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#309 1978 Austrian Grand Prix

2022-08-03 00:00

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#1978, Fulvio Conti,

#309 1978 Austrian Grand Prix

The Arrows, the youngest Formula 1 team born at the end of last year after the split from Shadow owned by American Don Nichols, will no longer be able

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The Arrows, the youngest Formula 1 team born at the end of last year after the split from Shadow owned by American Don Nichols, will no longer be able to participate in the upcoming races of the World Championship with their current cars, driven by Riccardo Patrese and Rolf Stommelen. This decision was made by the English judge at the end of the sensational trial brought by Shadow against Arrows for substantially copying the plans of the DN 9 model, which designer Tony Southgate had prepared for Don Nichols' team before moving in December 1977, along with the rest of the technical staff, to the new team. The trial, held at the High Court of Justice in London on Monday, July 31, 1978, lasted almost two weeks. In delivering the verdict, Judge Templeman stated that in the attempt to prepare a car in time for the Brazilian Grand Prix, the second race of the World Championship, without losing the chance to join the Formula 1 Constructors' Association with all its advantages, Arrows (owned by Italian financier Franco Ambrosio) stole and copied 179 out of 422 plans from the Shadow to build its car, about 40% of the total.

 

"Without this help, at least another six to seven weeks would have been needed to complete the car. Serious moral and material damage has been inflicted on Shadow, especially regarding financial support, for not being able to complete its DN 9 model before mid-February due to the defections of much of its personnel following a maneuver by rivals to liquidate it and then take over the facilities".

 

Judge Templeman expressed strong criticism of Arrows, but added that the only sympathy is for the driver Riccardo Patrese, described as an absolutely innocent victim in this matter.

 

"I have been informed that Shadow is willing to provide Patrese with a state-of-the-art car to prevent him from being left without a ride in the remaining races of the World Championship".

 

According to the final judgment, which has already come into effect, Arrows must deliver or destroy all parts of its three existing cars that were built in violation of the 1976 act that establishes copyright rules. Additionally, Shadow will have the right to inspect the next model that Arrows is building. However, Riccardo Patrese will not remain idle. The Italian driver, who holds a press conference on Wednesday, August 2, 1978, to explain his situation, is in demand by various Formula 1 teams. The Arrows' recent troubles, condemned by the London court for industrial espionage against Shadow, have not affected him. On the contrary, the traumatic conclusion has increased the consideration of various managers towards the young driver. Judge Templeton's words have stirred sympathy for Patrese. Nichols himself makes it clear that he would be willing to give one of his Shadows to Patrese. Moreover, the American constructor would achieve a double result with the arrival of the Italian driver. He would have a competent driver (Nichols is not satisfied with the results achieved so far by Hans Stuck and Clay Regazzoni, especially after the latter failed to qualify for the German Grand Prix) and an excellent test driver. However, the Shadow's owner will likely not have Patrese. The Italian driver is comfortable at Arrows, where he is considered the lead driver and receives significant attention. The recent setbacks, with the withdrawal of the cars, have not caught designer Tony Southgate by surprise, as he has prepared a new car. Regarding confirmations, denying recent rumors, on Tuesday, August 1, 1978, Niki Lauda declares that he will continue to drive Brabham-Alfa machines next season.

 

"I have a new contract with Brabham-Alfa for the next season".

 

The Austrian also reveals that he has decided not to renew advertising contracts.

 

"All my private agreements end this year. My team boss Bernie Ecclestone can trade me as he pleases. It will be his business, not mine".

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Lauda also says that a new Alfa engine is in the works. Changing the subject and approaching the next Grand Prix, it should be noted that during the month of July, the Brenner Pass was blocked by truckers in protest of the toll rate increases requested by Austrian authorities. Now that the situation has normalized, the Austrians invite tourists and racing enthusiasts to visit their country, ensuring that the greatest possible facilitations will be offered. At least, this is what the organizers of Zeltweg claim as they go to Italy to officially present the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix, hoping that once again, Italians will come to support their event economically and in terms of spectacle. The Austrian race, like those in Monaco and France, can be considered almost Italian because over a third of the spectators come from the peninsula. To be honest, the Osterreichring officials are putting in every possible effort to present the race well, scheduled for Sunday, August 13, 1978, holding two press conferences, one in Monza and another in Padua, where Niki Lauda and Riccardo Patrese were supposed to be present. The Austrian driver, who was supposed to be present on Wednesday, August 2, 1978, at noon at the Lombardy racetrack, fails to keep the commitment, apparently due to urgent tire tests to be conducted in England, disappointing his compatriots. The Italian, on the other hand, engaged in testing his new Arrows, also fails to arrive on time for the presentation. Even without the drivers animating the discussion, the Austrians confirm that they have arranged for a series of facilitations for Italians going to Zeltweg. Specific road signs will indicate the easiest way to reach the circuit; marked routes with colors will allow fans to reach different points of the track, and all announcements about the event broadcast over loudspeakers will be repeated in Italian. There are also ample parking spaces (for 70.000 cars) provided free of charge, and fans can set up their tents in designated areas. As for the actual race, it is confirmed that there will be no pre-qualification tests, and therefore all 31 registered drivers will participate in official training, while the admitted drivers to the race will be 26. The Austrian circuit, which had been awarded for safety in the last three years, adds new structures including a special helicopter equipped for quick interventions to increase assistance in case of accidents. Regarding the statements made by Lauda on Tuesday at the official presentation in Vienna, the director of Osterreichring confirms the words attributed to the Austrian champion, who had said he was certain that the Alfa-Romeo Formula 1 program was to be considered suspended as he had received assurances to this effect from the top executives of the Italian company. Lauda had said literally:

 

"We had a meeting with Bernie Ecclestone and the Alfa-Romeo officials, during which they confirmed to me that the project for the all-Italian car has been shelved".

 

A surprising and rather incredible statement, given that the Alfa-Alfa driven by Vittorio Brambilla continues its tests on the Balocco track and seems ready for its debut in the race. Engineer Chiti, director of Autodelta, informed of the matter in Massa where he is on vacation, declares:

 

"These are all stories. I don't understand what interests Lauda has to make such statements. The Alfa program continues, and we are confident it will soon come to fruition".

 

We are at the decisive chapter. If Mario Andretti wins the Austrian Grand Prix as well, no one can take away the world title from the Italo-American and Lotus. It won't be a mathematical fact yet, with four races still to be run (Netherlands, Italy, United States, and Canada), but in practice, the World Championship will be over because there would have to be many unfavorable coincidences for Chapman's driver to overturn any logical calculation of probabilities. In this situation, it is clear that everyone is playing their last cards at Zeltweg. Ferrari attempts an unlikely approach to the leaders of the standings, while Lauda and Brabham-Alfa put pride and lingering hopes on the table to do the same. All the others, except perhaps for Patrick Depailler and Tyrrell, will limit themselves to trying to showcase themselves for the next year: drivers looking for a lucrative contract, teams to secure the best drivers. In the end, the man who is considered the one to beat is Mario Andretti. The recent results have given great confidence to the Italo-American driver. 

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The victory in the German Grand Prix showed that Lotus is not suffering from any issues. If anything, it has been the opposite, as none of the direct competitors have managed to collect points, and all have had major technical problems, whether with tires, engines, or fuel. The Zeltweg circuit should lend itself to another Lotus victory. It is a track with many curves, but all very fast. Last year, Jones won with Shadow at an average of about 198 km/h, while Ferraris finished second with Lauda and fourth with Reutemann. Both Lotus cars did not reach the finish line. But the same thing had happened at Hockenheim last season, and this year it has not been repeated with the new Lotus 79. The characteristics of the track should still be very favorable to Brabham-Alfa, which holds the lap record (5942 meters in 1'40"96, at an average speed of 211.890 km/h) with Watson. On Friday, August 11, 1978, as expected, is lived for the third place, since the first and second are the personal hunting ground of the Lotus. The only high-level point of interest can come from the, albeit platonic, struggle between Andretti and Peterson to see who is the fastest in the trials. In the first two official training sessions of the Austrian Grand Prix, the Swede ends up prevailing. Five hundredths of a second in favor of Peterson over the Italo-American. But it's trivial: in the race, no matter how things go, the skillful Ronnie won't have to hinder Mario, now very close to the title. If the hunt for the pole position doesn't offer any particular thrills, there is a continuous movement behind the two drivers of Colin Chapman. This time it's the Renault of Jabouille providing the surprise of the day, ahead of the Ferrari of Reutemann, back to acceptable levels, the Ligier of Laffite, and the increasingly closer Emerson Fittipaldi. Black smoke, on the other hand, from the Osterreichring circuit for the Brabham-Alfa, plagued by troubles, with Watson in tenth place and Lauda in twelfth. It's not the first time that the Renault has come into the spotlight. The turbo-compressed six-cylinder engine is very powerful, and the French car is very fast on a circuit like this, with sweeping curves and long descents. It seems that the technicians of the French team, paying the price of continuous retirements from races, with an impressive series of destroyed engines, are coming to a solution to their problems. And if the car confirms these performances in the race, it would be new difficulties for everyone, including Lotus. However, the race still needs to confirm this. In the swing of the results achieved so far, it seems that for Ferrari, the time has come for an upward push. Reutemann is back to traveling at competitive times (0.79s behind Peterson, 0.74s behind Andretti, and 0.18s behind Jabouille), and there is a sense of increased confidence in the Maranello team. Once again, the tires are responsible for the situation. Michelin brought new tires to Zeltweg, with which the T3 manages to better exploit its power. Engineer Forghieri says:

 

"These are tires with a new profile. The dimensions haven't changed, but the construction has varied slightly. It seems that these have a better grip on the asphalt".

 

However, it should be noted that the Ferraris turned faster when the sky was overcast, and the temperature dropped. In the morning, with the cold, Peterson was the fastest of all in 1'37"71, but Reutemann had the second time, 1'38"61, ahead of Andretti (1'38"64), Laffite (1'38"72), and Fittipaldi (1'38"77). In the afternoon, Andretti made a significant improvement to 1'37"76, and Jabouille entered with 1'38"32. Reutemann could only improve his performance when the sun disappeared again, bringing it to 1'38"50. The Brabham Alfa, as mentioned, had several problems, with Watson in tenth place and Lauda in twelfth. Different adjustments were tried in the morning, including side radiators, but then they returned to the traditional cars. In the morning, Ecclestone's team's tests were complicated by various adjustments; in the afternoon, Lauda first stopped with a wheel almost detached (a malfunction that made him spin) and then remained stuck with the engine out of order. The Austrian once again finds himself in difficulty, and he only has one hour of scheduled practice today to recover. Problems also for Hunt, dealing with an engine that worked poorly throughout the training period and then broke, and for Patrese driving the new Arrows FA2. The last, incredible day of tests does not change the starting situation of the Austrian Grand Prix. In the front row, two Lotuses will always start, with Peterson in pole position and Andretti at his side. In the second, the surprising Jean-Pierre Jabouille with the Renault turbo and Carlos Reutemann driving the Ferrari. Behind them, in a column, Laffite, Fittipaldi, Scheckter, Hunt, Pironi, Watson, and Villeneuve with the second Ferrari. In the twelfth position, lined up with the Canadian, there is Niki Lauda, who, like the majority of competitors, failed to improve the performance achieved on Friday. 

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It is not certain that if everything had been normal, the starting grid would have been very different, but it is sure that many hoped to move forward behind the Lotuses. Two factors intervened to complicate things. The final hour available is disturbed by bad weather, and a series of mishaps is added, one of which is unprecedented in the history of Formula 1. Everything happens in the early afternoon when, as usual, the last official 60-minute training session should take place. Despite the sky being filled with dark clouds with an evident threat of rain, for reasons that will not be explained, the organizers allow the drivers to take to the track fifteen minutes late. Not all 30 registered drivers have entered the track yet (Brambilla is stopped right at the exit of the pits) when the track marshals suddenly wave the yellow flags indicating danger with the obligation to slow down. Later, the cars are made to return to their respective pits. What happened? An absolutely unforeseeable and absurd event: an airplane had dropped parachutists onto the circuit, who, carried by the wind, were gently swaying right on the track, with the potential dangers that could arise. So it had to be waited for the landing to finish. The loss of time could have been irrelevant and, all in all, even fun if exactly one minute later even more numerous parachutists had not begun to fall, the droplets announcing the rain. Many immediately stop to wait for the situation to evolve. Only the most daring and especially the drivers who did not qualify on the first day risk on the wet track. The quickest to take advantage of the situation is the Finn Keke Rosberg (a boy who will go a long way because he has undoubted qualities of temperament and driving) who in just one lap, completed in 1'41"72, manages to improve, moving from twenty-seventh place (first of the excluded) to twenty-third. The loudspeaker announces that Regazzoni is out. The Swiss driver starts like a fury and, in turn, brings himself back inside the list of the 26 admitted. Patrese also goes out and, thanks to the better setup of his new Arrows, advances a few positions. These three drivers are the only ones to achieve something in the few minutes available. Immediately after, the rain starts to fall again, increasing in intensity and turning into a storm. 

 

All stopped, and poor Merzario is also stopped at the wheel of the debutant M2. Once again, the Italian driver, persecuted by bad luck, pays the price for the chaotic situation. From the twenty-fifth position he had on Friday, he slips to twenty-seventh, the first of the excluded, by just one hundredth of a second. His adverse fate, despite sacrifices and hopes. The chronicle of the day still offers some insight in the last minutes of testing with the track almost flooded. Ferrari puts on rain tires and logically attracts Peterson with the Lotus, Hunt with the McLaren, Jones with the Williams, and Jabouille with the Renault to the track. A few test laps for everyone, with frightening water trails, and then back to the pits to prepare the cars for the race. The weather forecast for the race is optimistic. If the sun returns, the Lotus will probably have no major problems, even if this time the advantage over the immediate pursuers is minimal. It will be necessary to see if the turbo Renault will hold until the end and if Ferrari will manage to choose the right tires for Reutemann's T3. It should be remembered that in recent years, the favorites have never won in Zeltweg. In the case, however, that the weather remains unfavorable and continues to rain, the race will become a lottery. Peterson, a great specialist on wet tracks, will remain the number one favorite, but he will have to watch out for other drivers who are strong in the rain, such as Vittorio Brambilla, who on this track won the only victory of his Formula 1 career, Jones, and Rosberg, who had a great race at Silverstone in the Race of Champions at the beginning of the season. If Andretti, however, is able to achieve another victory, the World Championship can be considered concluded. If, on the other hand, the Italian-American does not score points, the fight will still be open, especially if one of his direct rivals, Peterson, Reutemann, or Lauda, finishes first. However, the Austrian seems to have little chance on the track he knows best and where he would love to win the most. Andretti, meanwhile, is calm, serene, and willing to talk. The events of the trials do not seem to worry the Italian-American, who is not upset that his teammate, Ronnie Peterson, has again taken the pole position and is not troubled by the rain that could represent an additional hazard. Nor does the proximity of Jabouille and Reutemann seem to worry him. Mario knows that the championship is now within reach, a result or two, and the game is done.

 

"Of course, the last points are always the most difficult to obtain and also the most suffered because you always fear that some unforeseen event may happen. In races, the failure of an engine or some mechanical problem is part of the game. However, when they happen, they nullify a lot of work. I can't say the last word yet, but in the race, I am determined to get another victory to close the deal".

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For the next season, have you already concluded a new contract with Lotus?

 

"In general, we are already in agreement. Chapman handed me the contract at Hockenheim, but I haven't signed it yet because there are some small details I want to discuss. But by the way, is it true that Scheckter has signed with Ferrari? And for two years? Are you sure?"

 

Andretti continues after receiving an affirmative response:

 

"Otherwise, I could have considered something for the Italian team. However, if he has concluded with Scheckter, then the matter is finished because I certainly wouldn't want to race with a teammate like him".

 

In recent years, you have certainly not lacked proposals from the Maranello team. Why didn't you accept earlier?

 

"It's not true that I received many requests. This year, only in Spain did a journalist make me some proposals on behalf of Ferrari".

 

Andretti doesn't say it directly but clearly implies that after winning the World Championship, to end on a high note, he would have gladly done a season or two with Ferrari's cars. Inevitably, rumors about the driver market continue, now in its conclusive stages. On Saturday, there is talk of Gilles Villeneuve moving to Wolf in exchange for Jody Scheckter. The agreement seems finalized, but there is a possibility that the Canadian could even end up at Lotus, as he is liked by Chapman and also by Mario Andretti. The English team, in any case, seems inclined to let Ronnie Peterson go free (who would seek a team where he could be the lead driver) to engage a young driver. Among the names mentioned is Rupert Kegan, who has not achieved significant exploits so far but has the advantage of bringing in money from his father, who is, among other things, the owner of an airline. It is also said that Olympus, the sponsor of the English team along with John Player Special, which will be completely replaced next year, is pushing for James Hunt. The brother of the former World Champion is one of the administrators of the advertising budget of the Japanese camera company. However, there would be a veto for Hunt from Andretti, who does not like him as a teammate. The last rumor concerns Brabham-Alfa: given the certain departure of John Watson, the young Elio De Angelis would arrive, who a few months ago had given up racing with Ferrari engines in Formula 2. With this move, the astute Bernie Ecclestone would achieve three objectives. He would give Lauda a teammate who would not create problems for him, satisfy the Italian sponsor who wants a national driver on the team, and also have the financial power of the De Angelis family, owners of a large construction company. To reach an agreement, the manager of Brabham would have been a guest with Lauda at the De Angelis' villa in Sardinia. As had happened on Saturday at the Zeltweg circuit, after a morning in which the weather had already proven unfavorable, so much so that the highly skilled pilots of the Italian Air Force acrobatic patrol, applauded by the entire audience, had to reduce their program, on Sunday, August 13, 1978, dark clouds gather in the afternoon threatening rain. And promptly, half an hour before the start, the first drops begin to fall. This situation causes the first problems for various teams. However, since the track is not completely wet, everyone decides to race with dry tires. Unfortunately, this decision proves to be hasty as heavy rain begins from the fifth lap. But in the meantime, at the start, the fastest to take off is Peterson, followed by Scheckter, Depailler, Reutemann, and Andretti. While the Swede pulls away from the first meters, the Italian-American immediately tries to make up ground. At the third corner, Sebring, a fairly pronounced right turn, Andretti attacks Reutemann on the outside. The Ferrari driver explains:

 

"I was following my trajectory when I saw Mario alongside me on the left. However, the maneuver was risky because I couldn't move to the right where the other cars were. So we touched for a fraction of a second with the tires".

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Just one touch is enough, with the track already slippery, for the great favorite of the race to spectacularly crash into the safety guardrail. In the big impact, the Lotus loses its rear wing, and Mario's race comes to an end. Meanwhile, Peterson goes on his way, while Scheckter tries to stay in touch. In the same spot where Andretti went off on the fourth lap, Scheckter, unable to control his Wolf, goes off the track and stops against the wreckage of the Lotus. If Jody isn't injured, it must be acknowledged that Formula 1 cars are indeed built with the safety of the drivers in mind. Later, the intensity of the rain increases, and during the seventh lap, the race director applies the regulation (valid for circuits like Zeltweg where the pits are narrow) stating that if a third of the race has not been completed yet, it starts over, allowing all competitors to change to wet tires. Thus, the red flag is displayed, bringing everyone back to the pits for about an hour. But this event also creates confusion in rearranging the starting grid based on the times obtained in the suspended part of the race. Initially, it seems that leaders Peterson and Reutemann are excluded. The Swede had spun off the track in a spin on the lap following the display of the flag, and to return to the pits, he was pushed by the marshals. Reutemann, who had collided with Stuck (the German had foolishly rear-ended the Ferrari driver), had been stuck on the track since the fifth lap. In the end, both are readmitted, the first because he broke the rules with the race already stopped, and the second placed at the back with the worst time, practically with two laps behind. A rather convoluted decision by the race officials as both should have been disqualified for the pushes they received. Meanwhile, Villeneuve, who had also touched with Patrese, has a flat tire and has returned to the pits to change it, without losing too much ground. Seven laps are deemed valid, and the race resumes with the track still wet for another 47 laps. In the new starting grid led by Peterson and Depailler, only twenty-two drivers are included, as Andretti and Scheckter, along with Piquet and Rebaque, have gone off the track after incredible collisions. The new start is given at 4:30 p.m., and amidst significant water sprays, it is again Peterson who launches into the lead, followed by Depailler. However, in the wet, the Michelin tires of the Ferrari come to the fore, and the great concentration of a superb Reutemann and the acrobatic skill of Villeneuve are highlighted. 

 

In a short time, the two drivers from the Maranello team, between overtakes and self-elimination of opponents (Patrese and Erti, in a collision at the start to avoid Watson, who failed to start and is stranded on the track, Jones and Hunt for spectacular crashes against the guardrail), go from the last position (Reutemann) and the sixth row (Villeneuve) to the first and second positions, respectively. Reutemann, facilitated by the superiority of the Ferrari, overtakes Lauda, who had restarted with great determination in pursuit of Peterson, and then takes the lead when the Swede, like almost all the other competitors still in the race, returns to the pits to switch to dry tires since the rain has stopped, and the asphalt has almost completely dried up. Carlos Reutemann, however, loses the first position because he, too, has to change tires. With wet tires, he is under attack from Peterson and Lauda. The Argentine stops, and in his place, Villeneuve takes the lead. The return to the track with smooth and cold tires is dramatic for Reutemann. Three times the Ferrari driver is forced to go through the escape route at the chicane, performing a real slalom between the barriers to reduce speed, sliding back to the seventh position. And it's not over. After touching (again with the tires, in an overtake, but Reutemann doesn't realize it) with Brambilla, Carlos ends his race disqualified. At the exit of a turn, he slides back towards the inside of the track. His Ferrari climbs almost on the hill, halfway up, then goes back, but there is nothing to be done to return to the asphalt as the tires do not grip on the slippery ground. So the marshals intervene again, in the middle of the race, to push. Shortly after, the black flag is shown to Reutemann. The same thing, for the same reason, later happens to Daly. Meanwhile, Lauda chases Peterson, as Villeneuve has had to replace the worn-out wet tires on the dry track. In pursuing the Swede, Niki, who had fearlessly led in the rain and had shown skill in countersteering several times, enters the corner leading to the pit straight too fast, skids, slides backward, and violently crashes the rear right tire against the barrier. The suspension breaks, and for the Austrian too, the race is over. There are 24 laps left to the end of the race. Peterson continues smoothly in the lead, followed by Villeneuve and Depailler. We wait to see if the Michelin tires of the Ferrari can give the Canadian a chance to recover. But Gilles instead steadily loses ground and has to give way to Depailler for second place. Until the end, nothing changes for the top positions. 

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Ronnie Peterson wins the Austrian Grand Prix, followed by Patrick Depailler, while Gilles Villeneuve visibly moved, steps onto the podium for the first time. Not bad for a guy who raced for the first time on the Austrian track, in prohibitive conditions. The sixth-place finish for Vittorio Brambilla is also very good, with a far from competitive car. At the end of the race, Bernie Ecclestone would like to disqualify Ronnie Peterson for the pushes received after the suspension of the race, while Ferrari intends to appeal against Depailler because the Frenchman had his Ligier pushed by the mechanics during the reconnaissance lap. Ferrari would also like to protest Reutemann's disqualification, appealing to a specific rule of the race. But in the end, sportsmanship prevails. Depriving Peterson of the victory and Depailler of the second place in the conditions in which the race was run would have been unnecessary cruelty. It takes very little to upset a Formula 1 Grand Prix, to revolutionize a race, to dismantle carefully prepared plans, to upset every prediction. Just a splash of water, and the Circus dissolves: serious risks for everyone, confusion, discussions. The mechanism jams, each must play by ear, and, of course, whoever has a bit more luck (or makes fewer mistakes) in the chaos ends up prevailing. Beyond the result obtained after over three hours of a race divided into two parts, with heart-stopping emotions for those at the wheel, those working in the pit, and those following the race, the Austrian Grand Prix confirmed two facts: first, rain is the biggest enemy of Formula 1 monster cars; second, if a track is surrounded by ample open spaces - in the case of Zeltweg, green meadows and wheat fields - even the most spectacular accidents have no dramatic consequences for the drivers. Rain, a natural element that ordinary motorists face without much concern, always creates very serious problems for Formula 1 single-seaters and their knights. Imagine when it strikes treacherously like at Zeltweg. Issues of grip, visibility problems, technical adjustments, and above all, tire problems. Drivers started with dry tires, then had to return to the pits to switch to wet ones (in this case, by regulation, the race is interrupted), finally, after the competition resumes and the road surface dries again, new pit stops for everyone (the choice of when to switch from wet to dry tires is left to each competitor). But is it really necessary to race in such conditions? 

 

In a less safe circuit than Zeltweg, a tragedy could have occurred. Formula 1 is an artificial phenomenon, a show (there was a show for the TV viewers, but it wasn't a movie, it was news; those going off the track could have seriously killed themselves). Sport and technology, now in the background in this Circus that travels the world thinking in terms of business and sponsors, would certainly not have suffered any abuse from a possible postponement of the Austrian Grand Prix. But sport and technology can be mistreated only when financial problems don't come into play: yesterday, there were already sold tickets, agreements with TV, advertising contracts. No postponement, therefore. The race must go on, it must be run at any cost. Fortunately, the circuit has splendidly withstood this incredible safety test. We saw cars hitting the guardrails, plowing through the wheat, fluttering through meadows and embankments, and then restarting or stopping amid the whirling of plastic pieces. No rigid obstacles interrupted the mad journey of the bolides spinning on and off the track. What would have happened in Monte-Carlo, for example? It would be ideal to bring at least the conditions of Zeltweg to highways or newly built arteries: the consequences of many accidents would be less severe. In the chaos, the Lotus has ended up winning once again, not with Mario Andretti but with Ronnie Peterson. The Swede drove intelligently, without forcing, taking advantage of the superiority of his car. A superiority that seemed momentarily broken by the Ferrari of Carlos Reutemann, which used truly formidable Michelin wet tires for a few laps. But the Argentine's dream vanished after the pit stop to replace these tires with dry ones. With this result, Peterson gets closer to his teammate at the top of the World Championship. For the Swede, 45 points, for the Italo-American, 54. Mario Andretti wasted every chance in 500 meters, trying after the initial start to overtake Carlos Reutemann forcefully to chase Ronnie Peterson, who started very well along with Patrick Depailler. Mario fell into the mistakes of last year: the rivalry with Peterson had its weight. But why such haste? Aside from Peterson, the situation in the World Championship remains all in favor of Mario Andretti, whose strongest rivals, Niki Lauda and Carlos Reutemann, were forced to retire. Mario, if Peterson obeys team orders, has the title in his pocket. He just has to play defensively, letting others indulge, seeking prestigious victories now and dreaming of revenge for 1979. In a corner of the Lotus caravan, Mario Andretti joins in the celebrations for his teammate's victory, but there is no smile on his face like on previous occasions. 

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In other words, the dream of delivering another blow, perhaps the decisive one for the World Championship, vanished after a few hundred meters due to a trivial accident. While, rightly, Ronnie Peterson celebrates the victory and says:

 

"I dedicate this success to Colin Chapman who, this season, with a fabulous car, allowed me to return to the forefront. I didn't have major difficulties because the car always responded in the best way. Only after the second start, with rain tires, staying on the track was difficult as the asphalt was not completely wet, but only damp. In those conditions, you had to stay focused to the maximum and use all your sensitivity because for the slightest mistake, you risked going off the track".

 

Is it true that you were helped by the marshals to get back on track after the spin?

 

"When I spun, the race had already been interrupted, so I did not violate any regulations".

 

After this victory, do you think you still have the chance to challenge Andretti for the title?

 

"Well, Andretti hasn't won the championship yet. I don't know; we'll see what happens in the other races".

 

The Tyrrell team is also celebrating, applauding the second-place achieved by Depailler. Even the Frenchman, after the race interruption, was accused of being helped by the marshals to restart.

 

"They didn't push me; we just moved the car back and forth to unlock the jammed bevel gear. The second place was certainly not in my plans; indeed, without the rain, I could hardly have achieved such a result. I am naturally happy to have won the Grand Prix, which usually takes place behind the Lotuses".

 

On the podium, rightly occupying the third position, is Gilles Villeneuve, who in this race achieved his best placement since joining Ferrari.

 

"I finally made it to the podium, and I hope to continue with this new habit. In the race, only at the beginning, I had some problems when I bumped slightly into Jones, and I bent the front spoiler".

 

When asked about the meaning of the repeated gestures he made when passing in front of his box, Villeneuve responds:

 

"At some point, I felt the rear of the car swaying strangely, and I feared I had a flat tire. Fortunately, everything returned to normal, and I could continue without problems. This track is very beautiful".

 

Italian fans, after the first raindrops, hoped to see Vittorio Brambilla win, as it happened four years ago, but this time Vittorio didn't make it. The sixth place, however, is the right reward for this generous driver who, with his skill, managed to compensate for the shortcomings of his car.

 

"I am particularly satisfied with this placement, which allows me to earn the first point of the season. Of course, it's not much, but getting a sixth place with my car is perhaps more difficult than winning with a good car. In the race, however, everything happened. Reutemann, for example, after overtaking me at the first chicane, missed the braking point and had to go through the escape route". 

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And he adds:

 

"While I continued on the track, he skillfully passed the tire barriers and returned at full speed to the track without looking if anyone was coming. So, I saw him pass in front of me, and if I hadn't been ready to brake, I would have certainly hit him. They told me that he was later stopped with the black flag, but in these cases, a warning would be needed because if there was an accident, the blame would certainly have been mine as well. Since I now have the reputation of a car wrecker".

 

In the Brabham-Alfa box, only unhappy faces are noticed, due to the umpteenth poor performance of its drivers. Engineer Carlo Chiti bitterly comments:

 

"You saw the race too, and I have nothing to add: Lauda went off the track while Watson could only finish in seventh place thanks to the number of retirements that occurred".

 

The Northern Irish driver was also the cause of the accident that took Riccardo Patrese out of the race.

 

"At the start, Watson didn't start, and to avoid hitting him, I had to swerve to the left. However, Erti came from behind, violently rear-ended me, ruining the rear of the car. This race for me practically ended after a few meters. It's a shame because I needed to complete the race as my car is brand new, and I need to cover several kilometers to get to know it better".


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