Tag Archives: Le Mans

The Crest of a Wave

In recent years the films, Truth in 24 have quite rightly paid tribute to the fantastic victories scored by Audi in 2008 and 2011, against all odds. However even those achievements are dwarfed when set against the performance of Jacky Ickx, Jürgen Barth and Hurley Haywood some 35 years ago.

The story of how this trio climbed from 42nd place to win against a huge squad of Renaults is an epic one and the drama continued right to the final lap as the Porsche’s engine suffered piston failure while in the lead. Jürgen Barth coaxed the 936 round the track twice to take the flag while one cylinder was blanked off.

Jacky Ickx’s contribution was recorded by the Great Man, Norbert Singer, in his book 24:16

“Ickx amazed us all. He was in the car for more than seven and half hours during the night, and he broke the lap record time after time in the dark. He spent a total of eleven hours in the car, having taken it over four and half hours after the start. Later he told us that it was the hardest race of his life.”

Real Men, Real Racing………….that is the Truth in 24.

John Brooks, June 2012

An Ecstasy of Fumbling

Slick pitwork is the key to success at Le Mans, arguably more important than outright speed on the track. All the teams use every opportunity to rehearse their routines, so that the whole process becomes seamless.

This is the part of the job that the fans do not see, nor truly appreciate, but it is nonetheless vital.

John Brooks, June 2012

Time For The Countdown

As we approach June and the annual run at La Sarthe, one of the questions out there is can Tom Kristensen add to his tally of wins, taking his record even further out of sight?

Marvin Gaye’s “A Funky Space Reincarnation” gave us all something catchy to sing along to when thinking back on TK’s time in l’Ouest.

“One Fun, Two You, Three Me, Four More, Five No Jive, Six No Tricks, Seven We in Heaven, Eight Everything is Straight, Nine Fine, Ten…Let’s Do It Again………..

John Brooks, May 2012


 

Traditional Values

As I sit in my office trying to dream up ways of avoiding doing the jobs that are urgent, my mind wanders. Today it struck me that the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, normally great custodians of tradition, have casually let go one of the most popular elements of the great race over the past 30 years. I refer of course to the Hawaiian Tropic Girls.

Back in the mists of time when I first was granted a press pass for Les Vingt-Quatre Heures du Mans, one of the assignments that I had from the agency was to make sure I got some frames of the girls. Well as those of you who know me will attest I am diligent on such matters. The 1984 crop was a vintage one and very well recorded for posterity.

Fast forward to 2008. I got a request from Stuart Radnofsky to go down into the pitlane and shoot some girls around a car. Of course it being Stuart I knew that it was the HT crew.

Oddly enough I had plenty of volunteers to assist me with this arduous task and I could have done with a squad of the SAS to keep the mobs at bay. Nevertheless with the cooperation of the Team Bruichladdich I managed to get material for the client.

I am normally ambivalent when it comes to grid girls at the races. Sure they are for the most part easier on the eye than the mechanics and drivers……and let’s not mention the media……but the spectacle of middle aged guys drooling over pretty girls half their age is repellent and pathetic in equal measure…….you know who you are, so stop it now!

But the Hawaiian Tropic Girls were different, here was a tradition that stretched back into the last century, they should be returned to La Sarthe in time for this year’s contest. And yes, I did get paid to shoot the girls….Living The Dream? Oh Yesssss.

John Brooks, January 2012

I See It Shining Plain………..

The internet has for the most part been beneficial to me. It allows me to conduct what passes for my business in some sort of order and it has introduced me to many good people around the globe. It is also the biggest time waster invented since bureaucrats crawled out of the swamps in Jurassic times, but I digress.

Michael Keyser is someone who should be familiar to sportscar fans, especially the more fanatical amongst you. Real anoraks will recall him winning the 1976 Sebring 12 Hours with Al Holbert, well the few that were sober at that particular event. As the doyen of chassis plate fondlers, Janos Wimpffen, describes the scene in his epic work Time and Two Seats.

“None of the on-track incidents were as thrilling as those of the notorious Green Park spectator area. Several large bonfires had been started, wild parties were in full swing, and one section by Turn Seven had been taken over by a motorcycle gang. In full view of the passing race cars, a woman mounted a bike and performed a striptease. Needless to say, lap times slowed considerably.”

Typical of me to miss fun like that, still ’76 was the long, hot summer of James Hunt and I am sure that he would have enjoyed racing in such conditions. I certainly have some vague memories of a few wild days myself that year, it was the spirit of the time, but perhaps I imagined it all.

Michael Keyser is also known for his work as an author and film maker, in particular “A French Kiss With Death” about Steve McQueen and the making of the movie Le Mans.

Le Mans is certainly a candidate for the Oscar awarded to maddest film ever conceived. No plot to speak of, no dialogue really and obsessively focused on a race that most the audience had never heard of. It was a commercial disaster when released but since has grown to achieve cult status. Partly this is a consequence of the purity of the production, no CGI and McQueen’s insistence on emulating real racing from the time rather than allowing a Hollywood blockbuster approach.

Perhaps the greatest appeal lies in the cast of cars, Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s, surely some of the most evocative racers ever run. Like racing dragonflies they emerged in mid-69 and were gone by ’71. A golden time immortalised on screen, we can all be young again while drinking at this fountain of youth.

Steve McQueen was the coolest guy on the planet when he started making the film, he had just enjoyed huge success with Bullitt and here were the coolest cars, at the coolest race. What could go wrong?

Well that answer to that question judged in the long term, is not much. That is why the original book about the film sold so well, that and the fact it is a well researched and written account.

Les Vingt-Quatre Heures du Mans tends to attract obsessives and Hollywood’s version of the race receives similar attention, hence the raison d’être of this photo book. It is produced to the usual high standard associated with any Michael Keyser project. For those interested in the movie and its background, these images will add to their understanding and enjoyment of the film.

The majority of the shots were taken by the great photographer, Nigel Snowden. I was lucky enough to meet him in my early days trackside. He and his charming wife, Diana, were always very gracious to a complete no hoper like myself. The monochrome images have a depth to them that reflects a master at work. Despite what many of the up and comers of today imagine, there is nothing new in the world of photography. Composition, the ability to see the finished product before firing the shutter, is as important today as it always has been. The images in this book could act as a guide to many, of course they are too talented to see that.

The whole story of the process of making the film is covered from the planned mayhem inflicted on two Lola T70s, disguised as a 917 and a 512.

Art imitates life and as with real racing back then, there were unplanned accidents, this one costing David Piper his leg.

Perhaps the question is why should you buy this book ? That almost answers itself. Anyone who has more than a passing interest in the McQueen epic will enjoy this book, it has integrity and is a faithful depiction of the greatest movie ever made, or likely to be made, about the sport.

And who can resist this iconic, very British gesture, The Longbowman Salute? We have been winding up the French with it since Agincourt. Clearly Steve was one of us………………..

Those who might like to purchase a copy of this book can do so HERE

Apologies for the poor quality of the scans,

John Brooks, January 2012

Living The Dream

Very ‘appy

Back in late 1997 I decided to leave work and go motor racing. I would earn a crust as a photographer, well it should be easy enough, look at all the guys in F1, driving flash cars and living in big houses.

In common with most snappers of the time I was technologically illiterate and failed to see the massive iceberg on the horizon, the cheap DSLR. Sure there were some strange contraptions around that were “digital” but they cost a year’s salary and produced tiny images, OK for the Fleet Street Boys but not for us artists. Kodachrome and Velvia were our weapons of choice. It proved to be taking a knife to a gun fight. Since then, Titanic-like, we have sailed at full pelt into this object, wrecking our businesses in the process. It was going to be great, no more loading or buying  film, no more processing, no more chemicals, no more screwed up shots. It was all going to be easy.

Well that bit we got right, but the law of unintended consequences also followed. If it got easier for us, then the same would apply to those who wished to enjoy the hero status of being a professional motorsport photographer, now you struggle to give work away.

Red On Green

But at least we were living the dream.

Momo

The first race I shot as a full time Pro was the 1998 Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. It seemed a great adventure at the time, my costs paid for by the charming Laurence Pearce of Lister Cars fame. I thought that this was how it was going to be, travelling around at someone else’s expense, shooting race cars and getting paid for it. What a fool believes……………….

Keep The Flame Burning

The winner of that race in Florida was one Gianpiero Moretti, who owned the fabulous Ferrari 333 SP that he drove to victory with Mauro Baldi, Arie Luyendyk and Didier Theys. “Momo” had chased success over many years in IMSA and 1998 he won the Big Three, Daytona, Sebring and Watkins Glen. Not bad for a guy in his late-50’s.

The news came down the Mojo wire at the weekend that Moretti had passed away, another good man gone. Living The Dream…….some get to do it better than others…………Rest In Peace, Momo.

John Brooks, January 2012

Ain’t No Brakeman

Tree Fellers

Preparing tax returns and generally clearing the office I stumble across a copy of “Pursuit of Perfection” made by an old mucker of mine for McLaren. Of course any distraction is welcome, but this stuff is pure gold, back in one of my favourite times.

The Bells Toil

That year I shot for Harrods amongst others, and their entry was in the hunt for victory right till the end. But it was the Ueno Clinic backed entry, run by Paul Lanzante that triumphed.

Prelude To A Kiss

On the film the first lap was electric, with Yannick Dalmas in the driver’s seat and some of the slickest camera work and editing ever seen on a motorsports video. Add to this the wailing sound track of V12 BMW overlaid by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers pounding out “Ain’t No Brakeman” and it is getting into perfection territory……….JuJu of the strongest kind. You can judge for youreselves HERE

NO TYRE CHANGE! NO TYRE CHANGE

Of the many highlights on the film, two have stuck with me on this viewing. The expression of wonder in the voice of Paul Lanzante at the pace of JJ Lehto during the very wet night. “We set a time to maintain throughout the race, 4 minutes 10 seconds. I think JJ thought he had to do that in the wet……………

Better Days

Then the final scene brings a lump to my throat as Soames Langton, who had helped his friend Lanzante at the race, sprayed Champagne all over those standing in the pitbox. It was a time of great happiness.

Rest in Peace Soames

God Speed JJ

John Brooks, December 2011