.png "os2 trasparenza (1)")
There is no news about the South African Grand Prix. The race is still scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 1985. However, it seems that the planned free practice sessions at the end of this week have been canceled. Officially, there is talk of ongoing work at the Kyalami circuit. Ferrari had planned to send a team with a car on Wednesday, October 9, but canceled the trip and is now expected to travel the following weekend. Therefore, it is possible that tests will be carried out on the Fiorano track as usual. However, the decision to skip the South African tests could also be a consequence of the result at Brands Hatch, although the discussion about the Constructors' World Championship is still open. There is time for a more in-depth analysis of the reasons that led to the Ferrari team's downfall. Based on Michele Alboreto's recent statements, we can evaluate the Maranello team's performance. While not negative in absolute terms, it is certainly disappointing compared to expectations and the results of the first part of the season. Why did they collapse? Why has the highly competitive 156/85 car become unreliable?
"The difficult period began at Silverstone in July. In that race, despite finishing second, Ferrari realized it was clearly inferior to McLaren. Previously, we had achieved excellent results, winning in Montreal and at the Nürburgring and nearly taking first place at Imola and Monte Carlo. We had a good car on some types of circuits. They started with some small adaptation problems with the new tires, but they quickly recovered and now have a more versatile car".
There is now talk of purges at Ferrari, of heads that will roll:
"In terms of performance, we are missing something, and we need to find it. It's not my place to say how; the team will take care of that. We need to develop a better engine and more effective aerodynamics".
Alboreto said that races are won in the workshop, not in the pits. Can you clarify this statement?
"If a car is not good, it's difficult to fix it on the track. Often, we knew what wasn't working, but there was nothing we could do to fix it. In a race, you can aim for first place if the car handles well in the corners. Gaining some meters on the straightaway isn't enough at top speed".
What are the major flaws of your car?
"It's difficult to set up, it bounces too much, and it lacks reliability. But perhaps this is a consequence of the continuous changes we have made. In Formula 1, when you move in a certain direction, you often encounter problems. We found many of them".
Two races are left, and the Constructors' title is still up for grabs:
"At this point, it's difficult to make predictions without risking a glaring mistake. I can only say that the drivers' and team members' commitment is always the same: we try to do our best. But our gaze is already on the future, on next year, to take immediate revenge".
Meanwhile, Jean Marie Balestre continues to rise to power in the world of automobiles. On Monday, October 7, 1985, after modifying the FIA statutes, the French executive was voted president of the same federation, replacing Prince Von Metternich, who had resigned.
Having led the FISA (the sporting branch of the FIA) for three decades and revitalized the Federation, Balestre reaches the absolute pinnacle of world motorsport. However, this cannot be positively welcomed. Despotic, irascible, and politically questionable, Balestre reached his current position by aligning himself with leaders of national entities with no automotive tradition who could provide votes. Tuesday, October 8, 1985, was certainly not a happy day for motorsport. On Tuesday, October 15, 1985 - devoid of its main event, the Drivers' World Championship - the Formula 1 circus arrived in South Africa. Currently, the situation seems calm. Apparently, Johannesburg, about thirty kilometers from the circuit, shows no signs of disorder, and life goes on normally. If something happens nearby, it goes unseen and unnoticed. The calm before the penultimate race of the season prompts the drivers to issue challenges and talk mainly about the race, avoiding more involved discussions. We are in the final stages of the championship, and everyone wants to make a mark. First is Alain Prost, who is not at all stunned by the celebrations for winning the world title with two races to spare.
"Now that I am free from all constraints, I can attack and try to achieve my sixth victory of the year. Indeed, I want to win the World Championship, just to show that I didn't steal anything".
Moreover, the McLaren champion's intentions coincide with those of his team, which will also include Niki Lauda despite his recent injury in a taxi accident. The English team aims to win the Constructors' World Championship, where it leads with 86 points. Ferrari follows with 77 points and is threatened by Lotus, which has 71 points. The Maranello team is also committed to the only remaining goal. However, the task is challenging, as only twenty-one cars will start after Renault and Ligier withdrew under pressure from the French government, RAM ran out of money, and Zakspeed only participated in European practices. The twenty-first South African Grand Prix will start on Thursday, October 17, 1985, with the first day of qualifying. All protests, political pressures, and the embarrassment of most Formula 1 protagonists are in vain. The race will proceed as normal, even though the country is experiencing very difficult times, with new episodes of anti-apartheid violence occurring daily. There is no particularly tense atmosphere in Johannesburg or at the nearby Kyalami circuit. People of color carry out their work inside the racetrack, and no special surveillance measures have been noticed.
There are private police officers, as there were in previous years, and, as a precaution, Ferrari has had Alboreto and Johansson escorted. As for the rest, disturbing events in South Africa are reported in newspapers, on the radio, and on television. On Thursday morning, three hours before the start of the tests, about fifty kilometers away, Benjamin Malescia Moloise, a poet, writer, and guerrilla member of the African National Congress, will be executed by hanging for participating in the killing of a policeman in November 1983. They say it is the law here, and even three white youths guilty of raping and killing a black girl are awaiting the gallows. If Formula 1 races in South Africa, it is certainly not to support the current regime. As always, it's an economic issue. Organizers pay, and teams run according to a long-established schedule. No government has officially moved to avoid this exhibition, not even the Italian government. There are enormous interests at stake, and thousands of Italians live, work, earn a living, and prosper in this nation. Local champions argue that sports can and should be a tool for peace among peoples. A boycott would probably have an even more negative outcome, completely isolating South Africa. Even Marcello Fiasconaro, the not-so-forgotten pioneer of athletics who has been living in Johannesburg for some time, shares this opinion.
"Something must be done, but it is better to talk and discuss openly rather than hide behind a screen".
In any case, even if they didn't have more serious problems to think about, people defending their dignity and rights against a racist minority—but let's not forget that South Africa is also troubled by tribal conflicts and that the black mafia is no better than the white one—have no interest in motorsports. Here, people play football and rugby, and the poorest turn to more popular sports like boxing. No colored spectators are expected at the circuit on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, the day the race is scheduled. The battle between McLaren and Ferrari for victory in the Constructors' World Championship and the end-of-season grudges among the drivers are matters for insiders and reserved shows in any case. And despite everything, the race is still awaited with trepidation. The main reasons have already been outlined, but there are also other situations to consider. First, the supremacy shown by Williams-Honda at Brands Hatch must be verified. Nelson Piquet, who will race alongside Nigel Mansell for this team next year, is particularly attentive to this. We must also follow the ambitions of the Brazilian driver himself, who hopes to beat his young, emerging compatriot, Senna, with the help of Pirelli tires. Technicians have great confidence in these tires after their recent progress. There is also a family fight in Ferrari. Now free from championship obligations, Alboreto and Johansson can compete against each other, though they must keep an eye on the Constructors' World Championship standings.
Alfa is hoping to score its first points of the year, and everyone wants to perform well. It would be nice if the drivers demonstrated their sensitivity in some way, even just with a statement, to show that they are aware of an existing problem that cannot be ignored. Four years ago, the racing champions at Kyalami went on strike for economic and regulatory reasons. Now, a much smaller gesture would suffice. On Thursday, October 17, 1985, the South African Grand Prix begins in front of a few hundred spectators—many fewer than attend any free practice on a European circuit. As expected, there was not even a hint of protest or contestation. There were no more police officers around the track than are normally present elsewhere. Certainly, there were more in Monza during the Italian Grand Prix. Anyone who might have thought of organizing a demonstration probably had more pressing concerns. In fact, some people even joke about the situation with doubtful humor. While FISA Secretary-General Leon calls President Balestre in Paris (who has taken care not to come see a race he supported), Max Mosley, former FOCA lawyer and Ecclestone's right-hand man, picks up the phone. Imitating the accent of a person of color in French, he says:
"Mr. President, come to South Africa because we are waiting for you to protest the race".
Then, a hearty laugh erupts. According to the latest news, there have been no disturbances or violence in the country today, although there is a lot of tension in anticipation of Benjamin Moloise's execution at the Pretoria prison on Friday at 7:00 a.m. The only sign of something unusual at Kyalami is that some sponsors' logos have been removed from their cars (Marlboro, Barclay, and Beatrice), as they prefer not to be associated with this event. Despite almost all of them claiming to be morally opposed to this race, the drivers take to the track, and it must be emphasized that they do not hold back. Keke Rosberg sets the best time, confirming the team's success, with an exceptional time of 1'03"073 at an average speed of 234.243 km/h, setting a new circuit record. The previous record, 1'04"871, was set by Piquet last year. This improvement of almost two seconds has turned the Kyalami track, with its nine curves, some of which are not too wide, into a speed ring. Incredible speeds are reached: 333 km/h at the finish line and 339 km/h at the end of the straightaway. Piquet's Brabham is in the spotlight, though it is Rosberg who secures the provisional pole position ahead of his teammate, Mansell. The Ferraris perform decently, especially compared to their recent performances. Alboreto is in seventh place and Johansson is in ninth place. They are preceded not only by the aforementioned rivals, but also by Senna, De Angelis, and Boutsen. Niki Lauda, returning to the track, squeezes between the two Ferrari drivers. Meanwhile, the World Champion Prost is only eleventh. Essentially, McLaren and Ferrari, both aiming for the Constructors' World Championship, share a lackluster performance, at least in qualifying.
Despite trying different types of turbines, both small and large, the English team cannot get power from the engines. Perhaps it's due to the altitude. At 1.700 meters, the parameters that provide data to the gearbox computer change completely. Alternatively, maybe McLaren does not have a qualifying engine like Williams-Honda and Lotus-Renault. The situation is different for Ferrari. Alboreto breaks a turbine, as is now customary, and then probably the exhaust, if not the engine. However, the main issue lies in the aerodynamics, chassis, and suspension. While the other cars return to the pit with worn, full-of-holes tires, those of the Ferrari 156/85 seem new. Michele Alboreto says,
"We have no grip. If we increase the aerodynamic pressure, we're very slow. If we decrease it, we can't stay on the track. We tried to find the best compromise, but the prospects are not comforting".
Ferrari will change its approach. Given the different chassis, they will revert to the old setup as much as possible. They will eliminate the triple planes and return to the full slide setups from the beginning of the season, hoping for improvement. Alain Prost arrived at the circuit on Thursday morning, just half an hour before the tests began. The French driver had missed his flight on Tuesday and risked not being able to participate in the first qualifying session.
"It had never happened to me before. I was supposed to leave Geneva at 11:55 p.m., but the time on my ticket was off by an hour. I had to go to London and take another flight. Then, they practically brought me to the airport by helicopter. I'm very tired now, but I'll try to recover".
Prost is approached by Marco Piccinini, Ferrari's sports director, with whom he exchanges witty remarks. The French driver says:
"Now I can finally win without problems".
Piccinini cleverly replies,
"If you keep coming in first, people will end up thinking it's all thanks to the car".
On Friday, October 18, 1985, during the final stretch of the World Championship, Ferrari hit rock bottom. Beyond the poor qualifying results (Alboreto in fifteenth place and Johansson in sixteenth place out of twenty-one competitors), the Maranello team's crisis is particularly worrying for the future. This World Championship could only end badly, but no one could have expected such a debacle. While other teams are improving from race to race, Ferrari is regressing. Englishman Nigel Mansell remains in the spotlight with Williams, setting the fastest lap with an impressive time of 1'02"366 at an average speed of 236.898 km/h after a thrilling battle with Piquet, Rosberg, and Senna. They lined up in that order on the starting grid. Mansell finished almost three seconds ahead of the pack on a 4,104-meter circuit. Alboreto was the only driver not to improve, dropping from seventh on Thursday to fifteenth. And certainly not through any fault of his own. A few data points make it clear that the 156/85s did not allow Michele and Stefan to do any better, despite trying many solutions, including a car with a setup similar to the competitive one at the beginning of the season. At their fastest passages on the finish line, Piquet recorded a top speed of 331 km/h, Rosberg 327 km/h, Senna 318 km/h, Johansson 306 km/h, and Alboreto 304 km/h. The lowest speeds, aside from Osella and Minardi, which are irrelevant, are in absolute terms. Jones, with the Beatrice (Hart 4-cylinder engine, experimental car), reached 315 km/h. At this point, it's clear that Ferrari needs to start over. Looking ahead to next year, the Maranello team will need to design a completely new car, including the engine, gearbox, chassis, and aerodynamics.
The 87-year-old Enzo Ferrari has something to say about how and with which technicians. It's a difficult situation, one that Michele Alboreto himself emphasizes in the presence of sports director Marco Piccinini. His words were harsh, severe, and justified:
"I'm at a loss. Nothing makes sense anymore. New engines arrived on Thursday evening, and they perform worse than the others. Last year, we were faster. I didn't expect things to end like this".
He continues, doubling down:
"We have to throw everything away, both physically and mentally. As they say in psychology, the problem must be removed. We need to take two weeks off, including the sports director, and then get to work. It's impossible to explain what our troubles are because we don't know. If we can't resort to foreign technicians like Metzger and Rosche, then we have to solve the problems ourselves. I always have faith, and I don't like abandoning ship when it's sinking. Next year will be tough, too, but we'll try, even if others move forward and we move backward. As for this race? We can only attempt a fast lap; then, we'll see what happens. I spoke on the phone with Enzo Ferrari. He was more disappointed than angry".
Marco Piccinini adds:
"There is no one to replace on the team, but there is room for additions. Everything except the drivers needs improvement. We're not concerned about who is ahead of us, but rather, how many. It will take time to overcome this situation".
These few sentences are enough to understand Ferrari's morale and prospects for the South African Grand Prix. It will be another race where Williams will be on the attack, with the Brazilians Senna and Piquet in pursuit. Nelson has a special advantage: he is the only favorite with Pirelli tires, along with his teammate Surer, who is an outsider. Then there's McLaren, making small progress. Last year's winner, Lauda, sets the eighth time, ahead of his teammate Prost. These two drivers could be surprising, although the Williams drivers seem unbeatable. Also pursuing at least one point, their first of the season, are the Alfa Romeos, both of which are ahead of Ferrari. However, Patrese is honest:
"They should withdraw several drivers so that I can aim for sixth place".
After winning at Brands Hatch, Nigel Mansell developed a taste for first place. The English Williams engineer secured the second pole position of his career; his first was in 1984 with Lotus in Dallas:
"I could have gone a few tenths faster if I hadn't ended up off the track at the turn before the pits. My car is fantastic, but I am convinced that Rosberg and I will have to compete with Brabham, Lotus, and McLaren".
Twenty minutes before the end of qualifying, Piquet, who was in first position, joked about Mansell, who will be his teammate at Williams next year:
"He'll teach me English well. Certainly, he's become a tough competitor. In this profession, it's important to have confidence in yourself. Few would have thought that Nigel would outperform Rosberg".
Bernie Ecclestone, the owner of Brabham, confirmed negotiations with Lauda:
"I have preliminary contracts with De Angelis and Patrese, but anything is possible".
There is talk of paying $6.000.000 to hire the Austrian driver. In any case, Brabham will announce its team lineup on November 4, 1985. There are no problems at the circuit regarding racial issues. The spectators are all white except for a few Indians. Inside the racetrack, many Black workers are present for services. In the pits, only one person of color is seen, and he is there as a guest. He is with Ferrari and was brought by Michele Alboreto.
"He's been a friend of mine for years. He works for a family I know, and he's studying at the university. He told me he wanted to see the trials, so I brought him." It's not a provocative move".
On Saturday, October 19, 1985: At the last moment, Alan Jones and Beatrice did not line up on the track. The Australian remained in bed, a victim of a mysterious virus that caused a high fever. Years later, however, Jones himself admitted that it was also a boycott related to apartheid, disguised so as not to put his team's sponsor, Beatrice Foods, in media trouble. In his autobiography, Jones recalls being summoned to Ecclestone's penthouse on Friday afternoon. The conversation began with:
"How many chances do you think you have to win tomorrow?"
The Australian replied:
"If I were to leave now, I would probably have a good chance".
Bernie continued:
"Well, I've had an idea. If you pretend to be sick and don't race tomorrow, we'll give you a cash prize equal to that of the race winner. Then, go home and visit Australia".
The next morning, Jones checked out of the hotel and returned to Australia. Only the team president, Carl Haas, and the team manager, Teddy Meyer, were informed of what happened. The rest of the team was told that Jones had come down with a virus:
"If the driver is too weak to drive, the car will not go on the track. It would be a case of force majeure".
Officially, it did not appear that the Beatrice team and Jones had yielded to threats. In practice, however, the car did not take to the track as they had requested. The circuit's altitude (1,700 meters) and sudden heat (28 °C in the shade and 38 °C on the asphalt) caused an engine massacre. After ten laps, only eleven cars remained in the race due to an incident that eliminated both Alfa Romeos immediately. At the green light, Mansell confidently maintains first position. Piquet is uncertain but does not block his lane and remains in second place. At the first corner, however, Ghinzani throws himself between the cars of Patrese and Cheever, the former on the inside and the latter on the outside of the fast right turn that closes the pit straight, trying to get noticed to find a place for 1986.
The Toleman hits the Alfa of the Paduan driver, and blameless Riccardo goes sideways, hitting his teammate's car at 160 km/h. Cheever's Alfa remains without a wheel. Ghinzani stays in the race after returning to the pits to replace the Toleman's nose. However, he is then forced to retire due to a broken engine. This failure triggers another key episode of the race. Rosberg, who had just forcefully passed Mansell, skids on the oil from the Hart engine of the Toleman flooding the asphalt. The Finn does a great spin, raising a dust cloud. Then, he resumes in fifth position without any car damage. Meanwhile, Mansell maintains his lead until the end, threatened only for a few laps by Prost. Surer stops with his troubled BMW during the third lap, and Piquet is forced to retire during the sixth lap. Starting in fifteenth place, Alboreto forced the pace and benefited from numerous retirements to finish seventh. However, a few minutes later, the Italian driver returns to the pits with a smoking turbine. Later, the carousel of tire changes due to the abrasive asphalt begins. There is some shuffling, but the situation remains more or less the same: Mansell is in the lead, followed by Prost, Lauda, and Rosberg. After the Austrian driver retires due to turbine failure, only the top three continue to battle, albeit at a certain distance. The Ferrari mechanics stand out with an exceptional tire change (7.77 seconds) on Johansson's car. However, their efforts are in vain as the car is not on par with the others. In the end, Mansell, Prost, and Rosberg lap everyone, but Prost begins to fall behind. Rosberg's Williams overtakes the struggling McLaren. Prost slows down further and crosses the finish line, swaying his body to cover a few more centimeters. Johansson passes him, suggesting that the Swede may have secured third place. However, Johansson does not step onto the podium. After taking a few steps, he is stopped. After counting, Prost remains in third place. After over four years, Williams achieves a spectacular one-two finish in South Africa, with Mansell in first place and Rosberg in second. The English team dominated the final part of the season, and the bearded British driver secured his second consecutive victory. Mansell says this while still racing with dull rib pain from the September accident in Monza:
"I was also a bit lucky because, after overtaking me, Rosberg spun on the oil on the track, which allowed me to avoid the same fate".
Keke Rosberg replied:
"I had fun, even though I let a victory slip away, not because of my own fault. I had tire issues after going off track and then brake problems. I struggled with understeer for a while. Of course, our Williams cars are fantastic, and the Honda engine is exceptional. We're going to Adelaide as the favorites".
For Prost, third place doesn't sit well:
"I wouldn't have had trouble passing Mansell if an electrical issue halfway through the race hadn't slowed the turbo response. In the end, the car was sluggish. It's a shame because I could have capped off my world title with a first-place finish".
This explanation doesn't convince everyone, though. But Alboreto had much more reason to complain than Prost. For the fourth consecutive time, the Italian driver couldn't even finish the race; he was stopped by a turbine failure on the eighth lap. Despite this negative result, Alboreto achieved the best result by an Italian driver since Ascari won the World Championship in 1953. Michele is, in fact, the mathematical Vice World Champion, having finished in second place behind Prost. Trailing by 15 points, Senna can no longer catch him in the last race in Australia:
"A slim consolation. This was certainly not my goal. We need to work for the future. I chose a car similar to those used at the beginning of the season to conduct some experiments. It wasn't bad; perhaps, given how the race unfolded, I could have finished in the top three. But it's useless to think about these things. The reality is that others are faster".
Not even Stefan Johansson is satisfied. He finished fourth, about seven kilometers behind the winner:
"It's nice to finish a race, but the car is no longer competitive. We should do better in Adelaide on a street circuit. Hopefully".
However, the numbers are not in their favor. The Swede set the fastest lap time at 1'10"413, which was ninth overall and behind Brundle's Tyrrell. It was a tough day for Alfa Romeo. Just when a decision needs to be made about the Milanese team's future, both Patrese and Cheever retired from the Grand Prix right after the start. The drivers are blameless, but luck also plays a role in motorsports. Piercarlo Ghinzani says:
"I was slipping between the two Alfa Romeos. Cheever moved to the inside, so I moved to the right. So, I hooked onto Patrese's car".
Cheever had a different account of the incident:
"I was ahead of Ghinzani and on the outside. I was following my trajectory, and he shouldn't have slipped in there. It's his fault".
Riccardo Patrese was even more dismayed:
"I practically didn't notice anything. I was in a good position on the right when I heard a big bang and flew off the track. I even risked getting hurt".
Once again, Alfa Romeo missed the opportunity to make a good impression in a race where a good placement was possible given the many retirements. There were also family problems for Lotus, with a sensational quarrel between De Angelis and Senna. The Italian driver says:
"He put my life at risk with his reckless overtaking maneuver. At the end of the straightaway, he pushed the engine to its maximum capacity, which broke it almost immediately. Then, to avoid Ghinzani coming out of the pits after replacing something on his car, I moved in that direction, and he overtook me on the left, outside. I saw Ayrton in my right rearview mirror, then he braked late and almost blocked my car. If we had collided, we certainly would have been injured".
Seventy thousand spectators witnessed the South African Grand Prix. The race was a success for the organizers. As was widely expected, there were no significant accidents on the circuit. However, a few incidents illustrate the intense atmosphere of this Formula 1 event. Alain Prost was among the protagonists of these events. On Friday night, the Frenchman received pressure from France not to race. He received phone calls and telexes and seemed bewildered:
"I already have risks to face. I don't understand why they have singled me out. I am a professional, and I have commitments to fulfill, even if I am aware of certain problems".
The general nervousness also cost a young Italian man who was at the racetrack with his girlfriend. Some drunk troublemakers made crude comments to the girl, and when he reacted, they attacked him when he started speaking in Italian:
"You denigrate South Africa".
To demonstrate that apartheid was not absolute, the organizers held a 4.000-meter mid-distance race and a cycling race for white, Black, and mixed-race competitors. Simon Malebeng won the first race and was applauded by the stands. Jean-Marie Balestre, president of the FIA, FISA, and the French Federation, was absent. Did he perhaps want to boycott the race he had supported? On a different note, Alain Prost earned third place in the South African Grand Prix, and McLaren achieved another goal. The English team practically won the Constructors' World Championship title. This ranking brings prestige and money, as it is also taken into account in the distribution of FOCA prizes at the end of the season. Ferrari's fourth-place finish with Stefan Johansson in the race allowed the Maranello team to limit the damage, but they still have only a theoretical chance of surpassing their rival in the last race in Adelaide on November 3, 1985. McLaren has 90 points, compared to Alboreto's team's 80. To overturn the situation, Ferrari would need to score at least 11 points in Adelaide (a win plus a finish in at least fifth place) and hope that Prost and Lauda do not finish in the top six. It's a long shot, but in Formula 1, anything can happen. However, the Ferrari seen leaving Kyalami was not a recovering one. The desperate attempts to solve the problems and the continuous modifications made to the cars have not improved anything. Previously avoidable mistakes have even been recorded. On Friday, the cars didn't reach top speed because the turbines and compressors were coupled incorrectly. At the end of Saturday's race, someone on the team wasn't sure if Johansson had placed third or fourth. The driver left for the podium, only to be disappointed when he saw Mansell, Rosberg, and Prost already there. A tachometer is not difficult to control. However, these are not the challenges that the top Formula 1 team has to overcome. In Adelaide, a street circuit that is still unfamiliar to everyone (it was completed recently), Ferrari shouldn't perform poorly, given the 156/85's behavior on similar tracks, such as Monte Carlo and Detroit:
"But the cars have changed a lot since the beginning of the year. Everything needs to be verified. An injection of confidence would certainly be needed to start next year off right. I am ready; it's just a matter of fully committing. Overall, I can't complain about my personal balance sheet. I am the Italian driver with the best placement in the championship since Ascari. Most importantly, I don't have to reproach myself for any mistakes. Without presumption, I am convinced that I am one of the few drivers who has not made a single mistake in fifteen races. I have always maximized my own and the car's potential".
Now begins a period of research for Ferrari. This will entail new materials, extensive experimentation, and perhaps the search for additional technicians to add to the existing team. They need to create a cutting-edge engine that incorporates ceramics, fibers, and electronics. The goal is to achieve simplicity, reliability, and maximum power while reducing fuel consumption to 195 liters per race. They need new, more accurate aerodynamics, as well as more effective chassis and suspensions. In short, as previously mentioned, everything needs to be redone. It's a new challenge that starts immediately, even before the championship officially ends. It's important to keep in mind that the competitors include not only McLaren, Williams, Brabham, and Lotus but also Porsche, Honda, BMW, Renault, and Ford. The American team will soon debut, installing a new six-cylinder engine on the cars of Alan Jones and Patrick Tambay for the Force team. Force uses Lola chassis and is commonly called Beatrice, named after the sponsor, a multinational food company that has invested tens of millions of dollars. Williams, which has dominated this end of the season, is certainly the most successful young team in Formula 1, with only twelve years of existence. After an apprenticeship from 1973 (when the team was founded as Iso) to 1978, Williams had to overcome many difficulties. Inexperience and a chronic lack of money forced its owner, Frank Williams - a former mediocre driver - to perform many acrobatics, including emigrating to Italy, to find funding. Even in those difficult times, Frank Williams demonstrated his organizational skills, resembling Enzo Ferrari more than his better-known colleagues Colin Chapman and Ken Tyrrell. Williams is an ascetic in Formula 1. He is absolutely dedicated, takes things very seriously, plans meticulously, and trusts his team members, each of whom has specific tasks. Frank reserves the role of sports director for himself and behaves in life as he does at work. He exercises for at least an hour every day (running and gymnastics), eats a controlled diet, and doesn't drink or smoke.
All of the money earned is invested in the company, which has a well-equipped workshop and its own wind tunnel—something that Ferrari still lacks. Williams' greatest skill is finding high-level sponsors, which gives him considerable resources. He was the first to approach Arab oil sheikhs and Japanese companies. This year alone, the logos on his cars are worth tens of millions of dollars. Canon, Honda, Mobil, and ICI are all multinational companies with practically unlimited resources. The team became competitive in 1979. Since then, the team has won 21 races, two world titles, and one second-place finish. After 1981, when rival teams began to have turbo engines, difficulties arose. However, Frank Williams achieved his masterpiece by convincing Honda to entrust him with their engines, which had been in development for at least a couple of years. It was a winning move. Honda's technicians have now reached the top with method and progression, overcoming quite a few problems. Not least among these was the distance between the engine factory and Williams, which is about 15.000 kilometers away. A team of about fifteen Japanese technicians moved to England and are replaced every three months. The extraordinary thing is that, as the engines continuously evolve, when there is an urgent need to move parts from one place to another, this group of men travels by commercial plane with particular spare parts packaged and carried by hand to save time. Williams has always been very careful when choosing drivers. They prefer fast, aggressive drivers. Williams generally focuses on a lead driver, leaving the teammate with only a supporting role. With Williams, Alan Jones and Keke Rosberg won their world titles. Frank Williams admits:
"Working with us is tough. Not many can withstand it. For this reason, I believe Keke Rosberg, one of my most admired drivers, will leave at the end of the season. It's not a matter of money. In our team, you have to be straightforward and obey instructions. I do it myself. With the Japanese, I have an excellent relationship without communication. I tell them what I need, and they deliver the engine to me like a package, complete with the supercharging and electronic systems, ready to be mounted on the car. We can't touch anything; we don't know anything. The only thing we know for sure is that the engine has become powerful and competitive. However, the credit is not only due to the engine. The car has also improved; now, it allows us to avoid exploiting the excess horsepower, so we've also found reliability. Now, we race with less pressure and nothing breaks".
Williams has compensated for Keke Rosberg's departure next year by signing another champion: Nelson Piquet. Piquet is also an excellent test driver, perhaps as good as Lauda. Therefore, the team should be at least as strong as it is now, considering the progress shown by Nigel Mansell. Until recently, the Englishman was considered only a heavy-footed driver, i.e., fast but not exceptional. However, the 31-year-old Briton has proven himself to be a talented and mature driver capable of winning the world title in 1986. One thing is certain after Sunday's race at Kyalami: two Williams cars will be the ones to beat in the first race of the 1986 World Championship.