The last round of this year’s F1 season coincided with the final event in the 2009 Historic Formula 1 championship.
Philippe has kindly shared some photographs from the race at Paul Ricard in France. They include various great cars from the 1970s and 1980s from the likes of McLaren, Williams, Brabham, Lotus, Tyrrell and more.
It’s strange to see these old cars racing at a very modern venue – indeed, one most of them would have raced on before it was upgraded into the super-slick new facility it is today. Still I can’t help but wonder why the Historic F1 championship gets a French round but its big brother doesn’t.
Have a look a Philippe’s pictures below and see his blog for more.
steph90
9th November 2009, 9:27
Thanks for these Keith
:)I sort of wish I was born earlier to actually see these cars race back in the 70s and 80s.
Favourite is the Tyrrell 012 closely followed by the March 701
LewisC
9th November 2009, 9:44
Great pics. Anyone who wants to see these cars should keep an eye out – I saw a lot of them racing earlier in the year at Brands Hatch at the Historic Festival which was amazing.
Tim
9th November 2009, 11:43
Same here – pity it was on the same day as the Goodwood Festival of Speed, otherwise the turn out might have been even better.
For anyone who baulks at the eye watering cost of attending a contemporary GP, Historic F1 is a much cheaper way of hearing a grid of wonderful Cosworth DFVs, getting close to some older F1 machinery and seeing it in action.
Mussolini's Pet Cat
9th November 2009, 9:57
Now you’re talking! The Lotus & Williams cars of that era were gorgeous.
Icthyes
9th November 2009, 10:33
Thanks for these Keith, they were some lovely beauties in that era, like the JPS Lotus and the Tyrrell 012. If I;d been around at that time I would have thought the space-age Surtees TS9B would become the blueprint for the future, and look how wrong I’d have been!
Bigbadderboom
10th November 2009, 16:34
That JPS Lotus was awesome, some of the ciggarette branded teams have had the best liverys. But the black JPS was exceptional.
Nitpicker
9th November 2009, 10:48
You mean Bernie isn’t in charge of Historic F1?
Tim
9th November 2009, 11:41
Nope, but I believe he owns the Brabham BT49 pictured above.
Serbian Kimi
9th November 2009, 11:04
These cars are soooo nice to look at!
So simpler yest so prettier designs…the 70s and 80s were unquestionably happier times racing-wise..if only safety was at the same level as today….
Brilliant pics, Keith, thank you so much!
My favourite: Martin Brundle’s Tyrell 012:)
Jim
9th November 2009, 11:16
I think it’s nice that they still have the proper ciggie ads on the cars; I thought some bit of legislation would have necessitated its removal.
steph
9th November 2009, 11:30
I know! Cars like JPS Lotus should never be touched as they are a thing of beauty.
Mussolini's Pet Cat
9th November 2009, 15:56
It’s a good point. I grew up loving the JPS livery on the Lotus’ and never once connected ciggies with these cars.
GeeMac
9th November 2009, 11:51
I love the Lotus 87… I want a classic F1 car too!
K
9th November 2009, 16:49
Damn those are some ugly cars but at least they have a bit more character than the FIA prescribed clones we’re used to now.
marc
9th November 2009, 17:22
UGLY?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?? there alot better looking than todays f1 cars.
Racin Rob
9th November 2009, 19:59
Is anyone else having trouble picturing the 2008 cars running in an event like this 25-30 years down the road?? I can’t see a future rich gentleman driver wanting to employ 10 people MIN just to keep his weekend toy running.
Those cars truely were from a simpler time…..
Wesley
9th November 2009, 20:25
Tyrrell 012 is a beauty!I love the old Lotus cars best though,with their green and yellow livery.
Jon Bunston
21st November 2009, 18:52
Happy to share some of ours from the Paul Ricard meeting as well as the rest of the Historic F1 Season.
Great cars to shoot and great people to work with
http://www.historicf1.co.uk
regards
Jon