The Kyalami GP Masters Thread

[iGav]

If like me, you're suffering from serious F1 withdrawal symptoms, this may very well be the perfect winter warming antidote. with names like Prost, Mansell, Fittipaldi, Tambay, Stuck etc etc bringing tears of joy to my eyes, reminiscing back to a golden era of true F1 GIANTS.

So then, this weekend see's the start of I guess what can be considered a 'seniors' tour of ex F1 HERO'S at Kyalami, unfortunately we start without Prost (prior commitments) and ex-WDC Alan Jones (pulled out with neck problems) but we still see a grid which contains 2 World Champions... (3 titles between them, with 4 former WDC's on the tour including Prost and Jones).

I watched qualifying today and it was fanf**intastic seeing the old guard at it again, Mansell especially was really hanging it on his fast laps, and as such snatched pole position by .5 over Fittipaldi.

Final Qualifying.

1. Mansell
2. Fittipaldi
3. Patrese
4. Lammers
5. de Cesaris
6. Warwick
7. Danner
8. Cheever

Race prediction... Il Leone to hand it to 'em all.

Qualifying report

About GP Masters

About the cars

Thoughts?

 

[Nezza]

As a bonus for all of us in the UK - Murray's back . Now if he'd only oust James Allan from F1 my dreams would come true.

From what I've been hearing Mansell is looking fantastic, and he's my tip. After reading his autobiography it's fair to say there is a bit of previous with Prost, and that is the battle I am really looking forward to with the two of them racing identical machinery.

These are the drivers that got me into F1, and I'm just so glad that this is on the BBC and not Sky so that I get to watch it.

 

[iGav]

Yey!!!! a reply... I was just waiting for this thread to sink into obscurity like so many of my other threads seem to do

As a bonus for all of us in the UK - Murray's back . Now if he'd only oust James Allan from F1 my dreams would come true.

hahahahaha, I know what you mean, that said Murray used to frustrate me no end when he used to commentate, but Allen takes it to a whole new level doesn't he, it's like listening to an over excited prepubescent girl every other Sunday.

From what I've been hearing Mansell is looking fantastic, and he's my tip. After reading his autobiography it's fair to say there is a bit of previous with Prost, and that is the battle I am really looking forward to with the two of them racing identical machinery.

Mansell's looking REALLY good... right on the limit.

That's what being teammates does for friendships though, I remember before Prost joined Mansell at Ferrari in '90 that the 2 were actually reasonably good friends... then Prost started the psychological war, and it all went downhill from there.

These are the drivers that got me into F1, and I'm just so glad that this is on the BBC and not Sky so that I get to watch it.

It's a shame they ain't showing the whole race live though... time delayed and only half of the race.

 

[mpw]

...1. Mansell
2. Fittipaldi
3. Patrese
4. Lammers
5. de Cesaris
6. Warwick
7. Danner
8. Cheever...
...Thoughts?

I've 'met' two from that list and am really looking forward to watching the race.

I wonder whether they are treating the series with the same competitive edge they each had when racing F1 etc.

 

[mpw]

...It's a shame they ain't showing the whole race live though... time delayed and only half of the race.

WTF! Which half?

 

[iGav]

WTF! Which half?

I wasn't very clear was I... whoopsie, basically they ain't showing it live, and they'll condense and edit the 1 hour race to fit half an hour, typical BBC Sport really

Motors TV (or Men And Motors) I forget which is showing it live I think.

 

[iGav]

I've 'met' two from that list and am really looking forward to watching the race.

I was driven round Silverstone in an F40 by one of them and I'm really looking forward to the race too.

I wonder whether they are treating the series with the same competitive edge they each had when racing F1 etc.

Mansell is... he was really hanging it out, I reckon Fittipaldi's up for it as well but yeah, I reckon there's some honour and all that jazz to be fought for in this series.

For the folk that want to watch it, but who can't you can watch it here, it costs to watch it live, but should be free after the race.

 

[mpw]

I wasn't very clear was I... whoopsie, basically they ain't showing it live, and they'll condense and edit the 1 hour race to fit half an hour, typical BBC Sport really

Motors TV (or Men And Motors) I forget which is showing it live I think.

I see that's not SO bad I thought we were going to have them turn the cameras off just as Warwick stole the lead from Mansell for Songs of Praise or the Antiques Roadshow (hey Antiques Roadshow, would've been a good title if it weren't already in use)

 

[mpw]

I was driven round Silverstone in an F40 by one of them and I'm really looking forward to the race too. ...

Which one?

Not in the same league but I had a soapy session on a bouncy castle with one of them that I met.

 

[iGav]

(hey Antiques Roadshow, would've been a good title if it weren't already in use)

hahahahahahaha

Which one?

Mansell baby!!!!

Not in the same league but I had a soapy session on a bouncy castle with one of them that I met

I bet it was Derek Warwick yes???

 

[mpw]

...I bet it was Derek Warwick yes???

You know his reputation then! *says no more*
It was Mansell that nearly knocked me down crossing a golf course. He's a miserable git, nice house mind (from the outside at least)

 

[Nezza]

Mansell's looking REALLY good... right on the limit.

That's what being teammates does for friendships though, I remember before Prost joined Mansell at Ferrari in '90 that the 2 were actually reasonably good friends... then Prost started the psychological war, and it all went downhill from there.

One of my favorite Mansell stories was when he was at Ferrari in '90 he set his car up for practice at Paul Ricard and is happy with it. Next race at Silverstone he goes out for qualifying, comes back in an insists that the car has changed. After having it out with the mechanics it emerges that Prost has swapped chassis and taken Mansells.

What does the great man do? Goes out and beats Prost to pole with his own car.

Should be some real grudge matches settled in this series.

 

[Nezza]

hahahahaha, I know what you mean, that said Murray used to frustrate me no end when he used to commentate, but Allen takes it to a whole new level doesn't he, it's like listening to an over excited prepubescent girl every other Sunday.


It's a shame they ain't showing the whole race live though... time delayed and only half of the race.

The Beeb had really improved their coverage of motorsports recently. I can't fault the coverage of MotoGP (my preferred series) - the banter between Charlie Cox and Steve Parish is really entertaining. Mind you the whole series just has that more 'friendly' feel to it.

When ITV took F1 from the Beeb the coverage was a revelation, then Murray retired and that 'person' took over. The most annoying thing about him seems is his name dropping - 'I was having lunch with so and so last night...'

Murray used to do it, but you always felt the drivers were pleased to have him around, with Allan you just know that what he meant to say was - 'I was abusing my press pass by having lunch in McLarens hospitality suite last night and ....'

 

[iGav]

You know his reputation then! *says no more*

He's funny.

Next race at Silverstone he goes out for qualifying, comes back in an insists that the car has changed. After having it out with the mechanics it emerges that Prost has swapped chassis and taken Mansells.

What does the great man do? Goes out and beats Prost to pole with his own car.

I was at Silverstone in 1990 Mansell's pole lap was incredible... one of the greatest laps of all time. It was so fast they butchered the circuit after that.

When ITV took F1 from the Beeb the coverage was a revelation, then Murray retired and that 'person' took over. The most annoying thing about him seems is his name dropping - 'I was having lunch with so and so last night...'

The only thing that peeves about ITV is the adverts, which is kind of ironic considering F1 is basically just one big TV ad. and like at Imola this year where they skipped to an ad about 3 laps away from the end and we only re-joined as they were starting the last lap, that REALLY sucked.

But at least they show qualifying... something the BBC rarely did back in the day... which is a massive shame when you think about the number of Senna laps we missed.

Murray used to do it, but you always felt the drivers were pleased to have him around, with Allan you just know that what he meant to say was - 'I was abusing my press pass by having lunch in McLarens hospitality suite last night and ....'

Allen's a total tool.

Anyway.... the GP Masters race was f**kin' superb by the way. they need to have these guys as a support races at F1 events, that'd be top banana!!!

 

[edesignuk]

Just caught the last few laps of the race, and it looked great! Really looked like they all enjoyed themselves, and from the little I saw, looked like it was entertaining to watch too

 

[mpw]

It was a good show only spoilt by that tosser Murray Walker. I no little about motorsport but even I can can keep up with who's in which car and tell the difference between Nige locking a wheel and falling off the road. And another of his immortal lines from the last corners of the last lap "....and equally there'll be less..."? Hopefully he'll watch it back and remember why he thought it was time to retire.

 

[Counterfit]

that'd be top banana!!!

Is it me, or is British slang getting more and more bizarre?

 

[edesignuk]

Is it me, or is British slang getting more and more bizarre?

ahh, that's nothing new, it's not getting there, it's there

Spiffy.

 

[iGav]

It was a good show only spoilt by that tosser Murray Walker.

mpw, mpw... everything is relative though when Murray used to commentate he used to piss me off a treat sometimes, although his enthusiasm was addictive... but then he retired and we got James Allen who's a total muppet, a real tool and I VERY quickly forgive Murray for all his sins.

I thought it was cool to have Murray back for GP Masters though, tops it off nicely in my opinion, almost makes it official so to speak.

Anyway the racing was really good, easily a match for the totally bogus A1GP series, and easily on a par with Champ Car IMHO, maybe F1 does need to look at the cars in this series to see how to tip the balance back to increase overtaking because at some points there were cars 3 abreast going into corners, taking different lines into corners, wheel banging etc etc and the cars took it all, so yeah.... I think it certainly gives merit to what J Freak, myself and others have been saying about increasing mechanical grip and reducing aero dependency to increase close racing and overtaking in F1.

Big thumbs up to 50 something ex-WDC's Mansell and Fittipaldi, they were so evenly matched, also de Cesaris, Warwick and Danners in the mid pack going at it tooth and nail, overtaking and banging wheels!! top banana!!!

Anyone catch Hans Stuck overtaking with a couple of handfuls of wild opposite lock oversteer!!! superb!!!

Hopefully when the series kicks off next year, we might see not only Prost, but maybe Berger, Piquet, Rosberg Snr, Brundle, Lauda, and Hill too.

And if this series takes off, in 9 more years, we could see Schu and Hakkinen resume there battles!!! heehee.

 

[mpw]

One other thing of note....Did anyone notice how hot some of the wives were!

 

[iGav]

One other thing of note....Did anyone notice how hot some of the wives were!

or daughters Chloe Mansell looking damn fine

 

[Counterfit]

Anyone catch Hans Stuck overtaking with a couple of handfuls of wild opposite lock oversteer!!! superb!!!

Well, considering his day job is hauling ass around the 'Ring, he'd better still have it

And if this series takes off, in 9 more years, we could see Schu and Hakkinen resume there battles!!! heehee.

That would be ****ing awesome.