Exclusive Interview with Philippe Alliot!

The place for respectful and reverent discussion of Reject drivers and teams, whether profiled or not as yet
Post Reply
User avatar
minrdi
Posts: 123
Joined: 31 Mar 2009, 05:21
Location: St Leonards, NSW Australia
Contact:

Exclusive Interview with Philippe Alliot!

Post by minrdi »

Hi there F1 Rejecters!

I've been a little quiet on the F1 driver interview front, but with a new season comes a spate of new interview opportunities, and I'm kicking off my Australian Grand Prix build-up with a chat with a driver who would shortlist in the 'You Lucky Bastard' category of Reject Centrale: Philippe Alliot.

Famed for a series of crashes and some appalling manners when being lapped, Philippe also enjoyed a lot of success in sports car racing, and today runs a karting facility in his native France.

He had a lengthy interview with me last year, and I've taken the opportunity to time its publication with the launch of my website's new design.

You can read the interview by clicking on this link: http://bit.ly/1gaRnLH

Our entire interview archive can be accessed here: http://richardsf1.com/interviews/

Enjoy!
"The advantage of jumping the start is that you can get away a lot quicker." - Murray Walker

Editor, Richard's F1
Visit my F1 website at http://richardsf1.com
Exclusive news, reviews and interviews for F1, IndyCar, V8 Supercars and the WTCC
User avatar
watka
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 4097
Joined: 26 Apr 2009, 19:04
Location: Chessington, the former home of Brabham
Contact:

Re: Exclusive Interview with Philippe Alliot!

Post by watka »

Thanks as always!
Watka - you know, the swimming horses guy
User avatar
dinizintheoven
Posts: 3983
Joined: 09 Dec 2010, 01:24

Re: Exclusive Interview with Philippe Alliot!

Post by dinizintheoven »

That takes me back to my first days watching F1. Philippe Alliot was one I'll never forget from that 1990 season, mainly because of those "appalling manners when being lapped", which was why I was really surprised to see him make those last few comeback drives in 1994. The other one I'll always remember was just as French and was just as notorious... and Alliot had pinched his drive at Ligier so off he went to his adventures at Osella. It's the generously-beaked walking hair gel advert, Olivier Grouillard!

And, as we all know, Philippe Alliot shares a birthday with me. As does Ricardo Rosset, heavily featured on Dr Baker's Lola retrospective.
James Allen, on his favourite F1 engine of all time:
"...the Life W12, I can't describe the noise to you, but imagine filling your dustbin with nuts and bolts, and then throwing it down the stairs, it was something akin to that!"
Faustus
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2073
Joined: 30 Mar 2009, 20:23
Location: UK

Re: Exclusive Interview with Philippe Alliot!

Post by Faustus »

Thank you minrdi! Always a pleasure to read your interviews.

He mentions a possible 3rd place at Monaco in 1990. I don't remember this. Does anyone remember the race?
Following Formula 1 since 1984.
Avid collector of Formula 1 season guides and reviews.
Collector of reject merchandise and 1/43rd scale reject model cars.
User avatar
midgrid
Posts: 705
Joined: 02 Apr 2009, 19:27
Location: UK

Re: Exclusive Interview with Philippe Alliot!

Post by midgrid »

I think it's a very optimistic interpretation of what could have happened. He was running in seventh place when he retired on lap 47 with a gearbox failure, and would have finished fourth had he retained his track position to the end. He would have had to pass Boutsen, who was 25 seconds short of lapping him when he retired, to claim third. Perhaps the gearbox was playing up and slowing his pace before he retired, and his target of third would have been achievable with a completely healthy car?
"One day Bruno told me that he had heard the engine momentarily making a strange sound; his suspicion was that all the cylinders had been operating."
--Nigel Roebuck
Post Reply