Grand Prix Page #7

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on this 2.6- Mile Zandvoort circuit...

... is one minute, 27. 1.

Now, here's Stoddard's best lap.

One minute, 25.9.

The fastest lap ever on this circuit.

What a wonderful comeback

for this brave young driver.

What a shame.

He's falling off.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Then it seems to be all right?

Of course it seems to be all right.

It's always all right when you're around.

Then there is nothing wrong, is there?

It stuck in practice yesterday,

and it still doesn't feel right.

- But it doesn't stick now!

- I'm telling you, it does!

Jean-Pierre, just because

you have been running badly lately...

...it's no reason

to take these things out on me.

If you want a day off this afternoon,

just say so.

I'm here to race. Understand?

- To race.

- Okay, be quiet.

There you are, my beauty.

- See if it's all there, will you, my man?

- It better all be there. Half of it's mine.

Does that look like $ 17,000 to you?

Yeah.

Marvel.

That's what you are, Scott.

A bloody marvel.

Here. You know,

of course, what you did here.

I know. I don't have to

see it up there to know.

It's bad enough to lose

without having to watch yourself do it.

What's the point of this anyway?

To see if we can determine

why you are losing.

Well, you're not gonna find

the answer up there.

What about your other two drivers?

Why aren't they here? Why only me?

Because they are not winners.

But you are.

You are losing to a man who needs...

...almost to be carried

to and from his car.

How can that be?

Because he's driving better than I am.

He's making fewer mistakes.

- That's why anyone wins.

- Exactly.

Now, shall we turn our attention

to the mistakes?

About-face.

By the left, quick march.

Today's British Grand Prix will be Nino

Barlini's first race here at Brands Hatch.

But his teammate, Jean-Pierre Sarti

of France, the number-one Ferrari driver...

... and Pete Aron of the Yamura team,

have both driven before...

... here on England's premier circuit.

The second Yamura driver, Tim Randolph,

comes from the United States...

... as does Pete Aron, who's already won

the Belgian and German Grand Prixs.

There are 24 starters in this British Grand

Prix. They're on the dummy grid now...

... getting last-minute instructions

from the team managers.

There's BRM driver, Bob Turner.

Mr. Yamura himself is with Pete Aron.

And there's the winner of the last three

Grand Prixs, Scott Stoddard...

... who's still recovering

from his Monte Carlo injuries...

... and leads the World Championship

with two races to go.

There's Jimmy Clark, the Scotsman,

who has twice been world champion.

That's the signal to clear the grid.

The engines are starting.

The mechanics and photographers

are moving off the track.

Now the field rolls forward

to the final grid...

... where they'll be held for a few seconds

before the starter drops the Union Jack...

... and then the British Grand Prix

will be under way.

In the lead after 15 laps

is Scott Stoddard...

... but he's losing ground now.

Stoddard, in the dark-green BRM

number four, made a slow start...

... then worked his way

to the front of the field.

During the first 12 laps

he built up a substantial lead.

- But his lap times are slower now...

- His lap times are awfully erratic.

- On the BRM. They're Barlini, number 18,

who was just ahead...

... of number 17, Jean-Pierre Sarti,

14, Pete Aron, and 11, Jochen Rindt.

These three are having a great dice

for third place.

At Bottom Bend,

Stoddard lost three more places.

If he keeps missing shifts,

the car will never last.

It'll last longer than he will.

He's finished already.

Barlini's the leader,

but he's not far ahead of Sarti and Aron.

Here's Stoddard coming into the pits

very slowly.

Goodness, he looks as if

he's on the edge of collapse.

What a shame,

he was driving a beautiful race.

Scott Stoddard

does seem to be in a bad way.

His retirement certainly puts

a new complexion on the race.

Barlini leads, but Ferrari team leader

Sarti, Aron...

... and Rindt, all have

the Sicilian in their sights.

A tremendous battle for second place

between Sarti and Aron.

Although there's one more World

Championship race to go at Monza in Italy...

... the result here at Brands Hatch

is very important to both these men.

Izo Yamura himself is dedicated to winning

the Constructors Championship...

... and Aron is his only hope

here at Brands.

His second car, driven by Tim Randolph,

blew up its engine early in the race.

Here comes the leader, Barlini.

He's not far ahead

of Sarti, Aron and Rindt.

One lap to go.

Sarti and Aron are close to Barlini.

- The last lap.

- Aron hasn't a chance...

... of getting past both Ferraris. This is

going to be the most exciting finish...

... of the Grand Prix season so far.

At Bottom Bend, the first four

are nose-to-tail: Barlini, Sarti, Aron, Rindt.

Barlini dare not let Sarti through.

It's much too dodgy

with the Yamura right behind.

Look. He's spilling something.

Looks like fuel.

Gas leaking?

As they come into Clearways,

Barlini's still in front.

The Yamura's smoking badly. It's on fire.

He's on fire!

The Yamura's second,

ahead of Sarti's Ferrari. It's on fire.

It's well and truly on fire.

But Aron's not slowing.

He's gonna beat Sarti to the finish.

There's the flag, Barlini wins for Ferrari.

Aron's second and Sarti third.

The Yamura's

pulling off the track.

There are flames shooting out of the back

of the car. Let's hope Aron can get out.

There's a fire crew right there.

He should be all right.

He's rolled out of the car.

Keep back. Keep back.

What a shambles. Some of the crowd

are rushing to the fire, and Sarti's stopping.

He's going to see

if there's anything he can do.

Izo Yamura's also running

across the track with Tim Randolph.

From here, it looks

as though Pete Aron's on his feet.

- He must be okay...

- Are you all right?

- I'm okay.

- For the last few seconds of the race.

I'm okay. I'm okay.

- Are you all right?

- Yeah, what'd we make?

- Second.

- I'm a regular ball of fire.

A fire like this is what these drivers

are most afraid of.

Nowadays their fireproof overalls

give them a good deal of protection.

- Get out of here!

- Photographers must keep back.

Please keep back.

Nino Barlini's up there on the trailer

ready to go around on his lap of honor.

The team manager of Ferrari is there too.

And there's a beautiful bird coming up

to join him on the trailer.

Hey, Nino.

Nino Barlini, excuse me. Congratulations.

- How do you feel after that victory?

- Thank you.

My neck hurts, my leg.

My hand is bleeding. And I feel wonderful.

Well, I don't know

if you've had time to realize it...

...but this means that you're one point

ahead of Sarti and Stoddard...

...and two points ahead of Pete Aron.

- Of course I realize it.

And with one race to go at Monza...

...the man who wins at Monza

will be the world champion.

I am the man.

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