Drawing on treasures from the DPPI photo agency’s archives, Car Racing 1970, the sixth volume to join the Car Racing collection published by Éditions Cercle d’Art, offers a unique glimpse into the atmosphere of motorsport at the time. Created in 1965 at the initiative of photographers fascinated by the sound and fury of the track and the bravery of racing drivers, the DPPI agency has always been right where the action is. And, in the 1960s, this expression was not by no means mere metaphor!
Looking back to the early 1970s, this sixth volume in the ‘Car Racing’ series documents the end of the era of patrons and wealthy enthusiasts maintaining racing teams at their own expense, in the face of the gradual assertion of the competition departments of car manufacturers or highly specialised units.
The race for performance came at this price, and the race paddocks, which had previously been somewhat traditional, were becoming accustomed to welcoming real groups of mercenaries doped up on the adrenalin of winning, who did not hesitate to set themselves up as rivals to the competition departments of the powerful and ambitious major manufacturers themselves. The fight was all the more intense, and the stakes were ever higher. On the star-studded track, new names were appearing at the top of the bill, including Porsche of course, which finally won at Le Mans after numerous attempts, Ford in road racing with its famous Escort, and the very young constructor March, the perfect embodiment of British know-how and fighting spirit in motor sport.
The DPPI agency, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in 1970, was increasingly encouraging its photographers and reporters to travel around the world. In addition to Formula 1, the sport-prototypes and rallies moved to Indianapolis and Daytona in 1970, in the fury and noise of American-style racing.
Looking back to the early 1970s, this sixth volume in the ‘Car Racing’ series documents the end of the era of patrons and wealthy enthusiasts maintaining racing teams at their own expense, in the face of the gradual assertion of the competition departments of car manufacturers or highly specialised units.
The race for performance came at this price, and the race paddocks, which had previously been somewhat traditional, were becoming accustomed to welcoming real groups of mercenaries doped up on the adrenalin of winning, who did not hesitate to set themselves up as rivals to the competition departments of the powerful and ambitious major manufacturers themselves. The fight was all the more intense, and the stakes were ever higher. On the star-studded track, new names were appearing at the top of the bill, including Porsche of course, which finally won at Le Mans after numerous attempts, Ford in road racing with its famous Escort, and the very young constructor March, the perfect embodiment of British know-how and fighting spirit in motor sport.
The DPPI agency, which celebrated its fifth anniversary in 1970, was increasingly encouraging its photographers and reporters to travel around the world. In addition to Formula 1, the sport-prototypes and rallies moved to Indianapolis and Daytona in 1970, in the fury and noise of American-style racing.