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Unscheduled interlude for Michele Alboreto, guest of honor on Tuesday 13 May 1986 for an award ceremony aboard the Garibaldi. The jewel of the Navy, moored in the port of La Spezia's Arsenale, is ambiguously defined as an aircraft carrier as it only carries helicopters, instead of the short take-off and vertical landing jets envisaged by the project. The occasion for this visit was the delivery of three Vespa Pole Positions by Giorgio Brazzelll, managing director of Piaggio, to the boat and the crew as further recognition of an avant-garde vehicle. Michele Alboreto completes a couple of laps on the bridge with the scooter, greets Admiral Massimo Benedetti of the General Staff, Commander Giorgio Capra, then submits himself to the inevitable questions about Ferrari. First those of the sailors, delicate and a little naive, then those of the journalists, meaner. Here is a summary. We read after the Monaco Grand Prix of accusations against the Ferrari technicians, made by Michele Alboreto himself and by Piero Lardi, son of Enzo Ferrari.
"To stay on topic: we are all in the same boat. It is useless to unload the responsibilities on one or more people. We lost our way halfway through last season and now we have to find it again. However, it is not true that we have too many engineers. If there's anyone good free, welcome. If anything, it's a matter of roles".
There is always talk of a hypothetical return of Forghieri:
"Unfortunately he is out of the racing team. I see him often, I have a very high esteem for. he. But it's not me who makes the decisions and I don't know the reasons why he left the team".
Since the beginning of the season Enzo Ferrari had anticipated the release of a new car for mid-season. What stage is it at?
"This scares me. I don't even know the project. However maybe I talk too much. The engineer Ferrari is right when he suggests that I say nothing: many times my statements are misrepresented. I don't like controversy, especially free ones. Instead, I like being a driver and winning races. And he annoys me when faults or shortcomings are placed on me that I don't think I have".
Many voices in the Formula 1 environment: among these that of Ayrton Senna arriving in Maranello. Is there already a 1987 contract for Alboreto?
"No need to sign contracts, just a handshake. I have no intention of leaving the team and I hope that the engineer doesn't look for another rider in my place. In any case, Senna by my side would be a stimulus, even if Johansson is better than he has managed to demonstrate so far".
Between two Sundays the fifth world round, in Spa.
"Things have not gone well so far. But I don't think they can get any worse. You have to work and a lot. Of course when one rushes into certain situations everything becomes more difficult, there is the risk of panicking and therefore continuing on the wrong path, accumulating other mistakes. As for the Belgian Grand Prix, I'm refraining from making any predictions. I don't think the values expressed in four races can be overturned in such a short time. Better not delude yourself".
That said, Michele Alboreto flies by helicopter to Fiorano for a series of tests scheduled for the afternoon. Important tests: Ferrari should test the new Garrett turbines these days. And also a series of other small novelties. A consolation from the trip on the Garibaldi: the fans - and there were many among the sailors - are still with him and with Ferrari. The following day, Wednesday 14 May 1986, what happened on the Paul Ricard circuit was incredible: a crash on the semi-deserted and sunny circuit. So, at 11:20 a.m. begins the drama by Elio De Angelis. A terrible accident while testing his Brabham on the Le Castellet track. The Italian is hospitalized in the Timone University Hospital in Marseille. Struggle between life and death: he is in a coma, suffered a very serious head, cervical and thoracic trauma, a fractured collarbone and an arm. Elio De Angelis, 28 years old from Rome (he was born on March 20, 1958) is one of the most popular drivers in the world of Grand Prix. Last year he fought for the world title with Lotus. Since the beginning of the season he had joined Riccardo Patrese, with many hopes at Brabham. A disappointing start to the season, a new car that had failed to meet expectations. And then evidence after evidence, modifications, tests, experiments. at the Paul Ricard circuit there are almost all the teams, including Ferrari. Everything goes on normally. The single-seaters alternate on the track. A few laps, then pit stops for adjustments. Elio completes about ten laps. They see him take to the track, like many other times. A few moments later, a column of smoke can be seen from the pits. The only ambulance present leaves, then the firefighters. The accident took place shortly after the S de la Verrerie, before a chicane, and there were no eyewitnesses. The first to reach the place where the Brabham went off the track are the World Champion, Alain Prost, and the Australian Alan Jones. The scene that presents itself to the two drivers is shocking: Elio's single-seater is a hundred meters off the asphalt strip, in a flat area of shrubs, with a few trees. It's upside down, three wheels detached, all that remains is the front left. The car is engulfed in smoke and flames. Prost and Jones unplug the fire extinguishers from their cars, throw themselves into the fire, trying to put it out, trying to overturn the Brabham under which De Angelis is imprisoned, lifeless.
A few moments later the limited assistance arrives, the mechanics of the English team, the other riders. The flames are put out, the Brabham turned, the racer pulled out. The only doctor present immediately realizes that the conditions of the Italian driver are very serious. In practice, his heart no longer beats. De Angelis was also suffocated and burned in the upper respiratory tract by the acrid smoke caused by the fire. He is given artificial respiration by a Canadian journalist and a mechanic who blow air into his lungs for a few minutes with a straw. Then. finally, after 55 minutes of agonizing waiting, the helicopter arrives from Marseilles. In the resuscitation center where he is hospitalized, under the care of Professor Francois, a tracheotomy is performed to facilitate breathing and avoid air pollution. A little later, his colleagues Jacques Laffite and Nelson Piquet arrive. Silence yourself. In the afternoon, with a jet made available by Pirelli, they reach their brother Roberto who was in Le Castellet, their mother Rita and their younger brother Andrea. His father Giulio De Angelis, a well-known Roman builder and financier, who is in Sardinia, is seized by collapse. The French police have an investigation. The car flew off the track at 270 km/h (according to what was said by the other drivers) for reasons that will be difficult to discover. The detached, dented wing was found. Someone hypothesizes that it detached and caused the accident. The car jumped a guardrail at least 1.20 meters high, then overturned several times. Now the battle of Elio De Angelis moves from the slopes to the recovery room. The doctors are silent but make it clear that if he is saved it will be a miracle due to his strength as a strong and healthy young man. The very serious accident that occurred to Elio De Angelis produced a sense of discouragement and anger among the other riders present on the Paul Ricard circuit for a series of tests. The drivers hope that the Federation will be stricter towards the organizers of Grands Prix with regards to safety. A Canadian journalist, Christian Tortora, who witnessed the accident and rushed to the scene together with some drivers involved in testing, says that Alain Prost seemed traumatized at the sight of the overturned Brabham under which De Angelis was trapped. Alan Jones is in crisis and René Arnoux is very angry.
"Everyone has decided that either FISA will listen to them on safety issues in general, or they will not participate in the Belgian Grand Prix which will be held at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in ten days' time".
From Paris Patrick Tambay protagonist of a spectacular accident in Monte-Carlo without consequences, says:
"I think we have to agree before Spa. It would be ridiculous to make us panic, to react in the heat. But one thing is certain: if we don't have the right to speak, there's no racing in Belgium".
On the Le Castellet circuit, the safety device was not the same as when you race a Grand Prix, which explains the relative slowness with which help arrived, especially by helicopter. A delay that he made Guy Ligier say:
"It is unacceptable that with the millions of dollars we spend we cannot permanently have a helicopter on the circuit".
The director of Paul Ricard, Francois Chevalier, says that the accident that occurred to De Angelis is incomprehensible. Chevalier says that Formula 1 cars today run at such a speed that the slightest difference in aerodynamic settings causes them to lift up and become uncontrollable.
"I don't understand why Elio De Angelis went off the track. A trace of a spin was detected on the right side of the corner, then nothing".
How could that happen? Everyone wonders about it. Astonished, frightened faces, especially among the pilots. They find themselves face to face with the reality of risk, of danger as a profession. The money earned is not enough, we need security, we need the certainty that the unforeseeable cannot happen. But Elio De Angelis' accident once again raises Formula 1's most serious problem, that of great speed. The accident happened at 270-280 km/h. Its dynamics appear inexplicable for the moment, even if we speak of the loss of the aileron. It is unlikely that it was a human error: De Angelis, like his colleagues, knew the track by heart. And he was always concentrated, tense, very attentive to what he was doing. A broken brake, maybe this wing that flew off and completely unbalanced the car. The fact is that the Brabham literally flew through the air, jumped the guardrail and rolled several times on the lawn. The very sturdy roll-bar was found by the rescuers literally bent. But how could he hold up with a single-seater comparable to a bullet? Nelson Piquet says:
"We can't believe it. It had been a long time since nothing happened. Now this brings all the old problems back to the fore, those concerning the circuits but above all the cars. Single-seaters whose power increases from time to time. We have reached 1200 horsepower and more. An attempt was made to lower performance by reducing petrol consumption to 195 litres. But apparently they failed. Now we want to make our voice heard".
And Alain Prost adds:
"Today's Formula One has reached the limit: 350 km/h on the straight can also be there, this is not the most dangerous thing. But getting close to 300 after a few hundred meters, with 1200 horsepower engines, is absolutely ridiculous. We need to step back as soon as possible".
While Michele Alboreto can't hold back the tears:
"It's like losing a brother, I still don't realize such a misfortune happened. I will try to stay very close to the family, and now we will leave no stone unturned to increase the safety of motor racing. Risk is our business but much can still be done to reduce it".
What will the Federation do? Will it impose new regulations, immediately, as it did in rallies? It's hard to know at the moment. The only sure thing is that Elio De Angelis struggles to live in a hospital bed. In the afternoon the news followed one another, always dramatic, but fortunately never definitive. At 3:00 p.m. Doctor Francois issues the first communiqué:
"The victim of an accident on the Le Castellet circuit, the Formula 1 driver Elio De Angelis was hospitalized by the Samu of Marseilles and transported by helicopter to the university hospital of La Timone where he was admitted at 1:00 p.m. in the intensive care unit. The state of him is considered critical. Exams are underway".
After a few minutes, very frightened, Eddie Cheever's wife, a personal friend of hers, arrives at the clinic, as does Elio De Angelis' husband. A few hours later, Uncle Franco and Dr. Pietropaolo (a trusted doctor) arrive in the recovery room, where they find Louis Ruzzi, an engineer of Argentine origin, who is Elio De Angelis's best friend. At 8:00 p.m. another press release, the last one:
"The state of Elio De Angelis is always worrying. No surgery is planned. He suffers from serious head, neck and chest trauma. His conditions require him to stay in the resuscitation service".
Ruzzi, who was in the recovery room, can't hold back his tears:
"He IS in a coma. We hope that he will be saved".
And then he explains that the rider also had a broken collarbone and an arm. Unfortunately, the brain has a worrying swelling. The doctors, unofficially, let it be known that the next twenty-four hours will be the decisive ones, but the wait, the hope of seeing Elio regain consciousness could be even much longer. In the meantime, the rehearsals at Le Castellet have been suspended. Keke Rosberg. the Finnish pilot, the tough guy par excellence, the cold, cried. Thus ends another dramatic day for Formula 1. Thursday 15 May 1986 Elio De Angelis dies in the afternoon in the recovery room of the Timone Hospital Center. Although his strong stamina did not resist the terrible injuries sustained in the accident on Wednesday morning at Le Castellet. Everything was done to save De Angelis. The Marseille doctors used the most advanced technologies, trying to preserve that breath of life that still remained: artificial respiration, electro-stimulators. Needless to describe the hours of agonizing waiting for family, friends, all of us journalists who follow the joys and sorrows of the Grand Prix. We hoped for a miracle, we deluded ourselves that something could help Elio overcome these critical moments. The father Giulio, the mother Pina, the brothers Andrea, Roberto and Fabiana, the girlfriend. his friend Luis, companion of many adventures, have experienced the anguish of those who are powerless to intervene. The condition of the Brabham driver, already delicate on Wednesday evening, is worsening by the hour. It was immediately understood, from the faces of the relatives, from the comings and goings of the doctors, that the situation was deteriorating, that the traumas sustained by De Angelis to the head and chest were irreparable.
And it was also understood that those four-five minutes in which the Italian driver had remained tied inside the overturned and burning car, breathing the gases caused by the fire, had irreversibly damaged his brain, depriving it of the necessary oxygen. At 8:30 p.m. the first alarming official statement, signed by the director of the hospital. Christian René Rossi:
"The conditions of Elio De Angelis, very critical since yesterday evening, have considerably worsened during the night. The prognosis must be considered very confidential".
His father, Giulio De Angelis. he had arrived late at night, overcoming with the force of desperation the collapse that had struck him at the news of the accident. Thursday, at the crack of dawn, he left by plane for Rome where he went to pick up two specialist doctors for a consultation with the French health workers. At 12:30 a.m. a second laconic message:
"The clinical state and in particular the cerebral one has still deteriorated over the last few hours. Hopes of survival have faded".
A little later Giulio De Angelis arrives. accompanied by his brother Franco. He had taken tranquilizers. He said heartbroken:
"We have reached the last act. Someone still has a glimmer of hope, but I'm under no illusions. I already knew yesterday that he was in a desperate condition".
Crying, Luis Ruzzi, De Angelis' great Argentine friend, later revealed a chilling detail. He recounted:
"Last Sunday in Monte-Carlo Elio confessed to me that he had intended to get out of the car and leave racing. We can't go on like this".
A premonition? No: De Angelis was just disappointed by his Brabham. So many promises but the results didn't arrive, the races had been an ordeal and the car had proved difficult to drive, therefore dangerous. At 5:20 p.m. the wait ends. Mr. Rossi reads the fifth press release:
"Mr. De Angelis, hospitalized in Professor Francois' resuscitation service, died following the accident in which he was the protagonist, Thursday 15 May, 5:00 p.m.. This is the latest information from the Marseille Public Assistance" .
It has been around 29 hours since the Brabham crashed at the Paul Ricard circuit. The doctors evidently wanted to try every possible way, then after the legal deadlines they disconnected the machines that kept Elio De Angelis alive artificially. And so there is a new tragedy in Formula 1, in motoring. Now, as always happens, the controversy will unleash, perhaps measures will come to reduce the speed of the cars. Rescue too slow will be accused. But it's late. Meanwhile, the investigation by the Toulon judiciary on which the territory of the Le Castellet circuit depends continues. Brabham's remains have for the moment been seized, direct and photographic testimonies have been collected. It seems that it was the detachment of the wing that caused the car to take off at 270 km/h and fly off the runway. It is also the opinion of Jean-Marie Balestre. The FISA president from Paris hastened to let it be known that there will be no drivers' strike for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.
"There was a hot reaction after the crash, but some riders, including Prost and Laffite, have assured me there will be no controversy".
And he adds that in 1985 there were fourteen accidents without damage.
"Formula 1 will always be dangerous".
In the evening, Michele Alboreto pays homage to De Angelis' body, placed in the hospital chapel.
"I'm shocked, it's a terrible thing, as if a brother had died".
On Friday the pilot will be taken to Rome, the funeral should take place in the church of San Bellarmino ai Parioli. When a tragedy like that of Elio De Angelis occurs, one wonders if, despite the exaggerated technology of car racing, everything possible has been done on a regulatory level to limit the risks. In this case we are talking about the effects of aerodynamic forces on the stability of the running vehicle, the shape of which is determined by a series of standards. The current single-seaters were developed to obtain a very strong downforce effect thanks to the shapes of the body and the use of front and rear wings, clearly visible on all the cars. This means that the more the speed increases, the stronger is the thrust effect towards the ground exerted by the air. Naturally, this is the opposite of what happens in an aircraft, whose wings have the effect of lifting it: the phenomenon is not due to the thrust of the air under the wings, but to the suction that occurs above the wings thanks to the characteristic shape that we have schematized in the drawing. As you can see, the spoilers of the Formula 1 single-seaters look like upside down wings, but the bodywork also contributes to the total affection, including the part between the bottom of the body and the road. The single-seaters reach peaks of around 320 km/h on the fastest circuits and at this speed the total aerodynamic pressure is equal to 1000 kg. In other words, the car has a force of 1000 kg over its own weight (which is about 600 kg with a full tank): this force presses it against the road, increasing lateral grip and therefore cornering speed.
The phenomenon also allows much more power to be transmitted to the ground and therefore to accelerate more rapidly. The enormous power developed by the turbo engines is thus used at medium speeds to accelerate and is what is needed to overcome the resistance created by the ailerons on the straights. The single-seaters have a bad aerodynamic coefficient, and it wouldn't be possible to reach 320 km/h if they didn't have 800-900 HP available. Just to make a comparison, an airliner like the DC 9 takes off at about 280 km/h thanks to the support of its wings which give an upward thrust equal to the weight of the entire aircraft. But of course the plane has great shape and low drag. A single-seater does not take off, precisely because it has negative wing surfaces: but if due to a failure a piece or all of the wing is lost - as apparently happened to De Angelis's Brabham - or if due to an unexpected collision the car tilts with the nose upwards, then its surface, from deporting as it was, can become load-bearing and make it detach from the ground. The driver can no longer brake or control the vehicle in any way and the natural braking effect that occurs when a car skids and spins on the track or in the adjacent safety zones is also lost. Flowers, telegrams (including that of President Cossiga), messages of condolence, telephone calls from all over the world. Formula 1 and not only that gathers around the family members of Elio de Angelis. But the pain remains. The father of the missing pilot, Giulio, makes himself strong, close in the affection of his other children, of his friends.
"Unfortunately we knew of the risks he faced. But one has always been convinced that bad things can only happen to others. We will be brave. The only thing I want to underline is that Elio wanted to be considered a good driver, a professional. For this reason, even on Wednesday morning, before the accident, he was happy. He worked to perfect his car, to make it competitive. And it was the machine that betrayed him".
Once the single-seaters, another the circuits, then the rescue services. On every occasion, when tragic events bring motor sport back to harsh reality, controversies break out, there are interventions in the majority of cases demagogic. Danger is a fixed component - and one that cannot be eliminated - in the world of racing, where speed is a constant. But something could be done to reduce the possibility of accidents: it would be enough for organizers, sports authorities and drivers to unite in an attempt to improve and increase active and passive safety. First of all, it must be said that the pilots also bear serious responsibility for what happened, and for what could still happen. Their association has no value, no decision-making power. There are drivers who would agree to drive any trap to enter a certain lap. Some protests come only after the tragedy has taken place. At first only grumbling, latent complaints. Salary money, the possibility of becoming rich and famous, ambition often silence any attempt to tackle the problem seriously. It's about making your voice heard sooner, not later. The commitment must be constructive, it must anticipate events. When a Grand Prix is held, for example, practice must not begin until all the rescue equipment is ready, from the helicopter to the marshals and the fire brigade along the circuit. In the case of private tests, as happened on Wednesday at the Paul Ricard circuit, considered among other things one of the safest in the world, all these precautions were forgotten. As if the cars didn't run equally at 300 km/h. History is full of accidents and pilots who lost their lives during free practice. The pilots have to sit down at a table, discuss, present concrete proposals. They are the protagonists, the ones who risk themselves. The means to reduce the dangers would be there, but it is necessary to face the situation. In Paris René Arnoux. shocked by what happened, he says:
"A first measure could be to increase the minimum weight of cars from 540 to 600 kilos. The structures of the single-seaters would be improved and the speed would automatically be reduced".
A first suggestion to take into consideration. But there are others: reduction of turbo boost pressures and tire dimensions, elimination of aerodynamic appendages and so on. We must act quickly, make decisions already for next year, with the hope that in the meantime there will be no other tragedies. On Saturday 17 May 1986 over 20.000 people were present, some inside the basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and some on the opposite Piazza della Repubblica. Around the mother Pina, the father Giulio, the brothers Roberto and Andrea, the sister Fabiana, gather the representatives of all the Formula 1 teams, those of the Italian and international motoring world, many drivers. Brabham is represented by its patron Bernie Ecclestone and Riccardo Patrese. Michele Alboreto, Stefan Johansson, managers and mechanics of Ferrari are present. Then René Arnoux and Jacques Lafflte, the Brazilians Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet, Piercarlo Ghinzani, Teo Fabi, Eddie Cheever. The president of the Italian motor sports commission (Csai), Fabrizio Serena, recalls De Angelis' exquisite qualities as a driver and citizen. There are many young people present to pay homage to the unfortunate driver with family members, friends, racing men, the mayor of Rome Signorello. Therefore, the doubts and anecdotes remain. In fact, Riccardo Patrese, his teammate at Brabham, will tell:
"It's strange how our lives are marked by fate, because after the race in the Principality Elio came to ask me if he could have driven at the Castellet since he still didn't feel the BT50 even though the test was intended for me. I told him that I didn't have any problem, if the change of driver would have been fine for the team. Do you understand that I had to be on the car in which Elio died? The disappearance of De Angelis had struck me deeply, because for the first time I had realized the risks we were running. We drivers, being fatalists, thought it would never be our turn and this made us capable of the most incredible overtaking. And instead, after Elio's death, I didn't feel any desire to go back to the car, as if something had broken inside me".
Riccardo Patrese would have no intention of going to Spa:
"It was Bernie Ecclestone who convinced me that we were in the same boat and we couldn't stop. Indeed, it was precisely in honor and memory of those who were no longer there that we had to go on doing our best. The first laps in Belgium were very hard, but then the rider's temper returned and the clouds in my head gradually cleared. I believe that with Elio's passing I experienced my lowest moment as a Formula 1 driver. That was a particularly difficult phase to overcome, which also testifies to the bond that was created with De Angelis".
Ayrton Senna also talks about the tragedy of Elio De Angelis, his former teammate with whom he didn't have a great relationship, firmly underlining the poor safety measures present on the circuit during that test session:
"I had a not the best professional relationship with Elio, but I don't even want to talk about that; there was a big rivalry between the two of us. On the human side, however, I've always respected Elio: he was a very intelligent and kind man, someone who he ran for the sheer pleasure of running".
Then, the background:
"The day before Elio's accident I made a mistake. I was having problems with the car and before returning to the pits I did a lap very slowly, looking around: along the track the security services were practically non-existent. I saw a man with a fire extinguisher, just one, but I didn't worry so much. I thought that Paul Ricard was a long circuit, with large spaces, and perhaps the emergency service was there, even if it was difficult to see how it was located from the cockpit. After that lap I should have better informed myself of the situation, had them tell me where the fire service men were and make the other pilots aware of the problem. But I didn't, as I hadn't done in the past. This is why I too feel a share of responsibility for what happened".
Ayrton Senna adds:
"An adequate fire service would have been enough and Elio would still be among us. The problem of fire has become increasingly topical since Formula 1 cars adopt turbo engines that reach very high temperatures during use. If a car stops suddenly, the least you can expect is for it to catch fire. We had the first signs of what happened at Paul Ricard last year during the tests at the Nurburgring. Surer stopped along the track and the car caught fire. There was still no one there and Marc got out of the car and looked around until he saw a service van parked in the distance. Surer ran over there, got behind the wheel of that vehicle while the attendant was blissfully sleeping a little further on, reached his Brabham and turned it off himself. That day almost everyone laughed bitterly thinking that it wasn't fair to have so many marshals along the track during the GPs and almost none during private practice. But then we didn't do anything and everything remained as before".
So he concludes:
"It is during testing that we take the greatest risks, when we try new solutions that have never been tried before. The cars are getting faster day by day; the circuits remain the same and many have not been adequate for some years now; FOCA thinks only of the team's interests, FISA leaves it to FOCA and we drivers don't care. This is the stark picture of the situation. But it is a situation that cannot last a day longer. It had been a long time since there had been a fatal accident in Formula 1 and we had all relaxed. Unfortunately, the irreparable had to happen to realize that the danger really exists and that the time has come for everyone to examine their conscience. Because we are all responsible for what happened to Elio".
After the tragedy of Elio De Angelis, on Friday 23 May 1986 Formula 1 resumed its journey with the first day of practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, the fifth race of the Formula 1 World Championship. In the Francorchamps circuit, they pretended nothing happened. But as a reminder that motor racing is a dangerous sport, there is a bouquet of flowers on the spot where Stefan Bellof died in 1985 and the garage left empty by De Angelis (his place in Brabham will be taken by the Englishman Derek Warwick, ex Renault) . It was said that the safety issue would be discussed, in reality there are no meetings between manufacturers, technicians and drivers, but nothing official. During the morning of Friday 23 May 1986 Jean-Marie Balestre, president of FISA, will listen to the pilots who have individually prepared a series of proposals. There is no common will to resolve issues concerning the dangers of cars and excessive engine power. In any case there will be no immediate decisions: FISA itself does not have the power to impose new regulations unilaterally. Once again, a difficult unanimity will be needed. There is talk of the introduction of a valve to reduce the supercharging pressure, of a restriction of the air intake in the ducts upstream of the turbines, of an increase in the weight of the single-seaters. And there are those who suggest reducing the engine capacity from 1500 to 1200 or 1000 cc. Marco Piccinini, sporting director of Scuderia Ferrari, says:
"We are discussing to find systems that are accepted by all. It will not be easy. In any case, Ferrari is determined to make a concrete contribution".
There are many interests, too many to make cars slower and safer quickly. From a competitive point of view, the dominant motif in Belgium will be the attempt to stop Alain Prost and McLaren, at the top of the World Championship, on their way to winning a second title. Williams takes care of it with Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell, and Ayrton Senna with Lotus. Ferrari presents the new Garrett turbines made in the United States. They should give greater reliability and allow better use of the engine with a smoother efficiency. The supercharging system has been changed and modifications have been made to the suspension and rear wheel hub carriers to have good traction. The Maranello team. according to statements made by Ferrari to a group of foreign journalists, he has already confirmed Alboreto for the 197. For Stefan Johansson, however, there is a pause: we want to see his performance, if the car will become more competitive. This was also confirmed by Marco Piccinini. Perhaps Formula 1 has already found an heir for Niki Lauda, the three-times World Champion has just left racing (and it's not excluded that one day or another he will return) that Gerhard Berger is already on the light. Austrian from Wörgl near Innsbruck, blond, slender but evidently gifted with great talent, the twenty-six-year-old Benetton driver stands out by obtaining an unexpected provisional pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix. Time 1'54"468, new circuit record, set at an average of 218.262 km/h. An exploit that had been preceded by good results in the first races of the season (sixth in Brazil and Spain, third at Imola).
A confirmation, therefore for a fast and at the same time reliable runner, just like his predecessor was. With Lauda, the young Berger has several points in common: excellent family, financial solidity, important relationships, passion and determination. His father owns a trucking company where the boy gained experience driving trucks and a luxury hotel. Two years ago Gerhard had a bad road accident. Due to a drunken man he was run over in his car and suffered a fractured cervical vertebrae which risked interrupting his career in the bud But the Austrian who had raced in Formula 3 with Trivellato, had the strength to recover and after his debut with ATS in the Austrian Grand Prix in 1984 he moved on to Arrows the following year and this year to Benetton. Thanks to the good relationship with BMW. Not having competitive cars, his maturation was not immediate, but always progressive. Friday 23 May 1986 Gerhard Berger with the Pirelli-shod Benetton (the Austrian uses soft tires in front, harder behind) precedes Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna. This does not mean that he will be able to maintain his position on Saturday (unless the rain blocks everyone) and above all it does not mean that he will be able to win the race. But they are already great satisfactions. The return of Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna is to be feared, who on Friday does not have the famous variable set-up suspensions that have been modified and will be mounted on the Lotus in the next few hours. Among other things, the Brazilian arouses protests from Keke Rosberg, hindering him on the track:
"That one would need a good accident to understand how to behave".
Michele Alboreto (sixth time, tenth Stefan Johansson) was also hampered by Johnny Dumfries, with the other Lotus. But the performance of the Ferraris remains inadequate. Garrett turbines are used only in free practice, the new rear suspension brings no progress. Michele Alboreto explains:
"The car is always difficult to drive, the rear end suddenly breaks down and in some points of the track it even rises dangerously at the front".
There is therefore not much to bite. And it's hard to understand how the technicians of the Maranello team can't fix the chassis, given that the engine seems to be among the best, given that Alboreto himself is the fastest across the finish line (263.847 km/h against the 256.774 km/h marked by Nelson Piquet) and among the fastest even in the maximum peaks (318 km/h against the 302 km/h of Ayrton Senna, who precedes him in the standings). Between turbines, springs, shock absorbers, tested spoilers galore, confusion reigns in the Maranello team. At the end of the tests, the eagerly awaited meeting takes place between the representatives of the pilots and Jean-Marie Balestre, president of FISA. In the late afternoon, a press release was issued regarding the problem of safety both in rallies and for Formula 1. As regards rallies, it was decided to impose on the manufacturers the abolition of group B and S cars and to allow a maximum power, the next year, of 300 HP. As far as Formula 1 is concerned, the power of the engines will have to be reduced to a maximum of 600 HP already during the course of the year, at the latest by 1 January 1987. What the system will be is not specified, which will in any case be studied by a technical committee . It was also decided to reduce the Le Castellet circuit to a length of 3.8 km already for the next French Grand Prix, eliminating the most dangerous and fastest part, where Elio De Angelis' fatal accident occurred.
An accident that has, among other things, an unexpected sequel: Gordon Murray, designer of Brabham, shocked by what happened, asked for and was granted an indefinite period of rest. They said that Nelson Piquet was in crisis after the opaque performance of Monte-Carlo. But the Brazilian driver, the most titled of the Formula 1 drivers in activity after the retirement of Niki Lauda, responded on Saturday 24 May 1986 by conquering the pole position and subtracting it from the young Gerhard Berger, who nevertheless managed to keep a place in the front row, ahead of Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell. No revenge, however, for Ferrari, which fell inexorably backwards, with Michele Alboreto in ninth position, also preceded by Teo Fabi, René Arnoux and Keke Rosberg. Stefan Johansson, even further away, scores the eleventh time. Unstable cars, difficult technical choices, many problems. The panorama for the Maranello team hasn't changed since the start of the season and there are no concrete prospects for an immediate recovery. The second day of rehearsals is full of events. After the rain that fell in the morning, the sun came and dried the track. So at 1:00 p.m. everyone is chasing Gerhard Berger, who set the fastest time on Friday. The Austrian, although unable to improve due to the BMW engine of his Benetton which shuts down, as mentioned manages to remain at the head of the row for over 50 minutes. Then Nelson Piquet sets a time of 1'51"331, a new circuit record, at an average of 218.523 km/h, which makes him happy:
"Here pole doesn't count because overtaking is quite easy, but it's always a great satisfaction. This is the nineteenth of my career. I can open a Piaggio dealership. In fact, I won the tenth Vespa up for grabs for whoever turns out to be the fastest in practice".
Nelson Piquet is joking because he hit three goals in one fell swoop. He made it clear to Alain Prost that it will still be tough for him in the World Championship, he once again puts his teammate, Nigel Mansell behind him, making Williams understand which driver to bet on, and beat his rival, in fact of popularity, Ayrton Senna. To tell the truth, on this occasion the South American from Lotus had to do without that technical solution which had undoubtedly given him some advantages in the previous tests. In fact, Lotus changed the hub carriers of the rear wheels and with these it also had to reinforce the suspensions.
Despite working day and night, the English team was unable to prepare in time those famous variable set-up suspensions that make Ayrton Senna's car very fast in qualifying and had to resort to those of 1985. In any case, with the first six competitors at the start enclosed in just over 0.4 seconds, the race is quite uncertain, even if the favorite remains Alain Prost:
"I'm calm, my McLaren is the best car in the race".
With Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell in the role of outsiders. The others, barring sensational surprises, like the rain for example, will have to content themselves with fighting for the placings, while Ferrari will at least try to get to the end of the race. This is the thought of Michele Alboreto:
"After nine consecutive retirements, I'd like to finish a race, even if it will be difficult to drive this car that doesn't fit on the road".
The new American Garrett turbines should be mounted on the single-seaters from Maranello. The technical reasons for the race will concern the reliability of the engines, here subjected to very hard stresses, fuel consumption and tire changes. Regarding Ferrari, the rumor that it is looking for a designer to put in charge of its technicians is becoming more and more insistent. the last name circulating is that of Rory Byrne, the South African of Benetton. However, it was a difficult period for the Italian colors in Formula 1: Teo Fabi said he was unlucky, but was beaten by his teammate, Gerhard Berger. Riccardo Patrese has no defense with a Brabham always in serious trouble, the Minardis do what they can with the few means available, the Osellas are always in the back rows. In terms of news, it should be noted that there are changes in the FISA press release announced on Friday and officially published on Saturday. The measures under consideration to reduce engine power are studied in three directions: valve for the turbo, restriction of the air intake and reduction of the engine capacity to 1000 cc. The Federation also announces that it has signed a contract to host the British Grand Prix at Silverstone over the next five years. The reason is simple: the Brands Hatch circuit was sold for about 7.000.000 dollars to a private individual who intends to use it to build a residential centre. One of the temples of motoring will probably disappear.
On Sunday 25 May 1986, at the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, Nelson Piquet got off to a good start and kept the first position. Inside the corner is Gerhard Berger's Benetton who was in the front row, next to the Brazilian's Williams on the left. Behind the Austrian comes Ayrton Senna. The Lotus is significantly faster. It stretches all the way to the left but has to curve to the right quite sharply. The maneuver puts Gerhard Berger in difficulty, who thus triggers a series of collisions. The Benetton crosses slightly and closes the trajectory for Alain Prost who arrives all the way to the right, along the guardrail. The Frenchman's McLaren hits the rear suspension of the Austrian's car and practically spun, blocking almost the entire lane. Patrick Tambay, who arrives with his Lola, has to brake hard and is rear-ended by Martin Brundle's Tyrrell. René Arnoux slams the rear wing. The other Benetton of Teo Fabi also ends up in the tangle, but it miraculously manages not to touch anyone and restarts, while several competitors file past from one side to the other, including Keke Rosberg who had started irregularly, on dirt, all off the track to the left. The Ferraris of Michele Alboreto and Stefan Johansson pass to the right, with the Italian driver on the curb, with the engine stopped and restarting only thanks to the fact of being downhill. Result: Patrick Tambay abandons the car out of order. Alain Prost had to stop in the first lap in the box to replace the damaged nose. René Arnoux was slowed down by aerodynamic problems, before the engine failed. Unscheduled stop also for Gerhard Berger who needs to have the damaged suspension fixed as best as possible. Both pay hard what happened. The World Champion loses 1 minute and 50 seconds and will then finish in sixth place thanks to a series of retirements. Alain Prost sets the fastest lap time in his long chase. A sign that he could have won, even if in the final he is still slowed down by the engine that stalls at times. Big missed opportunity also for Gehard Berger. The Austrian is tenth. But he completes a series of very fast laps (for at least fifteen laps he is fastest of all), despite a problem with the clutch. And he's one of the few who doesn't have to change tyres, demonstrating excellent use of the Pirellis. If he hadn't had the initial inconvenience, he would have almost certainly reached the podium. But let's go back to the pilots who were unscathed by the accidents at the start.
Nelson Piquet remained in the lead until lap 15, chased by Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, Stefan Johansson and Michele Alboreto. Williams' English starts with his usual impetus. During the fifth lap, however, he made a mistake: he braked late at the chicane, spun and lost two places, dropping from second to fourth place. But he's fine with him: the tough citizen of the Isle of Man resumes his run. Nelson Piquet was less fortunate: while he seemed to be walking around, he fell into the pits and got out of the car, leaving the Williams men stunned. He gave a valve spring, the engine is out. Ayrton Senna takes the lead for five laps. But it is clear that the Brazilian, struggling with fuel consumption and without his magical suspension with variable trim, cannot resist. In the meantime, the tyre changes are carried out. Stefan Johansson climbs into first position for two laps (up to now he had only led for 5 km at Imola in the famous race in which he ran out of fuel last year). But then the Swede from Ferrari had to give way to the aggressive Nigel Mansell who won the Belgian Grand Prix, fending off timid attacks from Ayrton Senna, who was then distanced in the final stages. The six points from second place are in any case precious for the Brazilian, who returns to the top of the World Championship standings, also thanks to the unlucky day of his direct rivals. The race also lives for placements. Michele Alboreto, who had been faster in the morning with type B tires (harder), is third ahead of his teammate, having avoided the pit stop to change tires with this technical choice. The two engage in a good fight. Then, with six laps to go, Stefan Johansson moved up to third position and Michele Alboreto had to settle for fourth place overall. In the Ferrari pits they are a bit intimidated at this juncture. Perhaps they remember the Pironi-Villeneuve duel again at Imola in 1982 (but it was a very different story, then they were fighting for victory) and the sporting director, Marco Piccini, has a Slow sign displayed, which means go slowly. He is exposed as Stefan Johansson passes but he doesn't see him and takes his deserved third place. Behind the two Ferrari drivers are Jacques Laffite and Alain Prost. A great initial crash, fortunately without damage to the drivers, conditioned and at the same time enlivened the Belgian Grand Prix, the fifth round of the Formula 1 World Championship.
On the spectacular Francorchamps track, another protagonist came to the fore in the fight for the world title. Nigel Mansell won with Williams, the third success of his career, ahead of Ayrton Senna with Lotus. With this placement, the Brazilian returned to the lead of the general standings, ahead of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell himself and Nelson Piquet. The race saw Ferrari climb the slope into which it seemed to have fallen. On the podium, in third place, goes Stefan Johansson, followed in fourth position by Michele Alboreto. Not since 18 August 1985, the Austrian Grand Prix at Zeltweg, has the Maranello team brought two cars to the finish line in the top six. On that occasion it was the Italian who placed before the Swede. A step forward, therefore, for Ferrari which has used the new American Garrett turbines. But the result shouldn't deceive: the Maranello team is still far from the best, that is, from the teams aiming to win the World Championship. In fact, it must be considered that an accident at the start, triggered by Gerhard Berger and Alain Prost, practically eliminated the Austrian and the French (who still managed to get to the finish line, gaining a point with sixth position), that Nelson Piquet is been blocked by the failure of the Honda engine of his Williams when he seemed to be already heading towards a solitary finish and that Keke Rosberg unhinged another engine with a terrible over-revving. All of this is obviously part of the game, even if the F1-86 single-seaters proved to be quite competitive for the first time this season. The balance of the race is in any case positive for Formula 1. The fight is rekindled after two consecutive victories by Alain Prost. Nelson Piquet finds a formidable rival in his teammate, Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna shows that he can get valuable placements, even on fast circuits where his Lotus would seem beaten from the start. And one cannot fail to underline also the small recovery of Ferrari. Stefan Johansson and Michele Alboreto who animate the races with the strongest are like an injection of confidence for the fans and for the whole Formula 1 environment which needs to have prestigious teams like Maranello at the top.
The course of the race, apart from the thrills of the accident at the start, was uncertain and saw four leaders alternate in the lead: Nelson Piquet up to lap 15, then Ayrton Senna for four laps, Stefan Johansson in two laps (when the most of the competitors entered the pits to change tyres) and then Nigel Mansell, until the end when the checkered flag was lowered. It doesn't always happen. However, the fact of having witnessed a spectacular and uncertain test shouldn't make us forget the problems that trouble this sport. There are always discussions in the air, the uncertainties deriving from the controversies that have erupted in recent days regarding safety. No one has forgotten what happened in Le Castellet, the tragic death of Elio De Angelis. Luckily this time the Federation seems willing to somehow impose a stop to the escalation of engine power. On Sunday morning, before the race, Jean-Marie Balestre, president of FISA, confirmed his intention to intervene drastically. In Montreal, before the tests for the Canadian Grand Prix, a study commission will meet made up of the engine manufacturers: Ferrari, Ford, Honda, BMW, Porsche and Renault, the technicians of six major companies will try to find a solution that satisfies everyone, especially the pilots. It will not be easy. The interests are many, the difference of opinion difficult to resolve. A valve for the reduction of the boost pressure, a restriction of the air to the turbos, the reduction of the displacement from 1500 and 1000 cc are the three solutions that will be considered. In the meantime Jean-Marie Balestre has already announced that he will change the qualifying rules (free practice on Fridays, timed only on Saturdays), while other measures will be taken for safety on the circuits. Among other things, the free tests that the teams constantly support by subjecting the riders to continuous stress between driving commitment and long journeys will be almost prohibited. In short, there are good intentions. Too bad you always start thinking when terrible accidents happen that they could be at least limited. Nigel Mansell is the first to enter the press room for the usual conference, to the applause of the crowd. He sits at the table and speaks immediately:
"A wonderful race, I felt it. I told him in the morning that it was my day. Everything went fine. Just one moment of fear: when I braked too late at the chicane and risked going off the road. Luckily I was able to keep the car on the track and restart immediately".
Nigel Mansell is still surrounded by people. He is reminded that this is his third victory:
"Yes, I dedicate it to Elio De Angelis and his family. He was a great friend, he helped me a lot at the beginning of my career. And then I also want to mention Frank Williams, immobilized in a hospital bed. It is thanks to him that I have reached this point, I am in a wonderful team".
Darker in the face, not far away, is Ayrton Senna, but the Brazilian is happy:
"It was a miracle to finish second. Thanks to an abnormal race because at least two Williams and one McLaren could get a better result than mine. I was in big trouble, with terrible understeer and I was out of tyres. The computer indicated that there was still petrol but I knew I was running low. I'm now in the lead for the championship, but it will be tough. Maintaining the position is not easy even if I consider the fight still open".
Everyone asks him what happened at the start:
"I haven't done anything wrong. I was wide and tried to make my line away from the guardrail. I saw in the rear view mirrors a McLaren crashing into Benetton. But I don't think I have any responsibility".
It should also be said that at the scrutineering the Brazilian's Lotus was weighed at 542 kilos (allowed limit 540). This means that either the English single-seater was underweight or that there was very little petrol left in the tanks. Prost's McLaren (548 kilos) and Mansell's Williams (550 kilos) were also very thin. Ferrari is in less difficulty, scoring 572 kilos for both Alboreto and Johansson. This means that either the Maranello cars are still very heavy or that there was a lot of petrol in the tanks. But the first hypothesis is much more probable. For Alain Prost it's a day to forget even if he took a point for his classification. He could have won, he finished sixth:
"Yes, I'm disappointed, the car was fine. As for the accident, I braked and I assure you that I tried everything not to hit Berger".
A few words for Nelson Piquet:
"I was driving at cruising speed and had no problems. I was already thinking about changing tyres. I could have finished first by going for a walk".
Inside the Ferrari box you finally notice some smiling faces at the end of the race. The sports director, Marco Piccinini, says:
"We broke a chain of withdrawals. Without the initial crash, during which Alboreto Ila lost about twenty seconds, perhaps things could have gone differently. But for the moment we are satisfied. We are in a recovery phase, probably on the right track and then we will try to stay there".
As far as the drivers are concerned, the episode of Alboreto overtaking by Johansson leaves absolutely no aftermath. The two are friends. The Swede says:
"I didn't see the sign telling me to go slow".
But it's a joke. He had the best car, thanks to the choice of C tires and he could have gone faster. Why stop it? Michele himself admits that it would have been a mistake:
"If Stefan was able to get past, I don't see why I should have tried to stop him. I had made a safety choice, thanks to the indications I received in the morning practice. This allowed me to run the entire race without changing tyres. It was a small advantage even if perhaps it was better to risk a little more. But who felt like it after so many problems? It's better this way, now we're a little more confident".
For technicians, Harvey Postlethwaite speaks English:
"Alboreto's choice of harder tires wasn't a mistake, the car was more balanced this way and allowed him to go all the way without major problems even if he had to slow down in the final stages. The Garrett turbines went well, that's a positive sign".
Ferrari returns (so to speak, given that Stefan Johansson with a team of mechanics and technicians has been testing since Wednesday 28 May 1986 at the Brands Match, while Michele Alboreto will be at Hockenheim over the weekend) from the Belgian Grand Prix as if it had undergone to a beautiful tonic cure. The third place of the Swede and the fourth of the Italian are, beyond the result in concrete terms of score, an injection of confidence. But there's no need to get excited: Mannello's team could have already obtained more or less similar placements from the beginning of the season, if they hadn't had problems with reliability. It is therefore on this point, on the rediscovered ability to at least reach the finish line that the most positive notes arrive. On the other hand, in terms of competitiveness, Ferrari is still quite far from McLaren and Williams. It should not be forgotten that Alain Prost and Keke Rosberg had unforeseen troubles, otherwise they could have won and that Nelson Piquet would have been able to score a nice one-two with the winner, his teammate, Nigel Mansell. At this point the World Championship, as all the protagonists admit, is very open. Ayrton Senna, the leader of the moment, can only be considered an outsider, unless Lotus makes further progress, while the role of big favorites still belongs to Alain Prost and Nelson Piquet, with their colleagues Keke Rosberg and Nigel as subordinates. Mansell. The Maranello team will therefore be able to have a very important position in the continuation of the World Championship, which now includes the double American trip, Sunday 15 June 1986 in Montreal and Sunday 22 June 1986 in Detroit. The F1-86 single-seaters have so far proved to be quite good on fast tracks and less aggressive on slow ones. So what is left to do?
Working to perfect the new Garrett turbines and above all trying to solve the problems concerning grip and traction, which are always precarious. Ferrari can point to the future with a painstaking commitment to detail and prepare an even more brilliant season finale and perhaps a 1987 that will definitively bring it back to the top. Michele Alboreto remains a strong point of the team. A practical and intelligent driver, decisive and tenacious, capable of exploiting the qualities of the car at his disposal to the limit. There has been a lot of talk lately about contacts with Ayrton Senna for next year. Barring surprises, the much-discussed transition from Lotus to Maranello will not take place. The Brazilian allegedly had excessive demands: a salary of 5.000.000 dollars and the title of first absolute guide. An untenable position, given that Michele Alboreto has practically been reconfirmed and cannot accept a secondary role. As for Stefan Johansson, it can be said that he is under scrutiny. If he is positive he will stay. Otherwise the Maranello team could already have put its hands on it, tying talks with emerging youngsters, for example the Austrian Gerhard Berger who stood out with Benetton, assuming that the Anglo-Italian team lets him get away. Another matter for the technicians: the efforts made to find a designer capable of coagulating the already substantial forces present do not seem to have had any effect. Gerard Ducarouge, Rory Byrne and others don't seem to be available at the moment. Therefore, some internal solutions with job shifts are not excluded.