I have stated before that I want to drive a decent car around the Spa Francorchamps racetrack for just a half-dozen or so laps.
After watching this, I want to do it in one of these:
…and you will too, after the video.
If not Spa, then over in Britishland, at Brands Hatch — the “long” course of the 1960s:
…, not the abbreviated wussy dildo-shaped one they use today:
[sigh]
First, when did Damon morph into Col. Sanders?
Those aren’t replicas — Those look like the real deal, just restored.
Your going to need a lot more $$$$ if you want to drive one of those death traps. Skinny tires, tube framed, you are the crush zone in a crash, you sit between the gas tanks that frequently leaked and lacked an internal bladder. Designed with a factor of safety of 0.9. …… I’ll Pass , Thankyou .
But a track day at Spa in a more modern car? Count me in!!!!! …. and since the old course at Brands Hatch still exists, I assume some group still does a Track day there too.
“Skinny tires, tube framed, you are the crush zone in a crash, you sit between the gas tanks that frequently leaked and lacked an internal bladder.”
Is it wrong that I got a semi when reading that?
If you can get yourself to a point where you can get into one of those, you deserve to ride.
But those cars are from the era when “the tires were skinny and the drivers were Fat”. There’s actually a fair amount of room in them. Fangio fit in them and he was not exactly shaped like Lewis Hamilton. It was the next generation of F1 Cars , lead by Clark and Chapman’s Lotus that were considerably narrower. ( and maybe even more dangerous ).
I’ll admit that there is a certain appeal to strapping on one of those 65 year old missiles, and there are opportunities to do it with enough $$$$, but you will notice that, like Martin and Damon’s video, they are generally being driven at 7/10th at most — except for a few truly loony Brits at Goodwood with more cash than brains.
As much as I agree with you on Dog the Bounty Hunter, I still want him to find this Laundrie guy first. I am in favor of pretty much anything that embarrasses the government these days.
“…when the tires were skinny, and the drivers were fat…”
More descriptive of the 2.5l formula that ended in 1960.
The ’61 156F1 Ferrari’s pictured (whether actual or recreations) were the start of the skinny driver era – nobody accused Phil Hill, or John Surtees (World Champs in Ferrari’s in ’61/’64) of being “fat” – and with only 1.5l of engine to push them around, shaving 10kilos off the driver was often easier (and cheaper) than shedding it off the car.
But, as to the main subject: You could do a nice drive in the country in Wisconsin by doing a track day at Road America: Rolling country, wooded, ups and downs, 4-miles/lap, more than enough to scare (or scar) you.