Following the unofficial count mentioned in the first article (Vol. 3, No. 2), I feel proud to account for 50% of the "Fanatic Ferrari Followers" in Pakistan. The article reminded me of those discussions with Atif over the wall dividing our houses that usually led us believing, (naively or not) that the next race, would be a Rossa 1-2. However, the ritual of trampled Benneton bags, products, Mangled Williams posters and Damon Hill dart boards somehow didn't help bring about the Tifosi dream. It was trying to understand those unexplained phenomenon of constantly flawed gearboxes, missing cylinders (from V12 to V10), controversial ball joint suspensions (That didn't help, controversial or not) flying cameras and the curse of the ever so mysterious pit strategies, that led 50% of the Tifosi, myself, to England, Germany and then, of course, to Italy.

Think of F1 and England is the geography that everyone (with exceptions) will think place themselves. But, F1 in England somehow boils down to the comments of "I say, our old boy, this Damon chap, did put on a good show did he not?" and "Well, It is a British car isn't it!"

The Tifosi there are underground. The ever so popular opening line, "Ferrari will win the next 16 Races," is used in conversations and chat sites to get two kinds of reactions. "Right on man! Forza Ferrari!" or just simply "Are you Nuts?"

The Germans are serious about their Formula 1. But it will take the re-entry of the silver streaks, like 40 years ago, to count the Germans in. I am sorry to say that beyond all popular belief, The Mclarens still are British cars. The German Tifosi is based around... well.. err.. A German if you understand what I mean. Red Baron or not, I really do not care. Popular belief that a Porsche is better in performance than a Ferrari still keeps that Tifosi level low.

Then there are the Italians. To them, Formula 1 is Ferrari and Ferrari is a way of life. Tifosi, to us, means being Ferrari followers (Fanatic to the irrational extent). To them, it means being members of a proud race of people. Ferrari is tradition in Italy and tradition does come with its folklore and old wives tales.

It all started when God created the Universe, Man, Ferrari and the Fiorano track. Ferrari was never just a mechanical mixture of steel, composite, rubber and fiber but a soul, a living breathing soul. (Enzo Ferrari: Ref. Robert Daley, Cars at Speed, 1960)

The Tifosi believe. The race weekend starts on Monday when the Italians plan to keep their weekend free. Tuesday and Wednesday is speculation on who will win and Thursday is return to the hope of Ferrari winning the race. My belief of Ferrari winning the next 16 races was well appreciated among the Tifosi and I was accepted as one of them. Friday is practice. Schumi's lap is well scrutinized, analyzed and hypothesized upon. Saturday is Claudia Peroni on the Italia Uno channel with optimism increasing after every lap second reduced. Sunday is a curfew. When the race starts, you do not have to know a word of Italian to understand what the commentators are saying. They say it all when they suddenly become quiet. Schumi must have spun out. However, when Schumi wins, It is Haleluliah. Next Monday to Thursday is replay of the glorious victory. Red wine and pasta. (Traditional Ferrari pit victory dinner!)

As superstitious as some Italians are, curses do strike. The worst being the curse of the wife of an ex-Ferrari pit crewmember who was blamed for a mistake which has been active for the last 12 years. An offshoot of this curse, known by the Pakistani Tifosi, is the curse of the MANJI DAA. There is the superstition that Sunday is the worst day for Ferrari to race. Also, Ferrari's don't do well in the first, third and fourth weeks of the month. Ferrari's are at the peak from December to March, etc..

Curses apart, some of the other problems include the unnecessary inclusion of the pasta shredder in the car, the pouring of red wine in radiators instead of distilled water, and so on.

Comments that I have heard in Italy which, I believe, are common unrelated to geographical borders are:

1. Well, there is always the next race.
2. If only Alesi had a faster car.
3. Schumi promised 1997. This year is just practice.
4. 4 in 96 is better than 1 in 95!
5. At least it is the best looking car in the grid.

I would like to thank all my Friends in Italy (especially at the University of Genova) with whom I shared this spirit of the Tifosi and to the other 50% official Pakistani Tifosi (Atif Hassan) for writing the first article.

Aazir Khan is an Automobile Engineer currently working in Pakistan. His tour of the three countries was in conjunction with a European Masters degree in Automobile Engineering. Aazir worked in Italy for 7 months with a suppliers company for FIAT and Ferrari and was lucky to attend some conventions on high tech automobiles in Modena.