Dave's F1 Column
#1 - 16 Mar 1995
Here we are at the start of another season, one which promises, we're told,
closer racing, more teams scoring points, more excitement.
The Teams
Benetton
Williams' dominance of the constructors' championship looks set to be
finally broken by Benetton, using the same powerplant in what may arguably
be a better chassis. With Johnny Herbert finally getting a drive with a top
team and Schumacher with a World Championship under his belt the team must
be nothing for nothing less than total dominance.
Williams
Still, Frank Williams knows how to get the best out of his team, and if
Schumi wants to make it two championships in a row he and the team cannot
afford to play fast and loose with the regulations this year. Damon Hill
will be motivated by the single point between him and Schumi at the end of
last season, and new boy Coulthard must surely win his first race in
1995.
McLaren
McLaren look like they're off to a bumpy start. Mansell is undoubtably a
capable driver, but it remains to be seen whether he and Ron Dennis can
really work together, or whether their combined egos, not to mention that of
team-mate Hakkinen, will be too explosive a combination. For the second year
in a row McLaren start over with a new engine supplier, and one that did
Sauber no favors last year. The team should perhaps regard this year as a
grand experiment to prepare for 1996, rather than worry about seriously
challenging Williams and Benetton.
Ferrari
It seems like every year will be the great Ferrari comeback. If Alesi is to
be believed, the most famous team of all have finally got their handling
problems licked; if so, they have to be contenders for top honors,
especially with two very talented drivers in Alesi and Berger. Still, one
has to question the wisdom of running a V12 engine this year when engine
capacity is reduced and everyone else has long since moved to V10 or even V8
configurations. I'm not alone in wishing to see the red cars back at the
front, but perhaps the time is still not right for Ferrari.
Jordan
Jordan looked impressive last year, and with two very capable drivers in
Barrichello and Irvine, should do well, modulo Peugot's ability to deal with
the reliability problems they faced last year. Much has been made of
Irvine's temperament, but I think this year we'll see a surprisingly mature,
not to mention quick, driver in the Irishman.
Ligier
Ligier have the chance to emerge from underneath Benetton's wings this
season, sporting a Mugen-Honda engine in effectively the same chassis as
their "parent" team's. With Brundle and Suzuki sharing the second car
there's bound to be a little friction, but hopefully Panis will be able to
distance himself and really make the car perform.
Tyrrell
Last year, Tyrrell showed promise but no real results. This year they again
show promise, but Katayama and Salo will have to really push the car and
themselves to the limits to make any impression against the top teams.
Sauber
Sauber start a new partnership with Ford, and look set to enjoy more success
with and more support from them than they got from Mercedes last year.
Wendlinger returns to partner Frentzen in what could well be a more
productive season for the team.
Pacific Team Lotus
Pacific's fortunes seem to be on the up, getting a big sponsorship deal and
then saving Lotus from apparent certain death. This year, though, will see
them either become an established F1 team, or sink forever into obscure
pages of history books.
Forti Corse
New kids on the block Forti Corse have not made a very good impression in
testing, but it's a long season and anything can happen. It's certainly no
bad thing to have some new blood in the constructors' championship,
especially when they bring such a colorful car with them!
... and the rest
Simtek return with a new line up and plenty of enthusiasm, Larrouusse seem
to be just about managing to stay in F1, Minardi plod on as ever, Footwork
return to being called Arrows, and DAMS decide to wait until next year to
enter the fray.
Preview: Interlagos
Brasil has rarely been short of F1 talent, but without Senna the only man
with a chance to win at home in round 1 is Rubens Barichello. It seems more
likely, however, that one of the Williams or Benettons will claim that
honor, with their greater horsepower. Ferrari could also do well, and
there's hope for Tyrrell and Ligier too.
The season opener should be a good measuring stick for the first half of the
season. If we get 6 different teams in the top 6 finishers then we're in for
Damon's "humdinger of a season"; if Team Willy and Benetton walk away with
positions 1 through 4, we'd better prepare for the FIA to go crazy on rules
changes in 1996.
Rumors abound that Nigel Mansell will have to sit the first two races out,
replaced by Mark Blundell, because of problems with the McLaren's cockpit
size. If Nige is thinking about a second world championship this is not the
way to start!
I'm not going to start making predicitions, but I will say that I expect
great things from Ferrari in Brasil, and that how Jordan perform here will
be indicative of how their whole season will go. The best of luck to all the
drivers and teams.
Dave Gymer
A short autobiography