Hi! I'm too lazy to find the answers to these questions myself, so i thought i'd just ask you guys here.
1) When did the Black Flag become the Red Flag and Why?
2) I've seen in some old races where drivers were pushed out of the gravel and back into the race, after stalling. When was this banned?
3) How and When did Prost get "the nose"?
4) Why was the startline moved at Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve in 1988?
5) On the 1988 season review, Alain Prost liked to curse alot to describe his races in the official interviews. Did he ever get in trouble for this?
Just little annoying questions that i'd like to know the answers/outcomes for. I had more, but i've already forgotten them, so be prepared to see this topic pop-up again in the future.
Thanks for your help.
Little Nostalgic Questions
Started by
Witt
, Dec 28 1999 10:39
3 replies to this topic
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#2
FlagMan
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- 475 posts
- Joined: February 99
Member
Posted 05 January 2000 - 00:27
Re the black flag and change to the red - here is some background info.
At one time the only way to stop a race was by displaying the Red flag at the start and finish line. This of course suffers from the problem that the drivers only see the flag when thay cross the line. At an Easter holiday meeting at Oulton Park, probably in the early 70's, a car crashed heavily just over a blind crest, by the time the call had been made to stop the race the majority of the field had already passed the start/finish line so did not see the Red flag displayed - the result was that they nearly wiped each other and several track marshals out by ignoring the yellow flags displayed at the incident. It was decided that a means was needed to propogate the race stop situation round the track. The RAC having decreed that only place that could display a Red flag was the start/Finish line, a group of Oulton Park flag marshals and observers came up with the idea of displaying the Yellow and 'oil' flags furled in a cross configuration to signify that the red flag was out. This worked well and was used in UK racing for several years.
Eventually the FIA decided that the 'propogation' idea was a good one but that a dedicated flag was to be used - and for some reason chose Black (probably as a Black flag was not at that time used on flag posts).
Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, the Black turned out not to be a particulary visible flag in wet murky conditions and after much complaining from flag marshals and drivers the Black was eventually replaced by a Red - I am afraid I cannot remember exactly when but I would guess at mid 80's.
Push starts were always a dodgy area - the rules stated that a driver could not receive a push start as this constituted 'outside assistance'. The marshals were however allowed to push a car to a place of safety.
It used to be accepted that if a driver 'restarted' the car on the starter button whilst being pushed to safety then this did not constitute a push start. When the F1 constructors stopped putting starter motors/viable batteries on the cars, it became obvious that the push-start/restart situation could no longer occur and now the rules are that if the driver stalls the car it cannot resume.
I believe Prost's nose job resulted from a footballing accident.
I think the Canadian start-line was moved when they move the pits - in 1986 the pit entrance was just after the hairpin.
As for Prost's swearing not being frowned on - who knows - probably JMB did not regard it a such a crime as Max obviously does.
Hope this has helped.
[This message has been edited by FlagMan (edited 01-04-2000).]
At one time the only way to stop a race was by displaying the Red flag at the start and finish line. This of course suffers from the problem that the drivers only see the flag when thay cross the line. At an Easter holiday meeting at Oulton Park, probably in the early 70's, a car crashed heavily just over a blind crest, by the time the call had been made to stop the race the majority of the field had already passed the start/finish line so did not see the Red flag displayed - the result was that they nearly wiped each other and several track marshals out by ignoring the yellow flags displayed at the incident. It was decided that a means was needed to propogate the race stop situation round the track. The RAC having decreed that only place that could display a Red flag was the start/Finish line, a group of Oulton Park flag marshals and observers came up with the idea of displaying the Yellow and 'oil' flags furled in a cross configuration to signify that the red flag was out. This worked well and was used in UK racing for several years.
Eventually the FIA decided that the 'propogation' idea was a good one but that a dedicated flag was to be used - and for some reason chose Black (probably as a Black flag was not at that time used on flag posts).
Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, the Black turned out not to be a particulary visible flag in wet murky conditions and after much complaining from flag marshals and drivers the Black was eventually replaced by a Red - I am afraid I cannot remember exactly when but I would guess at mid 80's.
Push starts were always a dodgy area - the rules stated that a driver could not receive a push start as this constituted 'outside assistance'. The marshals were however allowed to push a car to a place of safety.
It used to be accepted that if a driver 'restarted' the car on the starter button whilst being pushed to safety then this did not constitute a push start. When the F1 constructors stopped putting starter motors/viable batteries on the cars, it became obvious that the push-start/restart situation could no longer occur and now the rules are that if the driver stalls the car it cannot resume.
I believe Prost's nose job resulted from a footballing accident.
I think the Canadian start-line was moved when they move the pits - in 1986 the pit entrance was just after the hairpin.
As for Prost's swearing not being frowned on - who knows - probably JMB did not regard it a such a crime as Max obviously does.
Hope this has helped.
[This message has been edited by FlagMan (edited 01-04-2000).]
#3
Dennis David
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- 2,480 posts
- Joined: March 99
Member
Posted 05 January 2000 - 01:44
Thanks Flag, I was hoping that you would see your name in this post. ;-)
------------------
Regards,
Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david
Life is racing, the rest is waiting
Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/
------------------
Regards,
Dennis David
Yahoo = dennis_a_david
Life is racing, the rest is waiting
Grand Prix History
www.ddavid.com/formula1/
#4
Witt
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- 3,308 posts
- Joined: November 98
Member
Posted 08 January 2000 - 07:29
Thanks very much flagman!
The eighties is my favourite era, thus that's why those questions relate to that. The only problem is i wasn't a fan of racing back then, and i have to learn every little thing about it from reading and old videos. This forum helps alot too, as i can catch up on the 50 odd years of the sport i've already missed.
The eighties is my favourite era, thus that's why those questions relate to that. The only problem is i wasn't a fan of racing back then, and i have to learn every little thing about it from reading and old videos. This forum helps alot too, as i can catch up on the 50 odd years of the sport i've already missed.
