Formula One

[TheGreenGoblin]

Back at Kyalami in the 70's, in the heat of the Transvaal sun, the black painted Rave (hardware stores) sponsored Sunbeam Tigers looked the business and were pretty fast too... Nobody became too hot under the bonnet or collar about the colour scheme...

Not a Rave car to be seen in this archetypal shot from that era but posted because Seenenough might recognise some of the cars. Remember Arnold Chatz Seenenough?

Kyalami.JPG (39.77 KiB) Viewed 394 times

[larsssnowpharter]

There's a proper enthusiasts car leading with an Alpine or Tiger in third. Must be a Tiger, an Alpine would be last.

[G-CPTN]

Gordini in second?

[TheGreenGoblin]

Gordini in second?

Yep... The Renault Gordini was always competitive at Kyalami... I suspect it was Scamp Porter at the wheel in this instance but I am open to correction.

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/arch ... axle-tramp

[Seenenough]

"Remember Arnold Chatz Seenenough?"

Very well Gob,One of my good friends father built a house for Arnold in Parkhurst which was where I met him the first time and then again later in the early eighties when I bought a couple cars from his garage on Jan Smuts Avenue.

I owned a GTV 3.0 and unfortunately it was a regular visitor to his workshop mainly to sort out the head gaskets.It was not fuel injected and it also required constant carb adjusting.

He was a good friend of the Moni Family and often attended dinners at their home which I was also at.I also met Basil Green of Perana at these happy events.

[Capetonian]

A friend of mine worked for Arnold Chatz Motors as a salesman. I seem ot remember he showroom was at Hyde Park or Illovo. The poor bugger worked every hour he could as he was on a very tough commission incentive and eventually died of a heart attack.

[TheGreenGoblin]

I thought you might seenenough. He definitely was Mr Alfa Romeo. Also interesting that you knew Basil Green, he being the demon tuner behind the cars driven by Basil van Rooyen etc...

Van Rooyen was also a good friend of my swimming coach... I lived in 3rd Street Parkhurst!

Small world.

[Seenenough]

I thought you might seenenough. He definitely was Mr Alfa Romeo. Also interesting that you knew Basil Green, he being the demon tuner behind the cars driven by Basil van Rooyen etc...

Van Rooyen was also a good friend of my swimming coach... I lived in 3rd Street Parkhurst!

Small world.

I seem to recall that I had a similar conversation with someone else on the forum a year or so ago.

[TheGreenGoblin]

I thought you might seenenough. He definitely was Mr Alfa Romeo. Also interesting that you knew Basil Green, he being the demon tuner behind the cars driven by Basil van Rooyen etc...

Van Rooyen was also a good friend of my swimming coach... I lived in 3rd Street Parkhurst!

Small world.

I seem to recall that I had a similar conversation with someone else on the forum a year or so ago.

Yes, strange that...

[Seenenough]

I am looking forward to see how Alonso does this year at Indy after the disaster of last year.

[TheGreenGoblin]

I am looking forward to see how Alonso does this year at Indy after the disaster of last year.

Me too.

https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news ... d/4817279/

[Seenenough]

I don't think we will ever see him back in Formula 1.

I hope his hook up here with Chev will also lead to him taking a shot at NASCAR.You might remember that Raikkonen did a Truck and an Xfinity race here a few years ago and he did not embarrass himself with his results.

Montoya also became quite successful at it also.

[Seenenough]

I am pretty sure that if Hamilton was honest he would tell you that he would have his work cut out to try and beat Alonso in equal equipment.

I think he would fear Vettel also in the same situation.

[izod tester]

Hamilton and Alonso both drove for McLaren in 2007. Alonso already had 2 world championships and Hamilton was in his first F1 year. They finished the season level on 109 points each having won 4 races.

[ian16th]

I also met Basil Green of Perana at these happy events.

Bought my Mazda from Basil!
He did a very good deal for his employees when he sold his business.

[Seenenough]

Hamilton and Alonso both drove for McLaren in 2007. Alonso already had 2 world championships and Hamilton was in his first F1 year. They finished the season level on 109 points each having won 4 races.

The problem was that Ron Dennis clearly favored Hamilton and it ended up costing him having the World Champion Driver for that year.

[G-CPTN]

Back to the drawing board.

[tango15]

Does anyone else who has a passing interest in F1 think that maybe Ferrari is a bit too 'Italian'?
The other teams have a significant international make-up at all levels, whereas Ferrari has relied largely on in house expertise. Their problems, both on and off the track have been in full view for a couple of years now, but little seems to have improved. You would imagine that a team with their pedigree would have overcome their technical problems at least, but they seem to be struggling.

[TheGreenGoblin]

Does anyone else who has a passing interest in F1 think that maybe Ferrari is a bit too 'Italian'?
The other teams have a significant international make-up at all levels, whereas Ferrari has relied largely on in house expertise. Their problems, both on and off the track have been in full view for a couple of years now, but little seems to have improved. You would imagine that a team with their pedigree would have overcome their technical problems at least, but they seem to be struggling.

Ferrari have worked with some good British designers. John Barnard comes to mind. South African Rory Byrne also did well with them.

Frank Stephenson fitted the polyglot multicultural role perfectly. He was not directly involved with F1 mind.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Stephenson

[ian16th]

Maybe they are patriots, and want to be Italian, so they cannot be too Italian.