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The History Album: Brazil in Pictures | ||
| by Mark Alan Jones, Australia; Pictures provided by Rainer Nyberg |
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1973
El Lole. Carlos Reutemann aboard the 1973 Brabham BT37 Cosworth. While he would never win his home race he would win the race of the neighbouring nation. But not this day, the Brabham would finish 2 laps down in 11th.
Local hero. Emerson Fittipaldi won his second consecutive Brazilian Grand Prix in 1974 and began building his second world championhsip here in the McLaren M23 Cosworth. He'd had a dramtic race with former team mate Ronnie Peterson before the Lotus punctured.
The McLaren M23 celebrated it's fourth season in with a Pole Position at the first race of the 1976 season, aided by James Hunt. The much modified old car, and the firebrand young driver would win the WC in dramatic fashion later in the year.
Carlos Reutemann and his Ferrari 312T2 won the race, after starting 11 positions ahead of teammate Lauda. But the two did not have the same car. The way Lauda lost the title the previous year had sown seeds of discord in the Ferrari camp, and Reutemann winning so early in the season only further distanced Lauda from the team.
The last BRM. The excitement and promise of the 50's and a nation behind a British car in F1 must have seemed so long ago. Larry Perkins in the 1977 BRM P207 - the last time a BRM ever qualified for a Formula One Grand Prix.
The past and future of Brazil. The great dream the Fittipaldi brothers had to try to establish a Brazilian Formula One team was starting to wear thin by 1980. Here Emmo and the Fittipaldi F7 are persued by the rising star of 1980 and fellow Brazilian Nelson Piquet in the Brabham BT49. While Fittipaldi struggled all year Piquet would chase Alan Jones all the way to the crown.
A point! Marc Surer in the virtually sponsorless Arrows A6 on his way to 6th. Things were looking up newcomers Arrows: 1980 Champion Alan Jones was about to join and now their young driver had proven the car capable. things had to get better, right?
Now it's my turn. Alain Prost lost the world title the previous year by half a point, but surely Lauda would be no obstacle this year? The first of many wins for Alain Prost in 1985 in the McLaren MP4/2B Porsche.
Ayrton Senna was Honda's great hope for 1987, with the technical mastery of the active suspension Lotus the Brazilian genius would win the WC for Honda, and Williams the constructors. The Lotus cracks were yet to show at this stage, Senna was quick but the car wasn't handling and the engine died while in second.
Ferrari win early in 1989? No way the new gearbox will last. Nigel Mansell in the first revolutionary semi-automatic gearbox Ferrari 640 on his way to victory. It was Mansell's first race for Ferrari and Italy loved him for it.
Williams looked good in 1991, their cars were faster and they had the driving talent. But Brazil 1991 was Senna's day. At long last Senna won his home race to emotional scenes in and out of the cockpit. But Williams looked stronger. Here Mansell hunts the Williams FW14 through the back of the infield.
Gerhard Berger in the Ferrari 412T2 was third, but Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard were disqualified for fuel irregularities, and so Berger was proclaimed the winner. But after the appeal, he was back to third.
The legendary Johnny Herbert luck at work. Herbert climbing from the wreckage of the Sauber C17 Ferrari in practice for the 1998 race. In the race he would finish well down in 11th. Surely his luck would turn around soon, one day, maybe.
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| Mark Alan Jones | © 2000 Kaizar.Com, Incorporated. |
| Send comments to: jones@atlasf1.com | Terms & Conditions |
All images provided by Rainer Nyberg | |