FORMULA 1 PORTRAITS
‘As is the case throughout, it’s the candid shots that stand out, notably Jim Clark in the Monaco pits vacantly adjusting his socks in 1962’
When you consider the great photographers from the golden era of Formula One, the name Franco Villani probably won’t be first to the lips of too many outside of Italy. Most would surely think Bernard Cahier or Rainer W Schlegelmilch.
Villani’s name isn’t even on the spine of this latest generous offering from publisher Giorgio Nada Editore, but the writer Gianni Cancellieri. The hugely experienced journalist and former editor of the likes of Autosprint and Ruoteclassiche has compiled this journey through the characters of the Grand Prix circus of the 1960s, a decade he describes as ‘exceptional feats… and extraordinary champions of peerless charisma.’ Yet, as even the title suggests, it is the wonderful imagery that is doing much of the heavy lifting here. Most of the 350-plus are black and white, making the colour shots stand out that little bit more.
Each of the seven champions from Jack Brabham to 1969’s Jackie Stewart is given a main chapter, with Wolfgang von Trips, Bruce Mclaren, Stirling Moss, Dan Gurney and Lorenzo Bandini interlopers deemed also worthy of one of the 12 sections.
Much of the imagery comes from the streets of the Principality, but Brabham powering down the hill at Spa-francorchamps in driving rain brings home the perils of the era. Looking directly down into the cockpit of Graham Hill, on full opposite lock through Monza’s Parabolica, shows the skills of both photographer and driver wonderfully. Haunting, too, are the portraits of drivers lost to the race tracks of the time. Any photo of Mclaren in a cockpit, for example, carries an aura and here is no different, his pensive gaze always piercing. The text, meanwhile, is in Italian and translated into English but reads excellently, unlike some books of this ilk. Though much of what is written takes the form of photo captions, each chapter opens with a short biography of sorts, followed by something unique to each driver. For some it is a more straightforward description of major achievements or their character. Jim Clark’s is tantalising, with just snippets from an unused half hour’s chat with the Scot. It’s hard not to rue what has been lost, with only a few short answers recalled. As is the case throughout the book, it’s the candid shots that stand out, notably him in the Monaco pits in practice vacantly adjusting his socks in 1962, plus a dark and moody colour portrait from two years later. The text that accompanies the chapter on Moss is the most entertaining, as he curtly denies down the phone the rumours of a comeback. The ‘supporting cast’ is not forgotten, with as many as 35 pages packed with more wonderful portraits (58 in total) not only of heroes such as Jochen Rindt, Jacky Ickx, Chris Amon and Mario Andretti, but the often-forgotten racers of varying success. Some are truly obscure, and could be putting a face to a name for many enthusiasts. Or even perhaps just a name. With so many unseen images getting the light of day for the first time, the publisher having purchased Villani’s 300,000-strong library in 2016, it is strangely refreshing to see the stars from this new angle. JP €75 Gianni Cancellieri, Giorgio Nada Editore. ISBN 9788879117364