Dijon 1979

One of the most famous races in the history of F1 happened on July 1, 1979 at the circuit of Dijon - Prenois, near Dijon, France.

The race will be remembered for the first victory of a turbo-charged car in F1 (by Jean Pierre Jabouille in Renault), as well as Renault's first victory in F1. Trivia lovers will also recall that the French race was won by a French driver (Jabouille), driving a French car (Renault), on French tyres (Michelin) and powered on French fuel (Elf).

However, the race will forever be remembered for the fierce battle for second place between Gilles Villeneuve in Ferrari and Rene Arnoux in the second Renault. In what has come to be regarded as one of the finest examples of top class racing, both drivers fought extremely hard to outdo the other, and yet did so in a fair manner, without putting anyone in jeopardy. Both drivers trusted each other as racing drivers, and they later remarked that even the thought of pushing the other off track never even occured to them. It was pure racing, and it was exhilerating to watch.



Here is the link to the youtube video. I strongly urge you to watch the last two laps of the race atleast. It is one of the best pieces of F1 driving you will ever see.

The race commentary in the final two laps went as follows :

"And Arnoux is going to do it .. Rene Arnoux is challenging for second as they come up to Villeroy, but Villeneuve will not give way. Arnoux has got the inside line and the shorter line , and he takes second place as they go into the right hander and the left of Sabelieres, and now Renault are indeed first and second in the French Grand Prix. "

" And the French crowd is going mad ! Roaring in the background ! The twin turbo Renaults appeared at Monaco, not their circuit; and now we are into the start of the 79th and the last lap , with Rene Arnoux second... AND VILLENEUVE goes... INCREDIBLE !! Villeneuve stood on everything, locked up his tyres, got the line and he is back into second position on the last lap, and the French crowd aren't very happy about that.."

" And he's closed right up on Villeneuve and he is going to try again, coming into the start of the last lap, behind Jochen Mass in the A2 Arrows... and Arnoux.. does he ? does he ? Villeneuve locks up .. Villeneuve has had to go wide and Arnoux is on the inside as they go round the Villeroy.. "

"He's got the shorter line, he's got second position.. he's got second position.. he's through ! They bang wheels ! He's off ! He's off ! And he's back again ! Rene Arnoux, off the circuit and back again and he is... and now Villeneuve is in second position ! And this is the last lap ! And Villeneuve goes over the corrugations and he nearly loses the front as they go up the Parabolique, on the 80th and the last lap. And he's back, he's in second position.. Villeneuve is second in the Ferrari. Down to third position goes Arnoux.. ".

"80th lap in this 80 lap race , and there is less than a third of it to go. Now, can Arnoux, on the tremendously fast la Combe - Courbe de Pouas section, 150 miles an hour, get past ? They go past Jochen Mass...".

"..and Jabouille wins ! Jean Pierre Jabouille has won in the Renault, who is going to be second ? Into the Courbe de Pouas they come, and there is Ricardo Patrese .. and VILLENEUVE IS SECOND ! ".

An image of the Dijon circuit :


A true classic !

'New Chicken' for Super Aguri

From Update F1 Forum, I came across this interesting interview that Peter McCool, chief designer of Super Aguri F1, gave to crash.net.

"In true SAF1 style, we bit off more than we should have done," he confessed, "We have introduced a new carbon gearbox and a comprehensive aero package that includes a revised floor, a new chicken, chimney, T-wing and a whole new rear wing package."

Strange, intriguing things happen in F1, but whats with the chicken ?! I am totally lost on this one !

Gilles Villeneuve - 25 years

It has been 25 years since Gilles Villeneuve died, during qualifying for Belgian GP at Zolder on May 8, 1982.
Here is an extremely well written article by Steve Turnbull, editor of Update-F1. An excerpt :

But the final word, the explanation as to why this man was a cut above, and why his like will never be seen in the modern mind-set of Formula One, goes to Gilles himself, when talking to his great friend, Roebuck:
“How the hell can you drive a race car, fight with people, and think all the time about points for a bloody championship? How can you settle for a safe third or something, because it’s four points? Jesus, people like that should be accountants, not racing drivers.”

Norris McDonald wrote a very nice piece on wheels.ca here. It has detailed account of Gilles' early racing years, his drive for racing, his desire to push to the limits, and his much-loved simplicity. I quote from the article :

He was adored for one reason above all: he was a racer. He wanted to win races and championships, yes, but more than anything he wanted to win every lap he was out on the track, whether it was a practice lap, a qualifying lap or the 35th lap of a 72-lap Grand Prix.

When Motorsport magazine put Gilles on their 75th anniversary cover in April 1999, editor Andrew Frankel explained :

No single shot can sum up 75 years of motorsport so we looked for one which made us feel good about racing. And Gilles in a 12-cylinder Ferrari said it all ... in the firmament of great racing drivers, his star shines more brightly than that of multiple world champions.

Before joining Ferrari, Gilles had a meeting with Enzo Ferrari, and Enzo is said to have compared Gilles to the great Nuvolari !

However, the last word must go to arguably the most heart-rending obituary ever written - Nigel Roebuck, a close friend of Gilles wrote this in Autosport on May 13, 1982.

Polite, honest, and straightforward, he had a tremendous sense of humour and a simple love of life. His attitude to motor racing was unfashionably romantic. In a bland, commercial, world, he loved it for its sake. The jet set made him cringe, and he had an instinctive abhorrence of anything bogus. For me, and, I suspect, many thousands of others, the light has gone out in motor racing.

A fitting image.. Gilles pushing to the limit and beyond.


More pictures in my last year's post.

Schumacher's Party at Shanghai

We all know Schumacher was extremely delighted with the win at Shanghai. This track was supposed to be the most difficult of the last 3 flyaway races, and with all the weather and tyre trouble Ferrari had, to get a win was quite obviously more than what they bargained for.
So, Schumi threw a huge party at Shanghai apparently. The news comes from German news paper "Bild Zeitung", which specialises in useless gossip (like the English tabloids).

The popular German newspaper said Ferrari's 37-year-old star - albeit sticking to coca-cola - partied until 6 in the morning in the city's Marriott hotel.

The party was reportedly also attended by 2007 Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen, Schumacher's current teammate Felipe Massa, Renault rival Giancarlo Fisichella and personal press officer Sabine Kehm.

Predictably, championship rival Fernando Alonso was not spotted.

Is that why Alonso launched a tirade against Fisi yesterday ?!

The rise of BMW

At the start of the season, this would have seemed rather silly. After all, Sauber were nowhere at the end of last season. Having been taken over by a manufacturer has its benefits though. BMW left Williams and took over Sauber. It is a matter of irony now that BMW are where Williams used to be (3rd/4th best team), and Williams are now where Sauber used to be (6th/7th best team).
BMW have developed into a force to be reckoned with over this season. Earlier this season, their cars were difficult to handle (and JV had to suffer!); then they had that oh-so-brilliant idea of putting horns on the car (aerodynamic devices !). But into the last quarter, they have had consistently good cars, good drivers and good results.
At midseason, Mclaren were thought to be the team that could influence the outcome of the championships, as they were the only team that seemed to be on pace. With two races to go, you have to say that its BMW now who can influence the WCC. (Not the WDC, I think no matter what, barring strange things happening, Michael and Alonso will finish 1-2 or 2-1). BMW cars though, can get ahead of Massa or Fisi, and that can be very crucial to the WCC.
And slightly OT, it is so hard to spot a McLaren on track these days ! The only time you see it, is when you see Kimi getting out of it with the car either lacking various body parts or with smoke coming out of it !!
BMW look to have a great future next season, what with Kubica showing what a talent he is, and Heidfeld consistently finishing in points.

Shanghai !

Shanghai proved much more exciting than expected, thanks mainly to the varying track conditions and varying tyre performance.

The debate post-Shanghai seems largely to center on what Michael's win was down to. People argue it was the much-touted wet skills of Schumi, and some others say it was Renault's mistake.

Well, as always, I think the answer lies midway between all of them, a combination of all. Schumacher did well to master the conditions, when most other drivers were spinning like a Muralitharan offspinner [:D]. He did not make a single mistake, unlike Alonso (who it may be remembered, went off track while in lead of over 15 seconds over Kimi and over 22 seconds over Michael). Renault made a mistake with their tyre choice at the first pitstop, made a more critical error at the second, which gave Alonso no chance to even catch up to the leader.

It was disappointing to see Fisi finish nearly 40 seconds behind, after leading the race until the second pitstops. And he claims to be happy because Renault are in the constructors championship lead, and he is third in WDC. I just think he throws away race wins like they were growing in his garden. He doesnt seem to value winning as much as Michael or Alonso or Kimi.

But, the most impressive driver for me, for a second race in a row, had to be Kubica. He was unfortunate to be bumped out on lap 1 by Doornbos, but had climbed up to 13th again in a matter of 5 laps (contrast that with Massa, who was 16th starting 20th at the same time). He was simply outstanding in those initial wet conditions, and considering Heidfeld's strong running, he was surely in contention for 4th or 5th spot, until he made that risky choice of dry tyres.

And finally, that last lap mayhem. Sato and Albers must be punished for causing that. Heidfeld was understandably disappointed, losing his 4th place, and calling it "the worst race of my life, not just F1, my entire life" !!

A Long Time..

It has been a long while since this blog has been updated. The reasons for that are many, but none worth any illustrious mention !

So, since my last post, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. This shall, hence be a stock-taking post, where I will just reflect on things past, in no particular order.

MF1, previously Jordan, is now Spyker. This had been threatening to happen, and finally did. Hopefully the Dutch group will show more interest in racing (given their past, that is a reasonable expectation), and Alex Shnaider can perhaps buy a English Premier League club. (Spurs would be a good bet, I think).

Two of the most colorful characters in F1 have left F1. JPM for NASCAR, where he is better suited I think, and JV to I dont know where, but possibly to some series in USA, but more likely to a blissful married life. Will they be missed ? You bet.

The biggest news, of course has to be that of Schumi's retirement. It will be hard to see an F1 grid next year without Schumi in a red Ferrari. Next year, Alonso will delight us by showing how highly over-rated a driver he is, and Massa and Kimi will destroy him. But, Schumi will be sorely missed.

Alonso's behaviour under pressure leaves a lot to be desired. He can learn a lot from Kimi and Michael in that regard. For the past 2-3 months, as his lead has reduced, his behaviour (from Hungary, then Turkey and now Monza) has been rather rude.

Lots of other news, that would normally make it to my blog, but will stay out because this post will get too long otherwise.

Here's to an exciting championship !

"Just Married" !!

Jacques Villeneuve married recently, and his BMW car this weekend has "Just Married" written on its rear wing !

Silverstone Is Here !

Days are moving too fast to keep up with, esp. as far as updating this blog goes !

So, with that disclaimer out of the way, let us see what this weekend at Silverstone has in store for us. With little over half an hour remaining for the qualifying, it is interesting to see the practice 3 times.

Michael is on top of course, and Massa's third position confirming the Ferrari's pace on this aero dominant track. The cars currently regarded as having the best aero package, Renault, find themselves in P5 and P6. Kimi managed to get his McLaren into P4, but JPM was down in 15th with some problems. Nothing surprising there, really.

What is surprising really is the performance of BMW-Sauber. Yesterday Kubica put in a storming lap to take the honours in free practice 2. Many dismissed it as a 'Friday driver anomaly', but Nick Heidfeld confirmed BMW's pace with P2 in the third practice session, and Villeneuve was in P8, not too much off the pace. Having been used to seeing BMW's consistently outside top 10, this is a big boost for the team, and they will be looking to do here what Red Bull did in Monaco.

The other teams to have impressed are Torro Rosso and Midland. Both STRs (in P9 and P10) got the better of their Red Bull counterparts, while Monteiro took his Midland to P13 above both Coulthard and Montoya.

Now, its only a practice session, but things are fairly indicative. Dont be surprised to see Christian Albers into round 2 in qualifying, or both BMWs into top 10. An interesting qualifying is in store !

Silverstone Tech File

From Pitpass.com :

The demands of the Silverstone circuit for the cars and engines has changed significantly with the advent of V8 engines in 2006. The first half of the circuit, all the way to turn 8, now sees very little braking at all and the engines under prolonged load. The second part of the circuit includes more slow corners, and places a premium on a good low speed balance and traction. Overall, Silverstone is a selective circuit, that allows a strong, harmonious chassis-engine package to shine.

Aerodynamics

Downforce levels at Silverstone are medium-high – almost identical to Barcelona. The downforce is required for the quick corners in the opening part of the lap, and the relatively short straights and braking zones mean that any deficit in straightline speed is unlikely to see competitors overtaking you. The lack of heavy braking also means we run some of the smallest brake ducts of the year to optimise aerodynamic performance.

Ride

The circuit is not particularly bumpy, so achieving good ride is not usually a big problem. The exception to this is under braking for turn 8, where the uneven surface can unsettle the car. The drivers also tend to drift out onto the kerbs exiting the quick corners in order to take the fastest line, which can make the circuit seem bumpier than it is.

Suspension

We run the car with a forward mechanical balance at this circuit – essentially, with a stiff front end and softer rear end. The stiff front gives the car a good change of direction in the high and slow speed corners, while the softer rear end gives better grip under traction, exiting turns 9, 11 and 16 in particular.

Tyres

The numerous high-speed corners mean Silverstone is a demanding circuit for the tyres, as they work hard over a lap. However, the difference compared with a circuit such as Barcelona is that none of the high-speed corners are particularly long. In general, if temperatures are cool and tyres are graining then the left-front will suffer in particular, while in higher temperatures, the left rear will be the limiting tyre.

Ambient conditions

As a former airfield, Silverstone is inevitably exposed to the wind – and this can have a big impact on car performance. Gusting wind alters the aerodynamic balance of the car and makes handling unpredictable, particularly in the high-speed corners. The driver must be able to judge the direction and strength of the wind, and adjust his driving accordingly.

Engine

The percentage of the lap spent at full throttle has climbed significantly with the advent of the V8 engines – from 59% last year to 71% this. Silverstone is now one of the harder circuits in terms of the demands it places on the engine, which also needs to be responsive at high revs as the drivers take the quick corners on either full or partial throttle. However, by race 8, issues such as cooling are well under control and, particularly after having already tested at the circuit, will pose no problems.

Aintree

This is another of those "not a history lesson" posts which come before historic Grands Prix.
Before the Nurburgring GP, I had written a post about the Nordschleife track - which is no longer used for racing. Since its the British GP this weekend, its time to talk about a long forgotten race track where the British GP used to be held almost 50 years ago.

Welcome to Aintree.

It is of course famous for the first ever GP held there - back in 1955 - when Stirling Moss won the British GP from Juan Manuel Fangio, and became the first British driver to win a British GP. The race (and the qualifying) was a closely fought affair between the two drivers, as Moss took pole by 0.2 seconds and won by a similarly narrow margin. That race also marked the debut of Jack Brabham in a Cooper-Bristol.

Being right next to the Grand National horse racing course (in Liverpool), the facilities were good, and spectators were plenty.

Start of the 1961 British Grand Prix won by Count Wolfgang (Taffy) von Trips - Ferrari 156 (3rd Ferrari - white helmet far right).

27 Formula 1 cars line up for the start - the legendary Tatts Corner is immediately behind these cars. Despite the rain, the stands are full to capacity. Apparently, all of the department stores in Liverpool sold out of plastic macs that day!

Aintree hosted an F1 GP from 1955 to 1962, and after that , continued to host many other events - most notably, the Aintree Festival of Motorsport. But, development work has destroyed a big part of this track, and last year, work began on building another grandstand for the racing course right where the historic Tatts corner stands.

The narrow strip of tarmac between the green fence and the white running rail is all that remains of this famous corner.

Someday, I will get to writing a more detailed post about Aintree (I know I am yet to do one on Nordschleife!).. which it truly deserves, for it is a track of enormous significance to the world of motorsport.

The Renault Tiger

Renault will be running a special livery on their cars for the British GP this weekend - it features .. a tiger. [ Renault to run 'Tiger' livery in Britain]
Now, I really cant make any sense of having a tiger on your racing car. Unless you are Takuma Sato or Yuji Ide, and devour other cars with consummate ease. But trust the PR people to make sense of anything. Everything is "in tune with the company's spirit" , or "shares the fundamental values and the desire to win". So, what did the Renault F1 team say about the tiger ?

The powerful eyes of the tiger are displayed on the front and rear wings, while on the sidepods, the animal is portrayed crouched, ready to pounce. Alert to its constantly-changing surroundings, instinctively using attack as the best form of defence, the tiger is the perfect motif to symbolise the Renault F1 Team's challenge at this weekend's British Grand Prix.

Ooh.. even the tiger would be laughing.

A Lap of Silverstone

From Planet F1 , Gary Paffet describes a lap of the Silverstone..

"A flying lap of Silverstone begins with the extremely fast and challenging Copse. You arrive at the right hander at 190mph, before dabbing the brakes as you swing through the bend.

"A short burst of power takes you to one of the best complex of corners we have at any grand prix track, the Maggots-Becketts-Chapel bends.

"Throughout the complex you maintain speeds of 125mph to 190mph as you take the sequence of right and left flicks flat out, before being swung onto the fastest section of the track, Hanger Straight.

"Taken flat out with a top speed of 195mph, this long blast leads to Stowe. Due to the late apex you are braking all the way into the corner, flicking down the gears to 115mph.

"The worst thing you can get here is understeer as it will affect your lap time a lot in that particular corner.
"You then roll out into a very straight forward exit along Vale that takes you down into Club, before braking for the long right-hander.

"You go down the short straight to the left of Abbey, which is taken at 70mph, has a very fast entry and is a good place for overtaking.

"There is the flick right of Farm and you then go up and over the hill into Bridge corner, which is taken flat out.
"You then enter the stadium complex and some of the best overtaking opportunities on the track.

"It starts with a quick entry into Luffield in fourth gear. It's quite fun to drift the car out there and it tends to dance around with the back end.

"You come out and get on the brakes straight away for the tight left of Priory, which is immediately followed by the 65mph tight left of Brooklands.

"The final corner in the complex is Luffield. The sweeping right of Woodcote is the final corner, you accelerate through the two apexes as you swing back onto the pit straight to begin another lap."

That final corner is sooo slow !! But the Becketts complex is truly awesome. And, here is hoping for a wet race and a Alonso DNF !