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Post by jimblanchard on May 22, 2007 16:50:09 GMT
As I have a framed print of him on my wall I just wondered what other members thought of him as a driver? When the 'greats' are mentioned and discussed he always seems to be over looked. I know that he only had one world championship and the only driver to be awarded it posthumously I believe (in 1970), after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix. I remember him being a very fast driver and the year he was killed almost unbeatable in the Lotus 72. Also, I think he made it clear that he would retire if he won the championship once, so had he lived he may not have gone on to win many more perhaps. It was also a case of if you were stopped speeding (as was my want...) at the time the police would hit you with."Who do you think you are son, Jochen Rindt?" So he had reached household name status at least  |
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Post by Genghis on May 22, 2007 20:16:56 GMT
Jim,
As someone who only knows F1 pre-1982 from reading books, I wouldn't say Jochen Rindt was a forgotten driver. Unfortunately, as the only posthumous World Champion, he quite often gets a mention just for that sad fact. His reputation was also that he was very, very fast.
Acutally, the forgotten World Champion is probably the 1967 champ. I know who it is, but without looking it up, I wonder if you can recall who it was.
A clue: He beat his own boss to win the title.
All the best
Rob
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Post by jimblanchard on May 22, 2007 20:30:59 GMT
Denny Hulme perhaps its no accident that he should be over looked then, there were lots that manage to 'fluke one'. Personally, I never regarded him as anything special as a driver. ;D With respect, I do not think he was in the Jochen Rindt class.  ;D |
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Post by donsking on May 22, 2007 21:27:16 GMT
I think the really unlucky guy was the bloke who managed to finish second in the WDC, despite being killed at Monza (is there a pattern developing here.......); talk about the eternal bridesmaid.................
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Post by schumi on May 23, 2007 12:47:33 GMT
It's been said that the Lotus 72 was perhaps the greatest formula one car of all time, but the day he died he wanted to drive the Lotus 49. He was told it wasn't available and had to drive the 72 or not at all, so Rindt chose to remove the wings in an attempt to go faster.
The barrier he hit was too high for the design of his car and he'd chosen to wear a simple lap strap which he slipped underneath during the accident, the belt buckle cutting his throat.
He'd won five of the GPs that season, and, though when he died it was mathematically possible for Jacky Ickx to win, Emmerson Fittipaldi won the final GP of the season, making (as you say Jim) Jochen the first driver to win the title posthumously. His widow, Nina, accepted the trophy on his behalf and it was later revealed that he'd promised her he'd retire from the sport if he won the world championship. Very sad story.
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Post by Genghis on May 23, 2007 16:42:51 GMT
It's been said that the Lotus 72 was perhaps the greatest formula one car of all time, but the day he died he wanted to drive the Lotus 49. He was told it wasn't available and had to drive the 72 or not at all, so Rindt chose to remove the wings in an attempt to go faster. The barrier he hit was too high for the design of his car and he'd chosen to wear a simple lap strap which he slipped underneath during the accident, the belt buckle cutting his throat. He'd won five of the GPs that season, and, though when he died it was mathematically possible for Jacky Ickx to win, Emmerson Fittipaldi won the final GP of the season, making (as you say Jim) Jochen the first driver to win the title posthumously. His widow, Nina, accepted the trophy on his behalf and it was later revealed that he'd promised her he'd retire from the sport if he won the world championship. Very sad story. Schumi, I think you've got the same F1 book as me. I don't think it went to the final race of the season - I think Fittipaldi won the penultimate race, not the final one. It was extra poignant as Fittipaldi was Rindt's replacement in the Lotus. All the best Rob |
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Post by Genghis on May 23, 2007 16:48:11 GMT
I think the really unlucky guy was the bloke who managed to finish second in the WDC, despite being killed at Monza (is there a pattern developing here.......); talk about the eternal bridesmaid................. DonsKing, Arguably though Count Wolfgang Von Trips ended up being better known than Phil Hill. Von Trips's sad demise was adapted for the "Grand Prix" film starring Burt Reynolds. It also included a driver crashing into the harbour during the Monaco GP, which is what happened to Alberto Ascari several days before he died in a test accident. Ascari won an amazing nine races on the trot in the Ferrari (1952-1953) - does that make him the greatest-ever driver to sit in the red car? All the best Rob |
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Post by schumi on May 23, 2007 16:50:48 GMT
I don't think it went to the final race of the season - I think Fittipaldi won the penultimate race, not the final one. You're right Rob, my apologies. As for books, I think I have a stat book somewhere that's pretty comprehensive, but it's not easily accessible right now. But I have a lot of books about Michael, of course. Want to borrow them? ;D |
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Post by Genghis on May 23, 2007 17:00:13 GMT
As for books, I think I have a stat book somewhere that's pretty comprehensive, but it's not easily accesible right now. But I have a lot of books about Michael, of course. Want to borrow them? ;D Schumi, My books are all stored away at the moment as well (hence the lack of Senna/Schumacher article), so I'm hoping the facts coming out of my head are accurate!! As for the Michael books, why not, I never know when I'm going to caught short of toliet paper   ;D All the best Rob |
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Post by donsking on May 23, 2007 17:41:12 GMT
DonsKing, Arguably though Count Wolfgang Von Trips ended up being better known than Phil Hill. Von Trips's sad demise was adapted for the "Grand Prix" film starring Burt Reynolds. It also included a driver crashing into the harbour during the Monaco GP, which is what happened to Alberto Ascari several days before he died in a test accident. Ascari won an amazing nine races on the trot in the Ferrari (1952-1953) - does that make him the greatest-ever driver to sit in the red car? All the best Rob Rob If you're talking about the 1966 film 'Grand Prix', that starred James Garner (Pete Aron/Chris Amon), Yves Montand (Jean-Pierre Sarti/John Surtees/Mike Parkes) and Brian Bedford (Scott Stoddard/Jackie Stewart). As for Ascari, there's no way I'm gonna get drawn down the blind alley of comparing drivers from the front and rear engined eras; that's the kind of conversation that could lead me to giving up my job and concentrating on forums full time! ;D PS just to neatly complete the circle, Jochen Rindt also appeared in 'Grand Prix', although blink and you'll miss him! |
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Post by Genghis on May 23, 2007 18:12:54 GMT
DonsKing,
That's the one - I don't know where I got Burt Reynolds from, it's been ages since I've seen it, as you can tell ;D
All the best
Rob
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Post by donsking on May 23, 2007 18:52:19 GMT
Rob
Apart from 3 'Smokey and The Bandit's and 2 'Cannonball Run's, rent-a-wig did do a racing flim called 'Stroker Ace' a kind of comedy version of 'Days Of Thunder'; don't bother pestering your local Blockbuster for a copy though, it was crap for the racing footage and the term 'comedy' can only be applied in the loosest possible way!
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;D
;D