And Colossally That's History!

The latest episode of Colossally has a distinctly French flavour, as Matt and Richard look back on a golden age of French Formula 1 drivers.

Believe it or not, having endured a 13-year winless drought in Formula 1 between 1958 and 1971, France then produced 10 different F1 winners in 11 seasons in the 1970s and early 1980s - a remarkable achievement for the country that gave rise to Grand Prix racing.

Matt and Richard look back on the history of Grand Prix racing in France, before explaining why a school established by British was the driving force behind the French surge.

After that they discuss each of the golden generation in turn; names like Didier Pironi, Patrick Depailler, Jacques Laffite, Rene Arnoux and Alain Prost, before answering that all important question: Which of them did they like the best?

A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

With special thanks to Tim Silvey for studio support

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On this episode, Matt and Richard explore the genius of one of Formula 1's most celebrated drivers: Gilles Villeneuve.

The unassuming French-Canadian only won six Grands Prix in his all-too-short career, but his reputation remains up there with the very best, and his legacy still looms large over the sport, not least because of his artistry behind the wheel and pure love of racing.

To help reappraise the Villeneuve legend, Matt and Richard have picked out three races from his F1 career which they use as jumping off points to discuss what made the late, great Ferrari star so revered by fans, and especially by Enzo Ferrari - even if some of Villeneuve's peers weren't always so effusive about his uncompromising approach to racing...

A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

With special thanks to Tim Silvey for studio support

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With Andretti Global still trying (and currently failing) to gain a place on the F1 grid, Matt and Richard thought it was high time to look back at the American teams that have come and gone from Grand Prix motor racing over the years.

They tell the tale of the American upstarts who shocked the French establishment in the 1920s, explain the story of the billionaire named Lance (no, not that one) who hobnobbed with movie stars before starting his own team in the late 1950s, and look back on the rise and fall of the first iteration of Haas - a team completely unconnected to today's team of the same name that were powered by Krispy Kreme donuts!

Richard also provides his personal recollections of watching Dan Gurney win the first race for an American constructor at Spa in 1967, while Matt has another boatload of anorak facts about everyone from Scirocco to Shadow and Penske to Parnelli.

There's also chat about the previous time Michael Andretti was blocked from competing in Formula 1, the failed USF1 bid of 2010, and Ford's involvement in F1 via Jaguar Racing - so stand by for another Niki Lauda impression!

A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

With special thanks to Tim Silvey for studio support

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On this episode, Matt and Richard wind the clock back to 1995 when McLaren shocked the sportscar establishment by winning the Le Mans 24 hours at its first attempt.

The guys reflect on McLaren's sportcar heritage, the origins and incredible pedigree of the organisation's somewhat confusingly named 'McLaren F1' road car, and why the Le Mans project came at a good time for the beleaguered Formula 1 operation.

They also dig into the details of the 24-hour race itself, explaining how a fleet of cars were prepared for the gruelling event and what success represented for McLaren in both the long- and short-term. Oh, and they also discuss which F1 driver paid more than $15m for a McLaren F1 of his own...

A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

With special thanks to Tim Silvey for studio support

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This week Matt and Richard are winding the clock back to 1966 - a year when the worlds of Formula 1 and Hollywood collided with the on-location production of John Frankenheimer’s epic movie Grand Prix.

The film has received mixed reviews over the years, but what made it so interesting for motor racing fans back then - and what makes it such compelling viewing for modern fans today - is that although the story and characters are fictionalised, much of the action footage used in the film is genuine race footage, featuring genuine racing stars of the day.

Matt and Richard dive into the details of how the movie was produced amid the drama of a real Formula 1 season, how Frankenheimer convinced Enzo Ferrari to allow his cars in the film, and how innovative recording techniques (including some crazy camera cars) enabled Frankenheimer to make the staged racing sequences so authentic and immersive.

They also discuss Graham Hill's acting chops, give their views on the film's oft-criticised 'soap opera' storylines, debate whether lead actor James Garner could have cut it as a real racer, and explain which real-life drivers and real-life events were the inspiration for the movie’s characters and most dramatic moments.

A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

With special thanks to Tim Silvey for studio support

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On this episode of the pod, Matt and Richard tell the remarkable story of Niki Lauda’s Monza comeback in 1976, which came just 40 days after the horrific F1 crash at the Nurburgring that nearly killed him.

It was described at the time by Jackie Stewart as “the most courageous thing I’ve ever witnessed in sport” - and all these years later, the nature of the comeback remains unparalleled in sporting terms. 

Listen in as Matt and Richard reappraise the events of August and September of 1976 through a modern lens, with the usual blend of anecdotes and story-telling along the way.

Want to go deeper? We wholeheartedly recommend these books, referenced in the show, for further reading:

To Hell and Back: An autobiography - Niki's fabulously frank autobiography

Niki Lauda: The Biography - Maurice Hamilton's definitive account of the three-time world champion's life and career

A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

With special thanks to Tim Silvey for studio support

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And Colossally That's History! - the podcast that reappraises motor racing history - is back for a second season!

In episode 1, join Matt Bishop and Richard Williams as they embark on a critical reexamination of the remarkable Formula 1 'spygate' scandal of 2007, which centred around the transfer of confidential technical information between two engineers from F1’s biggest and most historic teams, Ferrari and McLaren. 

Matt (who was editor of F1 Racing Magazine at the time and in the paddock throughout 2007) and Richard (who was writing for the Guardian) explain how the saga unfolded, how personal tensions between McLaren boss Ron Dennis and FIA president Max Mosley pushed McLaren to the brink, and how the intense rivalry between Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton sent the scandal into overdrive.

A Race Media Production

Producer: Jonny Reynolds

With special thanks to Tim Silvey for studio support

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Attention fans of motor racing history: Matt Bishop and Richard Williams will be returning shortly with Season 2 of And Colossally That's History!

Join them as they take an unadulterated look at the earth-shattering events, epic sagas and huge characters that have shaped the sport's past.

Season 2 begins with a bang, with a critical reexamination of the remarkable Formula 1 'spygate' scandal of 2007, featuring a whole host of behind-the-scenes stories and eye-popping personal recollections.  

To make sure you don’t miss that episode or any other, be sure to like, follow or subscribe on your podcast app of choice!

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On this episode (the final episode in season 1 of the podcast) Matt and Richard tell the tale of James Hunt and Hesketh Racing - perhaps the ultimate underdog success story in Formula 1 history.  

They explain how a small, privateer racing team with a crash-prone driver rose to prominence in the 1970s, culminating with them beating the might of Ferrari to take victory at the 1975 Dutch Grand Prix.

Their reputation is one of party loving playboys, but is that an entirely fair representation of the team?

In discussing that, Matt and Richard look at the back stories of the 'real racers' at the team's heart: Colourful founder Lord Alexander Hesketh, his equally colourful right-hand man, Antony 'Bubbles' Horsley, and the man they called 'Doc', designer Harvey Postlethwaite.

And there are also plenty of thoughts on James Hunt - a man whose reputation off-track, Matt and Richard argue, has led many to overlook (and underrate) his considerable talents as a driver.

And make sure you listen until the end to hear about Matt's remarkable run-in (or should that be near run-in?) with Hunt in 1993.

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On this episode, Matt and Richard remember several pioneering female drivers from the past; each an inspiring character who competed on equal terms with their male peers and who achieved, against the odds, some incredible things.  

Those discussed included Maria Theresa De Filippis (the first woman to compete in a world championship Grand Prix), Pat Moss (the talented rally driving sister of F1 star Stirling Moss), Lella Lombardi (the first woman to score an F1 point), Desire Wilson (the only woman to win an F1 race of any sort), Michele Mouton (a four-time world rally winner), Janet Guthrie (the first woman to qualify and compete in both Indy 500 and Daytona 500), and many more.

And after reappraising the past, Matt and Richard bring us up to the present to look at efforts to bring more female drivers into the sport, and they also ponder the age old question of whether female racers will ever become mainstays in F1 in the future.

NOTE: This podcast was recorded before Abbi Pulling's landmark British Formula 4 victory!

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