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Formula 1 is getting ready for the double American appointment. On Sunday, June 15, 1986, the Canadian Grand Prix will be held at Gilles Villeneuve circuit, and seven days later there will be the Detroit’s city race. We are by now in the middle part of the season, with five races (out of sixteen) already completed. There seem to be no chances for Ferrari, which began the World Championship on an uphill trajectory, with a slight improvement in the last race in Spa: Johansson finished third, Alboreto fourth. This is what transpired in a truly flying interview (on the Jumbo heading to Montreal) with the Italian driver.
"We had a good race in Belgium. But this does not mean we have solved the issues. We performed a bit better, we reaped the fruit of our work that we were losing before due to lack of reliability. However, aiming to win is a different matter. Now there are other minor changes on our cars. We'll see".
Last year in Montreal, Ferrari achieved a remarkable one-two finish. Will it be possible to replicate, even if only partially, that result?
"Nothing is impossible in Formula 1. However, one must face reality. In this moment, McLaren, Williams and even Lotus are stronger. Let's not fool ourselves, even though I always hope for a surprise too. There are many things to assess".
In these last few days, there has been persistent talk about Senna's move to Ferrari for 1987. What is true about this?
"I officially don't know anything about it. And then, it is not up to me. Personally, I want to stay and I believe there won't be any difficulties for me. The team is capable of making two identical cars. The arrival of the Brazilian, apart from the fondness and respect for Johansson, would stimulate me in certain aspects. But I must confess that ever since the rumor spread, I haven't been sleeping at night. It's a good puzzle: it would be tough if Ayrton turned out to be consistently faster".
He continues:
"However, Ferrari is right to approach the best drivers, to think about the future. This is also a demonstration of the determination to return to the top. The financial aspect, that being the six million dollars Ayrton would have asked for, does not concern me. In this field, everyone moves as they wish and the rule of supply and demand always applies. If someone is willing to pay a certain amount for something, it means they believe that they are spending their money well, that they are getting some kind of return".
Michele Alboreto speaks seriously, even though a subtle hint of irony can be perceived in these statements. Then he changes the subject, focusing on the present:
"As for the title, in this period I obviously do not even think about it. The goal is to win some races and work on getting a more competitive car in the future. We have changed some details, like the floor, exhaust exit, small aerodynamic adjustments. On the Canadian track there should not be any problems regarding fuel consumption, but everyone has made progress in this area. We have a pretty fast car on the straight, but the difficulty always lies in having good grip, in exiting well from the slower corners. I will be able to tell you tomorrow evening, after the end of the first round of qualifying session, whether we've stepped up or down a notch in the days since last race".
Even though most of the tickets have already been sold - 45% of which to American tourists - it does not seem like the usual enthusiasm is surrounding this year's Canadian Grand Prix. The atmosphere is rather lacklustre, there is not the usual media buzz and TV hype that typically precede major events. But perhaps on Friday, June 13, 1986, with the first day of practice, the atmosphere will heat up as usual along with the roar of the engines. To tell the truth, however, the Canadian Grand Prix is at least stirring up controversy on an economic level, as what has already been dubbed the beer war has erupted. Since racing started in Montreal (1978), the race has been sponsored by Brasserie Labatt. This company spends around 2.750.000.000 Italian lire each time to organize the Grand Prix and carry out the relative advertising. Right on the race eve, on Thursday, June 12, 1986, Molson, a major rival of Labatt and a supporter of the Cart championship as well, steps in. The company offers to organize a Formula Indy race (substituting Formula 1) on the Notre Dame Island track, for a significantly lower amount, around 500.000 dollars less. The proposal, naturally, entices the organizers and the city of Montreal in particular, which could reduce expenses without cancelling an event that generates over 2.000.000 dollars in taxes alone. In short, we are in the midst of a war, as in North America the dollar comes first. Regarding technical innovations, on the other hand, there do not appear to be any major surprises. TAG-Porsche has prepared a modified engine for McLaren, tested in Hockenheim. Clearly, the English team is trying to get ready as best as possible to advance Prost and Rosberg in the standings. At Williams, however, there is quite a bit of optimism following Mansell's victory in Spa. Meanwhile, according to the opinion of its designer, Gerard Ducarouge, Lotus may not have many chances of winning, even though Ayrton Senna will try to secure his fourth pole position of the season. Last year, also with Lotus, it was Elio De Angelis who set the fastest time, clocking in at 1’24"567. Therefore, the record to beat is held by the lamented Italian driver. The Ferrari team is being very cautious, but obviously hopes to rely on two factors: a slight improvement in the performance of their cars and the positive history on this track, where they achieved the first and second positions last year. Both Michele Alboreto and Stefan Johansson say:
"Beyond all discussions, we like the circuit. The brakes will be very important and we hope to have made them more efficient in the recent tests".
It won't be known until the last moment whether Arrows will be able to compete with one or two cars. After the serious accident involving Marc Surer at the Hessen Rally, the English team - supported by BMW - announced that it would hire German driver Christian Danner. However, Danner is taking part in the World Championship with Osella, which will grant the authorization only in exchange of money to hire another driver. Finally, after the tests, a meeting of the engine department technicians is also scheduled to define the regulations that should reduce the power for the next season. The propensity is towards a valve similar to those used in the American championship, which limits the turbo boost pressure. On Friday, June 13, 1986, a spectacular battle for provisional pole position unfolds on a wet track due to the almost autumnal rain that starts to fall during the morning, a series of accidents that delay the free practices, including a frightening one involving Teo Fabi. In the midst of this confusion, Ayrton Senna shines once again, setting the fastest time in 1'27"422, still far from the circuit record set by Elio De Angelis. On Saturday, if the weather changes (sun is expected), everyone will try to break the record, with the Brazilian still left to beat. Senna leads Piquet by over a second. But the Brazilian Lotus driver admits:
"I was just lucky to find a clear lap in the final moments when the track was nearly dry".
In third place is Stefan Johansson with his Ferrari, showcasing the actual progress achieved by the Mannello team. However, this positive result is compensated by a disastrous practice session in terms of reliability, with six turbines exploding. To the extent that Alboreto, having no more cars available, watches as the track becomes faster and remains in twenty-third position. The troubles for the Italian driver had already surfaced in the morning, with two turbos broken and one compromised due to an oil leak.
In the afternoon three more turbocharging systems fail. Ferrari believe they have identified the issue, but it is still uncertain if it can be rectified. The qualifying sessions are interrupted multiple times. First Brundle stopped on track due to a fuel system failure in his Tyrrell. Then comes the frightening incident involving Fabi, as the Benetton suddenly veers off its trajectory at the beginning of the pit straight. The car shoots like a mad rocket to the left, crashing violently into the guardrail, impacting between the Lotus and Brabham pit areas. A marshal standing behind the metal barriers is hit by the rebound and will be transported to the hospital with a suspected fracture in the left leg. But the faces turned pale by fear are many, including that of the driver:
"I must have had two wheels on the wet and two on the dry, the car took off and I lost control. I crashed, I cut through the Brabham's warning signs and I crossed the entire track while other cars brushed past me at high speed. Quite a scare".
Fabi could no longer race: the chassis had suffered irreparable damage and a new Benetton will have to arrive from England for Detroit, leaving the team with only two available for Berger and the Italian. Shortly after, the engine on Jonathan Palmer's Zakspeed exploded. The Englishman saw the flames in his rearview mirror and quickly stopped in front of a rescue station where the fire was immediately extinguished. At the same time, Johansson came to a halt on the track with a smoking turbine. A few minutes later, the fight for provisional pole position began. Christian Danner also took part in the practice session with the Osella, the German had been called to replace the injured Surer at Arrows. However, the agreement between the Italian and English teams came too late, so Danner was forced to stick to his place. He will switch to Arrows from the Detroit race onward. Osella has been in contact with the Frenchman Alain Ferté and the Italian Ivan Capelli. On Saturday, June 14, 1986, Nigel Mansell, the winner of the Belgian Grand Prix, posed a challenge in the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix too. The English driver of Williams will start in pole position after overtaking rivals in the title fight such as Senna, Piquet and Prost. A battle on the edge of hundredths of a second, which promises to be very uncertain and interesting. Ferrari is absent from the fight, as its crisis worsens, at least in terms of qualifications. With Alboreto achieving the eleventh-best time and Johansson dropping (the only competitor not able to improve compared to Friday) to eighteenth position, the Maranello team reveals concerning limitations that go beyond contingent results.
A single piece of data is enough to understand how the F1-86 has taken steps back compared to the previous model. While Mansell sets a new track record, clocking 1'24"118, at an average speed of 188.735 km/h, Alboreto completes his best lap in 1'27"495. Last year the Italian driver had recorded a time of 1'25"127, starting from the front row alongside the late Elio De Angelis. All of this is not solely due to two unlucky days, to misfortune. A genuine massacre of turbos (at least eight between failures and various breakdowns), an engine that exploded during the morning, changes to wings, springs, anti-roll bars, exhaust pipes, floor bodywork elements. Mechanics forced to burn their hands to intervene every few minutes on the malfunctioning turbochargers, drivers forced to watch the others complete laps. In a nutshell, a dramatic situation that evokes anger and pity at the same time. And, most seriously, no one knows how to intervene, how to fix the situation. And this despite the plethora of engineers, technicians and experts available. Computers, wires, cables, the Ferrari cars resemble a branch of a spare parts store, yet they are not ready to run. Lack of traction, lack of grip, impossibility of finding a balance, since the drivers have to make a pit stop every lap. And it is not even possible to hide behind trivial excuses, behind vague statements. When there is a crisis, it should be confronted head on, analysed, it is necessary to talk about it and try to recover step by step, without losing one's composure. It is unbelievable the statement by the ineffable racing director, Marco Piccinini, who, talking about the problems related to the ongoing discussions on the reduction of engine power, essentially says:
"If we go in the wrong direction, we might even reconsider our position, look for another field of competition to measure ourselves".
All teams are forced to face problems, but there are different ways to handle them. On Saturday, in the initial laps, Nigel Mansell, due to an overtaking manoeuvre, goes off track, passes over a curb and damages the floor of his car. Then he returns to the pits, his Williams is repaired in a few minutes and the Englishman secures the pole position. Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet attack vigorously, risking incidents themselves, but in the end, they are forced to bow before their rival. The McLaren team encounters difficulties due to excessive understeer, but Alain Prost remains optimistic for the race and believes he can secure the points necessary to regain the lead in the world championship standings on the track of Notre Dame Island. On Sunday, June 15, 1986, at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix Nigel Mansell starts well and maintains the lead, followed by Ayrton Senna. But it is clear from the beginning that the Brazilian will not be able to keep up with his rival’s pace, as the Williams #5 pulls away and the competitors press behind. And indeed, during the fourth lap one of the most beautiful actions of the race takes place. Alain Prost attacks the Lotus on the straight of the pit lane. The Frenchman squeezes Ayrton Senna on the curb, on the edge of fairness, and makes him teeter dangerously. Ayrton knows he cannot resist and must give up, he has learned that it is pointless to engage in combat in certain situations when the opponent has a superior vehicle and is so determined. Keke Rosberg also slips in right behind his teammate. Then begins a whole series of attacks and counterattacks. The Finn, without regard for the World Champion, surprises Alain Prost and goes after Nigel Mansell. He reaches him and overtakes him during the 16th lap. Four laps later, when Keke is forced to slow down (all drivers must monitor their fuel consumption), the Englishman performs his masterpiece. Taking advantage of Jones’s lapping, he squeezes between the Lola and the McLaren and regains the lead. The race continues with Mansell, Rosberg, Prost, Piquet and Senna in that order. The series of pit stops to change tires begins. Rosberg enters first (13.24-second stop), followed by Mansell (11 seconds), Prost (who stays still for 19.98 seconds), Alboreto and everyone else. The only one not forced to pit is Arnoux, whose Pirelli’s allow him to finish the race in sixth position without any changes. Basically, after a very brief interregnum with Prost in the lead, the race resumes at the end of all the significant pit stops, including Piquet's, who is a bit delayed compared to the others, Mansell is consistently in the lead, followed by Rosberg, Prost, Piquet, Arnoux and Senna.
The Englishman continues to gain seconds upon seconds and will not be challenged again. Behind, Rosberg has to slow down to avoid running out of fuel (he wasted too much with his aggressive accelerations) and is passed first by Prost and then by Piquet, forced to make another pit stop to replace the rear tires. In the final moments, Senna takes fifth place from Arnoux. Ferrari is never in the game. In the early stages, with a full tank of fuel, the cars of Johansson and Alboreto gain positions, reaching seventh and eighth places. But Johansson comes for Dumfries. The Scottish Earl enters the pits and, when he exits, he does not check who is arriving. So, during the 29th lap, Johansson crashes into him, losing his right front wheel and, of course, his position. The incident also gives Alboreto quite a scare as he comes at about 300 km/h and, to avoid his teammate's Ferrari, he spins, fortunately without damage. Anyway, as the fuel level drops in the tank, the car becomes more and more difficult to handle, with Michele Alboreto struggling with a gearbox in which fourth and fifth gears regularly jump. Another race to forget. While Ferrari's incredible crisis continues, Nigel Mansell continues his climb to the top of Formula 1. In Montreal, the Williams driver secures his second consecutive victory, winning a spectacular Canadian Grand Prix. The Englishman crosses the finish line ahead of Alain Prost in the McLaren, his teammate, Nelson Piquet, Keke Rosberg, Ayrton Senna and René Arnoux. The Maranello cars are out of the points and out of any positive evaluation, only managing a meagre eighth place with Michele Alboreto, as a demonstration of how the team's crisis has deepened and how the F1-86s are not competitive. The first race of the American tour has ignited more sparks in the midst of a tightly contested and uncertain championship. Now Alain Prost regains the lead in the championship standings, with Ayrton Senna now tied for second place (with a 2-point difference) alongside Nigel Mansell himself. Nelson Piquet, who was initially seen as a heavy favourite for the season, has to settle for fourth place, ten points behind the leader of the world championship standings. The race was fiercely fought, especially in the beginning where Mansell and Rosberg put on a show, with various moves from Senna and Prost, while Piquet struggled from the start due to faulty brakes.
Once again, Nigel Mansell stands on the highest step of the podium. By now it is a habit. The 31-year-old Englishman, with his prominent moustache and nicknamed "Mansueto" for his gentle demeanour outside of racing (he loves golf, fishing and lives on the Isle of Man, isolated from the world), is now one of the leading candidates for the world title.
"I do not even want to hear about it, the championship is still too long. It was a great race, a good fight. I had fun with Rosberg and that is enough for me. We know each other well, we respect each other, we haven't committed any foul play".
Nigel Mansell dedicates the victory to his team manager, Frank Williams, who was left paralyzed as a consequence of a serious car accident in Le Castellet in February.
"Just today, Frank was in public for the first time, sitting in a wheelchair to start a race of disabled people in Newberry".
In the press conference following the race, Alain Prost, overall satisfied to have reclaimed the lead in the World Championship standings, explains the overtaking performed against Ayrton Senna:
"It was not difficult, a slightly dangerous move, but that's all. We did not touch. I passed him on the inside and then I found myself ahead of him on the outside in the next turn".
The Frenchman, aware of having executed an exceptional overtake against a rival considered quite challenging by everyone when it comes to overtaking, starts laughing. And leaning back in his chair, he falls backwards, disappearing from everyone's view, fortunately without any harm. On the contrary, Nelson Piquet is calm, though not resigned, as he could not race at his best.
"This time the brakes were locked almost from the first lap. I couldn't push and I also ended up wearing out the tires more than expected, so much that I had to make a second pit stop".
As for Senna, the Brazilian driver seems fairly resigned.
"Don't talk to me about the difficulty of overtaking, I had to monitor fuel consumption throughout the entire race. Here, the one who decides is not the driver but the engine. I raced in inferior conditions. The fuel gauge showed I would run out before the end. I had to take all the pressure off the turbo. But this does not surprise me at all: since the beginning of the season, I have been telling people at Lotus that when we get on the podium, it is a fluke. And indeed, here, with two Williams and two McLarens crossing the finish line, we finished fifth".
Only few words are said by the drivers. Stefan Johansson says:
"I was doing pretty well when that nice guy Dumfries popped out of the pits without looking at who was coming. He moved to the right and there was nothing I could do to avoid him. Luckily we didn't get hurt".
And Michele Alboreto concludes, saying:
"At the beginning we were not that bad, but as the fuel tank emptied, I could no longer keep it on the track. Certainly the worst Ferrari of the year. A terrible period, I think it can’t get any worse than this".
For the race director, Marco Piccinini, it was not a positive race:
"The third place in Spa had created some illusions. Unfortunately, we still haven't solved our problems".
Scuderia Ferrari’s ineffable race director takes stock of the Canadian Grand Prix and describes it as slightly negative. Perhaps he believes that even entirely negative races can provide valuable experience. The fact remains that the Maranello team once again failed to reap the rewards of their work. In Montreal, reliability was not entirely lacking, but competitiveness was. The two cars could not achieve better than the seventh and eighth fastest lap times, with Alboreto's best being 1'28.405 compared to Nelson Piquet's record of 1'25.443. A three-second gap showing the distance that separates Ferrari from the top teams. Moreover, the poor adaptability of the F1-86 to slow tracks and the extreme difficulty in setting up these cars were fully confirmed. On Saturday, during the last round of the qualifying session, while rivals were making minimal adjustments, everything was still being changed in the Maranello team's box, from springs to wings, to bars, giving the impression that they still had not understood anything about the cars. Such uncertainty creates an extremely difficult situation. Instead of working methodically, they go by trial and error, which usually leads to either failed attempts or waste of precious time. For example, the changes of the turbines, exhaust tailpipes and the car's floor, which between Friday and Saturday caused an incredible sequence of breakdowns, forcing the mechanics to work until late at night to rebuild the cars with the previous settings. The weak point - as it is the general opinion - remains the chassis. The Ferraris are almost always difficult to drive and vulnerable in slow corners, where they come out like snails compared to McLaren, Williams, Lotus and even Ligier and Brabham. Obviously, this situation also frustrates the drivers. At the end of the race, Michele Alboreto had an outburst against Johansson, because he had not realized that the Swede's accident had been caused by Dumfries, when he spun at almost 300 km/h. Then the Italian driver understood and the two moved forward with no hard feelings. In the meantime, the driver who had to sell his house in 1978 to compete in Formula 1, is making his way. But for Nigel Mansell, the superb winner of the Canadian Grand Prix, who has won four of the last nine races, official recognition has not yet to come. It is unbelievable, but he is one of the few drivers who still does not have a contract for next year.
"The option with Williams expired just on Sunday. They left me free to look for a better fit. And I am exploring my options".
Second driver at Lotus alongside the late Elio De Angelis, then at Williams, first with Keke Rosberg, now with Nelson Piquet, clearly Nigel Mansell now believes he is undervalued, particularly in terms of the financial profile. His annual earnings would be around 500.000 dollars, quite low compared to the much higher figures of other drivers. Mansell is convinced he can join this million-dollar club and makes it a matter of pride above all.
"You could see for yourselves that, starting from the Spanish Grand Prix, Nelson has had two cars at his disposal, while I've had just one. It is true that one car can be enough to win and that our team is able to prepare competitive and perfectly equal cars. However... Anyway, I would be happy if Piquet continued to have two, as long as I still finish first".
Simple, humble, endowed with a keen sense of humor, Mansell is well aware that he has to seize the opportunity, swiftly.
"Therefore, I'm looking around, I have contacts with other teams, although I would like to stay at Williams".
Have you ever talked to Enzo Ferrari?
"I would like to, but so far I have not met him".
Haven’t you asked anything to the race director, Marco Piccinini, either?
"Perhaps I did, but you wouldn't know. I can keep secrets...".
Speaking of Ferrari, what does Mansell think of the Maranello team’s crisis?
"I think Ferrari is the wild card of Formula 1. They can return to winning anytime. The engine seems excellent to me, the cars are very fast, they are even 15 km/h faster than us in some points. Probably it is the chassis that is not as good as ours. Sooner or later, though, it will be back to the top. Just look at Ferrari's history. I wouldn't be surprised if they already cause us some trouble in Detroit".
Anyway, Mansell is now in the running to win the World Championship.
"I will tell you this in November, at the end of the championship. There is a substantial balance between us and McLaren. They have won the last two championships, both Drivers' and Constructors'. They perform very well in slow corners, while we are faster in the fast ones. In Montreal Rosberg was faster than me even on the straights. I won because I had a good start and because my pit stop to change tires was very quick. Good teamwork. But even in terms of fuel consumption, we are equal. AT the end we had the same litres in the tanks. It will be a good fight, uncertain until the end. Now, for me, it is important to score points, even though, of course, I always hope to win, even in the next race in Detroit".
An English driver, with an English car and a Japanese engine. What more can you ask for in Formula 1?
"I believe that this combination is very competitive, but let's not put the cart before the horse. I am convinced that I am faster than before, but to truly become the best, one must win the title. For now, I am satisfied with buying another house before my wife files for divorce. The future is in the hands of luck, Williams and my ability to adapt to situations".
After the conclusion of the Canadian Grand Prix, a long caravan of massive trucks transports Formula 1 to Detroit, where the seventh round of the World Championship will be held on Sunday, June 22, 1986. A few days of freedom for the drivers, many of whom, however, cannot fully enjoy these few free hours. Formula 1 always manages to draw attention, one way or another. With races that are sometimes very exciting, in other cases quite boring and, unfortunately, also with dramatic accidents. But what makes the sport most talked about lately are the controversies, the discussions, always stemming from episodes that plague the environment. While the serious issue of safety is being raised, due to the excessive power of engines, which has made protections and emergency vehicles on the circuits inadequate (a matter that will certainly remain a hot topic for the rest of the season), here is another threat, an immediate one, emerging on the horizon. It concerns a case related to the upcoming Detroit Grand Prix. The American tax authorities have in fact made it known that they intend to impose a tax on the prizes that will be paid to competitors for their race results. As it is known, each Grand Prix has a sum (between 800.000 and 1.500.000 dollars, depending on the organizers’ budget) that is distributed by FOCA to all the teams, part of it as a fixed fee and another part based on qualifications and placings obtained during and at the end of the race.
These funds, depending on the individual contracts of the drivers (who generally earn an amount per point in addition to their seasonal contract), are collected by the teams and are distributed to the drivers at the end of the championship. Now the US tax authorities want to intervene with a fixed tax rate of 16% on these amounts, with retroactive action spanning five years, hence from 1982, when the first Detroit Grand Prix was held. There was immediate talk of the possibility of arrest for the drivers, of threats from the drivers themselves not to participate in the race. In fact, someone (Arnoux, for example), upon becoming aware of the situation, proposed to show up at the track at the last moment to force the organizers of the Detroit race to rectify the situation themselves, using the fear of not racing. In reality, the matter will have to be resolved by FOCA, as it would be impossible to reconstruct exactly how much the drivers have earned so far, one by one, by participating in this race. Apart from the fact that we would like to see tax agents chasing after people who have recently dropped out, like Niki Lauda, it would be interesting to know how they would resolve the situation with paying drivers. And there are many of them, like Boutsen, Ghinzani, Danner, Rothengatter, Streiff and so on. If the tug of war were to become more violent, then it could lead to extreme consequences, with a good chance of Detroit being removed from the World Championship calendar. Especially considering that the majority of the champions of the steering wheel do not like the American city track. Nonetheless, all of this contradicts recent news suggesting that the world's first industrial automotive city intends to go big. In fact, there seem to be plans in motion to build a semi-permanent circuit on Belle Isle. However, all of this is part of a much larger plan. Indeed, the Michigan Gaming Control Board has been asked to repeal the law prohibiting gambling. A public referendum will be held in November. If the initiative is successful, a centre of casinos, hotels and entertainment of various kinds like Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Reno will be built, with a multi-billion lire investment.