Video of the Day (07/09/06) - The oldest video ever!

This is the 1956 British Grand Prix, at Silverstone.

It is a good watch which sums up the era both socially and in racing, with the British pathe news. This would have been shown in a cinema, since TV was not used by the masses in 1956.

Things that you don't normally see to look out for:-

No lights/rolling start - instead a flag down start (when actually is the flag "down" for you to start?)
A pit lane on the side of the straight, not in a seperate area.
The pit crews gathered on the inside of the track throughout the race.
Poor reliablilty - as is said, one Argentine (Jose Froilan Gonzalez) doesn't even make it twenty feet.
Laughabale safety measures - there's a guy running across the track seconds before Hawthorn comes tearing down the straight, random huts where marshalls are situated.
A shared drive - handing over in the pits.
A 100 lap race (nowadays this Grand Prix is a 60 lap race).
A man carrying a pit board (which you'd now see being held through the wall (because of the pit lane movement).
Random photographers exposed on the inside of Copse corner.
A push start in the pit lane (by design, not a needs must situation).
A nasty accident - but no-one thinks to extinguish the fire for a few laps (indeed they'd rather take pictures of it) - even after they've dealt with Brooks. Similarly, no-one thinks to wave a yellow flag, the warning to tell approaching drivers to slow down due to a problem up ahead.
Interesting technical problems - Moss got out of his car whilst it was still moving!
A man with a flag symboling when to come into the pits, rather than radio communication.
A suicidal (if smartly dressed) chequered-flag waver.
A non-podium celebration initially.
No helmets, just a cloth over their head and goggles to stop flies and such going into the drivers eyes.
No overalls (let alone fireproof) - How lucky was Brooks to be thrown out of the car!?
Driving style - like a car movie, the drivers slide the cars around the corners (when it goes wrong, what happens to Brooks is the result - the car rolls). Nowadays, it would be a much smoother style, and traction control would nullify the sliding effect - it would help stick the car to the road.
Car technology - No downforce. Wonder where the engines are? On top of the drivers legs in the cockpit, with a bit of metal inbetween. The tyres wouldn't be so... rubbish today.
Noises - hear the tyre squeal? The engine sounds fantastic, even if it is 50 years old.