Not being a nocturnal person, the rally start at midnight saw me already well past my bedtime. It had been snowing quite heavily for at least the previous 24 hours, and it was bitterly cold, which did nothing to help my humour. Neither of us had any experience of serious winter conditions.
Anyway, our start at 12.06am saw us, or rather Hector, driving gingerly down the snow-covered mountain pass. Within only a few kilometres lights appeared behind us, followed by a Lancia Fulvia HF in full flight, and, by contrast, under complete control. It was being driven by the masterful Munari, who had started a minute behind us. Either because Hector thought he might emulate Munari or, more likely, because he had been unnerved by the experience, at the next hairpin he stuffed the Gord into the Armco.
We continued throughout the night and into the next day, with me becoming more and more weary and less and less interested in the goings-on. Sleep-deprivation is a real torture. Finally we arrived at yet another mountain pass, one on which snow chains were required. I could not have been more thankful to Hector who, in his preparations for the event, had inadvertently packed snow chains which weren’t suited to the Gord’s wheels. Thus ended, mercifully, my Coppa although I suspect Hector wished to continue. He was gracious enough never to complain about his useless co-driver.
To this day I admire and envy rally drivers, not just for their skill but also for their perseverance. Following our experience on the Coppa, what little skill I possess has been applied to events calling for none of the latter.
Rookie driver Clay Regazzoni’s win in the 1970 Italian GP was overshadowed by the death of Jochen Rindt in qualifying
William Curtindale
I searched through your excellent list of memories over the 75 years of Ferraris [75 reasons why we love… Ferrari, July] but found no mention of the amazing 1970 Italian GP win by Clay Regazzoni in the glorious 312B. His first for the team and himself in only his fifth race at the pinnacle of the sport. He repeated the feat in 1975 which fixed him firmly as a hero of the tifosi for ever.
Just finished reading the interesting article about the Christie C7 and its recreation [Close… and a cigar, July]. What a beast! However, I’m puzzled as to why the treaded tyres are fitted to the rear wheels when the car is front-wheel drive or is the idea to have more grip to improve oversteer?
Where’s your red overalls, Gilles? The Canadian driver switched to white later at the ’79 French GP
DPPI
The front wheels are a different diameter to the rear (like the original). No company makes the right size non-skid tyre for the front – Ed
I have to question the caption for July’s Parting Shot. Up to Monaco 1979, Gilles Villeneuve wore red racing overalls. The first appearance of the white Simpson suit was at Dijon 1979, and thereafter, he always wore this colour of racing suit. If this picture was taken at Zolder, I would suggest it was in 1980. If 1979, it would have been taken after the Monaco race.
Yes, Andrew, it’s Brazil in 1980, not Zolder ’79. Our error. Superb overalls knowledge – Ed
I am writing to compliment Marcus Simmons’ review of Robert Young’s book Special Brew [More with less, July]. Simmons notes that South African champion Syd van der Vyver worked on Stirling Moss’s Lotus 18 at Rob Walker’s Pippbrook Garage. According to Tony Cleverley (team mechanic), van der Vyver spent only a brief period there in June-July 1961, yet he and Alf Francis nearly came to blows. This tension arose after van der Vyver modified the suspension and installed smaller-diameter rear wheel cylinders to optimise braking balance. A month later, Moss went on to win the German GP in that very same Lotus.
Are the treaded rear tyres of the front-wheel drive 1903 Christie C7 to help with oversteer?
LAT Images
I hate to be the one to say it, ‘but I think you’ll find’ the ‘Godzilla’ moniker for the Nissan Skyline/GT-Rs was first given to the R32 iteration, not R35 [Road Cars, July]. That makes the forthcoming R36 the great great grandson of Godzilla, not son.
I’ve just finished the June 2026 issue. As a long-time subscriber, I feel this is your best ever issue. So many good articles with excellent photography, particularly of the restored Lotus 49/R1. You spoil us!
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