Through a bit of personal luck, I managed to find myself internet stumbling across these excellent series of vintage racing photography. Mr. Robert Baron has brought an enthusiasts perspective of racing in the 60s and 70s to those of us with a passion for motorsport and an internet connection. For that, I have to offer him a giant “thank you”. These photos do an excellent job of portraying the feeling of being at the grand prix in person. Jacky Ickx was on pole, Jackie Stewart posted the fastest lap of the race, and Emmerson Fittipaldi came away with the race victory. Ford DFV Cosworth engines powered 19 of the 23 entries. Yeah, these facts tell the story, they are handy to have, and if you have them memorized, you are certainly a student of motor racing history, but those facts don’t tell the whole story. Where the facts fail us, these photographs certainly do something to ease the pain. This photo of Jacky Ickx in his Ferrari 312B made me sit back and think about the current state of Formula 1. When was the last time you were able to get this close to the drivers? Can you imagine taking a photograph of Felipe Massa’s from only a few feet away. I find myself in lucky situations as photography goes, but if I asked the FIA for photography credentials for the next Grand Prix I attend, they would laugh me off like the “little boy with a telephoto” that I am. Who wouldn’t love one of these hanging in your garage as wall art? As a matter of fact, I would place one of those air boxes on my dinner table as the centerpiece for Holiday Ham with the family next year! Absolutely gorgeous. 70’s rocker shades and hair aside, I have always looked at Teddy Mayer, as one of the unsung heroes of American racing history. His is a biography that I would love to read. To see more of Mr. Baron’s handiwork, check out http://www.bobbaron.com/BritishGP1972/ Bob also has posted retrospectives of the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours, the 1967 Sebring 12 Hour, as well as the 1966 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. You can also view much of his non-racing photography on his Tumblr page All photos copyright Robert D. Baron, Oklahoma City OK 73134, all rights reserved. Well done Robert!
Leave a Reply