Betrayed by the wet track, struggling with a McLaren that was not perfect for the first time this season, double World Champion Alain Prost made a drastic decision at Silverstone: he abandoned the British Grand Prix on lap 31 while was now in sixteenth position. And while his teammate, Ayrton Senna, went on to win his fourth race of the season, bringing the gap in the World Championship standings to just six points, the Frenchman quickly returned home. Convinced of finding understanding for an attitude that he considered largely justified.
"There was no possibility of recovering, as the weather conditions were prohibitive. We ran at an average of two hundred kilometers per hour without seeing anything at all. In the first positions it was different, at most the difficulties came in the dubbing. But I was herded into a group of wild competitors who didn't think they could attack a McLaren. They made me all colors. So I asked myself: is it worth risking getting hurt and compromising everything? The answer was no. And then I retired. If the car had been competitive it wouldn't have happened. But I had no chance of finishing in the top three. And I honestly don't need pennies. The title this year is won with victories, at most with the podium".
A detailed explanation and all in all also convincing. Yet Prost, who holds the record for successes in Formula 1 (32 against 27 of Jackie Stewart who is the closest in this special ranking), found right at home after the rain at Silverstone a deluge of criticism. The French press, in the large majority, attacked him, calling him scary. Comparisons with Niki Lauda, who did not race in Japan in 1976 in similar conditions, giving up fighting for the world title, accusations of being in decline, of being gentrified and close to retirement. Alain Prost was enraged by these criticisms which he defined as absurd, profoundly unfair.
"Perhaps they want a rider to commit suicide to show that he is brave, that he is not afraid of anything. Do they want me to take unnecessary risks? I'm not a tumbler. I'm a professional, I like racing and above all I manage with my brain as I always have and not with that of others. They say that I have lost the world title, that Senna has now taken over, that he has a psychological advantage. I answer: there are still eight races to go and the Brazilian will find plenty of time. He's not used to fighting for the world championship and doesn't know what it means to get to the last round without a decision having been made yet. He will notice. In all this, however, Senna was very correct, the mutual esteem that binds us will allow us not to get involved in discussion situations at the bar. We will fight until the end and I think I will have a good chance to win my third title".
Alain Prost is therefore determined. And he will have the opportunity to demonstrate the validity of his theses at Hockenheim, in the German Grand Prix. If the Brazilian manages to beat him for the fifth time, the season will go uphill for the Frenchman. Thus begins a long and difficult weekend for Alain Prost. With the first qualifying round of the German Grand Prix, ninth round of the Formula 1 World Championship. The French driver will have to begin to respond to the criticisms that have invested him after his voluntary withdrawal from Silverstone. The two-times World Champion refuses to undergo an exam. He says:
"I'm leading the standings, I've won four races and I have a good chance of aiming for a third title. I don't see why I should be under this kind of pressure, as if everything depended on just one race".
But Alain Prost knows very well that the situation is not exactly in these terms. What he claims is all true: you can't expect a rider who has won 32 races and who is considered one of the best of all time to start over just because on one occasion he preferred not to take risks. At the same time, however, the McLaren driver should realize that a further defeat, another step forward by his teammate and rival Ayrton Senna, would lead him to face the rest of the season in negative psychological conditions.
So here is the reason to dominate the German Grand Prix, Prost's probable recovery and the Brazilian's attempt to inflict another blow on the Frenchman to demolish him morally and steal other points from him. Apart from that, apart from the obvious and predictable dominance of McLaren, one wonders what Ferrari will do. The script won't be much different from the English one. Michele Alboreto says:
"We can put a car in the front row. but the race will be something else because this track, for fuel consumption, is even tougher than that of Silverstone".
In the Maranello team, no one speaks out in this regard. Something on a technical level has been done, but it is not yet known with what results. There is also much talk in the environment about Michele Alboreto's future. The Italian driver has now been placed in practically all the places still available: from Scuderia Italia (where the designer Gerard Ducarouge could land) to the usual Tyrrell, up to Lotus and Minardi.
"In reality there is still nothing done. Honestly I haven't moved yet. I look forward to finding the solution".
In Maranello, meanwhile, work is being done on the new car with a naturally aspirated engine. Thursday 21 July 1988 the single-seater designed by John Barnard takes to the track at Fiorano (driven by test driver Benassi, as Roberto Moreno is still busy with Formula 3000). They are always functional tests: you have to see how some details behave. However, the rumor is circulating that a demanding task awaits the technicians: the changes to be made will be soft and deep. In short, it will almost be necessary to build another car. The presentation of Barnard's new single-seater, made only by photography, aroused a lot of interest. On Friday 22 July 1988 the old car with a turbo engine will try to conquer the pole position of the German Grand Prix, but there is much talk of next year, that of redemption, that the Maranello team will seek in the World Championship with a new set-up both it concerns the team on a technical level both as regards the drivers who will be, as we know, Gerhard Berger and Nigel Mansell. In Germany: there is also talk of Enzo Ferrari. On Wednesday and Thursday some Italian newspapers published alarming news on the health conditions of the ninety-year-old builder from Modena. Marco Piccinini, sporting director of the team, takes stock of the situation:
"I have read alarming articles. It's true that Ferrari hasn't been well for some time, but his conditions aren't as worrying as they say. They're sensitive to a whole bunch of things, but that's nothing new. The engineer is perfectly lucid, he follows the team and hopes that we will soon give him some satisfaction".
In short, Enzo Ferrari is a 90-year-old man and his health has ups and downs due to kidney problems. But it's not in danger. While on Friday 22 July 1988 Scuderia Ferrari sadly returned to the ranks. After the pole position conquered on the Silverstone circuit, the Maranello team found in Germany a McLaren that was inexorable even in qualifying. And after all, it was expected: the German track with its slow and winding Motodrom, a sort of car stadium, is not suited to the characteristics of the cars from Maranello, even if it is a track with very high averages. So we find ourselves with the usual refrain: Ayrton Senna first, Alain Prost second, Gerhard Berger third, Michele Alboreto fourth. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a battle, at least between the two English team mates. On the contrary. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost literally slaughter each other to the sound of hundredths of a second. First the Brazilian goes on the attack, overtaking the French by about thirty thousandths of a second, then Alain Prost takes the lead by a hair's breadth, then Ayrton Senna moves to the top of the standings with an exceptional time of 1'44"586, at an average of 233.940 km/h, 0.277 seconds ahead of the dejected French driver And as if that weren't enough, explains Ayrton Senna, with a pinch of mischief:
"I wasn't able to do a perfect lap but these are trifles, small fractions. Our car is perfect".
It is clear that McLaren has taken another step forward in terms of aerodynamic efficiency. Forced to abandon the new bodywork during tests in England, headstrong and stubborn Ron Dennis tried again here at Hockenheim and obtained the desired results. Alain Prost recognizes the absolute validity of his car, but complains about the mechanical part.
"I had fourth and fifth gears that went out under braking and it was also difficult to shift. Furthermore, the engine leaked oil, smoked and lacked power".
Are they excuses? It seems not. What is certain is that the French is very nervous. Ferrari, the second force in the championship, continues to do small cabotage. And the news that circulates continues to speak of problems. In recent days, rumors were circulating that the engineer Jean Claude Migeot, responsible for the Fiorano wind tunnel, would also leave. It seems that Williams wanted it (which has lost its technician Dernie and will race with Renault engines next year). Scuderia Ferrari sporting director Marco Piccinini says:
"Migeot is on vacation. He was asked to take care of the engines, but he hasn't given us an answer yet".
Conclusions can be drawn quickly: after all, it was already known that with Barnard's return to the game the Frenchman would leave. As far as the English designer is concerned, his presence on the track hasn't had much effect on the turbocharged car. After practice, dedicated in the morning to fuel consumption and in the afternoon to trying to fight the McLarens in qualifying, Michele Alboreto just said:
"Everything as expected, half praise and half infamy".
Gerhard Berger, on the other hand, spares no criticism of the single-seater:
"The engine is very powerful, but it makes the car very difficult to drive due to spinning on the exit of slow corners. For the first time since the beginning of the season, the chassis was bad, in short, nothing was right. In this way it is very difficult to keep up with Senna and Prost even if in the second round I will try to at least insert myself between the two".
Speaking of the engine, another rather worrying rumor is spreading - moreover not officially confirmed - according to which the engineer His, who moved to Renault after having been in the engine sector of the Maranello team for two years, brought with him everything the material concerning the management of the engines themselves, i.e. electronic mappings and much more. All stored on computerized diskettes. This would explain the huge and surprising problem that arose at Silverstone and the subsequent difficulties. If the rumor were true, Ferrari's situation in this field would be really serious because it would find itself having to do everything from the beginning. The Italian pilots are honored. Alessandro Nannini is the fastest of the riders with a naturally aspirated engine, ahead of Ivan Capelli, sixth and seventh respectively. Andrea De Cesaris sets the thirteenth fastest time and Nicola Larini's Osella, under the care of Antonio Tornami, shows considerable progress, settling in an unusual sixteenth position. On the other hand, poor Gabriele Tarquini with the Coloni was eliminated in the pre-qualifications for the fourth consecutive time, eliminated by 0.04 seconds, after having broken the fifth gear six minutes from the end. In reality it was Stefano Modena who ruled him out with a breathtaking lap that allowed him to gain about 1.5 seconds after being almost always in last position. Modena is on Scuderia Italia's list, together with Moreno and Tarquini for next year. Saturday 23 July 1988, in Hockenheim there was a Brazilian heat: 34 °C in the shade, a temperature capable of melting the track.
The ideal conditions for Ayrton Senna, who conquered his career pole position number 23, the seventh of the season out of nine rounds with only two exceptions in favor of Alain Prost in France and Gerhard Berger in Great Britain. Ideal conditions in the sense that it is very difficult to improve times due to the environmental conditions with the slippery asphalt and suffocating engines: no one manages to get close to the times set on Friday. Now Ayrton Senna, in the special classification of the fastest drivers, is already in fifth place in a relatively short career. He is preceded by Jim Clark (33), Juan Manuel Fangio (28), Niki Lauda and the reigning World Champion, the hated compatriot Nelson Piquet. Says Ayrton Senna at the end of the tests:
"I'm happy to start in front of everyone, but what matters is the race".
It is precisely for this reason, while the others try in vain to make a faster lap, the Brazilian tries to set up the car for the German Grand Prix. A race that promises to hinge on the usual duel between the two McLaren drivers. The German forecast says that it could also rain, but it is not certain that the storm will arrive between 2:30pm and 4:00pm, the time when the race will take place. If that were to happen, Ayrton Senna will probably have another advantage, while Alain Prost will have to frantically demonstrate that the withdrawal at Silverstone was imposed by circumstances and not by lack of courage. After falling out with French journalists, Alain Prost. backed by Ayrton Senna, after arriving three quarters of an hour late in the press room, he triggers a general squabble, saying he can't waste so much time with useless interviews. This may well be true, but it measures the nervousness of the French, usually available. Afterwards Alain Prost calms down and proclaims:
"We will have our race, without tactics. With consumption we are at the limit".
We have to see what the limit of McLaren-Honda is, compared to the others. For Ferrari this is still the biggest problem and, barring miracles, nothing good can be expected, as John Barnard points out. Ferrari, however, does not give up and if Maranello is working for the future, on the track they are aiming for some progress. At Hockenheim, for the first time, Cappelli, general manager, and Castelli, one of the new technical managers, meet together. The manager states that the engineer His has not taken away any decisive material and, implicitly confirming the inevitable withdrawal of Migeot, an aerodynamics specialist, draws up a draft of the team's organization chart, divided into three sectors: Renzetti and Castelli will be responsible of engines, Durand of the wind tunnel and Kimball of cars. All men wanted or accepted by John Barnard. Work is being done on injection, on electronic mappings, perhaps there is room for improvement. One wonders what Agip, official supplier of Ferrari, is doing in the field of petrol, very special and perhaps even decisive. These are heavy fuels, both in terms of their specific weight and their high calorific value. On the track there are always technicians from Shell for McLaren, from Elf (Lotus) and from Mobil (Williams). It has been years since we have seen a specialist from the Italian company: it may well be that the maximum has already been done, but it is possible that the competition has improved. Scuderia Ferrari drivers can only hope to nail a fair race. Michele Alboreto ventures a few jokes:
"If when I arrived in Maranello I had allowed myself to say a quarter of what Berger said in one day, I would have ended up hanging in the cafeteria".
While Gerhard Berger argues with Eddie Cheever. The Austrian says that the Italian-American gave him quite a scare, forcing him into a sensational double spin at full speed.
"Don't look in the mirrors".
Eddie Cheever replies:
"It was a misunderstanding, I wanted to give him the way".
On a technical level, the dominant reason for the race concerns petrol consumption, which is said to be even more prohibitive than previously. The track is a sort of squashed loop with three chicanes and a twisty finish in the Motodrome. There are long straights where the engines rev at full speed, violent braking, accelerations that absorb all the power. In short, acceleration is always at its maximum with the injection systems which pump petrol in a continuous jet. The problem mainly concerns turbocharged cars which only have 150 litres, while cars equipped with naturally aspirated engines are free from constraints. It will therefore once again be a challenge to the last drop, dominated by the will of the computers that signal to the riders when they have to cut the gas. An economy-run that is bad for Formula 1 and that should make those who wanted this absurd halter regulation think about a sport that should be the expression of speed and freedom. Behind Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost remain Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto with the Ferraris, then Nelson Piquet and finally Alessandro Nannini and Ivan Capelli. In total, sixteen out of thirty riders improved their times, with a step forward for Satoru Nakajima who overtook Thierry Boutsen and a real jump by René Arnoux who arrived from the rear in 17" place (with a Ligier set up only after qualifying). off the grid the two Minardis (Luis Pérez-Sala and Pierluigi Martini are grappling with driveability problems), Stefan Johansson and Julian Bailey.The role of Scuderia Ferrari is at the same time chasing the McLarens and defending Nelson Piquet's Lotus and from the Benettons, the Marcs, etc. One could therefore hypothesize a tactical race: Gerhard Berger unleashed for three quarters of the race in order to push Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna to consume too much or to make some mistakes and Michele Alboreto waiting to seize a possible opportunity But the Maranello team is too serious to seek television popularity alone by staying in the lead only to retire without fuel with five laps to go. but not safe tire changes. However, it should be noted that the Hockenheim track is a terrible selector: last year only seven cars reached the finish line: the other nineteen had their engines or electrical systems broken.
Sunday 24 July 1988, at the start of the German Grand Prix Ayrton Senna gets off well and keeps the first potion, while Alain Prost has an indecision which slows down the whole row of cars following him. Thus Gerhard Berger and the nimble Alessandro Nannini enter behind the Brazilian, ahead of the Frenchman and Michele Alboreto. The stage was declared wet by the race director, who therefore reserved the possibility of interrupting it should the situation change. But four riders decide to take a risk, starting with slick dry tyres. A wrong choice. Nelson Piquet goes wide at the first chicane, slamming into the rubber guards. The Brazilian is the author of a very clever manoeuvre, as he performs a controlled spin to get back on track, but is forced to return to the pits at the end of the first lap as the collision, together with the bodywork, also compromises the radiators. Nicola Larini spun losing precious time and then abandoned with the engine off, Philippe Streiff went off the track. Only Alex Caffi is saved, despite one of the smooth tires exploding due to excessive sliding. the Italian driver almost completes a complete turn on three wheels and then goes wild competing in one of his most beautiful and fastest races. Meanwhile Ayrton Senna begins his almost solitary ride, disturbed only by environmental difficulties and dubbing. And it is precisely in one of these, already on the tenth lap, that the Brazilian nearly compromises his race. The McLaren driver enters decisively alongside Philippe Alliot's Lola into a chicane, forcing the Frenchman, who however hadn't let him in the way, to brake too sharply, so much so that he lost control of the car and went off the track. Meanwhile Alain Prost tries to catch up with his teammate. The Frenchman passes Alesandro Nannini and then attacks Gerhard Berger, passing him very easily at the end of the straight. But in his attack, the McLaren driver compromises the rear wheels. A fact, the latter, which will prevent him from attempting an improbable recovery on Ayrton Senna. Having established the order of first and second place, behind the two McLaren drivers the group fell apart with gaps that were immediately unbridgeable. Gerhard Berger stands out for his impetuosity, also because he is driven by the menacing presence of Nannini, and is the star of an overtaking move completely on the grass against Piercarlo Ghinzani who does not leave him the way. The Austrian is very good at controlling the car.
During lap 37, after the two Williams have already left the scene (Nigel Mansell due to the gearbox, Riccardo Patrese betrayed by the brakes, which lock up), after Andrea De Cesaris performs two spins that deprive him of the possibility finishing in the top six, Alessandro Nannini was forced to stop in the pits to fix the accelerator cable which came off a support. The long break allows Michele Alboreto to move up to fourth place. Ayrton Senna wins, followed at about 13 seconds by Alain Prost. Gerhard Berger finished in third place, followed by Michele Alboreto, Ivan Capelli, fifth and first of the drivers with a naturally aspirated engine car, despite the failure of the clutch one third into the race, and the regular Thierry Boutsen. It rains in the wet in Formula 1. The storm announced by the very precise German meteorologists gave another big hand to Ayrton Senna, king of the water, of precarious driving, allowing him to conquer the second consecutive victory, the fifth since the beginning of the season on nine races disputed, and above all to come out of two theoretically unfavorable tracks with a rich haul of points. Only three points separate him from his teammate, Alain Prost, who is still leading the World Championship standings, but with one less success that could have a determining factor in the season finale, when it's time to come to terms. Another one-two for McLaren-Honda, therefore, is the sixth time since the beginning of the year, which has relegated Scuderia Ferrari, third with Gerhard Berger and fourth with Michele Alboreto, to its role of hopeless pursuer, before the second teams, also aided by the misfortune of Alessandro Nannini for whom Benetton's rather chronic lack of reliability - this time a fault with the accelerator cable - took away the satisfaction of a fourth position conquered with his usual ability. However, the Italian driver still had the pleasure of having recorded the fastest lap, in 2'03"032, confirming his talent in all conditions. What about the race? Monotonous and boring in terms of a final result once again obvious due to the McLaren monologue, also spectacular for some thrilling episodes accentuated by the dangerous situation due to the slippery track.After the race, the three drivers who took the podium sprawled out on the sofas for television interviews.Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Gerhard Berger have tired faces, united by the fatigue of difficult driving in the wet, but everyone has different feelings: the Brazilian is in high spirits, thanks to his fifth success and the prospect of reaching that world title which is his life's dream , the Frenchman is worried about his teammate's comeback and the Austrian is bent by the impotence inflicted on him by a car that is not competitive at the moment.It is almost a head-to-head made up of words between the two McLaren drivers, even if their speeches do not clearly perceive the great rivalry that divides them and which, in our opinion, sooner or later will explode violently in some way when the games are about to end. FairPlay won't last much longer, beyond the mutual esteem that Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost show for each other. In Formula 1 true friendship does not exist. Says Ayrton Senna, with an enigmatic smile:
"It is always problematic to drive in the rain. Still, I'm doing quite well. The tires deteriorated, the stability of the car was precarious. We had set-ups for the dry track and the oversized brake vents got really cold and locked up the wheels. In any case, I started in the best way and I didn't make any mistakes, even if I risked a lot".
Any special strategies for the rest of the season?
"We have equal means, we can only try to win. I think we will get to the last race, you will see it will be exciting. However, I must say that I really like the track in Budapest".
Is this perhaps a warning for Alain Prost in view of the next race? The French replies:
"It went well for me at the start of the championship, now luck has turned towards Senna. He's good, but two consecutive races in the rain haven't been held for a long time. I don't like water, but I must say I have shown that under normal conditions I'm not that far behind. It wasn't possible to continue at Silverstone, I was far behind the leaders and the car was really bad".
Ayrton Senna in Budapest will have the chance to catch up with his team mate in the standings:
"Three points are a small advantage. But what I fear most is Ayrton's number of victories, now we are five to four for him and this counts for a lot, especially considering that he finished first on tracks that I considered favorable for me".
A little glory, ephemeral, also for Alessandro Nannini, author of the fastest lap. The Italian pilot, who received a visit from his sister Sandra, a very famous rock star in Germany as well, admits that he could not have taken Berger:
"Only if Ferrari had had more serious problems with fuel consumption could I have aimed for third place. The fourth was also fine for me, but I was betrayed by a little support that gave way".
That of Scuderia Ferrari was a step forward. After the disastrous round at Silverstone, when both cars ended up in the rear due to lack of petrol, the third and fourth places in the German Grand Prix allow the Maranello team to draw a balance at least in balance, in consideration of the fact that it was achieved the maximum possible result, given the performance of the McLaren. Analyzing what happened and putting some data on the scale, it could be deduced that the problems remain unchanged, as there are always problems with fuel consumption and the Maranello cars still show that they don't like slow corners. But since the Hockenheim circuit in theory had consumption 1% higher than that required for the Grand Prix held at Silverstone, it is clear that in the previous race the mappings that manage the engines were wrong. Finally, while there hasn't been a visible improvement, at least no mistakes have been made by entering the necessary parameters into the computers. Says the sporting director of the Scuderia Ferrari, Marco Piccinini:
"A regular race, in which we were also helped by Nannini's bad luck".
While Michele Alboreto, speaking of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, says:
"Those two are not going to get each other. Then from mid-race I had problems with the gear lever and for this reason I consumed more and was therefore forced to slow down. I ran out of petrol 200 meters after the finish line. The race was a bit boring, I think the public didn't enjoy it. If there were no voiceovers it would have been a real beard. By the way: Senna was right to kick Alliot out. There are still too many people who don't look at their rear view mirrors".
Adds Gerhard Berger:
"I never hoped to join the McLarens. Senna and Prost can even afford as many spins as they want, we're too far behind anyway. I didn't choose slick tires because it would have been half suicide, too much risk of going off the track. I am now convinced that we have no chance of winning a race this year. Prost overtook me on the straight as if I were in a Formula 3".
In this regard, the engineer Pier Guido Castelli, responsible for the sector with Renzetti, speaks.
"We are not surprised with the result. We have limits, it's about working. I don't think without the rain anything would have changed. Before the Hungarian Grand Prix we will try to scrape something out of this engine, but not much can be done, except to improve the controls".
Pier Carlo Ghinzani also visits Ferrari, apologizing for having almost kicked Gerhard Berger out:
"I had seen it in the mirrors about ten meters away. I never thought he would try to pass right away, before the chicane. When he came alongside me on the right, with the car all over the grass, my heart stopped. I'm sorry I got in the way. In any case, Gerhard was good at staying on track, but what a scare".
Nine straight wins. The McLaren army crushes the Formula 1 World Championship. The opponents are all destroyed. From Ferrari, forced to settle for third place, to Lotus that has almost disappeared from the scene, to Williams now without reliability, the most prestigious teams have to bow their heads to the supremacy of the cars of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, forced to compete in a one-make championship and battling to maintain a modicum of interest in an uninteresting season. The most surprising point of the English team, which exploits the power of Honda engines, is the extraordinary reliability. In practice, perhaps, the French and Brazilian drivers report some problems. But in the race, as in the German Grand Prix, the regularity of the red and white cars is impressive, without a flaw, as if they had been touched by a kind of beneficial spell. First Ayrton Senna, second Alain Prost, then very distant Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto with the cars from Maranello. But what's behind a team that is about to break many records? Is it just a technical question, the certainly very valid contribution of the Japanese engine suppliers, the skill of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, to determine this impressive series of positive results? Of course not, otherwise the crisis of Lotus could not be explained, which has the reigning World Champion, Nelson Piquet, an established designer like Gerard Ducarouge, and the Honda engines themselves. McLaren's secret lies above all in its perfect organization, in a planning of the smallest details that leaves nothing to chance, in the will to win that has become almost a religion. McLaren used to win with Porsche engines and continues to be the best even now. But above all, at the top there is a tough, obnoxious but successful man: the former mechanic Ron Dennis, now a millionaire, married to a beautiful American girl, capable of managing the team with a stubbornness and a will that are sincerely envious. No relaxation after successes, just great determination. McLaren has been able in recent years to bear the loss of the Porsche engines, the abandonment of its main designer, John Barnard, to create a totally new car last winter, without losing a shred of competitiveness, indeed improving with the days go by. Ron Dennis signed Gordon Murray who, with Brabham's decline, seemed lost. He put him next to a pure fundamentalist coach like Steve Nichols, he had the courage to side by side an established champion like Alain Prost with an emerging talent like Ayrton Senna. And it could have been a glaring mistake. Ron Dennis says:
“We want the best of everything. This is why we only hire safe people, we turn to the most qualified suppliers".
In the plans of the English manager who, although without the charisma, is replacing the great Colin Chapman, there is also an attempt at expansion: he would like to race - and win - in Indianapolis. But what he likes most is seeing his cars, always shiny, darting in front of all his rivals in Formula 1. Out of ambition, but also for money, given that from a simple mechanic he is now the owner of beautiful residences, a protagonist of the jet-set who only travel more by helicopter and private plane. But also a man capable of pasting a sticker on his single-seater, if he thinks this serves the team's image. Unlike the team led by Ron Dennis, for better or for worse, Scuderia Ferrari always finds itself in the eye of the storm. Not even the result of the German Grand Prix serves to reassure the Maranello team. It's true that much more was expected from the 1888 World Championship. It's true that the cars from Maranello have been disappointing for too many years, but Ferrari is still the second force in the Formula 1 World Championship. Up front are the elusive McLarens- Honda, which with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost dominated the nine rounds of the World Championship. But behind Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto are all the others, from the men of Lotus to those of Williams. At Ferrari, after months of lively controversy and uncertainty, a new course has begun in June. There has been the return to technical leadership of John Barnard. the controversial English designer, and the men from the Fiat group joined, Cappelli as manager of the Maranello team and Castelli as expert consultant.
There have been major changes, some predictable such as the departure of Harvey Postlethwaite. the specialist who had led the Maranello team in the recovery at the end of 1987 and in the first months of 1988, now landed at Tyrrell, other unforeseen events such as the escape of the French engineer His, who moved to Renault. And there will probably still be some movement: Migeot. responsible for the wind tunnel, must let it be known whether he wants to stay, accepting a different job than the current one, or leave. There was also the debut, or rather the functional test, of the new single-seater with naturally aspirated engine designed by Barnard in the technological hermitage of Guildford. During the first brief tests at Balocco and Fiorano, the car suffered many problems, including serious ones, but it had already been said that it was a laboratory car, which could have undergone important modifications precisely in the wake of the tests. Now alarming rumors are arising from many quarters. We are talking about a car that needs to be completely redone. And, as if that weren't enough, there is mention of internal quarrels, opposing technical opinions. It is clear that in this situation there may be differences, but John Barnard, respecting a precise contract and a role that does not allow for deviations, remains the technical guide of Ferrari, which is why the F1-89 will be the Maranello team's car for the next year, maintaining its main features, i.e. the electronically controlled gearbox and the 12-cylinder engine. It is said that on the newborn car the transmission breaks down frequently, that the engine causes problems, that the aerodynamics are not perfect. But this is, in a certain sense, normal, it is better for problems to emerge now, immediately, rather than later. It is a common occurrence in the development of any automobile.
The intention, of course, is to put everything into place, like a jigsaw puzzle, working deeply and dissecting the problems one by one. The task is not easy, but the men chosen to tackle it have a single goal, that of bringing the Maranello team back to being competitive. And to victory, if possible, always bearing in mind that there are also formidable opponents on all levels, both for the commitment made and for the interests at stake. It's another great challenge that Ferrari agrees to play, a battle not only competitive, but also industrial and economic. A double, thrilling challenge, even against the clock, because you want to improve the current World Championship car and bring the 1989 one to the top. It will probably be difficult to get results right away. But it seems to understand, given that a recovery attempt is underway, that it is not the case to shoot in bursts for every breath of wind that moves the leaves. Only time will tell if what has been done, is being done and will be done is the right way to find that great Ferrari that everyone dreams of. What is certain is that, as if that weren't enough, Scuderia Ferrari also has another problem to solve: the ambitions of Roberto Moreno, who has so far raced in only two Grands Prix in his career. The Brazilian driver, who a few days ago assumed the role of super-test driver for the Maranello team, the man who should have a very important role in the development of the new naturally aspirated car designed by John Barnard, up to now has been almost an outcast from the automotive world. They say he's a potential champion, but so far he hasn't been able to break through. So much so that the money from this new signing will probably be used to pay for the business until the end of the season. In fact, a few weeks before the German Grand Prix, he was desperate and didn't know how to find a sponsor who would allow him to finish the season decently.
“Maybe I'm not diplomatic enough. Or maybe I don't have the right physique, I'm not beautiful, nor dark, nor overbearing. In short, I'm missing something. Or in Formula 1 there are simply already three Brazilians, too many. Senna, Piquet and Gugelmin, what an envy. But this is always my goal and I'm sure that sooner or later I will have the opportunity to enter the Formula 1 circus".
Born in Rio de Janeiro to a family without particular economic means on February 11, 1959, Roberto Moreno, who lives with a beautiful girl, Celia and has a daughter named Adressa, has exactly the appearance of Calimero, small and black. Brown complexion, little dark hair, in Brazil they had nicknamed him o Baxino, the little guy, not for his dwarf stature, given that he is 1.70 meters tall, but for his remarkable thinness, as if he had always suffered from hunger. The South American driver, a great friend of Nelson Piquet, has understood very well that this could be the opportunity of his life, as even if he won't compete immediately, he will still have the possibility of eventually competing in qualifying with very fast riders such as Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto, who next year he will be replaced by Nigel Mansell. For this reason he doesn't talk about Ferrari. They have told him that his task as test driver will be very delicate, and he has rightly taken the recommendations received literally. In Formula 3000 they call him the Brazilian Lauda. He puts the car right, and well, by himself, since his is a small team, conquers the pole position, remains in the lead throughout the race. The ideal man, therefore, at least in theory, to develop a new single-seater. If Ferrari then offers him the chance to race, it will make him a happy driver.