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In Formula 1, the drivers’ market keeps on drawing attention. Once concluded, or almost, the discussion concerning Williams and Lotus, equipped with Honda engines (with the former team still waiting for an answer from Nigel Mansell, who asked for two weeks to decide), the market remains wide open for Ferrari, McLaren, Brabham, and Benetton, just to mention the most renowned teams. The battle, because this is precisely a battle, is nevertheless more competitive between the team from Maranello and the British counterpart which, incidentally, Keke Rosberg will be leaving at the end of the season. To tell the truth, while Ferrari has long been in crisis, it is evident that McLaren is going through a very tough time politically speaking, after two successful seasons that led to the team winning two consecutive World Championships. For Ron Dennis and Mansour Ojjeh’s team, the core of the problem lies in the engine. The reputed Tag-Porsche engine, which was one of the winning weapons during the 1984 and 1985 seasons, causes an issue of considerable importance. German Porsche developers, who built the engine thanks to Tag’s financing, ask for further funding to pursue the work. Lately, the relationship between the two companies has not been ideal: they shifted merits back and forth, not without resentment. Now that the six-cylinder no longer seems competitive due to consumption, both sides hesitate to continue the partnership. If an immediate solution is not found, McLaren runs the risk of finding itself without an engine and having to settle for Renault. Once the opportunity with Lotus was missed, the French company made interesting offers to the other British team. Without Porsche, both the designer John Barnard and Alain Prost might accept the offers presented by Ferrari. Ferrari, which is mediocre as regards chassis and aerodynamics, but always at the top engine-wise. The team from Maranello is producing a new engine that will certainly be at the forefront and, moreover, thanks to the effective commitment of Magneti Marelli, does not seem to present many problems in terms of fuel consumption. Disappointed by the recent performance, Alain Prost is looking for a remedy. He tried with Honda, going to Tokyo together with Ron Dennis, and possibly came forward to join Williams as Keke Rosberg’s replacement. Therefore, it is not precluded that he could also accept potential offers by Ferrari. Nevertheless, the core of the matter depends on John Barnard: if the technician goes to Maranello, the World Champion will have the opportunity to terminate the contract that ties him to McLaren, precisely bound by the presence of the designer.
Negotiations are very tough because it is also necessary to consider the presence of the sponsor that partners with both teams and especially the British team, where it plays a fundamental role, though simultaneously contributing to the Ferrari driver's salary. If a deal is reached, actions will be taken, otherwise solutions will differ. Either way, it will be probably necessary to wait until the end of August. In the meantime, on August 1st, 1986, the engineer Enzo Ferrari, when questioned on some newspaper reports about an expense of 20.000.000 dollars for the hiring of the British technician John Barnard, defines this figure as totally invented and unfounded. Ferrari does not exclude that the concomitant disclosure of such figures on various media outlets might be another solicitous attempt at compromising the follow-up of ongoing contacts. During this summer, particularly turbulent for Formula 1, not a day passes by without news being published, more or less reliable, more or less intriguing. Enzo Ferrari’s denial, which is the outcome of a series of conjectures published in newspapers, deserves some credit. Firstly, it officially acknowledges negotiations with McLaren's designer, John Barnard. Secondly: it suggests that talks with the British technician are not done yet, either one way (positive), or another (negative). The Modena-born constructor cares to point out that the negotiations with Barnard do not correspond to the terms that someone decided to reveal. According to the previously mentioned conjectures, the transaction cost would be around 20.000.000 dollars: 7.000.000 dollars for John Barnard (although for three years…), the remainder to build a technical facility in England, comprised of about forty people to design the cars, with structures, computers, and means of various kinds. It appears that these millions have become sort of a trifle. However, one gets the impression that the main problem is another. John Barnard might have asked to own a stake in the team of Maranello. Unacceptable request for different reasons. The alternatives might be Michel Tetu (Ligier) or Rory Byrne (Benetton). Nevertheless, it is difficult to take them away from the corresponding teams. Alan Jenkins was also mentioned, former number two at McLaren, currently in the United States committed to Penske. Ferrari seems to be nonetheless already full of number twos. What is left to do, then?
If John Barnard is too expensive, it remains only the easiest solution: finding a gifted technician, perhaps not necessarily a designer, but rather a sports technical director (i.e., a manager) in the fullest sense of the terms, able to bring together the available forces, which are not few. In this case, Enzo Ferrari should certainly make a big sacrifice: leave total freedom to this figure, trust him to do the job, with deadlines to meet, and programs to be undertaken. For better or for worse, the team from Maranello does not lack the means and men of value. But now back to the Formula 1 World Championship, since for the first time in the history of modern Formula 1, the great Circus of motorsports arrives in an eastern European country. On Sunday, August 10th, 1986, the Hungarian Grand Prix will indeed take place, the eleventh race of the World Championship. The expectations for this race are high, for many reasons. Regarding the competition, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, and Nelson Piquet are in pursuit of the leader of the standings, Nigel Mansell. As for entertainment, the change is particularly significant. A new market opens, a first step towards an advancement that might involve, in the upcoming years, also street races in Moscow, China, and Malaysia, and that will definitely see the return of Japan, given the effort put by major car companies in the field, such as Honda. The new circuit, located twenty kilometres from the centre of Budapest, in a rolling area in the Northeast of the Hungarian capital, was built in record-breaking time. Works went on for approximately six months, and the circuit was designed similar in features, at least on paper, to the one of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. A very curvy track, 4014 meters long, with 19 corners (10 to the right and 9 to the left) with a lane of a minimum width of 10 meters and a maximum of 13. The average possible speed calculated on the lap will be close to 180 km/h. The racetrack can house 130,000 people, of which 32.000 are in the stands with seats. According to official data, the price of Hungaroring - this is the name of the circuit - was 6.000.000 dollars. Why Hungary in Formula 1? It is simple: this ever-expanding sport needs to cover areas where it is gaining increasing popularity.
At the same time, Hungarian executives took the opportunity to generate excellent tourist advertisements, too. Without forgetting that in eastern countries nobody, except for motorsport, enjoys widespread appreciation from the audience. Minor formula races, the European Touring Car Championship, and rallies take place almost everywhere, and it is hard to forget the success achieved by the motorbike circuit of Brno in Czechoslovakia, to where people flocked: even so many as 300.000 spectators. The Hungaroring circuit has been inaugurated for a few weeks now, with a national formula race, with single-seaters powered by Lada engines. On the other hand, for Formula 1, this is a gamble both at the organizational and practical level. It is nevertheless certain that passionate local executives must have done everything in their power for the event to be successful. In the meantime, the Federation stands out for its usual inaccuracy, given that it did not even send a driver to supervise the work done. Being quite slow, and lacking straights, the track should allow an uncertain and hard-fought race, indeed like the one of Jerez, where it will be recalled that Ayrton Senna won with Lotus. Precisely to give drivers the chance to become acquainted with the track, practice sessions will be extended through two hours of free testing from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 7th, 1986. The initiation of the new circuit turns out very well. Spectators are not yet many, but these are only two hours of free practice. The track turns out to be very tough, and safe, but also slow, slightly faster than the Monte-Carlo street circuit. On Sunday, it should guarantee a great show. With Brazil’s worthy hot weather (40 °C), the best lap time, the first official record, could only be set by Ayrton Senna. The Lotus driver sets a time of 1’35"494, at an average speed of 151.323 km/h. A result that might be certainly improved starting from Friday, when the asphalt will be clean and therefore less slippery. Nigel Mansell, Nelson Piquet, the unexpected Lola-Ford of Alan Jones, and Alain Prost follow. Stefan Johansson sets the eighth time, Michele Alboreto the tenth.
"I like the track a lot, it is hard with its 19 turns, though. Here I will be able to compete for victory since it does not pose problems related to fuel consumption".
The other opinions are more or less the same. Nigel Mansell points out that one of the major problems will originate from the stress under which the gearshift is put, given that low gears are the most used. Nelson Piquet is the only lone voice that says:
"Nothing to say about the circuit, really amazing, a commendable achievement. I must make a note, though: the layout was designed with no creativity, too many similar corners, and not a single one fast. It is also very hard to find a spot to overtake. The one starting at the front will have a significant advantage".
Apart from unthinkable surprises, Ferrari drivers won’t be at the front. Circuits change, as time passes by, but not a single improvement can be noticed in the F1-86, despite a significant presence of technicians and specialists in the various sectors. Even though the engine is powerful, it produces horses in an abrupt way, with a very long response time. More than once, Michele Alboreto is obliged to control the corner entry of his single-seater with difficulty, due to it swerving. Technicians and drivers shut themselves in the motorhome at the end of practice. But what is the point of these meetings if the car presents some structural imperfection that it is not possible to erase? Two seconds per lap were there before, and there are still despite all the attempts, including some aerodynamic changes implemented for Budapest. Ferrari better try to remedy the situation around a table, finding replacements in the top ranks. In addition, on Thursday, neither Marco Puccini, sports director of the team from Maranello, nor John Barnard, McLaren’s designer, are present. In Hungary, there is an increasingly persistent rumour: the transfer to Ferrari of Alain Prost’s British technician is given as done. The French had implied that if essential conditions are not fulfilled (a new engine and Barnard’s permanence), he might take a year off in 1987. He has never hidden the desire to form a team of his own and may therefore take this path. Nevertheless, he needs to find suitable financial support. And this is when Ferrari's hypothesis comes into play. Ferrari that on Friday, August 8th, 1986, looks exactly like the horse in its symbol: one of those young horses that seem tame, but then, once sent to the field, jumps and kicks to unsaddle the rider. Thankfully, Michele Alboreto and Stefan Johansson are tightly tied by the belts in the cockpit. The Italian driver goes out from the corners completely sideways, on full opposite lock, as if he was competing in a Rally rather than in Formula 1 qualifying. This describes how Ferrari’s results keep on being disappointing, even in the practice session. Eight place for Michele Alboreto, 3.7 seconds behind the fastest time, and twelfth place for Stefan Johansson, 4.5 seconds behind.
"The car is not unbalanced, but the turbo response time is extremely high. The power comes suddenly and destabilizes the car. There is not a lot that we can do".
As a matter of fact, the search for power in the engine caused an imbalance: flexibility is not there anymore, and being forced to try horsepower at maximum rpm on a track with narrow corners is a tall order. It is also interesting to notice how Ferrari’s technicians, to limit the damage in such a situation, install a rear wing that looks like a closed shutter, a sort of wall that subtracts top speed to provide traction and grip. Nigel Mansell could not care less about Ferrari’s troubles. The British man not only takes provisional pole position in 1’30’’516, at an average speed of 159.645 km/h, but also celebrates his thirty-second birthday. The British driver defeats his teammate, Nelson Piquet, leaving behind Ayrton Senna, Gerhard Berger, Alain Prost, and Alan Jones. With the confirmation of William’s current supremacy, Nelson Piquet must have not appreciated the news that Nigel Mansell will remain for two seasons in his favorite team. The Brazilian was looking forward to a turnaround in the team, which emerged when the British seemed geared towards Ferrari. Far ahead in the World Championship, with the serenity of whom guaranteed himself a roll of pounds for the next two years, Nigel Mansell might secure an important victorious result for the Championship fight. A Grand Prix that allows all 15.000 spectators (do not forget that it is a working day) to experience the first real emotions of Formula 1. With Brazilian-style hot weather (35 °C in the shadow), everybody shirtless and wearing shorts, and sipping bottles of Coke, these Hungarians look like spectators from Misano Adriatico or Imola, almost like at a beach event. Pilots reward people’s participation with a series of thrilling laps on the track, very slippery due to the hot asphalt and the oil left by Huub Rothengatter, who blew the engine of his Zakspeed. Repeating spinning, overtakes, rapid decelerations, and breaking, with blocked tires that finish on the grass. All without damage and issues, given that here it is not possible to drive fast, and the track is very safe.
A big Ferrari flag can be also seen in the middle of a grandstand, which presents itself in full red for the occasion. Nonetheless, small glitches cannot be missing. The promoters, for instance, do not want to let in some operators who arrived late. In any case, a trial stage is necessary for everybody, and the commitment demonstrated is exemplary. On Saturday, the usual program is undertaken, free practice from 10:00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., and then timed laps from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.. Mansell himself is not sure that he will be able to cope with the attacks and predicts that many will improve their performance. Gerhard Berger deserves attention (fourth time, with a broken flat underside due to a run-off of the track), as well as Ayrton Senna, who is certainly not satisfied with his third place. Starting in front will be crucial, therefore there will be more battles. These Williams, though, as opposed to the Ferraris, make progress race after race. Even the McLarens are not remarkable. Alain Prost says that he does not have grip, while Keke Rosberg, after a broken engine, is obliged to run qualifying with the backup car, which is hard to keep on track. Riccardo Patrese drives stoically with a swollen face due to an abscess, Minardi’s turbines continue to blow up, and the Osellas run for a limited time to save the engines. In this regard, nothing changed. Only René Arnoux’s delay presents an explanation: his Liger features a fake damper. Nonetheless, this matter does not count for the first positions. As previously said, it is a day of double happiness for Nigel Mansell, who got a provisional pole position and the certainty of two years in Williams. In the early afternoon, the British team declares that the driver signed a contract that ties him to the team until the end of 1988. All the hypotheses are therefore rejected about a possible transfer of the current Championship leader to Ferrari. The meeting that took place in Maranello with the Modena-based constructor thus only resulted in the approval of the driver’s financial requests from Williams. Nigel Mansell is very pleased with staying where he is after obtaining 1.000.000 pounds per year. While waiting for Enzo Ferrari to speak about Nigel Mansell’s matter, many schemes are operated in the circus. Relevant interests are at stake. As for Ferrari, rumours keep on spreading concerning negotiations with John Barnard, McLaren’s technician. In this regard, it is worth mentioning a secret that Ron Dennis, one of the owners of the British team, revealed to some collaborators.
"I believe that there are many chances that Barnard will leave us. It is not about the money, there are no issues in this respect. Maybe he fooled himself. He would like to lead the team alone and take the political decisions. He is an excellent technician, but I do not think he can assume other roles. I do not know if he is going to Ferrari, but I also have some perplexities in this regard. He was never particularly fond of foreigners, and specifically of Italians. In general, he has little regard for them".
John Barnard’s problem is also linked to the one about Alain Prost, who declared that he has not decided, yet. It won’t be nonetheless easy for the French to terminate the contract with McLaren, even if some circumstances would arise. Ron Dennis says he is not considering a hiatus with the World Champion (who, in this case, should maybe remain unemployed for one year) and shares that among the free options he will search for another top driver to support him. With Alain Prost unavailable, Ferrari might have worked on signing Gerhard Berger, the young Austrian rookie. Maybe the hope is to find another Niki Lauda. As for the engines, there is a 50% possibility that McLaren’s turbines will be supplied by Renault next year. Speaking of engines, BMW disclosed its availability to stay in Formula 1 (earlier this year they announced their retirement at the end of the current year) with Brabham and another team. The reason? Not having to pay a significant fine to Bernie Ecclestone, who, in turn, keeps on having conversations with Ford to also buy a part of shares of Lola with the aim for next year of having two available teams equipped with the American six-cylinder. At this point, Marco Piccini is right about what he has been saying for some time now:
"We will see after the dust settles".
In the meantime, on Saturday, August 9th, 1986, Brazil puts on a show even in the East. Among the many contenders, Ayrton Senna, with his Lotus prepared by Gérard Ducarouge, gets the pole position of the first Hungarian Grand Prix.
Next to him, Nelson Piquet with his Williams-Honda. Senna’s commendable result is meant to stay in the history of Formula 1: the name of the Brazilian is written before anyone else in the Hall of Fame of the fastest drivers of this new racing appointment. It is the thirteenth time that Ayrton Senna finds himself at the top of the starting grid (the sixth in 1986). There is another aspect, though: thanks to this result, Lotus surpasses Ferrari in the special pole positions ranking, going from 1950 to today (104 for the British team, 103 for the Italian counterpart). Ayrton Senna attacked as only he can do when the car supports him (1’29"450, at an average speed of 161.547 km/h), without sparing himself: between Friday and Saturday, he spun five times risking a lot. Nonetheless, he never backed down. This Lotus must anyway be exceptional since allowed a calm driver, such as Johnny Dumfries, to arrive in eighth place. After the practice, Ayrton Senna says:
"It was one of the toughest performances of my career because the track was very slippery. I pushed to the fullest because here is fundamental to start ahead of everyone, given that you can only overtake at the end of the pit straight".
Gérard Ducarouge, happy about the excellent success of his technical lucubration, does not avoid a heated debate about the technical commissioners of FISA. In his view, Williams and McLaren keep on employing strips like sills under the front floorboard of their cars, which are prohibited by the regulations. He certainly wants to dominate, and, in any case, he worries about the race. With Ayrton Senna in pole and Nelson Piquet alongside him, the couple formed by the Brazilian champions is back. Under this sun it was to be expected, with temperatures touching prohibitive levels. Nelson Piquet does not want to make predictions, but he considers that the race will be very tough, both technically and humanly.
"The grip of the cars is decent only when in a perfect trajectory. This means that during possible overtakes it will be required to pass on the dirty side of the track, with the risks that this carries along. Maximum concentration will be necessary, but the danger seems notable for everybody. I predict that many mistakes will occur, and maybe I will make a mistake, too".
Nelson Piquet, still in contention for the World Championship (after all, like Senna and Prost, with the third time), will carry the burden of his teammate, Nigel Mansell. The British man does not stand out as usual due to traffic, but he is really motivated after the renewal of his contract with Williams, and he knows very well that a potential win would constitute a significant step forward in the Championship fight. Media ask Nelson Piquet if he will possibly give a hand to Nigel Mansell. The Brazilian replies:
"I will throw two hands, if necessary…".
No chance of collaborating, then. Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna might take advantage of this family quarrel. There is a possibility also for Keke Rosberg, a specialist in slow circuits, as well as for the Lolas of Patrick Tambey and Alan Jones, whose chassis seems ideal for not-so-fast tracks. Stefan Johansson, the best of the Ferrari drivers, will start in seventh place. Nothing noteworthy, but the result is decent. Michele Alboreto experiences one of his most troubled days, maybe one of the worst of the season, and does not go further than the fifteenth place. The Italian first tries type E soft tires that Ferrari does not manage to dominate, then he endures a pressure drop in the turbines with type B. Alboreto communicates the issue, but he is nevertheless sent back on track. He comes back to the pits and gets out of the car to ask for the backup one afterward. He drives a lap, and a flat tire drops him. The Italian driver, who is rather nervous these days, is surprisingly placid in the end.
"We are experiencing a downturn, but I am used to this by now. I always try to give my best and hope for the future".
The circumstances have not changed, as always. For the Italian colours, this is a period of heavy disappointments in all aspects. And thinking that Formula 1 fans in the East only know one name: Ferrari. Ferrari precisely seems every day closer to a transplant, meaning the integration of new technical forces. The pun is due to the name of the designer John Barnard, the namesake of Chris Barnard, the first doctor who changed the heart of a man. This time, though, it is not about a replacement of a vital organ, like the engine of a car, but it is the search for new brains to resolve the technical crisis of the team from Maranello. The very same Ferrari, through its sports director, Marco Piccinini, confirms that negotiations with John Barnard continue. According to indiscretions that transpire in Budapest on the occasion of the Hungarian Grand Prix, the British designer will deal with the chassis and aerodynamics, as well as exercise the global supervision of the new Formula 1 cars. Moreover, Barnard will have at his disposal a specifically equipped centre in England, with the opportunity of facilitating further developments in the study of the car into production. Barnard might nevertheless work in the technical departments in Fiorano as well. Marco Piccinini, in the mood for confidentialities or rather clarifications, talks about recent events:
"When the engineer Ferrari considers it proper, he will tell a peculiar, yet unedifying backdrop concerning Mansell’s situation".
It is thought that the Modena-based constructor could hold his classic annual press conference before or after the Italian Grand Prix. The occasion might be the presentation of the new wind tunnel, built near the racing department. Media ask Marco Piccinini if he thinks that Ferrari has been exploited for certain ploys in the transfer market. The sports director replies:
"I do not think so. As for Mansell, you already know everything, and I actually believe that there will be other implications. Concerning Ducarouge, we knew very well that he had a contract with Lotus and that there had already been registered letters from the British team… We did not want to interfere. The situation was nevertheless clear. Regarding Senna, we reduced the negotiations also in respect to Alboreto. Michele has sacrificed himself up to now and deserves every kind of support".
What about Prost?
"Apparently, he has a contract with McLaren also for 1987. In any case, we do not have ongoing negotiations with him".
This does not mean that negotiations have never started before and that there won’t be any in the future. In the circus, talks continue regarding a possible Prost-Alboreto swap, between Ferrari and McLaren. Will the current crisis be irreversible all season long, though?
"We plan not to end the Championship without results of a certain level. Envisioning the future does not mean giving up the present".
This means that Ferrari might shortly present some technical innovation in the hope of turning the situation around. Marco Piccinini concludes by revealing that he is negotiating with FISA president, Jean-Marie Balestre, to find interesting regulations also valid for the following years and that Ferrari is behind regarding the programs in Formula Indy. However, for now, Formula 1 is at the core of the Maranello team’s efforts. Moreover, the sports director implies that once the restoration work will be done, he might even quit, meaning leaving the office. For now, though, all the negotiations, and not only the present but also the whole of Ferrari’s future, are in his hands. Hands that until now, that is since 1979, when Jody Scheckter won the last Formula 1 World Championship, did not manage to achieve much success. In the meantime, the first race of the Formula 1 World Championship in the East inspired genuine enthusiasm among all sports environments. On Sunday, Soviet executives will be sitting in the grandstand for the Hungarian Grand Prix, together with the Hungarian ones and others from Countries behind the Iron Curtain. On Saturday, 60.000 people attended practice sessions, and 140.000 are expected for the race. For this occasion, past Championships were rewatched, driven by Stirling Moss.
On Sunday, on behalf of Chirac, French parachutists will fall on the circuit while carrying along the French flag with Paris’s candidacy for the 1992 Olympic Games. A sort of ultimate twinning. Also concerning TV broadcasting, records are expected. 42 Nations asked for live broadcasting, among which URSS, which so far only allowed Formula 1 short comments about the Monaco Grand Prix. According to approximate assessments, around a hundred million fans, between old and new, will watch the race in front of the TV. For the sport, it will be a day of celebration anyway. Once again (and now it is the turn of Formula 1, of motorsport, a passion that bonds communities), there will be a demonstration that certain barriers, differences, and conflicts can be overcome thanks to not only common interests but also goodwill. On Sunday, August 10th, 1986, the Hungarian Grand Prix kicks off: at the start, Nigel Mansell is the fastest and inserts himself between Alain Prost and Nelson Piquet, taking away the second place to his teammate, positioning himself behind Ayrton Senna. Even Patrick Tambay is the author of a good start and earns fourth place, followed by Alan Jones and Alain Prost. While Ayrton Senna starts his third lap, with an advantage of two seconds over his chasers, Nelson Piquet overtakes Nigel Mansell and earns second place. In the meantime, Allen Berg stops during the first lap due to problems with the turbo of the Alfa Romeo’s engine of his Osella, whereas Huub Rothengatter stops during the second lap with a broken oil radiator. Over the course of the fifth lap, Nelson Piquet gradually closes the gap to Nigel Mansell, while Alain Prost tries to overtake Patrick Tambay’s Haas Lola, and Nigel Mansell distances himself little by little. Meanwhile, Riccardo Patrese loses control of his car, which ends his race against a barrier. In the same lap, Andrea de Cesaris stops due to the breaking of the Motori Moderni engine of his Minardi. Patrick Tambey is the protagonist of a spin afterward. The French driver yet manages to take back control of his car and rejoins the race in seventh place. Alain Prost, Alan Jones, and Keke Rosberg take the opportunity to pass him. During the seventh lap, Christian Danner goes back to the pits and retires, since his Arrows A9 encountered suspension problems. Nelson Piquet keeps on getting closer to Ayrton Senna. Given that there is only one spot where the overtake is possible, the Brazilian driver starts to consider how to overtake the compatriot.
During the twelfth lap, after going into the straight together, Nelson Piquet overtakes Ayrton Senna. In the following laps, Alain Prost closes the gap to Ayrton Senna, as well. After being overtaken, the Lotus of the Brazilian driver starts to slow down noticeably. Nevertheless, the chase of the French driver ends when, over the course of the seventeenth lap, he is obliged to go back to the pits due to an electric issue. Unfortunately, at the same time, also Keke Rosberg goes back to the pits to change tires. Therefore, the Finnish driver, who is obliged to wait for the stopping place to be free, compromises his race. Once back on track, at the end of the group, Alain Prost must retire due to a broken suspension of his McLaren during lap 23. The French driver ends his race with his single-seater in the gravel. The classification order remains essentially the same for the next 10 laps or so until Nelson Piquet returns to the pits to change tires. In this phase of the race, Ayrton Senna increases the pace, trying to extend his advantage before his turn to pit. During lap 34, a suspension malfunction occurs also in Keke Rosberg’s McLaren, and the Finnish driver is required to pit. In the meantime, Ayrton Senna increases his advantage on Nelson Piquet to 30 seconds before pitting one last time on lap 40. When changing tires, a delay in fitting one of the rear ones costs the Brazilian driver of Lotus a few seconds. Nonetheless, Ayrton Senna goes back on track in the first place, with an advantage of approximately 7.5 seconds on Nelson Piquet, who, in turn, precedes his teammate, Nigel Mansell, by around 45 seconds. Over the course of lap 44, Gerhard Berger must retire due to a gearbox problem. This allows Johnny Dumfries and Martin Brundle to move up to fifth and sixth place, respectively. After lapping Nigel Mansell in the following laps, Ayrton Senna starts to slow down to maintain the first position and not run out of fuel. Nevertheless, in the meantime, Nelson Piquet starts increasing his pace and closing the gap to Ayrton Senna of about one second per lap. At the end of lap 54, at the end of the main straight, Nelson Piquet tries to overtake Ayrton Senna on the inside and passes him, only to lose the position under braking right after due to the car sliding towards the outside of the corner. He does not give up. To recover the delay to his compatriot, Nelson Piquet takes advantage of all the speed of his Williams in the next two laps. During lap 56, on the outside of the first corner, he catches Ayrton Senna by surprise.
By breaking late, Williams's Brazilian driver manages to move up to first place with a move worthy of someone who knows what he is doing. Over the course of the last laps, Nelson Piquet’s car gradually starts losing grip and Ayrton Senna powerfully closes the gap once again. Nonetheless, he could not make up enough ground, finishing the race 17.6 seconds behind the leader. The race, in the meantime, reaches the 2 hours limit one lap before the full distance, ending after 76 laps. Nelson Piquet, therefore, wins the first Hungarian Grand Prix, followed by Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell. Stefan Johansson is fourth, followed by Johnny Dumfries and Martin Brundle. The name that inaugurates the Hall of Fame of the Hungarian Grand Prix is thus the one of Nelson Piquet. First in front of 200.000 spectators after an exhaustingly long race driven under a scorching sun. William’s driver is awarded the eleventh race of the World Championship under unusual circumstances. He showed a character that some people doubted. Unquestionably assisted by a car that is currently superior to all the contenders, the two-time World Champion showed world-class skills, took great risks, played it smart, and, in the end, with certain treachery, fooled his direct rival in this race: Ayrton Senna. What matters is nevertheless the result. Nelson Piquet had to win to recover in the standings, and he did it, even with a sleight of hand toward his teammate, Nigel Mansell, something that will be described separately. Now the fight for the World Championship is extremely open, even if logic tells us that it is a family matter, that of Williams. Nigel Mansell, still the leader of the World Championship, is seven points ahead of Ayrton Senna, only eight ahead of Nelson Piquet (who recovered ten points in two races at his expense), and eleven ahead of Alain Prost. With five races still to go, everything is possible, also because the calculation of discarded points will start soon, given that it is only possible to sum eleven results out of the sixteen races of the Championship. In this regard, Nigel Mansell is disadvantaged, since he can already count on nine placements in the points under his belt, versus Nelson Piquet’s seven. The British man has four wins, the Brazilian three, but Nelson’s quality of his other results is better. The race, which aroused the enthusiasm of the huge and impressive present crowd, was only experienced through the lens of the battle between the two Brazilians.
With McLarens almost instantly out, Nigel Mansell slower right behind the rivals, Ferrari recovering but unlucky, the show depended on precisely Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet, as well as on pit-stops to change tiers, which made the course of the race more uncertain. The Lotus number 12 kept the lead from the first until the eleventh lap, then Williams number 6 took the first place until lap 35. Then, it was Ayrton Senna’s turn to keep the show going until lap 56. The peak of the show happened exactly at this moment, the one of the overtake between the two. Nelson Piquet, after pitting for new tires, went back on track with a disadvantage of 22 seconds. Under these circumstances, Ayrton Senna started to increase his pace to get a significant advantage. In fact, when he had to change tires, he managed to stay ahead, with a margin of 7.6 seconds. Nelson Piquet studied the situation, brought the tires to the right temperature and maximum performance, and then attacked. The only spot to overtake with some certainty was the straight in front of the pits. It is right in that spot that Nelson Piquet tried to overtake. The first time, properly, on the inside. Ayrton Senna squeezed him to the right, Nelson Piquet managed to pass the Lotus, but a long braking distance made the tires almost block and caused a subtle light blue smoke while the car swerved and moved to the left. Ayrton Senna, in all his expertise, adjusted the trajectory and moved back on the inside, overtaking the rival. On the next lap, similar scene. This time, though, Nelson Piquet gambled: he moved on the outside (while Ayrton Senna once again squeezed him toward the grass), and instead of keeping the pace of the leader and getting back inside, he continued driving with the car transversal and oversteering, with smoking tires, yet showing an astounding control that left him in front of his opponent. Ayrton Senna tried to recover, but it was evident how, after closing the gap to the Williams in the corners, he was unavoidably left behind in the straights. There was nothing that he could do, also due to the early end (as per regulations, after two hours of racing) with 76 laps done, one less compared to the plan. Nigel Mansell got a respectable third place, battling with a combative Stefan Johansson, Johnny Dumfries, and Martin Brundle. On the other hand, Riccardo Patrese and Michele Alboreto were in the pits for quite some time: the former slipped in the dirty area of the track, while the latter, maybe too surprised of being among the first positions, got carried away by the exaggerated heat of overtaking Derek Warwick only to later rear-end him and therefore retire losing a good chance.
It could have been even worse: Andrea De Cesaris and Alessandro Nannini do not manage to finish a race, the Osellas struggle due to lack of means, and the Benettons were betrayed by reliability issues. All things considered, this is a moment where to win, it is mandatory to have a Williams. Nelson Piquet obtained his sixteenth success. The one who may also give him the third World Title, to even the record with Niki Lauda, Jackie Stewart, and Jack Brabham. Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna, and Nigel Mansell do not like each other, three contenders for the World Title. On the podium, the three drivers do not exchange a word and when uncorking the traditional champagne bottles, they only spray toward the crowd without even exchanging a drop. During the press conference, William’s Brazilian driver does not refrain from heavily criticizing his compatriot.
"Senna squeezed me on the inside two or three times in an unfair way. He is a bastard. When I passed him, though, I managed to fool him. He did not expect me to come from the outside. That was probably the most difficult, yet most amazing overtake of my life".
Someone compares the overtake to the ones that Gilles Villeneuve did. And Nelson Piquet replies:
"Sometimes, these are things that I can do, too".
Then he talks about the race:
"It was very tough. You could not leave the trajectory, there was always the risk of going off track. When I had to overtake, I lost many seconds. Mansell beat me as soon as we took off from the starting places. But I deliberately did not give up: it was too dangerous during the first lap. I let him go".
Nelson did not want to reveal the reason why his car was so much superior compared to the one of his teammate. But a technician of Williams solves the mystery:
"I think that it was one of Piquet’s usual moments of shrewdness. In the morning, he went slow on purpose just to make Mansell believe that his car had a better setup. Consequently, Nigel did not change anything while Nelson pushed to the limit, showing that he could be faster".
The Brazilian indeed admits that he does not give advice to Nigel Mansell anymore. Then he continues:
"It was meant to be a double pit stop strategy. I nevertheless decided to stop only once, since it was not necessary to change tires again. I did not use all the power of the engine. And then on this track, it was not a matter of engine. My most dangerous rival remains Mansell, given that he has my very same car. Today I am really happy because every win is a joy. But I am already focused on next Sunday, on Zeltweg circuit, which is one of my favourites with its fast corners. I can win again…".
Nigel Mansell seems quite annoyed. He came to terms with the fact of having made a misjudgement and looks at Williams for the reasons why his car was slower.
"I had no grip, I stopped twice to change tires in vain. After a few laps, it was like nothing had changed, a disaster. Now, even if I am still leading the standings, everything becomes much tougher".
Ayrton Senna shares just a few words:
"I lost, not for my fault, this was a race I could have won. The engine of my Lotus is not as powerful as the Honda engine of the Williams. I also had to use an old propeller, given that the new one gave me problems in the morning. Piquet on the straight was much faster. He risked a lot to pass me, but I think it was a fair battle. I just tried to defend my position, and I do not think that I impeded him beyond what is proper. In the end, I tried to recover, but the overheated tires did not help me to push to the fullest. Then I gave up not to compromise everything".
It is a dark day for McLaren and decent for Ferrari, which got fourth place with Stefan Johansson. During dry spells, positioning is better than nothing. Nonetheless, for the British team, which still aims at winning the World Championship with Alain Prost, it was a debacle. The French man was stopped by the damage to the junction box, while Keke Rosberg was required to retire due to the break of a damper. After the race, Alain Prost says:
"To think that, in theory, I had to count on a first-place car. Things went well, I was recovering on Senna and Piquet, after passing Mansell. Then misfortune came. The engine started to go wrong. I pitted to change the control unit, but it was useless. A lap after I stopped".
The French man also clashed during the overtake on René Arnoux. But he did not want to confirm the event.
"I run over a dog that was in the middle of the track, much slower than the McLarens. It died right away; I finished my race shortly after. What a pity, I relied on collecting precious points. Now I am required to catch up with three contenders. We are facing an uphill struggle, and we are quite discouraged on many levels".
After his forced stop, Michele Alboreto does not hide a gesture of anger. For once that the race was going quite well, he was betrayed by a foolish act. He basically rear-ended Derek Warwick, who was much slower, trying to overtake the Brabham in a spot of the circuit where it was almost impossible to do so.
"It was a stupid accident; I do not think that the responsibility is to pin on me or the British man. These are racing accidents".
On the other hand, Stefan Johansson is quite satisfied with getting the third profitable result of the season after Imola and Spa. The Swedish man had to undergo the treatment of his masseur because his right arm hurt after all the effort.
"Unfortunately, I chose tires that did not work well. I went back to the pits two times to change them. I had four type B tires, and, at the start, I had no grip. Therefore, during the second pit stop, I asked for type C for the front tires and the car became drivable, much more balanced. In the end, I had to slow down: the front tires presented degradation. It was a shame because I could have maybe taken away the third place from Mansell, who was struggling. Now we go to Zeltweg. The fact that we went well here does not mean anything. In Austria, we should find a better setup, otherwise, the oversteering that we usually denounce will slow us down again. Then there is a problem concerning the response time of the engine. After all, this was a positive day, but we still must make progress, since I crossed the finish line one lap later".
Marco Piccinini, sports director of Ferrari, makes a short speech in front of the media:
"We cherish this result, even though it is not enough to please our hunger. But as you know we are working also, and above all, for the future. I cannot reveal anything because otherwise Enzo Ferrari would be left with nothing to say when the time comes".
The analysis concerning the Italian colours keeps on being anyway negative, apart from Ferrari. Not a single Italian driver managed to finish the race. New races are always the best, the most interesting. But nobody expected such a success: 200.000 spectators for the first Hungarian Grand Prix, and proceeds are over 4.500.000 dollars. A true record even for Formula 1. For the organizers, has been a triumph, too. If it is estimated that a minimum of 40.000 tourists attended on different days (at least 25.000 were Italians…), and 500 dollars was the average expense per person, the total amount of income is over 20.000.000 in hard currency. For what concerns the economy, Formula 1 capitalism gave significant help to the socialist hosting country. In exchange, it counted on a great show and big advertising. Enjoying the presence in the stands of prime minister Lazar and the representatives of manufacturing, commerce, transport, and foreign policies, the circuit proved itself worthy of the event. The track showed some limitations in terms of overtakes (it could be probably modified, faster, and more suited for aerodynamics), but it offered a great show. Sports directors did not make any mistakes, except for a prolonged hesitation regarding the run-off of Riccardo Patrese. The organization was perfect in every detail, with a press room that worked wonderfully. So, nothing to envy to those who have much more experience. The passion and effort put in always pay off. The experiment, therefore, succeeded very well and the investments made it beyond expectations. A Soviet delegation was present, too. Some executives arrived at the circuit escorted by the police, but in a car that presented an Italian sponsor. Maybe they cared more about doing good business, rather than watching the race itself. But who knows, success may have convinced them to seriously think about the Moscow Grand Prix, about which until now it is all just talk. Official financial reports will anyway be issued in a few days. It is nonetheless certain that the extension toward eastern countries and especially to Hungary was a great deal, even for Formula 1. Market outlooks that now appear represent a revitalization in a moment that could have even been considered of crisis, or at least of stasis, in some worn-out sectors. There is a matter that requires attention, though. Formula 1 still lacks Ferrari. If the team from Maranello is not among the protagonists, races are less pleasant and zingy. It is not without reason that a group of Ferrari fans hung in front of the boxes a very wide stripe that said:
"Come on Ferrari do not die out; we still have a lot of things to say".
On Monday, August 11th, 1986, the echoes of the success obtained by the Hungarian Grand Prix take up a lot of space in the Budapest newspapers.
"A triumphant day, an incredible race".
Here is a summary of all the headlines and comments related to the first Formula 1 race in the East. The setting in which the eleventh race of the World Championship took place was indeed extraordinary. There was a lot of enthusiasm and an incredible audience: 200.000 people stood on the sidelines of the circuit. And it is almost miraculous that in the evening, with only one street available to go back to the city, no traffic jams occurred, even though it is quite common to experience them during other events. Apart from these matters that reward an initiative that turned out well, together with the opening of a new market for motorsport, it is necessary to underline that the race itself raised both important insights of interest and malicious controversy. The indisputable protagonist was Nelson Piquet, winner of the race, now fighting again for the Championship. The Brazilian man showed another side of his talent, the most hidden until now: courage. Then, he took everyone by surprise by explaining how he beat his teammate, Nigel Mansell, only to finally draw no little criticism for the hardness and the evilness with which he reprimanded the behaviour of his compatriot, Ayrton Senna.
Everyone knew that Piquet is a highly sensitive driver, expert, and perfect tester. But Nelson was up until now judged as one of those drivers who do not like a scuffle, someone who prefers escaping on his own and leading the race without engaging in risky battles. Like Lauda, not Villeneuve. This time though, Williams’s South American driver proved otherwise, with an overtake on the rival worthy of the manuals and thrilling, a rival who is universally considered the toughest to overtake, meaning Ayrton Senna.
"I took him by surprise by passing on the outside while he was waiting for another attack on the inside of the corner. As it had happened during the previous lap when he was squeezing me and almost making me run off the track. Senna also impeded me the second time, moving toward the center of the track. But I had considered everything, and I stayed ahead of him while oversteering. So, you had the chance to witness that there are no unbeatable prodigies in Formula 1".
After saddling Senna with a nickname that referred to the dubious identity of his father (demonstrating how harsh their rivalry is, to the point of hating each other), Nelson Piquet then taught a lesson to Nigel Mansell.
"I do not offer him technical advice anymore; therefore, we can see how he manages to set up his car for the race".
What happened exactly? There were talks about an aerodynamic change that Nelson Piquet asked unbeknownst to Nigel Mansell. The slyness was more subtle, though: during the morning, Nelson carried out some tests with a certain degree of regulation of the differential split, driving rather slowly. Since the British man drove faster with another setup, he thought that it was the winning one. Instead, Nelson Piquet studied another solution for the car, more balanced as it could be seen during the race. In any case, now Nigel Mansell is warned: for the next races he knows that he will have to sort things out on his own.
"Now onto Zeltweg, one of my favorite circuits, with long fast corners. Next Sunday, I count on taking a step forward toward the win of the third World Title, even though the fight is very open since Mansell has my very same car".
It is required to notice how the Brazilian man, after a short period of difficulty, is one more time going through a phase of great shape. On the other hand, speaking of John Barnard and his possible arrival at Maranello, the day after the Hungarian Grand Prix Niki Lauda says:
"He is the right man for Ferrari. In a few months he will be able to solve the technical problems of Maranello. A competent designer, committed, hands-on. And I do not even think that there will be difficulties in terms of acclimatisation: the team needs to leave behind the moment of crisis in which it finds itself, and it will be right to agree to certain working methods. For what concerns him, since he is a smart person, he will try to adapt to the Italian mentality, too".
This is a distinguished opinion, given that Lauda, apart from talent, class, and experience, worked with both Ferrari and McLaren and therefore knows very well the teams and especially John Barnard. But who is really John Barnard? He was born in Wembley, is 38 years old, married with two kids. He is not the kind of engineer that exists in Italy, meaning that he studied at university (mechanical engineering) for four years to get what in England is known as a diploma. For the proper graduation, two more years are required. After working, at first, in a lightbulbs factory, John Barnard, still very young, started dealing with racing cars. He worked as an assistant in Lola and McLaren. In 1979, he designed a revolutionary Formula Indy single-seater for Chaparral in the United States. Nevertheless, Barnard kept on living in London and when he arrived in the United States for the press conference dedicated to the presentation of the car, he heard the owner of the team claiming the success of the creation. The technician did not like this attitude. He immediately left the team and went to McLaren once again, but as a minor partner and chief designer. To him, it is owed the debut, in 1982, of the by now famous MP4, the first carbon-fiber car, equipped with Tag-Porsche turbo engine. The MP4 had to win two World Championships with Lauda and Alain Prost. John Barnard is a perfectionist. In his cars, everything must be realized with extreme precision, in every single detail.
Moreover, he has a remarkable experience for what concerns the use of peculiar materials, in the aerodynamics and in suspension work. He also patented some exclusive solutions regarding gearbox and suspensions. All in all, Barnard is a competent figure, supposedly able to bring together Ferrari forces. Apart from these positive observations, it is necessary to underline that Barnard-deal, if it will be really closed as it seems now certain, it will be very expensive economically speaking. And there is no guarantee that it is the absolute weapon to defeat all competitors. This is an attempt, too. And maybe, it would have not been necessary if Ferrari did not fall asleep over the past few years, resting on the glories of the past, without renovating itself. To conclude, the news comes of Didier Pironi potentially coming back at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, on Tuesday, August 12th, 1986, on the track of Le Castellet, in France, to carry out the first tests of the new Jolly Club Ars single-seater, with Motori Moderni engine. The official driver of Scuderia Ars is Ivan Capelli, but since he is involved in a competition in Japan on Sunday, he will not be able to drive, so Didier Pironi accepted the offer to take his seat. It will his first time driving a Formula 1 car after the serious accident that took place during the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, on Saturday, August 7th, 1982, with Ferrari. The Ars will have its debut in Monza.