One of the aspects of retro racing that I miss the most when watching modern Formula One is all the sliding around that the modern cars don’t do. I miss when drivers could afford to, and really had to, grab those wild old machines by the scruff of the neck and drive them; turning into slides while chasing down completely sideways compatriots.
I also miss tracks like Long Beach. So full of elevation change, so rough. But, most of all, so deeply embedded in the city and crowds that are there to cheer the spectacle on. It creates a wonderfully tactile connection between the drivers, the cars, the teams, the action and the people and truly elevates the atmosphere to something special.
So let’s honour these things by riding on-board around Long Beach with Patrick Depailler in his Tyrrell-Cosworth 008, and bask in the atmosphere and an expert lesson in steering with a heavy right boot.
Video: A lesson in Steering with a Heavy Right Boot is a post from Motorsport Retro, bringing you classic motorsport, cars, motorcycles and gear every day.