History Question? How F1 Cars Lineup on the grid | FerrariChat

History Question? How F1 Cars Lineup on the grid

Discussion in 'F1' started by ncng, Mar 30, 2020.

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  1. ncng

    ncng Rookie

    Jun 13, 2016
    16
    Hello, I have watched Formula 1 since 1989, after the cars qualify when they lineup on the starting grid for the standing start I believe they are off set by 3m. However, when I watch old race highlights and races from the 50's, 60's and the 70's I see different lineups for the starting grid, sometimes two cars on front row, three cars on second row. Other races I have seen 3 cars on front row, 2 cars on second row. Can anyone enlighten me about why and when the grid lineup rules changed from era to era? thank you Mark
     
  2. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    Feb 27, 2004
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    In the old days, when cars got off the grid much slower than today, the grid at most tracks was 3-2-3-2-etc, and the cars on each row were side-by-side, not staggered as they are today. A 20-car grid probably took up about as much room as the first three rows do today! On wider tracks the grid was sometimes 4-3-4-3-etc, and on narrower tracks like Monaco it was 2-2-2-2-etc, again with the cars on each row side-by-side.

    The wider tires used in the '70s made those grids rather impractical, so most tracks went to 2-2-2-2-etc, still with the cars on each row side-by-side, but with the rows staggered a bit so that there was no car directly in front of another. As cars started getting off the grid faster, the current scheme of staggering the cars in each row, so that a grid is really 20 rows of one car each, was established, but I'm not sure exactly when.
     
  3. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

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    1974 ?
    1974ish???, only a guess....
     
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  4. jgonzalesm6

    jgonzalesm6 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Wiki confirms 1974. Good guess.
     
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  5. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

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    It really was! I knew ‘73 had triples, couldn’t remember after that, knew they were paired throughout ‘76, but not the year when it went away. Thanks for confirming ;).
     
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  6. ncng

    ncng Rookie

    Jun 13, 2016
    16
    Thank you Gatorrari! That was great info, you are right, it was not just one standard lineup, like 3-2-3-2 etc, next question I guess the pole sitter got the best side to line up going into turn 1? Mark

     
  7. ncng

    ncng Rookie

    Jun 13, 2016
    16
    I couldn't find it last night on Wiki, what did you type in the search bar? Thanks Mark

     
  8. ncng

    ncng Rookie

    Jun 13, 2016
    16
    So side by side era was 74-76, then off-set starting in 77? Thanks Mark


     
  9. Gatorrari

    Gatorrari F1 World Champ
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    I had remembered that at my first GP, Watkins Glen 1975, the cars in each row were side-by-side. This lousy photo (taken with a 110-format camera) is slightly after the start, and you can see Hunt, who got a flyer off the line, already passing the cars of Mass and Scheckter who were several rows in front of him. But if you look closely, you can see two sets of circles on the pavement (as opposed to the u-shaped markings used today) that indicated the starting positions and they are indeed side-by-side. (One set is beneath and alongside Scheckter's rear wing.)
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
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  10. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

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    Depended on the track. Side by side but askew or side by side lined up was, I believe, used through the remainder of the ‘70’s. I liked askew because it gave drivers a better view and therefore gave them a fighting chance to avoid a stalled car at lights out. I believe commencing 1980??..don’t quote me, a staggered grid commenced. I’m basing that on the change in grid format seen at the ‘79 and ‘80 Argentinian GP season openers....
     
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  11. jgonzalesm6

    jgonzalesm6 Two Time F1 World Champ
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  12. ncng

    ncng Rookie

    Jun 13, 2016
    16
    Wow, never saw those circles before, awesome, do you remember seeing circles at other tracks or was that a Watkins Glen thing? Mark

     
  13. ncng

    ncng Rookie

    Jun 13, 2016
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  14. Good question. ;)

    Go to https://www.statsf1.com/en/saisons.aspx , pick a year, then click first race of year(on left), then "starting grid' (on right of podium photo). The grids are exhibited as they were. You can then go forward (or reverse) through the races and years at top of window (>>, <<).

    Fer instance https://www.statsf1.com/en/1965/afrique-du-sud/grille.aspx
     
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  15. ncng

    ncng Rookie

    Jun 13, 2016
    16
    Wow, awesome!!! Just clicked on Brazil 94 out of the blue, it show everything, thank you Mark!

     
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  16. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

    Jun 30, 2007
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  17. Your quite welcome.

    However, who the heck is Mark??? :p

    :)
     
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  18. Isobel

    Isobel F1 World Champ

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    Maybe for being right on the Mark ;) (and pardon the pun).
     

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