As the news this weekend is quite light regarding the Grands Prix, we invite you to dive into the past with pleasure. In this case, that of the 1982 French Grand Prix at Nogaro, which was memorable in many ways. A track that was too bumpy as well as a paddock that was too small and very poorly equipped led all the factory drivers, Roberts, Sheene, Mamola and others, to refuse to start.
Throughout its 6 minutes, this remarkable document explains to us the unprecedented event that took place there (after an Austrian Grand Prix in the snow...), while making us aware of the progress made over the past 35 years, even if Franco Uncini still represents the pilots' point of view today, alongside Loris Capirossi.
You will note with amusement or sadness, it depends, sentences like “there were only 23 to start” ou “the world of motorcycles is now gradually joining the world of Formula 1”.
The comments (Moto Revue n° 2558) of Jacques Bolle and late Alain Chevallier also shed their interesting light on this very sad episode in the history of the Grands Prix…
Jacques Bolle: “I think that all this is not good, neither for the motorcycle, nor for the people who came; the pilots who boycott have valid reasons for doing so and I agree with them. But there are other reasons behind it and that's what I don't agree with. Because it is true that the park or the track are all reasons not to run and that the organizer doesn't care about us. But didn't the Austrian organizer also make fun of us by organizing the GP in the snow? ”
Alain Chevallier : “I think it's lamentable because the circuit is as we knew it a month ago and from that moment on, we shouldn't come. Since we asked for the track to be resurfaced and we knew nothing had been done, we can't say to all these guys who are there and who paid for their trip: screw you. In fact, we realize that everything is wrong because that suits certain factories: Luchinelli is injured and we noticed that the aluminum frames of the Suzukis were breaking on the bumpy circuit. If factories want to make frames out of bubble gum, that's their problem, but a racing bike has to be able to take bumps. I don't see why a GP would necessarily take place on a pool table. If it was a big straw bale or safety issue, I would walk. But we all knew what we were going to find. ”
The “rebels” received a fine of 10 Swiss francs, Angel grandson even receiving 20 francs (000 euros today) and 26 months of suspended license suspension!
So, if you are a spectator of the next French Grand Prix at Le Mans and if you are enjoying the perfectly tuned spectacle that is offered to you, just spare a little thought for those who came to Nogaro in 1982...
