Champagne has been sprayed on the F1 rostrums for the reason that 1950 French Grand Prix, changing 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 Trento, an Italian glowing wine which may’t legally be referred to 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 informed Motorsport.com, explaining he took inspiration within the 90s from Spanish soccer commentators and their typical ‘Goooool’ celebration. “I believe the longest I ever did was a 28-second champagne, however I haven’t got the lung capability any longer.
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“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 an alternative you say one thing like: ‘let’s have fun’. So, you have to keep in mind that. And generally in my ear, the producer is saying: ‘Okay, champagne second’. No, it is not!”
As with most issues involving System 1 within the 80s, it was a sure Bernard Charles Ecclestone who performed an element in Constanduros getting the job of F1 circuit speaker in the course of the 1985 season. “I used to be doing Le Mans at evening as a result of my uncle James did commentary, however he appreciated 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 therefore a few years,” he recollects. “There was a chap referred to as Alec Deffis Whittaker, who was Bernie’s man accountable for that type of factor and mentioned to Bernie, in order for you 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“On the time Anthony Marsh, an outdated household buddy of ours, was doing it, however Bernie did not like the way in which he was financing it by namedropping sponsors.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 over to 2018. Then I had a coronary heart operation, so I missed about three races. After which in fact, attributable to 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 individuals are so skilled. It is virtually 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
Bernie Ecclestone presents Bob Constanduros an award for his upcoming five hundredth GPSutton Photographs
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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, after I turned freelance as a result of any individual needed to cowl the Jaguars within the European Touring Automotive Championship. I went throughout Europe, to the Czech Republic, far and wide. And I beloved it.
“The primary van I had was a Volkswagen Kind 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 elevate with a man to cowl Brno. However he had an issue along with his tow automotive. Ultimately I needed to get a elevate 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. Ultimately bought 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. After I ultimately bought it, there have been fairly a number of issues mistaken with it…
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“At one level, the roof almost got here off as a result of I would left all of it winter and after I ultimately 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 option to Nurburgring and it was really the perfect place to have that drawback, as a result of I may go straight to a type 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 properly in 1988, and I simply began flying a little bit bit extra. Earlier than that, my spouse used to come back out to fairly a number of 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 once we had youngsters to take care of she retired mainly from racing. I used to be concentrating increasingly more on F1 because the calendar bought greater.”
Ayrton Senna on his option to profitable the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park
Ayrton Senna on his option to profitable the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington ParkMotorsport Photographs
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Constanduros’ tally of over 700 grands prix means there have been a number of alternatives for slip-ups, though he has largely managed to remain out of bother. “It is fairly sophisticated as a result of generally we aren’t awfully sure who’s going to be presenting the trophies,” he explains. “In Bahrain, for instance, we had two totally different eventualities with two totally different numerous names and generally they are often very sophisticated. I do know any individual who did the rostrum at a race and bought into a specific amount of bother as a result of they pronounced the prime minister’s identify mistaken…”
Having coated almost each F1 race since 1985, Constanduros can also 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 recollections, a number of examples instantly spring to thoughts, each constructive and unfavourable. “Donington 1993 was a really memorable weekend for all kinds of causes,” he remembers. “I almost 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 any individual, I seemed 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 almost referred to as King Hussein of Jordan ‘Saddam Hussein’. Oof, that was an in depth name… After which in fact we had a unbelievable race with profitable within the rain.”
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One 12 months 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 mentioned to me. I needed to go together 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 mentioned: ‘You do not count on I’ll provide you with an interview, do you?’ That was the very last thing he ever mentioned to me, so I’ll all the time keep in mind that. However I did get to know him fairly properly and I very a lot revered him. And I really really helpful Alain Prost for an OBE, an Order of the British Empire. I’ve really bought an invite to the British Embassy in Paris along with his signature on the again.
Keke Rosberg, Williams FW08
Keke Rosberg, Williams FW08 Motorsport Photographs
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The driving force Constanduros bought to know finest was , who turned the 1982 world champion with after a fraught season marked by tragedy and politics. Constanduros struck up a friendship whereas working with the Finn throughout his early System Vee years, and he regales us with one other unforgettable story: “He raced in System 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 Drive base close to Heidelberg. Gunnar Nilsson had rung as much as ask if somebody may decide him up from the airport. They usually mentioned: ‘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 System 1 driver consuming all my currant bread, ogling the topless lady about two campers away…”
To this present day Constanduros is understood for his booming voice and his infectious ardour for racing, which underpins the partaking trackside commentary that has entertained hundreds of thousands of spectators over many years. Transferring this ardour onto the gang whereas drip-feeding them info is what he feels is his job description.
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“So many individuals who come to a grand prix have by no means seen one earlier than, so you have to ensure you begin on the backside and construct info,” he says when requested what makes 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 instances and you have to level issues out.
“The opposite level about circuit commentary versus TV commentary is that it does not matter what you say, any individual someplace is taking a look at what you are speaking about. On TV, it is solely what they’re seeing on the photographs whereas on the observe any individual someplace is taking a look at that motion. I haven’t got to focus on the battle happening for the lead. I can speak in regards to the battle happening additional again.
“It’s a must to get excited, increase your voice and try to transmit that zeal to your viewers. It’s a must to recognize how unbelievable it’s, nevertheless many instances you’ve got seen it earlier than, whether or not it is vehicles going three abreast or the timing in F1 today. These days you may 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 vital to recollect.”
Commentator field with Bob Constanduros
Commentator field with Bob Constanduros Stefan Ehlen
Stefan Ehlen
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Constanduros is now properly 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, for those who like, I’d be doing possibly 10 or 12 totally different jobs at a grand prix. Not solely the commentary, however I would even be performing some writing and speaking for sponsors. I did some stuff for Japanese magazines, Swiss magazines. That is disappeared to some extent as properly. 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. After I stopped final 12 months, I would been working for the FIA for about 35 years.
“A lot has modified, and I have not bought 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 an enormous 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 bought to recognise that maybe I am not sharp and if needed, simply recognise that I’ve bought 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 take a look at him!'”
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