Historic F1 drivers- are they any good?

[Nicholas]

Do any of the Historic F1 drivers get close to the lap times of the period???

[Vitesse]

I'd think Martin Stretton probably does, but most of the circuits have changed so much that direct comparisons wouldn't really be possible.

[TimD]

That's very true. All the great circuits have been monkeyed with to a greater or lesser extent. With the notable exception of Goodwood, of course.

Car development is another issue. There are classic cases of cars that just didn't cut it when they were new, which have benefitted from the best part of four decades fettling to squeeze the bugs out. How often, for example, did a Lotus 16 last the distance in its heyday? But now....


But I agree with Vitesse's opinion. Martin Stretton is very, very quick. He could certainly have gone places if he had wanted to in contemporary racing. To his name, I would have to add Peter Hardman, who never got the breaks he needed after Formula Ford, but is quite blisteringly fast in most of the machines that he's given.

Just lately I've been going through some old race programmes, and it's interesting to see Formula Ford entries for Stretton, Hardman and Ludovic Lindsay against Eddie Irvine and Damon Hill among others.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by TimD
Martin Stretton is very, very quick. He could certainly have gone places if he had wanted to in contemporary racing.

Oh, he wanted to! But as with so many others who aren't millionaires, he had to take what he could.
As regards his competitiveness in modern machinery, check out his times in the Euro GT championship which he ran in 1999 (or was it 1998?)
Also agree with your assessment of Peter Hardman, who has of course raced contemporary cars in recent years. Tim Sugden's another.

[Takuma]

Cristian Glasil( sorry if the spelling is wrong), was setting competitive times when he drove alongside Christian Vann in FIA sports cars in 1999 & 2000.

Probably the most valid comparison would be for a modern day driver to drive on of these cars. I know that Andy Prilaux was quick when he tested a Hesketh.

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Takuma


Probably the most valid comparison would be for a modern day driver to drive on of these cars. I know that Andy Prilaux was quick when he tested a Hesketh.

When did he do that? Its like his team mate Edwards in that 1967 GP car at Goodwood- they act as a good benchmark to the regulars.

[Takuma]

Sorry I cant remember the exact date, it was sometime in the winter of 2000/2001, he drove at a wet silverstone. I think it was 308-2 the Lord Hesketh owned car that David Hunt drove at Goodwood last year.

The next time I see Andy I will ask him for some more details.