, pre race, back in the right hand lane


And a better one on track.

[EB]

I love how I throw you crumbs and get a three course meal in return

[Nononsensecapeesh]

The 1981 Dubai GP Citroën race had a few interesting names on the grid....

[Nononsensecapeesh]

This is Philippe Billot testing a heavily modified 1987 AGS JH22 powered by the unraced Moteurs Guy Nègre W12 engine the team originally intended to use in the 1990 Season.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

1992 British Touring Car Champion Tim Harvey tested a Super 2000 BMW 3 Series at Brands Hatch in 2008.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Mick Doohan tested a 1997 Williams F1 car at Barcelona in 1998 and crashed into a guard rail.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Mick Doohan tested a 1997 Williams F1 car at Barcelona in 1998 and crashed into a guard rail.

Crashed might be too strong a term..... he actually came out of the garage in JV's Williams (@Star and, with JV (still with hair then ) watching on from the garage. Unfortunately he got to turn 4 on his outlap, hit the gas pedal, and spun the car, coming to rest with a rear wheel just nudging the barriers.

He went back out after the car was checked over and did a few laps without further incident. It did go back on a flatbed to the garage though.
In fact when Doohan returned to the track he managed to post a lap time within those 8 or 9 laps that was 5 seconds faster than his fastest lap at the previous years British Motorcycle GP.

There is a video of the day here, featuring Doohan, Tommi Makinen (also there) and JV keeping an eye on things. Mick offered JV a return of favour, offering him a ride on his race bike but Frank Williams put a stop to any such thoughts.

Anyway, the video of that day.






As it happens when Makkinen had his turn, he also managed to crash the FW20, his a bit more of an impact than Doohan's, spinning backwards and ending in the barriers with a front end contact.

Video of that incident.

[Star]

Mick Doohan tested a 1997 Williams F1 car at Barcelona in 1998 and crashed into a guard rail.

Crashed might be too strong a term..... he actually came out of the garage in JV's Williams (@Star and, with JV (still with hair then ) watching on from the garage. Unfortunately he got to turn 4 on his outlap, hit the gas pedal, and spun the car, coming to rest with a rear wheel just nudging the barriers.

He went back out after the car was checked over and did a few laps without further incident. It did go back on a flatbed to the garage though.
In fact when Doohan returned to the track he managed to post a lap time within those 8 or 9 laps that was 5 seconds faster than his fastest lap at the previous years British Motorcycle GP.

There is a video of the day here, featuring Doohan, Tommi Makinen (also there) and JV keeping an eye on things. Mick offered JV a return of favour, offering him a ride on his race bike but Frank Williams put a stop to any such thoughts.

Anyway, the video of that day.






As it happens when Makkinen had his turn, he also managed to crash the FW20, his a bit more of an impact than Doohan's, spinning backwards and ending in the barriers with a front end contact.

Video of that incident.

Ta for alerting me to this It was really nice to see. I never did like Jacques with the blond hair, it didn't suit him in my opinion.

He got to sit on the bike even if he didn't get to ride it. I guess that's something It was good to see that, I've never seen it before.

My uncle always wanted a motorbike, his father (my grandad who owned a metal yard) said that if he ever came home with one, he'd find it chopped up thanks to one of the acetylene cutters my grandad owned. He never did get a bike, he knew his father meant what he said.

[DoubleFart]

I had a similar threat from my parents about being home a motorbike... Always wanted one. Still do. Feel a bit old to start learning now at almost 35.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Mick Doohan tested a 1997 Williams F1 car at Barcelona in 1998 and crashed into a guard rail.

Crashed might be too strong a term..... he actually came out of the garage in JV's Williams (@Star and, with JV (still with hair then ) watching on from the garage. Unfortunately he got to turn 4 on his outlap, hit the gas pedal, and spun the car, coming to rest with a rear wheel just nudging the barriers.

He went back out after the car was checked over and did a few laps without further incident. It did go back on a flatbed to the garage though.
In fact when Doohan returned to the track he managed to post a lap time within those 8 or 9 laps that was 5 seconds faster than his fastest lap at the previous years British Motorcycle GP.

There is a video of the day here, featuring Doohan, Tommi Makinen (also there) and JV keeping an eye on things. Mick offered JV a return of favour, offering him a ride on his race bike but Frank Williams put a stop to any such thoughts.

Anyway, the video of that day.






As it happens when Makkinen had his turn, he also managed to crash the FW20, his a bit more of an impact than Doohan's, spinning backwards and ending in the barriers with a front end contact.

Video of that incident.

Ta for alerting me to this It was really nice to see. I never did like Jacques with the blond hair, it didn't suit him in my opinion.

He got to sit on the bike even if he didn't get to ride it. I guess that's something It was good to see that, I've never seen it before.

My uncle always wanted a motorbike, his father (my grandad who owned a metal yard) said that if he ever came home with one, he'd find it chopped up thanks to one of the acetylene cutters my grandad owned. He never did get a bike, he knew his father meant what he said.

It was actually the FW19 in 1998 livery.

[Star]

I had a similar threat from my parents about being home a motorbike... Always wanted one. Still do. Feel a bit old to start learning now at almost 35.

Well just in my limited experience, my brother in laws best mate got killed on a motorbike. My ex husbands good mate had his arm and shoulder ripped off in an accident (on his way to our engagement party as it goes) and a school mate of mine lost an arm and a leg all due to motorbikes. So yeah, they are or at least can be very dangerous machines.

[Nononsensecapeesh]

I had a similar threat from my parents about being home a motorbike... Always wanted one. Still do. Feel a bit old to start learning now at almost 35.

Well just in my limited experience, my brother in laws best mate got killed on a motorbike. My ex husbands good mate had his arm and shoulder ripped off in an accident (on his way to our engagement party as it goes) and a school mate of mine lost an arm and a leg all due to motorbikes. So yeah, they are or at least can be very dangerous machines.

Sorry to hear all that, Star. My father used to ride a Honda motorcycle until he got knocked off it and landed on his shoulder.

[Star]

I had a similar threat from my parents about being home a motorbike... Always wanted one. Still do. Feel a bit old to start learning now at almost 35.

Well just in my limited experience, my brother in laws best mate got killed on a motorbike. My ex husbands good mate had his arm and shoulder ripped off in an accident (on his way to our engagement party as it goes) and a school mate of mine lost an arm and a leg all due to motorbikes. So yeah, they are or at least can be very dangerous machines.

Sorry to hear all that, Star. My father used to ride a Honda motorcycle until he got knocked off it and landed on his shoulder.

Motorbikes are dangerous, they always have been. Sorry about your father, I hope he wasn't badly injured. I don't know anyone who owns a motorbike who hasn't come off it one way or another at some point, either by their own mistake or due to someone else.