From Hungary to Austria from Budapest to Zeltweg, from the Hungarian capital to a village scattered among meadows and woods. The Formula 1 Circus quickly moves to the Österreichring, where the Austrian Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, August 17, 1986, where it already finds hundreds of Italian fans. Many raise Ferrari flags and all - despite the disappointments suffered in recent times - hope for a miracle. It would perhaps be better to think about the Ferrari of the future, and what the physiognomy of the team may be next year. On the contrary, since there has been no talk of anything else these days, let's take stock. Let's try to imagine what will happen, Marco Piccinini is in these last hours if he has not already done so concluding the negotiations with John Barnard. The McLaren designer should switch to Ferrari services mainly to solve chassis and aerodynamic problems. An operation that seems expensive and not just in terms of financial commitment. There is talk of an expense of many millions of dollars and there is no doubt that John Barnard has proven so far to be a valuable technician but if it is true that it requires the opening of an office in England, that yours will be a kind of remote consultation, embarrassing situations could occur. The London designer can certainly offer a wealth of remarkable experiences but the technology developed with the contribution of Ferrari's means, humans and technicians could remain on the other side of the Channel, creating a form of dependence that is very difficult to eliminate later. Moreover, as far as the image is concerned, a winning Ferrari with a foreign transplant of this kind would not present great advantages. It is one thing to take what the international market offers to enrich your nursery (the ing, Postlethwaite for the knowledge of composite fibres, the French His and Migeot for some details of the engines), another to give in the hands of a man with many claims the keys to all the secrets of Maranello. Yet here it is not in any case, the Barnard choice at this point is almost mandatory since there were no other possible solutions at a certain level. The mistake has probably started upstream, a few years ago when, perhaps with too much presumption, those Formula 1 developments that other teams have been able to anticipate were not foreseen. For example, Mauro Forghieri's departure from the racing team: how could it be believed to replace an element of such an experience with a cooperative full of beautiful words but not of as many skills? And when Enzo Ferrari was asked why his cars were the only ones to mount 5-speed gearboxes or why he was not looking for some already established technician or why he had not hired a driver considered an exceptional test driver like Nelson Piquet, the answer was always the same:
"We're fine, we don't need anything".
So driven by the anxiety of re-emerging, came the discovery of the paid designer more than a World Champion driver. You have to start over, change so many things and the unknowns to be solved are huge. A multinational Ferrari has its raison d'être today, as the times of absolute autarchy are over and the world has shrunk. However, we think it would be important for the Maranello team to maintain that autonomy of thought necessary to make it clear that in certain fields you can still learn something, but also teach a lot. Among the men who, animated by a great passion, interpret Formula 1 in a total and very intense way, there is certainly Gérard Ducarouge. The French technician, nicknamed by the Italians the Ducarosso, is always one of the first to arrive at the circuits and one of the last to leave. Ducarouge, a brilliant guy with brilliant insights, lives in symbiosis with the cars, the team, and the drivers. His career is studded with successes: first the Matra world champion of prototypes, then the Ligier single-seaters, the Alfa Romeo (which in his day even managed to start in pale position) and finally the Lotus. And now the prospect of working for at least two more years in the English team with Honda engines available and Ayrton Senna as the first drive.
"An exhilarating prospect. In practice, I have already sketched the new car, which is expected to take to the track at the end of October. I am sure we will have very good results".
Will there be in this new Lotus one of those devilries that have so far allowed Senna to excel, especially in qualifying?
"Something special is already ready. But I can't explain what it's about. We were the first to make the sparks by touching on the asphalt, and now only Williams and McLaren make them...".
Is his destiny linked to that of Senna even for the most distant future?
"We value each other, but we are not married. Anything can happen. However, I consider Ayrton the best driver ever to have worked with. He is intelligent and sensitive, he has talent, determination, and courage, and he dedicates himself completely to this sport. In short, it is the ideal partner for a technician".
Someone claims that before signing for Lotus you said no to Ferrari...
"It's true. I did it at Brands Hatch when Lotus created the conditions to continue. I'm sorry because I would have come very willing to work in Italy. And for Ferrari, it would have been magnificent. But I couldn't leave Lotus, where a very good group was created. It would have been a disaster. However, it was neither a matter of money nor of sympathies or dislikes. In those days I suffered a lot before I made a decision".
Now almost certainly John Barnard will arrive at Ferrari, but in all likelihood, he will design the car in England. What do you think?
"McLaren has won two consecutive World Championships and if it hadn't been for the engine maybe it would be in the lead again this year. Barnard is a top-notch technician, his cars are very beautiful, simple, and finished with painstaking meticulousness. For the rest, I'm used to working on the track, always being with the team. I can't tell if he will be able to do it 2000 km away. I can't judge a priori what others do".
At forty-five, Ducarouge wants to finally win a Formula 1 world championship. For this reason, above all, he remained at Lotus to give continuity to his action, so as not to start all over again.
"If Ferrari called me, maybe in two years, I would always be ready to accept a new challenge. But now I have to concentrate on the current one. I have the absolute conviction that in 1987 there will be no more room for others: it will be the season of Lotus Honda and Ayrton Senna. I didn't choose this path for money, although I admit I earn a lot more now than in the past. I have had many good offers in this respect. But I also like being able to choose. I'm ready to bet anything that Lotus will win the world championship. For the moment, however, we also think about the title that will be given at the end of the season. Mansell and Piquet are the favourites, but we still have a few cards to play. The last word is not said".
For Formula 1, 1986 is a strange season. There is a very lively championship, with at least four contenders for the title five races from the end, yet we continue to talk about next year. After the Ferrari-Barnard affair, McLaren holds the bench. The likely departure of his designer, the request to the team by Porsche for more money to develop the engine, and the early announcement of the retirement of Keke Rosberg put the two bosses, Mansour Ojjeh and Ron Dennis in trouble. Not that there is a lack of capital, given that the Arab businessman has virtually unlimited funds, but McLaren was taken by surprise by the evolution of the situation.
On Wednesday evening, in Klagenfurt, there are leaders of the English team, the driver Alain Prost and the men of Renault, who could solve one of the questions by providing their engine. The French company, indeed, in a statement had placed as a condition for its stay in Formula 1 an agreement with McLaren. Deadline for deciding on Thursday, August 14, 1986. Meanwhile, Renault announces that this decision has been postponed for at least a week. What does this mean? That the negotiations have begun and have a good chance of a positive resolution. There are a lot of obstacles, but there is goodwill. McLaren does not want to pay for the engines and wants a contract for several years, with the clause that if they were to change the regulations Renault would have to commit to making a new engine. On the Renault side, we would like to have the collaboration of Elf, while the British team has Shell as its sponsor. As you can understand, the situation is intricate, but there is a willingness to conclude. This would reform the Prost-Renault couple. As for the Porsche engines owned by Tag, they would be sold to two teams. They name Benetton, Arrows and Tyrrell. However, the latter is also in negotiations with Ford. But let's come to the Austrian Grand Prix. A Williams domain is expected, for a change, as has happened since the beginning of the year with few interruptions. Michele Alboreto, still regretting the mistake made in Hungary, take stock of the situation.
"Pait's reinstatement at the top is the salient fact of the moment. However, a family fight with Mansell is predictable. On this track, the Williams should have no rivals, although the McLaren remains a dangerous antagonist and the Lotus with Senna can still be inserted. In short, the fight is quite open. I also see Benetton well, but it lacks reliability in the race, and I think Brabham might not disfigure even".
What about Ferrari?
"I'm not too pessimistic. This very fast circuit should partially take away the inconvenience of the high engine response. Long curves shouldn't put the frame in much trouble. A good result in terms of placements, would not be a big surprise".
Stefan Johansson, despite everything, is also quite loaded. The fourth place in Budapest has given confidence to the Swede who is pursuing two goals: if he demonstrates grit and ability he will have some chance to stay with the Maranello team and, in any case, he will always be able to put himself in sight against other teams. Everyone was waiting for Williams and McLaren. Instead in pole position in the Austrian Grand Prix, there will be the Indianapolis man: Teo Fabi the driver of Valtellina, the little runner of the great speeds. And with the thirty-one-year-old Lombard, the Italian colours come back to the fore. Two Benettons in the front row, Gerhard Berger scores the second half while Riccardo Patrese is in fourth position. Finally, three Pirelli-wheeled cars were in the first four places. Fast track, very hot and the tires developed by the Milanese company demonstrate their competitiveness but in the technical field, Italy is always late: in these two days of tests, German engines dominate (Friday Tag-Porsche, Saturday with three Bmw in the top four). Teo Fabi with this feat happens to himself, he had been the last Italian driver to win the pole, in the German Grand Prix last year at the Nurburgring. He is a little more than a penny of cheese, he has the mild air of the clerk of a working man, but on occasion, he knows how to bring out his character. And the controversy immediately breaks out in the ritual interviews of the post-here. Tells Teo Fabi:
"I dedicate this first place in qualifying to BMW who has always believed in my possibilities. To make the quick ride I had to take the spare car because on mine the engine scratched like a child with a donkey cough".
Then he catches his breath and continues with a dig at his teammate, Gerhard Berger:
"I was expecting to do the pole right here in Austria…".
What about the race? Fabi who in his spare time works in the administration of the family talc mine, is quite confident, It states:
"I am very pleased with my Benetton in racing set-up. I tried for a long time. If there are no unforeseen events I will have a good chance of going to the attack even if I don't have too many illusions. A lot depends on the weather: if it stays warm and I can choose the right tires, I don't rule out the podium".
In Austria it runs in 1'23"549 at a fantastic average of 256,032 km/h. In this regard, it must be said that the current cars are monsters: they spit fire, they make sparks, and they travel frighteningly. You have to stay on the straight of the box to realize the incredible accelerations, and the powers of these turbo engines: with just 1500 cc they can express up to 1200 HP. They are really scary and one wonders what reflexes drivers must have to control them. Plus no circuit can be considered safe when it comes to touching the 344,828 km/h, as Warwick did with Brabham at the end of the Schoenberggerade straight. What makes the most impression is the speed in corners which returned to values higher than those recorded with the infamous miniskirts. The thrust of lateral gravity that weighs on the pilots is impressive. But let's get back to Fabi. The Italian, who in 1983 had entered the international Gotha with the pole position in the basin of Indy, at 333 km/h, confirms his skills, his qualities as a precise driver, perhaps not very suitable for the fight, but certainly endowed with excellent technique and courage. An accountant who knows how to do his accounts well. A shy guy who was targeted by bad luck this year and who had no help from the Bmw. The German company supplies the engines to the English team owned by Treviso clothing industrialists. However, other factors will come into play for the race. The reliability, the heat if you will keep the time of these days, the choice of tires and above all the fuel consumption. For this reason, it is easy to put Teo Fabi, Gerhard Berger and Riccardo Patrese in the role of outsiders. Next to Fabi is Gerhard Berger, whose defeat on trial burns a lot on his home circuit, even the Austrian takes it out on the engine that wasn't working properly. But let alone what would have happened if these many mistreated Bmws had toured at full speed... And to say that Riccardo Patrese could have been closer to the two Benettons. The Italian driver is haunted by the usual bad luck. After consuming the first set of tires, he threw himself back on the track to try to improve. Halfway through the road, the engine exploded and the Brabham caught fire. Patrese operated the on-board firefighting system, then rescues arrived with fire extinguishers. There was probably a gasoline leak and the fire exploded several times.
"I had a good car, now I don't know if we will be able to recover it and in any case, the unknown of the reconstruction remains. Too bad, because for the first time, it was well balanced".
Logic would like a duel for the victory still between the cars that have so far dominated the championship, named Williams and McLaren. But it will certainly be a close battle, given that from fifth to eighth place Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna are restricted in the order. McLaren drivers complained about set-up and engines (especially Prost). The two Williams said they lacked top speed. But who believes him? And Senna had engine problems, then found some oil spilled by Arnoux on the track. But even he does not give up on combative intentions. And he starts alongside Piquet who beat him by force in Hungary. Says Alain Prost, at the end of the rehearsals:
"My McLaren jumps like a grasshopper. And there is no power".
Nelson Piquet exclaims:
"Laps the top speed is missing".
Nigel Mansell points out:
"I had to try with the full tank to prepare for the race well. Here, however, there are no problems in overtaking".
The battle in the Williams family seems to continue unabated, with attempts at pre-tactic. But Mansell, after his visit to Maranello, does not enjoy much sympathy in the team, especially on the part of the English Honda, with a move that can be called naive, has perhaps fallen into a bigger game than him. In any case, the truth only comes out on the track and therefore you can expect anything. Speech aside for Ferrari, further away in the line-up: Alboreto kicks off with the ninth chronometric result, Johansson with the fourteenth. The two Maranello cars did not go bad, despite the appearance, especially with a full tank of gasoline that is, in the initial conditions of the race. Much depends on the resistance to possible breakups, but small satisfactions are not excluded for the not many Italian fans who have arrived at Zeltweg. It's a difficult time for Stefan Johansson: he risks losing his place at Ferrari, even if nothing, as the sporting director, Marco Piccinini says, has still been decided. In truth, the Swede, whose contract expires in October, would need some brilliant results to hope for a reconfirmation. But the Austrian Grand Prix, at least as far as the tests are concerned, is bringing down its prices. In the two days of qualifying, Johansson was the protagonist of two bad accidents. In the first free tests, he went off the track at the Hella chicane. His car jumped on the bump at the end of the pit climb and flew off the track.
"I lost control, then Ferrari ended up on the lawn. Two or three heads and I climbed on the shore for about forty meters, knocking down a billboard. A great fear".
The driver reports a strong contusion to the coccyx and had to undergo intense physiotherapist care. Destroyed the car: a stake cracked the frame and from Maranello, they had to send a newcomer in the night. On Saturday morning, a new incident occurred in the curve at the entrance to the pits.
"I pushed on the brake but the pedal went to the bottom. Then it worked but it was late".
Another tremendous blow, another damaged chassis, so much so that on Saturday Ferrari has only two cars. Comment on Marco Piccinini, who never misses random words:
"An uncertainty…".
This only fuels the market rumours that speak of Ferrari's interest in Gerhard Berger. But they also name Thierry Boutsen and Alessandro Nannini, the revelation of the year. And about the changes for next season, again concerning Ferrari, Piccinini himself says in his sibyl sinus language:
"The post-operative course is good".
Does this mean that the driver operation (or the Barnard operation) has already been performed? In the meantime, it seems ( Niki Lauda also confirmed this) that BMW is willing to stay with Brabham and Benetton, to develop the engines. Patrese has already been confirmed in Brabham. He may instead lose his place, Derek Warwick. The Englishman, among other things, risks losing his life, also on Friday, with a high-speed exit in the qualifying tests. Brabham glides fearfully on the climb before the chicane, then slams to the left, then takes a curb, flies into the air and, luckily for the rider, miraculously falls on the wheels. An incident similar to what cost Elio De Angelis his life in Le Castellet. This time, however, the exit was caused by the failure of a rear tire. The Pirelli technicians after careful examination of the remnants of the tire, have ascertained a cut caused by a fragment of metal, perhaps an air intake of the brakes lost by another competitor. Taking up the discourse of the title fight, the dominant theme is the family brawl between Mansell and Piquet. In the match, you can play a decisive card and no one will want to do without an opportunity to subtract valuable points from direct rivals. It is, therefore, to be expected an uncertain, tense race, with many twists and turns. On Sunday 17 August 1986, Brabham is very lucky, the victim of a failure that occurs even before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix: Riccardo Patrese breaks the change in the reconnaissance loop. With only two carriers available (one was burned on Saturday), Bernie Ecclestone decides to place Derek Warwick and entrust the Englishman's car to Riccardo Patrese, when the deployment is already composed. Warwick is forced to accept and stays in the pits to see his teammate retire after two laps due to engine breakage. Riccardo Patrese will say, shortly after:
"I went to Derek, who is a friend, to apologize to him. In his place, I don't know if I would have suffered this imposition. In any case, I continue to be haunted by bad luck".
At the start, Gerhard Berger passes Teo Fabi and takes him to the first position. The two teammates in force at Benetton set a very high pace right from the start. The Italian driver follows the Austrian like a shadow until lap 17, when he tries to overtake. Teo Fabi passes Gerhard Berger with force, but at this very moment the gearbox remains for a moment stuck in third gear, and the engine goes out of laps, yielding to the effort. Too bad for the Italian driver, who could have a good race on one of his favourite tracks. Meanwhile, Alain Prost embarks on the chase, with Nigel Mansell a few inches away from his McLaren, ahead of Keke Rosberg, René Arnoux and Nelson Piquet. But the Williams Brazilian is already in trouble with the engine scratching. Nelson Piquet will then be forced to retire during lap 29, due to the Honda engine breakdown. Even his compatriot, Ayrton Senna, does not travel many more kilometres. After a good start, the Lotus driver encounters problems with the Renault engine and, after stopping twice in the pits, is forced to abandon the race on lap 13. During lap 25 Gerhard Berger enters the pits apparently to change the tires, but the car shows problems with the electrical system. The Austrian driver remains stationary for over four laps and starts again for an unnecessary chase that leads him to conquer the circuit record and seventh place. The Austrian fans, perhaps without an exact tachometer,deceive themselves when they see Gerhard Berger who doubles once by Alain Prost, who in the meantime has risen to first position. From the hills rises a great roar of the crowd, but this action does not correspond to any concrete result. Subsequently, taking advantage of the moments related to the replacement of tires, Nigel Mansell takes first place but his supremacy lasts very little. During lap 29 Alain Prost is again ahead of everyone and from this moment he will no longer be joined by anyone else, a kind of massacre develops behind him. They stop Nigel Mansell, during lap 32, for the rupture of a half-axis, and subsequently, Keke Rosberg is also forced to stop during lap 47 due to an electrical problem.
This is how Ferraris climbs in the distance, Michele Alboreto consolidates in second position and Stefan Johansson, despite two stops in the pits (first to change the front wing that had flown away, then to replace the tires) in third. Sweden‘s race was very brave and painful due to the terrible pain he feels after Friday's accident that caused him a severe contusion in his coccyx. In short, a nice demonstration that could be worth a confirmation from Ferrari. Alain Prost wins the Austrian Grand Prix followed by Michele Alboreto, Stefan Johansson, Alan Jones, Patrick Tambay and Christian Danner. Alain Prost joins Juan Manuel Fangio. The Frenchman wins, in the Austrian Grand Prix, his victory number 24. The Argentine champion reached that number by running from 1950 to 1957. Now the McLaren driver is preceded only by Niki Lauda and Jim Clark (25) and the great Jackie Stewart (27 hits). But Prost's venture exceeds pure numerical data. With this statement, the Frenchman is back in contention for the World Championship. And at the same time McLaren, rather unlucky in Budapest, shows that it could also win the third consecutive title, a result that no team has ever succeeded. The Osterreichring race was an elimination test, outside of Williams, blocked Rosberg and Senna, removed from the scene the surprising Benetton, to collect a good harvest finally it was Ferrari, second with Alboreto, third with Johansson, best placement of the season. It was since June 23, 1984 (Detroit) that two drivers from the Maranello team did not climb the podium together. A nice injection of confidence, even if in terms of performance the Maranello team is still far from the best: a round of detachment for the Italian driver, two for the Sweden. However, at least, reliability has been regained, there are now four drivers at the top of the World Championship standings, packed into eight points. Nigel Mansell stays in the lead, two points ahead of the striking Alain Prost, followed by Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet. For Prost, success is worth twice as much. He won and his direct rivals did not win points.
"I couldn't hope for more, not least because I had had a lot of problems in rehearsals. Two detachment points from Mansell still don't mean much. Anything can always happen in Formula 1. Let's say the championship is open. The Englishman has the advantage of having achieved four victories so far against the three that I have won".
The race?
"I had a big headache at first, I was concerned by small problems. I took a risk by putting more pressure on the turbo and everything went well. Then with eight-nine laps from the end, they signalled to me from the pits that Piquet, Mansell and Senna were retired. And I realized it was done. We at McLaren are always convinced that we have the best chassis and so I am confident. The Monza and Estonian races in Portugal should be favourable to us. I didn't have any problems with gasoline, even if I couldn't waste it".
It should be noted that for the first time in the season, the hourly average of the race was not higher than that of the previous edition. And for the first time since the beginning of the year, Williams has not finished with at least one car in the points area. Laconic comments by Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell. The Brazilian says:
"An engine that made me damn from the very first few minutes. Now I have to start all over again".
The English add:
"A big bad luck. I started with harder tires and the car lacked grip. Then I mounted tender tires and was able to wrestle with Prost. I could aim for if not the first, at least the second place. Instead, he broke a half-axis and goodbye. But I'm always in the lead. But I don't want to think about the championship. I always live by the day".
Among the great disappointments, there are also Teo Fabi and Gerhard Berger. The Italian says:
"The car was great, we were giving everyone a second lap with extreme ease. The tires were perfect, there were no problems with consumption because the onboard computer signalled to me that I had a margin turn. In short, a great wasted opportunity".
Gerhard Berger is on the other hand enraged:
"The set-up of Fabi's car was better than that of my Benetton. When I stopped at the pits, the technicians didn't understand that it was the battery. We wasted invaluable time, otherwise, I could have been among the first ones".
Nerissimo in the face, at the end of the race, Ayrton Senna says:
"So it's no use competing. I had chosen the new, more powerful and fuel-efficient engine, but it wasn't good. He was sobbing and then he left me on foot. Given how the race went, I could earn valuable points. I don't give up, but for me, except for unforeseen events, the championship is now really going uphill, while for the others the descent can begin".
At this point, it is difficult to make assumptions. Williams's men have at least a 50% chance of hitting the final goal but Alain Prost, thanks to the accumulated experience, becomes a very difficult opponent. In the meantime, it had not happened for a long time to see such joyful faces at Ferrari. Almost a commotion for the Maranello team for the gratifying double placement. The technicians and mechanics are happy, the pilots are beaming. But all without triumphalist tones.
Says Michele Alboreto, at the end of the Austrian Grand Prix:
"The result is excellent, not so much the race given the round of detachment. We found the true reliability of the engine on a very fast track but we still have to catch up at least two seconds per lap. In the first few minutes, the car was very difficult to drive. However, I had set myself a roadmap that I managed to maintain, I knew that this race would result in many retirements, but I didn't get into the initial fight because it was useless. It is a result that was needed for morale, after so many disappointments But for the next test in Monza, it is just a good wish. I suffered a lot, I arrived at the finish line with an arm that I didn't feel anymore. However, there are reasons to go home happy".
Very celebrated Stefan Johansson, who competed with pain in his lower back.
"The track was studied with jumps and every shot was like a stab. But I only took one pain- relieving pill, so as not to compromise my physical performance. I gritted my teeth. After three laps I was forced to stop, because he had jumped the front wing, on the straight. The muzzle hit me on the helmet and then hit the rear wing by bending it. I stuck at the end to pass Tambay and Jones and then I succeeded, I hope this race has served to make it clear that when there is a chance I am able not to miss the favourable opportunities...".
The Swede is the protagonist of a mysterious episode. Johnny Dumfries says he touched himself with the Ferrari #28 but Stefan Johansson replies that he didn't notice anything. However, perhaps the winger came off because of this little accident. The comment of the sporting director of Scuderia Ferrari, Marco Piccinini is peaceful:
"Regular race. In the formula of reliability and consumption, Ferrari has deserved its ten points And since we never invoke bad luck, when everything goes wrong, those who have been beaten this time cannot complain. I am happy for Michele who could have already been on the podium in Budapest and for Johansson who drove in very difficult physical conditions for three days I am also happy for the Italian fans who came to Zeltweg with some hope. However, these two placements must not create illusions: the rivals are still very strong".
Ferrari will test at Imola, from Tuesday 26 to Thursday 28 August 1986, before Monza. However, no substantial changes are expected. I! The new 6-cylinder 90-degree V engine is ready and is already running at the bench. But it is difficult for Enzo Ferrari to want to discover the cards that will be needed for next year. In the meantime, the hypothesis that the Maranello team has hiredthe English designer John Barnard is becoming more and more concrete, even if last-time surprises are not excluded. As for the pilots, almost officially confirmed Alboreto, is waiting for Johansson. whose contract expires in October. Much will depend on the evolution of the situation. However, the Maranello team is in talks with several runners and they name themselves Berger. Boutsen and Nannini. The last word is up to Enzo Ferrari who in all probability, will unveil his plans before the Italian Grand Prix. Even for Formula 1 t's worth that old proverb that says:
"Don't sell the bear's skin if you don't have it in your bag".
And those who thought that Prost and McLaren were almost out of the game in the fight for the World Championship were very wrong. In a single shot, even lucky, the Frenchman relaunched himself in the standings with a victory in the Austrian Grand Prix, taking advantage of the simultaneous retirement of his direct rivals. Perhaps if Williams hadn't experienced the most crooked day since the start of the season (Piquet and Mansell retired due to mechanical failures), we wouldn't be here to make these considerations now. But this shows that anything is possible and that French is one of the biggest candidates for the title. In truth, it was never thought that Prost was in crisis. Instead, it was believed that it was McLaren that was going through a period of fogging. The difficulties with gasoline consumption (and the consequent mockery of Brands Hatch), the doubts about the choice of the engine for the coming seasons (Tag-Porsche or Renault?) After the great rejection of Honda, the probable, indeed almost certain, passage of the designer John Barnard to Ferrari, had aroused some perplexity about the present and the future of the English team that won the last two championships. But Ron Dennis, a shareholder alongside McLaren's Arab businessman Mansour Ojjeh, never had any doubts. A former mechanic, thirty-eight years old, with a gorgeous blonde American wife, the English manager is convinced that he can stay at the top for a long time to come.
"The team needs to be stronger than individuals. It's the method that matters, not the people. All useful, but none indispensable, not even me. In the role of team manager, however, I have to think about the future, analyze all the proposals, and keep in touch. I'm not worried: we can offer the best places in Formula 1 to technicians and drivers. If someone leaves it's because they're looking for new challenges and motivations, not because they feel bad with us".
However, it is said that John Barnard wanted to leave McLaren, regardless of Ferrari's possible offers...
"It may be that the reasons have failed. If he wants to stay, there are no problems. On a technical level, he has always had maximum freedom. I must point out that he is a great conservative as a designer. But maybe in his heart this year he was already looking for some new stimulus".
No one has ever won three consecutive titles. Do you think you can achieve this goal?
"Why not? But I don't believe in luck, we have to look for it ourselves. For this reason, we will maintain maximum concentration, while I will work for the next championships. We will continue to be competitive, we will try to find the best on a technical and human level. In short, we will talk to everyone. We need to prevent the timing, any new regulations, and understand what it will take in 1990 and beyond to win".
A McLaren therefore not at all in trouble, also regenerated by Prost's victory. According to Ron Dennis, the divorce from Barnard will not be traumatic. On the other hand, the situation at Ferrari is different. The placements of Alboreto and Johansson must not be misleading. In the race, the F1-86 could almost always have obtained decent results. But the real competitiveness, the one it takes to win, is not there yet. The potential is not lacking, nor is the means. It is just a matter of putting together a mosaic that is difficult to compose, in which we will have to see how John Barnard can be inserted. In the meantime, we must think about the Italian Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, September 7, 1986. There are eighteen days to find something, to look for optimal solutions. Will there be any important news? We'll see. For the moment, let's get ready to witness the great challenge between Mansell, Prost and Piquet, with Senna and Rosberg in the role of party poopers. At Ferrari the task of trying to change this easy prediction.