For Formula 1, it's already time for revenge and pursuits. On Thursday, April 5, 1984, with the first qualifying session, the South African Grand Prix opens, the second race of the World Championship. Needless to say, the team to beat is McLaren-Porsche, dominant in Rio de Janeiro, first with Niki Lauda and then, when the Austrian was forced to retire, victorious with Alain Prost. The Frenchman doesn't have many friends in the paddock, and everyone is eager to pay him back as soon as possible. The altitude of the Kyalami circuit, located on a plateau at about 1.700 meters, about thirty kilometers from Johannesburg, should somewhat mitigate fuel consumption concerns. Some engineers have calculated that the thin air would save about 10% of fuel. Therefore, the 220 liters of fuel in the tanks should be sufficient to finish the race. However, the calculations will be finalized during the practice sessions. It's worth noting that while the altitude allows for a percentage saving, some might be tempted to increase turbo pressure. In this case, the risk of engine failures would rise, and fuel consumption might also become high. Last year, Riccardo Patrese won on this track with the Brabham, and Nelson Piquet clinched the world title with the same car. However, Bernie Ecclestone's team showed poor competitiveness in Brazil, making them a wildcard. Renault and Ferrari will undoubtedly be on the attack, currently without points despite having good chances in the first race. The Lotus should also be considered. Ferrari, unlike the other top teams, did not participate in the free practice about a month ago at Kyalami. At that time, the best was Rosberg with the Williams-Honda. However, Alboreto and Arnoux are likely to secure a good starting position and compete for a positive result. Frank Williams, the team owner, particularly believes in the Italian driver, saying:
"Michele is potentially a great champion. He has the determination, courage, and composure that I found in Alan Jones and Keke Rosberg, two drivers who won the world title. I am convinced that the Ferrari-Alboreto combination will give us problems this year. There's no doubt about that".
Williams is confident in the Honda engine, although he doesn't know all its secrets because the Japanese technicians collaborating with Williams are tight-lipped.
"I know we can race with almost 700 HP, and the engine is continuously evolving. Honda has rented a workshop in Derby and is working with maximum effort. I must say that this six-cylinder engine seems to have no issues, especially in the highly advanced electronic part".
The challenge is just beginning, but it has already reached significant levels of interest and excitement, fueled by the presence of many ambitious teams. These teams, in one way or another, represent major automotive manufacturers, and the commercial war has shifted to the tracks. Since 1973, eleven editions of the South African Grand Prix in Formula 1 have taken place. Ferrari has won three times, twice with Niki Lauda (1976 and 1977) and once with Gilles Villeneuve (1979). Will the fourth victory come on Saturday in the second race of the World Championship? No one, neither the technicians nor the drivers, wants to make predictions. René Arnoux says:
”Our frustration is great because we know we had a competitive measure. At least one of the two drivers, either I or Alboreto, could have scored points. We were stopped by unforeseen breakdowns".
Arnoux continues:
"My electrical issue was one of those assembly inconveniences that are very difficult to address. Now the cars have been completely reviewed, almost rebuilt, and things should go better".
Indeed, Ferrari's mechanics worked hard before Brazil and then in South Africa. Arnoux's car also received the Weber-Marelli integral injection used in Rio on Alboreto's car. All electrical connections were checked, and welds were reinforced. There's also a new slightly smaller rear wing. Special attention was given to the braking system, which betrayed Alboreto. It was found that the locking of the right front wheel of car #27 in the twelfth lap at Jacarepaguá was caused by the failure of a Vile that holds the brake calipers together. Brembo technicians went to Kyalami to inspect it. However, it is not yet clear whether the issue was caused by abnormal functioning of the new carbon disks (designed by Ferrari but manufactured by a French company within the Aerospace Group, one of the five companies in the world producing brakes for aircraft with such sophisticated materials). Mauro Forghieri says:
"Unfortunately, all possible simulations in the laboratory do not guarantee perfect functioning in the race, where unimaginable usage conditions can occur".
Michele Alboreto adds:
"Certainly, I did not expect such an incident. We had never had such problems in practice. Now everything should align. And if we can complete the race, I am sure the results will come. I am not at all demoralized; I am actually in a better mental condition because I know I can start at the front and I am not afraid of the competitors at the start. My first goal in South Africa, for these two days of qualification, is the pole position. Then we'll see for the race".
Piero Lardi, the team manager and son of the Modena-based constructor, is also present at Kyalami, expressing confidence in the Ferrari team.
"We had a completely new car in Brazil; we hope to have paid for the debut and to be able to have a Grand Prix up to our capabilities".
On Thursday, April 5, 1984, the Japanese flag returns to wave in Formula 1. The rising sun emblem is displayed in the Williams box, which, after Arab sponsors, now flaunts technical collaboration with Honda, the supplier of turbo engines. In an incredible coincidence, the display of the flag coincides with the best time achieved by Keke Rosberg in the first qualifying session of the South African Grand Prix. The Finn has put his Williams powered by the six-cylinder turbo Honda engine ahead of everyone. The drivers of Brabham-BMW, Renault, Lotus, and McLaren-Porsche (the cream of European automotive technology) are temporarily beaten: Piquet is second, Tambay third, Mansell fourth. Far behind, at the end of one of the darkest days in recent years, Ferrari, with Michele Alboreto relegated to twelfth position and René Arnoux in thirteenth. The two drivers from Maranello are over two seconds behind Rosberg. Ferrari faces the official tests at Kyalami with the disadvantage of not having wanted to carry out tests in February, which were dominated by the Finnish driver. But the technicians of the Ferrari team seem rather alarmed because the 126 C4 shows a serious lack of grip, that is, roadholding, and also a significant inferiority in top speed. This is a real negative surprise because after the excellent times set by Alboreto in Rio de Janeiro, a much better result was hoped for. Disappointment and concern prevail. This is the atmosphere recorded at Ferrari after the disappointing tests of the first day of the South African Grand Prix, with the drivers and technicians of the Maranello team studying the chronometric data with heads down and little time to talk. Only a statement by Mauro Forghieri explains the situation:
"We are the youngest, with a new car that has never been on this track. We have significant grip problems that we don't know how to solve at the moment".
The issue does not depend on the tires, as they are the same as those used by Williams and Lotus, the two leading teams. It may be a matter of finding the right compromise between the need to reduce aerodynamic pressure to achieve speed and the need to maintain acceptable handling. Alboreto and Arnoux, cautiously, do not speak out, at least immediately after the tests. Paradoxically, even Rosberg is dissatisfied, complaining about the excessive understeer of his Williams-Honda.
"I could have gone faster, but my car is not yet perfect, although it has improved compared to Brazil, with the new suspension".
In the difficulties, Alfa Romeo is also united with Ferrari, even further down in the standings (Cheever fifteenth, Patrese sixteenth). The cars of the Milanese team are even behind Senna's Toleman. A broken engine for Patrese, turbines that don't perform well, power significantly lower than that used by the competitors. Poor Alfa. They persist in wanting to use the turbos produced by Alfa-Avio (perhaps excellent, possibly exceptional in the aeronautical field), which don't seem up to the task for Formula 1. If companies like Renault, BMW, Porsche, and Ferrari turn to specialized firms like KKK or Garrett, there must be a valid reason. Or not? Let's leave these sorrows and return to the Land of the Rising Sun. It must be said that, aside from the Honda engine, the credit for the performance goes mainly to a Rosberg in great form, capable of pushing the limits, putting on a show on the track. The Finn, after an exchange of overtakes with Nelson Piquet and Patrick Tambay, sets a time of 1'05"127 at the fantastic average speed of 236.299 km/h. A true record that beats the circuit's previous best set in 1982 by Arnoux with the Renault equipped with miniskirts (1'06"351) and, of course, last year's record (Tambay with Ferrari, in 1'06"554). It's worth noting that Rosberg doesn't have the fastest car overall: the fastest, at the end of the pit straight, is Piquet with the Brabham. The Brazilian reaches 321 km/h: about 10 km/h more than Williams, 15 km/h better than Ferrari, and 25 km/h beyond the limits of Alfa Romeo. Not surprisingly, the teams that tested in February are the best.
Nelson Piquet, calm and satisfied, says:
"The Brabham in Rio didn't go as badly as it was said. And here in Kyalami, it has proven to be very fast. We may have the opposite problem compared to our competitors. We need to reduce speed to achieve even greater cornering stability. I am quite optimistic for the race".
For his part, Patrick Tambay says:
"We are all there, except for Ferrari. I foresee a great battle for the second round of qualification and an exciting race. Honestly, I have to admit that I was faster than my teammate because my car's engine had higher pressure".
The McLaren also seems a bit lagging (seventh Lauda, ninth Prost) but, according to the Austrian driver, it's just a matter of finding the right adjustment for the electronic injection affected by the altitude (over 1700 meters) of the circuit. The first day of qualification is characterized by numerous interruptions and delays. If the cloudy weather threatens rain, and the heat is not excessive, there are several off-track excursions and breakdowns that frequently interrupt the free practices in the morning. Johnny Cecotto ends up against the barriers with his Toleman while traveling in fifth gear in the lower part of the track. Cecotto destroys the car, but fortunately, he remains unharmed. Arnoux stops twice: first because he inadvertently activates the on-board fire extinguisher and then due to an electrical problem. Teo Fabi manages to set the fifth fastest time after breaking the turbine of his Brabham, later driving the car borrowed from Piquet. Meanwhile, news comes from the United States, stating that Goodyear has been ordered by the Providence court to pay a penalty of $19.500.000 to the widow of the driver Mark Donohue, who died following an accident during the practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix in 1975. The news raises perplexity and concern in Formula 1. Says Dupasquier, Michelin's track manager:
"If something like this happened to us, we would immediately stop racing. How can one condemn Goodyear, which has shown great professionalism, capability, and safety over all these years? How can one establish that the cause of the tire failure leading to Donohue's accident was a deficiency in the tire itself?"
Niki Lauda agrees:
"It's a stupid verdict; I would have testified in favor of Goodyear".
And Nelson Piquet adds:
"Drivers sign contracts where they commit not to sue teams in the event of accidents. These incidents, painful and unpleasant as they may be, are part of our profession. We are also testers, and I don't think the tire manufacturers would put us in jeopardy".
On Saturday, April 6, 1984, propelled by the powerful turbines of the Brabham, Nelson Piquet, the World Champion, snatches the pole position from Keke Rosberg and the Williams-Honda. Altitude seems to be essential for the performances that competitors have recorded in recent days and will achieve in the race. A fact becomes apparent: the teams that came to test in Kyalami in February are doing well and haven't had many problems. Others, like Ferrari, would have struggled even more if they had been forced to fine-tune their cars in the dark and, unfortunately for them, without promising results. The Brabham-BMW, which had already dominated this race last year with Patrese in first and Piquet in third, has given - it must be acknowledged - a lesson in power and organization to its rivals. Credit goes to the engine, the car, and also an exceptional driver (the only one, along with his young compatriot Senna and Alboreto, to take the difficult Club House corner with the accelerator fully pressed). Many horses in Piquet's car require constant corrections due to an annoying understeer caused by accelerations. The Brazilian driver sets a time of 1'04"861 at an average speed of 227.690 km/h, breaking the circuit record. Nelson Piquet is also a champion in terms of charm. If things go wrong - as in Rio de Janeiro - he smiles and says they will be better next time. When everything goes well, he turns into a showman.
"I have to thank the Bavarian horses provided by BMW for being in pole position. I'm happy, of course, but it will certainly be a very contested Grand Prix. I fear the ones from McLaren and Renault in particular".
Alain Prost responds:
"We still have difficulties with electronics; the engine doesn't always run at its maximum, but this mainly happens in qualifications when we run at maximum power. In the race, it will be different. Lauda and I can almost certainly repeat the race in Brazil".
There is optimism at Renault, which has no technical problems, while Brabham breaks an engine and a turbine. Patrick Tambay says: "We are growing, progressing step by step. In Brazil, we came close to victory; here, we are in a good position. I am amazed by Ferrari's negative performance. Last year, we took pole position, and I expected the 126 C4 to be in the front row. I don't know what happened, but it's clear that the development of the new engine, focused on reducing consumption, has caused problems, exacerbated by the altitude of the circuit. I'm sorry because a good battle with Arnoux and Alboreto would have excited me".
The starting grid, compared to Thursday, undergoes some changes. Piquet passes Rosberg, Mansell passes Tambay, Prost overtakes Fabi, and Alboreto moves from twelfth to tenth. This is the only significant improvement, chronometrically, for Ferrari, which seems to have partly solved the lack of grip of its cars recorded in the first round of qualification. However, there are no premises for a reversal of a negative situation for the Maranello team, and Arnoux slips to fifteenth place, overtaken by Senna and De Cesaris.
Technicians and drivers of the Maranello team complain about the lack of top speed, confirmed by photocells placed at the end of the pit straight: 318 km/h for Brabham, around 310 km/h for Renault and Lotus, 306 km/h for Ligier and Williams, 303 km/h for Ferrari, 290 km/h for Alfa Romeo. But why isn't a car that had set the second-fastest time in Rio competitive in Kyalami? The explanation is not simple, and if it were obvious, Mauro Forghieri and his collaborators could have quickly devised effective remedies. However, the crux of the matter seems to be the turbines. BMW has developed large fans with the KKK company that allow a lot of pressure on the engine even at altitude, and therefore, maximum power. Add to this that Brabham is the only team with a car tailored to set exceptional qualifying times: a special engine, a super-lightened chassis, and so on. The same brand of turbines doesn't yield good results for Ferrari or McLaren. Prost, however, uses smaller fans that, having less inertia, allow for a quicker turbo response. It's clear that if Ferrari had conducted preliminary tests in Kyalami, they would have immediately discovered the problem. Moreover, the importance of preliminary tests in Formula 1 is demonstrated by Ligier, which prepares a new rear wing, allowing De Cesaris and Hesnault to reduce their lap times by two seconds. When Ferrari presented the 126 C4, completely new, there was no more time to come to South Africa, which proved decisive in this turbo war. In any case, the Grand Prix is open to many outcomes. Let's not forget the altitude that strains the engines, the frozen fuel that can cause issues, and the chronic problem of fuel consumption, certainly not shelved. In terms of prognosis, one could say that Brabham is favored ahead of Renault and McLaren. Not surprisingly, these are three teams with Michelin tires since Goodyear, excellent for qualifications, seems to be less reliable and effective in the race. In this field, however, it's better not to be too categorical because surprises are always possible. And Ferrari? They will have to focus on reliability and consistency. Mauro Forghieri admits:
"I won't say that I'm happy: we've partly solved the grip problem but we can't go fast. We lack top speed. The race could be a different story, but one cannot live solely on hope".
The Ferrari designer prefers not to talk about the inefficient turbines, also because it's not suitable to deteriorate the relationship with KKK, the German company that supplies them. However, the sports director Marco Piccinini lets slip a significant phrase:
"There are many companies worldwide capable of producing good forced induction systems".
Michele Alboreto is concise:
"I did everything possible, but there was no way to achieve a better time".
When Didier Pironi (the Frenchman still walks with difficulty, leaning on crutches), who arrived in Kyalami to comment on the Grand Prix for Antenne 2 television, asks him when he will win a race for Ferrari, he responds:
"Sunday".
Too bad that the race takes place on Saturday. René Arnoux is also laconic:
"On the straight, I'm practically stationary".
The French driver tries to use the largest available turbines, but while attempting to set a time, one breaks. It is evident that maximum pressure was applied, and the system gave way.
If Ferrari is not laughing, the situation is even worse at Alfa Romeo: Cheever is sixteenth, and Patrese is seventeenth. In the Milanese team, the irritating dispute continues between the Euroracing, which manages the material and manufactures the cars, and those of the parent company that produces the engines. Cheever states:
"In these conditions, we can't have an attacking race. We will turn into regularists and try to finish, as we did in Rio, with the pressure reduced to a minimum".
In the fastest part of the circuit, the Osella, which has the same 8-cylinder turbo Alfa Romeo engine and weighs 50 kg more, is faster by 7 km/h than the Euroracing. Among the Italian drivers, the best remains Teo Fabi, who will start in sixth position, ahead of De Angelis. The Roman is annoyed because Lotus has fitted Mansell's car with the only pair of special turbines developed by Garrett. And the Englishman achieved a splendid third place, slotting in behind Piquet and Rosberg. In any case, Lotus could be, along with Williams, the leading candidate for success among the teams using Goodyear tires. The performance of the young Brazilian Senna is significant, who, without knowing the circuit and with a car considered one of the least powerful among those with a turbocharged engine (the Toleman-Hart), set the thirteenth time and will start ahead of a Ferrari and two Alfa Romeos. The only non-qualified driver is the Belgian Boutsen, with the Arrows equipped with the old naturally aspirated engine. On Sunday, April 7, 1984, during the reconnaissance lap, Alain Prost is forced to abandon his car due to technical issues with the fuel system. The French driver then switches to the reserve car, set up for Niki Lauda. Alain Prost lines up at the start from the pit lane. On the grid, Riccardo Patrese and Philippe Alliot report problems with their respective single-seaters. The start procedure is interrupted, and the race distance is shortened by one lap, as it had already happened in the previous Grand Prix. At the start of the South African Grand Prix, Nelson Piquet misses a gear, allowing Keke Rosberg to pass; Nigel Mansell also overtakes the Brazilian, but immediately, an engine problem forces him to drop back to the midfield. Niki Lauda, Teo Fabi, the two Renaults of Derek Warwick and Patrick Tambay, followed by Elio De Angelis, Jacques Laffite, and Michele Alboreto, follow. At the end of the first lap, on the pit straight, Piquet overtakes Rosberg for the lead, Fabi passes Lauda for second, and Alboreto overtakes Laffite to claim eighth place. During the second lap, Fabi also passes Rosberg: the two Brabham drivers find themselves in the first two positions of the Grand Prix. During the fourth lap, Rosberg loses the third position to Lauda.
The Austrian pressures Fabi for several laps, causing him to wear out his tires, and on the tenth lap, he overtakes him at Leeukop. The Italian driver decides to return to the pits during lap 11 but, on lap 20, he is forced to retire due to a turbo failure. Meanwhile, Lauda begins to pressure Piquet, while Rosberg, now third, is followed by Derek Warwick, who doesn't have enough speed to attempt an overtaking maneuver. During the 21st lap, Nelson Piquet enters the pits to change tires, allowing Niki Lauda to take the lead. Piquet returns to the track in sixth place, behind Rosberg and the two Renaults and Elio De Angelis. The Brazilian immediately passes De Angelis, while behind the Lotus driver is Alain Prost, who, despite starting from the pit lane, has quickly climbed the rankings. During the 35th lap, the French driver of McLaren also overtakes De Angelis, dropping to fifth place. During the 28th lap, the French driver of Renault loses his position to De Angelis as well. In the meantime, Johnny Cecotto, who was sixteenth, retires due to a front tire blowout. The Venezuelan manages to control his Toleman without suffering damage. During the 29th lap, the only Brabham left on the track, that of Nelson Piquet, also has to retire due to a turbo problem. Therefore, Keke Rosberg rises again to second place, followed by Alain Prost, who had also passed Derek Warwick. During the 31st lap, Prost stops at the pits to change tires, as well as Patrick Tambay. The two drivers return to the track in ninth and tenth positions. Niki Lauda waits until lap 34 before entering the pits for his tire change. The Austrian driver returns to the track maintaining the first position but immediately risks spinning due to the still low temperature of the tires. Meanwhile, the battle for the second position intensifies between Keke Rosberg, Derek Warwick, and Elio De Angelis, while Jacques Laffite overtakes Michele Alboreto and drops to fifth place. Rosberg stops at the pits during the 39th lap, rejoining behind Prost and Tambay.
Then, during the 40th lap, Warwick also makes a pit stop and changes tires. The English driver returns to the track in ninth place, behind Tambay. De Angelis thus rises to second place, behind Lauda. Laffite, Alboreto, Prost, Arnoux, and Mansell follow. De Angelis waits until the 40th lap before making his stop. The Italian driver returns to the track in ninth place. During the 41st lap, René Arnoux is forced to retire due to a problem with the fuel injection system. Between the 42nd and 43rd laps, Alain Prost overtakes Michele Alboreto and Jacques Laffite, rising to second place. During the 44th lap, Warwick overtakes Tambay, his teammate, and rises to sixth place, while Elio De Angelis returns to the pits due to a technical problem. Behind the two McLaren drivers are Jacques Laffite, Michele Alboreto, Nigel Mansell, Derek Warwick, and Patrick Tambay. During the 47th lap, Derek Warwick overtakes Nigel Mansell, while Patrick Tambay, due to tire wear, is forced to make a new pit stop, moving away from the top six. During the 51st lap, Warwick also overtakes Alboreto: the two cars are side by side at the Kink, and the Italian driver resists the attack, but at Crowthorne corner, the British driver takes advantage of the better trajectory and overtakes the Ferrari driver. Subsequently, Nigel Mansell and Keke Rosberg retire during the 52nd lap. Ayrton Senna thus rises to sixth place. However, the Brazilian driver of Toleman is overtaken by Patrick Tambay. During the 50th lap, a puncture forces Warwick, in fourth place, to make a new pit stop. The British driver returns to the track in sixth place. Senna, limited for a good part of the race due to damage to the front wing, loses several positions, dropping to tenth place. During the 61st lap, Jacques Laffite loses the right front wheel at Barbeque corner; Michele Alboreto thus moves up to third place, but not for long, as he is overtaken by Patrick Tambay after just one lap. During the 64th lap, Alboreto also loses the fourth position to Warwick. Tambay's race, in third place, stops at the 67th lap due to a lack of fuel. Warwick rises to third place, ahead of Alboreto, Patrese, De Cesaris, and Senna.
Michele Alboreto's race also ends with a retirement: during the 72nd lap, the Ferrari driver is forced to abandon the race due to a problem with the fuel injection system. Thus, Niki Lauda's first victory with a turbo engine also arrives. The Austrian dominated the South African Grand Prix, achieving, at the age of 35, his 20th career victory. Since July 1982, when he returned to racing after three seasons of inactivity, Lauda had not won. Now Niki approaches the great Fangio (24 victories), Stewart (27), and Clark (25). Lauda conducted his McLaren-Porsche masterfully, lapping all rivals except his teammate Alain Prost, who finished second. Derek Warwick finished third with Renault, ahead of Riccardo Patrese with Alfa Romeo and Andrea De Cesaris with Ligier. In sixth place at the finish line is the talented Brazilian debutant Ayrton Senna, driving for Toleman. Brabham and Williams collapsed, as did Ferrari. The cars of Michele Alboreto and René Arnoux retired due to the same problem, a fault in the engine fuel system. The South African Grand Prix, like the one in Brazil, provided only a few moments of real excitement. Nelson Piquet's initial escape, a couple of hard-fought overtakes (beautiful one with which Warwick passed Alboreto, who, in a manifest state of inferiority, resisted until the last centimeter before giving in). Otherwise, still an impressive series of retirements and pit stops - especially for tire changes - causing considerable confusion. But one thing is clear: McLaren has beaten all rival teams. If Lauda led the dance from lap 21, Prost made an incredible comeback from the last starting position to second. A placement due to the skill of the driver but also to the superiority of the car. Thus, the Frenchman, winner in Rio, and the Austrian are now at the top of the World Championship standings: Prost leading with 15 points and Lauda second at 9. It is noteworthy that the former World Champion's car consumed only 200 liters of fuel. This is an important fact: some cars failed to finish the race or arrived at the finish completely dry. Niki Lauda smiles happily. The Austrian driver expresses few but eloquent words:
"Everything perfect, a fantastic car. Good chassis, engine, tires. I never had the slightest problem. I didn't go immediately after Piquet because I didn't want to damage the tires. When I saw that the Brazilian was slowing down a bit, I overtook him with extreme ease. Perhaps a too easy victory".
When asked if he implemented a particular race strategy, Lauda replies:
"No, none. Everything went naturally. The only one who could possibly challenge my success was Prost. But he remained delayed at the start".
Regarding the World Championship?
"I don't think about it".
Big smiles also from Alain Prost:
"I hoped to be able to have a race like two years ago. On that occasion, with Renault, I remained a lap behind and managed to completely recover. This time it was impossible. Niki and I have two identical cars. When, twenty-five laps from the end, I saw that I had a 25-second disadvantage, I realized that I couldn't catch him. I'm satisfied anyway. Now everything becomes quite easy for me. There is only one problem: Lauda. With my teammate, we will try to share the victories in the family".
Circumstances dictated that Prost started ahead of everyone. His car, just before the start, had reported a break in the electric fuel pump. Alain, forced to take the reserve car (adapted, among other things, for Lauda), drove it with some difficulty. From winners to retirees. First of all, Piquet, once again forced to retire.
"We broke the turbine. You all saw how I had a bad start because with these turbines, it's very problematic to get off the line. Then, proudly, I was clearly superior in speed. Unfortunately, it didn't go well. This type of fueling was studied at the last moment and provides the engine with great power. But reliability was lacking".
The most surprising of all was the young Brazilian Ayrton Senna, somewhat the hero of the day. He raced from the second lap without the nose of his Toleman, which had flown off, making a tremendous effort. Despite this, he still managed to secure his first point. At the end of the race, Senna fainted and had to be removed from the car and taken to the infirmary, where he stayed for two hours. When he came out, he wore a neck brace because all the muscles in his neck were practically atrophied from exhaustion. The new defeat does not seem to have demoralized the Ferrari team. Something more was expected, maybe a point from Alboreto, but the appointment is postponed. The technicians from the Maranello team do not explain exactly what caused the failure of Alboreto and Arnoux's cars. There is talk of an electrical wire - of the fuel system - of the new Weber-Magneti Marelli control unit making its debut, of the fuel pump. It is also worth noting that Ferrari did not adopt frozen fuel refueling, practiced by almost all the more competitive teams. Michele Alboreto limits himself to a few sentences.
"I'm quite disappointed, but Forghieri encouraged me by telling me that the next races will go differently. We had problems, apart from the reasons for retirement, especially with the tires. The Goodyears, which perform very well in qualifying, are not very effective in the race. We should have new types of tires starting from Imola, and maybe things will change. I didn't think I would start the World Championship this way, but the end of the season is still far away, and anything can happen".
More talkative, René Arnoux declares:
"This was the most favorable race for Ferrari. In Europe, however, things will certainly go better. We had a problem that I imagine was caused by vapor-lock, probably due to the fuel being too hot. Perhaps, by cooling it, we would have solved the problem, but we did not consider it appropriate to resort to this stratagem. The balance for us, after Rio and Kyalami, is really negative, but what impresses us most is McLaren's 24 points, which has a car with incredible reliability. My goal was only to finish the race, but I didn't succeed. It must be recognized that currently Michelin tires are more competitive in the race".
Piero Lardi, son of the Modenese constructor and head of the racing team, says:
"What bad luck, we could have at least secured fourth place with Alboreto. We checked the cars and believe there is a malfunction that blocked the engine's fuel supply, perhaps a malfunction of the fuel pump".
When asked what McLaren has more than anyone else at the moment, he responds:
"I don't think there is a big difference except for the tires, which work very well for them".
Ferrari's disappointing performance disappointed the thousands of fans that the Maranello team also has in South Africa. The flags with the Prancing Horse waved for a long time, until Alboreto's retirement. Piercarlo Ghinzani, just turned 32, a native of Bergamo, former European Formula 3 champion, driver of Osella in Formula 1, and Lancia in the World Endurance Championship, risked, during the free practice sessions before each Grand Prix, to perish in the fire of his car that went off the track. He was saved by the solidity of the single-seater and the courageous intervention of a firefighter who pulled him out of the cockpit where he remained unconscious. Ghinzani suffered a severe burn to his left hand (for which he will probably need plastic surgery), burns to his face and neck of varying degrees apparently not serious. The Italian driver, after receiving initial aid in the Kyalami infirmary, was helicopter-transported to the Central Hospital in Johannesburg where he is currently hospitalized for observation: he also suffered a traumatic shock, and the prognosis is 30 days. Ghinzani can return to Italy as early as Tuesday night. The Osella went off the track in the lower part of the circuit, in a curve that is taken in fifth gear at about 240 km/h. The car disintegrated, catching fire, and a high column of black smoke brought back tragic moments. The firefighter who intervened first, with great reflexes, tells:
"At that point in the circuit, all the cars have a kind of sway, a bounce. The Osella hit a curb and took off more than the others. The driver tried to countersteer, perhaps too determinedly, and the car went into a series of endless spins, exploding against an embankment. Engine, gearbox, rear suspensions, and fuel tank flew about fifty meters. The cockpit resisted very well. Ghinzani was unconscious at the wheel with the seat belts still attached. He no longer had his helmet; I don't know if he had taken it off or lost it. The fuel, spilled on him, had caught fire. I removed him from the car's real and had to spray his face with the extinguisher to put out the flames".
Immediately after rescuing Ghinzani, the firefighter fainted: he had been slightly intoxicated by the smoke from the fire. Then he recovered. For his gesture, he did not want any thanks other than a shirt with the colors of the Osella team. The trials were suspended, and the emergency services struggled to extinguish the fire that spread over a front of tens of meters due to the 220 liters of gasoline that had spilled on the ground. Ghinzani remained unconscious in the infirmary for a few minutes. Then he recovered but remembers almost nothing. He said to Enzo Osella:
"I only remember losing control of the car. Sorry if I ruined it".
For the first time, the Bergamo driver was testing with a full tank of gasoline at Kyalami: he felt comfortable and had a good time in the first five laps, the thirteenth overall, perhaps ending up forcing the pace too much. Osella appeared crushed. At first, he thought of retiring from Formula 1. Later, when he saw that the cockpit had resisted perfectly to the terrible impact, he felt reassured. However, he will not be able to participate in the next race, scheduled for Zolder. A new car is under construction in Volpiano, which will probably be entrusted to the Austrian Jo Gardner. According to the plans, he should have made his debut in Imola, on the occasion of the San Marino Grand Prix.