All Things Motorsport

[mickthemaverick]

That seems conclusive for sure, it looks like they built the car as a replica of the one I posted which is something many of us did in the old days. My RS2000 became a replica of Jimmy Greaves' Escort on the World Cup Mexico rally and after which the Escort Mexico emerged!

[NewcastleFalcon]

I think the thread could stand a picture of the Jimmy Greaves Escort Mick

Wonder if I might bump into entry number 79, maybe at the Chain Bridge today. Of all the cars in the rally that would be bizarrely the holy grail of photos today should that Austin Maestro pass within range of a Falcon shutter click.

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Not easy to separate the real from the replicas but I'm happy with these:

The car

The crew

But it's not always about the car:

Spoiler: show

World Cup Rally delights

[NewcastleFalcon]

Wonder if I might bump into entry number 79, maybe at the Chain Bridge today. Of all the cars in the rally that would be bizarrely the holy grail of photos today should that Austin Maestro pass within range of a Falcon shutter click.

Without further ado, taken this very evening at one of the "test" locations where they pirouetted around cones and drove round a farmyard and farm buildings against the clock amid much smoke and squealing tyres and vroom vroom noises. Too dark for anything like decent photography from me!

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

I used to enjoy Autotests as that sport is called. It comes in two varieties, tarmac and grass which each require different set ups and skills. I competed in both, using my Talbot Samba Rallye on tarmac and whatever rally car I had at the time on grass. Both fiercely competitive and great fun and I have a number of trophies from them

[NewcastleFalcon]

A small gallery of not that good photography in the fading light, as the RAC Rally of the Tests passed by heading for Horncliffe and the Union Chain Bridge, after being put through their paces at Shoreswood Farm.

This is of course a....?
The Volvo Show
	A teeny-weeny Mini

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Watching today's post race interviews one has to ask why Max Verstappen, number one Red Bull driver, was drinking a can of 7UP?

[Michel]

Looked very much like a can of 7UP with "Heineken" written on it to me..

[mickthemaverick]

I've been looking forward to today since the end of last season, so I'm pleased to report that despite my current workload I'm up and watching qually!!

[myglaren]

I've been looking forward to today since the end of last season, so I'm pleased to report that despite my current workload I'm up and watching qually!!

Watching Margaret Qualley?

[bobins]

Celebrating 75 Years of Formula 1

"From Farina in 1950 to Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in 2025, F1 has produced thrills, controversy and tragedy. Here, BBC Sport and Getty Images tell the story of the sport, and the characters that have illuminated it, through a selection of the best photographs from the past 75 years..."

An excellent pictorial history of Formula 1 on the BBC webshite. Very picture heavy so worth sitting down with a cup of tea (or something stronger) and mulling over the great photos and descriptions. It'll take you a while

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/extra/v7yyk ... tty-images

[Richard_C]

Reading through this topic, re-engaging after a while away from the forum. I used to be interested in motor racing/rallying but now it all seems so remote, big money, big crowds. Back in the day you could wander off to a park or forest and see rallying, and even a GP was accessible. So I've dug out a few pictures of those days, but a note on quality. Cheap camera, often poor light, then copied from a print or slide by home-devised methods, so don't expect pin sharp images. I think they get the atmosphere of the time though. When men were men and escorts were muddy .... or something.

First 2, Heaton Park Manchester 1973, a stage of the RAC on wet muddy tarmac through the park. I'm second from left, my future wife on the far right. 52 years ago - gosh. Second one is an Alpine emerging from the gate after the end of the stage.

Next to Wales, 1977, don't remember where but a dawn stage in a forest, TR7 (likely Tony Pond or Brian Culcheth) and one of those fancy italian upstart Lancia Stratos entries. 1978, looks like a safari park stage, Escorts still around. The Fiat was unusual in that the co driver sat in the middle of the back row to get the weight distribution better. Didn't catch on.

Then a bunch from 1979 - French GP, Dijon, first turbo win of the modern era (Renault 1.5 turbo vs Ferrari 12s and DFVs still powering most entries. Penultimate corner, penultimate lap, the classic Villeneuve/ Arnoux battle for second well worth a watch if you havn't seen it, have a search on you tube.

The picture of the Ligier would make an excellent caption competition, and we can all drool over the course ambulance

And finally, for now RAC Rally again, 1981 or 2 can't be sure. Audi Quatros were the thing to catch, Stratos fast, but a few Citroens appeared. I guess if you are going to thrash round rutted rocky forest roads for 5 days you might as well be comfortable - OK, lets take the CX.....


(Ah, the pictures attached in reverse order. Work it out !)
(Ah#2, need to edit my signature block, Pic gone C4 hybrid arrived)

[mickthemaverick]

Watching How it's Made this morning I learned something I've never realised. When building a NASCAR they apply decals of the lights to the car rather than fit actual lights, for both safety and lightness reasons!!

[Michel]

The problem with modern day rallying is..

The cars all look the same and bear no resemblance to anything you see on the road. John can't buy a set of mudflaps and arches and a Peco silencer and make his old MK2 Escort look like Ari Vantanen's etc etc. The rallies are also shorter and tedious. No 5 day long, awfully hard Safari rallies of my childhood.