 |
Grand Prix Icon : Lotus 72.Here we bring you the latest news on how the production of our 'Grand Prix Icon : Lotus 72' DVD is progressing. For me, personally, the 72 is the most attractive Grand Prix car ever, therefore I've decided to produce a documentary on it and tell its story. The first person I brought to the project was respected motorsport historian and author Michael Oliver. Not only has Michael written the definitive book on the car ('Lotus 72 - Formula One Icon'), but also on the preceding Grand Prix Lotus, the 49. Our most recently filmed interview was with former Team Lotus mechanic and current FIA employee Herbie Blash. Herbie took time out from his busy schedule to sit down with me and give some behind the scenes glimpses of the 1969 and 1970 seasons at Team Lotus with the Lotus 49 and 72. I didn't just want to tell the story of the car when it took part in Grands Prix from 1970 to 1975, but also some of the 'behind the scenes' fun. For instance, do you remember the Team Lotus vinyl single of 1973? We have met and filmed an interview with Team Lotus Buyer Luke Watson. Luke is still a part-time musician. It was he who wrote, drummed on and produced the 1973 Team Lotus vinyl single 'The Champions'. With Luke's permission and using archive film and stills from my collection, I have produced a video to go with the song. It will be an 'extra' on the DVD when it is released. Here's a preview of the the video on YouTube: Here's another short clip I filmed on my stills camera, of my friend Bob Dance fettling chassis R5 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed the other year. Filmed on my stills camera at the Classic Team Lotus celebration at Snetterton in 2010. Here's a walkaround of a few Lotus cars, ending with Emerson's Office. The production of the video rumbles on as we now have the filming of an interview with David 'Beaky' Sims lined up towards the end of May. Dave was there at the inception of the 72 and left the Lotus Formula 1 team at the end of 1971. He should give us some valuable insight into the early trials and tribulations with the car, including working 3 all-nighters in a row in an effort to get the second car ready for John Miles to drive at Spa in 1970! We are really lucky to get this interview with Dave as these days he lives in the U.S., we are going to film him on one of his rare visits to the UK. I also wanted to bring the story right up to date and feature the car as it now races in historic events. So far we have been lucky to interview drivers John Miles and Emerson Fittipaldi, but also Lotus Team Manager Peter Warr. We contacted former Lotus employees who have all added their tales to the story. We have also been lucky in interviewing at least two people who have owned a 72 and raced in historic meetings, along with the story of the restoration in 1985 of chassis 6, Ronnie Peterson's car. There will be some 'extras' on the end of the DVD. Currently they comprise: on-board footage of the car racing at the Nurburgring and Monaco in 2006, a video to go with the Team Lotus single, footage from Donington Park in 1991 of the '25 Years of 3-Litre Formula One' event, the auction of chassis 4 and a stills montage of previously un-published photographs. There will be more! I have sourced a plethora of unseen movie film to use in the programme along with rare stills too. So, if you think you will be seeing that well known shot of Emerson at Brands in 1972, think again! I aim to conduct further interviews during the summer and then start editing straight afterwards. Please keep checking back for updates as we go along! If you interested in purchasing the DVD when it is complete, please e-mail me here: . We also have a Facebook group: Thank you for your interest,
Thanks are due to the following organisations for their help:
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.