22/08/2000
FEATURE BY CHRIS BALFE
Editor Chris Balfe remembers the 1956 Belgian GP - Spa Francorchamps, 3 June 1956
It's so easy isn't it?
Every fortnight we sit in front of our TV screens screaming at Coulthard for not getting through the back-markers as quickly as Schumacher, rubbishing Zonta and Wurz for their lack of pace and ability.
When I say 'we', I do mean 'we'! all of us.
It's not just 'ordinary' race fans who are guilty, we media people are probably worse. It's often said that music journalists are simply fans that didn't have the talent or ability to play an instrument and therefore took the easy route and made a living out of constantly criticising those that can.
Without wishing to offend Mike Lawrence, Eoin Young or Nigel Roebuck, it's so easy for us to sit there and trash Gaston Mazzacane when in reality the young Argentine has more balls than the lot of us put together.
Today's classic race features another racing journalist, only a journalist with a difference, for Paul Frere wasn't content to simply watch and criticise! he was prepared to race. Frere like most of us dreamed of being a race driver, however unlike most of us he had the talent. To Frere though racing had to be a pleasure not a job therefore he preferred to opt for life as a motorsport journalist who would occasionally race, on a purely amateur basis, for his own satisfaction.
Frere made his F1 debut in 1952 at his home event, the Belgian GP at Spa with HWM, and immediately joined an exclusive club of F1 stars who have scored points on their GP debut - he came 5th. True to his desire to remain amateur he competed in two further races that season and a handful of GPs over the next three years. As well as his rare appearances in F1, Frere had also gained a bit of a reputation as a long distance driver having finished 2nd at Le Mans in 1955 - the year of the disaster.
In 1956 Frere was offered a seat in the Jaguar Sports Car team which he was happy to accept. It appeared his F1 career was over and that he couldn't even be tempted to appear in his 'home' GP, a race he'd participated in for four consecutive years.
Then, Luigi Musso was injured in the Nurburgring 1000kms leaving Ferrari in desperate need of a replacement. The Scuderia approached Mike Hawthorn but the Englishman had already done a deal with Maserati. As a result, the Ferrari team manager Eraldo Sculati attempted to recruit Frere.
Although he had been racing Sports Cars on a fairly regular basis Frere doubted if he was up to the required fitness (and competitive) levels of F1, after all his last outing in an F1 car had been the 1955 Belgian GP.
In a deliberate attempt to avoid 'having' to drive Frere - who was due to cover the Grand Prix in his role as a journalist - missed Thursday practice and arrived at the circuit once Friday practice was well under way. The Ferrari team had brought five cars to Spa - one painted in the bright yellow of the Equipe Nationale Belge for Andre Pilette - together with cars for Collins, Fangio and Castellotti. When Frere enquired who the final red car was for the team manager replied 'you!'.
Adamant that he would not give in, Frere went out to the track to watch the cars practicing in the wet, his friends telling him that he was mad not to accept the offer. As he watched the beautiful Lancia Ferrari D50 his resolve weakened and he set off to find the team manager.
With practice coming to a close Frere agreed to complete a few exploratory laps on the strict understanding that he was under no obligation to participate in the race. After just a few laps, he had made his decision.
Despite the fact that he felt 'rusty', Frere was able to qualify in 8th, albeit 14s off the pace of Fangio who had set his time in ideal conditions on Thursday. Therefore Frere lined up on the third row of the grid behind Fangio, Moss (Maserati), Collins, Behra (Maserati), Castellotti, Schell (Vanwall) and Trintingant (Vanwall).
As is often the case at Spa, it was raining as the cars lined up on the grid. Fangio made a poor start allowing Moss to lead the field in to Eau Rouge as Fangio slipped back to 5th. Over the next couple of laps the Argentine passed Behra, Collins and Castellotti before setting off after Moss.
On lap 5 Fangio took the lead and immediately began pulling away. As Fangio increased his lead over Moss the rain stopped and the track began to dry. Suddenly as Moss swept through Eau Rouge and up towards Raidillon the Maserati appeared to have a problem. As his rear nearside wheel flew off the car, Moss pulled off the track and ran back to the pits to commandeer Perdisa's Maserati. Unbelievably the Englishman returned to the fray in 6th place albeit over a lap behind Fangio and Collins.
At half distance Fangio had a thirty second lead over Collins whilst Frere and Behra were battling for 3rd and Moss was closing on 5th placed Schell.
On lap 24 Fangio's race was over the Lancia Ferrari's transmission giving up and handing the lead to Collins. A lap later Frere passed Behra to take 2nd the Frenchman seemingly experiencing an engine problem.
Moss finally overhauled Behra on lap 30 and with just six laps remaining the Englishman knew that there was no chance of catching the leaders. Behra struggled on and eventually finished 7th having been passed by Schell, Villoresi and Pilette.
It was a historic day, for it marked the dashing Englishman Peter Collins' first GP win, whilst Frere's 2nd place - the highest finish for a Belgian in his home GP - has never been bettered. In another twist of fate - and one that Eddie Jordan can relate to - all three drivers had begun their F1 careers with HWM. Ironically HWM founder John Heath has been killed in the Mille Miglia just a few weeks earlier.
The Belgian GP 1956 was Frere's last world championship race - though he was to take participate in and win the non-championship 1960 South African GP. Other than his magnificent drive at Spa in '56, Frere will also be remembered for his win in the 1960 Le Man 24 Hour race with fellow Belgian Olivier Gendebien.
Paul Frere continues to write about the sport he adores - his 1963 classic 'Sports Car and Competition Driving' is still widely available - and possibly like the rest of us screams at the TV screen during the races, but unlike us he has every right.
He's been there.