Military service is also a duty for Gerhard Berger. The Austrian chancellor, Franz Vranitzky said it on Wednesday 2 November 1988. Berger, who is 29 years old, should go into the army by 1991, as Defense Minister Lichal informed him recently. The Austrian pilot asks for a meeting with the minister himself. Vranitzky says that a system could be found for Gerhard Berger to fulfill his obligation and not be forced to give up Formula 1. In the meantime, Berger is threatening to change his citizenship and move to Monte-Carlo:
"So I could also solve the tax problem".
Berger's problems aside, we are heading towards the last race of the season with games made for Formula 1: McLaren Constructors' World Champion, Ayrton Senna Drivers' World Champion. But it cannot be said that the Australian Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, does not present reasons of interest. On the contrary. This has always been an atypical race and anything could happen even if the elusive British cars with Honda engines remain the big favourites. Among other things, this is the final challenge between turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines. Next year, after ten seasons of honorable service, the supercharged engines will be banned from service in favor of the atmospheric 3500cc. The last success of the naturally aspirated cars goes to Michele Alboreto with the Tyrrell-Ford and dates back to June 1983. Given the characteristics of the track, this is the right opportunity to interrupt the turbo series. If there is a moment in which McLaren could being vulnerable is just that. A bit of satisfaction, two riders who have now put their competitive tensions aside, a slightly bruised Senna, even if his injured wrist playing football on holiday in Bali shouldn't cause any problems. However, anyone who believes that the English team is willing to leave room for their rivals is deluding themselves. Instead, there is great anger in McLaren, expressed on Thursday 10 November 1988 by Ron Dennis, who attacks FISA in no uncertain terms:
"In Japan, testing engineers have gone beyond their job. They disassembled the gearbox and differential of our single-seaters, the click doesn't seem to me to be foreseen by the regulation. They should limit themselves to checking if there is reverse gear, simply by engaging the reverse gear".
The team owner practically accuses FISA of espionage, also because the gearbox and transmission of the McLarens are certainly one of the team's secret weapons, the key to the cars' exceptional performance, obviously together with the chassis, aerodynamics and engine. A story that will certainly have aftermath. Atmosphere also tense at Ferrari. It will be Michele Alboreto's last race with the Maranello team and the Italian doesn't hide ambitions, he would like to at least get on the podium. However, he will also have to contend with his teammate, Gerhard Berger. who won on this track last year. The Austrian is not calm: the problem for the military service that he hasn't completed yet has broken out on him. Gerhard is negotiating an adequate solution with the authorities, but the news has leaked out and now public opinion in Austria is divided between those who would like to be offered concessions and those who instead ask for a normal firm. Berger had had a bad spinal accident a few years ago and was perhaps coining a waiver. Now either a solution will be found or he will be forced to emigrate. He is ready to move to Monte-Carlo. In Australia, the 27-year-old Frenchman Pierre Henri Raphanel will make his debut on the Lola in place of Dalmas. still hospitalized in Toulon. The Formula 1 World Championship closes the 1988 season in Adelaide. Beyond the result of the Australian Grand Prix, it was the year of McLaren, of the duel between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost that the Brazilian won proving to be the best driver of the moment in terms of victories and pole positions, the thirteenth of which (an authentic absolute record) conquered in the last qualifying session, overtaking his teammate once again a few moments from the end. Also present at the race is Niki Lauda, in the dual role of commander of the Boeing 767 of his company, which covers the Vienna-Sidney route once a week, and television commentator. It goes without saying that the three-times World Champion was immediately besieged to give an overall judgment on the championship that has just finished and to make predictions about the future.
Very thin, with some gray hair, the usual casual clothing, the Austrian doesn't need to be asked. Indeed, he answers questions with his usual biting sagacity.
"I think Ayrton Senna fully deserved the title. He was the best. And I don't think McLaren or Honda favored him. The championship was decided by the choices of the two drivers in practice. The Brazilian was more concentrated, more determined. Prost appeared satisfied, at least in the central part of the season. Many results were decided by the adjustments made to the cars by the two rivals. It's true that Ayrton made a couple of serious mistakes in Monaco and Monza, but he largely made up for it with an extraordinary race in Japan. Infuse still has limited experience".
So will he be the man to beat again in 1989?
"I'm convinced yes. I can predict that he will be even faster, in the end he will no longer race with the worry of absolutely hitting an objective, the World Championship, which he has already conquered. And McLaren will certainly provide him with the weapon to win again. Honestly, I thought that the English team with John Barnard's departure from the scene would have lost blows. Instead, thanks to the iron will of Rem Dennis, it was the most organised, efficient and technically advanced team. Son, it's hard to believe that he will dominate the championship next year as well".
And Ferrari?
"It is sad that the Commendatore is no longer here. I expected more from the men from Maranello. But above all I don't think he will be able to return to the top in the short term. It will still take time. In the past, two squeals were enough to reverse certain situations, now it is no longer possible. This season he has shown all the shortcomings of him. It will be difficult to go back, in any case".
What are the emerging pilots?
"The Italian school is the most aggressive: I really like Ivan Capelli, intelligent and gifted with talent. Nannini was also very fast. I hope they can have competitive cars".
Then other talks about Formula 1 in general:
"Perhaps there has been a drop in audience for the monotonous races, but interest is still growing due to the attention paid by newspapers and television".
And on his plans that do not include a return even as a manager:
"I'm too busy with planes".
Sin is a character that is always missed. And to say that the places would not be lacking. In fact, for 1989 the arrival of many new teams is announced. So much so that it is already controversy. Many teams will be forced to compete in pre-qualifying races at pre-established circuits. To remedy the abnormal growth, a registration fee of 1.000.000 dollars has been proposed for rookie teams. The decisions will be taken on Thursday 8 December 1988 in Paris by FISA, but there will be problems to find an adequate solution. Sunday 13 November 1988, at the start of the Australian Grand Prix Alain Prost starts well and moves into first position, followed by Ayrton Senna, Gerhard Berger, Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell. At the end of the fourth lap, Alain Prost's advantage over Senna was 5.5 seconds, with Gerhard Berger close to the Brazilian. Michele Alboreto's last race for Ferrari ended with a retirement shortly after the start, as the Italian driver's car collided with Alex Caffi's Dallara. During lap 5 Gerhrd Berger passes Ayrton Senna at the Racetrack Hairpin, a tight right-hander in second gear at the end of the Brabham straight, and then picks up the pace, closing in on Alain Prost and finally passing him during the lap 14, at the same point where the Brazilian McLaren driver passed. Gerhard Berger seems to have the chance to redeem himself after a lackluster year. However, during lap 25, the Austrian driver approaches Stefano Modena's EuroBrun and René Arnoux's Ligier to make the lap. But René Arnoux ignores the blue flags instructing him to let Gerhard Berger pass, causing the Ferrari's left front wheel to ride the Ligier's right rear wheel. The two cars spun and Gerhard Berger was forced to retire due to suspension damage. Thus, Alain Prost takes the lead again, with Ayrton Senna following in second place. Behind the two McLarens, Nelson Piquet maintains third place ahead of the two Williams drivers, Riccardo Patrese and Nigel Mansell. Then the Italian approaches Nelson Piquet, and tries to pass him. But a spin during lap 53 precluded this expectation, leaving the way open for Nigel Mansell. The English driver also had no luck trying to pass Nelson Piquet, and retired on lap 66 when his Williams' brakes gave out, sending the car spinning into the wall.
Previously, at the end of lap 59 Alain Prost extended his advantage over Ayrton Senna to over 30 seconds, and lapped the entire group of riders up to fifth classified, while during lap 46 Pierluigi Martini spun with his Minardi into the chicane, and nearly gets hit by Stefan Johansson's Ligier. Maurício Gugelmin slowed to in turn avoid the two drivers in front, but was hit from behind by the Lotus of Satoru Nakajima. This incident also affects Alain Prost's race, as he is the first to pass this stretch of track. The French driver's McLaren hit some debris breaking off part of the front wing endplate, causing significant understeer for the rest of the race, although Alain Prost will be able to alter his car's edge settings to compensate for the erratic behavior of the car. car and will even set the fastest lap in the race. After the 82 scheduled laps, Alain Prost wins the Australian Grand Prix, followed by Ayrton Senna, 36 seconds behind. Nelson Piquet was third and preceded Riccardo Patrese, Thierry Boutsen and Ivan Capelli at the finish line. As usual, the Australian Grand Prix sealed the Formula 1 World Championship with a spectacular race. But in the end, after repeated accidents, countless spins, and even a significant twist, the result, compared to previous races, hasn't changed: Alain Prost first, Ayrton Senna second, two McLarens at the top, with Nelson Piquet finally on the podium to give a little luster to a season that was more than disappointing for him. However, the Brazilian has found his smile again, ideally handing over the world title that he carried for a year to his compatriot-enemy. Behind the three champions, the tough Riccardo Patrese follows in order, who equaled the record for appearances in the world of the Grand Prix (176 races disputed like Graham Hill and Jacques Laffite, with the possibility of overtaking them both already in the first race of next season) , then the usual Thierry Boutsen and Ivan Capelli, to honorably conclude a brilliant year, and two more Italians, Pierluigi Martini and Andrea De Cesaris, the latter deprived of a fabulous placement in the points zone from his car, the Rial, which has almost never managed to get to the bottom. The turbo era, which began with Renault in 1977 (first success in 1979), also ended with the Australian test. A fabulous time for technical development. But the supercharged engines had reached too high powers and for safety reasons we went back to atmospherics. Furthermore, the turbines allowed strange games, raising and lowering the pressures.
And it was precisely this possibility that gave Ferrari a chance to shine in Adelaide. A kamikaze tactic whose protagonist was Gerhard Berger. The Austrian, very good, always on the edge, a true tightrope walker of curbs and skids, in a very short time, surprising everyone, insiders, spectators and the public, in a very short time he took the lead. He passed the two McLarens, first Ayrton Senna, slower than Prost at the start and then, on lap thirteen, also the Frenchman. However, his sprint didn't last long. On lap 25, in a tight right-hander, he collided with the Ligier of René Arnoux and had to abandon. Leaving the most important question unanswered: could he have finished the race at that crazy pace, after being almost 2 seconds behind Senna in qualifying? Would petrol have been enough for him, given that fuel consumption has been a problem throughout the season? The fact remains that Alain Prost easily won the 35th race of his career, a record, while a bit of everything happened behind him. Michele Alboreto sadly out in the first lap due to a collision with Alex Caffi's Dallara, Alessandro Nannini spun a couple of times then into a low wall, Nigel Mansell slammed into the guards, Satoru Nakajima rear-ended Mauricio Gugelmin. In short, in the end, seven arrived at the finish line, but eleven classified. After the arrival Ayrton Senna, World Champion, waters his team mate, Alain Prost, with champagne, and is in turn drenched in the precious liquid. Apparently both satisfied. But maybe theirs is just a truce, in view of next year's battles. And the break won't even be too long: friends and rivals will meet from Saturday 3 to Wednesday 7 December 1988 in Jerez, Spain, for the first global tests in view of 1989. All with naturally aspirated engines.
"I was able to start better than Senna. Then I was surprised to see that he had no intention of taking me back. After so much bad luck this season, I'm happy with this win".
But Alain Prost above all wants to talk about the Berger case:
"His overtaking didn't worry me at all. I knew that Ferrari has big consumption problems and that it would never finish at that pace. So when the Austrian passed, I actually slowed him down. When I saw him stopped, I was sorry for him because I thought that there were people in the stands who perhaps really believed that the Maranello team could win. The fact is that, even before the race, Berger and Alboreto had told me they were in trouble with fuel consumption. But I also knew that Ferrari wanted to prove something in this last race. That's why I didn't get too excited".
Even Ayrton Senna dismisses Ferrari's performance with a certain acidity:
"Even we at McLaren were at the limit with consumption, let alone Berger who has always had more than us. In the race I broke first and third gear and had some difficulties with second gear so I couldn't do anything more".
Berger doesn't appear too nervous about the incident with René Arnoux:
"On the straight I was in the slipstream of Modena who was behind the Frenchman. I passed the Eurobrun and found myself lapping Arnoux in the middle of the bend, who certainly didn't see me. When I realized it, I braked but the pedal was already almost empty and we touched. I was consuming a lot but I was counting on saving money later, after building up a good lead over Prost".
Piergiorgio Cappelli, manager of the Maranello team, explains the tactics adopted in the race as follows:
"We had prepared two different tactics for Berger and Alboreto. The Austrian had to go on the attack, as with the championship closing we had nothing to lose. Michele, on the other hand, had the objective of preceding Boutsen on the finish line and thus conquering fourth place in the drivers' standings. As a result we had arranged the engines of the two cars differently. Berger's had been slimmed down to consume less and provide maximum performance albeit with maximum risk. In fact, when I retired, I was afraid he wouldn't finish, but there were still 57 laps left and we had the margin to manage his performance. In any case, we close the championship well with second place in the constructors' standings and with Berger behind Senna and Prost in the drivers' standings".
Thus ended the record-setting season, i.e. the 1988 McLaren-branded World Championship. Fifteen wins, out of sixteen races, for the English team, eight first places for Ayrton Senna, seven for Alain Prost, thirteen pole positions for the Brazilian. It hadn't happened badly in the Formula 1 World Championship for a team to dominate practically all the races, given that probably Ferrari's triumph at Monza was at least facilitated by the mistake of the new World Champion. Just look at the standings to realize how Martian McLaren was: 199 points against the 65 of the Maranello team, second in the standings. And also as regards the drivers, Gerhard Berger, third, is very far from the leading pair. When, still at the end of last winter, after the test debut of the new MP4/3 car, Ron Dennis clearly said that McLaren would win everything, someone smiled. It is clear that the British manager had accurate data on performance and fuel consumption in his hands. It is difficult to say now what McLaren's absolute weapon was. Perhaps the Honda engine, but Lotus also had one which certainly didn't make a good impression, perhaps very refined aerodynamics and a very effective chassis. But more likely it was the complex that dominated: exceptional pilots, a reliable and powerful engine, cutting-edge electronics, a super-organized team, highly expert technicians. All amalgamated by the enormous means available - 40.000.000 dollars spent by the Japanese alone - and by a mentality that borders on fanaticism with a very tough Ron Dennis at the top, willing to use the stick more with men than he does not the carrot. Dennis in his latest press conference in Adelaide denies any favoritism towards Ayrton Senna, says that the two drivers always had identical material available, that no one interfered in the duel for the world title.
And it's almost certainly true. But the race in Australia gave the impression that Alain Prost had a perfect car at his disposal and his teammate - Ayrton Senna himself declared at the end of the race that the engine wasn't the best - was not at ease with him. In other words, there was the doubt that the Frenchman received a sop after the Brazilian had already won the World Championship. We don't want to fuel further suspicions, the fact is that an overwhelming power like the one demonstrated by McLaren can cause embarrassing situations and in any case doubts. It is not in anyone's interest, nor for Formula 1 in general, nor for McLaren to continue on this path. Also because Formula Indy is pressing: it stole the Detroit Grand Prix from FISA and next year it will travel to Japan for the first time in history, thanks to the presence of titled marques including Porsche and, starting with Indy 500, Alfa Romeo. The faults are certainly not attributable to the British team or to Honda, who have done their duty. If there are responsibilities, they are in the Federation who believed they had equalized turbo and naturally aspirated engines (instead they were two distinctly different categories) and in the other teams that have not been able to catch up. From next year we will start with 3500 cc atmospheric engines that are theoretically the same for everyone. But it won't be easy to oust Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and their cars from the top, which today are the complex to beat. With the 1988 World Championship over, Formula 1 is already preparing for the next season. From Saturday 3 December 1988, in Jerez there will be a first confrontation between cars with naturally aspirated engines with McLaren, Ferrari and Williams on the track. And in the meantime the pilots are resting. It would seem that everything is calm, given that the market games, as regards the most valuable pieces, are done. Only the name of Michele Alboreto remains to be inserted in the mosaic, who should be in Lausanne on Tuesday 15 November 1988 to discuss the future with his sponsors. In theory, the Italian driver has few valid opportunities left.
Perhaps the best would be the one with the French team Larrousse, which has a good budget, won't be forced to compete in the pre-qualifications and has hired a valuable designer, Gerard Ducarouge. While waiting for an answer to this question, some rumors have arisen in the last few hours about a somewhat fantastic story which, however, does not seem to be entirely unreal. A story about Alain Prost. The French champion doesn't seem to be satisfied with his season. The Frenchman publicly made the best of a bad situation: handshake and big pats on the back to Ayrton Senna, and an act of submission to Ron Dennis, manager of McLaren, who rightly expects personal matters to be clarified in the family. Calm and controlled statements to keep the team calm. But Alain Prost, speaking to his friends, was not tender towards the McLaren team or Honda. Basically, the Frenchman, beyond any official statement, believes he has been defrauded and that he has not had the possibility to defend his chances 100%. Presumption is sometimes also considered a gift. The fact remains that Alain Prost was able to see things much more clearly from the inside. And it wouldn't be surprising if he understood that in the end McLaren and Honda somehow preferred to favor a younger, emerging driver rather than an already established racer full of glory. Having two World Champions in your team is better than having just one. Also because Ron Dennis. and the Japanese executives may have given weight to the rumors that have been circulating in Formula 1 for some time. It is said that Alain Prost would like to finish his career with his own team and there is talk of a relationship of great esteem between the Frenchman and John Barnard, which is never hidden after all from both. The indiscretion according to which the English designer has rented a warehouse in Fleet, in the industrial area near Guildford where Barnard himself manages the GTO, Ferrari's technological antenna, has just recently emerged. Barnard was seen in conversation with Ford boss Mike Kranefuss. The American company has a contract to supply 1 engines to Benetton expiring at the end of 1989. Furthermore, it seems that Peugeot is also pressing to enter Formula 1. It is perhaps possible to draw conclusions from this. Two possible hypotheses. Alain Prost takes a year off and returns in 1990 with John Barnard, who, among other things, is always on bad terms with Ferrari who are pressing to see him work in Maranello, while he stays in Guildford, under the banners Ford or Peugeot. Or the Frenchman faces another championship, but preparing the comeback for the following season. This is what we will probably know in the next few days. On the other hand, Ron Dennis, in the press room, during a rather boring interview session in Adelaide, on the occasion of the last Grand Prix, had told reporters:
"You have all insinuated that I would have given different cars to Senna and Prost to orchestrate the championship according to my dark wishes. So I ask you, which of you thinks so, raise your hand".
Of course, no one dared lift a finger. Then Dennis backed it up by saying:
"What was the need, for example, to go and check the differential of this monster of perfection after the victory in Japan?"
We will talk about this topic again at the end of the year. Meanwhile, anyone who says that Formula 1 is in crisis is wrong. The decreases in the public recorded in some circuits have been amply compensated by increases in other tracks. And the television audience is always very high. So much so, to make an exemplary comparison, that in Italy the broadcast of the Japanese Grand Prix, which took place in the middle of the night, attracted more viewers than all the broadcasts of the Seoul Olympic Games, with the exception of the 100m final. that was enough, three new teams are announced for the 1989 World Championship and it is not said that others will not arrive in the short term, including a new Italian team. This growth, however, is creating many difficulties due to the strict regulations that FISA has developed. Among other things, the Federation - precisely to avoid the inclusion of groups looking only for ephemeral publicity or easy earnings - has imposed that each team is obliged to race with two cars.
Which means, with 21 teams registered, having 42 single-seaters to manage, with problems even just of space in the pits and paddocks. One thing is certain: Michele Alboreto will start from scratch with one of these teams. With five victories under his belt, two with Tyrrell and three with Ferrari, seven years of Formula 1, a great season, 1985, in which he fought for victory in the World Championship, now the Italian driver is forced to look for a place. The Maranello team dismissed him. It was time for a change for Ferrari.
"I have had beautiful moments and also long negative periods. Maybe the latter canceled the former. I leave with the regret of not having won a world title, but above all with the anger of having come to Ferrari in a difficult period. It's the dream of all pilots, I really thought I was dreaming when I was hired, but I woke up abruptly, like from a nightmare. I am especially sorry that some of my opinions have not been taken into consideration. The facts proved me right".
How is it possible that a driver who, for better or for worse, finished fifth in the world championship, now finds himself still looking for a team for next year?
"You all know how things went. When I was sure that Ferrari would not confirm me, an excellent alternative was offered to me. I had good reason to believe that I would go to Williams which will certainly be one of the more competitive teams next year. And instead the passage went up in smoke, suddenly. Some have broken the promises they had made. It was a hard blow. But even in this case it is better to forget, to look ahead”.
What's in Michele Alboreto's future?
"Now that the championship is over, I've got to work. There aren't many possibilities. I'd like to choose a team that has a good designer, valid programs and the means for testing and developing the cars. It's not easy".
The names of Tyrrell were mentioned, which took on Postlethwaite and Migeot, ex Ferrari, Coloni, Brabham, Ligier as technicians. It is even said that a sensational last-minute swap with Alain Prost for McLaren is possible, if the Frenchman, still annoyed with Ayrton Senna's world championship victory, decides to change teams. But the most concrete hypothesis, and also the most attractive, is that of Lola. Which is not a beautiful girl but the car with which Larrousse competes. The proposal was made directly to Michele Alboreto by Gerard Ducarouge, the new coach of the French team. There are many problems to solve (for example sponsors), but maybe that would be the best solution. Meanwhile, Saturday 3 December 1988 Formula 1 will be back on track. Four days of testing on the Jerez de la Frontera track in southern Spain Officially this is a test reserved for Goodyear tyres, but in reality it is the first confrontation in view of the 1989 World Championship. Ferrari, McLaren and , Williams and just about every other team. The commitment of the Maranello team is particularly onerous: three cars will be brought, the 1988 turbo, a hybrid single-seater (turbo chassis and naturally aspirated engine) and the car designed by John Barnard, in its first evolution (waiting for the English technician finish the most advanced model). The pilots will be Gerhard Berger and Roberto Moreno. Comparative times will also be sought with the other teams, especially with McLaren which will test the naturally aspirated Honda engine with Alain Prost. Ayrton Senna, the World Champion, will not be in Spain. The Brazilian was forced to have his injured right hand in a cast during the holidays before the Australian Grand Prix. An X-ray revealed a small fracture, for which it was preferred to block the limb. Michele Alboreto is also active, the only one of the big names in Formula 1 still without a place for the next championship.
The Italian driver is still negotiating with various teams but it is likely that he will end up at Tyrrell, as had been rumored as soon as he was released by Williams who had hired him on parole following their divorce with Ferrari.
“It is the most concrete possibility, because the others, for various reasons, are not feasible. However, there is still the problem of financing the English team that should hire me. We are looking for a solution by talking to some sponsors and a decision should be made shortly".
On Friday 28 October 1988 Tyrrell announces the hiring of the British Jonathan Palmer. The 1989 car will be called Tyrrell-Ford 018 and will be designed by Postlethwaite, Migeot and Lisles. An indirect confirmation of the negotiations with Michele Alboreto comes from Ken Tyrrell himself, who needs a few days before being able to announce the second guide. Another novelty of the day from Paris, the French driver Pascal Fabre signs an option with Osella and has good chances of racing the 1989 World Championship together with Pier Carlo Ghinzani. Fabre says:
"Osella made me an interesting proposal and has the means, together with Antonio Tomaini, to field a competitive car that will be equipped with a Ford Cosworth DSR engine, the same used this year by Benetton. I expect to give an answer to Enzo Osella soon".
Saturday 3 December 1988 the first day of free practice in Spain, the first comparison between cars with naturally aspirated engines sees the Benetton-Ford of Alessandro Nannini emerge triumphant, not too surprisingly, which of the cars that took to the track in the circuit that hosted in October the Spanish Grand Prix and the most tested, together with Mauricio Gugelmin's March-Judd. second ahead of Riccardo Patrese's Williams-Judd. All eyes, however, are focused on the new Ferrari, the one conceived, designed and partially built in Guildford by John Barnard. that up to now he had only ridden on the private Fiorano track. At its public debut (Barnard is absent, arriving only late in the evening) the car impresses above all for the sound of the twelve-cylinder engine, which some define as terrifying. A big step back in time, compared to the turbos, which were silent and hissing: it was like going back to the years in which you had to plug your ears tightly to last a few minutes in the pits. The car is truly different from all the others. The current trend is to build them with very wide and low bellies. Well. this one goes against the trend, with tall and narrow side drawers. The quality of the finishes in perfect John Barnard style is remarkable, the curious wide and flat nose, similar to a beak, which immediately gave it the nickname of duck. Gerhard Berger completes about 25 laps in small series, without reporting any apparent problems. The automatic gearbox gives the impression of potentially being a trump card, given the speed with which gears are engaged. But everything is still to be checked, we are in the first steps. And John Bamard is already developing a modified version. The Austrian from Ferrari almost always laps at a pace of 1'30"0. At 6.30 pm Gerhard Berger set a time of 1'27"53, the fourth overall, which taken for what it is, still seems comforting. Especially if we consider that Emanuele Pirro, McLaren test driver, does not go beyond the time of 1'28"30. A more reliable balance, however, can only be made on Wednesday 7 December 1988, at the end of these tests. For Ferrari Roberto Moreno also drives the hybrid car (turbo chassis, naturally aspirated engine, manual gearbox), far from the best. Benetton also tests with Count Johnny Dumfries, already a failed test driver at Ferrari. In short, we are currently in full technical evolution, in experimental stage. But for Ferrari, with the arrival scheduled for Friday 5 December 1988 of Alain Prost who will drive the McLaren to the limit, this is already an important exam. Meanwhile, Thursday 4 December 1988 Ferrari studies, McLaren flies. While in the pits of the Maranello team you live in a laboratory atmosphere with the technicians grappling with a thousand data and parameters, on the track Emanuele Pirro sets the new circuit record, lapping the car equipped with a Honda 10-cylinder engine in 1'23"4, 0.8 seconds under the best time set by Nigel Mansell with Williams-Judd in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix in October.
It must be considered that Goodyear brings new construction, softer tires to Jerez, so the comparison is quite unthinkable. The fact remains that the aspirated cars in 1989 will go much faster than those of this year. As regards Ferrari, as has been said, the results at the moment are not conclusive, even if the results of the other teams must create a certain alarm.After the triumph in Monza, Gerhard Berger hoped to repeat himself in the last race in Australia.But it went badly for him: his somewhat crazy, but nonetheless exhilarating race ended against René Arnoux's Ligier. The Austrian is currently busy trying to test and develop the Ferrari designed by John Barnard, the car with which he will have to compete in the next World Championship. A difficult and sometimes stressful commitment for a driver. A few laps and many stops, considering that everything is new, from the electronically controlled gearbox, to the engine, to the chassis, to the bodywork.
"The car is good, there's no doubt about that. After all, not even last season did we have any major chassis problems. The Adelaide test is a demonstration that Ferrari was competitive in terms of performance and grip. Now we are taking a new path. The automatic gearbox now works quite well. And the advantages are considerable, not least that of always keeping your hands on the wheel".
The controls are not button-based as previously thought. The gears are engaged and downshifted by means of two levers located behind the steering wheel itself, on the column. A slight pressure is enough to switch from first to seventh and vice versa. So will Ferrari be at the top in 1989?
"I would like to, but honestly I don't feel like making any predictions. Once again, as it has been this year, the biggest obstacle is represented by the engine. And with this I don't want to make easy criticisms. Mine wants to be a constructive analysis. I don't do politics. I think the team has realized the difficulties. We need to work on the engine. And unfortunately I do not believe that the best solutions will come in a short time. Perhaps we need to find more horsepower and above all greater elasticity, greater driveability at low rpm. Ferrari is not a third-rate team and will have to appear at the start in March at the top".
The engine, which for many years was the winning weapon of the Maranello team, has recently become Gerhard Berger's nightmare. But it must be said that Ferrari is making every effort. In Spain the Maranello team showed up in force with all its technicians who, as far as the engine is concerned, are led by engineer Pier Guido Castelli. The data is forfeited, processed, studied and then the necessary changes will be reported to Fiorano. Waiting for John Bamard to finish the second version of his car under construction in Guildford (should be ready in mid-January, the shapes should be more or less similar to the current ones, but with slightly smaller dimensions). Berger declares himself available for any type of test.
"I don't care about the Christmas or New Year holidays, I would also drive at night as well as on public holidays, if the results were certain".
John Barnard. Ferrari's mysterious object hasn't changed in two years. The former wizard of Maranello always maintains the same contemptuous attitude towards everyone, and in particular the Italians who also made him richer. The English designer landed in Maranello on 1 November 1986 obtaining total freedom from Enzo Ferrari, to try to revive the fortunes of the team in crisis, but so far he hasn't succeeded. Michele Alboreto claims:
"John Barnard is not capable of designing a car on his own: at McLaren he had a structure that evidently made up for his shortcomings. Just look at the latest results. The British team's cars not only continued to win without him, but dominated the season like never before. Barnard has been working on the new Ferrari for two years without achieving brilliant results, while other designers have created new and competitive cars within three months. Previously I have never seen certain solutions, such as suspensions resting on a uniball which remove all the necessary rigidity from a frame. The duck of him, such as it is, will never do well".
The harsh judgment of Alboreto, who is only waiting to resolve a sponsorship problem to sign the contract with Tyrrell, thus returning to his origins, in the team that had seen him make his debut in Formula 1 in 1981, however does not scratch Barnard's armor . who does not make a turn and denies any responsibility. The Englishman continues to blame others, especially the staff who design and maintain the engine. However, the fact remains that in 766 days of work for the Maranello team he has achieved little positive, as can be seen from the difficulties faced by Ferrari in these Jerez tests. But John Barnard doesn't get upset.
"I'm preparing an evolution of the car, but substantially the concept is always the same, with the modifications dictated by the first experiences. It will still have the automatic gearbox which I fully believe in. It was engineer Ghidella who wanted a mechanical transmission, but I'm convinced I'm on the right track".
What are the problems then?
“My opinion is in full agreement with that of Gerhard Berger. The engine is our biggest problem. It's not reliable, it doesn't give any confidence, so much so that the rider doesn't dare to push to the max. Now I have sent my assistant, Gordon Kimball, to work in Maranello. We hope to put things right".
In short, the English designer wants to put Ferrari right. He claims, among other things, that the engineer Pier Giorgio Cappelli, manager of the Maranello team (who had said: "Barnard will have to come to work in Maranello"), never asked him to move to Italy. He says it's not true that he took a shed to set up on his own and doesn't want to talk about his contract with Ferrari which will expire at the end of 1989:
"When the time comes, we'll see".
On Wednesday the 7th of December 1988 the tests ended in Jerez with a new brilliant record by Alain Prost, at the wheel of the McLaren-Honda. The Frenchman laps in 1'22"39, an exceptional time considering that in October Ayrton Senna obtained pole position on the same track, in the Spanish Grand Prix, lapping in 1'24"069, with the turbo engined car . Even taking into account the fact that it is much colder these days and above all that Goodyear has prepared new, softer tyres, the result is more than indicative. Alain Prost drives a single-seater laboratory and the definitive car that will be fielded in 1989 will presumably be even more competitive. It is therefore easy to predict that McLaren will always be the team to beat and that the cars will be faster than last season. However, the news from Jerez is also comforting for Ferrari. Gerhard Berger, with the 639, the single-seater designed by John Bamard, clocked a time of 1'24"10, an interesting timing, with a remarkable progress compared to the previous days. Even with many reliability problems to solve - one attempt fails to complete an hour's race - Ferrari's 12-cylinder engine seems to be on the right track.
In January, John Bamard's modified car will arrive, a more sophisticated electronic system will be made available and the engine - thanks to the intervention of the engineer Castelli and his collaborators - will be able to progress. And it is precisely in the field of engines that an Italian offensive against the excessive power of Honda must be registered. Apart from the Ferrari (without forgetting the 10-cylinder Renault for Williams, the 8-cylinder Yamaha for Zakspeed and the new Ford that will be adopted by Benetton) three new Italian engines are on the way, all - coincidentally - with a Ferrari matrix , i.e. designed by ex Ferrari technicians. The first will be presented on Thursday 8 December 1988, during the evening, in Milan, before the ceremony for the delivery of the Autosprint helmets to the Palatrussardi (awarded Senna, Prost, Berger, Biasion, all the best Italian drivers, plus Sullivan winner of the Formula Indy and Andretti). It is a very special engine: 12-cylinder star-shaped engine with three banks of four cylinders, of very small dimensions, built on behalf of Life Racing Engines of Maranello by Franco Rocchi, who was one of the main technical managers of the Ferrari racing department from 1949 to 1978. The gearbox was designed by Walter Salvarani, another designer who worked for a long time in the Scuderia Ferrari. On Monday 19 December 1988, in Dijon, a Lola 1988 laboratory of the French team Larrousse-Camels will take to the track, bringing the 12-cylinder Lamborghini engine built by Mauro Forghieri to its debut. Another Ferrari man for an engine with a prestigious name. Forghieri has worked with many difficulties, and without enormous means at his disposal, but given his experience, a competitive engine is to be expected, also because Chrysler, owner of the brand of the Santa Agata Bolognese company, should actually feel committed in first person. Finally, but for the moment the programs are less clear, we are waiting for the twelve-cylinder box from Motori Moderni designed by engineer Carlo Chiti, another technician with a past at Ferrari. The power unit was commissioned by Subaru.
The Japanese company speaks of a use for a grand touring car, but it is already known that it will be mounted around mid-season on a Minardi in Formula 1. Contrary to what was expected, already on Tuesday 13 December 1988 the new Lamborghini engine, designed by the engineer Mauro Forghieri made his debut on the track with the Lola of the Larrousse team at Santamonica. At the wheel was the Frenchman Philippe Alliot, who completed around fifty laps, doing a roughing job that would gradually change over the following days. The facility was booked by Lola who asked for maximum confidentiality, avoiding the presence of strangers in the pits and at the same racetrack. The engine (12-cylinder 80° V and 3500 cc) was fitted with a modified Hewland gearbox, the same used for the Cosworth engines. It is mounted on a 1988 chassis and we will have to see what the indications will be to prepare the car for the new season. While the private tests continue, on Saturday 17 December 1988 the classic yellow tablecloths, flowers, flags, a rich and varied menu awaits the media for the traditional season closing party of the Ferrari racing department. There are 300 people, down to the last collaborator. It is the first post-Enzo Ferrari ceremony, a moment of reflection at the end of a difficult year that has brought about great changes. The day began in the morning at Fiorano with the arrival, by helicopter, of Doctor Cesare Romiti, CEO of the Fiat group, together with engineer Piero Fusaro, CEO of Alfa-Lancia. Romiti first meets with Marco Piccinini, who leaves the position of sporting director after eleven years, then with Piero Lardi Ferrari, vice president of Ferrari and son of the deceased constructor. Subsequently he speaks with the engineer Giovan Battista Razelli, director general of Ferrari. A series of interviews, this one, which probably serves to explore the situation, to clarify ideas. Cesare Romiti says, in summary, in front of an attentive assembly:
“Ferrari will always be the spearhead of the Group as regards sports cars, granturismo, classy. Formula 1 remains the exclusive competence of the Maranello team, while other sectors are engaged in various sporting activities. Ferrari knows it has behind it the great industrial reality of Fiat ready to provide technological and human resources. It's up to the racing department to manage the situation in the best possible way".
A discourse of continuity, without traumatic mutations. Programs already made respected 100%. Cesare Romiti, inspired by the words of Piero Lardi Ferrari who remembers his father, in turn commemorates the deceased constructor, recalling, among other things, the victory at Monza, also quoting statements by Ayrton Senna:
"Ferrari was destined to win the Italian Grand Prix, someone up there protected it".
Subsequently, Razelli draws up a seasonal balance sheet:
"Year of suffering, but not without exhilarating moments like the one-two in Monza".
Then we move on to the awards. Statuette depicting the Prancing Horse for Marco Piccinini and Michele Alboreto who leave the team, Golden Horse for tomorrow's riders Gerhard Berger and Nigel Mansell and for the Brazilian test driver Roberto Moreno. The Dino Ferrari prizes assigned by the jury preceded by Pietro Barilla, on indications from Enzo Ferrari, go to the Turin journalist Gianni Rogliatti for an article that appeared in L'Automobile magazine (The lady in red turns 40) and to the Bolognese photographer Daniele Amaduzzi for the Image Named: Star Berger. Apart from being official, Cesare Romiti's visit certainly serves to instill confidence in the men of the Maranello team. To the manager of the racing department Pier Giorgio Capelli, to the technical manager Pier Guido Castelli, to all their collaborators, including John Barnard (who is present, with a smile on his lips, ready to even sign autographs for the mechanics...) a confirmation of the commitment, the will to continue on the road to recovery at the top. Now the holidays are coming, but at Ferrari work is in full swing. In the early days of the year Nigel Mansell should make his debut on the Fiorano track and then make his debut in tests at Le Castellet from 10 January 1989. The definitive version of the car designed by John Barnard should also arrive at the end of January. Now we have to look for competitiveness and results. Thursday 22 December 1988 Michele Aiboreto signs the contract to race with Tyrrell in 1989. The announcement was made by the English team, but the news had been in the air for some time. In fact it was the last concrete chance for the Italian driver, after the betrayal of Frank Williams who had given him the floor in the middle of the season and reneged to confirm Riccardo Patrese. A very delicate situation for the Italian driver, who risked being left without a car for next season as the places attractive to him were now all filled. For Alboreto it is a return to his origins: he had made his Formula 1 debut with Tyrrell in the San Marino Grand Prix, at Imola, in the spring of 1981, remaining in the British team until the end of 1983, when he was called to Ferrari. After two successes (Dallas 1982 and Detroit 1983, the last victory for a single-seater with an aspirated engine), Michele was with the Maranello team for five seasons, obtaining three first places (Belgium 1984, Canada and Germany 1985).
At Tyrrell, the Italian driver will reunite with designer Postlethwaite and aerodynamicist Migeot who worked with him at Ferrari. The fact that he has signed means that a sponsor has also been found who will guarantee the good development of the cars from an economic point of view: Aiboreto - who had recently appeared very embittered - had in fact made the possibility of being able to work serenely as a condition. In the meantime Alain Prost devoted himself to intense days of testing carried out on the Estoril circuit to develop the new atmospheric engine and, taking advantage of a break, on Wednesday 21 December 1988 he had dinner with the Honda manager, Nabuhiko Kawamoto. This meeting should clarify the French driver's positions and doubts. And in a certain sense it is, but not in the sense that one might expect: Alain Prost acknowledges that there have been difficult moments, such as in Portugal, and that although Ayrton Senna has won more races than him, there have been occasions where he had to win, like in Budapest. Apart from this, his only request remains to have the same treatment for both drivers in 1989, without having to see special engines arriving in the pits just for Ayrton Senna. Nabuhiko Kawamoto confesses to Alain Prost that perhaps the engineers could have worked better on the car than him, and that if they haven't done so, it's because they have given more support to Ayrton Senna. Nabuhiko Kawamoto begins to talk about the new generation of engineers, of men born after the war who have a strong preference for Ayrton Senna, because he embodies more the figure of the samurai, of that warrior who never gives up regardless of the obstacle stands in front, in full contrast to Alain Prost, less spectacular, more calculating but equally successful. It is at this moment that Alain Prost understands that throughout the year 1988 he damned himself in vain looking for a solution to the difficulties he encountered, only to remain speechless once the truth was discovered. But Nabuhiko Kawamoto guarantees him equal treatment at the end of the match. But will it be so?
"Ayrton forced me to change my habits. He was fussy. The tech meetings never ended, because he always wanted to check everything. Nothing was ever perfect. Often, after dinner, on the eve of the Grand Prix, he would abandon everything and everyone and return to the circuit to follow the work of the mechanics".