European Clap Back: This Film From The 1971 Questor Grand Prix At Ontario Is Amazing

Back in the late 1950s American Indy Car drivers mosted likely to Italy to handle the very best Formula One drivers in the most effective Formula One cars at Monza. Two times they went and twice they brought the boasting legal rights house. The “Race of Two Worlds” seemed to answer the concern regarding which style of auto was much better on a massive oval … but what concerning a roadway training course?

The 1971 Questor Grand Prix was developed to respond to that question in a somewhat different fashion. A non factors collecting F1 race, it matched the best F1 vehicle drivers of the era versus the most effective Americans at Ontario Motor Speedway’s high speed roadway program. The catch? The Americans were driving Formula A or Formula 5000 vehicles. It was a battle of stock block little variation V8 engines against Ferrari V12 mills, MATRA 12 cylinders, Cosworth DFVs and also others.

The Formula 5000 series was truly taking off in appeal in the USA as well as it made sense. The vehicles seemed outstanding with open headered V8 engines of 5.0 L variation and they were way less expensive to run than an F1 car. As you’ll hear Mark Donohue says, concerning 10x less expensive at the time.

One issue. They were heavier, they had a higher center of gravity, and they didn’t always have the framework tech that the F1 automobiles did. That would certainly prove troublesome throughout the race.

As you will see, the F1 group obtains one back on the American machines right here however Mark Donohue confirmed that driving skill might at the very least maintain an F5000 cars and truck in the conversation. Likewise, the fact that an American won in a European automobile type of knocked the edge off too.

An one-time event, this movie is a wonderful historic document!

Press play below to see this emphasize film from the 1971 Questor Grand Prix–