Lto own website of the Formula 1 yesterday made a classification with what they call the most infamous black flags of the history of F1 ‘. In it appear illustrious names such as Ayrton Senna The Juan Pablo Montoya, but also the most bloody, the one that refers to the only competitor disqualified for going too slow in a race.
Is the story of Al Pease. Born in Great Britain in 1921 he was a hero of World War II. He was in the Air Force (RAF) and fought in India, Africa or the Norman Landing. After the armistice he sought his fortune in Canada. Made illustrator -among other things from the General Motors catalogs-. But he loved cars. He ran several local appointments until he got hold of a Lotus GT. That, the sponsorship of Castrol Canada and his ‘contacts’ made him register for the first Grand Prix of that country, at the Mosport circuit, in 1967.
For his adventure he had bought a Eagle Climax, which had not rolled for half a year. But he managed to qualify 17 … a 7.7 seconds off Jim Clark’s pole. However, on departure, you battery failed and did not start. Pushing he was able to get to the pits and between him and his mechanics put another battery and left. It was pouring rain and he had to stop several times -with a top included-. It was folded 43 times! by Jack Brabham. He circled 47 times an average speed of 69.4 km / h. His best spin came within 15 seconds of Brabham. Officially it was … Not classified.
Pease was not discouraged. He verified that his Climax had had brake problems and that is why he did not go despite being registered in the United States and Mexico. He repaired it and did more local runs. With what he appeared, again, with that blido, at the Canadian GP in 1968, ahora in Mont Tremblant. He qualified last, 22, 15.6 seconds from pole by Jochen Rindt. His joy remained in a well because he could not even come out because the engine broke.
Al, if he had anything, it was courage. So despite losing the sponsorship of Castrol, he enrolled in 1969, again in Mosport. He ranked 17, 11.1 seconds from pole by Jacky Ickx. Others did worse, like Silvio Moser who entered the grid 24 seconds behind the Belgian.
Pease, at the 1969 Canadian GP, number 69 / WIKIEPEDIA
Pease, at last, was able to make the exit, but he was very slow, about 15 seconds per lap of the head. With what they did not take in doubling to him. The worst came with his attitude. I did not facilitate overtaking despite the blue flags. He had a first touch with Moser, at the start, the one he sent out and crashing into a guardral. After, impact con Jean-Pierre Beltoise, damaging the suspension of the Matra -who nevertheless finished fourth-. The last straw came with Jackie Stewart, partner of the French in Matra. This so infuriated Ken Tyrrell, owner of the squad, who went to the Race Directorate to request disqualification from the Canadian. It was lap 22 and the judges listened to Tyrrell and recorded as cause of the black flag its slowness on the track.
The former soldier raised the white flag and gave up in his attempts to compete in F1 again. Yes, I continued to participate in local tests and with some success. Until becomes considered ‘pilot of the year’ subsequently. After his retirement, he successfully helped regulate racing and sponsorship in Canada, for which he was even appointed in 1998 member of the Canadian Automotive Hall of Fame.
Since then never again in the history of the Great Circus, and although they have already raced in it almost 800 pilots, none have been disqualified for going too slow. For this reason, the nickname of the worst driver ever.
If it is not common in F1, it is, for example, in Indy. Ace, in 2012, Simona de Silvestro and Jean Alesi, ex Ferrari, were excluded from the 500 Miles for slow … although there they do not force to go 107 percent of the time of the best, but they are much more restrictive.
