Grand Prix (1966) - full transcript

American Grand Prix driver Pete Aron is fired by his Jordan-BRM racing team after a crash at Monaco that injures his British teammate, Scott Stoddard. While Stoddard struggles to recover, Aron begins to drive for the Japanese Yamura team, and becomes romantically involved with Stoddard's estranged wife.

The drivers are all on the grid now, and
the Monaco Grand Prix is about to start.

There's Scott Stoddard
with his Jordan BRM.

And with him now, is Jeff Jordan himself,
talking to this brilliant English driver...

who's won so many races
in the dark-green BRMs.

Even faster than Stoddard in practice,
was the Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Sarti.

Twice world champion, an absolute master
of these twisting Monte Carlo streets...

he's won the Grand Prix here
three times.

He drives for the great Italian manufacturer,
Ferrari.

And his team-mate is the young Sicilian, Nino Barlini,
who's also won a place on the front row.

Barlini's the former world champion
motorcyclist...

who made a very successful switch
to car racing last year...



and is certainly a potential
world champion in Formula 1 racing.

On the second row, is Pete Aron,
the American, now driving for BRM.

Pete hasn't won a Grand Prix since
he left Ferrari three seasons ago.

But in spite of two bad accidents last year,
he's still just as fast as ever.

Yesterday he lapped only a tenth slower
than Scott Stoddard...

number one driver in the BRM team.

Let's try get the season
off to a good start. Shall we?

Drive the car, don't try
to stand it on its bloody ear.

Tim Randolph, another American, driving
a Japanese Yamura, he's also on the second row.

This team's only been in Formula 1 racing
for two years and...

so far the car's not been
reliable enough to win a Grand Prix.

But the Japanese have
the most powerful engines of all.

Ten seconds.

Five...



four...

three...

two, one.
Go!

Through Sainte D?vote,
then Sarti in the lead.

From Stoddard, Aron, Hulme,
Anderson and Randolph.

Stoddard's drawing level with Sarti
up the hill. He's going to overtake him.

Now, it's Sarti in the red Ferrari,
number 17 leading...

past the Hotel de Paris
and into the Casino Square.

Along the seafront, at the tobacconist...

it's Sarti's red Ferrari ahead of
Stoddard's green BRM number 12.

As they finish the first lap, it's Sarti first,
Stoddard second, Aron third...

and fourth now
is Barlini's Ferrari, number 16.

I used to think nothing
could be better than motorbike racing.

Three times I'm awarded champion
on my motorbike. I'm happy.

Then I go into one of these...

These cars... You sit in a box, a coffin.
Gasoline all around you.

It is like being inside a bomb.

Crazy.
But, of course, the cars are faster.

And that is the most important thing.

You have to remember that at Monte Carlo,
because of the nature of the circuit...

you shift gears over 2,600 times
during the race.

That's an average of once
every three seconds.

No reason to expect gearbox trouble.

On the other hand, I suppose potential problems
are in the back of your mind all the time.

I've driven this course six times before...

the way I see it, I've only got
three big problems today, and that's:

Two Ferraris starting ahead of me
and my own team-mate, Scott Stoddard.

Well, actually walking the course is just about
the last thing I'd do on the morning of a race.

It's become a bit of a thing with me.
I do a lot of thinking...

collecting my thoughts about how I'll
run the race, so all that sort of thing.

Of course, it originated with my brother,
Roger, you know. He used to do the same thing.

As a matter of fact, before I started racing myself
I often used to walk the course with him.

The funny thing about Roger,
you know...

the day he was killed, he hadn't walked
the circuit for some reason or another.

I suppose I'm rather superstitious
about that.

I love the challenge of Monaco.

Driving through ordinary streets full out,
is to me what racing is all about.

It's a pity it's the only one
left of its kind.

At the end of 10 laps, the order is still
Sarti, Stoddard, Aron and Barlini.

Stoddard can't quite squeeze his BRM
past Sarti's Ferrari.

There's very little room to pass
on these narrow Monte Carlo streets.

Barlini and the other Ferraris
can't quite...

- Oh, my darling. You're not ready?
- Ready? For what?

Pat, you've forgotten.

Hugo, the way I feel now...

if I could remember my own name,
I'd consider myself very fortunate.

- What have I forgotten?
- Last night.

I told you, I'd be by to take you
to the winner's circle...

- ...if Scott wins.
- Hugo, there's lots of time.

The dungarees.

Hugo, have you ever had ouzo?

I have had everything, my dear.

I was with two Greeks last night
and we drank ouzo. A lot of ouzo.

And where, may I ask,
was your husband...

while all this Greek
and ouzo business was going on?

Where he always is the night before a race:
Trying to sleep.

The danger? Well, of course.

But you are missing
a very important point.

I think, if any of us imagined,
really imagined...

what it would be like to go into a tree
at 150 miles an hour...

we would probably never get
into the cars at all. None of us.

So it has always seemed to me,
that to do something very dangerous...

requires a certain
absence of imagination.

Number 17, the Ferrari of Jean-Pierre Sarti,
is still in front...

but he just cannot get away from
number 12, Scott Stoddard in the BRM.

And the second BRM driver, number 11,
Pete Aron, is only three seconds behind...

with Nino Barlini in number 16
Ferrari breathing down his neck.

That's 25 laps gone.
One-quarter of the race distance.

As Sarti and Stoddard fight for the lead,
they're leaving Aron and Barlini behind.

Stoddard's really pressing Sarti. The Frenchman's
usually unbeatable at Monaco...

but today the Englishman is faster
on some parts of the circuit.

Now that Stoddard's out in the lead,
his lap times are faster and faster.

And he's going steadily away from Sarti.

There doesn't seem to be anything
the Ferrari driver can do about it.

There's Scott Stoddard completing his
30th lap and increasing his lead over Sarti.

But there's the third man, Barlini,
in his red Ferrari now well-clear of Aron.

And he's just lapping a slower car.

That can be tricky here at Monte Carlo.
It's almost impossible to pass...

unless you can rely on the driver in the
slower car to move over and make room.

That's 32 laps completed and the order is
Stoddard, Sarti, Barlini, Randolph, Aron.

- Get back out there.
- It's sticking in between third and fourth.

It didn't do it in practice.
Do you suppose it could be you?

All right, I'm doing it on purpose.

On purpose or not,
you're breaking her up.

- I didn't build the damn car.
- We can't do anything about it.

- Now, do the best you can.
- What lap is this?

- Forty-two.
- It's a cinch. I'm halfway home.

You're never halfway home!

Pete Aron's away again.
He's had some sort of gearbox trouble.

There's Stoddard now. He'll lap
his BRM team-mate, Aron, next time round.

Stoddard's driving a tremendous race.

Bet he's broken the lap record again: 129.3.

Blimey, they nearly collided
at the Gasometer hairpin. That was close.

Louis Chiron's waving
the blue flag at the American...

which means he ought to move over
and let the faster car through.

Let Scott through!

The bloody idiot.
Sarti's picked up three seconds.

You can't blame Pete
for wanting to race.

Not with a team-mate!
He has to let him through!

There's Barlini in second place at the Gasometer
as Sarti completes 50 laps...

- ...half distance in the lead.
- That's my driver. Let go. Let me through.

- Damn you! Damn you!
- Get these people out of here!

- I waved him through.
- Where are the cops?

- You're a bloody liar.
- Please, Jeff.

I told you to take it easy with him.

- Apart from being a bloody coward!
- Jeff, don't.

- Shut up! You're a liar!
- Now, get these people out of here!

Shut up.
Look, you're through with me!

Now, just get out of my sight
as quick as you can!

Something's happened.
There has been an accident.

That's what they come for:
See someone get killed.

- How did it happen?
- A bloody lot you care.

- Don't you say that. Don't speak to me like that.
- Mrs. Stoddard.

You can stay here if you want.

It will be some time in surgery.

You've got what you want now.

He's finished with driving.

Maybe we'll have some peace
in our lives now.

You think so?

How I didn't spin out
is a miracle of skill and daring.

What do you think of this man?

In the middle of the race
he decided to take a swim.

It cost me two seconds.

From the manager.

Hey, Jean-Pierre.

You should fix that.
I have something in my room.

I just talked to the hospital.

- He's alive?
- Yeah.

Jordan says I was blocking.

Said I didn't give him a signal to pass.

- Did you?
- Of course I did.

Gearbox froze coming out of the tunnel
and I waved him through.

Got on the brakes, locked up,
and threw me in front of him.

Next thing I knew,
I was in the middle of Mediterranean.

What are you going to do now?

I don't know. I'll get a ride for the rest
of the season. I don't know where.

Pete?

Do you ever get tired?

Of the driving?

No.

Lately, I sometimes get very tired.

You know what I mean?
Very tired.

All right, unhook it.

Jeff is wrong, isn't he, Scott?

He says you're finished.

But you're not finished, are you?

I know, Scott.

Better than Jeff, better than anyone.

If I told them you'd drive again,
they'd think I was crazy.

They'll think you're crazy
when you tell them.

But you will, won't you, Scott?

You're in pieces now,
but it won't change anything for you.

You'll pull yourself together
and get back in the car somehow.

And for what?

To be better than Roger.

To compete against a dead man.

They don't know anything about that,
do they, Scott?

Not like I know.

They don't know it wasn't Pete Aron
in that car today...

it was Roger you were trying to beat.

Roger's in every car you try to pass.

Well...

this time, I'm the one that's finished.

No more for me, Scott.

I won't be there next time.

No more for me.

Please.

- Madame. Madame.
- Let me through.

Will he drive again?

Leave it.

Come on, will he be flown back to London?

Leave it.

I don't need your help.

You bastard.

- Agreement. Really.
- Yes, sir.

Then we can accuse Aron
of being ungentlemanly.

But not of some breaking the rules.

- Oh, excuse me.
- I still don't agree.

At last. I began to think
you were not coming.

I'm afraid I got lost.

You need only have followed the crowd.

I wish I had known.

I've only myself to blame.
I invited them all.

First, a drink.

And then I will introduce you to some
people who will be able to help you.

Of course, you must tell me more about
the sort of things you'll be doing.

All in a day's work, Hugo.

This is work, huh?
It looks so easy.

I'd like you to meet
Miss Louise Frederickson.

This is Jean-Pierre Sarti.

Jean-Pierre, it was a wonderful race.
Fantastic.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

She...

She's an American journalist,
so be careful what you say?

Would you believe it?
Once, a boy off the streets...

and now he speaks to kings.

Anyone can speak to kings, Hugo.
But will they speak back?

No, but if they do, what will they say?

Oh, you see must my museum.

- It's something that might interest you.
- Museum?

- Yes. It's a...
- Oh, Jean-Pierre?

- Simply marvelous, Jean-Pierre.
- Thank you.

- Simply marvelous.
- Thank you.

Your first nine. Hugo, you've got
to come to settle an argument...

about the 1932 Targa Florio.

He's the only one old enough
to have been there.

Now, there is a dubious distinction.

Was an excellent race you did today, Jean-Pierre.
Well done.

- Thank you, Bob. Thank you very much.
- Very good.

Suppose I show you the museum?

Obviously, if I don't escape from here,
we'll never get past "hello."

Come to think of it,
we haven't even managed that yet.

Now...

- ...hello.
- Hello.

- What did she mean, "your first nine"?
- Points.

Toward the Drivers' World Championship.

Have you known Hugo very long?

Since yesterday.

Someone in New York
gave me his name.

He's offered me his influence.

Which I gather is quite extensive.

Influence? For what?

Well, I work for an
American fashion magazine.

And we're going to do
an issue around racing cars.

Yes! Now, I have it.

Of course.
Louise Frederickson.

You once did an article about my wife,
Monique Delvaux.

"One of the 27 best-dressed
business women in the world."

Something like that.

Only 10.

You were away at the time, as I recall.

Yes. "While..."

"While her husband is off
racing motor cars...

this busy woman executive
spends long evenings in her office...

administering the complex affairs
of the Delvaux Motor Company."

I remember that part quite well.

It had about it the slight hint
of feminine prejudice...

toward the footloose male.

It wasn't meant to sound that way.

Is your wife here tonight?

She never comes to the races.

Charming, isn't it?

I can use this.

It's interesting.

Do you like motor racing?

I don't know.
I had never seen a race before today.

- What are these?
- Autographs.

People in motor racing.

Where are you?

Over there, somewhere.

Are you going
to the palace party tonight?

I wasn't invited.

I invite you.

There are a lot of parties tonight,
aren't there?

Yes.

- Is that the usual thing after a race?
- Of course.

And I can assure you...

that if you don't come
to the palace party tonight with me...

you will be missed.

And this man Stoddard,
will he be missed too?

I don't understand.

- Do you know Stoddard?
- No.

But I find it difficult to understand
how this sort of thing can be going on.

The celebrations.

When a man lies in a hospital,
possibly crippled for life.

If he were dead,
it would be the same.

More subdued perhaps, but the same.

And apparently it doesn't
affect you at all. None of you.

I'm sorry.

I guess that was all very rude of me.

Before you leave,
I want to tell you something.

Not about the others.

But about myself.

I used to go to pieces.

I'd see an accident like that
and feel so weak inside...

that I wanted to quit.

To stop the car and walk away.

I could hardly make myself go past it.

But I'm older now.

When I see something really horrible,
I put my foot down.

Hard.

Because I know
that everyone else is lifting his.

What a terrible way to win.

No, there is no terrible way to win.

There is only winning.

Hello, Nino.

Nino!

Nino!

Dance?

I don't dance.

Have a drink with me.

I don't drink.

- Smoke?
- I don't smoke.

What do you do?

So, you let Stoddard lap you.

You're still getting yourself
into hopeless situations.

It wasn't hopeless to begin with,
it just turned out that way.

There's a difference.

But you didn't come all the way to Modena,
to talk about Scott Stoddard. Did you?

I wanna drive for you again,
Signor Manetta.

Aron, your last season with me...

you did nothing but tell me,
what was wrong with our cars.

Then you left us, to follow hopes
that lasted a season.

Then to Jordan,
now back to me.

You confuse me, Aron.

And I don't like men
who confuse me driving my cars.

I left you because I didn't want
to become second driver to Sarti.

A position you put me in.

And now?

I need a ride.

I won a lot of races for you.

Of course you did.
Before you became reckless.

- I want to be champion.
- Everyone wants to be a champion, Aron.

There is no distinction in that.

I can be.

At what cost? And to whom?

All right.

I'll drive for you for less than
I was getting on my old contract.

I'll pay my own expenses.

You take the starting money.
I'll just take my share of the prizes.

I'm not talking about money, Aron.

Of course, I would not appreciate
your doing to me...

what you did to Jordan at Monaco.

To have two cars wiped out,
at a cost of $100,000 apiece...

is an unhappy experience.

But I could afford that.

I could not be in this business
if I weren't able to afford that.

It's one of the risks I take
every time a car leaves the starting grid.

But what is a greater risk, Aron...

what means far more to me
than anything else is a good name.

Our reputation represents desire
for perfection of the highest quality.

I gamble that reputation gladly.

Because I have
absolute faith in every car...

that leaves this factory.

But I will not risk it in a driver...

in whom I cannot have an equal faith.

There are fewer than 30 men in the world,
qualified to drive Formula 1.

A mere half-dozen, perhaps, to win.

At this moment, I'm inclined to think
you're not one of them.

Tough luck, Scott.

- Hello. How are you? All right?
- Jeff, how are you?

Is it true that doctors strongly advise
against moving Scott?

No, the decision to come home was Scott's alone.
He felt with English doctors he'd probably...

What about next season?
Scott, will you be ready to drive?

He's ready to drive now.

I just don't happen to have
a car for him at the moment.

All right, let's get him in.

- Hey, Jeff.
- Yeah?

What about these rumors of a divorce
between Scott and Pat?

- Absolute nonsense.
- I know, but we've heard...

Now, look, Mrs. Stoddard is taking
an enforced vacation under doctor's orders.

And you know neither heaven nor earth
could keep her from Scott's side.

- She's just on this holiday, all right.
- Yeah, all right.

- Okay. Thanks.
- Good luck.

- Where is she?
- Forget her.

- Where is she, Jeff?
- I don't know.

I want her back, you know.

You're a fool, then.

Jeff, you've never understood her.

I know you think she's frivolous,
incapable of any kind of understanding.

But you're wrong.
It's just that she hates what I do.

I think she still loves me, you know.
Hard as that may be for you to understand.

Trouble is, she's got to persuade
herself that she doesn't.

I worry about what she might do...

trying to convince herself of that.

- Fine. Thank you, David. Where's Tina?
- Tina! Tina!

Tina?

Hey, Pat? In the car, please.

- How am I doing?
- What you're doing beautifully.

- I look all right?
- You look fine. Now, just stop worrying.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

I expected you to be back
in America by now.

Oh, no. We'll be doing this
the entire season. I thought you knew.

No, no.

Does Guido know about all this?

Of course.
Arrangements were made.

Well, I can't say I'm not properly dressed
for the occasion.

I should be wearing
something fashionable.

Well, your driver's suit isn't bad.
Maybe you could start a new style.

Spun-glass, form-fitting,
waterproof, flameproof.

What's Pat doing here?

Oh, she asked for a job
and I was able to give her one.

She's very good.

- Hello, Pat.
- Hello, Jean-Pierre.

You're looking very chic in my car.

- How's Scott?
- I don't know.

- Arrangements were made.
- They told me arrangements were made.

Guido.
They mean no harm.

So far, Sarti has
the fastest practice time.

If nobody goes any faster this afternoon,
the Ferrari will be in pole position...

for tomorrow's French Grand Prix.

Sarti's time was 3 minutes,
11.1 seconds.

95.1 miles an hour.

This Clermont Ferrand circuit is just...

- How do you feel?
- Like an idiot.

Don't look so glum.
It's an honorable profession.

- You'd rather be dogcatcher or something?
- Or something.

- He's doing well.
- He could do better.

A slave driver, this one.

This looks very complicated.

At first glance.

It's only a different way to tell time.
More precise.

Well, I'm afraid I don't understand
any of this.

- Not any of it?
- No.

I mean, for one thing, it looks to me
as though the spectators...

can't really see very much of the race.

True enough, I suppose.

Jean-Pierre, andiamo!

And the risks you take.
Aren't they ridiculous?

I might understand it if you
made a great deal of money...

but I'm told you don't at all.

Some of us do. But money
is not an important part of it.

- Then what is?
- Many things.

It's marvelous to go very fast.

Why is it so marvelous to go very fast?

Answer that one, Lisa.

- Hello, Chris.
- Hi, Pete.

- Jean-Pierre. How are you?
- Hey!

- How are you, Pete?
- All right.

Hey, Nino.

The cars aren't good enough
for him anymore.

Interview me first, Pete.
I have had a fascinating life.

- I might as well.
- World should know.

I wouldn't want people to think
I was unemployed or something.

I was a born a poor boy
in Cerda, Sicily. Nothing to eat.

- Not a crumb of bread in the house.
- I guess Manetta told you...

- ...I came looking for a job.
- Every year, I would...

Well, I think he should've found you one.

Cerda is right on the course
of the great Targa Florio race.

- Knock it off, will you?
- Knock it off? What's that?

It means: You would be
well-advised to cease.

Yes.

"Knock it off."
I like that.

Now, we're pleased to announce the arrival...

of the famous Japanese industrialist,
Mr. Izo Yamura.

He's been racing Formula 1 cars
for more than two years now.

But this is his first visit
to a Grand Prix circuit.

And we're delighted to welcome him
to Clermont Ferrand.

This might be something to get, Pete.

Well, you care to come watch my debut?

- Hello, Tim.
- Hello, Pete.

- Hello again.
- Pete, how are you?

Hello, Pete.

Mr. Yamura? My name is Pete Aron.

Mr. Yamura wishes you to know that he,
of course, recognizes from photographs...

the well-known Mr. Aron.

Although he was at first
somewhat confused...

to find you in your present occupation.

He also offers his regrets in regard
to your unfortunate accident at Monaco.

Well, thank you.
Thank you very much, sir.

I was wondering if Mr. Yamura
would consent to doing an interview?

Mr. Yamura regrets
he does not give interviews.

Well, I'm sorry. Thank you,
thank you very much, sir.

- See you, Tim.
- See you later, Pete.

Well, I'm off to a flying start.

- Well, there's always Nino.
- Yeah. There's always Nino.

He was born in Cerda, Sicily, you know.

Not a crumb of bread in the house.

But he always knew that someday,
someday a poor guy, you know.

Of course there's no trouble
between Scott and me.

I've simply resumed my career.

Well, one of my careers.

Mostly at Scott's urging,
I might add.

Well, it would hardly be a proper motor
racing season...

without the Stoddard name connected
to it in some way, would it, Pat?

Considering what the Stoddards have been
to the sport in the past few years.

Needless to say, I'm present in a far more
humble capacity than Scott would be.

Still I'm delighted to be able to represent
the name for the rest of this season.

Pat, when did you last talk to Scott?

Can you give us some idea
of how he's coming along?

Oh, we talk two or three times a day.
He's coming along beautifully.

And he wants everyone to know
how very grateful he is for all the hun...

That interview concludes
this broadcast from Clemont Ferrand.

Tomorrow, beginning at 3:00,
there will be a live transmission...

of the start of the French Grand Prix.

- Hello, Jean-Pierre.
- Hello, Pat.

Hello. Pete.

You were fine.

That was beautiful, Pat.
Really beautiful.

Particularly the part about representing
the Stoddard name?

That was especially good.

You'll have to be careful, though.

Scott gets a load of that kind of thing,
he's liable to recover very quickly.

You'll be out of a career again.

You're very superior, Mr. Aron.

For the man to put Scott Stoddard
where he is.

Scott put Scott where he is.

That was a perfectly appalling thing,
what he said to that girl.

He may have done it badly,
but he isn't altogether wrong, you know.

The Stoddards don't exactly have
what one would call a fairy-tale marriage.

- Well, that's their business, isn't it?
- Not if she chooses...

to discuss it
in front of a television camera.

Now, would you care for some lunch?

Nino seems to have enough there
for all of us.

That's what comes
of a poverty-stricken childhood.

This girl has died from over-timing.

Enough food. I need the sun.

The sun it will be.

Sun, food and sex.

It's hard to think of them
10 years from now.

Fat and married.

With five fat children.

Maybe.
Maybe they'll avoid it.

The marriage or the fat?

Both.

You don't believe in marriage?

It depends on whose marriage it is.

- I apologize for that.
- Why?

Because it was bad manners.

What does it matter to you
what I do or don't do?

Girl has to make a living.

Last time a girl said that to me,
she was stepping out of her skirt...

- ...and asking for a hundred-dollar bill.
- Making a comparison?

When did you last talk to Scott?

- At Monaco.
- That's sweet.

Why are we being so offensive?

Probably because
we don't like each other.

Speak for yourself.

Now, you see?

The object is to put the fly exactly
where you want it to be.

Now, what difference does it make?
It's a big lake.

The difference is the art of it.

We could wade out and hit the fish
over the head...

but there would be no art in that,
would there? Now...

Now, is that where you
wanted it to land?

Would I admit to anything else?

Where was I?

You began racing
because of your marriage.

Yeah.

When we got married,
Monique and I...

Delvaux had just started competition
and I began testing cars.

The next step, of course, was racing.

Delvaux stopped racing some years ago.
But I kept on.

Why?

Well, actually I think
I've begun to wonder myself.

But I suppose it doesn't really matter.
A man does what he does.

We do what we most want to do,
I suppose.

Now, you try.

Here, and here.
Hold it here.

This way. Here.

Where are the fish?

The fire is too high.
We must have a bed of embers.

We will have a bed of cold gray ashes
by the time you catch a fish.

Have faith, Nino.
I tell you, there are fish.

Now, very gently.
Come on. Now.

- Very good.
- There.

Is that a good place for it to be?

Doesn't really matter.
It's a big lake.

Hey! My stomach refuses to accept
your promises any longer.

If there were some beefsteak,
I would cook you meat...

- ...in the style of the Auvergne.
- An excellent idea.

There is no beefsteak.
We will have fish.

In the house, hidden behind the cheese...

in the cooler: Beefsteak.

We will save some for you
because there are no fish in this lake.

Go away, Nino!
You are too close!

Why aren't you married?

Well, it's not a very subtle question, is it?

I need all my subtlety for the trout.

How do you know I'm not married?

I have noted the unmarried
woman's brave air of independence...

mingled with vague longing.

Independence, maybe.

Vague longing. I wasn't aware of that.

Something perhaps
only a man would see.

Or imagine.

Well, no vague longing, then?

But not too much
independence either, I hope.

Very bad for a woman
to be too independent.

Very bad for whom?

I like to be free.

I like traveling.

I like making my own decisions.

Meeting new people, working.

I like to be free.

I was married once.

But he was in love
with someone else.

You going to win tomorrow?

Probably.

Could we declare a truce long enough
for you to buy me a drink?

Sure.

I'll have one of those.

Well, Sarti did it again.

Yeah, he drove a good race.

How do you like your new job?

It's what I've always wanted to do.

You know, I've known you for, what?
Two and a half years.

And all I know about you
is that you drive cars.

That's all anyone knows
so far as I can tell.

You've just written my biography.

"The Silent and Secretive Pete Aron."

"Inside Pete Aron."

"What's Pete Aron Really Like?"

It will never sell.

Will you give me a lift back to the hotel?

You know, I'll never understand
why none of you...

get this sort of thing out
of your systems on the track.

We all drive like maniacs.

I've left Scott, you know.

Really.

Yes, I know.

You've got a great sense of timing.

You think I should be at his bedside,
nursing him back to health and vigor?

I guess I'm just
an old-fashioned boy at heart.

You don't understand.

I left him because he won't quit.

He won't stop racing.
And I couldn't take it anymore.

I couldn't stand it.

You know what he does
the night before a race?

He lies in bed and sweats.

But then, you wouldn't know
what that would be like for a woman.

To live with that.

Will you go back to America
when you are finished with your click-click?

Yes, of course.

You couldn't be persuaded
to remain in Europe?

My life is in America.

What is your life?

What is it?

I never thought about that, I suppose.

Well, think about it.

Friends...

work.

That's my life.

My friends and my work.

Well, one needs those.

But what do you need now?

Nothing.

Liar.

Come with me, Louise.

- Where?
- To a place I have in Monza.

I have to go there to test a new car.

There are two weeks before
the Belgium Grand Prix.

We could leave tonight after the party.

Come with me.

And your wife?

We share nothing
but our business interests.

Nothing.

What do you think we would share?

More than that.

A bed?

More than that.

With luck.

Luck has nothing to do with it.

- Why do you all do that?
- Do what?

Wear your sunglasses on top of your head?

- I don't know.
- It looks ridiculous.

I guess you're going to the party tonight.

- No. You?
- No.

What are you going to do about dinner?

- How many guesses do I get?
- Nine.

- Guesses?
- O'clock.

Mr. Yamura?

Mr. Yamura, I got your message.

Your message.

Yes, I was hoping
it would reach you in time.

Well, I thought...

Well, you do speak English.

Yes, but not for the press.

I hope you will forgive me.

That's quite all right.

There have been times when I wish I'd been
able to pull something like that myself.

I gather, then, that you didn't ask me
here as a reporter?

Will you join me in some tea?

Some years ago,
when I decided to race cars...

I tried to buy
the Jordan-BRM Company.

Oh, yes. I had heard that.

Impatience on my part.

I also manufacture radios
and sewing machines.

In order to save time,
I wanted a proven product.

That was not to be, however.

Racing cars are not merely
another product.

They require great attention.

If any success is to be hoped for.

Then that's why you're here.

I have been racing my car
in Formula 1 for two years.

And have yet to win my first Grand Prix.

I intend to win by whatever means
are open to me.

That's the right attitude.

All you have to do is go fast enough
and long enough.

And with the best drivers.

Do you want a job with me?

- Driving?
- Driving, of course.

- Who are you dumping?
- Dumping?

Oh, which one of your drivers
are you getting rid of?

Neither one.

I am entering a third car.

- That will be expensive.
- Yes.

You've got a driver.

My racing headquarters
is at Silverstone in England.

- Can you be there next week?
- Yes, sir.

We must begin to think about Spa.

- Next week, then.
- By the way, you are a terrible broadcaster.

Oh, Mr. Aron.

If giving you the job
would have meant firing...

one of the other drivers,
would you still have taken it?

Good.

- Is it true what you said about Scott?
- What?

About not being able to sleep
the night before a race?

Man like that should be
in some other line of work.

I'll bet you sleep like a baby.

I'm divorcing him.

Are you?

Why tell me?

Well, because I don't think
you were entirely joking...

when you said you're
an old-fashioned boy at heart.

And old-fashioned boys
have old-fashioned scruples.

- About what?
- About other people's wives.

I don't follow you.

Like hell you don't.

Good night.

- Memo?
- Jean-Pierre.

Memo, good to see you.
I would like you to meet Miss Frederickson.

How do you do?

Yes, there's luggage in the car.

Rafael?

Come, I'll show you around.

The only member of this club?

The only one
who keeps an apartment here.

In fact, I have the only apartment.

"Jean-Pierre Sarti,
World Champion, 1961."

It's so quiet.

Appreciate it while you can.

At Grand Prix time,
crowds, excitement, noise. Terrible.

- Care to drink?
- No.

Are you very tired?

No.

To health, wealth and happiness.

You are very greedy.

No.

Hopeful.

There are seven more races.

Yes, seven.

And then?

Do you want to think that far?

No.

Good.

Now I feel marvelous.

Marvelous.

And you?

Yes.

Smile for the cameras.

Come.

As you can see,
we work day and night here...

to get the car ready.

I'll take your word for it.

We must immediately mold
the cockpit for you.

Yes, sir.

All right? Or too long?

- I like what you've done here.
- Thank you.

I was afraid it might have offended.

Offended? How?

My not adapting to your ways.

No, not at all, sir.

I promise you, if I'm ever in Japan
and I entertain you for dinner...

you'll get a fork.

Fair enough.

Right after the war...

my house in Tokyo was used
by an American general and his family.

When it was returned to me...

it had flowered wallpaper...

three new bathrooms
and four new closets.

Americans, I think,
are over-devoted...

to bathrooms and closets.

Well, we accumulate things.

And then you lock them away in closets.

And the bathrooms?

No, no. You don't get me on that one.

- Were you in the war?
- Yes. And you?

No, I missed it by a year.

In the war, I was a fighter pilot.

I shot down 17 American planes.

- Okay.
- I believe...

that some things
must not be left unsaid.

There will come a time...

when you will ask yourself:

"What did he do in the war?
This man, Yamura?"

- Mr. Yamura, I like you.
- Why?

Well, because...

- Because you come right to the point.
- In a sense...

you're here because you drive a car...

the way I conduct my business.

You come right to the point.

- Hello, Mrs. Stoddard. Nice to see you.
- Jeff.

- Scott.
- That's okay, just get me the crutches.

- All right, come here.
- Hello, Mother.

- It's good to have you home.
- Well, how are you? Place looks terrific.

Thanks. Hello.

- Welcome home, sir.
- Thank you.

Gates, come and shake my hand.

- How are you? Fine?
- Terrific, thank you.

Come along in.

Careful there, it's slippery.

Can you manage all right?

I'll get Thompson to bring lunch
to your room.

- I'll eat downstairs.
- You can't go downstairs again.

I'm getting up the stairs,
I can certainly get down them again.

If worse comes to the worse,
I can always slide down the banisters.

- Right?
- Yes.

- You'll stay for lunch, Jeff?
- I'd love to.

I should've thought you'd have
cleared this lot out long ago.

- Why?
- Roger's dead.

It's just too bloody morbid.

- Where are your own things?
- I don't know.

Around somewhere.

Of course, they're nothing compared
to this lot.

Something to shoot for, old boy.

You gotta have something to shoot for.

- Okay, Jeff, you can say what you're thinking.
- What am I thinking?

That I haven't got all this
to shoot for anymore.

But you're wrong, you know.

Quite wrong.

What really scares me, here at Spa,
is driving into a cloudburst.

You're doing 160 in the dry...

then you're suddenly driving
into a wall of rain.

Can't even see the car in front.

Just like trying to swim underwater
in the dark.

Please, Bob, in a moment.

The point is, gentlemen...

the road condition on the approach
to the S's before Stavalo...

have not been improved over last year.

If anything, they're worse.

But, I must say, I don't see how they could
possibly be worse than last year.

- Let's write them a letter.
- They file letters.

A strongly-worded letter,
official, from the Driver Association.

They have a special file
for strongly-worded letters...

- ...from the association.
- Are we gonna talk about calling the race off...

- ...in the event of rain?
- No, no.

Please, Ritchie,
one thing at a time.

The subject is road condition.

They haven't changed the road
in 10 years. They not liable to do it now.

Look, we all know you're taking your life
in your hands just driving in this course in the rain.

- So what're we gonna do something?
- A strongly-worded letter, demanding that the road...

- ...be paved.
- They can't pave the road by tomorrow.

- So what's the point in talking about it?
- That's what I said.

But we talk about this business of rain every year.
It's damn well time we did something about it.

Well, let's demand to cancel it, if it rains.

You can't cancel of this race.

- Or postpone it.
- You can't even postpone it.

Gentlemen, gentlemen.
What about the flag marshaling?

Hey, look who's here.

It's Scott.

Find out which room they're in.

- Don't be foolish...
- Come on, man, just find out.

- What are you doing here?
- How are you?

How are you?

Hooray! Hooray!

- Hey, Scott.
- Hi.

- How are you?
- Hey, Scott.

How are you?

How are you?

Hey, is that you, Pete?

Better be.

Meeting over?

Scott's here.

What?

We'd better have a talk.

What you wanna talk about, Pete?

May I...?

Really, Scott, this isn't
in very good taste.

That's very good, darling.

That's very good.

Isn't it, Aron?

I'm afraid you got a point, Scott.

He has a point.

- What do you want, Scott?
- You.

Do you mind, Aron? I'd like
to have a word with my wife alone.

- I've missed you.
- Well...

that's a lie for a start.

Why're you say that? It's true.

If you've missed me, it's only because you
haven't had your damn cars to fill your life.

That's all I've ever been good for,
something for you to do between races.

When will you stop belittling yourself?

Don't psychoanalyze me.

I'm sorry.

I hate that sort of thing myself.

You walk in here
and calmly ask him to leave...

and expect me to believe you care
one way or another about me.

What do you want me to do?
Assault him with my crutches?

- That's not very funny.
- No, it isn't.

I do care.

More than I can talk about.

But that isn't getting us anywhere, is it?

I want you back, Pat.

I'm gonna be driving again pretty soon.

- I need you with me.
- No, no.

I've told you, Scott, I can't do it.
I can't live like that.

I won't.

What about him? He drives.

- It's different with him.
- Why?

- It just is.
- Because you don't love him.

I don't know what that has
to do with anything.

You know one of the most
beautiful things about a car?

If it isn't working properly,
you can strip the skin off...

expose the insides...

find out exactly where the trouble is...

take out the faulty part
and replace it with a new one.

If only we could do that with people.

Good luck.

Luck has nothing to do with this either.

Bye.

With Jean-Pierre Sarti's Ferrari
in pole position.

Ten seconds to the start
of the Belgian Grand Prix.

Sarti's in the lead at La Source.

Almost the end of the first lap, and already
he's ahead of the second car.

It's Pete Aron's Yamura.

And there's Brabham running right
round the outside of Barlini.

Brabham in third place...

but the Ferrari might just take him
again on acceleration.

They're side by side, down past the pits.
Barlini's going ahead.

He's out braked Brabham into Eau Rouge,
and it's number seven Ferrari in third place.

And it's Jean-Pierre Sarti completing
his 16th lap.

The race is now half over.

Since the rain began, he's increased
his lead by three or four seconds a lap.

The worse the conditions,
the bigger the old champion's advantage.

If the Ferrari keeps going, this will be
his third Grand Prix win of the season.

Barlini's also very fast in the wet.

He's now a clear third ahead
of Jack Brabham.

There's Jochen Rindt coming out
of La Source.

He lost nearly a lap when he spun
in the worst of the cloudburst.

And there he is passing Guy Ligier,
moving up another place.

Here's the leader, completing
his 30th lap. He's got a big lead.

Jean-Pierre Sarti, winner of Monaco
and French Grand Prixs...

is only two laps away
from his third consecutive win.

Here's the winner now.
The Yamura wins...

and Pete Aron wins the Belgian Grand Prix
in the white Yamura from Japan.

But as Pete Aron
comes in after his victory...

there's Izo Yamura...

going to congratulate him
for bringing the...

his car home in first place
today in the Belgian Grand Prix.

Pete Aron, of course, won five Grand Prixs
in the past when he was with Ferraris...

but that was three years ago.
He's had a lot of bad luck since then.

It's great to see him back
in the winning position...

- He drove a good race.
- ...so soon after joining the up-and-coming...

Yamura team from Japan.

We'll see how good
he is at Zandvoort.

Barlini's second place for Ferrari, too,
will be very popular in Italy.

And there's Aron now, up on the platform
being presented with a garland of flowers...

and Mr. Yamura joining him.

Both delighted with the quick success
of this new partnership...

which has brought Yamura his first
Grand Prix victory after two years of flying.

He must be very pleased, indeed,
with Aron's performance today.

The 400 horsepower Yamura,
the most powerful of all the cars in the...

Albert! Groat!

- Let him go. Let him go.
- And here's Sarti coming in...

Are you all right?

Out of the way.
Out of the way, everybody.

Children? There were children?

I'm afraid Paris is impossible
this week, darling.

I must go right to Modena.

The car...

it's completely
wiped out, you see.

It will be necessary to...

Stop it, Guido.

- Stop it.
- Get him out of here.

It will be necessary to test a new one
for the N?rburgring.

A very difficult course,
but one of the most beautiful.

- You will...
- Oh, stop.

Thing is, will it start?

It'll start.

Yeah, Roger had some
very big days in this car.

Coming into the pits now
is Scott Stoddard in the BRM.

The Dutch Grand Prix, here at Zandvoort
tomorrow, will be his first race...

since his accident
at Monte Carlo in May.

His serious injuries
must be extremely painful.

- How did I do?
- You just set a new lap record.

The whole BRM crew
look very pleased.

Right, you owe me
a bottle of the best.

- Yes, indeed I do.
- ...Yamura.

One minute, 26.5 seconds...

108.5 miles an hour.

Aron, the American driver, won
the last two Grand Prixs at Spa in Belgium.

And the German Grand Prix last week
at the N?rburgring.

He now shares the lead
in the World Championship with 18 points.

Exactly the same as the Ferrari driver,
Jean-Pierre Sarti, the Frenchman.

Sarti's best practice time so far
on this 2.6 Mile Zandvoort circuit...

is one minute, 27.1.

Now, here's Stoddard's best lap.
One minute, 25.9.

The fastest lap ever on this circuit.

What a wonderful comeback
for this brave young driver.

What a shame.
He's falling off.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Then it seems to be all right?

Of course it seems to be all right.
It's always all right when you're around.

Then there is nothing wrong, is there?

It stuck in practice yesterday,
and it still doesn't feel right.

- But it doesn't stick now!
- I'm telling you, it does!

Jean-Pierre, just because
you have been running badly lately...

it's no reason
to take these things out on me.

If you want a day off this afternoon,
just say so.

I'm here to race. Understand?

- To race.
- Okay, be quiet.

There you are, my beauty.

- See if it's all there, will you, my man?
- It better all be there. Half of it's mine.

Does that look like $17,000 to you?

Yeah.

Marvel.

That's what you are, Scott.
A bloody marvel.

Here. You know,
of course, what you did here.

I know. I don't have to
see it up there to know.

It's bad enough to lose
without having to watch yourself do it.

What's the point of this anyway?

To see if we can determine
why you are losing.

Well, you're not gonna find
the answer up there.

What about your other two drivers?
Why aren't they here? Why only me?

Because they are not winners.
But you are.

You are losing to a man who needs...

almost to be carried
to and from his car.

How can that be?

Because he's driving better than I am.
He's making fewer mistakes.

- That's why anyone wins.
- Exactly.

Now, shall we turn our attention
to the mistakes?

About-face.

By the left, quick march.

Today's British Grand Prix will be Nino
Barlini's first race here at Brands Hatch.

But his team-mate, Jean-Pierre Sarti
of France, the number-one Ferrari driver...

and Pete Aron of the Yamura team,
have both driven before...

here on England's premier circuit.

The second Yamura driver, Tim Randolph,
comes from the United States...

as does Pete Aron, who's already won
the Belgian and German Grand Prixs.

There are 24 starters in this British Grand
Prix. They're on the dummy grid now...

getting last-minute instructions
from the team managers.

There's BRM driver, Bob Turner.

Mr. Yamura himself is with Pete Aron.

And there's the winner of the last three
Grand Prixs, Scott Stoddard...

who's still recovering
from his Monte Carlo injuries...

and leads the World Championship
with two races to go.

There's Jimmy Clark, the Scotsman,
who has twice been world champion.

That's the signal to clear the dummy grid.
The engines are starting up now.

The mechanics and photographers
are moving off the track.

Now the field rolls forward
to the final grid...

where they'll be held for a few seconds
before the starter drops the Union Jack...

and then the British Grand Prix
will be under way.

In the lead after 15 laps
is Scott Stoddard...

but he's losing ground now.

Stoddard, in the dark-green BRM
number four, made a slow start...

then quickly worked his way up
to the front of the field.

And during the first 12 laps
he built up a substantial lead.

But his lap times are slower now...

- His lap times are awfully erratic, Jeff.
- Yeah.

...on the BRM. They're Barlini, number 18,
who was just ahead...

of number 17, Jean-Pierre Sarti,
14, Pete Aron, and 11, Jochen Rindt.

These three are having a great dice
for third place.

At Bottom Bend,
Stoddard lost three more places.

If he keeps missing shifts like that,
the car will level last.

It'll last longer than he will.
He's finished already.

Barlini's the leader,
but he's not far ahead of Sarti and Aron.

Here's Stoddard coming into the pits
very slowly.

My goodness, he looks as if
he's on the edge of collapse.

What a shame,
he was driving a beautiful race.

Scott Stoddard
does seem to be in a bad way.

His retirement certainly puts
a new complexion on the race.

Barlini leads, but Ferrari team leader
Sarti, Aron...

and Rindt, all have
the Sicilian in their sights.

There's a tremendous battle for second place
between Sarti and Aron.

Although there's one more World
Championship race to go at Monza in Italy...

the result here at Brands Hatch
is very important to both these men.

Izo Yamura himself is dedicated to winning
the Constructors Championship...

and Aron is his only hope
here at Brands.

His second car, driven by Tim Randolph,
blew up its engine early in the race.

Here comes the leader, Barlini.

He's not far ahead
of Sarti, Aron and Rindt.

Last lap. Only one lap to go.
Sarti and Aron are very close to Barlini now.

- The last lap.
- But Aron hasn't a chance...

of getting past both Ferraris. This is
going to be the most exciting finish...

of the Grand Prix season so far.

At Bottom Bend, the first four
are nose-to-tail: Barlini, Sarti, Aron, Rindt.

Barlini dare not let Sarti through.

It's much too dodgy
with the Yamura right behind.

Look. He's spilling something.
Looks like fuel.

Gas leaking?

As they come into Clearways,
Barlini's still in front.

The Yamura's smoking badly. It's on fire.

He's on fire!

The Yamura's second,
ahead of Sarti's Ferrari. It's on fire.

It's well and truly on fire.
But Aron's not slowing.

He's gonna beat Sarti to the finish.
There's the flag, Barlini wins for Ferrari.

Aron's second and Sarti third.

Now, the Yamura's
pulling off the track.

There are flames shooting out of the back
of the car. Let's hope Aron can get out.

There's a fire crew right there.
He should be all right.

He's rolled out of the car.
Keep back. Keep back.

What a shambles. Some of the crowd
are rushing to the fire, and Sarti's stopping.

He's going to see
if there's anything he can do for Aron.

Izo Yamura's also running
across the track with Tim Randolph.

From here, it looks
as though Pete Aron's on his feet.

- He must be okay but I tell you...
- Are you all right?

- I'm okay.
- ...for the last few seconds of the race.

I'm okay. I'm okay.

- Are you all right?
- Yeah, what'd we make?

- Second.
- I'm a regular ball of fire.

A fire like this is what these drivers
are most afraid of.

Nowadays their fireproof no make overalls
give them a good deal of protection.

- Get out of here!
- Photographers must keep back.

Please keep back.

Nino Barlini's up there on the trailer
ready to go around on his lap of honor.

The team manager of Ferrari is there too.

And there's a beautiful bird coming up
to join him on the trailer up there.

Hey, Nino.

Nino Barlini, excuse me. Congratulations.

- How do you feel after that splendid victory?
- Thank you.

My neck hurts, my leg.
My hand is bleeding. And I feel wonderful.

Well, I don't know
if you've had time to realize it...

but this means that you're one point
ahead of Sarti and Stoddard...

- ...two points ahead of Pete Aron.
- Of course I realize it.

And with one race to go at Monza...

the man who wins at Monza
will be the world champion.

I am the man.

So long, Nino. Congratulations.

I feel wonderful.

Yeah, come in.

How are you?

I'm pretty bloody awful.

How are you?

Would you...

care to sit down?

This has been a ridiculous few weeks,
hasn't it?

Has it?

Well, I mean, seeing each other
at the races and not...

Well, ignoring each other.

Trying to.

I've been alone.

You know that, don't you?

Yeah. Here.

- Pete said you had guts, and I...
- I'm not really interested in what he said.

I certainly don't want to discuss him
with you. I've told you that.

I didn't mean...

I meant that when he said you had guts,
I said you were only stubborn.

I just wanted to tell you
that he was right and I was wrong.

Watching what you've been doing
these past few weeks...

You shouldn't have been doing it alone.

Yeah, there's only room for one
in the car, you know.

- I don't mean that. You know I don't.
- I know.

It was a joke.

Do you still want me, Scott?

Yes.

I still feel the same
about what you're doing.

That hasn't changed, you know.

I think you're a fool.

Yeah, I know.

But...

I haven't changed either, you know.

I mean...

I really can't promise you anything.

That's all right.

That's the problem, really.
People promise each other too much.

What's wrong, Jean-Pierre?

What is it?

There's nothing you can do
about what's wrong with me, Louise.

I won't admit that
until I know what's troubling you.

I suppose what's wrong with me
is my life.

But I can't change it. Or won't.

So there's nothing you can do for me.

What's wrong with your life?

I've begun to see the absurdity of it.

All of us.

Proving what?

That we can go faster?

And perhaps remain alive?

Nino, gambling his life for a trophy...

then fills it with beer and does tricks.

Stoddard, filling himself with drugs
in order to drive...

and still passing out with the pain.

Don't you see how absurd it all is?
Who cares?

I thought you cared.

For yourselves.

I didn't know you asked it
of anyone else.

Nevertheless, others do care.

A hundred thousand
of them cared today.

And did you see them rush
to see Peter burn?

Did you see the looks
on their faces? I saw.

For the first time today,
I really saw those faces.

But not all of them, Jean-Pierre.

There are some who come for that,
for the accidents and the fires.

But the others,
the others ride with you, maybe.

You put something in their lives
that they can't put there themselves.

Are you one of those?

It doesn't matter.

Yes, it does.

Maybe I am one of those.

When I came here three months ago...

there was a place in my life
that needed to be filled.

You've done that.

You and, I suppose,
the excitement of what you do.

But you offered me these things, Jean-Pierre.

You can't condemn me now
for having accepted them.

No, I don't condemn you
for that, darling.

Sorry.

Jean-Pierre, you can stop.

If you feel as you do,
you could stop now.

No, it's not so easy.

Not so easy.

Not so easy.

With the Italian Grand Prix
at the Monza Autodrome...

they're using a combination
of the banked oval high-speed track...

and the road circuit.

The whole thing comes
to almost six and a quarter miles...

just over half of this length
being the road circuit...

with its fast corners
and long straights.

By itself, it's one of the
fastest circuits in the world.

And combined with the oval track,
it should give some phenomenal speeds.

Why hasn't my car arrived, Guido?

It's no longer in my hands,
Jean-Pierre.

What's the trouble?

My car hasn't arrived
from the factory.

The same thing
has happened before.

Not to me, but to other drivers
who have fallen from grace.

Pressure.

Pressure?

Isn't there enough of that as it is?

You have to grasp the mind
of Signor Manetta, my darling.

If a driver can be reached
by those tactics...

it means he probably will fear
for his place on the team.

That is exactly
what Manetta wants.

Because that driver will try
all the harder to win.

He will perhaps take a risk
which he would ordinarily avoid.

And risks are always risks.

But the car will come.

Well, if it doesn't,
I'll use my influence...

and I'll get you the best seat
in the grandstand.

- No sign of it?
- No.

Don't worry, Jean-Pierre.
That's what they want you to do.

He makes a great mistake, then.

Are you sure
you wanted it to come?

A maximum of about 180 miles an hour
can be expected from these 3-liter cars...

on this high banking,
where they get...

a tremendous pounding from the rough surface and
the strain imposed by centrifugal force...

before they swoop down
onto the road circuit again...

where cornering power
handling are at the premium.

- Good afternoon, Nino.
- Madame Sarti.

Have you met Miss Frederickson?
Madame Sarti.

- Hello, Monique.
- Hello, Louise.

So you are leading in points
for the championship, Nino.

But not by as many points
as I would like, Madame Sarti.

All you have to do
is to beat my husband.

The question is,
is he ready to be beaten?

Please excuse me,
I have some work to do back at the hotel.

- Nino, tell Jean-Pierre...
- Yes, yes.

- She's quite good-looking, isn't she?
- Yes.

Of course, for one
who cares for the type.

Yes. Excuse me,
Madame Sarti.

Oh, no, wait.
Let me stand... It's better?

The question is, Jean-Pierre,
what are you going to do about it?

Do?
I don't understand.

The time for losing comes
to every man, of course.

I had not expected yours
to come so soon.

There have been problems with the car.

Come, come, Sarti.

I expect excuses like that
from lesser men than you.

You've been one of the best
that ever lived.

There is no question of that
in my mind.

Never a wrong move, the concentration
always there, 100 percent.

Until this woman.

You have been misled,
Signor Manetta.

You take me for a trained dog
to jump at the snap of your fingers?

My life belongs
to no one but myself.

I've been thinking seriously
of your retirement, Sarti.

Then retire me now.

Kindly lower your voice.

Of course I will not retire you now.

Tomorrow there is a race to be run.

And I also well know
that you want to drive it.

But after tomorrow,
who knows, Jean-Pierre?

After tomorrow, Signor Manetta,
I will decide to retire or not.

Sarti, you are even further gone
than I thought.

A pity.
A great pity.

I always considered you
to be the best.

I'm still the best.

What brings you
to Monza, Monique?

- Business, of course.
- Of course.

Nino wonders if you're ready
to be beaten.

No one is ever ready for that.

You will never retire,
Jean-Pierre.

What does it matter to you, Monique?

- To me?
- Yeah.

As always, as a hero,
you're a good asset to the company.

Well, perhaps I'm tired
of being an asset for the company.

And tired too, of this farce we perform,
you and I, for public consumption.

But it doesn't really matter that you
are tired of these things, Jean-Pierre.

If you should decide not to continue
with the... The farce, as you call it...

that, of course, is entirely up to you.

But it will make no difference.

As long as you're my husband...

the company will have the prestige
of your name and...

whether or not, you ever step
into one of these again.

And you will always be my husband.

You know that, don't you?

This one,
she may be different to you...

but not to me.

To me, she is just like all the others.

And we will always be married,
you and I.

Stay away from me, Monique.

Let me alone, please.

Tell me. What terrible thing
have I done to you...

that makes you want to nail me
to this absurd life we have together?

What terrible thing, Monique?

Do you think it's been worth it, Pat?

All the effort,
even if I win tomorrow?

Worth it to you?

Only you can know that, Scott.

Yeah, I suppose so.

Well, let's go and have a party.

Scott, are you sure you want to go?

Wouldn't you rather rest?

After tomorrow, I shall be
a long time resting. Come on.

Have I thanked you?

For what?

For being here.

Thank you.

Hey, sayonara.

My goodness, Nino. I thought
they belonged to the Yamura boys.

I have them on temporary loan.

- Really? Two of them?
- They are very small.

See you later, maybe.

Can I buy you a drink?

I don't drink.

I don't smoke.

The end?

The end.

I looked at the photographs last night.
Very good.

Thank you.

And what you wrote,
also very good.

Well, your work may be finished,
but mine is not.

It's time.

I don't want to see the race, Jean-Pierre.

Why not?

Because I'm ashamed.

Ashamed?

Of what?

Of what it's meant to be, I suppose.

The racing.

And now, knowing
what it means to you, the uncertainty.

I don't want to watch anymore.
Ever.

You're being very foolish, you know.

Let me be foolish, then.

I'm going to win today.
You don't want to miss that, do you?

Please, Jean-Pierre.
I don't want to go.

Well...

to work, then.

I love you, Jean-Pierre.

And I you.

We'll have to discuss the consequences
of those terrible words?

Hey, where were you last night?

- Where were you?
- Come here.

Am I expected to account
for my whereabouts at every moment?

- Am I?
- It is not the same thing.

You are a woman.

- I'm leaving you.
- Leaving? For how long?

For always, you fool.
Forever.

I met a boy, an American...

who wants to go to the Greek islands
and dive for relics.

In the first place,
diving is a great bore.

How do you know?
Have you ever done it?

Some things one can tell
without doing them...

that they will be a great bore.

Underwater is for fish, not people.

In the second place,
they are not relics at all.

I have on good authority
from a close friend...

that these things are manufactured
and then dumped into the water...

to be found by foolish
American boy tourists.

And the girls who are foolish enough
to go with them.

This is the most ridiculous thing
I ever heard.

I have it on very good authority
from a close friend.

Do you want me to stay?

You are old enough
to make your own decisions.

Then I'm going, all right?

Yes, I definitely think you should go
to the Greek islands...

with your American boyfriend.

I think you should go to hell.

You gonna be in the pits today?

The last time this combined circuit
was used was in 1961.

There were objections
from drivers who thought...

the light one-and-a-half liter
Formula 1 cars of that time...

were not suitable for the strain
imposed by the banking.

Bearing in mind, the suspension
had to be a compromise setting...

to allow for effective cornering
on the road section as well.

However the bigger cars
of the present formula...

should be better able
to stand up to the conditions.

Hi, Pat.
How are you?

- I'm okay. You?
- All right.

Hope he beats you
by at least 10 laps today.

I'm glad you feel that way.

What if he doesn't?

We'll survive it one way or another.

Good luck.

Scott Stoddard has 27 points
in the championship...

exactly the same as Jean-Pierre Sarti.

In the lead with 28 points is Nino Barlini,
while Pete Aron has 26.

In just two hours, one of these men
will be the new world champion.

They're off.

Sarti is stalled.

He can't get away.

Go away! You will disqualify me!
No, no! No!

Sarti's away at last.

And the leaders are onto the banking
for the first time...

with Barlini's Ferrari in front
of Stoddard's BRM and Aron's Yamura.

Then Brabham, Gurney and Scarfiotti.

The order's Barlini, Stoddard,
Aron, Brabham, Gurney, Scarfiotti.

And tell me, Scott...

are there any particular problems
in driving on the Monza banking?

The banking?

It's just so damn rough up there,
and that the car flicks all over the place.

We're never below 180, you know.

At that speed, your reactions
can barely keep up...

with these sudden changes in direction.

The trouble is, the high centrifugal forces
push the car into the banking...

and use up
all the suspension movement.

So, what you're driving
becomes a car with no springs.

It feels like you're getting a series
of punches in the back.

I hate it. I'm sick of pain.

But it's what the car is suffering
that really worries me.

Because no matter how the car
is set up...

it bottoms at several places
on both bankings.

The underside of the car just comes
crashing down onto the biggest bumps.

Everything's shaking
and banging all the time.

Sometimes you could swear
the whole thing's falling to bits.

On none of us
like Monza very much.

It's so damn fast
and they run so close together...

it requires fantastic concentration
and rather special skills.

It's slipstreaming, for instance.

At speeds reaching 180 miles an hour,
race car's making a big hole in the air.

As the car goes through, the air rushes back
into the hole and creates a hell of a draft.

And that draft's strong enough to pull
a following car along at...

Oh, 10 miles
more than his usual top speed.

If yours is the last car in a bunch,
you can get a terrific tow.

You can back way off the gas pedal
and maintain the same speed.

Then you can put your foot down...

pull out of the slipstream and maybe
overtake two, three cars at once.

The only thing to do here is to drive
just as fast as you know how...

and hope your car doesn't break.

At the end of the fifth lap,
Barlini's in the lead by five seconds.

Now both Stoddard and Aron
have lost the Ferrari's slipstream.

And they're dropping back
in their great dice for second place.

And coming up the main straight now is number four,
Jean-Pierre Sarti's Ferrari in 14th place.

With 10 laps gone
and only 18 seconds behind Barlini...

after losing nearly half a minute
when his engine stalled at the start.

With 40 laps to go, Sarti could still
catch the leader and win the race.

Are you never afraid?

Not ever.

Why?

Because I am immortal.

Why do you drive racing cars?

Or do you not think about it?

Well, Mr. Yamura,
I don't think there's one of us...

who doesn't ask himself
at least once in the middle of a race:

"What the hell am I doing here?"

Of course, when it's over, we conveniently
forget that we ask ourselves that question.

I think about it.

There are a lot of reasons, I don't know.

Maybe to do something...

that brings you so close to
the possibility of death and to survive it...

is to feel life and living
so much more intensely.

- Be careful there, it's slippery.
- Okay.

Can you manage all right?

I'm all right. It's okay.

I'll get Thompson to bring lunch up.

- I'll eat downstairs, Mom.
- You can't go downstairs again.

Look, I'm getting up the stairs,
I can certainly get down them.

If worse comes to the worse, I can
always slide down the banisters.

- Right?
- Yes.

This isn't good,
you know, what I feel now.

What do you feel?

That I would almost rather stay
here with you than get into the car.

Ah, almost.

I suppose at my age, one moves
slowly from one habit to the next.

I must go, darling.

There's Barlini on his 17th lap.

His Ferrari is just a bit too fast,
even for Pete Aron's Yamura...

and Scott Stoddard's BRM.

They're in second and third places.

There's a splendid scrap for fourth place,
with Tim Randolph in the second Yamura...

just ahead of Dan Gurney in the Eagle,
and Bob Turner in the other BRM.

As they sweep around the banking this time...

Sarti's gonna catch up with the three cars
fighting for fourth place.

He's passed Tim Randolph from the Japanese Yamura,
now watch him go underneath Gurney in the Eagle.

Yes, he's passed him, and now
he's passing Bob Turner in the BRM.

He's fourth. Sarti's fourth.

There are three slow cars just in front.
When Sarti's lapped them...

he'll only have Aron and Stoddard
between him and the leader, Barlini.

We've just heard
there's been an accident.

It's Sarti. Sarti's Ferrari
has gone clean over the north banking...

and landed at the side
of the track below. Then it caught fire.

Oh, Jean-Pierre!

Oh, Jean-Pierre.

Jean-Pierre. Oh, Jean-Pierre.

Oh, Jean-Pierre.

No. No!
No, Jean-Pierre!

Jean-Pierre. Jean-Pierre!

No! Jean-Pierre!

Jean-Pierre.
Jean-Pierre! Jean-Pierre.

Jean-Pierre.

Jean-Pierre!

What do you want?
Is this what you want?

Is this what you want?
Is this what you want?

The Commendatore is showing
a black flag to his drivers.

He's withdrawing the whole Ferrari team.

I don't think it's been done like this
for about 40 years.

The Alfa Romeo team manager
did the same thing once in the '20s...

when Antonio Ascari was killed
in the French Grand Prix.

He showed the black flag to Campari and
Brilli-Peri when the Alfas were in the lead.

Here comes Barlini into the pits now
in response to the black-flag signal.

- Jean-Pierre?
- He'll have to be told the terrible news...

of his team leader's death.

And this tragic race is over
for the young Sicilian.

In the lead are Aron and Stoddard.

They've just gone past the pits,
side by side, fighting for the lead.

Last lap now.
Stoddard or Aron?

They're still neck and neck,
wheel to wheel, the whole way.

Stoddard's in front as they
come into the last corner.

Aron, in the Yamura,
is right on his tail.

He can still beat the BRM to the flag.

It was Aron. The Yamura
was just a wheel in front of the BRM.

Aron is the new world champion.

It looked as if
the Yamura was just in front.

Aron is the winner.
Aron is the new world champion.

Pete Aron of the United States has won
the Italian Grand Prix for Yamura of Japan.

And Scott Stoddard
in the BRM was second.

What a race.
What a tremendous race.

Sarti?

Pete Aron is greeted as the winner
of the Italian Grand Prix...

and this gives him
the World Drivers' Championship.

A great triumph for this determined
American driver and for Izo Yamura of Japan...

whose cars have challenged and
conquered the might of Europe Formula 1 teams...

in spite of all the years of experience
and development behind them.

But it's a sad end to this dramatic season
of battles for the championship.

The tragic, fatal accident
to the great Jean-Pierre Sarti...

has cast a shadow over the race.

And everyone who knew him or
saw him drive will find it hard to accept...

that his great skill
and tremendous personality is lost to us.

I'm sure the last thing either Pete Aron
or Izo Yamura would have wished...

is for it to end this way.

Pete, do you ever get tired of the driving?

Lately, I sometimes get very tired.

You know what I mean?
Very tired.