AFTER MICHAEL, HERE COMES VETTEL - FERRARI'S NEW HOPE

The three German Ferrari drivers in Formula One - Wolfgang Von Trips on the left was the first

Come Sunday, Sebastian Vettel will be the third German driver to race for Ferrari works team in Formula One. Going by the record his previous two compatriots have achieved - there is little to suggest otherwise but success for the youngest four-time world champion.

WOLFGANG VON TRIPS

In the 1950's, there was none more famous German driver than Wolfgang Von Trips - who began his Formula One career with Ferrari in 1956. It took some time for him to get going and it was in the season of 1961, when he and the American Phil Hill both demonstrated their prowess and the power of Ferrari. If not for his death as a result of a collision with Jim Clark at the Italian Grand Prix, Von Trips would have clinched his first driver's championship as he was leading the championship at that time. The only consolation for Ferrari was Phil Hill's triumph as he won an emotional race marred by the on-track incident involving his team mate.

Two of Von Trips wins came in his final season at Netherlands (Dutch Grand Prix) and Aintree (British Grand Prix) and it was not until 1992, a German driver had won a full-length race in Formula One. At the time of Schumacher's victory at the Spa-Francorchamps (Belgian Grand Prix 1992), it was just the fourth win (Jochen Mass won the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix which was curtailed) for a German driver.  And since then German drivers have won a total of 146 races.

ERA OF MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

One of the best drivers of all-time and taken in the same breath as Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher will go down as the best German F1 racer irrespective of what Vettel will go on to achieve. For the 1996 F1 season, Michael Schumacher had decided to don the famous red colours of Ferrari. The two consecutive driver's titles with Benetton were anything to go by, a move to the ailing Italian team was perceived as an illogical move. Ferrari was struggling and the team were in a desperate need for a champion who could revive their fortunes. In came 'Michael Schumacher' to overcome this challenging task and to bring back the glory days of the Prancing Horse.

With Michael Schumacher at the top of his game, Ferrari rose to new heights which also saw them claim six consecutive constructor's title (between 1999-2004) and five consecutive driver's title (2000-2004). In those 11 seasons with Ferrari, Schumacher won a wow-rendering 72 races! (91 in total). Just for the record, the second placed Alain Prost has 51 victories in his career.

NEW HOPE WITH VETTEL

Sebastian Vettel is 27 years old, the same age as Michael Schumacher when he joined Ferrari. Vettel said at the time of joining Ferrari - "When I was a kid, Michael Schumacher in the red car was my greatest idol and now it's an incredible honour to finally get the chance to drive a Ferrari."

For Ferrari, since that emotional heartbreak in Brazil in 2008, they have not won any championships. This winless phase is nothing compared to the 20 years drought they went through between 1979 and 1999. Like every era, this too is different and with technology and news reaching to all corners of the world by a single click, each season without a win makes it that much harder, opinions are quickly drawn which aches the management a touch more and thus with the start of new season comes pressure in the form of expectations, great expectations.

Fernando Alonso during his stint with Ferrari came close to winning more than once, but always found wanting at the last hurdle. This year Vettel will be on the other side after scripting those memorable wins for Red Bull which had him win those close encounters against Alonso. Alonso will remain a rival if it is of any comfort and instead Vettel will be alongside Kimi Raikkonen, who was Ferrari's last champion eight seasons ago.

This is what great racers are made of, the ability to drive a team forward, win championships and taste successes together. Michael Schumacher had to wait four years to achieve glory with Ferrari, and who knows how long Vettel has to wait. One thing is clear, he would definitely enjoy this challenge than spending few more years at Red Bull.

We will see how history unfolds for the German driver with the Italian team. 

Gentlemen's Agreement or Team Orders - McLaren at the 1998 Australian Grand Prix

In sporting context, one of the exciting parts of any year is the first weekend leading up to the F1 race. Like every year in the recent past, Australia is the destination that gets to host the F1 circus led by Bernie Ecclestone. A lot of incidents have engulfed the initial race - though none would have the drama which the final races are usually associated with. However, the first race often indicates what to expect and how teams are placed with their competitiveness. More than anything none can beat the excitement of a season opener.  

The year 1998 was one such scenario. The team of Mika Hakkinen and the Scot David Coulthard recorded stunning lap times in the pre-season testing and the MP4/13 was tipped to be the 'best' car on circuit. This was McLaren's year on paper and the only way it was going to be achieved is when their drivers do not take out each other in the heat of the battle.

In view of this, David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen made a pre-race pact whereby "whichever of the two was ahead taking the turn to the first corner would be allowed to stay at number one for the rest of the Grand Prix unless there were to be any mishaps."

As predicted the two McLarens dominated the qualifying session with Mika Hakkinen taking the pole and his team mate coming in second. The fiercely fought rivals in the previous season Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve were in 3^rd and 4^th respectively. The silver-arrows duo were 0.7 seconds clear of the rest of the cars and certainly looked to be racing on another planet. Anything less than 1-2 to McLaren would have been a unhappy weekend. A first one-two pole for McLaren since Adelaide 1991 when Senna and Berger had put the two cars on the front row was anything but surprise.

The five red lights went off and race began - Mika Hakkinen ahead of Coulthard coming into turn one. Unless there were to be any incidents, the race was firmly decided in Mika's favour. With Coulthard not willing to try harder to make an attempt to pass Hakkinen, it was clear how the race would finish as per the pre-race pact. The only driver that could match Hakkinen's pace was his teammate while rest of the field were off the pace. Michael Schumacher unsuccessfully made attempts to overtake the Scotsman and eventually retired on lap six owing to engine trouble. It would have been an uphill task even if he were to be racing.

With none of the other drivers able to stay with the McLarens, it seemed like the Hakkinen and Coulthard would coast to victory without having to look at their rear-view mirrors. On lap 36 when Hakkinen was just  about to lap Eddie Irvine, he heard blurred messages on his radio. Mika chasing Eddie Irvine was close to the pit- lane entry and without thinking and confirming with the team he dashed into the pits (he was nearing his pit stop schedule). While rest of the field were going flat-out, the race leader cruising in pit lane speed limits found no mechanics in the garage and he simply drove straight on and rejoined rest of the cars. It was an misjudgement on the part of Mika.

This unplanned diversion cost Mika the lead and he was now behind his team mate by 13 seconds. On lap 41, this time Mika came in for his scheduled and final pit stop of the race. Mika known to be ice cool was anxious and in that nervous moment made an error. He dropped his clutch while one of his mechanics was working on his left rear wheel. It didn't cost much time. He came out and still was in second position - 41 seconds behind. That huge lead was short-lived as Coulthard dashed his way in for his final stop of the race. With fifteen laps to go, it was 1-2 McLaren and it was a mere formality for the rest of the race. Drivers barring McLaren duo were battling the race of attrition. By this time only nine cars out of twenty-two were on track and a lap down.

McLaren crew took some time, close to eight laps after that detour from Hakkinen to inform David Coulthard about Hakkinen losing his lead owing to a misunderstanding. 

Towards the fag end of the race, Hakkinen was racing a second quicker than Coulthard and on lap 53 he took 3 seconds out of Coulthard's lead - the next lap add another two seconds. With just three laps remaining Coulthard's car was within striking distance to Mika's. Next moment Mika takes the lead in a manner quite strange and unsatisfactory!

'It was a very difficult decision to take. But I was alone in front without any pressure, which allowed me to think about it calmly and to reach the decision that this was Mika's race by right.' This was the explanation given by Coulthard post-race when asked about this bizarre move. McLaren and David Coulthard were criticised and the matter went to World Motorsports Council. The verdict went this way - "Any future act prejudicial to the interests of the competition should be severely punished in accordance with the article 151c of the International Sporting Code."

In 2007 at the Monaco Grand Prix,  McLaren were criticised for ordering their cars not to race each other after the first round of pit stops, when it was clearly established McLaren duo of Alonso and Hamilton were much superior to the rest of the pack. To add to Hamilton's frustration, he was told not to race Alonso.

The above matter again raised the question of possible violation of article 151c. Ron Dennis defended the move by stating - "Team strategy is what you bring to bear to win a grand prix. Team orders are what you bring to bear to manipulate a grand prix. We do not and have not manipulated grands prix, unless there were some exceptional circumstances, which occurred in Australia (1998), when someone had tapped into our radio and instructed Mika Hakkinen to enter the pits." 

He went on to add - "He entered the pits and I reversed that, because that was unfair, that was an outside influence on the outcome of the race. That is one of the rare occasions that there's been a team order. I have a clear conscience, both on that particular race - and this race today."

The 1998 Australian GP was Mika Hakkinen's second victory and both times under controversial circumstances. Was it a team order or Coulthard's gentlemanly gesture? I would say it had good proportions of both. In the end, the result didn't matter - Hakkinen was much superior and went on to win his maiden World championship title. 

Lost Track: Circuits of the Yore VI - Adelaide Grand Prix

As a cricket enthusiast, South Australia reminds me of the Test cricket ground Adelaide. In the last few years, whenever I have mentioned my little knowledge of Adelaide to the Aussies I have met, they ask me do you follow cricket? And there you go; it is easy for them to fathom why I know few things about Adelaide.

My exposure to Adelaide in my childhood days was strictly restricted to the Channel Nine coverage of the Australian cricket. Adelaide Oval, home to the South Australian State team boasts many champions, none more famous than the legendary Sir Donald Bradman who adopted Adelaide to be his home since 1933. In the sixth part of the ‘Lost Track’ series, I write about Adelaide and my knowledge of it beyond cricket.

Few years and at the turn of this millennium, when I started researching about Formula 1; I got to know Adelaide hosted Australian Grand Prix prior to Melbourne. Called Adelaide Street circuit also known as Adelaide Parklands Circuit, this 3.78 km track brought Formula One Down Under for the first time. Although, there have been many racing activities that took place prior to the Adelaide Grand Prix such as Tasman Formula, Formula 5000 and other non-championship races; Formula One arrived a good thirty five years after it was started.

The race was part of the 1985 calendar and was slated as the last race of the F1 World Championships. Nikki Lauda after a remarkable career winning three World Championships retired after this race. Keke Rosberg, the 1982 World Champion won the race which turned out to be the last of his career.

Nigel Mansell on his way to win his maiden title in 1986 blew a tyre which destroyed his World Championship and was won by Alain Prost (second in a row) winning in a TAG Porsche powered Mc Laren. It was one such epic three way battle to the title that Prost had an outside chance against Mansell and Nelson Piquet of the Williams quite similar to the one Kimi Raikkonen had in the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix against the two McLarens of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

Season of 1987 was somewhat a consolation for the Ferrari, winning 1-2 in spite struggling to come to grips with the power houses of McLaren and Williams. In 1988, Ayrton Senna in his first season after having moved to McLaren won the championships in spite of Prost having more points. Since the best 11 results counted to the World Championships, Senna won his maiden title by 3 points over Prost. In 1989, the race with showers was won by Thierry Boutsen after a re-start.

In 1991, there was a torrential outpour which forced the organizers to stop the race at the end of 14 laps. This race, till date happens to be the shortest race in the history of Formula One, 24 minutes all it took. Ayrton Senna won the race by which he had collected his third and last World Championships. Nelson Piquet, after having a successful F1 career winning three world championships, called it a day in 1991 and Adelaide was his last appearance.

Amongst others, Prost was fired by Ferrari before this event, for criticizing the work environment of Ferrari. He took a sabbatical in 1992 before appearing again with Williams in 1993.

1992 Adelaide marked the end of a successful partnership of McLaren and Honda. Gerhard Berger won the race for McLaren in what was a season dominated by Williams and in particular by Nigel Mansell who had already won the driver’s championships.

Williams continuing their strong form of 1992 dominated the championships with Alain Prost winning the driver’s title and retired at the end of the season. His retirement was partly due to his unwillingness to have Senna as his team-mate. Senna after having spent six successful years with the McLaren, which saw him win three World Championship titles, was to move to Williams in the following season. Senna ended on a high note when he took McLaren-Ford to the top step of the podium on his last race with McLaren. If you have watched the movie ‘Senna’, this section is beautifully captured with friendly emotions being exchanged between the McLaren boss Ron Dennis and Senna.

With the loss of Ayrton Senna early in the season, the fight for the championships was between Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill. With a point apart, Michael and Hill collided and both had retirements which ensured Schumacher to be the first German World Champion. The verdict was divided as to whose fault it was and it remained in that way till the final race of 1997 season at Jerez, Spain. After the 1997 season, Michael’s reputation tarnished and although he has been able to overcome with some splendid drives over the years, the incident at Adelaide will remain in the minds of F1 pundits forever.

After having made an announcement of the Australian GP being shifted to Melbourne the following season, the season of 1995 was the last Adelaide would host a Grand Prix.

The street circuit which included the famous racecourse Victoria Park as the pit lane;  Damon Hill won the final race and after 11 years of hosting the race on a street, the baton was passed on to Melbourne’s Albert Park. Adelaide also is one of the four circuits that has a corner named dedicated in the circuit 'Magny Cours', which hosted French Grand Prix several times.