Champagne has been sprayed on the F1 rostrums for the reason that 1950 French Grand Prix, turning into one of many sport’s many cherished traditions. In F1 that ritual has had a singular flavour to it ever since circuit speaker Bob Constanduros got here up along with his now iconic ‘Champaaaaaagne’, the signal for drivers to douse one another within the delicate bubbly substance, and for dignitaries to duck out of the way in which.
Following 4 years of Ferrari Trento, an Italian glowing wine which may’t legally be known as champagne, F1’s new landmark LVMH deal means Moet’s champagne is again on the menu, which is music to Constanduros’ ears. “I am more than happy to be doing a correct ‘champagne’ once more,” Constanduros instructed Motorsport.com, explaining he took inspiration within the 90s from Spanish soccer commentators and their typical ‘Goooool’ celebration. “I feel the longest I ever did was a 28-second champagne, however I haven’t got the lung capability any longer.
“I by no means by accident went again to champagne in these years. I knew what it was. Clearly, within the Arab states they can not use champagne, so as a substitute you say one thing like: ‘let’s have a good time’. So, you have to do not forget that. And typically in my ear, the producer is saying: ‘Okay, champagne second’. No, it is not!”
As with most issues involving Components 1 within the 80s, it was a sure Bernard Charles Ecclestone who performed a component in Constanduros getting the job of F1 circuit speaker through the 1985 season. “I used to be doing Le Mans at evening as a result of my uncle James did commentary, however he preferred to go off and have a drink within the night along with his mates, so he handed it over to me and I did it for thus a few years,” he remembers. “There was a chap known as Alec Deffis Whittaker, who was Bernie’s man in command of that form of factor and stated to Bernie, if you would like one other commentator, that is the man to have.
“On the time Anthony Marsh, an outdated household buddy of ours, was doing it, however Bernie did not like the way in which he was financing it by namedropping sponsors. So, I did every thing from 1985 onwards aside from one or two races that Anthony nonetheless did, after which I did all of them all through to 2018. Then I had a coronary heart operation, so I missed about three races. After which in fact, because of COVID I missed some extra.
“These days, I do about 10 out of 24. I nonetheless do the others from Biggin Hill. The know-how they’ve there’s superb, and the persons are so skilled. It is nearly a privilege to be working there. It’s the peak of sports activities broadcasting.”
Bernie Ecclestone presents Bob Constanduros an award for his upcoming five hundredth GP
Picture by: Sutton Photos
Earlier than he turned a circuit announcer, Constanduros labored as a freelancer and accomplished a stint at Autosport, following F1, F2 and touring automotive racers round Europe in a van. “I used to be freelance for Autosport after which joined full-time in 1972 and stayed for 5 years till 1977, once I turned freelance as a result of someone needed to cowl the Jaguars within the European Touring Automotive Championship. I went throughout Europe, to the Czech Republic, everywhere. And I liked it.
“The primary van I had was a Volkswagen Sort 2 that had been utilized by Australians for travelling round Europe. It had a misfire for ages. One time I used to be going to have it taken care of in Belgium and get a carry with a man to cowl Brno. However he had an issue along with his tow automotive. In the long run I needed to get a carry to Brussels to get my camper, which nonetheless wasn’t cured, then set off in the midst of the evening to drive from Brussels to Brno, and I arrived on race day morning.
“After the race, I spent the evening in Vienna after which drove to Munich and had the misfire cured in Munich. Finally acquired to Paris on Tuesday night after which went to Le Mans on Wednesday. That was fairly a marathon.
“I then purchased one other minibus which was transformed by Toine Hezemans, who was the European Touring Automotive Champion and had a enterprise changing campers. That was a very good one, it was new. Once I finally bought it, there have been fairly just a few issues flawed with it…
“At one level, the roof practically got here off as a result of I would left all of it winter and once I finally got here to open it, the hinges had been rusted, and so they simply went into the roof. I used to be simply on my approach to Nurburgring and it was truly one of the best place to have that drawback, as a result of I might go straight to a kind of tuners who do bodywork. By the tip of the day, it was repaired.
“I had that camper for about 30 years, however I began utilizing it much less and fewer as a result of I had a household and moved out of London as nicely in 1988, and I simply began flying a little bit bit extra. Earlier than that, my spouse used to come back out to fairly just a few races. She labored in F2 for Man Edwards and was taking care of the ICI sponsorship. And latterly, she additionally taken care of the Guinness sponsorship on the March that Derek Daly ran. However after we had youngsters to take care of she retired principally from racing. I used to be concentrating increasingly on F1 because the calendar acquired larger.”
Ayrton Senna on his approach to successful the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park
Picture by: Motorsport Photos
Constanduros’ tally of over 700 grands prix means there have been numerous alternatives for slip-ups, though he has largely managed to remain out of hassle. “It is fairly sophisticated as a result of typically we aren’t awfully sure who’s going to be presenting the trophies,” he explains. “In Bahrain, for instance, we had two completely different eventualities with two completely different a number of names and typically they are often very sophisticated. I do know someone who did the rostrum at a race and acquired into a certain quantity of hassle as a result of they pronounced the prime minister’s title flawed…”
Having coated practically each F1 race since 1985, Constanduros can be a veritable treasure trove of anecdotes, working in an period when journalists had a lot nearer relationships with their material, lengthy earlier than the game was sanitised and public relations took over.
When requested about his standout reminiscences, just a few examples instantly spring to thoughts, each constructive and destructive. “Donington 1993 was a really memorable weekend for all kinds of causes,” he remembers. “I practically ran into Princess Diana within the management tower. It has a spiral staircase and I used to be kind of concentrating on my footing, and hastily there was this pair of legs in entrance of me. I used to be about to stroll straight into someone, I regarded up, and it was Princess Diana.
“Then James Hunt and I had been kind of yomping throughout the grounds to do a presentation at East Midlands Airport. Then I practically known as King Hussein of Jordan ‘Saddam Hussein’. Oof, that was an in depth name… After which in fact we had a incredible race with Ayrton Senna successful within the rain.”
One yr later the mercurial Brazilian would inevitably be on the centre of Constanduros’ worst reminiscence working within the sport. “Clearly, Imola 1994 was dangerous information,” he continued. “I’ll all the time keep in mind the final phrases Ayrton stated to me. I needed to go along with FOM to try to get a remark from him on the Sunday morning, due to the earlier night [when Roland Ratzenberger was killed in a qualifying accident].
“He got here out of the motorhome, checked out me and stated: ‘You do not anticipate I will provide you with an interview, do you?’ That was the very last thing he ever stated to me, so I’ll all the time do not forget that. However I did get to know him fairly nicely and I very a lot revered him. And I truly really helpful Alain Prost for an OBE, an Order of the British Empire. I’ve truly acquired an invite to the British Embassy in Paris along with his signature on the again.
Keke Rosberg, Williams FW08
Picture by: Motorsport Photos
The motive force Constanduros acquired to know finest was Keke Rosberg, who turned the 1982 world champion with Williams after a fraught season marked by tragedy and politics. Constanduros struck up a friendship whereas working with the Finn throughout his early Components Vee years, and he regales us with one other unforgettable story: “He raced in Components 2 with the ICI March and I used to go and stick with him at Heidelberg in Germany, the place he lived. He, Danny Sullivan and [legendary Marlboro marketing executive] Dan Partel kidnapped me one time on the Thursday earlier than a grand prix.
“The following day they needed to do a Marlboro promotion at a US Air Power base close to Heidelberg. Gunnar Nilsson had rung as much as ask if somebody might decide him up from the airport. They usually stated: ‘Effectively, we will not do it but when we kidnap Bob, get him drunk and let him sleep on the couch, then we’ll give him Danny’s Alfa tomorrow and he can drive it to Frankfurt airport and decide up Gunnar.’ And that is what I did.
“Then I took him again to the campsite and there I discovered this Lotus Components 1 driver consuming all my currant bread, ogling the topless lady about two campers away…”
To today Constanduros is understood for his booming voice and his infectious ardour for racing, which underpins the participating trackside commentary that has entertained thousands and thousands of spectators over many years. Transferring this ardour onto the group whereas drip-feeding them info is what he feels is his job description.
“So many individuals who come to a grand prix have by no means seen one earlier than, so you have to be sure you begin on the backside and construct info,” he says when requested what makes a superb circuit speaker. “Fairly often they don’t seem to be listening the primary time anyway, so you have to say one thing possibly a number of occasions and you have to level issues out.
“The opposite level about circuit commentary versus TV commentary is that it would not matter what you say, someone someplace is taking a look at what you are speaking about. On TV, it is solely what they’re seeing on the images whereas on the monitor someone someplace is taking a look at that motion. I haven’t got to focus on the battle occurring for the lead. I can speak in regards to the battle occurring additional again.
“You need to get excited, elevate your voice and try to transmit that zeal to your viewers. You need to recognize how incredible it’s, nevertheless many occasions you have seen it earlier than, whether or not it is vehicles going three abreast or the timing in F1 today. These days you will have a free observe session the place all 20 vehicles are coated by 1.2 seconds. And I hold asking, the place do you discover that 1.2 seconds from? A few of us, as journalists, are fairly impolite in regards to the groups and but they’re full of individuals doing their finest with what they should be as aggressive as they will. That is so necessary to recollect.”
Commentator field with Bob Constanduros
Picture by: Stefan Ehlen
Constanduros is now nicely into his 70s, however as with all ‘F1 lifers’ he cannot fairly think about doing a lot else, though he has lowered his workload lately. “At my peak, if you happen to like, I might be doing possibly 10 or 12 completely different jobs at a grand prix. Not solely the commentary, however I would even be doing a little writing and speaking for sponsors. I did some stuff for Japanese magazines, Swiss magazines. That is disappeared to some extent as nicely. It is simply the way in which of the world and the way in which of media, you’ll be able to’t flip it again,” he ponders.
“The final little bit of writing I actually did was for the FIA. For a few years I hosted post-race after which post-qualifying press conferences, which Tom Clarkson does now, in addition to the transcriptions; latterly solely the transcriptions. Once I stopped final yr, I would been working for the FIA for about 35 years.
“A lot has modified, and I have not acquired a mortgage to pay however I nonetheless get enthusiastic about motorsport. The Bahrain Grand Prix was nice stuff and I will be sitting on the sting of my seat with a giant grin on my face. The thrill won’t ever go away, so I am going to carry on going so long as you’ll be able to.
“I’ve simply acquired to recognise that maybe I am not sharp and if obligatory, simply recognise that I’ve acquired to step again. However what they do say is: ‘Effectively, he nonetheless sounds younger. He might not look younger, however they do not have to have a look at him!'”
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