1977 ROTHMANS INTERNATIONAL SERIES R3 Sandown

[@samlancaster1277]

Greetings from England. Peter Gethin was a lovely guy , always smiling whenever I saw him compete . God bless.

[@colinmunro7337]

6.40 tyre changer bare foot in flares no shirt God bless the 70s!

[@Holden308]

This race was held on 20 February 1977. Following the conclusion of the Rothmans Series in Adelaide a week later, there was a break of 3 weeks until a race meeting at Calder Park in Melbourne. There on 19 March, 1977, Max Stewart was tragically killed in practice. He had pulled out to pass the Begg FM5 of Chas Talbot through a corner, not seeing that in front of Talbot was a slow traveling Vern Schuppan heading for the pits with a mechanical issue (the pits at Calder were then located on the inside of the main straight). Stewart's Lola T400 hit the back of the Elfin MR8-C at over 160 km/h (100 mph) before then hitting the outside wall. Schuppan suffered minor injuries. Unfortunately the front of the Lola was destroyed and Max Stewart suffered fatal head injuries (the front stay of the car's roll bar went through his helmet visor). After being cut from the car, he was transported by helicopter to the Royal Melbourne Hospital where he died soon after.

[@frederickmiles327]

Sandown has an atmosphere in the 1970s and most of the Tasman series circuits are like Roman amphitheatres, incredibly dangerous unprotected circuits with really fast drivers. Sandown is almost as Puke. Alan Jones is really flying here to try and consolidate his place in GP F1 and really made it that year, wining the Austrian GP for Shadow. Jones Lola 332T is devestatingly fast and fragile, the only real strength in 332T is box around protecting the core body, cock and bull there is no leg protection really.

[@jeandaniel8510]

Tout ce que vous dites s'applique aussi à l'Europe et aux USA. Les circuits présentaient les mêmes carences (Riverside, Watkins Glen, Zolder, Mosport, etc) et les voitures aussi (Peterson à Monza en 1978, jambes non protégées)

[@thethirdman225]

That was the biggest problem with the old F5000 - poor reliability. It was a shame because it was a good "bang for buck" formula but blown engines are not something you'd want to have to deal with on a regular basis, especially when sponsors were more interested in touring cars.

[@tracingtriumph]

Sandown. Before it was neutered.

[@thethirdman225]

It was antiquated by the mid 1970s. The Causeway was particularly dangerous and it claimed the life of one driver in a minor category - might even have been on this weekend. I was there when it happened but can’t remember precisely. I was there when Alan Hamilton was very seriously injured at the same place the following year. I think even Kevin Bartlett had a major crash there. Sandown was built during a time when safety was a lesser consideration than even in the 1970s. The surface was notoriously bumpy on the back straight and possibly contributed to a couple of huge crashes: Johnny Walker and Garrie Cooper. It will be sad when it closes but it’s inevitable. The land is too valuable and it’s a lousy place for spectators. There are just too many places you can’t get to. The best viewing is on TV. And unless it’s a V8 Stupidcars round, they don’t open the hill to spectators.

[@beagle7622]

Jones shows his aggression . Trying to pass him must have been at the least tough.

[@Holden308]

In the late 70s and early 80s, Jones was the best open wheel racer in the world bar none. And the sad reality is that even AJ himself acknowledges that he should never have quit F1 at the end of 1981.

[@beagle7622]

Holden308 Yes I saw him say that a number of times . He obviously had huge trouble adjusting to the way of life here. Jones was incredible when he was fired up . On pit Straight at Bathurst he had 3 wheels on the grass passing someone, the commentator, I think it was Mike Raymond Channel 7. “Look at Jones will you! .” I always felt his heart wasn’t into Touring Cars.

[@Holden308]

Back in the days when the serious Aussie drivers with overseas ambitions (which basically does not include touring car drivers) all raced open wheels. These days they all aim for the Stupidcars...... We will not have a driver at or near the top of F1 again after Ricciardo for a long, long time.

[@mtl-ss1538]

AUSSIE OSCAR PIASTRI CONFIRMED AS MCLAREN DRIVER TO REPLACE DANIEL RICCIARDO FOR 2023 Liam Lawson races the Red Bull Junior Team.Done 2 Driver Test at the end of the 2021/22 with Scuderia AlphaTauri, Sponsor ;- Rodin Cars.& Aussie David Dicker has now turned his attention to building, at the moment, two very quick race cars. For the 2022 season, he serves as a reserve/test driver for AlphaTauri team