Terror of fire in F1
One of the most terrifying moments in Formula One was the Jacky Ickx, Jackie Oliver frightening flambe in Spain.
Jackie Oliver will lose grip and slide into Ickxs rupturing the monocoque tub that at this time had twin fuel tanks on either side of the driver.
Both men were racing in the 1970 Spanish Grand Prix when fate, the luck of the draw will bring these near fearless men together.
Both will be engulfed in a battle on the track that will link them for eternity.
Although neither would want this notoriety, they own it.
Long before the thought of driver safety, these men are fitted in a monocoque aluminum structure that has them sitting in a bathtub of high octane fuel. Drivers were expendable, replaceable and of little importance. Only winning mattered.
This will be ripe for disaster.
There are no fuel bladders or self-sealing fuel tanks, that will, unfortunately, come much later.
Although these racers are using a new material for racing uniforms by DuPont called Nomex, they will survive and be left with terrible physical injuries and memories for life.
This is a part of the era of carnage in racing but these men will live to tell their story.
