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Ferrari must be careful, Emerson Fittipaldi is preparing for revenge.
"At Brands Hatch next week, for the British Grand Prix, I will have a new McLaren, more stable and more maneuverable, hence faster".
This confidence comes from the Brazilian, who on Wednesday, July 10, 1974, is at the beautiful and modern Casale track for a series of tests on cars (including a Lancia Stratos) organized for the magazine Quattroruote. In the late afternoon, Emerson leaves for Biella, a guest of Count Zanon, to celebrate the 1973 season with the Biella Corse team. In Casale, Fittipaldi is awaited by a dense group of enthusiasts. The Brazilian begins the series of tests by first driving the Stratos with a 24-valve engine (300 HP) that allowed Larrousse and Ballestrieri to win the Targa Florio. Engineer Mike Parkes provides information to Emerson, who, as a serious professional, documents himself on every detail of the beautiful Turin berlinetta. Fans perk up their ears but, above all, enjoy watching Fittipaldi go around the circuit. The Casale track has the happy peculiarity of allowing spectators to follow the drivers throughout the layout, ensuring constant entertainment. Emerson completes the fastest lap in 1'15"0. It's not a great time, but the Brazilian has no intention of breaking records, especially with a car he has never driven before. Donna and Fabbris, organizers of the Autodrome, make a smiling comment:
"Well, if Lauda and Regazzoni had been there...".
Fittipaldi expresses a flattering opinion both on the Stratos and on the Casale track.
"The Stratos seems to me, from this first contact, a nimble and nervous car. It has good power and effective road holding. For rallies, it must be perfect. As for the circuit, I am impressed by the high level of safety it offers; I am conducting a campaign on this, and here I found open areas, without obstacles, with nets in the most challenging points. It's a beautiful track, very suitable for small single-seaters and tests. Of course, to organize a Formula 1 race here, the layout would need to be extended".
Then, the questions shift to the Formula 1 World Championship. Fittipaldi has always sensible answers. For example, how is the McLaren doing?
"I'm happy because it's a competitive single-seater. At Dijon, an oil pipe broke, that's why the engine gave out. It has good aerodynamics and is very stable on fast circuits, less so on slow ones. That's why McLaren technicians are finalizing the preparation of a new model with a different type of suspension. I'll try it at Brands Hatch on Wednesday, before official practice. We'll see".
And Ferrari?
"It's really strong, unfortunately. The 312-B 3 has a great engine, superior acceleration to the Ford-Cosworth, and has achieved the stability that was lacking last year".
So, will the World Championship go to Lauda or Regazzoni?
"No, that remains to be seen. I think I, Scheckter, and even Peterson have good chances. One thing is certain: Ferrari, McLaren, Tyrrell, and Lotus are the strongest".
What do you hope for in the upcoming races?
"That Lauda and Regazzoni argue. They are both good and have magnificent cars. If the current harmony in the team breaks, it will be a significant advantage for me".
Fittipaldi is sincere. It's up to Lauda, Regazzoni, and Ferrari to ensure that the dream of Casale remains just a dream. On Thursday, July 18, 1974, at Brands Hatch, Lauda, with Ferrari, and Ronnie Peterson, with Lotus, are the fastest in the first day of practice for the British Grand Prix, the tenth event of the Formula 1 World Championship. On the twisty Brands Hatch track - 4265 meters of ups and downs and curves - the Austrian and the Swede set identical times: 1'20"6, at an average speed of 190.4 km/h. These initial indications reveal a certain balance between Ferrari, Lotus, and Tyrrell, but it should also be considered that British teams are favored at Brands Hatch in terms of setup. Ferrari mechanics have to work harder (between the first and second training sessions, it is necessary to change the gears of Lauda and Regazzoni's cars). The exhausts break on the two 312-B3s, and it is hoped that the issue will not recur on Saturday. The number one rival of the Maranello duo, Emerson Fittipaldi, tests the new McLaren. The car has the same shape as the usual model but with different suspension. In the end, an element of the rear suspension breaks, and Fittipaldi is forced to stop. Nevertheless, a conventional McLaren is still available to him. The Brazilian is very happy, but for another reason: he has become the father of a beautiful girl, Giuliana. The McLaren driver says:
"Better than winning a Grand Prix".
The beautiful Lella, the Tiger of Turin, the fastest woman in the world. The English are very excited about Lella Lombardi's debut in Formula 1 and enjoy coming up with many nicknames for this Italian brunette. She lets them have fun and laughs.
"They are a bit crazy. They call me the Tiger of Turin, imagine that, just because I race and because they only know Turin from Piedmont. But I am from Frugarolo, a little village near Alessandria".
Lella Lombardi seems a bit surprised by the curiosity surrounding her entry into Formula 1. She is also flattered, of course, but above all because she now finds popularity and sympathy outside Italy that she had not managed to achieve in years of motorsport. She is thirty-one years old and has been racing since 1965: rallies, circuit races with small single-seaters (Formula 850, Ford, Formula 3). In the current season, the transition to Formula 5000 and now to the queen of formulas.
"Calm down, first I have to qualify for the British Grand Prix. It won't be easy, Brands Hatch is a really difficult circuit, and I know it little. Furthermore, there is strong competition: there is space for 28 cars here, and there are 33 or 34 drivers, mostly English. They are at home at Brands Hatch. Being able to participate in this race will already be an achievement for me".
Lella Lombardi has set the twenty-fourth best time: 1'23"6, compared to 1'20"6 of Niki Lauda and Ronnie Peterson, who with Ferrari and Lotus were the fastest. Three exact seconds of difference are a lot, but Lella is not upset. The brunette from Frugarolo is satisfied with her white Brabham with the number 208, financed by a plastics company.
"Of course, compared to the Formula 5000 Loia, there is a huge difference. This is a nervous, demanding, sensitive car; that one is soft and smooth. It's clear that they distance me here, give me a lot of seconds. But let me get used to the monster".
Lella is a very reasonable and wise driver. Perhaps she is not very knowledgeable about mechanical secrets, but she measures her strengths and does not attempt absurd exploits. She drives cleanly and with good technique, even if she lifts off the accelerator before others (but not all).
"For me, there are two drivers today whom I would like to resemble: Lauda and Fittipaldi. They are really good. I hope Lauda wins in the end because I'm cheering for Ferrari".
They ask her if she would like to have a Ferrari, perhaps at Monza, in the Italian Grand Prix. And she turns as red as a child and can barely muster the strength to whisper a very timid:
"Yes".
But it's clear that she doesn't even think about it, even though she has approached this 1974 season with seriousness as a professional. Niki Lauda, with Ferrari, against Ronnie Peterson, with Lotus: that's the theme of the British Grand Prix, the tenth episode of the Formula 1 World Championship. On the challenging Brands Hatch circuit, one of the most demanding for both men and machines, on Friday, July 19, 1974, the Austrian and the Swede conclude these two days of practice with an identical time of 1'19"7. It has been a fierce and exciting battle that has seen Lauda and Peterson progressively improve their performances. A back-and-forth game, with no winners, an electrifying preview of the Grand Prix. In reality, Lauda achieves his feat (one second less than Fittipaldi's lap record with Lotus in 1972) before Peterson, allowing him to start in pole position. A great satisfaction for Niki, who - once again - proves to be a true champion, and for Ferrari, which precedes the British teams right in their Brands Hatch stronghold. Lotus, Tyrrell, McLaren, Brabham, and so on had made a special effort to prepare their cars for this home Grand Prix. Especially Lotus, whose sponsors funded the race. Lauda surprises with the ease and naturalness with which he set a series of increasingly faster times. The Austrian studied the best moment, namely when there were fewer cars on the track, jumped into his Ferrari, completed two or three laps, and there was the feat. Peterson had to exert himself to the extreme to keep up with the Austrian's pace and managed to set the time of 1'19"7 on the last lap. Niki Lauda says at the end of the practice:
"Of course, Peterson is always a very strong opponent. My Ferrari works wonderfully and allows me to hope for success; however, I don't forget that I am leading the World Championship with 36 points, against 32 for Regazzoni, 31 for Fittipaldi, 26 for Scheckter, and 19 for Ronnie. I need to score points, so I will avoid unnecessary risks".
Very wise considerations: Lauda deserves to inherit the Stewart title. In a less fortunate position is Regazzoni. The Swiss will start on the fourth row, alongside Emerson Fittipaldi. They have in front of them, in addition to Lauda-Peterson, the pairs of Scheckter-Reutemann and Pryce-Hunt. Regazzoni says:
"Unfortunately, I only fitted the most suitable tires for this circuit towards the end. However, overtaking is quite easy here. I will run my race and try to get some points for the World Championship".
Fittipaldi is in a bad mood.
"The rear suspension of my new McLaren wasn't right. Finally, we managed to fix it, but after three or four laps, when the car was performing beautifully, the gearbox broke".
If the battle for the top positions was exciting, the struggle to qualify was even tougher. In these two days, 34 drivers took to the track while there were only 25 available spots for the race. Among the nine excluded is also Lella Lombardi, who has to postpone her debut in a Formula 1 Grand Prix to another date. The Italian's car had some suspension issues. Nevertheless, Lella ran a lap in 1'23"3, ranking as the third of the non-qualified and leaving other drivers behind.
"Tomorrow I can cheer for Lauda and Ferrari in peace".
On Sunday, July 20, 1974, at the start of the British Grand Prix, Lauda makes a magnificent start, easily securing the first position. Scheckter, Regazzoni, Peterson, Reutemann, and Fittipaldi follow. The race continues in this pattern for a long time, with Lauda leading Scheckter by a fluctuating margin, ranging from 3-4 seconds in the early stages to 7-10 seconds halfway through the race. For the Italian drivers, Brambilla and Merzario, the British Grand Prix is short-lived: both are forced to retire, the former due to a fuel supply failure and the latter due to engine failure. The leading positions remain the same for many laps until, during lap 35, Carlos Reutemann spins. This driving error costs him five positions in the standings. Then, during lap 36, another incident involves Hans-Joachim Stuck, who hits the guardrail before rebounding onto the track. The March driver quickly exits the car, while track marshals display yellow flags. However, the first real moment of excitement occurs during lap 39 when Peterson returns to the pit to replace the rear tires, followed shortly by the same operation for Regazzoni. Lotus mechanics are once again in a state of confusion, while Ferrari's crew allows the Swiss driver to return to the track after a pit stop of about 15 seconds.
The right front tire had deflated, but due to uniform tire compounds and wear, the entire front set was changed. Both drivers likely suffered punctures from debris left by Stuck's car. Regazzoni, from third, re-enters the track in seventh place, while for Peterson, the race is practically over. Meanwhile, the rear wing of François Migault's B.R.M. threatens to detach, forcing him to return to the pits for necessary repairs. After these events, behind Lauda and Scheckter is Emerson Fittipaldi, although trailing by 30 seconds. In fourth place is Tom Pryce, followed by Jacky Ickx and Mike Hailwood. During lap 47, the Welsh driver is passed by both. The Grand Prix ends for Mike Hailwood during lap 58; he spins and cannot restart his McLaren. Four laps later, Clay Regazzoni passes Pryce, who, after another four laps, also loses his position to Reutemann. Ferrari still has a superb Lauda, skillfully navigating the challenging curves of Brands Hatch. Lauda's march is decisive and secure; lap after lap, his red car appears on the main straight, and Scheckter's Tyrrell has no chance of catching up. Ferrari's signalers display signs from the pit wall to show Lauda the gap to Scheckter and the number of laps remaining. Minus ten, minus eight, and then agitation erupts in the Maranello team during lap 39. Lauda's lead over the young South African decreases dramatically.
"A tire, he has a tire deflating".
They shout, and during lap 70, five laps from the end, Scheckter passes Lauda. It is a truly dramatic moment for Ferrari. The right rear tire of the 312-B3 quickly deflates, becoming a twisted mess on the rim. The mechanics show the box sign to Lauda, but the Austrian tries everything and continues. Unfortunately, the tire disintegrates entirely. Lauda is forced to return to the pit during lap 74. A lightning-fast tire change offers a chance for a fifth-place finish (better than nothing) for Niki, but the crowd prevents the unfortunate driver from completing the race. There is so much confusion that when Lauda tries to navigate through the crowd, he is stopped by a marshal waving a red flag, justifying it:
"Stop, it's too dangerous".
Luca Montezemolo then goes to race control to protest. It is unacceptable that the organizers of the British Grand Prix were unable to maintain order in the pit area until the end, depriving Lauda of the opportunity to return to the race. The discussions about this additional setback for Lauda and Ferrari, which requests the fifth place in the standings for the Austrian, drag on but do not yield any positive results for Ferrari. The appeal is not accepted by the stewards, who say it lacks sufficient evidence. Ferrari decides to appeal to the FIA. Now, the Formula 1 World Championship is wide open again. Fittipaldi returns to the top of the standings, and Scheckter closes in on Lauda and Regazzoni. A race that Niki Lauda had dominated with Ferrari ended up in the hands of Jody Scheckter and Tyrrell. It was a bitter British Grand Prix for the Austrian and Ferrari, betrayed on the final lap by the gradual deflation of a tire. Almost a tragedy because a victory would have likely solidified Lauda's leadership in the Formula 1 World Championship, of which this race was the tenth episode. Instead, Niki had to stop at the pit on the penultimate lap, and when he resumed, a wall of spectators had already flooded the track to greet Scheckter's fortunate triumph, blocking Lauda's way. The incident prompted a protest from Ferrari, which unfortunately did not have any effect. Scheckter won, with the usual Emerson Fittipaldi in second place. The Brazilian had a patient race as usual, taking advantage of others' troubles. In the standings, Ickx was third with Lotus, and Regazzoni was fourth with the second Ferrari. The Swiss driver also had to stop to replace a tire while in third place. Peterson did the same, and with the Lotus, he should have been Ferrari's main rival at Brands Hatch. In reality, Ferrari had no opponents here and deserved the victory. Niki Lauda said at the end of the race:
"When I felt the tire deflating, I desperately tried to reach the end and not stop. I hoped the tire would hold and allow me to finish the race, at least in second or third place. Instead, the tire exploded, and I had to stop. Oh well, the championship is still to be decided. It's incredible that I couldn't continue to at least seek a placement because of the people who had gathered between the pit and the track".
Lauda's decision to continue and not immediately return to the pit as soon as he noticed the tire issue will likely be discussed. How can we judge this action by the driver? It was a very quick decision while Lauda was racing at 250 km/h. If it had ended well, everyone would have praised him. Clay Regazzoni adds:
"I lost contact with Lauda and Scheckter after about ten laps due to the right front tire. The car had become too understeering. Certainly, today could have been better for Niki, for me, and for Ferrari. Personally, however, I am satisfied enough; at least I arrived and took some points for the World Championship".
While Luca Montezemolo emphasizes:
"Lauda was fantastic. I don't like to talk about bad luck, but here, we had the race under control. The cars were performing very well. And then, in the end, first Niki's stop, and then the crowd in the pit, which deprived Lauda of fifth place. It's incredible that such things can happen in a Formula 1 Grand Prix".
Engineer Caliri concludes, saying:
"We can't say the fault lies with the tires; that would be unfair. It was probably just a simple puncture, a routine case that cost us the race".
For the second time, Niki Lauda and Ferrari lost a Grand Prix due to tire issues.
In France, the Austrian had to settle for second place, but in England, it went much worse. The ninth position feels like a double blow, considering Niki had dominated the race until the very last laps. After the pit stop to change that cursed rear tire, he wasn't even allowed to resume the race and achieve, at least, a consolation placement. The fifth place would have allowed him to remain at the top of the world championship. The result at Brands Hatch was a harsh blow for Ferrari. In addition to Lauda, Clay Regazzoni, who made a fantastic start by timing, had to stop for a similar reason, losing a third place that no one else could have taken from him. Ferrari could have had the Austrian and the Swiss securely leading the World Championship, but instead, they are still in the midst of the battle, with the lucky ones of the day, Emerson Fittipaldi and Jody Scheckter, fully continuing the fight for the title. If, for Regazzoni, the examination of the gradually deflating right front tire revealed a slight lesion on the sidewall, probably due to some hits received by the tire on the curbs lining some corners of the circuit, there is no certainty for Lauda. The tire had disintegrated after two or three laps almost without pressure. Puncture, cut, failure? However, the problem is relative. The points of contention are two: why didn't Lauda stop when he noticed the right rear tire deflating, and why did he prefer to continue, ultimately losing a secure placement? Is it acceptable that a driver cannot re-enter the track due to a crowd barrier, and the organizers do not admit their responsibility? Debates have already started on the first point. Lauda is under scrutiny. He made a mistake, it is claimed; he should have returned to the pit and had the tire replaced. With the advantage he had over Ickx, he could have completed the operation and returned to the track, going from first to third place. His insistence on continuing the race and, ultimately, his lack of confidence in the mechanics' speed in performing the change, form the basis of the missed placement.
It is likely, based on the numbers, that if Lauda had opted to return to the pit immediately, his name would be in place of Ickx's in the British Grand Prix standings. But is it fair to accuse a driver who, after leading the race calmly for over 60 laps, must make such a grave decision in a few seconds? The one called a computer made a mistake because he is a man, because at that moment, he thought he could make it [let's not forget that Regazzoni traveled in similar conditions for about 25 laps - from lap 15 to lap 40 - and Lauda only for nine, from lap 64 to lap 73, because he was afraid something might go wrong in the frantic tire change. No one wants to defend Lauda, who doesn't need it. But it is simply a reminder that certain decisions in any job are difficult. Absurd, however, is the attempt to involve the Ferrari sports management in the responsibilities. As soon as the reason for the Austrian's slowdown was understood from the pit, the sign ordering him to return immediately came out, also due to the danger of the situation. The second point - the invasion of the passage between the pits and the track - is much more serious. The organizers of the British Grand Prix were careless and incompetent and, naturally, defended themselves by turning a deaf ear to Ferrari's complaint. The appeal to the FIA leaves much to be desired, given previous examples and the degree of obtuseness that characterizes the majority of motorsport representatives. At a minimum, those at Brands Hatch deserve not to have the Grand Prix in their hands for the next two or three editions. Ferrari's regret remains for this unfortunate race. Now, they only hope for one thing: comforted by yet another confirmation of the value of their cars, Ferrari's men must not brood or get involved in controversies. Nothing is lost; the title is always within reach. It's time not to be disheartened but to throw themselves more fiercely into the fray. The German Grand Prix is very close.