Here we are, after a long and interminable wait, the F1 World Championship is ready to restart. Sunday the 16th of March 2008 the drivers will show at the Australian Grand Prix how much and how their teams have worked in the winter. A wait full of curiosities because surprises will not be lacking: there is Fernando Alonso who has left McLaren to return to Renault, but also the debut of Force India, the very rich team that took over Spyker and has hired Giancarlo Fisichella. And then, of course, the fight at the top, up there where no team can reach for now: the one between Ferrari and McLaren. A duel full of surprises because Lewis Hamilton now plays a leading role (in place of the champion Fernando Alonso there is now Heikki Kovalainen). Not only that: the British driver now feels much wiser than a year ago and aspires to win all possible Formula 1 titles this season.
"I want to win more races, be on the podium more times than last year, and eventually win the championship title".
Will he make it? One thing is certain: Hamilton is now perfectly comfortable in the new McLaren-Mercedes, he has more experience and feels even more an integral part of the team because he has just signed a contract to stay at McLaren for the next five years. But Hamilton has a huge problem. And his name is Kimi Raikkonen: the Finn's Ferrari is going like a rocket and so far in the various tests he has shown that he is faster than McLaren. And that's not all: Kimi also outwitted his teammate Massa, proving once again that he is the team's first driver. On the other hand, by its own admission, the new F2008 is a step forward compared to the single-seater with which it won the World Championship. Everyone can see the exceptional work done by Ferrari to improve its weaknesses, i.e. the behavior of the car in slow corners and on the curbs. In short, the goal should be to have a car that goes fast on every track. But these are things that cannot be known a priori. To find out, we just have to wait for the start of the World Championship.
"Those who think that I have satisfied myself are very mistaken".
Kimi Raikkonen has more desire than before and wants an encore. Lui spa to start the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship and the Finnish Ferrari driver is hunting for the second consecutive world title, after the triumph of 2007.
"I've never enjoyed racing for fifth or sixth place. I'm here to win".
The immediate goal is to start even better than in 2007. Difficult, if not impossible, given that a year ago Raikkonen opened the adventure with the Maranello team with a first and second place.
"I hope to go even stronger at the start. We want to improve in every sector. We know what difficulties we can encounter on certain tracks. The team is working hard and we hope to grow in the areas we have identified".
In the Maranello team garage, no one let go after the sensational one-two finish. None, starting with the World Champion.
"I've achieved what I wanted in my life, but I wouldn't say that this has changed me as a person. After the October 2007 triumph, time has flown by. I think we will go to Melbourne with an extremely competitive car, I've never had such positive feelings at the start of a season. The F2008 did well during winter testing and we expect it to do well in the race as well. The car represents a step forward from last year's car. Ferrari did an excellent job: we had asked to change some things during the 2007 World Championship and everything was done".
At the first appointment of 2008, Kimi Raikkonen arrives with a wealth of experience.
"Now I know the team, we get to know each other right away. They already know which setup I prefer".
He hardly gets overwhelmed. Kimi the cold is a man of soft tones. If he claims to be more motivated than ever, it means that, although he has already achieved the world title with Ferrari on his first attempt, he has good sensations. But above all if he says they've never been in such good shape, he means that he believes a lot in the world championship encore.
"Even if we will only know the truth about our potential on Sunday in Melbourne, during the first race".
Yes, prudence in Formula 1 never hurts, especially when a new era opens, you go back to the old days, to those battles without electronics, in which the driver with his single-seater was at the center of the scene, without the start assisted, traction control and all those alchemies that have made driving much easier. No one doubts that the duel is still between Ferrari and McLaren, the usual rivals, made even more enemies by last year's spy story and by the many poisons that could have cost Dennis his job (many swore on the historic exit from the scene, but in reality the boss of the English team remains glued to the throne (he communicated this to all employees before leaving regularly for Melbourne), the curiosity is to verify if without electronics Lewis Hamilton can be as scary as last season. Surely the one who fears nothing is Raikkonen. On the anxieties, especially in the event of a wet race, many of his colleagues were explicit:
"In Formula 1 there is no room for fear. If someone is afraid, change jobs".
A message to those who would have preferred a confirmation of the past, with those always perfect grid starts, while now the error is always lurking, waiting for overtaking to be reviewed since 2009, with the reduction of aerodynamics. Raikkonen likes the news.
"We adapted immediately, the team was very good, it managed to eliminate all the defects of 2007. Rarely on the eve of a World Championship have I had such positive sensations".
Pleasant enough to make him dream of a sprint start.
"This year I'm starting with an advantage because I already know the team well and they know my needs. With the first World Championship I fulfilled my dream, but the triumph hasn't changed me. I have to start stronger than ever".
Also to immediately put the competition on the ropes, the external one (the two McLarens), but also the internal one, with his teammate, Felipe Massa who feels ready to win his first World Championship. Raikkonen promises sparks, the people of Melbourne are rubbing their hands, in the hope that this is not the last Grand Prix. A new Ferrari with a more human face, with the sympathetic and simple gaze of Stefano Domenicali, 43, a fan of Bologna, a good organizer and not very technical, not an engineer at all, but a graduate in Economics and Commerce, an expert in financial statements and personnel management and in Formula 1 unsurpassed not on aerodynamic aspects, but on knowledge of the regulation. A good communicator, more comparable to Montezemolo than to his predecessor, Stefano Domenicali lives this delicate eve with excitement and anxiety. A few more hours and he will make his debut on the track. Not as sporting director, but as team principal of the favorite team to win the World Championship:
"A role I never thought I'd get to".
By character he is different from Jean Todt:
"I want to continue being myself, even if he will remain my greatest point of reference. I will try to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge that he has given me, the ability to overcome even the darkest moments, the will to win, the determination, as well as some advice that I keep to myself. But I like the idea of a Ferrari with more open doors, less secrets, even if the attitude towards drivers and mechanics must necessarily remain protective and you can never ask us to reveal our hidden weapons, good perhaps for the desire to know about the fans, but above all useful for the competition".
Can we talk about a new era?
"Depends. When thinking about results, I would prefer the word used to be continuity. We have won a lot in recent years, we want to continue doing so. In terms of relationships, however, something could change. Who knows, maybe we could be nicer".
He collects a heavy legacy. Is it trembling or is it pride?
"Both. The responsibility entrusted to me is great, doing better than before is impossible, imitating the past would already be wonderful. Whoever chose me gave me great trust, I have to repay it. But there is also the pride of an Italian who has reached this high, in a company like Ferrari which for someone from Imola like me is the best".
A good boss must have the courage to decide.
"I have no fear of this. When the time comes, I will not hesitate to make choices. Meanness doesn't belong to me as a principle, but the good is not a weakling. What matters is firmness. I'll listen a lot, but then I'll sum up and do my own thing. Rigor and total dedication".
With Domenicali at the top, Ferrari is increasingly Italian.
"That makes me very happy. Being able to demonstrate that we are a nation of winners. But this shouldn't be a limitation. Let's not forget that ours is a multinational company, we cannot lock ourselves in a hedgehog. If there are useful foreign skills, we must be good at absorbing them".
Can the drivers also be Italian in the future?
"Why not? For years we have had Schumacher, now there are Raikkonen and Massa, very strong. But we always have to look for new talent. If we find an Italian, we will try not to let him escape".
Does new course also mean making peace with Dennis?
"Rather than making peace, we need to move on. Just look back, President Montezemolo is right, we want more leads and fewer courts. The spy story cannot be an endless catchphrase. Our duels are with machines".
Will you be able to win the 2008 one?
"We dream about it, we will try with all our strength, we have the possibility. But I predict a tough championship, with McLaren we're starting on an equal footing. I hope that something extra belongs to Ferrari".
Fear of the single unit designed by McLaren?
"During the tests it created some problems for us, on a couple of occasions we wouldn't even be able to start…".
Ross Brawn could have been in his place. How does it feel to see him in the Honda suit?
"Ross in my place is a problem I've never experienced. He will be a dangerous opponent, we will try to beat him too".
On the eve of the Australian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton wants to forget the epilogue of the 2007 season. The British driver believes he has learned a lot in his first year in Formula 1 and doesn't care about the criticisms, including the latest It was Flavio Briatore who accuses him of not having worked for the team and of not wanting to learn from Alonso. And never mind if he didn't set the double record: first driver of Caribbean origins and first rookie World Champion. Lewis, let's start again: what are his sensations?
"I can't wait to be on the track at Albert Park".
Have you accepted the outcome of last season?
"Certain. Today my motivations are even higher than last year, even if in a different way".
And what are the differences?
“Last year I was determined, excited. How can a rookie be”.
Instead, in this 2008?
"Things are no longer unknown to me. I paid the toll. I know the circuits, I know what I have to do: from practice to qualifying, up to the race".
In fact, he is one of the candidates for the title.
"Maybe there will be more pressure. Last year I had to prove myself; I was fast in the tests, but the race is another thing. But I'm confident, I think I can fight for the title. And as usual, the challenge will be with Ferrari, like last year".
And with Alonso?
"It will be like always: we will take to the track to fight and win".
What will happen without the help of electronics?
"For me it will be a return to the origins, to the riding style, when I competed in GP2, without traction control".
Not for the other riders: how will they react?
"We've all had to adapt to driving cars differently, but I think everyone will soon get used to it".
Let's go back to McLaren: new season, new partner. How are your relationships?
"We already knew each other with Kovalainen; he was great in rehearsals. He worked hard and I'm curious to relate to him. Everything is fine".
So, 2007 archived?
"Safe. He made me understand that F1 is a sport that constantly evolves, where you have to always be careful if you want to learn".
Do you swear you don't feel defeated?
"No, on the contrary. No lessons since 2007, just learned. It was my first year, and the first is always the most critical. Now I'm ready to throw myself back into the fray".
And the boos and racist insults in the tests in Spain?
"I don't think about the past. I hope that the organizers and the Spanish public will do everything to be able to attend two great races in Barcelona and Valencia".
Tattoo on the left arm. Gothic characters, translation: Iceman, the nickname that had been given to him by McLaren and that Kimi Raikkonen likes a lot, given that the same writing, identical gothic characters, is also present on the helmet. But this is not the only novelty, hidden during all the tests, shown by the World Champion. There is also the secret weapon. Kimi trained on the snow with motocross bikes, in absolutely precarious conditions, to increase his sensitivity in riding. Ideal preparation for the new Formula 1 without traction control. Raikkonen, for the world championship encore, hasn't overlooked anything at all.
"I believe it. I have confidence in my means, in the potential of my Ferrari. We've improved a lot over the winter, encountered a few problems during testing and fixed them all. I don't feel satisfied by the first triumph. I have a great desire to repeat myself".
To think that someone was betting on his retirement at the end of the season.
"Becoming World Champion gave me a wonderful feeling. Such a great success amused me a lot. Should it happen again, I would still insist. As long as I win, I keep running. I have no intention of quitting".
Hamilton remains the most dangerous opponent?
"McLaren, a tough team that I know well, capable of being very competitive every year. But I'm curious about one thing".
Which?
"Alonso is great at developing the car and now he's gone. We'll see if Hamilton is equally capable. He has an extra year of experience and this increases his value. As usual, the track will tell the truth. Four races will be enough to understand everything".
Kimi however dreams of a sprint start.
"I have a big advantage, I want to make the most of it. I no longer have to adapt to the team, I know it well, the mechanics know everything about me, before the World Championship we were able to work deeper".
Does the absence of traction control really make everything more difficult?
"The driving style has changed a bit. Before Christmas, with the old car, there had been some problems, now not. With the new car, everything seems almost the same as before. It will be different only in the wet or on slippery asphalt. The problem is always the same: if you make a mistake and spin, you risk compromising everything".
His teammate, Felipe Massa, wants at all costs to win the world title.
"I would be surprised otherwise. In the team the atmosphere is good, we are opponents, but we work together. And if needed, we help each other".
Bookmakers consider her the favorite for the title. What do you think?
"That the World Championship has yet to begin".
His creature still needs the historical father. This is what McLaren's Ron Dennis thinks:
"There is still so much to do".
In reality there are two creatures, because the team is obviously joined by Lewis Hamilton, son (professionally speaking) of Ron Dennis. Ferrari's historic rival therefore does not give up and, to the anticipations of his farewell, he replied with a shrug, while out of the corner of his eye he peeks at the Australian bathers on the beach of St. Kilda who take advantage of the record heat for the last tan. Excuse me, Dennis: how do you imagine yourself outside the paddock?
"Me without Formula 1? I have so many things to do before I die".
Twenty-five years of life and experience cannot be thrown away overnight, and not after a season like that of 2007. There is a sentence from the British manager that reveals his state of mind to the fullest:
"At the beginning of last championship I thought it would be the last, but only because I've been in this world for a long time”.
In reality, Ron Dennis' goal was to end his F1 career with the coronation of Lewis Hamilton, his protégé. It would have been his personal grand finale at the age of just sixty, the happy end of an incredible life. Instead the spy story, its management and its consequences (there are still pending legal proceedings), ruined the ambitious plan. What was he supposed to do? Leave? Not a proud man like Ron Dennis. The pressure from the partners (see Mercedes) must have also been strong:
"But I'm not an employee. I'm the McLaren team principal, people don't understand, they don't know what my responsibilities really are".
You can understand it, from his point of view. From 1966 to today he has embraced the pits intensely, with Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen, Alain Prost and Fernando Alonso driving with him. Try to explain:
"I enjoy it, I like the world of engines. If it weren't like that, I wouldn't be here".
And he seems to think back to his past, to his beginnings as a nineteen-year-old mechanic at Cooper in 1966. Then his relationship with Jack Brabham and then, in 1971, the decision to start his own business (with Neil Trundle, another mechanic). Until 1980, the year in which he took over McLaren in a crisis of results. Ron Dennis wanted Mercedes very strongly: he knew that the Germans could be the best ally, in terms of economic and technological resources, despite the turbulent relations of the early years, then pacified by the arrival of Adrian Newey, the creator of the car Mika Hakkinen. We are today, with Ron Dennis looking like a bulky figure for the team. A label that the English disdainfully rejects:
"I had doubts, I made some reflections. I don't understand why this matter has become public knowledge. It's really been exaggerated on this matter".
The truth is that he's not doing well with the media, if even a personal affair like his marriage ends up among the advances of the English tabloids, with Ron Dennis forced to admit that it's all over with Lisa, after so many years. Perhaps the bitterest ending, for Dennis. Which, however, although emaciated, he wants to raise his head.
"We no longer think about the past, we look forward".
For Dennis it is no longer a matter of money (in 2006 his assets were estimated at around 120.000.000 euros), but of pride: he imagines himself immortalized with the Cup in his hand. This is his real challenge. Will he succeed?
Friday, March 14, 2008, Kimi Räikkönen, the defending champion, set the fastest time in first practice, posting a lap time of 1'26"461, four-tenths of a second quicker than Hamilton and Massa, in second and third places respectively.
Heikki Kovalainen completed the top four in the McLaren, with Mark Webber in the Red Bull and Alonso in the Renault in fifth and sixth positions, two seconds off the pace. Rookie Nelson Piquet Jr. caused a brief red flag in the session, spinning off at the Ascari corner. Hamilton lapped faster than Räikkönen in the second practice session with a time of 1'26"559. Webber was second in the Red Bull, nine-tenths of a second behind Hamilton. Coulthard, Webber's teammate, was fifth, three-tenths behind Kovalainen, who finished the session fourth. The Ferraris were third and sixth; Massa in 3rd and Kimi Räikkönen in sixth. Jarno Trulli in the Toyota and Nico Rosberg in the Williams completed the top eight positions. Everything as expected: free practice for the Australian Grand Prix was dominated by Ferrari and McLaren, indeed by Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton, with Felipe Massa and Heikki Kovalainen immediately relegated to the role of supporters. In short, the surrendered Ferrari-McLaren challenge began immediately with the cars from Maranello taking the lead in the first session and the Silver Arrows in the second. But what is really the situation on the track? If everyone asks and Hamilton immediately replies without too many compliments:
"It is too early to make comparisons and say where we are. It's great to be back racing here in Melbourne, where I started my career a year ago. It's always special to get out of the garage for the first free practice of the championship".
The MP4-23 works.
"The car made progress, we took advantage of the improved track conditions".
Kimi Raikkonen on the other hand, despite the record times recorded, appears pessimistic: perhaps he expected more from his Ferrari:
"I'm not very satisfied with how these tests went. This morning we found some good settings for the car while we struggled this afternoon and the times confirm this. We have to carefully analyze the data to understand how to improve the car: we have seen that, if we can find the right set-up, there is the potential to be competitive".
One thing is certain, however, Heikki Kovalainen and Felipe Masse, for now behind their teammates, will do their best to beat them and, above all, they have no intention of starting immediately behind them: both in Ferrari and in McLaren there is no they are predefined roles and starting the season in the best possible way is very important for team balance. It must be said that this year the race will always reserve other surprises compared to the tests: starting without any electronic aid will be difficult and it is no coincidence that today all the drivers went to school with their super technicians like so many schoolchildren to learn starting in the best of ways. Certainly not an easy thing because now instead of pushing a button on the steering wheel (as was done until last year) it is necessary to synchronize the hands on the clutch and the foot on the accelerator in order to modulate the start of the race in the absence of traction. Ferrari technical director Aldo Costa and engine manager Gilles Simon explain:
"To get a good start, the fundamental component is the rider's training and repeatability of all movements. That was the main job during the winter. To start off properly, you have to release the clutch and press the accelerator If this is done as if it were an on/off button, i.e. to go from 0 to 100 immediately, the wheels begin to spin. The drivers have learned through training to use the correct speed on the pedal. The engine must be more sweet, the delivery continuous and not rude".
The torrid heat, with the mercury column never below 35 °C, makes the reliability of the machines tremble. But with regular play, at least in terms of race pace, the values on the track already seem well defined. Ferrari is very fast, even if Raikkonen, after a first session with the best time of the group, was not too satisfied with the set-up in the second free practice session and was left a long way behind Hamilton.
Massa risked ruining his car on the first day, putting his wheels on the grass, but in terms of times he proved he could hold his own against the McLarens. Dennis' two drivers, plus Hamilton from Kovalainen, made it clear that McLaren is also really fast. Alonso's debut in the Renault was not sweet. In the race, the Spaniard knows how to transform himself, but the feeling is that in order to achieve any feat he will have to outdo himself. It should be noted that Mike Coughlan, McLaren chief designer, involved with Nigel Stepney in last year's spy story, was fired from the Anglo-German team. Saturday, March 15, 2008, in preparation for the qualifying session, many teams put their cars on soft tires for the third practice session. The soft tire gives better performance than the harder type of tire but is less durable than the harder compound. The BMW Sauber team topped the third practice session with first and second positions with Robert Kubica finishing the session ahead of teammate Nick Heidfeld. Alonso was third in the Renault, with Rosberg in fourth. A few hours later Lewis Hamilton won his seventh career pole position, with a time of 1'26"714 in the third session. Second was Kubica, who was a tenth of a second behind Hamilton. Kovalainen was third, with Massa fourth, four-tenths slower than Hamilton in the third stage. Heidfeld, Trulli, Rosberg and Coulthard completed the top eight positions. In contrast to Massa's fourth place, his teammate, Räikkönen finished qualifying in 16th place. His Ferrari car suffered a fuel pump problem at the end of stage one, with the Ferrari team unable to fix the problem before the second session. Webber in the Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel in the Toro Rosso also suffered problems, with Webber spinning off in session two due to brake failure, leaving him down in 15th.
Vettel was scheduled to be in the third session, but his Toro Rosso suffered oil pump failure, preventing him from setting a time in the session. Timo Glock in a Toyota finished qualifying in ninth position, however, he was demoted to 19th after being given two five-place grid penalties. His first five-place penalty was a result of a gearbox change, while his second five-place penalty was for impeding Webber during the session. Adrian Sutil spun and stalled during his final hot lap in first qualifying and damaged his chassis. The F1 World Championship in Australia begins immediately with a sensational twist: Lewis Hamilton takes pole position, and so far nothing strange, but Kimi Raikkonen did not participate in Q2, the second official practice session, due to technical problems to his Ferrari. An amazing Robert Kubica with the BMW qualified second (he managed to keep the throttle open during an off-piste excursion on synthetic grass) and Heikki Kovalainen third with the other McLaren, then Felipe Massa. In short, Ferrari immediately appears to be in difficulty and not only because Kimi Raikkonen was delayed by the lack of pressure in the fuel system (and therefore will have to start from the eighth row): Felipe Massa has never been able to worry the two McLarens who scored unattainable times. In fact, Hamilton's pole was won with a time of 1'26"714 while Felipe Massa only lapped in 1'27"178. And Alonso? An absolute disaster: the two-times World Champion who had just arrived at Renault was unable to qualify to participate in Q3. In short, what all his fans feared occurred promptly: the French car didn't work. To the point that the fiery Fernando's teammate, the young and promising Nelson Piquet Jr., didn't even pay for Q1. However, the team manager, Flavio Briatore, is optimistic:
"Our riders were delayed by traffic on the track but the situation for the race isn't bad. We expected worse".
Flavio Briatore celebrates twenty years in the paddock: 1988-2008, for the Italian manager it is an anniversary of great longevity. From Benetton to Renault, his is a story and experience of great success. Briatore, it all started here, in Australia.
"Wow, that's true".
What effect did it have on her?
"It was just one day. Luciano Benetton took me there. We watched qualifying and then we left".
What effect did F1 have on you?
"I said to myself: I'll never have to deal with these".
Words have never been more wrong.
"Do you understand how life goes? In any case, you have to climb me for at least five years".
Be that as it may, it remains a long time.
"Exciting, full and intense years. Always competitive. And my conviction is always the same".
And which is it?
"Which is a precarious job, linked to results. In F1 you have to be transparent, because if you give up, you're finished. Meritocracy triumphs".
Where you, a man of communication, showed the technicians how to do it.
"Managers, please. Because this is about managing people and resources. And it doesn't seem to me that whoever spends money with American Express is better at it and automatically wins".
The results speak for her.
"Because I know which journey the product has to take. How to manage the group. In the end F1 and biscuits are the same thing. But F1 is more interesting".
How much has this world changed from 1988 to today?
"It is the world that has changed. F1 never changes. Benetton has revolutionized the rules, with a World Champion at the age of twenty. A true miracle".
Tell us about your F1.
"Bah, I say that F1 is unpredictable behind the scenes. Instead, it's very predictable on the track".
And that's not good.
"And in fact I gave myself my last Mission Impossible, before leaving".
Would be?
"Changing the show".
But... good luck, then.
"But do we want to realize that the Grands Prix are only beautiful when it rains? That money is spent on technology without being able to sell it? We talk about projects with Ecclestone: Bernie is a genius. Like Luciano Benetton. The two people who have taught me a lot".
Excuse me, but what does this have to do with football?
"For him, buying Queens Park Ranger is a challenge. There are people playing golf. Or polo. Bernie and I wanted this thing, let's see if we win football by spending less than the others".
What do you wish from this season?
"Let we only talk about sport and nothing else".
Is it easier for Renault to win a Grand Prix or for his wedding to be celebrated?
"My marriage has a better chance".
At 3:30 p.m. the showdown will begin. The long chapter of the Formula 1 World Championship begins and the first page already promises sparks. The battle on four wheels, with the disappearance of electronic aids, has returned to being more humane and the experts foresee many twists and turns. The start, no longer managed by the computer but totally entrusted to the driver's hands and feet, is the first obstacle in this great world championship tussle, a pitfall so difficult as to turn into a real nightmare for some. Because the possibility of a blunder, capable of losing important positions, now exists. You can remain stationary on the starting grid or start slowly, indecisions that risk sending ambitious projects and strategies to hell. From the very first meters it will get serious, and having conquered the pole position might not have been of any use. If the novelty has not been absorbed properly, the driver risks bad impressions and heavy points in the standings. A danger that Ferrari does not want to run. For this reason, he has decided to have Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa carry out specific training sessions. It's not enough to be fast, reliable, get out of the first corner unscathed, have an engine that doesn't break down and a practically unbreakable gearbox: you have to get off the road well, be quick to free yourself from the traffic jam, like a normal driver at the traffic lights. Aldo Costa, the technical director of Maranello explains:
"The manual and no longer assisted starting constitutes a sort of revolution, we could not show up unprepared. I am convinced that without the electronic aids we will see many more errors than in the past, while we, with our riders, aim to repeat last year's performance".
Here then Raikkonen and Massa forced to go to school, a lot of practice during the winter tests, according to a strict schedule drawn up by Ferrari.
"First we looked for a precise analysis of the reaction time of our two drivers. After many tests I can now say, without diplomacy, that it is more or less the same, around 0.1. Both are quick to get their heads and the car moving".
Great responsiveness, but that's not enough.
"Phase two envisaged correct behavior in the operations that allow the car to start. We could define them as useful advice: the driver must release the clutch behind the steering wheel and at the same time dose the accelerator. If you press from zero to 100 abruptly, the wheels begin to spin, the car loses stability and your opponents can gain an advantage. You need the right speed on the pedals to ensure that the start is successful. Then there is the third phase, the synchronicity of movements between rider and team and this can only come with training. In order to leave no stone unturned, we set about analyzing every single attempt, creating a real telemetry. Each time we observed that the start operation was more and more efficient, to the point that now we can legitimately say that we are close to perfection. Some important variables remain, such as which side of the track the car starts from. The clean side could be an even greater advantage over the dirty side".
The omens are good and this can be an advantage, given that other drivers do not hesitate to show their fears. Fernando Alonso observes:
"Manual starting is a great unknown factor. I always hope to get off to a good start, but many of my colleagues will lose a lot of positions".
It takes a lot of coolness, thinks Lewis Hamilton:
"Because if you get frenzied, you're screwed".
Sunday, March 16, 2008, the conditions for the race were dry with the air temperature 37 °C. At the start of the Australian Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton, from pole position on the grid, held onto the lead into the first corner with Kubica behind in second position. Vettel stalled on the grid and therefore pulled away very slowly, and lost several positions in the process. Behind the leading two, Massa spun coming out of turn one whilst racing Kovalainen, and damaged his front wing against the barriers. Nelson Piquet Jr. made contact with Giancarlo Fisichella at the first corner forcing Fisichella to retire from the race. At turn three Mark Webber, Anthony Davidson, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel made contact and all had to retire. Following the collision, Kazuki Nakajima drove into Vettel as he spun and lost his front wing and had to pit in for a new one. A safety car was deployed in response to the accidents. By the end of the first lap, Lewis Hamilton retained his lead followed by Kubica and Rosberg. Kimi Räikkönen elevated himself from fifteenth to eighth on the first lap. After the safety car was left the race on lap three, Räikkönen was stuck behind Rubens Barrichello, finally passing him lap 19 for sixth place. During the first set of pit stops Toyota driver Jarno Trulli was forced to retire due to electrical problems. On lap 26, Massa attempted to pass David Coulthard with the two colliding forcing Coulthard to retire, and later Massa retire with an engine failure three laps later. Both Massa and Coulthard suggested the collision was the others fault. This led to a second safety car being deployed. With other cars pitting, Räikkönen decided to stay out to move up the order. The race restarted without a safety car on lap 30 and Räikkönen made an ambitious move on Heikki Kovalainen on turn 3, but went into the gravel trap and lost several places. Two laps later he spun the car again whilst attempting to pass Timo Glock into the same corner. Timo Glock ran wide onto the grass on lap 42 and the bottom of his car hit two substantial bumps, the second of which caused it to briefly fly up in the air and land with force sufficient to break the Suspension. Glock spun twice and came to rest against the wall further down the track. He was forced to retire and the safety car came out for a third time. On the same lap, due to a false signal from the chief mechanic, Barrichello left a pit stop before the fuel hose had been removed from his car. Several mechanics suffered minor injuries. He would also serve a ten-second penalty for this pit stop as it was taken while the pit lane was closed.
He was later disqualified for the infringement. The race restarted on lap 47 and one lap later Kubica was forced out of the race after a collision with Kazuki Nakajima. Fernando Alonso was able to move up the field as a result of the high number of retirements and overtaking of Kovalainen and Räikkönen in a single move and was fifth with eight laps left. Räikkönen retired with Ferrari's second engine failure of the race on lap 54, after driving slowly into the pit lane. Sébastien Bourdais was competing in his first Formula One race, but it ended on lap 56 after suffering an engine failure from fourth position. At the end of the penultimate lap, Kovalainen passed Alonso coming out of turn 13 to take fourth place, but moments later on the pit straight he accidentally hit the speed limiter designed for use in the pit lane allowing Alonso to regain fourth position. Seven cars finished the race but Barrichello was later disqualified for passing a red light at the pit lane exit. Lewis Hamilton won the race having led all but 5 laps during pit stops. Nick Heidfeld finished second and Nico Rosberg recorded his first podium in third. Kazuki Nakajima was the final car to finish, but was later given a ten-place grid penalty for the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix, the next race, after making contact with Kubica under safety car conditions. Bourdais, in his debut scored two championship points, despite not finishing the race, and classified seventh. There's a saying in Formula 1, whoever wins in Australia wins the whole year (Kimi Raikkonen won in Melbourne last year). This is naturally what Lewis Hamilton wishes. In command from start to finish. Behind him everything was going on, for many it was chaos. Did he notice?
"Something like this had also happened to my first victory in Formula 1, in Canada".
Can you remember what happened?
"There were four safety cars. A Grand Prix very similar to this one".
He can only be happy.
"Thanks to a phenomenal machine".
What happened at the start?
"The tires skidded and so we found ourselves, Kubica and I, very close. But I was good at stretching".
He managed to make pit stops just before the safety car.
"A desired thing, for which I thank the team. At McLaren they had analyzed the Grand Prix from all angles, planning even the worst situation. That's why I got away with it, while Kovalainen found himself in the uproar".
Worse went to Ferrari.
"True, they had a tough weekend".
Now he starts with a nice advantage.
"But I am well aware that Ferrari is a great team, with a great car and two excellent drivers. A wrong Grand Prix can happen to anyone".
Very diplomatic.
"We are at the beginning, there are seventeen races to go. I think it is a lesson for me too: we will have to work to prevent these problems from happening to us too".
Meanwhile he collected his fifth career win.
"It was unexpected in Montreal, my first time. I'm in my second year here, and I set myself goals, I put more pressure on myself. If I look at this Grand Prix from a technical point of view, I have to admit that it was the best race for a long time".
Ron Dennis was moved.
"I am happy with this. He got caught in the middle, but we drew a line and started a new season, going the right way. Winning after the winter tests is fantastic, because you don't have certainties".
Also on the podium was Nico Rosberg, an old acquaintance of him.
"We were talking about it just before, on the podium".
A big hug, yours.
"Because just eight years ago we were on a podium together, in a kart race. We hope to continue this moment".
Nice memories.
"It was 2000. We were 14, 15 years old. Kubica was there too. We said to each other: one day we will be in F1 and we will be on the podium together. Dreams of children now come true".
There has been a lot of talk about the record heat, but Hamilton doesn't seem tired.
"I feel great. Thanks to a great preparation".
Was he struggling last season?
"A little more, yes. But this year I've prepared twice as much, physically speaking, and it's much better. But the credit also goes to the car, which runs very well and is easy to drive".
Despite the absence of electronic help?
"More is required of the driver. There's no brake control either, so you have to push. For me this is the real race, as it should be".
And now Malaysia.
"I can't wait. The car is reliable and I want to drive it again".
How will the eve be spent?
“I'm going to Kuala Lumpur right now and relax with my family”.
Black debut for Ferrari in the Formula 1 World Championship. In Melbourne, in a race full of accidents, both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa stopped during the race: both broke their engines, this hadn't happened for fourteen years. Lewis Hamilton won, better, triumphed, the first McLaren driver who wants to put the Stepney-Coughlan scandal behind him and who saw boss Ron Dennis on the podium celebrating with his protégé. Williams and BMW did well in this surprising Australian debut, second and third with Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg, son of Keke: his first time on the podium. Felipe Massa went off on lap 30, and now he says he is worried:
"We didn't finish in the first race of a World Championship where reliability will be everything".
Kimi Raikkonen stopped in ninth position, but thanks to a mistake by Barrichello (traffic lights not respected), he managed to get one point back.
"This wasn't the real Ferrari, but they know how to get out of the tunnel".
And the team principal, Stefano Domenicali, on the first day without Jean Todt says:
"We are not dumbfounded".
He immediately explains:
"We went very badly, we absolutely didn't expect such a bitter debut. We are totally dissatisfied, this is a serious setback. We have to assume our responsibilities, at all levels, including the riders".
But then, as a good communicator, he too invites us to calm down. No exaggerated processes.
"Because, just as we weren't phenomenal before, we are not senile now. Error analysis requires rigor, but also calm and lucidity. We are Ferrari, we know how to react. From here to Malaysia is only seven days? We'll make time for it. And the next race you will see another team. And other performances".
Not even the most hardened pessimist could have predicted such a difficult debut for Stefano Domenicali.
"Two broken engines are an intolerable trouble. We will work quickly and in depth, both here and in Maranello. We will try to understand the causes of the failures already in Australia, we will send the engines home for another detailed analysis".
Don't panic, that agitation that at one point seemed to have crushed the men in red. It must not have been easy for Stefano Domenicali to face the anger and disappointment of Luca Montezemolo and Jean Todt.
"I've already heard them both on the phone, it's clear they can't be happy. They are right, we need to work better, we will. We've always maintained that reliability is paramount, and today we've fallen short on that. Ferrari must remain on its own standards, even when things go wrong".
The prologue had already seemed a harbinger of trouble. The control unit that betrays Raikkonen, which causes the drop in fuel pressure, the electrical problem at the petrol pump. The control unit is from the McLaren school, suspicion is inevitable, but Domenicali doesn't want this catchphrase to become an alibi.
"We are not yet able to integrate it one hundred percent with our system. We have to do it quickly".
As for the drivers:
"The second safety car hit the track at the wrong time for Raikkonen. He was going strong, with his strategy he could have reached the podium. That slowdown ruined the tactic".
Then there was the failure to overtake Kovalainen with the Finn going off the track.
"He had to try, to earn a position. And then can you tell a driver not to try to overtake? We had decided not to let him go into the pits, to postpone his stop, with the track clear, behind Hamilton, he could have gone even faster, to then find himself well ahead after the pit stop".
The project did not go through. Yet another failure of a Sunday to forget. It may well be a healthy bath of humility, as the president Luca Montezemolo defines it, but the blow was terrible, also because it was unexpected. Ferrari, before leaving for Australia, dreamed of a one-two, the triumphal ride of Raikkonen and Massa, and instead finds itself with a measly little point (snatched by the Finn thanks to Barrichello's exclusion from the standings) and two broken engines. Disaster is the right word and you can read it, printed on the face, on the men of the Maranello team, not just the managers, all the mechanics, on the warm Australian evening. Disaster is the right term and it is well explained by certain statistics, now buried in the closet of memories, so they take you back in time. It was since 1994, the Belgian Grand Prix, that Ferrari had not had to undergo two withdrawals due to simultaneous engine failure. Alesi and Berger are now joined by the names of Raikkonen and Massa. Nor is joint abandonment due to mechanical problems frequent. In 1997, at Silverstone, Michael Schumacher had given up with a wheel bearing, Eddie Irvine with gearbox problems; nothing since then, Ferrari almost indestructible, not as tender as a breadstick like the one in Melbourne. Nor can the double zero of 2006 right here in Australia be compared to this ominous debut Sunday, if not for a certain amount of bad luck that this corner of the world has evidently brought to Maranello in recent times. Complaining about Michael Schumacher who crashes, about Felipe Massa who collides with Nico Rosberg at the first corner, is not like cursing over two cars from Maranello parked on the sides of the track. In this case the disappointment is greater, it is almost bewilderment, because, as Massa states:
"It's frustrating to do so many test kilometres, work so hard and then end up with broken engines".
A strong team like Ferrari can't afford it, disaster is really the right definition.
"We're worried, it was a race full of confusion, accidents, Safety car, driver errors, but what matters is that we didn't reach the finish line, in a very balanced World Championship, where reliability is everything".
Nor can Melbourne's great heat be an excuse.
"The conditions were extreme, but we have to be able to cope with any climatic condition".
Stoic resistance that was not seen yesterday. On the other hand, there were driver errors. Massa is honest:
"In the first corner I downshifted too many gears. I was in first gear and not in third gear, I accelerated and the car took off".
First on the grass, the short escape route, and then against the wall. With traction control it could not have happened, but now the electronic aids are gone. You fend for yourself and Felipe Massa has helped to complicate life. Then ending up colliding with David Coulthard. The Scotsman, he could, would stick it to a wall.
"He rammed me, when I make certain mistakes, I assume my responsibilities".
But Felipe Massa, in return, rubs his eyes and replies annoyed:
"I was inside and he didn't see me. I don't know what he wants".
Lucky him who at least wants to argue and laugh about his strange fate.
"Everything always goes wrong in Australia, I'll ask Ecclestone to cancel this race".
Kimi Raikkonen, on the other hand, would only have the desire to run away. He looks disappointed and furious as he devours a plate of spaghetti with ketchup.
"One point is better than none, but it's clear I was hoping for a lot more. I'm sorry and worried, we pulled out and we can't figure out why. This isn't the real Ferrari, even if the car went fast in those few laps I was able to push".
Bitter phrases, but which absolutely do not want to pass for a surrender.
"We have always reacted to difficulties. We know how to get out of the tunnel. It will happen soon".
No apologies, but immediate reaction. To swear by Luca Baldisserri, the team manager.
"Our debut was bad, we didn't work well. We have been very short on reliability, which must never happen again. We have great potential. We have to find ways to exalt it. Immediately, starting from Malaysia. Because Hamilton runs, there's no time to lose".
Meanwhile Fernando Alonso, given up for dead, has already struck a first blow. After the twelfth time of qualifying on Saturday, someone had already exclaimed:
"He risks ending up like Jacques Villeneuve at Renault".
That is oblivion. Instead, the Australian Grand Prix forced many competitors to retire, so the Spaniard finished the race in fourth place.
"An unexpected result".
It is almost worth a podium, so much so that Flavio Briatore curses the Safety car:
"That they harmed us".
In reality, Alonso indulged in more than one whim: first the double overtaking of Raikkonen and Kovalainen, then the final duel with his ex-mate now at McLaren, resolved in his favor.
"The thing that amused me the most today was seeing Ron Dennis' face on the big screen as I passed Kovalainen. What a show".
Then he pressed Kovalainen who on the straight to clean his visor touched the rev limiter control, slowing down. Celebration in Australia, but Alonso knows what the reality is, and for this reason he asks the team to push towards the evolution of the car.
"We were reliable, but other Grands Prix with so many accidents won't happen so often".
And a dig at Ron Dennis by Flavio Briatore starts:
"He has all night on the plane to get rid of Fernando's overtaking at Kovalainen".
The red nightmare struggles to dissolve. Anger and disappointment are the feelings of the next day. Ferrari questions itself. Try to understand the reasons for the disaster, how it could happen that its indestructible engines suddenly became as fragile as breadsticks, forcing both Raikkonen and Massa to retire. Dismay. But also the desire to team up, to react immediately, to find a solution. Because, as Stefano Domenicali says:
"The team has always known how to quickly get out of moments of crisis and has the men and the means to do it again this time".
No drama. She woe to feel sorry for herself. If anything, a powerful counter-offensive. The Maranello task force has already set in motion. Men in Australia have pinpointed the problem, the cause of breakouts, though they prefer not to disclose it, pending further analysis.
In Italy they are anxiously awaiting the broken engines (they will arrive on Tuesday, Melbourne is on the other side of the world), to carry out important checks and experience in practice the exchange of theoretical information which began on Sunday with the Australian outpost. A joint effort which, they guarantee in Ferrari, will bear fruit, allowing us to anticipate that in Malaysia it will be a completely different story. There is trust, the men from Maranello are ready to swear on an immediate redemption.
"We didn't expect such a defeat, we are ready to assume all responsibility, but we are not dead".
In the meantime, however, two new engines are ready to leave Maranello for Sepang (Ferrari can use them in the race without penalties, given that the two drivers did not finish on Sunday), a sign that the ones advanced in Melbourne are not trusted too much. It should also be emphasized that the interventions on the engine, given the freeze on development imposed by the FIA, cannot be structural. Ferrari cannot intervene in depth, any modifications can only be marginal, the general philosophy of the engine must remain unchanged and this, without a doubt, makes everything more difficult. As if that were not enough, the famous single control unit, produced by a McLaren subsidiary, is disturbing, the big news for 2008 that risks becoming a catchphrase like the spy story was last year. Raikkonen's troubles in qualifying on Saturday were certainly the fault of the ECU. Stefano Domenicali explains after the race:
"Two different electronic systems overlapped and this blocked the management of the petrol pump. We still can't integrate our work well with that of the control unit".
However, it is not clear whether the failure of the two engines in the race can be traced back to the control unit. The suspicion exists, however, if we consider that other teams, such as Toyota with Jarno Trulli, Super Aguri with Takuma Sato and Scuderia Toro Rosso with Sebastien Bourdais, have suffered from reliability problems. An inference that becomes even stronger if one considers that only two teams, Williams and McLaren, have brought both cars to the finish line, a detail that cannot go unnoticed, given that the new ECU of the car is made by Mes (which, moreover, won a regular tender), acronym which stands for McLaren Electronic Systems. Lewis Hamilton's race was outstanding, he deserves applause; his car, his words, looks fabulous; but if the other people's troubles were really attributable to the control unit, there would be something to worry about. Because this component, which costs around 160.000 euros, must remain fixed until the end of the season. Ferrari therefore absolutely must digest this novelty, integrate into it 100 per 100, otherwise the Mondays of defeat will multiply and make the race for the world title impossible. Stefano Domenicali does not want hysteria.
"We need to remain lucid, work calmly, without drawing affected conclusions. Any problem can be solved, Ferrari is able to do it".
But the word alarm, if really the only culprit was the control unit, does not seem out of place. After all, no less than four engines were shattered in Melbourne (it was thought five, but Scuderia Toro Rosso is talking about a change for Sebastien Bourdais), in the whole of 2007 there had been five, in the span of seventeen races. An incredible escalation, a sign that something is not right. The FIA may even shrug, but if all the teams join forces and unleash a riot, it will have to run for cover. And in the meantime, discontent is spreading in the paddock. And the two great F1 teams end up under accusation: Ferrari and McLaren. In the opinion of many engine builders, the two teams were favored by the freezing of engine development. Actually a decision by Max Mosley, president of the FIA. Once development has stopped, those who were ahead stay there. The other teams, in chorus, complain about the impotence of filling the gap. Regardless of the outcome of the Australian Grand Prix, the widespread opinion is that there is the risk of having two championships, one is the one between Ferrari and McLaren, the other is that of the rest of Formula 1. A clear split: they say that there is a second of difference on the track, between the cars. Sometimes even two. Finally, always the accusation, the engineers can do little: playing on aerodynamics is not enough.
Naturally this was not what Mosley wanted: the FIA president was aiming for a reduction in costs and a greater show. He hadn't thought of such a possible consequence. Which, moreover, opens up other questions: where does F1 want to go? Enthusiasts are divided between those who cheer in search of a better show, and the technicians who talk about Formula Regresso and turn up their noses at the stop signs of the most technological sport par excellence. There is more. As Luca Marmorini, Toyota engineer says:
"Many engineers are leaving F1 for Nascar. There are limits there within which one can work. In F1, the restrictions are now against the spirit of racing. It is a therapeutic obstinacy, this one against the engines".
Another factor to consider is the mono-tyre, which helps even more those who were ahead at the time of the freeze (it will last five years). The only positive note is the reduction in tests, certainly effective in reducing costs (40.000 km less, each engine lasts 700 km and costs an average of 255.000 euros). The technicians had asked for a minimum of development possibilities, but they weren't satisfied. Remember Marmorini:
"And next year, 2009, hybrid cars will arrive. With an already obsolete engine".
Who warns about the risk that F1 runs in the near future.
"The appeal with spectators could end in a few years".