Opinion: The ten greatest automotive online videos

I posted a video on Instagram recently, a cracking in-car clip of Glenn Seton slippin’ and slidin’ around Bathurst in the wet during the 1987 race. You’ve probably seen it, but a younger colleague hadn’t, commenting “I hadn’t seen this before”.

Another colleague was rightly incredulous, claiming the video should be part of the primary school curriculum.

While not an idea that’s likely to find support within Australia’s education system, there’s no reason we can’t develop our own curriculum to give today’s youngsters a firm foundation in their automotive schooling.

After all, they have no excuse. I’m old enough to remember the days of dial-up, when you’d scour the internet at a snail’s pace and spend three days downloading a 60sec clip shot in 144p, which you’d then watch a couple of thousand times in quick succession with your mouth agape.

Nowadays, kids have virtually every video ever created just a couple of finger taps away in the YouTube library, so here are 10(ish) videos everyone should watch. Obviously, if your favourite is missing, send it in!

1. Faszination Nurburgring

Stefan Roser’s smoky, sideways antics at the Nordschleife in a highly tuned Porsche remain as jaw-dropping today as they did more than 30 years ago.

The promotional video for the RUF Yellowbird remained restricted to VHS for many years but is now thankfully all over the internet. There are two versions out there and the longer, 20+ minute version is well worth seeking out.

2. Senna NSX

What is it with driving gods and questionably fashionable footwear? Just as Roser wrestled the Yellowbird around the ’Ring in loafers, so equipped did Ayrton Senna dance his way around Suzuka in an NSX.

A producer thoughtfully added a pedal cam, revealing to the world Senna’s pin-perfect heel-toe downshifts as well as his bizarre throttle technique. However, as good as this video is, another lesser-known clip – same car, same location – is a better illustration of his sublime skills in my opinion.

3. Incar 956

Back to the Nurburgring and the height of the Group C sports car era. Porsche had the inspired idea of mounting a camera in Derek Bell’s 956 – no easy feat in 1983-84 – at a variety of circuits and letting him loose with amazing results.

Of course the ’Ring is the highlight, especially as you think no car could possibly go faster only for Bell’s teammate Jacky Ickx to flash past, but Spa and Kyalami are also fantastic.

4. Rain Dance

I won’t apologise for a third Nurburgring video, especially not this one. Filmed from the visor of Porsche factory driver Leh Keen during the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. At night. In the rain. And the fog. Words can’t describe the terror, just watch it.

5. Climb Dance

The inspiration for the naming of the previous video should need no introduction. It’s a motorsport film that was actually critically acclaimed, winning the Grand Prix du Film in Festival De Chamonix 1990, and it’s not difficult to see why.

Documenting Ari Vatanen’s record-breaking efforts at Pikes Peak in a Peugeot 405 T16, if you haven’t watched it, put down this article right now and only return once you have.

6. McRae Wales 2001

Arguably the most ridiculous display of driving skill on this list. Colin McRae had to win the 2001 Rally GB to secure the title and he went for it, with a camera capturing his efforts for the first few stages before he barrel-rolled his Focus.

I’m running out of words so let’s race through the final selections.

7. Driver’s Eye Ostberg

Filmed as part of the same series as Rain Dance, this clip of Mads Ostberg at maximum attack is one of the few that accurately conveys the absurd violence of a modern World Rally Car.

8. Robby Gordon Baja 2009

The first five minutes of the Baja 500 will make you wonder how anyone survives the next nine hours of it.

9. Gymkhana 1

Before Ken Block became a global mega star there was just a super-powerful Subaru, an abandoned airfield, a skilled driver and a clever director.

10. Top Secret R33 tunnel run

Smokey Nagata’s 317km/h freeway effort in the UK made him (in)famous, but for real speed check out his 328km/h run in a Tokyo tunnel.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, more. Short clips like Daigo Saito’s jump drift, Gigi Galli’s Evo VI slide and the JUN Supra; anything from F1’s Lap of the Gods or motorsport archivist Antti Kalhola and many, many more. Get watching.