They drove that car?

[Nononsensecapeesh]

Bottom post of the previous page:

Nelson Piquet drove the Brabham BT46B "fan-car" in the Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Trophy at Donington Park in 1979.

image does not work

Fingers crossed.

[Everso Biggyballies]

works for me.

The actual Gunnar Nilsson Trophy itself was a bit of a non event in the end with no actual race per se. Only 5 cars in it, and it ended up being each car doing a series of 5 timed laps against the clock. The event was planned as a non-championship F1 race, with a full grid, but the FIA refused to recognise the event and most of the teams withdrew leaving just 5 cars.

Jones recorded the fastest lap in a Williams.
*Edited in light of new info provided by @EB
A bit of trivia for you is that, from all accounts it was the the last time Hunt competed in an F1 car, who retired from racing immediately afterwards (This Donington weekend was on the 2-3rd June 1979, the weekend after Hunts final GP at Monaco the weekend prior.)

James did partake in the one off Mercedes Coswork 'Race of Champions' saloon car race to launch the new neutered Nurburgring short track that F1 started to then use. (Pics and details follow in a couple of posts

1. Alan Jones, Williams FW07, 1'01.37
2. James Hunt, Wolf WR8, 1'02.54
3. Mario Andretti, Lotus 79, 1'02.67
4. Nelson Piquet, Brabham BT46B, 1'03.61
5. Rupert Keegan, Arrows A1B, 1'05.09

There was however other races at the meeting, a (non championship) BMW M1 Procar race (won by Piquet) a non championship F3 race, a BMW "Celebrity" race won by Martin Brundle and a demonstration of Historic F1 cars which included Fangio, then near 70 years old, in the Mercedes Benz W125 Others in the Historic demo were Denny Hulme on a Cooper-Climax, Dan Gurney in a BRM P25, and Jackie Stewart in a Tyrrell 006/2. Also in that was Beatle George Harrison, who drove Stirling Moss's 1961 Lotus 18.

George Harrisson and Jackie Stewart did a TV interview at Donington which, other than confirming what a wonderful person Gunnar was, also heavily promoted the Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Cancer Foundation, set up by Gunnar himself in the final weeks of his life before he died, to generate funds for cancer research.

At the same time George Harrison's famous "Faster" single was released with proceeds from the record sales donated to Gunnar's fund


Anyway another of the Brabham from Donington that weekend, with Piquet at the wheel..... not the best quality but....

[EB]

A bit of trivia for you is that, from all accounts it was the final competition event for James Hunt

Not of any kind, he raced in that Merc saloon event to "celebrate" the Ersatzring in 1984, and took part in Driving Force in 1985

[Everso Biggyballies]

A bit of trivia for you is that, from all accounts it was the final competition event for James Hunt

Not of any kind, he raced in that Merc saloon event to "celebrate" the Ersatzring in 1984, and took part in Driving Force in 1985

I stand corrected. Thanks. I will revise that to the last time he competed in an F1 car. I will edit my original post to correct.

As far as I can determine "Driving Force" was very much none F1

Famous personalities are teamed with equally celebrated professional drivers to race bulldozers, buses, rally cars and army transporters, to complete a Trials Cars circuit and then have a puncture. Actor Oliver Tobias joins Britain's most successful rally driver, Roger Clark. Tom O'Connor becomes Britain's fastest comedian with the help of Grand Prix driver John Watson. Sarah Kennedy is with Britain's last World Grand Prix champion, James Hunt. Pink Floyd's Nick Mason has driven regularly in the Le Mans 24 hours race and now joins World Landspeed record holder Richard Noble.

A quick look around confirms he drove the #15 car at that 1984 'Nürburgring' (Ersatzring) Champions’ Cup and here is a pic in the paddock.



Another where you an just see the Hunt name on the screen, pre race, back in the right hand lane


And a better one on track.

[EB]

I love how I throw you crumbs and get a three course meal in return