1970 - A Year To Remember - John Wyer's Gulf Porsche 917 team

A wonderful period film detailing the 1970 World Sportscar Championship as remembered by John Wyer with appearances by Pedro Rodriguez, Jo Siffert, Leo Kinnunen, Brian Redman and many others. Porsche 917, Ferarri 512, Porsche 908 Mk3 Spyder and footage of Daytona, Le Mans, Spa-Francorchamps, Sebring, Targa Florio and many others...

[@probablygraham]

My brother worked for John Wyer when they won Le Mans with the Mirage in 1975. He used to find old (junk) bits of 917 in the factory which he would bring home and I would mount them on my moped. I definitely had the only moped with a cooling hose from a 917 blowing on the engine :-)

[@georgebuller1914]

Good job Porsche never found out! ;-)

[@probablygraham]

@@georgebuller1914 - it was basically junk which was lying around. They had stopped racing the 917s and were racing the Gulf Mirage when my brother worked there. (Well that's my excuse anyway LOL)

[@jackinabox8497]

I'm about to be 58 years old, yet i remember going to my local Angling Club rooms, sitting on "fold up", chairs, with my dad, and an uncle and a returned Vietnam Vetran, who was my uncles best mate and we watched this film and another similar type film about Giagimo Agostini, on his MV AUGUSTA, both were in color, which was a real treat because we didn't have a colour TV until after 1975. Every last Wednesday of every month, the Angling Club, ran a film night and i don't remember missing many of those fantastic nights, watching colour films, from all around the world, about the many sports and champions, either from old history, recent history or just generally about a certain sport, with spectacular footage, (for that era), making my young self, feel as if i was there with the characters on the screen. Fangio and Agostini, were idols of mine for years, then came Phil Crump ( solo speedway bike champion ) and then Barry Sheen, on his insane tripple cylinder 750cc Suzuki 2 stroke and Greg Hansford on his lime green KAWASAKI. Thankyou for re-ignighting, those extremely fond memories, from a simpler time of my youth, when racing cars and racing motor bikes, were the dominant factors, in my young impressionable life, heart and soul. A real trip down memory lane. Be safe, well, healthy, happy and free mate and thankyou so much, once again. Bob. Australia.

[@arthurteo5795]

The true heroes of a racing era fraught with dangers unseen today. These were real men of courage, dare and skill that will never be matched. Their names will live on in perpetuity.

[@thejerseyj9422]

A fantastic look at what I consider the pinnacle of the golden era of motor racing.

[@bobnoblesjr.465]

Now THIS is racing! No paddle shifters, with hard running and great sounding engines!

[@michaelpierce5633]

I grew up with this racing. In my opinion nothing comes close...long before corporate domination..just watch the skill of the drivers ..all of them..no technology here...John Wyers narrative brings it all back too. Fabulous days never to be repeated

[@luizclaudio5341]

Pedro Rodrigues × Porche 917 dupla perfeita.

[@richardobeto]

What can i say? My favorite race driver and my favorite reace car Pedro & Porsche!

[@JosephDungee]

The Following year - 1971... Pedro Rodríguez and Jo "Seppi" Siffert would lose their lives doing the thing they loved. Rest In Peace

[@dprider02]

Great film! I attended the 6 hour race at Watkins Glen in 1971, and got to see the Gulf 917's driven by Jo Siffert and Derek Bell up close and personal. A 3 liter Alfa driven by Ronnie Peterson won the race, but what a treat to see those mighty 917's hammering down the back straight in the rain (no bus stop chicane back then) with a huge plume of spray, making that glorious noise! The Porsche 917 has been my all time favorite race car ever since!

[@silvestrerevueltas]

pedro rodriguez, a truly fearless driver

[@silvestrerevueltas]

yeah. a true racer.

[@sharpsdoublerifle1439]

Back when I raced endores in the early 90's against Rosler, Fredette, the only way to win was on the hairy edge, safe means slow. You tell those guys, shirts ripped to sheds and bleeding.

[@stevenc8140]

It is So Very Sad to know that both Pedro and Siffert were dead within a year! I believe Pedro was one of (if not the) Best Formula One Drivers.....EVER!!!

[@Skydrag.V60]

Steve Neun that’s a weird way to spell Fangio

[@hellknightf1]

@@Skydrag.V60 lEwIs hAmIlToN iS tHe bEsT

[@brucekirkpatrick3653]

Saw Pedro and Ickx at Zandvoort leave the spinning Cosworth powered cars utterly behind in brutal, cold, driving rain in their V12s. Pedro BRM, Ickx in Ferrari.. Spellbinding mastery! Modern F1 is rubbish in comparison.

[@EynerZagal]

@@brucekirkpatrick3653 What About The BOAC 1000km at Brands Hatch in 1970 With Rodriguez

[@brucekirkpatrick3653]

@@EynerZagal also a beyond drive in rain. A 917 was a true beast in any conditions. Siffert and Rodriguez side by side, down the hill at Spa!!! Modern drivers cannot be compared to these men!! A few current drivers might make it, but not likely. Hamilton would be absolutely lost without his therapist on the radio. German GP, Fangio, the old Nurburgring, 1957, no radios, no guardrails, Maserati 250F. Greatest GP drive, period!! Can be seen as film. Carrera Panamericana, drivers are heroes, and utterly mad. Targa Florio, 44 miles, repeated, around Sicily, over narrow roads, through stone-walled villages. The current crop are hothouse orchids. Nope, no GOATs here.

[@perez5249]

This era of racing is why I fell in love with cars. I remember watching these races on TV as a kid. I had numerous HO, Tyco and Aurora AFX scale electric race car tracks with all of the Can Am era and 60's muscle car replicas. Great era of huge 4.5 and 5 liter 12 cylinder monsters from Ferrari, Porsche, Alfa, McLaren, etc. The men that drove these things were sheer animals on the tracks all around the world. We're fortunate to have these old films to watch today.

[@GottliebGoltz]

Amen.!

[@williamford9564]

As a 12 year old, my introduction to racing was watching the USA's ABC Wide World of Sports condensed replay of the 1971 24 Hours of LeMans and I was hooked. The only other race shown in the US was the last race of the season at Watkins Glen but I followed the races in the newspapers and also started following the open wheel USAC series in America which included the Indy 500. Sadly, Pedro died in a crash in the summer of 1971 and the story was front page news of the sports section of our local newspaper.

[@stephan4750]

God bless for this upload. In Germany we say "Großartig"

[@patomadrazo4826]

Pedro ... the best in the rain always !!

[@alfonsoarredondo2761]

And Ayrton Semana too .

[@gabogtzgtz5126]

Pedro Rodrigez was amazing driver ever!

[@SINISTERINVESTMENT]

+luis gabriel gutierrez compadre.

[@gabogtzgtz5126]

Saludos!

[@mariapires7170]

A magnificient racing era where the most beuatiful racing cars ever, were present! Those were the cars,drivers and teams that make me a racing fan since then! Today is only politics and millions,defenitly is not the same thing and doesn´t had the same charisma! Stay safe!

[@2musicnut]

What a year ! To experience the elation of seeing Rodriguez win at Brands in the rain and later to suffer the depression of seeing Siffert die at Brands ( my wife never visited a motor race again ) . The 917 provided a pinnacle of motor racing thrills.

[@XACMF]

What a beauty of show!!! and to see Pedro Rodriguez chatting about his 1970 season with JW is priceless!! What a gem in youtube. thanks for sharing!

[@kendodd8734]

Is it me or did motor racing back then just seem so much more glamorous exciting and real today it just seems so boring by comparison with no panache think I’ve gotta take these rose tinted specs off

[@XACMF]

@@kendodd8734 nope! I’m with you! those years were magic! and the way those films were made add- to the nostalgia. Cheers!

[@JulioHernandez-zs5pb]

Pedro Rodriguez era mas idolo en el extranjero que en Mexico! Grande Pedro!

[@Zongooo]

This is the first time I've heard Pedro Rodriguez's voice. Good post.

[@2007Colonial]

Just imagine a 160mph lap of the old Spa, faster than F1. Pedro was a man with courage and sublime skill!

[@barath4545]

Aye and that's including a rising crest chicane(Masta kink) which means next to zero downforce or even lift(not the speeder, the car), exiting the chicane at 180 mph on the straight! That detail is so scary to imagine.

[@easternwoods4378]

Just watching the 917's blowing by on the high side at 1:30 WOW

[@shorty808100]

Could you imagine the old Mansann straight it went from the town of Le Man to the town of Mansann if memory serves it was a 36 mile straight away, I wish you could still run the old spa layout

[@Jarmo60]

Well Pedro was good driver, but usually his team friend Leo Kinnunen was faster.

[@Joe-wj7ku]

Infuriating that there isn't more comprehensive footage of the 1970 race.

[@TheGeoff2209]

yep I had the pleasure of meeting pedro...great little driver..awesome in fact..along with jackie ickx ...but then the G.T.40 and 917 of j.w.a. are legendary

[@Demun1649]

June 02, 1970, was the date when 1970 stopped being great, and motor racing lost me as a regular supporter. I lost a good friend on that day, one of the very best drivers in the history of motor racing, one of the very best designers, one of the very best constructors, one of the very best engineers. The world just turned a lot darker. Even now I cannot waste my time on modern stuff, it has to be Classics.

[@jamesallen7601]

how I wish I could have been there as well!!!!! I have loved the 917 all my life!!!!

[@demelzo]

Saw the no.2 917 today at goodwood, my favourite car of the day and that's a compliment considering the others that were there!

[@homebeforedark9764]

Many years ago I had John Wyer, Bill France sr., Bill France jr., and Charley Turner (Atlanta Aston Martin Dealer) sitting at a table in my motor home at Road Atlanta. I had a camera but did not think about taking a picture.

[@aureliobrighton1871]

Although from southern Germany, as a kid I never quite fell in love with Porsche racing cars (let alone BMW of my hometown). The only one was 917 for obvious reasons. With all that great documentation and videos available now and learning about miraculous personalities like Monsieur Siffert and Señor Rodriguez it seems a late romance has begun 🌷.

[@windyworm]

I was at Brands and saw this......... fabulous!!

[@daleskidmore1685]

A great film this, enjoyed it very much. Wonderful cars and amazing drivers, real heroes. Things have come on a lot since those days in car, circuit and marshal safety, thankfully. Thanks for sharing.

[@tem0079]

Motorsport was just so much better back then. Amazing video

[@archielymke1027]

Wonderful the 917

[@luckey4980]

What a great video! Thank you SO much for posting it; These were the days of the greatest sports-prototypes ever raced. The 917 was one of the greatest Racing Cars ever made, I believe. And boy, they were fast and spectacular. Absolutely brilliant! Thanks again. PS: At Sebring, even the Space-shuttle joined in!!

[@Pulsonar]

Very insightful, brings back memories of me lining up my Matchbox car models on the living room carpet ;) trying to re-create a battle between the legendary Ford GT40 and the phenomenal Porsche 917L/K

[@dutchvideomaker8120]

Pulsonar childhood Good times

[@toddmuckelvane1866]

I did that to Porsche rarely lost

[@tmerizan]

Yeah, me too! As a kid I always pretended I was behind the wheel of a 917!

[@nordimejia5790]

No shaky GO-PRO shots (in HD!). Just a well made documentary.

[@Zoomer30]

They could do Go-Pro style shots, but it required about 20 pounds of equipment (litterly strapped a movie camera to the car)

[@georgebuller1914]

Ah, 'the good old days' - when 'saving the planet' wasn't even a phrase - let alone a chore.......

[@Zoomer30]

Back when computer software would just ask for two numbers when inputting a year (19XX was assumed, everyone knew that the world would be a glowing radioactive cinder by 2000)

[@anderslind6833]

Actually,they were saving the planet by not purposely try too starve the plants and trees even more. Tesla = Forest killer

[@davidlong1786]

Things were already going downhill even before then. Oil and coal production ramping up, passenger jets becoming more numerous. Air pollution devices on cars just beginning to be addressed.

[@thorstenfriedemann7784]

8:32 insane skills

[@twillis449]

Porsche 917 - one of the greatest sportscar racing machines of all time. Engineers were still learning about aerodynamics and according to Brian Redman these beasts were really hairy to drive.

[@twillis449]

Also interesting to see the Targa Florio - open road racing in Sicily without a single safety feature. I'd like to see what Lewis Hamilton would do in such a situation!

[@sonicstep]

He'd do what all serious racers would do if given the opportunity; race.

[@Karibanu]

IIRC Rolf Stommelen was the only works driver brave enough to qualify properly at the '69 LM,& he said he used literally all the road on the Mulsanne, the car was just wandering everywhere. All because nobody knew of the benefits of downforce or really understood lift & straight-line speed was all - and these things were considerably quicker than anything previous. Next year they & Wyer started adding spoilers in a test & it got better & better, so they ended up with the 917K by building up the bodywork & it all clicked. Of course the US was a couple of years ahead at that point but CanAm cars could afford to drag giant wings around.

[@d.e.b.b5788]

He'd die. Today's drivers take chances that no one would years ago, because they would get killed. F1 drivers only had a one in three chance of completing their careers alive. The rest? All dead. Today virtually all drivers walk away from accidents. Years ago, most burned in the fires. Today, fire is almost unheard of when accidents happen, it used to be very, very common.

[@paulcaswell2813]

Illustrated superbly by the miracle of Lauda at the 'Ring.

[@turboslag]

The 917, one of the top ten most iconic race cars ever!! I wonder if Porsches concept was, if one flat 6 is good, 2 flat sixes joined together must be better?! JW, did he ever smile? He always looked as though he was in minor discomfort!

[@a34rwl]

+turboslag Like a piece of shrapnel had moved

[@turboslag]

Steve Berry Good comment, and very likely!

[@paulcaswell2813]

Ex-Military. Stiff upper lip, y'know.

[@jeannaiplus5413]

50 ans aprés on ne vous oublie pas champions, héros à jamais

[@johndeere1951a]

A golden year for PORSCHE 🏆 I collected all those victory posters at the time. Still treasure them. Add the McQueen movie and yer in 917 heaven 🏁🏁🏁🏁🏁

[@375GTB]

I saw Rodriguez win the 1964 2000 Km. Continental In his NART '64 250 GTO... Drifting the infield 180 behind the pits, Classically on skinny Dunlop R4's... Beating al the SA AC Cobras... J.C.

[@Hasseta]

best video on youtube and it's about the best era of the le mans prototypes!

[@MarttiSuomivuori]

In war times, those guys would be the prime fighter pilots. It is a different animal, totally. When I was a kid, these people were my idols. John Wyer is one of the answers to 'how the hell did they manage the Battle of Britain'. Your country needs you now. BTW feels good to see Leksa (Leo Kinnunen) in full form.

[@the.flat.six.]

What a year for Porsche 917.

[@michaelmartinez1345]

Very interesting film... The aerodynamics became a very important aspect of these cars as well, as the technicians tried different shapes in the rear of these cars, that greatly helped their handling and efficiency at high speeds... This was also the time that several aerodynamic changes, radically improved the handling and efficiency of the large stock cars at Super-speedways of several American NASCAR Events.. . The INDY TYPE USAC cars, and drag racing cars also had vast improvements in aerodynamics...

[@DickHertz247]

This is just great. I love the 917 - my All-Time-Favorite-Race-Car. I recently bought three (!) big coffee-table-books telling the whole story. As a Kid, being Age of 8 to 9, must have been in 1971, my Brother and me both had a 917 K with an electric "Fly-By-Wire"-Remote. So we walked 3 feet behind the cars, rolling across the carpet... This wasnt enough - so I mounted a 6V-Battery inside to deliver some Power to the 2 headlights I installed by using light bulbs from a bicycle lamp. I was proud!

[@ericmeechglobalnetwork2273]

great old film, thank you.

[@mortenfrosthansen84]

Nice one Dick.. The first time I went to Le Mans in 1995 I saw a video of the Gulf team racing history. The next year again in Le Mans I had saved up money to buy a 1970 917K 1:18 model of the car made in 1985. It cost 750 francs, about 150 $. I never used it so it's still in mint condition... and i was 12 years old at that time

[@McLarenMercedes]

Hm, I am fairly certain they didn't race the Porsche 917 at Targa Florio. Instead Porsche used the 908/3. Likewise Ferrari didn't race their 512S and 512M there but used the 312PB.

[@rickintexas1584]

What a great video.

[@oldtimer7635]

Leo Kinnunen, the first Finnish driver at that level, and the first to drive F1. Rest is history...Rosberg, Häkkinen, Kimi, Rosberg Jr (Niko) (half Finnish). ; )

[@WikiRacing]

The legendary team to endurance racers!!!

[@golf1139]

best team !!

[@fedbet909]

21:51!!!! They both slide!

[@warneydefreitasjuniorfreit3799]

Para mim a Porsche é o melhor carro do mundo!!!

[@SuperExcedrin]

It's too bad CFD aero programs don't spit out cars as beautiful as the 917.

[@bjwhitegti]

SuperExcedrin You mean you don't like the 919 Hybrid? Barf...cough...barf..... haha....

[@turboslag]

+bjwhitegti Yeah, the current era of race cars are undoubtedly fast and efficient but grief, are they ugly!! Why not incorporate an aesthetic factor into the design process? So many race cars from the past managed on the 'if it looks good, it's right' philosophy, it's a pity it can't apply now. Current F1 cars are vile looking things, except in detail, and sound crap too!

[@sonicstep]

If you want change, you'll have to introduce a new class of racing series, but of course you need to have money and influence; in that order.

[@singleturbosupra7951]

+turboslag F1 cars look the way they look because regulations. And I don't know is it because of me being engineering-minded or what but imo the current WEC cars look quite good

[@bjwhitegti]

I'm engineering minded and the current WEC cars are hideous. :)

[@jonnysl6560]

BRILLIANT

[@McLarenMercedes]

Thanks, must have been something special to see the Ferrari 512's at Targa Florio. Or the Targa Florio during any year.

[@deco983]

Awesome!

[@duckman5642]

great great vid thax

[@vianchis5257]

The porsche 917 is a monster in the srike

[@JoshTheBassist]

The race schedule of that year.. I wish I attended each one.

[@Pulsonar]

Blimey, Wyer was a bit of an old boy, well I never! Wyer certainly had a cultured and bespoke Public school educated way about him, a bit of the Biggles spirit too in good measure. Characters like that make you take an interest in things that you would otherwise ignore!

[@jackallen6562]

I was trying to describe why I thought he seemed like a character from central casting, and I think you just did. That cigarette drag around 20:00 - David Niven couldn't nail it that well in one take.

[@Pulsonar]

:) I like the David Niven reference, very apt.

[@doctorleitz4795]

If he relaxed his arsehole, his face would fall off.

[@mikeday62]

I would not allow the entire team to ride on top of the 917 for the victory lap. This could bend the appliances.

[@schmivig]

17:50. Massive balls. Two sets.

[@davecom3]

schmivig think how well he’d have to know the machine just to make such a maneuver and the huge risk involved with the change in gradient...balls of steel indeed

[@kellienicolebrooksschettin6598]

God that music of the 70s and late sitar meets Clint Eastwood westerns drama fusion

[@alarconsantos4894]

917 the best(Brasil)

[@rong.7768]

At 9:30, Jo Siffert looks similar to Eddy (Justin Tarr) from the Movie Bullitt. R.I.P

[@104thDIVTimberwolf]

I'd love to see a video of the Marathon de la Route. The 24 Heures du Mans was a sprint, by comparison. Race from Liege to the Nurburgring, 84 hours on the 'Ring, and then back to Liege.

[@gabrieleandrei7855]

917 the best

[@ivetadrike4074]

There was a 917 road car also the 917 sounds like a beast

[@104thDIVTimberwolf]

One guy converted one 917 for road use. Amazing race car. Terrible road car.

[@a34rwl]

' Good evening, Mr. Cholmondley-Warner...'

[@Joseph-su3fc]

What a fun fellow...is easier to understand Pedro's English than JW's 🤔🧐

[@harriclein9659]

i just say PORSCHE 917.unbeatable Race Car.not even Ferraris 512M or Lola or the awesome FORD GT 40 could beat this MIGHTY PORSCHE 917.for me with the Porsche 962 and the Mercedes Benz C1 and C2 Race Cars the best ever competited in a official Race Championship season

[@IamZardoz]

Was it Stommelen or Ludwig or somebody who said he liked the Mulsanne straight (at 230+ mph) because it gave him a chance to puff a quick cigarette?

[@tomwellard8234]

My favourite all time car, great post the circuits then we're incredibly dangerous,and to drive these cars on them circuits,as James Hunt says you need big balls

[@GTfour01]

You're right about the 917 but not the 512's. These did race at the Targa Florio. ;-)

[@craigyirush3492]

Reading Wyer’s ‘The Certain Sound.’ Wonderful book - covers his time at Aston, with Ford, and then Gulf - all told with a dry wit.

[@pezzyy99]

1970 Porsche 917 rules: Siffert, Rodriguez, Marko....

[@juanacosta47]

Fucking love it. Lot of thanks for sharing this :)

[@barryrothwelltaylor6812]

13:45 … unbelievable in this day and age that that was considered normal

[@elwap0]

Pedro Rodrigues....probably the fastest driver...ever

[@markkusaarikangas3861]

Leo Kinnunen!

[@bjwhitegti]

That is rather funny. I never noticed he said "48 hours at Le Mans".

[@alisonleaman333]

I'm sure it SEEMS like 48 hrs for the drivers...!

[@nunchucknads3644]

End of the reign of the Ford GT40.

[@nestorlopez6983]

The best Spot Prototypes without so much technology, aerodynamics, were different identifiable, it was not necessary to be a great expert.

[@robertrigby2028]

Was life better back then? No Was it more free? Yes

[@rollingstopp]

Pushing The Envelope Air Dynamics, Flat Twelve,4 Speed, Liquid Frame

[@MrChristoferJohnson]

What's the Space Shuttle doing there?

[@GottliebGoltz]

197S 70 Gold.

[@dingowild6546]

...to Mr. "McLarenMercedes" below: Wyer re. Targa Florio pointed out exactly the fact you "discovered" so smartly, Porsche used the 908 instead of the 917 as Wyer said, because it was much better suited to the Targa Florio. So what's your point of repeating this information as if it's your fine analytical discovery? Just writing it down for the viewers who happen to be deaf and blind and couldn't understand Wyer? So you're "hm, fairly certain" huh? Good, it proves you have ears and eyes that took in the information Wyer gave. Thanx for repeating it and posing as an insider.

[@yallowrosa]

when car races ... were car races

[@terrycaporn8207]

McQueen second at Sebring Revson drove that car for 80%of the race

[@gamingkingarliejo853]

KZbin channel was made on Friday , April 24, 1970

[@steveelliott241]

i saw a 917 at the porsche headquaters in melbourne australia a few years ago . it was sitting in the showroom so i could have a good look at it in my own time . the welding and general finish of the cabin was very average , the drivers seat was a flimsy looking plastic thing , it just looked like a lethal thing to sit in , never mind driving it at speed

[@aureliobrighton1871]

In other words 'diabolical'.

[@deggis4]

Clearly it is from the Sebring... could be just a very white airplane? :D

[@roelsiebrand7181]

Pedro is reading a cue card...

[@joshporter6444]

Just saw a 917 in real life at a restaurant I went to eat at?

[@bjwhitegti]

Joshua Porter And what restaurant was that?

[@hertzwave8001]

Burger king

[@saxah8362]

This Wyer dude forgot in this document that there was also other fast driver in his team. And this Rodrigues seems forgot that he would have not won any of those races without help from teams other driver Leo Kinnunen.