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F1: Beyond The Grid

Herbie Blash: race mechanic to Race Control

F1: Beyond The Grid

karenellenbevan

Leisure, Sports, Technology, Automotive

4.85.2K Ratings

🗓️ 1 August 2023

⏱️ 79 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

To stay in the paddock for more than half a century, you simply must adore Formula 1. The sport might have changed a lot in that time, but what has always stayed the same is Herbie Blash’s enthusiasm for F1. Now the FIA’s permanent senior advisor to the Race Director, Blash’s career began as a race mechanic at Rob Walker Racing and Lotus in the 1960’s.

30 years later, having won two World Championships as team manager of Brabham Racing in the 1980’s, Herbie switched the pit wall for Race Control – where he spent more than two decades as deputy to the late, legendary F1 Race Director Charlie Whiting.

Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Herbie relives some of the most intriguing tales of his long career; from pushing the regulations to the absolute limit with Brabham, working with World Champions like Niki Lauda, dealing with driver fatalities, becoming best mates with Charlie, his passion for motorbikes, and much more.

Follow, rate and review F1 Beyond The Grid and share this episode using #F1BeyondTheGrid.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You may have heard about people's postcode lottery and often wondered, how does it work?

0:06.0

Playing is simple.

0:07.0

You sign up for a monthly subscription of 12 pounds, guaranteeing you entry into every draw.

0:12.0

And your ticket is your postcode.

0:15.0

Prizes are one every day, including millionaire street, where one lucky postcode wins a share

0:21.0

of 1 million pounds every Saturday.

0:24.0

Also, at the end of the month, players in one postcode area win a share of a minimum

0:29.0

of £3.2 million, a minimum of 33% of every ticket goes to charities and good causes across

0:37.0

Great Britain and beyond.

0:39.0

With a staggering £1.1 billion raised so far.

0:43.0

So, for a chance to win, sign up before midnight on the 24th of August to play in the September

0:49.0

Draws, and the next winning postcode could be yours.

0:53.0

PPL managed lotries and behalf of good causes, 18-plus conditions apply.

0:57.0

Play responsibly, not available in Northern Ireland.

1:11.0

As a race mechanic, a championship winning team manager, and the FIA's deputy race director,

1:17.0

Herbie Blash has experienced almost everything that Formula One has to offer.

1:22.0

With a team, you have your hires and your lows.

1:26.0

You'll walk out where you've won the race, and that's a great hire.

1:30.0

And when you're in race control, you can't show those emotions.

1:34.0

You can't sit in race control and bang the desk and yeah, go on!

1:38.0

No, we couldn't allow ourselves to become passionate about a particular car or a particular driver.

1:45.0

It's not emotional. When you're with the team, it is emotional.

...

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