The above hour long program is being shown on the Velocity channel off and on. Since I closely followed the F1 sport in the 50s, 60s, and part of the 70s I was more aware than most just how deadly the sport was. This period of time is reviewed in this show and while it does show actual footage a couple of times of people dying it is a real snap shot of how track safety was treated during that time with some shake your head stories.

 

^^^ Dave, I assume that you meant "shake your head stories".

Fortunately for me the Plant Pixie noticed that this show was going to be on and programmed our DVR to record it, otherwise I would have missed it. Although, there was some graphic footage of some horrific shunts and a gruesome fires the film maker did not dwell on them to make it sensational, but only to demonstrate just how dangerous that time frame was.

Even though I have known that Sir Jackie Stewart was instrumental in many of the safety advances, over the years, I have to state that I was taken back by the blatant disregard for safety on behalf of some of the promoters during those dark days. It was a far cry from today's F1 World were the Marussia team's car missed all of the preseason testing because their car failed it's initial crash test.

Highly recommended watching for any Formula One fan or any serious "Motor Head" that enjoys any form of Motor Racing. Those early days inspired Hemmingway's famous quote.

 

That crash & fire, where another driver stopped to try to help and everyone else just kept on racing, was unbelievable.

I recall seeing another F1 documentary with a bit about how safe the cars are now (the driver compartment, I guess, is a modular safety chamber, in effect). That must be one of the outcomes of the horror of the Killer Years. HPH

 

Looking forward to watching this one from my DVR.