The Tragedy of Francois Cevert

[@borisbabich]

They died like flies in those days. Car, motorcycle... From the perspective of today's, nearly sterile standards, the races of the day seem almost suicidal. Great storytelling, thank you.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you. Yes, looking back at the speeds of the cars and the limited safety measures, I sometimes wonder how more drivers didn't die. The proximity to WW2 and its horrors perhaps made violent death feel more commonplace than it does today.

[@borisbabich]

@WhenF1WasReal Good point. I never thought about that angle. I'm sure they wanted more safety, but pushing tech obviously had priority. In any case, the idea of safety was so underdeveloped in comparison with the present - enough to seem alien to us. Of course, they didn't have a death wish - in your story, Stewart wanted to and did get to walk away. Double the hero!

[@bigantplowright5711]

The drivers knew this, hence they were decent guys. Not like todays prima donnas.

[@UncleKennysPlace]

Certainly the only thing like those days still in existence, in terms of "acknowledged danger", would be the Isle of Man TT.

[@carlsaganlives6086]

@@UncleKennysPlace ...or driving around Chicago on the the Tri-State.

[@simonashworth2820]

I spent an evening with Sir Jackie and lady Helen. This was at Beaulieu and Murray walker was there. Jackie gifted me a signed copy of his autobiography which I will always treasure and spoke in depth about Francois death and this era of the sport. Sir Jackie is a true gentleman,ambassador and legend of motor sport and has done so much to raise the safety of F1 and the lower formulas.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

What a great story and an amazing gift. So many drivers owe their lives to Jackie’s war on unsafe cars, tracks and procedures.

[@luvsilly60]

Not a fan of racing but Stewart is everything you say.

[@sergemaurizi5091]

Merci pour cette évocation d'une autre époque de la F1 qui n'est plus que l'ombre d'elle-même. Enfin un reportage qui sonne vrai. Expérience, passion, nuance, et pondération y font merveille. Qu'elle différence avec autant de prétendus jeunes érudits qui sont inévitables autant qu'ils sont simplement incompétents. Le plus dramatique est que cette sensation qui vient des tripes est incommunicable. Rien, absolument rien ne l'etaye ni ne l'explique. Pas plus la raison que l'analyse. Pourtant elle est là, palpable et vraie. Merci encore pour cette réussite.

[@rolux4853]

@@WhenF1WasRealStewart openly told Dale Earnhardt that driving without a HANS device is insanity. That was during the 24 hours of Daytona, just weeks before Earnhardt died at the Daytona oval race because he didn’t wear a HANS device. It’s such a shame, if je just acquired on like Jackie told him Earnhardt would be alive to this day! Maybe a controversy figur, calling out the travesty modern NASCAR is. That’s at least what I’d imagine him to do. Doing the Podcast together with his son, voicing his unfiltered opinions on what’s wrong with today’s NASCAR and how amazing the golden era was.

[@SchlomoSion]

@@rolux4853 also stupidity kills.

[@kyle381000]

As gruesome as Cevert's death was, it was instantaneous. The accidents of Piers Courage and especially Roger Williamson (both, coincidentally at Zandvoort) were worse because the drivers did not die immediately but instead were consumed by fire.

[@huwgrossmith9555]

Add Bianchi

[@SteveT-0]

@@huwgrossmith9555Cevert's accident was 1000x worse than Jules (no disrespect to him)

[@ot77racing27]

Sadly, Roger Williamsons one is the standout. Marshall’s stood and watched while David Purley stopped his car and tried in vain to help. Another being Roland Ratzenberger, being almost overlooked by what happened the following day. But its not a competion to compare ones who died instantly, or suffered. All were lost doing something they loved.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Williamson's story is an interesting one, which I have considered doing a video on, but which has been well covered elsewhere. David Purley's efforts to save his friend rightly won him the George Medal. But his fireproof race suit and military training gave him an advantage over the Marshalls who were little more than boys in very flammable suits. Had Purley managed to flag down one of the other drivers, they may have been able to right the car and extract Williamson, but I suspect he was long dead of asphyxiation before that could have happened. Like Elio de Angelis, 23 years later, this was a ghastly way to die.

[@tedsmith6137]

It is believed that Courage died instantly from a broken neck, as one of his front wheels hit him in the head, tearing off his helmet. Jack Brabham said he knew it was bad when he saw Courage's helmet rolling across the track in front of him.

[@HV71851]

Thank you for recounting this story. I was there at the track that fateful day in October 1973, I still remember it with sadness.

[@Mtlmshr]

It is true that the safety that is in F1 can be attributed to Sir Jacky Stewart I don’t think anyone can argue that point he was the one champion of safety!

[@petermoss208]

without Jackie Stewart F1 would probably not exist anymore. The administration was way behind the technology and speed of the cars. Jackie was able to turn the tables regarding safety BECAUSE he was a 3 time winner. I don’t think a driver without a championship could have convinced everyone as he probably would have been driven out of the sport no pun intended. It’s absurd that he doesn’t own a chunk of modern F1. I’m sure he’s fine for cash but still. It was all him, anyone who argues otherwise doesn’t know anything about F1. His push for safety has saved probably 100 lives by now. The only exception being those horrible intermediate slicks they put on the cars after Senna’s death. They made the driving actually more dangerous.

[@GoodMusicManiac999]

And Niki Lauda too.

[@josephc3276]

Stewart and lauda are heroes for many forms of racing. They knew that racing was dangerous but they also knew it didn't have to be deadly. They also gave a voice and inspiration to other motorsport competitors to become proactive in pushing to promote safety as a Top priority. Thanks to you both 🙏.

[@terrystevens5261]

@@petermoss208 Grooved tyers, no such thing as intermediate slicks. and they were no more dangerous than conventional slicks.

[@Snotzalotz]

Man Jackie Stewart is a legend in every sense of the word, the survive that era being one of the fastest men in the world and winning races while he lost so many colleagues and friends.. it must’ve seemed hopeless at times for him.. helped so many young drivers and seeing them die in such horrific ways before their careers could get going must’ve been one of the hardest things to be a part of.. he is one of the most important people in motorsports history.

[@ralphaverill2001]

"[Jackie Stewart] is one of the most important people in motorsports history." Amen, brother. Amen. What are they going to name after him when he's gone? There damn well better be a statue of him somewhere.

[@Snotzalotz]

@@ralphaverill2001 name a racetrack after him.. or maybe change a corner of Silverstone to the Jackie Stewart corner, as a Scotsman I’d love a f1 race in my country and for that track to be named after Sir Jackie Stewart but I doubt we’ll ever build an f1 standard track in Scotland

[@alieffauzanrizky7202]

He's also the driver that keeps pushing safety to become a priority for years even when he doesn't race anymore. His interview on Legends of Speed documentary was amazing too

[@davidrice3337]

Jackie Stewart - Class

[@ZipZapTesla]

Jackie Stewart was a true soldier, imagine the trauma he goes through every day...

[@chrisclermont456]

I was a young boy when I started following Formula 1. In short order, we lost Clark, Rindt, Cevert, Revson, and Williamson which was on live television. The following year, poor Helmuth Koenigs would die at Watkins Glen in an equally gruesome manner as Francois Cevert for almost the same reason: poorly mounted Armco barriers!! I still think about Cevert and that day. RIP

[@StuartPeacock-e2t]

Exactly,I feel the same

[@sandralogue1774]

The tragedy is these deaths occurring at all but for negligence.

[@chrisfitmr]

Not forgetting Tom Pryce

[@Arvid_Goatblad]

@@chrisfitmrye ofc but that one in particular was by far the most avoidable

[@adotintheshark4848]

even without the poor barriers, those cars were death traps once they got out of control.

[@charlescooler5680]

I lived in France then and shortly before his death Francois Cevert was a guest in the biggest Sunday variety show. He was a great pianist and that day he played part of Beethoven ' s Pathetique. It was a very very moving moment. My first reaction when I heard about his death was to remember him playing the piano that day. He was a wondeful man and driver.

[@praveentitus7193]

Thanks for that invaluable information. There was another great F1 racer who tragically lost his life in an accident and was also a pianist - Elio de Angelis!

[@terrystevens5261]

@@praveentitus7193 Yes, during the fisa- foca wars, he entertained his fellow drivers with his piano playing.

[@wookiedog]

What a sad sad story. Nothing but respect for Sir Jackie.

[@felixcat9318]

This was a touchingly beautiful tribute of a highly talented young racing driver, whom suffered a tragic, grotesquely horrific death! The complete absence of safety and adequate medical care at racing circuits, despite the huge sums of money in industry led to drivers dying in the most horrific ways imaginable! Frequently! Sir Jackie Stewart's relentless campaigning for improved circuit and driver safety, proper emergency medical services on site and greater awareness of the issues forevermore changed the racing industry. Subscribed.

[@donaldfedosiuk1638]

I was at the Glen that weekend, but thankfully missed the crash. I've followed F1 pretty closely in the years since, but somehow that weekend was the day a lot of the music died for me.

[@kaakeith3772]

i too was at the glen that weekend, with my dad. that was a very sad weekend to be sure i later spent 40 min with sir jackie in the pits and paddock in montreal in the mid '90s. that was a weekend to remember

[@alexclement7221]

I used to go to the Glen for SCCA races in the 80's; a couple times as crew for friends who raced, and once as part of a flag crew. The old guy who headed our turn crew was in the crew that tried to put out Courage's car. They covered it with dirt and sand, and 2 hours later, when they removed the dirt, it re-ignited. A truly horrible accident.

[@simonkevnorris]

I was at Imola in 1994. On the Saturday morning I was with some mates at Tosa. We moved to Variant Alfa for the afternoon. For the Sunday I was with some Italian friends sitting at Rivazza. It was a bad weekend for F1 with Reubens having a bit accident on the Friday.

[@brianesbaugh6897]

I was there too as a 10 year old boy, my first race of any kind, let alone F1

[@MrMpyne]

Hi there, thank you very much for this video of the life and tragic death of Francois Cevert. The production and narration on this video is superb, arguably the best I've seen and I watch a lot of old GP footage. Thank God for Jackie Stewart, predominantly, pushing for and getting, increased safety measures over the years since then. Congratulations on your thoughtful and sensitively narrated production. My very best wishes, Mark

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Jackie Stewart was amazing in and out of the car. The work he started on safety means that there are drivers alive today who would otherwise have perished.

[@jbrown7403]

So sad. In the documentary “1” Francois Cevert had such personality and looks. He seemed like a great guy and it was clear why Sir Jackie loved him so much.

[@quicksesh]

Thank you for such a brilliant telling of such a sad and horrific story.

[@TricksterJ97]

This was my first time watching one of your videos. It was very well done. A very interesting and tasteful treatment for a difficult subject.

[@davewilson4493]

Same here. Now subscribed.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you

[@tonypate9174]

Now that's a voice over to tell a story , Bravo Sir Bravo

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you for your encouraging words

[@electrichellion5946]

@@WhenF1WasRealhe speaks for many that agree with him and are yet silent. Well done. Thank you for using your voice.

[@misternikon]

I unfortunately was there at The Glen when Cevert was killed. I had been to 2 previous F1 races at Waktins Glen. It was the fall and the leaves and trees were so colorful and the air was perfect fall weather. On the day Cevert died my friend and I were at the other side of the circuit. The cars raced by in practice, but then no more cars were coming through. My friend and I didn't think it was a big deal. But then word of mouth reached us that Cevert was killed. I remember that everybody was dazed and didn't know what to make of it. When the race started we didn't see Sir Jackie. We knew he had already won the Championship and we wanted to see him in his 100th race. Not to be. When we got back home we learned what had happened. A bit later we learned that he was retiring. Sadly we realized it was the last time Sir Jackie would ever put on his Tartan helmet and drive an F1. Stewart wrote a book called “Faster”. A great read and a history of F1 in the late 60's and early 70's.

[@Slakass55]

Been a huge F1 fan and follower since forever but I have to confess that I had never heard of Cevert. Incredibly tragic and sad story. Reminiscent of Senna's story, except Cevert never got that far seeing how time was cut short. Being a protege of Stewart there's no doubt in my mind that he was set for great accomplishments in this sport. Sure he and Senna are now good friends.

[@newagetemplar6100]

A very well put together documentary. Maybe it’s just me but I feel it’s more disrespectful not to watch content like this . It keeps their accomplishments alive for future generations . No words can express the admiration these drivers and many like them deserve. RIP ❤🇬🇧

[@stefanu7215]

Thank You v.m. For this comment as well as thanks for this memorial film! I think it is the best possible and best designed and spoken memorial contribution I haver ever seen to one of the heroic F1 racers with all their racing passion.

[@pauloviegasmotorsport]

Thank you for this piece of F1 history. A very sad story but told with the respect that it deserves. Just won a new subscriber to the channel. Congrats. Cheers.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Appreciate you kind words, thanks

[@nicklasnilsson4077]

One of the best, if not the best storytelling I have ever listened to. I have seen and listened to lots of documentaries on F1. This was so sensitiv and respectful, though clinical in details and pictures. Thank you for all the work you put into it!

[@PC1974]

I"ve recently been watching Drive To Survive on Netflix, and seeing this video about Jackie Stewart and Francois Cevert's team spirit and close friendship was so touching, considering drivers these days usually have great rivalry. What a beautiful young man Cevert was, and Jackie saved the lives of many drivers with his safety recommendations.

[@BMC1100]

Denny Hulme didn't pronounce his name "Hume". He pronounced it with the L. His father, Clive Hulme VC said, "You can't knock the L out of a Hulme".

[@ysgol3]

Plus it's Chris Aymon not Ahmon!

[@scottawes921]

Good thing you clarified that important fact!

[@Slakass55]

These are computer voices, the poor pronunciation is a dead giveaway. The guy that made this video likely doesn't have English as his first language, thus resorting to computer generated voices. Unfortunate but a sign of the times.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

@Slakass55 Sorry to disappoint, but definitely not a computer generated voice - and English is very much my first language, born and bred in the East End of London.

[@Sangor]

@@Slakass55 It's a dead givaway that this is a London accent, and nothing like some of the piss poor AI voices that are infesting more and more videos on youtube. So in this instance matey you are very wide of the mark.

[@gellis7975]

The pace of your narration is perfect. You say exactly what you want to say, in a way that allows the listener to absorb and appreciate every detail. Time slowed down for me as I listened to you tell the story - and the backstory - of a tragedy that occurred at 150 miles per hour.

[@epluribusbigly1354]

I appreciate the pace too. Great work

[@Mynervas]

Likewise. Too many narrators absolutely blast through it, and I simply can't retain any information when it is shoved down my ears so fast.

[@timbrown4576]

Pity you can't pronounce drivers and circuits name correctly. Very poor.

[@batvette]

​@timbrown4576 yeah he is speaking english with an english accent how terrible of him. LOL.

[@janicesanders9214]

Thank you for putting this back up. Cevert was my favorite driver when I was a young girl for obvious reasons.

[@terrystevens5261]

He went out with Brigitte Bardot for a while.

[@jamesgoacher1606]

That was an extremely thoughtful and measured video. Thank you.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks for your kind words, glad you enjoyed it

[@paulharwood5362]

Very sad how so many died ...I'm sure the modern guys appreciate Jackie Stewarts tireless efforts for safety in the sport Thank you for the very interesting video

[@user-ud7ko4cq1n]

It blows my mind that F1 left Piers Courage's charred body in his car with a sheet over it as the race continued (6:30). That shows how barbaric morals were in racing in the 1970's. It is barbaric enough to continue the race at all, but it is mentally depraved for F1 to casually toss a sheet over his remains as cars zoomed past his corpse for another 2 hours with women and children in the audience staring down at the scene of death. That's an ethical standard one would expect in a Roman Gladiator event thousands of years ago.

[@wcads623]

Brutal times for so many F1 drivers! The only way to keep going was to keep going😣😣

[@leonb2637]

Indeed with fatal crashes in recent years in various racing series, the races are terminated at that point.

[@charlesfaure1189]

Even more telling is how F1 has lost so much popularity since it has become safer. Many people preferred it as a death sport. Much like fans of American football who criticize rule changes meant to reduce brain damage.

[@irishvicar1963]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piers_Courage……….. didn’t die in the fire , a wheel that came off hit him on the head, dislodged his helmet, broke his neck causing fatal injury

[@tonykan5576]

David Ward Wednesday June 1, 2005 The Guardian The body of a motorcyclist who died during a practice race in the Isle of Man TT races was left in a body bag in a couple's garden on the island for 90 minutes until all other practice races had finished. Marjorie and Iain Forrest saw the motorcyclist die outside their home on Monday and yesterday called for a new approach to safety during the island's famous TT races. Mrs Forrest said she and her husband ran out of the house when they heard the crash. "The medics were with Mr Karlsson but he died relatively quickly. Officials dismissed the helicopter and put the body in a body bag. They then asked: 'Do you mind if we put the body bag a little further up your drive?' The alternative was to put him on the road." Mrs Forrest drew the curtains so that her twin 14-year-old sons and a 14-year-old friend would not see the body. "The helicopter could not stop to take the body away because it had to be available for the next crash."

[@RichardMcLaren]

This was a superb documentary. Thank you for taking the time to make it, and also for being sensitive to Francois's memory.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks for your kinds words, I'm glad you enjoyed it

[@cadelepski5161]

A top quality and thoroughly professional account of this young man's time in F1. Well done.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks so much for your kind words

[@richardmccaughey5928]

A fitting, and somber, tribute to a great driver and likely an even better human being. I've been an avid follower of F1 since the early '60's. The carnage of the '60's and '70's nearly had me turning my back on the sport. The death of Jim Clark was particularly devastating. Then came Stewart and his enigmatic protege. To this day, the death of Francois Cervert is as upsetting as the first instance that I became aware of it. There is a photograph of Jackie, his wife Helen, and Francois. Helen is looking at Francois as if she were madly in love with him. I suspect that in a way she was. But so was Jackie and the three of them were as close as any family ever. Jackie and Helen's children adored Francois. I can't imagine the pain they all suffered and to this day, I have to suppress a tear when I recall the life and untimely passing of Francois Cevert.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you for your words and thoughts on F1 in the 60s and 70s. Looking back now it seems amazing how matter of fact reporting of driver's deaths was back then.

[@mazdaman0075]

@@WhenF1WasReal Similar to air accidents, in the 60's it seemed a major crash happened twice a month. It was certainly reported in the news on page 1 but quickly fell to the back pages as it was "just another crash", everybody knew there would be another crash somewhere in the world next month.

[@glenngastonjonsson7954]

I was too young to watch Cevert live, but I loved his style from watching old races. F1 was a death trap back then. Thank you, sir, for a respectful and insightful video.

[@terrystevens5261]

I saw him race on two occasions, Brish GP 1971, and the same in 1973, Silverstone.

[@glenngastonjonsson7954]

@@terrystevens5261 Wow, The Revson win! I think Cevert scored some points there?

[@philrulon]

I attended the USGP for many years, in my youth. I was present at the Glen for his victory there, and also for his last event, two years later. The weekend took a somber turn after news circulated that he had been killed.

[@terrystevens5261]

Did you visit the bog ?

[@philrulon]

Many times.

[@sorbabaric1]

Thanks for the great storytelling of a tragedy. And sharing the photos of the young men and their machines.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you for your support

[@brandspro]

The problem was that the bolts that held the armco barriers to the support posts were installed without washers, so that in the impact the bolt heads tore through the rails, allowing them to crush down and expose the steel I-beam support posts. That did the damage.

[@vincentsouchaud6717]

Your video is outstanding! Many thanks from France.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you for your kind words, glad you enjoyed it

[@scottlewisparsons9551]

Thank you for an excellent video. It brought back memories of all those drivers’ deaths.

[@jenniferholden9397]

A beautiful man, great driver, lovely person. Too sad for words.

[@davidlafranchise4782]

Subscribed. Did you just start? You should have a lot more than a thousand subscribers!! Very good job!

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks so much, glad you’re enjoying the videos

[@thetruereddevil1]

The photo of Courage mid crash is a new one to me, had always kind of wondered the mechanics of how that crash happened. Was a horrible one, Ceverts being one of the few worse. What a horrible time of F1 that was. This was a really well done video, subscribed and look forward to seeing more!

[@ClassicFormulaOne1]

New photo for me too

[@ysgol3]

Hi, I'm not sure it's of the fatal crash - it's always been reported that Piers went straight into the bank with his helmet torn off immediately by a tyre. In the photo, his helmet appears to be still on (though I'm far from certain about that) and of course he's facing in the opposite direction to the impact. I think (again not sure!) that Courage had an incident at the same spot the previous day - maybe it's that??

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks, finding artefacts from a period when cameras were less common can be time-consuming, made worthwhile by kind comments like this. For Courage, there's a small consolation that he was probably either killed, or at least rendered unconscious when his head was hit by either the loose wheel or one of the fence posts; and thus didn't suffer the same terror of Roger Williamson a few years later

[@thetruereddevil1]

​​@@ysgol3certainly possible it is yes. Unless it was just after he'd ridden up the bank. Still not a photo I had seen before either way. Definitely a small mercy he was likely dead before the fire.

[@hugolafhugolaf]

To me that was a great time, a golden era of gladiators. No pussification of the sport like today.

[@Fifty8day]

Excellent video, great sounding voice over . Amazing two kiwis in f1 then, we are hoping Liam Lawson will fly the flag for NZ 🤞🏽I didn’t hesitate to subscribe.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you for your kind words, there are a couple of videos in the pipeline for fans of Kiwi drivers

[@flexyco]

First video I've seen from your work. You are an excellent script writer and voice actor in my opinion therefore ... I have subscribed to your channel.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

You are very kind to say so, I hope you’ll enjoy future videos too

[@Fullnoise]

Total respect for the men who raced in that era. One thing's for sure is that none of them would have had any hair on their balls because hair doesn't grow on steel. There's not much I can say about Sir Jackie that hasn't already been said, true F1 royalty. Perhaps the security guards at the Miami GP should watch a few of these clips just so they know who they're dealing with.

[@Roatanlova68fmp71lliiiak]

Beautifully and respectfully told the story of these trail blazers. Thank you.

[@phil4986]

Jackie Stewart told Francois to drive through the corner before, that in a higher gear, so the car would be more stable. It's on video. That actual conversation. Jackie never thought it would be the last time he would talk to Francois. Francois was loved by many people. His death really got Jackie Stewart angry about all the dying in auto racing and the ridiculous acceptance of it. To this day, Jackie Stewart remembers the young man fondly and it's clearly a painful memory for him to talk about.

[@themessenger5868]

Thank you for telling this tragic, but nevertheless, important story of a past warrior.

[@jakerjoules]

Excellent video, TY! I was at WGI that day. Thankfully, as a HS teenager, the car was covered by the time I reached the site on the circuit's lower road. I remember Francois' victory at WGI. It was my first ever F1 GP. Following, I had seen the 1-2 finish at WGI; a driving clinic by Team Tyrell. My hopes were with Sir Jackie for his 100th GP race, but I was a huge fan of Francois. I hitchhiked home after the crash.

[@kyle381000]

I was at Mosport for the 1973 Canadian GP, which would be the last starts for Stewart and Cevert.

[@Loach461]

Just found your channel, excited to see more of your storytelling going forward. Excellent so far, time to binge watch your other videos.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you

[@Sangor]

Brilliant video mate, hope you have more to come.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks, definitely more coming

[@LandyVlad_Rides]

Really interesting and a story I didn't RIP Francois. It's incredible to consider that Jackie is the last surviving Formula One World Champion from the 1960s, as well as the oldest living F1 winner.

[@patrickwahle6280]

I had the pleasure to meet Jackie Stewart several times and appreciated his company.

[@GerryMcglynn]

ABSOLUTELY 💯 BRILLIANT 👏, but a very sad result (RIP) one great video and voice over 😢 🙏 💔 💙.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks so much

[@loreto1815]

Thank you for your moving narration.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thank you for your kind words

[@Slakass55]

It ain't his narration, it's a computer generated voice. Nonetheless this was a well written piece and a nice way to pay tribute to a great driver.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

Several years ago I spotted Sir Jackie Stewart's autobiography in a local charity shop - i couldn't believe my luck when I found it was a signed copy. Aside from being probably the best autobiography I've ever read, it's also extremely sobering. The sheer number of horrifying accidents during this period is almost beyond belief.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

What a great find and a something to treasure! Hearing Jackie talk about the friends he lost in racing does make you wonder how those men climbed into their cars knowing there was a good chance of never returning. Helen, as well as other driver’s wives and families, must have suffered incredibly through the years their husbands / fathers / sons piloted high speed death traps

[@batvette]

Yeah but youd be thrown clear of the wreckage so there was that. We could say those that died just werent very good at flying.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

@@batvette @batvette I get the salty, edge lord routine, but these drivers died in unimaginably horrible ways, often in front of their friends, colleagues and family members. There really isn't anything funny about this - being decapitated, cut in half, or incinerated in a magnesium blaze, simply isn't funny at all. Very few drivers were ejected from their vehicles, and those that were suffered terribly. I get it - you're 14 years old, and think you're the original edgy shithead - sorry but you're decades too late. It's all been done before. Why not try to be original? Why not try a bit of humanity?

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

@@WhenF1WasReal Why does KZbin do this? Guy posts a shitty, distasteful, sick comment, and it stays up. I post a response questioning his humanity and mine gets taken down. Is this the way KZbin wants to go?

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

@@WhenF1WasReal That's three comments I've had removed criticising 'batvette's' attempt at humour. It would seem that I've misinterpreted the content of this channel, and that it's all about laughing at the horrifying deaths of F1 drivers. I suppose I should look elsewhere - a channel where drivers and their loved ones are treated with some respect. If I want a comment to remain I should probably post a joke about a tragic incident. Can't beat a magnesium blaze for laughs eh?

[@stevesgaming7475]

I saw my first F1 race in 1970, in 1971 I started watching every race and soon I was a fan of Francois. I was so sure he would be a champion, he oozed class and style and was a damn good driver. I was 11 when I found out he'd died and I cried for days, Years later I did a lot of research into him and his fatal crash and it was utterly heartbreaking and horrific. I still have a photo of Francois on my wall and I'll never forget him. RIP Francois, you would have been champion for sure. I do wish you hadn't shown the gruesome images though.

[@daniellebcooper7160]

An excellent production, on a sad story.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks so much; there were certainly too many of these sad stories in the 70s

[@Drakkyzz]

very good vidéo ! thanks from france !

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Merci

[@patrickwahle6280]

My wife and I were on honeymoon in New York. As close friends of Jean-Pierre Beltoise we were invited to watch the Grand-Prix in Watkins Glen. We rented a car October 6 and drove from New York to Watkins Glen. In Ithaca I had to refill the tank and stop at a gas station. While chatting with the gas station attendant he suddenly asked us if we were going to Watkins Glen for the Grand Prix. He recognized our French accent and suddenly told us he heard on the radio there had been a fatal accident in which a French driver lost his life but he did not remember the name of the driver. We had the phone number of the hotel where the French drivers were staying so we called Jean-Pierre Beltoise hoping it was not him the casualty. It was after dinner time and we got Jean-Pierre on the phone who confirmed his brother in law crashed and died during the training session. So we watched the Grand Prix from the BRM stand and saw the victory of Peterson in front of Hunt. Jean-Pierre finished 9th.

[@terrystevens5261]

Beltoise was the first F1 driver i ever saw, his Matra MS120 howling up through Abbey Curve at Silverstone in 1971. that awsome V12 wail has stuck with me ever since.

[@karl-unoisaksson4000]

Vackre Frasse, en av min barndoms stora hjältar... Thanx for sharing... Love from Sweden 💖

[@vibingwithvinyl]

There have been many brutal deaths in F1. Helmuth Koinigg and Tom Pryce come to mind.

[@RubeusLeclerc]

Powerful video. Man it was dangerous back then. My older brother was a huge Jackie Stewart fan so of course I am too! Thought the narration was well done too. 👍

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks so much… JYS achieved so much on and off the track, he is an absolute legend

[@drewzerna4087]

Denny Hume passed away many years later, suffering a heart attack while racing at the Bathurst 1000km race in Australia. Ickx also raced a few times a Bathurst

[@terrystevens5261]

Yep, Denny just pulled over to the side of the track on conrod straight, and died. tragic.

[@SeraphineTheD6Queen]

Helmuth Koinigg was DECAPITATED on the same circuit (not the same turn) the following year in what was only his 2nd formula one start. for the morbidly curious there are photos of his helmet (head included) on the track while the marshals (i assume incredibly shocked, stunned, and in disbelief) figure out procedures (since it was quite clear first aid was not required).

[@rustyicepick8462]

I don't think having fewer safety features both on the tracks and in the cars made F1 any more real in the '70s than it is today, just more deadly, which is cryptic measure of how real racing is.

[@GrandTheftChris]

And it's still deadly today if we take a look at Grosjean's crash in Bahrain. He was very lucky to survive the impact due to safety systems like Hans and Halo and that he could free his food by himself quick enough and got away with a burned hand "only".

[@MavAuto-Pete]

One of F1's greatest up and coming drivers. Over the years seeing his driving, i think he was one of france's best drivers ever to of lived. Life tragically cut short, no one deserves what happened to him, cars were so dangerous then, you had to have balls of steel to drive them hard like they did in the 80s and pre 80s cars. Even those who were last were still heros to of even drove cars like this, they were some of the best drivers ever to of lived, no matter where they were placed, purely because the cars were a handfull, manual gearbox, manual set up of suspension etc.

[@lsrocha3296]

To HAVE lived!

[@geoffnelson4777]

A good documentary but with some mistakes...Servoz-Gavin's pole at Monaco was 1968, not 1967...Amon had joined Tyrrell for the last two GPs (Canada and U.S.) not just the last...Stewart also confided that '73 would be his last season with Walter Hayes.

[@michaelmcmullen5481]

I recently saw a documentary with Sir Jackie Stewart, and he was visibly shaken when the topic of this day came up.

[@markremillard9237]

i was there at "The Glen" when the crash happened in 1973, camping with friends.. we were on an elevated location, west of the track..a lot of fire and smoke ...Team Tyrrell and Stewart pulled out afterwards..

[@terrystevens5261]

The car never caught fire. bit of steam from the cooling system only.

[@Cheyenne07]

A very sad video, narrated with total respect. You've got a new subscriber.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks so much, hopefully you will enjoy future videos as much

[@ysgol3]

Hi, very interesting, thank you - subscribed. Just one thing, there's no film of Stewart advising Cevert on gearing (or anything else) on that day at the Glen in 1973. The clip you show is from Monaco in 1971, there's another clip too, wrongly dated as 1973 by some, but in fact from earlier. Cevert had been injured in the previous race in Canada when he went straight into the barriers after a bump with Scheckter. His ankles were very badly hurt, he tried to recover during the holiday with the Stewarts to which you refer, and there's long been speculation that he still wasn't 100% at the Glen and that this caused or contributed to his fatal crash. The constructors' title was still up for grabs, hence Amon being used as a third driver looking for a point or two, of course the team withdrew letting Lotus in to win it. He also knew that Scheckter was joining Tyrrell in 1974 and, (as Jackie Stewart still insists all these years later) didn't know that Jackie was to announce his retirement and Francois's elevation to No 1 in the team immediately after the race. He may have overstated his recovery and insisted on driving to try to 'prove' something to Ken Tyrrell, or to other team bosses for 1974, if he thought Scheckter was going to force him out of Tyrrell. There's another Scheckter connection (allegedly). Cevert crashed at the esses soon after the start/finish line and the pit exit, and it's long been argued that Schecker exited the pits in front of Cevert, causing Francois, on a flying lap as you say, to change his line slightly, so he wasn't quite right at the esses a few seconds later, hence the crash when he tried to power through them. (It wasn't the end of practice BTW, he could have tried again in the afternoon.)

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Jackie Stewart recalls the conversation with Francois in an interview with Motor Sport a few years later, I suspect because he perhaps felt he should have pushed Francois to follow the gearing that Stewart and Amon were using through the Esses. The injured ankles theory has been floated before, and the affect of Sheckter’s pit exit timing can’t be ignored. But I feel that in those final laps, Jackie established to his own satisfaction, that Francois decision to take third gear was the main cause of his crash.

[@ysgol3]

@@WhenF1WasReal Hi, thank you for replying. Indeed, but we'll still never know whether when the skittish Tyrrell, in 3rd, got into trouble in those esses, Francois's ankle damage delayed his 'saving' reaction just fractionally, but enough to kill him.

[@Canadianshaker1234]

I witnessed the crash between Cevert and Scheckter at Mosport. It was on the short straight between corner 1 and the top of corner two. Both cars came to rest on the outside of the track next to the Armco barrier. Cevert exited his car quicker then Jody. Cevert then ran back to Scheckters car and began hitting Scheckters helmet with his clenched fists. Cevert was not a happy camper at that moment. Two weeks later, Cevert was killed at the Glen.

[@ysgol3]

@@Canadianshaker1234 Hi, thank you very much for that information. I read about Cevert getting very annoyed - I didn't know he punched Jody's helmet! I reckon Cevert strongly believed he could win that day - for the first time that year of course - partly explaining his reaction. Whose fault do you think the crash was? Scheckter certainly had 'form' in 1973 didn't he. (I read recently that they shook hands about it at the Glen.)

[@Canadianshaker1234]

It's been a long time ago but I remember thinking that Cevert was justifiably pissed off at Schecker at the time. Jody was a wild driver back then with a lot of oversteer.

[@kimpembleton2683]

We live in Ontario Canada. When we moved 4 years ago we met our new neighbours. Unfortunately, the wife died just over a year ago in her early 70s. We just found out, after just chatting about watching the 2024 season with her husband, that his late wife, who he didn’t know in 1973 & was 20 years old at the time, & was going to Cordon Bleu Chef School in France, met & became engaged to Cevert back then. Small world & such a sad story.

[@Tukulti-Ninurta-b6p]

Servoz-Gavin was on the front row in Monaco, but not in pole-position (Graham Hill took pole). And the year was 1968, not 1967.

[@nippelpierre9821]

RIP François Cevert...tu avaos tout d'un grand pilote avec une magnifique carrière. Tu restes dans les pensées des fans de F1 pour toujours.😢

[@greendragon4058]

Thank you for telling these people's stories and how does Sports have evolved and how people made them safer I remember these races I've been watching racing since I was a little girl

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks for you kind words, I hope you'll continue to enjoy future videos too

[@Myrtana1]

Oh, I remember him so well. I was in my teenage years then and a great fan of his. Not because of F1 which never interested me but because I was in love. To me in those days he was the best looking man. That's why I never forget the day he died 😢

[@EuropaSman]

6:40 Piers Courage"s De Tomaso 505/38 had an aluminium monocoque and was not made from magnesium. The wheels might have been magnesium though. It was the Honda R302 from 1968 that had a magnesium skinned monocoque. Jo Schlesser was killed in one when it caught fire at the French Grand Prix that year. Even so, aluminium burns (obviously not as ferociously as magnesium and doesn't react adversely to water like magnesium does). It was the amount of fuel that was in the car when it crashed that caused such a large fire.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Several sources say the De Tomaso had magnesium used in parts of the chassis - but I have never seen definitive evidence either way; so you're probably right.

[@terrystevens5261]

John Surtees refused to drive the Honda.

[@davem5333]

Never knew any of the details of Cevert's tragic death. What was the issue with the car being unstable in 3rd gear? The car was running a Cosworth DFV, right?

[@WhenF1WasReal]

The car’s weight transfers from the rear to the front when lifting off the throttle - that behaviour happens more quickly the closer you are to peak power - meaning snap oversteer as the unloaded rear wheels start to slide. In fourth gear the car would be lower in the rev range at the same speed and further from peak power so changes in throttle input wouldn’t destabilise the car as much. JYS was convinced this is what caused Francois to lose control.

[@gerryd7027]

What an interesting and tragic clip. Such a promising star, but like many other amazing drivers taken far too soon. RIP 🙏

[@MrSteveG58]

This piece is very well researched and written. I was a teenager during this time and access to information was every 30 days in print media.

[@batvette]

Everyone talks about the good old days and they were, (Im 61) but we couldnt imagine the free and instant access to so much information that we have now.

[@ludedude5228]

Those roll bars back then were a joke " Designed only to save weight, Not lives ☠️

[@Taurcan]

The drivers of F1 today have no idea of the courage it took to drive the cars of the seventies. I postulate the theory that the safety of todays cars actually encourages drivers to use their cars as battering rams, and force other drivers from the racing line, or surface. I raced F/c in club races in 1972, and I had fewer safety features in my car than F1 drivers of the time. You were well aware of the danger of fire and did your best to not encounter curbs, or other cars. Contact with either could become instantly life changing. A triangular 2.5 gallon tank behind your back between the seat and firewall, and a 5 gallon tank over your lap, just in front of your instrument panel, made of thin 3/64" sheet metal. My biggest fear was fire. What was happening in F1 in those years to F1 drivers did nothing to alleviate the tension in drivers in the lower classes, but sure as hell made us aware of overdoing it, and making fatal errors. So in my opinion, lack of fear has changed F1, in that we don't see the same finesse in car handling today, as occurred of necessity in the 70's. I sure as H wouldn't want to see it return to those days, but the possibility of a broken leg or two would smarten some of today's wham bam thankyou ma'am drivers! Today, drivers are like eggs in an Engineering Egg dropping contest. No eggs were hurt in making the test. Should bad driving not have some consequence? I expect controversy from this post, try to keep it civil. But I suspect that many racing accidents today are caused because it's too safe.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

I’m in agreement. Today’s drivers are more than happy to push each other off the road and into an accident because they have - for the most part - never had to confront violent death at the circuit. Hearing them whining on the radio (and I’m talking about every modern F1 driver here) is one of the worst parts of modern F1. When a driver runs wide everyone complains about track limits, but if there were peril off the race track - be that a wall, gravel trap or grass - there would be less inclination to do stupid things and greater punishment for errors - not injuries, but at least a loss of time.

[@rdththth]

Interesting perspective. I’ve always believed that safer racing conditions has allowed drivers to be more aggressive, and get away with it. But I never thought about it in terms of life and death. I’m always disappointed when an aggressive action results in an injury to another competitor severe enough to cause them to miss the next race, even if my favorite driver is the instigator or beneficiary. I’ve always liked the rules of amateur motorsports that forbids willful contact, the polar opposite of “rubbing is racing”. But there’s no paying audience for most amateur races. The economics of professional motorsports would be much different under the stricter rules of conduct used in amateur motorsports. Fans pay for the privilege of watching the sport directly through ticket sales, or indirectly through subscriptions to cable, satellite, and streaming services, all of which must purchase telecast rights from the sanctioning bodies. Much of the revenue flowing into motorsports is from fans who are there solely to witness aggressive contact that alters the race results or causes carnage. Stricter rules of conduct would likely result in a smaller fan base. Most sports involve a contest between two teams. Motorsports is somewhat unique in the world of sports because many teams compete together at the same time. The results of a typical “game” has about half the fans satisfied and the other half disappointed. The nature of motorsports creates a situation where the majority of fans are disappointed with the race results. With the odds stacked against them, many fans become receptive to aggression by “their guy” that helps to even out those lopsided odds. I’m probably in a minority of people that would like to see NASCAR implement blocking rules that resemble those in open-wheel racing. I also think it is disgusting that it is permissible in that league to be able to win a championship by knocking a competitor out of the way on the final lap of the season finale. But then again, it’s hard to pass in nearly identical equipment running durable tires. There have been so many incremental safety improvements in motorsports, it is easy to forget how much risk has been virtually eliminated. It would be interesting if there were a simulator that could span decades of changes in safety at venues, in equipment, rules, etcetera, that could accurately predict injuries that would have occurred for any given circumstance, at any point in time, and use that simulator to compare the injury outcome of identical crashes occurring in different eras. Project missed races forward to show changes in seasonal points. Project beyond the same season for career-ending injuries. Ask a driver, would you have made that same move 42 years ago knowing the risk? _Should bad driving not have some consequence?_ Great question. My answer is YES. What should those consequences be? I’ll need to ponder some more on that one.

[@jamiedoughty6703]

Excellent video. Horrible accident. Race In Paradise, Legend.

[@Arvid_Goatblad]

The drivers in that era in of F1 were incredibly brave

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Indeed they were… of the drivers who took part in the 1970 World Championship, five died in a Grand Prix car, seven died in sportscast racing and one was paralysed in Grand Prix car. Those who raced back then must have had ice in their veins!

[@GLEX234]

At the time, there were some very interesting psychological studies on F1 drivers by a San Francisco doctor. Ice in their veins doesn’t begin.

[@catmus1506]

Jackie Stewart’s words about Francois are just heart breaking.

[@RoverIAC]

16:03 is that an arm at the bottom right of screen?

[@SupBro-ww9go]

No, but debris

[@CollinBlack-j1y]

Yes i subscribed also. So many comments below or above this one. It's hard to put a tick on those comments, not because there bad, there not, it's because of the sad demise of a human being. So many F1 drivers gone, thirty years ago Senna went to drive with these deceased legendary driver's, the word dead is too permanent, i prefer the word deceased. I watched Senna"s last race on TV, it wasn't a happy weekend. LEST WE FORGET. 😢🇦🇺🏎️

[@jca111]

Watch at 1.25 speed

[@jotacalvo]

One of the most helpful posts on KZbin 👍

[@richardlehoux]

1.75 works very well to

[@scottbrower9052]

1.5 is better still.

[@SLY_SuZuKi]

Dud, thank you so much. Because that was brutal before speeding it up!

[@njojje]

Feels like this is the intended speed☺️

[@SRFDriver]

I raced at the Glen a lot in the 80s and 90s in SCCA events. I can confirm that the curbs all the way around the track are brutal, and it's vital to stay off them because they'll throw you across the track if you hit them. Contrast those curbs to rumble strips that are used at most other tracks. Added to that is the fact that the ARMCO barriers are only a couple of feet off the track in most places. I crashed there in 1994 at the last corner before the front straight. I hit the barrier backward at around 90mph and bounced back onto the track, causing a red flag. There was no energy-absorbing material there at that time, although when I went back a few years later I noticed that they had installed material there and down into the entrance to the Boot. Those are the only places I remember that had it. Those guardrails are brutal.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks for that info - I always suspected the unforgiving curb to be a factor, it’s great to have that confirmed by someone with experience of racing there

[@SRFDriver]

@@WhenF1WasReal Thanks for your kind reply. I remember particularly the sharp left hander coming up out of the boot (the place where the NASCAR course rejoins) as being particularly unforgiving--I see the curb in my mind's eye as being not quite sharp enough to bend a steering link but way sharper than a rumble strip--and sharp enough that if you hit it when you're at the limit to bounce the car off of it and toward the guard rail on the other side of the track. I hit it once in 1994 IIRC, and had that result...I never did it again. With that said however, I just watched "A Lap Around Watkins Glen International" on YT. It's a guy driving a GT3 Porsche and was posted around 5 years ago. I watched the video and it looks like all the curbs are gone and have been replaced with rumble strips. I think that makes the course markedly safer than it used to be, although IMHO it removes a little of the "Separates the men from the boys" aspect of the course. On the other hand, the guard rails are still only a few feet from the edge of the track so there's still very little room for error. And finally, now that I think about it I may have some in-car video of a WGI race in around 2002. I'll see if I can find it. If I do find it I'll post it on my YT page. Apologies for writing a book about this...

[@SRFDriver]

Update: I just found a video from around 2000. It's not the one that I was thinking about but it does illustrate a few things that I'll touch on in my description-and you can definitely see the curbs that were all the way around the track at that time. I'm just about to upload it.

[@SRFDriver]

Okay, last one, I promise. I just uploaded it to y YT page. I made it private, so it's not publicly available. Leave me a message on my page and I'll send you the link.

[@dafyddthomas7299]

RIP French legend - would have won (with Stewart mentoring at races) the following WDC champion - one of France's finest.

[@russellszczepanski4414]

Interesting story. Annoying to watch with the blackouts.

[@teddyroosevelt8870]

Well done you! A very nice 'narrators voice' I must say.

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks so much for your positive words, I hope you’ll enjoy future videos too

[@simonbletsoe7059]

Gruesome stuff. I'm almost certain that they wouldn't have wanted to go out in any other way. Cool upload.

[@ogri214]

Sadly the 1970s claimed the lives of too many great drivers, the work of Jackie Stewart and also Syd Watkins is invaluable.

[@olafruckelshausen5911]

Why did they still use magnesium? Was Surtees warning and Schlessers fatal crash already forgotten?

[@terrystevens5261]

They were mainly aluminium monocoques back then. possibly wheels and small components were magnesium.

[@binxbolling]

History would repeat itself when Mario Andretti won the championship, and his understudy died in the same race.

[@terrystevens5261]

Ronnie Peterson died the following day due to poor medical treatment. bone marrow leaked into his bloodstream from his broken leg, causing an embolism.

[@briantaylor9285]

So horrific and sad.

[@fanman4230]

If memory serves I recall see a picture of an F1 crash, involving double armco barriers, in Motor Sport Magazine. The car had split the barrier and the car stopped at about the steering wheel of the car. The photo was taken from the other side of the barrier showing the shocked face of the driver. I seem to remember the driver as Jody Scheckter and the circuit as Kyalami. I've tried multiple searches without success making me think time has clouded my memory.

[@jestifizzle]

I can remember doing the research on this crash nearly 10 years ago and it still haunts me. I often wonder if track marshals and paramedics had PTSD just from being the first responders to that scene. At least it would've basically been a near instant death.

[@fonziebulldog5786]

Thanks for a great story. 👍

[@WhenF1WasReal]

Thanks for your appreciation, makes the effort worthwhile

[@mildau.2018]

F1 driver with best looks and charisma I have ever seen. So sad his life was cut short...

[@thescarletandgrey2505]

“Hey, Bilford, let’s build a car out of magnesium. It’s great because it’s so flammable and stuff!” “OK, Madame Curie.”

[@KettleCookedLays]

Tom Pyrce was also horrifying and Gilles Villenueve and Greg Smiley too.