In this insightful article, Carlo, a former Formula Ford racer and a valued past contributor to our website, delves into the depths of historical narratives, a subject close to his heart. With a lifelong passion for history that ranges from ancient civilizations to pivotal moments of the 20th century, Carlo brings a unique perspective to the table.
His indulgence in books about Tazio Nuvolari, Michelangelo, and the iconic rock band Queen, illustrates his diverse historical interests. Carlo critically examines the oft-repeated idea that history is written by the winners, questioning the accuracy and objectivity of such accounts.
Lifelong Fascination with History
By Carlo
I have always found history fascinating. From when I was at school studying the Egyptians, Americans, the Second World War through to Stalin and Communism, I have taken a profound interest.
At Xmas, I received three books; one about Tazio Nuvolari, a biography on Michelangelo and a book about the rock group Queen and all their songs. I finished all three in about a week over the festive break.
I will get to motorsport in this piece, but bear with me…
It’s often repeated that winners write the history, and understandably I can see that narrative and its merits. However, in regards this, I struggle to always believe the rhetoric that the writer has cast upon paper so to speak. Years ago, these boys and girls would be called journalists and reporters but so many today seem to have trained at the Clark Kent School of journalism.
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The Titanic: Beyond Popular Mythology
Since I was a child I have always had a fascination with the Titanic and remember watching the documentary about its discovery in 1985 by Bob Ballard. Further reading revealed it was one of three ships built in the early 20thcentury with Olympic and Britannic, its sister ships. The Olympic’s construction began in December 1908 and Titanic in March 1909 – there are contemporary photos of them at the Harland & Wolff shipyard.
Without question the Titanic is the most famous ship in the world. But it was preceded by its sister ship – Olympic – and followed by the Britannic to the same design. Yet all you ever here from ‘experts’ of Titanic and its subsequent journey into legend was how it was the largest ship ever built, the most luxurious and how it was almost hero-worshipped when it was launched with 100,000 people having paid a shilling each to be at the launch.
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This is what re-history informs us, yet film and photographs of that period show only hundreds at the dockside. The fanfare would have been for the original launch of the Olympic, the preceding year, who cares much about subsequent vessels – just more of the same, right?
As I have already pointed out, where does the actual facts leave the romanticised history of this ship. The Titanic sank in 1912, the Britannic sank after hitting a mine in 1916 and the Olympic was sold for scrap in 1935. If you run a search, you will find a lot of the Olympic’s decorative elements were auctioned. The first class lounge and part of the grand staircase can be found in the White Swan Hotel in Alnwick, Northumberland.
Navigating the Facts and Fiction in Motorsport Journalism
So back to motorsport I guess, and a piece I wrote last week about Mick Schumacher seemed to not be received well. In fact, I was accused of actually lying about facts. I tend to ‘recall’ much when I write but if I have any doubts about significant points, I will research the information I need. For example, whilst I may have a good idea that a Ferrari F93 was the 1993 edition, I would have struggled to date a Red Bull RB3 or a Mclaren MP4/2C.
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Controversy Surrounding Tommy Byrne
So what’s triggered the Grumpy ones ire this week? Oddly enough it was an article about a relatively unknown driver from Northern Ireland, Tommy Byrne.
According to the writer of the article, who was born after this driver’s career had fizzled out – he was the greatest unknown talent to never truly make it in F1. Eddie Jordan offers some insight and the remainder is quoted from a biography written by respected F1 journalist, Mark Hughes, ‘Crashed and Byrned.’
There are countless errors throughout both the book, which I’ve read, and the subsequent online article. Eddie Jordan is quoted at length and whilst I loved his F1 team, and was actually a member of their fan club during the B&H sponsored era, I’ll be honest, he does appear like a comedy stooge on different programmes, such as F1 shows, or Top Gear over the years. He’s almost like the eccentric uncle that people try to avoid at family functions.
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Personal Witness: Correcting Historical Inaccuracies in Motorsport
In the history given of Mr Byrne, a number of errors are repeated on the website and from what had been formerly printed. A caption below a photo states that Tommy Byrne drove for Eddie Jordan Racing in British F3 in 1983 – except he didn’t. He drove for the Jordan F3 team in the European championship finishing fourth overall.
Nor did he drive for him in 1982 when he actually won the title. Byrne was driving for a team called Murray Taylor Racing and he took 7 wins that year against completion that included Martin Brundle, Enrique Mansilla and Roberto Moreno – all multiple winners.
As to Eddie’s British F3 drivers during these seasons? They were James Weaver and David Leslie in 1982 and Martin Brundle and David Hunt in 1983.
Understandably, many who will read this will question my information but I was at the British Grand Prix at Brand Hatch in 1982 and saw Byrne win the race and the following year at the same event at Silverstone watching Ayrton Senna win there.
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Deconstructing Misinformation in Recent Motorsport Articles
Why is this important? The book and web article describe a test at the end of 1982 that could never have happened as jointly detailed by a driver’s questionable memory and a lack of journalistic research.
Firstly, supposedly, Byrne was circulating quicker than Thierry Boutsen who had seemingly been promoted to Mclaren’s test driver. Except in 1982, no F1 team used test drivers. The test was in fact a Marlboro sponsored event with Mclaren -who gave an opportunity to winners of National F3 championships. Therefore, Tommy Byrne, Stefan Johansson and Thierry Boutsen were all testing the car at Silverstone as they had each won a F3 title in 1982.
The normal procedure for these tests was a race driver would take the car round and set a reasonably fast time to see how the junior drivers measured up against the bench mark. It’s a practice that in the modern F1 world is called young driver tests.
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According to the author, Alain Prost came and shook down the car and set a representative time. Tommy by all accounts set a time of 1:10.9 which matched Prost’s pole position from that year. They fitted a new set of tyres to the car and Tommy shockingly went round in 1:10.2 – staggering. And I’ll admit, it would be if it was even close to the truth.
Now in 1983, I’d witnessed Ferrari dominate qualifying with their turbo-engined cars for the Grand Prix. In fact, the turbo engines which had been introduced by Renault in 1977, had become essential to be competitive and were dominating the grid. The first non-turbo naturally aspirated car was Keke Rosberg’s Williams in 13th position with a time of 1:13.755 or over 4 seconds slower than pole, set by Rene Arnoux in 1:09.462.
In July, when qualifying had finished, Niki Lauda, the leading Mclaren driver had qualified 15th with 1:14.267 – some 4.805 seconds slower than pole. His team-mate, John Watson only qualified in 24th, with 1:15.609, or 6.147s slower. Yet both authors suggest that Tommy pedalled the same car to 1:10.2, at least 4 seconds a lap quicker than the regular incumbents??!!
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Setting the Record Straight: The Importance of Accurate Historical Reporting
Something else doesn’t add up here in the collective memory. Prost was mentioned as setting the benchmark and yet from 1981 till the end of 1983 he was a Renault driver and winner. He only joined Mclaren over the 1983/84 winter after Renault sacked him post-season. Now the times I have mentioned above I had to research but everything else is quite distinct in my mind.
To give the correct history of when the test occurred and the relevant performance figures, then the times would have to be taken, or attributed to the 1982 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch.
For that race Niki Lauda qualified 6th with 1:10.638, John Watson 12th with 1:11.418. Rosberg had taken pole with 1:09.540 – so the times could be mistaken for the 1982 British GP event. But importantly, these Marlboro tests only ever took place at Silverstone. In 1983, Senna would famously take part in a similar event at Silverstone too.
As a final point, of Byrne having matched Prost’s pole position time from that year, there’s actually an elephant in the room. The only time Prost qualified on pole for the British Grand Prix was 1993 in the Williams FW 15C – over a decade later…
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In the world of Formula One, the arrival of a new team principal can signal a significant change in a team’s fortunes. For Haas F1, that change comes in the form of Ayao Komatsu, whose appointment as team principal has been met with both anticipation and scepticism as he replaced the popular Guenther Steiner.
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Really loving your articles. Very good stuff! Keep em coming.
I’m glad one person is at least 🤣