F195 (Collieafc) - Italy quali up + 2nd round of bids!

[Collieafc]

Round 2: Argentinian Grand Prix - Race Report

The grid appears to be waiting for some time for the lights to go green but when they do, Schumacher makes a slow start and is caught unawares by Coulthard but Alesi is sharp and passes Coulthard before challenging Schumacher at the first corner for the lead! The two are side by side but Alesi has to relent. Further down, Barrichello makes an awful getaway and drops to 8th while Morbidelli is also sharp and forces his way into 5th and nearly takes 4th from Hill. Berger though tops the lot in the Benetton by climbing from 11th to 7th after just 3 corners!

Theres action and mayhem again at the first corner further down the field as Herbert crashes into the back of Letho, instantly taking the Finn out as the Minardi nearly barrel rolls into the gravel. Somehow Letho emerges unschathed, and it will be surprising if the stewards do not take any further action over this…

Coulthard is searching for a way past Alesi and is all over the Ferrai’s gearbox trying to get past as Schumacher is already pulling away fast and is already a second and a half ahead on the second lap. Wendlinger though is past the Ferrari of Morbidelli, Barrichello likewise with Berger. Herbert meanwhile retires as a result of the damage sustained from the first lap.

Alesi though keeps Coulthard at bay, who now also has to contend with Hill and Wendlinger on his tail, while Panis makes it to 13th and puts the pressure on Brundles Ligier, Fittipaldi also dropping down the field as Blundell takes over 15th from the Minardi. Alesi is holding up the field to such an extent that Schumacher is 5 seconds ahead on lap 4 and still pulling away. Wendlinger successfully passes Hill on the start finish straight to take 4th place. Hakkinen goes off at the first corner after pushing too hard but manages to rejoin last, though undamaged. Teammate Collard takes advantage of this and also passes Frentzen to move up to 9th.

Diniz is next to retire on lap 6 with Transmission problems, while Barrichello runs wide on the kerbs and goes off! He rejoins but with a damaged front wing that will need to be fixed. By the time he pits he is already down to 9th as a weekend that promised much is crumbling around him. Coulthard is still pushing Alesi but the Ferrari refuses to cave. A similar battle is on for 9th as Frentzen is holding up Brundles Ligier and Panis’s Pacific.

Theres also some cracking racing at the back of the grid as Barrichello and Hakkinen, both suffering due to mistakes, battle it out for what looks like fun for 21st place, as the pair continually swap places while both catch Montermini on lap 8. But the battle for 2nd is still in full swing, with Coulthard still hounding Alesi, with Wendlinger bearing down on them both. They come to the final corner, but Coulthard RUNS WIDE! The world champion has pushed too hard and is in the wall on the start finish straight! He will be kicking himself for that as it was a simple error as he jumps from the car, angry with himself.

Schumacher can almost breathe easy already as he is 16 seconds ahead on lap 11, but theres no rest for Alesi as Wendlinger now presses him round the tight corners to an even greater degree than Coulthard did. In fact he almost passes the Ferrari but Alesi shuts the door. Wendlinger then tries again on the start finish straight and sees it through! He takes 2nd place and pulls away instantly from the Ferrari. Barrichello though has won his battle with Hakkinen and is already 16th while the Finn has been having difficulties passing Inoue for 18th and is delayed. It seems Alesi cant catch a break as its now Hill’s turn to challenge him.

Colland has also managed to catch Berger and starts putting the Benetton under pressure but Berger and performs a daring pass on lap 16 on the first corner! He thinks hes past but Berger just holds on and they go side by side into corners 2 and 3! This is amazing! Berger then takes the advantage through turn 4 and has the inside but Collard brilliantly keeps up and starts to retake ground! He just manages to hold on and take 6th place! Brilliant entertain racing from such professionals who both do well not to make a mistake! But Berger isn’t done yet and tries to regain his place, but Collard is able to nudge back ahead under intense pressure! Collard enters lap 16 ahead though Berger is not dropping back.

De Ferran spins off from 16th under pressure from Hakkinen but is able to eventually rejoin though down in 20th. Barrichello is now in 14th and just past Verstappens Tyrrell, and rapidly catching teammate Zanardi, but hes made a mistake! Hes off from the kerb and tries to rejoin but the front wing breaks off! He goes off hard and into the barrier at high speed in a horrific crash! The nearby medical car is immediately scrambled as he is not seen to be moving. There is serious talk on a red flag but the officials decide against it as the medical team are able to operate under double yellows and drive Barrichello away to the nearest hospital.

Collard makes the first scheduled stop of the day for fuel on lap 18 and comes out 11th place. Brundle also pits from 9th as he is still stuck behind Frentzen. Collard joins another battle for position with the now 9th placed Irvine and Fittipaldi, though trhe McLaren makes short work of the Minardi. Panis also has enough of trying to pass Frentzen and pits on lap 20, as does Berger. Benneton time the Austrians stop beautifully and he emerges just in front of Irvine, meaning he has managed to retake position from Collard at the pitstops! No such luck for Fittipaldi though as he drops out with transmission problems. Collard finally breaks free from the Ligier on lap 22 and starts to once more close the gap to Berger. Hakkinen meanwhile is now 11th as he also fights through the field.

Wendlinger pits on lap 26 from 2nd as Hakkinen continues to push and spectacularly outbrakes Brundles Ligier for 10th and catches the 2nd one of Irvine for 9th, as Schumacher decends to lap the trio, the German surprisingly still to make a stop, along with Alesi and Hill in 2nd and 3rd. Morbidelli though has stopped and takes 5th place from Frentzen who is still to refuel. Hakkinen passes Irvine for 9th, who is now being hounded by teammate Brundle. Berger passes Frentzen on lap 29 while Collard still gives chase.

Meanwhile Wendlinger has now caught up again with the Alesi Hill battle on lap 30 and tries to make a move half way round but the Williams closes the door. The Austrian waits until lap 31 and makes a brilliant lunge at the start finish straight and outbrakes Hill into 3rd. He then tries Alesi but the Ferrari chops in front and Wendlinger comes in to fast and nearly hits the back! He waits until the next lap and performs a copy of his move on Hill but Alesi doesn’t give in so easily! The pair are side by side for the first two corners but the Saubers power is just too much and Alesi has to relent. Frentzen has succumbed to Collard who is now in 7th though has lost time to Berger.

Hill pits on lap 35 in what looks like a sudden change of plan as the Williams team are scrambling to their positions, possibly to pass Alesi in the pit stops. It is incredibly long, suggesting Williams may be trying to make a one stop. Hakkinen also pits from 9th in a similarly lengthed stop. Hill drops to 5th, Hakkinen 14th. Schumacher comes in 1 lap later when trying to lap Bergers Benetton as several 1-stoppers come in. Alesi is bound to be next while Hill puts the hammer down to overtake via the pits but is delayed by a battle for 16th between Inoue and De Ferran.

Its not enough though as Alesi emerges right in front of Hill to the point of blocking the Williams! Hill renews pressure on the Ferrari and is all over its gearbox trying to pass, but the Ferrari is just too fast in the straights where it matters. However both are now gaining over 3rd placed Morbidelli although the Italian still has to stop, as Katayama spins off harmlessly on lap 39, but is able to rejoin the field. Hakkinen though is stuck in 12th behind Zanardi’s Jordan, whos Mugen Honda is more powerful than the Mercedes. It becomes clear though that something else is at fault as the McLaren starts sounding unhealthy, and Hakkenen parks it with throttle problems after his fight from the back ends on lap 42.

Collard pits on lap 45 as Alesi has managed to catch up with his teammate and pull away from Hill in the process. Collard comes out 9th, behind Panis whos Pacific is having another strong showing. Berger is in on the next lap but both are promoted when Brundle pits from 8th. The Benetton team get Berger out sharp and he easily holds 6th place. Wendlinger also stops and retains 2nd place. Panis loses 7th to Collard on lap 47 but no sooner does the Mclaren pass, does smoke pour out of the back! Panis nearly cannot believe his luck when he retakes position while Collard unfortunately has to call his otherwise impressive debut race to an end. However the Pacific comes in on lap 50 for its 2nd stop, dropping to 10th.

The field starts to settle, as Schumacher overshoots a kerb on lap 54 but manages to hold on and continue with minimal loss. Brundle though doesn’t, and slides off after going wide on the first corner, but is able to rejoin though is now down in 12th. Panis is now 8th and gaining on Frentzen until on lap 60 he slows down and comes to a halt with transmission failure and retires after a brilliant race where he was on pace with the front teams.

No such problems for Schumacher as he takes the chequered flag on lap 83 after a brilliant lights-to-flag win that was under no threat whatsoever and takes the 10 points that should have been his last time. Wendliner is a distant but no less impressive 2nd after working his way through the field. Alesi wins his race long battle with Hill to take 3rd as Morbidelli scores a solid but quiet 5th. Berger rounds off the points in 6th. Further down Zanardi takes a commendable 8th after passing both Ligiers at the pitstops and is able to keep them at bay, while Inoue wins a 65 lap battle with De Ferran for 12th place.

Theres plenty to think about from this race, however, the dominant thought is on Barrichello after his crash and the hope of a speedy recovery.

Classification after 83 laps

1. Michael Schumacher - ( Sauber Renault ) 1h 59m 40.598
2. Karl Wendlinger - ( Sauber Renault ) + 1:18.107
3. Jean Alesi - ( Ferrari ) - 1 lap
4. Damon Hill - ( Williams Renault ) - 1 lap
5. Gianni Morbidelli - ( Ferrari ) - 1 lap
6. Gerhard Berger - ( Benetton Ford ) - 2 laps
7. Heinz-Harald Frentzen - ( Benetton Ford ) - 2 laps
8. Alessandro Zanardi - ( Jordan Mugen-Honda ) - 2 laps
9. Eddie Irvine - ( Ligier Peugeot ) - 2 laps
10. Martin Brundle - ( Ligier Peugeot ) - 2 laps
11. Jos Verstappen - ( Tyrrell Yamaha ) - 2 laps
12. Taki Inoue - ( Larrousse Hart ) - 4 laps
13. Gil De Ferran - ( Simtek Ford ) - 4 laps
Olivier Panis - ( Pacific Yamaha ) - Transmission
Ukyo Katayama - ( Tyrrell Yamaha ) - Puncture
Emmanuel Collard - ( McLaren Mercedes ) - Engine
Mika Hakkinen - ( McLaren Mercedes ) - Throttle
Andrea Montermini - ( Forti Ford ) - Spun off
Christian Fittipaldi - ( Minardi Ford ) - Transmission
Rubens Barrichello - ( Jordan Mugen-Honda ) - Crashed
Mark Blundell - ( Arrows Ford ) - Crashed
David Coulthard - ( Williams Renault ) - Crashed
Massimiliano Papis - ( Arrows Ford ) - Puncture
Pedro Diniz - ( Forti Ford ) - Transmission
Johnny Herbert - ( Simtek Ford ) - Crashed
JJ Letho - ( Minardi Ford ) - Collision

Fastest lap Michael Schumacher - ( Sauber Renault ) - 1:24.577

Drivers Championship - Top 6
1st : Karl Wendlinger - 16
2nd : Michael Schumacher - 11
3rd : Damon Hill - 7
4th : David Coulthard - 6
5th : Jean Alesi - 6
6th : Rubens Barrichello - 3

Constructors Championship - Top 6
1st : Sauber Renault - 27
2nd : Williams Renault - 13
3rd : Ferrari - 8
4th : Jordan Mugen-Honda - 3
5th : Benetton Ford - 1
6th : McLaren Mercedes - 0

[Rated]

Good race for Sauber. Unfortunately, even if he had been able to finish, points were out of reach for Collard.

[TomWazzleshaw]

If required, Minardi will be more than happy to loan Letho to Jordan, with Lamy taking the second Minardi seat in his place

[Hermann95]

If required, Minardi will be more than happy to loan Letho to Jordan, with Lamy taking the second Minardi seat in his place

Thank you for the offer, but first of all i need to know hiw long Barrichello will miss.
About the race itself: nice to see Zanardi improve a bit. About Rubens: Sadly such accidents happen in F1. Hopefully he will get well soon.

[Collieafc]

FIA to make changes to F1 following accident strewn race

The FIA are set to make sweeping changes to Formula 1 in light of yesterday’s inaugural race in Argentina which featured two large crashes and left one driver hospitalised. Rubens Barrichello was rushed to the nearby hospital after being left unconscious from a massive accident in his Jordan on lap 16. Doctors are now stating that Barrichello has thankfully regained consciousness, but it is unknown how long his recovery will be or when (or even if) he will return to racing.
Meanwhile another driver, JJ Letho, was very lucky to escape unharmed from another crash when at the start another car ploughed into the back of him, sending his Minardi Ford into the air before landing in the gravel trap upside down. “He was very lucky” said team boss Giancarlo Minardi “We are incredibly relieved as Letho's crash could have been so much worse – I have seen serious injuries in motor racing from crashes not half as bad as that”

Barrichello’s injury is the second already this season, after McLaren driver Pierluigi Martini was hurt at the Brazilian grand prix. The FIA are already concerned that it could only be a matter of time before somebody is killed, and will be enforcing changes to all cars in time for San Marino – with a 3 week break, talk is that the FIA will force these changes through in exchange for a funded test session.

[Collieafc]

Herbert banned for one race, Barrichello out for months

Simtek’s Johnny Herbert was handed a one race ban by the FIA in light of the first corner crash at Argentina at the start, which took out JJ Letho. The Englishman was widely blamed for the incident where he failed to brake in time before hitting the back of the Minardi. “The only saving grace is that it was only one car involved and there were no injuries” said an FIA spokeswoman “We feel this punishment is merited as a deterrent to such situations”
Letho, who was the victim in this case, was similarly critical “He [Herbert] should really know better. I could almost understand something like this from his team mate [De Ferran] who has little F1 experience, but a driver of his [Herbert’s] experience really should know better”

Simtek have not yet chosen a replacement but the current favourite is the teams test driver Giovanni Lavaggi. Lavaggi is contracted to a number of races for Simtek this year and the San Marino Grand Prix would be a perfect opportunity for his debut.

Meanwhile, sources close to Rubens Barrichello say that although he regained consciousness earlier today, it will be some time before the Brazilian star is back behind the wheel of an F1 car after being critically injured in last weekends Grand Prix. Estimates to his return range from a very optimistic 6 races to the being out for the rest of the season, or possibly beyond, in the worst case scenario. The rumour mill is in full swing with suggestions for a replacement, with JJ Letho reportedly being offered by Minardi as a show of sportsmanship and good faith, while Nigel Mansell has been touted as a high profile driver who could offer race winning pace. At the other end of the scale, test driver Tarquini may cover in the short term while Jordans young driver, Alex Wurz could also be introduced, subject to completing a test session to meet Super licence requirements.

Announcements
Hermann95: It is unknown the full length of Barrichello's absence, but it will be a minimum of 6 races. You have the option of finding a replacement for San Marino, which given the circumstances will not count as a change. If you choose Mansell, the increased "star factor" will bring in 1m, but other drivers are "as is". If you choose a Young driver, you will need to perform a test session (you still get test session benefits as well if you do)
Salamander: Herbert has been banned for one race. You have the option of substituting him for Lavaggi, which will count as one of his 8 races this season for his contract, or you can nominate another driver. This will count as a driver change
Ford engined teams: Ford have made some improvements to the Zetec engine, which will raise the speed cap in time for San Marino. the EDM will be done in time for Spain, the ED is currently unknown.
Takagi_for_the_win: Mercedes have designed and built new engines for McLaren in time for San Marino - these improvements both raise the speed cap and improve reliability

ALL TEAMS
The FIA will be forcing changes to cars before San Marino to improve driver safety. They will be posted here tomorrow, so until then, testing is closed. There will also be a free test in addition to any optional testing, details will be disclosed tomorrow

[Salamander]

Simtek will be substituting Herbert with Lavaggi. How many driver changes are permitted in one season?

[Collieafc]

Simtek will be substituting Herbert with Lavaggi. How many driver changes are permitted in one season?

5, but after it recently being a topic in other threads for real life, I will be reducing it to 4 from 1996.

It does not work both ways. Substituting Herbert for Lavaggi for San Marino would count as 1 change, but changing Lavaggi back to Herbert for Spain would not. Similarly if you wanted Lavaggi back for Monaco, it would not count towards your 5.

Its based on the actual number of drivers who take a race seat as opposed to actual changes. Hope it helps

[Salamander]

Simtek will be substituting Herbert with Lavaggi. How many driver changes are permitted in one season?

5, but after it recently being a topic in other threads for real life, I will be reducing it to 4 from 1996.

It does not work both ways. Substituting Herbert for Lavaggi for San Marino would count as 1 change, but changing Lavaggi back to Herbert for Spain would not. Similarly if you wanted Lavaggi back for Monaco, it would not count towards your 5.

Its based on the actual number of drivers who take a race seat as opposed to actual changes. Hope it helps

It does, thanks.

[Collieafc]

All Teams
The FIA have made manditory changes to the cars taking effect immediately. All cars and engines lose 100 from their power rating. (So if your car has 750 race power and the engine cap is 800, its now 650 and 700). To allow for this change the FIA is scheduling a free test for all teams to be held at Jerez, which will cost you nothing, and does not count towards your testing limit. The catch though is that you cannot test speed.

As the gap between races is 3 weeks you can also do a second test, subject to the usual rules and cost. For this test you can do a speed test. I will email you all over the next 24 or so hours with your car stats as they are now. Kevinbotz and FantometteBR, I will also send you the driver feedback I forgot to send from your post-Brazil test

In addition, I have added something new for this season. Starting from now, some drivers may have favoured tracks. This means that on that track only, that driver will get a slight performance boost. I have based it both on historic records and on last seasons game. (eg a classic example would be Senna favouring Monaco). Think if a driver done unusually well at a track or scored a first podium or win. I will email each of you with any favoured tracks your driver may have.

[Hermann95]

We at Jordan would like to know how much Nigel Mansell would cost us for the next 2 races.
Edit: we would also like to know if Tarquini is able to pay more if he gets the seat for the next few races.

[FantometteBR]

The other test can be done at a track of the f1 calendar or must be at another track?

[Klon]

For the free test at Jerez, Tyrrell would like to work on handling. Instead of a private test, we would like to lobby Yahama to improve engine reliability.

[FantometteBR]

Forti will test reliablity at the Jerez test

[Collieafc]

We at Jordan would like to know how much Nigel Mansell would cost us for the next 2 races.
Edit: we would also like to know if Tarquini is able to pay more if he gets the seat for the next few races.

Mansell will cost 0.5m per race, but you will not get the 1m bonus unless he is signed for at least half of the season (8 races). Tarquini may be able to find a little more money but it will be decided by an RNG (from 0 to 1m). If you do sign Mansell (or anyone else) to cover Barrichello for a large number of races (eg 8+) and Barrichello recovers before then, you will not be forced to sack a driver, as this is very much exceptional circumstances (i.e dont worry about having to "make room")

Also, I forgot to say in the announcements, that Mugen-Honda have also improved their engine power in time for San Marino.

The other test can be done at a track of the f1 calendar or must be at another track?

It can be either, as long as the track is of an F1 standard and would realistically host a test (i.e not Monaco). The track does not have to host a race - eg Fiorano, Mugello or Jerez would all be allowed. It also has to have existed then, so no testing in Bahrain until 2004

For the free test at Jerez, Tyrrell would like to work on handling. Instead of a private test, we would like to lobby Yahama to improve engine reliability.

Which reminds me, I forgot to mention that all teams can test at the free test, regardless of whether they have a test driver or not. The second test requires a test driver.

Testing is now open - you should all have your updated stats

[Hermann95]

Ok, Jordan would like to sign Nigel Mansell for the rest of the season. According to the list on P1 he'll cost 4m for the whole season. This way we are collecting the 1m bonus so this action should cost us 3m$.

Testing plans:
free Jerez test: Reliability

in adition to that we would like to know if the engine stats are with or without the upgrade. If it's without the upgrade we would like to test speed at Imola, otherwise we would like to go to Donington Park for handling tests.

[Peteroli34]

For the free test Williams will work on Handling, The team will then head to Silverstone for a private testing focusing on the speed of the FW17

[FantometteBR]

We are then scheduling a Mugello test after San Marino race, where we can focus on speed

[TomWazzleshaw]

Minardi will work on handling in the free Jerez test. Instead of using one of our test days before San Marino however, we'd like to lobby Ford to fast-track any power upgrades for ED engine, or potentially consider supplying Minardi with the EDM powerplants along with Simtek and Arrows. Finally, in order to fill his 8 race quota, Lamy will race in San Marino and Barcelona in place of Letho

[Salamander]

Simtek will work on handling in Jerez. Following this, we will be testing at Brands Hatch with the goal of increasing reliability.

[takagi_for_the_win]

McLaren will focus on handling at Jerez.

[Rated]

Sauber will concentrate on handling at Jerez.

[Ataxia]

Arrows will pop to Jerez and do a handling test, because why not? We've got nothing better to do except stare at our engines and shake our fists angrily at Brian Hart for ditching us...

[pi314159]

Arrows will pop to Jerez and do a handling test, because why not? We've got nothing better to do except stare at our engines and shake our fists angrily at Brian Hart for ditching us...

Same for Pacific, except that we aren't angry about Hart, but Yamaha, who supplied an uncompetetive engine.

[SeedStriker]

Ligier will also go to the free test, with the focus on reliability

[Collieafc]

in adition to that we would like to know if the engine stats are with or without the upgrade. If it's without the upgrade we would like to test speed at Imola, otherwise we would like to go to Donington Park for handling tests.

All stats include any engine upgrades

Our Nige Returns!
Britians Nigel Mansell is set to make a return to Formula 1 in time for the next grand prix at San Marino. The 1992 Formula 1 driver has been signed by the Jordan team to cover for lead driver Rubens Barrichello, who was critically injuired at the last race and could be out for a long time.

However Mansell believes that he will do more than just cover, and has already set his sights on multiple victories: "From what I have seen, the car is quite an all rounded package - its certainly good enough for wins, and if Mugen-Honda continue improving, hopefully push for the title. Hopefully I can continue to build on the good work that both Barrichello and the team have put in so far"

It remains to be seen however if Mansell is able to immediately fight for wins - the 41 year old has not raced since winning his dominating 1992 title win, but given that Jordan scored 2nd overall in 1994, its fair to say that he will be in good hands, with an extended testing session planned by the team to help Mansell get to speed. Team merchandise has seen a large increase in sales and reports also indicate that Silverstone has seen a boom in ticket sales for this years grand prix.

Mansell and Jordan closed their press conference by wishing Barrichello a speedy recovery

[kevinbotz]

Benetton will focus on reliability at Jerez and plan on waiving the second test in favor of lobbying Ford for more engine power.

[Samster]

Ferrari will focus on handling at Jerez.

[Collieafc]

Thats me have every team in for the free test, except Larrousse. Ive started running the numbers already, so hopefully I'll get Sa Marino quali in over the next day or two.

[Collieafc]

And now some lobby rolls:

Engine Lobby rolls:
Benetton: Ford Zetec – Power - 1-50: Fail 51-100: Succeed - Result: 98! Ford will make additional power improvements to the Zetec in time for Spain
Tyrrell: Yamaha – Reliability - 1-50: Fail 51-100: Succeed - Result: 28 Yamaha will not make improvements just yet, though this may change under continued lobbying
Minardi: Ford ED – Power - 1-60: Fail 61-80: Will wait until the next EDM upgrade 81-100: Succeed - Result: 86! In an unusual show of support for their standard customer engine, Ford will make improvements in time for Spain to the ED engine.

[Collieafc]

Round 3: San Marino Grand Prix - Qualifying

In a familiar sight of 1995 so far, its Michael Schumacher who again takes pole position for the San Marino grand prix, where we kick off the European season. However it was not all plain sailing this time as Williams appear to have closed the gap, as both were less than two tenths away from the Sauber, Coulthard taking the front row and was only half a tenth shy. Wendlinger though managed his career best qualifying with 4th place, and half a second quicker than 5th place Alesi, although the Ferrari’s have a reputation of being fast starters, and locked out the 3rd row with Morbidelli in 6th. Berger was 7th while Martini made a brilliant comeback from his injury to outqualify his teammate Hakkinen and take 8th. Zanardi also looks much improved and was 9th, two places ahead of 1992 champion Mansell, who has made a comeback to cover for Barrichello for the season.

Further down, Ligier had an unexpectedly poor qualifying down in 13th and 16th, as Panis continued his fine 1995 form in the Pacific to start 14th with Verstappen just behind. Montermini continued to fly the Forti flag and improve to the next row to start 22nd, as Diniz also made the grid in 25th, and will start alongside Gounon who was able to qualify for the first time this year and give Larrousse its first 2-car start. Lavaggi, who is covering for the suspended Herbert in the Simtek, was bog last, although was unable to run on Friday when the best times were to be had.

1. Michael Schumacher - ( Sauber Renault ) 1m 22.470
2. David Coulthard - ( Williams Renault ) + 0.050
3. Damon Hill - ( Williams Renault ) + 0.198
4. Karl Wendlinger - ( Sauber Renault ) + 0.595
5. Jean Alesi - ( Ferrari ) + 1.067
6. Gianni Morbidelli - ( Ferrari ) + 1.302
7. Gerhard Berger - ( Benetton Ford ) + 1.773
8. Pierluigi Martini - ( McLaren Mercedes ) + 1.923
9. Alessandro Zanardi - ( Jordan Mugen-Honda ) + 1.999
10. Mika Hakkinen - ( McLaren Mercedes ) + 2.164
11. Nigel Mansell - ( Jordan Mugen-Honda ) + 2.235
12. Heinz-Harald Frentzen - ( Benetton Ford ) + 2.245
13. Martin Brundle - ( Ligier Peugeot ) + 2.363
14. Olivier Panis - ( Pacific Yamaha ) + 2.824
15. Jos Verstappen - ( Tyrrell Yamaha ) + 2.860
16. Eddie Irvine - ( Ligier Peugeot ) + 2.942
17. Mark Blundell - ( Arrows Ford ) + 3.108
18. Christian Fittipaldi - ( Minardi Ford ) + 3.534
19. Ukyo Katayama - ( Tyrrell Yamaha ) + 3.772
20. Gil De Ferran - ( Simtek Ford ) + 3.966
21. Taki Inoue - ( Larrousse Hart ) + 4.473
22. Andrea Montermini - ( Forti Ford ) + 4.710
23. Massimiliano Papis - ( Arrows Ford ) + 5.100
24. Pedro Lamy - ( Minardi Ford ) + 5.290
25. Pedro Diniz - ( Forti Ford ) + 5.373
26. Jean-Marc Gounon - ( Pacific Yamaha ) + 5.410
DNQ Jean-Denis Deletraz - ( Larrousse Hart ) + 5.614
DNQ Giovanni Lavaggi - ( Simtek Ford ) + 6.672 Only ran on Saturday due to technical difficulties

[Collieafc]

Round 3 - San Marino Grand Prix - Race Report

And its GO GO GO! Coulthard is slow off the line as Schumacher blasts away into the lead, while Hill passes his teammate into 3rd. Alesi jumps into 4th and starts attacking Coulthard at Tamburello, but the Williams just holds on. Morbidelli also takes 5th as Wendlinger sinks down the field while Frentzen charges through from 10th and is challenging Zanardi for 7th. Coulthard starts fighting back and retakes 2nd at Tosa, but behind the Ferrari’s mayhem breaks out as we see a Benetton rear wing go flying into the air with a shower of debris! Its Berger!

Lets look at the incident on the replay…Morbidelli has the outside but is side by side with Berger for 6th as they approach Tosa, with Berger on the inside. Morbidelli makes it through and Berger brakes in surprise, not expecting the Ferrari to manage to stay alongside, Zanardi is unable to brake in time and runs right into the back of the Benetton. The whole thing looks clumsy but it’s very much a racing incident and no further action will be taken.

Berger is trying to take his Benetton minus its rear wing to the pits but hes causing a massive tailback of the field. Wendlinger is suffering though as he is down in 8th place, as the jostling to get past causes massive gaps in the field already. Lap 2 and Schumacher is again pulling away as Hill tries to pass Coulthard but the Scot chops in front, nearly taking them both out. Alesi is 4th, not far behind, while Morbidelli is trying to hold back Zanardi, but the Jordan takes 5th at Tosa as Frentzen now challenges the Ferrari. Fittipaldi becomes the first retirement on lap 2 as the Minardi’s electrics cut out.

The knock on effect of the first lap is still felt as Wendlinger begins to make ground on the Morbidelli-Frentzen battle, while Panis passes Hakkinen for 11th place on lap 3, and sets his sights on Martini next. Papis is perfoming above expectations as he takes his Arrows team mate for 17th, while Montermini has the measure of De Ferran for 19th. Frentzen tries a move on Morbidelli but the Ferrari blocks well, and the Benetton loses time to Wendlinger who is fast catching up.

We turn back to the leaders, AND SCHUMACHER! His car is on fire! This only on lap 4, and the back of the Sauber is a ball of flames! Thick smoke is also coming out, in what looks like a massive oil leak and the German is forced to pull over at Rivazza and retire in what is now arguably 19 points lost from 3 races, while Coulthard cannot believe his luck at being handed the lead like this. Wendlinger makes amends a little by passing Frentzen and gets to work on Morbidelli and forces his way through at the back straight to take 5th, so effortless it was scary. Mansell, who has been quiet so far in 8th, has now also caught up with the battle and is on the Benettons tail on lap 6.

The race today is already looking like a day of engine failures as De Ferran in the sole Simtek sees his Ford engine lets go in a mass of smoke. Mansell has a go at Frentzen at the approach to Priatella corner and ruthlessly pushes through into the inside so forcefully that the Benetton almost goes off! The Jordan takes the place though as Mansell now aims for Morbidelli, while Wendlinger closes on Zanardi. Both Williams are now comfortably out in front with Alesi a distant 3rd. Papis is next to suffer an engine failure on lap 7 as the fast Imola track takes its toll.

Mansell is pushing the Ferrari hard but Morbidelli is a tough customer and is not giving up that easily as he blocks the Jordan, but runs wide at the last corner! Mansell tries to capitalise and they go side by side in Tamburello but Morbidelli gets ahead by a nose and swipes in front, Mansell sticking his hand up in displeasure. Berger is making up lost ground though and is now up to 18th of 22, but is facing resistance from Montermini’s Forti, but gets past on lap 10.

The Williams pair start lap 11 a second apart as they keep enough distance apart to avoid any entanglements. Irvine makes an unscheduled stop from 13th as Alesi then ZInardi come in at the end of the lap in what looks like their first fuel stops, dropping to 8th and 11th. Mansell finally passes Morbidelli on lap 12 for what is now 4th as Frentzen then pits, maybe to get ahead via the pit stops. Zanardi though is snared in a battle between Martini and Panis for 8th but dispatches the Pacific easily, but struggles with the McLaren.

Coulthard pits on lap 15, temporarily handing the lead to Hill while Zanardi gets past Martini. Coulthard emerges 5th just behind Morbidelli as Hill enters on the next lap, passing the lead to Wendlinger, who is still to stop. Mansell is now in 2nd, as Hill comes out 3rd, ahead of Morbidelli, passing Coulthard in the pit stops! Well played by Hill there. Mansell then stops on lap 17, as Coulthard puts Morbidellis Ferrari under pressure and forces past at Tosa as Alesi also catches up.

Mansell comes out 9th, just behind the Martini-Panis battle but Panis then makes a stop for fuel while Inoue drops out of the race. Mansell gets past half a lap later while Diniz also retires from another engine failure. Coulthard is now ahead of Morbidelli and Alesi now attempts to pass but is held back as the pair lap Montermini, the Forti not letting Alesi past at the last corner, and almost putting Alesi to the grass. Alesi is rightfully unhappy and shakes his fist at the Italian.

Hill is catching the remaining Sauber and on lap 21 is down to 7 seconds, with Wendlinger still to stop and on a different strategy. Frentzen has now caught back up with Martini and is on the McLarens tail on lap 22 for 8th place. The Benetton looks sharper but Martini wont roll over and somehow manages to keep in front after Frentzen tries a pass at Tamburello. This is good racing from the pair here, but they are approaching Monterminis Forti, who lets Martini past but blocks Frentzen! At this rate the stewards may have something to say about failing to get out of the way when being lapped. Meanwhile its almost disaster at Ferrari as both drivers go side by side in Tamburello on lap 24 and neither relent and both almost crash into each other!

Wendlinger pits from the lead on lap 27, elevating both Williams back to the front as Morbidelli also pits. Wendlinger comes out 4th as Mansell has caught up with team mate Zanardi for 5th, and the Jordans appear to merge into one, such is their closeness and almost collide at Tamburello! Martini pits on lap 28, finally allowing Frentzen to go through. Mansell makes a brilliant move on Zanardi on the outside of Tosa and sees it through! Mansell is having a good comeback so far and appears to have lost none of his race prowess as Wendlinger has now caught up with Alesi! The Ferrari holds on at the start finish straight but Wendliner tries at Tamburello as Alesi masterfully holds the line. They both charge down the straight where the Sauber tries again but Alesi refuses to budge and the pair are just an inch away from contact! Alesi then laps Katayama but Wendlinger struggles to follow and Mansell is now closing down on them both! This is fan-tastic racing here as we see a 3-way battle take formation on lap 29.

Alesi then laps 16th placed Blundell easily as Wendlinger again has problems with the traffic with Mansell hot on their heels, keen to take a podium in his comeback. Alesi has a bit of breathing space though now, but the Sauber on newer tyres closes the gap again. Wendlinger once more tries at the back straight and again there is almost contact as neither are willing to let go here as they clash again at Variante Alta but Alesi keeps in front until he dives into the pits for his 2nd stop. Martini drops out on lap 31 with gearbox trouble, his mechanical jinx still present at McLaren.

This time Alesi emerges just ahead of Morbidelli to be 7th placed after a very long stop, while Coulthard pits on lap 33 from 2nd and comes out 4th, just behind Wendlinger and Mansell, while Verstappens Tyrrell Yamaha explodes near Tosa, forcing him into the barrier! Thankfully he had managed to brake in time and emerges unscathed, the recent safety measures by the FIA already paying off.

Coulthard is struggling to pass Mansell for 3rd as Gounons engine also lets go on lap 35 as Mansell hands 3rd to Coulthard before his final stopas Hill has also pits…and comes out right in front of traffic and 2nd placed Wendlinger! This could mean a pitched battle for the lead here as Wendlinger already has a go at Tamburello but Hill aggressively pushes back retain the lead. All this with Coulthard catching them both.

Hill is still ahead of Wendlinger after Tosa but both approach Brundle in 12th place to lap him. Hill gets past at Acque Minerale but Wendlinger is stuck. He starts to lap Brundle as the Ligier starts to move aside OH! Wendlinger hits Brundle! The Ligiers rear wing goes flying into the air! It looked like Brundle tried to get out of the way but Wendlinger was too fast and hit the back! The only surprise is how Wendlingers front wing still holds together! The stewards may have something to say about it after the race but in my eyes it was just bad luck as Brundle appeared to have problems shifting gear just as he moved out of the way.

Hill must be relieved BUT HE GOES OFF AT THE NEXT CORNER! Hill has went wide and spins into the gravel! He has managed to keep the engine running but has thrown away a golden opportunity for the win! He rejoins down in 3rd but almost takes out Mark Blundell! What chaos and we still have 24 laps to go! The stewards will certainly be busy tonight! We still aren’t finished as Coulthard now in 2nd gives grount to Wendlinger by locking up at the final corner. There will be stern words in the Williams garage after the race I think…

Lap 39 and Wendlinger is just one second ahead of Coulthard, who once more closes down the Sauber and halves it again on lap 40 in what could be a fight to the finish and continues to catch up as the pair now come up to lap 11th placed Berger, the Sauber once again showing off its straight line speed while the Williams catches up in the corners. Coulthard is right behind at Rivazza but Wendlinger isn’t intimidated and holds position as we now enter lap 42, as Coulthard tries to slipstream the Sauber at Tamburello and almost does it but theres not enough road and Wendlinger keeps the lead. Brilliant stuff from the pair who are both championship challengers as the Williams is never more than 2 tenths away. Again Coulthard tries at Tamburello but Wendlinger sees it coming and masterfully blocks the Williams. The fighting is so intense that Berger is starting to pull away from them!

Its not the only close battle though as Mansell is right on Alesi’s tail for 4th, while Zanardi is on Morbidelli’s for 6th! Theres tight racing across all the points positions here as Alesi makes a mistake and almost goes off! Mansell brakes though and fails to capitalise on it while the lead battle again catches to Berger who could yet determine the fate of the race. Alesi and Mansell almost collide on lap 46 on the approach to Rivazza as Montermini gets a little bit in the way there of Morbidelli and really should move out of the way as Alesi and Zanardi both have to brake to avoid him, as does Brundle who is also lapping the Forti. Mansell though gets a tow on Alesi on lap 48 at Tamburello and Alesi manages to block, but its smart thinking by Mansell who has instead sold Alesi a dummy as he pushes pass at the inside of Tosa! What a move! And it takes the Jordan to 4th as he pulls away from the Ferrari.

No change yet at the front though as the pair finally get to Bergers Benetton on lap 50. Berger lets the Sauber pass but doesn’t see Coulthard and almost takes him off! Coulthard is livid as it has cost him precious time to Wendlinger as Brundle drops out of the race, due to the damage from earlier. Free from pressure, Wendlinger is able to put a bit of distance between himself and Coulthard and is 2 seconds ahead on lap 54, though Hill is now slowly catching up. Meanwhile the Morbidelli-Zanardi battle comes to a spectacular end when the Ferrari engine lets go in a big way on the start finish straight, and handing 6th to the Jordan.

Montermini again makes a nuisance of himself as Panis laps the Forti on lap 55, with Coulthard about to lap them both, as the Forti again blocks leading cars. The delay is so great that Hill has now managed to catch up to Coulthard. To top it off, Hill passes him on lap 57 at Tosa as the pair approach Panis’s Pacific. However Panis is able to cleanly let the pair through. Panis though doesn’t see the flag as he retires on lap 59 with transmission faults from 9th place. Hakkinnen suffers the same problem one lap later and parks his McLaren on the back straight,

Karl Wendlinger does see the flag however, and takes it after lap 61 in an action packed and attrition heavy race, after an impressive drive from down in 8th at one point, however the stewards wish to re-examine his collision with Brundle. Hill is 2nd but is clearly not happy with himself on the podium as he knows he should have won, but for that silly spin, which is also being investigated for almost crashing into Blundell. Coulthard is similarly miffed as his race was hampered by traffic that almost took him out, meaning a subdued podium ceremony. One driver who has no such worries though is Mansell who caps his return to F1 with a brilliant and entertaining 4th place in the Jordan after starting from 11th on the grid and is happy with himself and rightly so. Alesi is 5th while Zanardi makes great strides of improvement in his season to grab the last points place. Further down, Berger managed to climb to 8th after his 1st lap drama as Montermini takes 13th, albeit last, in what could make a difference to Forti’s final position.

Classification after 61 laps

1. Karl Wendlinger - ( Sauber Renault ) 1h 30m 16.687 Under investigation
2. Damon Hill - ( Williams Renault ) + 10.835 Under investigation
3. David Coulthard - ( Williams Renault ) + 11.955
4. Nigel Mansell - ( Jordan Mugen-Honda ) + 31.137
5. Jean Alesi - ( Ferrari ) + 35.621
6. Alessandro Zanardi - ( Jordan Mugen-Honda ) + 1:02.268
7. Heinz-Harald Frentzen - ( Benetton Ford ) + 1:10.120
8. Gerhard Berger - ( Benetton Ford ) - 1 lap
9. Mika Hakkinen - ( McLaren Mercedes ) - 2 laps Transmission
10. Ukyo Katayama - ( Tyrrell Yamaha ) - 2 laps
11. Eddie Irvine - ( Ligier Peugeot ) - 2 laps
12. Olivier Panis - ( Pacific Yamaha ) - 3 laps Transmission
13. Andrea Montermini - ( Forti Ford ) - 3 laps Under investigation
Gianni Morbidelli - ( Ferrari ) - Engine
Martin Brundle - ( Ligier Peugeot ) - Engine
Mark Blundell - ( Arrows Ford ) - Engine
Pedro Lamy - ( Minardi Ford ) - Engine
Jean-Marc Gounon - ( Larrousse Hart ) - Engine
Jos Verstappen - ( Tyrrell Yamaha ) - Engine
Pierluigi Martini - ( McLaren Mercedes ) - Transmission
Pedro Diniz - ( Forti Ford ) - Engine
Taki Inoue - ( Larrousse Hart ) - Puncture
Massimiliano Papis - ( Arrows Ford ) - Engine
Gil De Ferran - ( Simtek Ford ) - Engine
Michael Schumacher - ( Sauber Renault ) - Oil Leak
Christian Fittipaldi - ( Minardi Ford ) - Electrical

Fastest lap Michael Schumacher - ( Sauber Renault ) - 1:25.080

Drivers Championship - Top 6
1st : Karl Wendlinger - 26
2nd : Damon Hill - 13
3rd : Michael Schumacher - 11
4th : David Coulthard - 10
5th : Jean Alesi - 8
6th : Rubens Barrichello - 3
6th : Nigel Mansell - 3


Constructors Championship - Top 6
1st : Sauber Renault - 37
2nd : Williams Renault - 23
3rd : Ferrari - 10
4th : Jordan Mugen-Honda - 7
5th : Benetton Ford - 1
6th : McLaren Mercedes - 0

[TomWazzleshaw]

This spate of Mechanical failures is simply unacceptable. Therefore, Minardi will stay at Imola to conduct a private test to try and sort out these reliability isssues

[Samster]

Ferrari would like to stay at Imola for a speed test.

[FantometteBR]

We are waiting for investigation to see what are we going to do with Andrea

[tristan1117]

Oops, I missed the free test. Sorry about that.

[Hermann95]

Good performance from both, Nigel and Alex. Hopefully we can keep this pace and become a regular points scorer.

[Collieafc]

Podium unchanged but Forti disqualified

The FIA had its work cut out as there were 3 separate investigations into driver conduct at last weekends San Marino grand prix. Lap 36 saw two separate incidents from the two leading drivers as Karl Wendlinger is judged to have not paid due care and attention when lapping Martin Brundles Ligier and as a result colliding into the back of him, while Damon Hill spun off on the same lap and is charged with dangerously rejoining the track as Arrows driver Mark Blundell had to swerve at the last second as the Williams rejoined straight into the path of him. Andrea Montermini meanwhile has been accused of poor conduct when being lapped by leading cars as several times he either failed to get out of the way or would drive erratically, and arguably cost Williams David Coulthard of 2nd place and even a win.

The FIA has given its verdict on all 3 enquiries. The Wendlinger case was thrown out after data from Ligier suggested Brundle suffered a mis-shift when trying to get out of the way, and there was nothing either driver could have done to prevent what was, described by Peter Sauber as “a freak one-off”.
Hill was cautioned about his near-miss with Blundell “We understand Hill had spun from the lead and was desperate to rejoin” said an FIA spokesman after the verdict “But he should have still spotted the Arrows coming. As there was no contact or crash, we feel an official warning is sufficient for now. However, if it happens again, expect a much tougher punishment”

Montermini however faced a sterner punishment and saw his race result excluded. The stewards argued that although moving over at blue flags was optional, at several times Montermini’s driving was dangerously erratic, particularly on lap 46 when both Morbidelli and Mansell had to brake hard to avoid him. Although Montermini finished last, the 13th place could be significant for the fledgeling Forti team on final championship standings. The FIA originally also applied a race ban but Forti successfully appealed this, on the grounds of lack of actual rules in place. The FIA are now thought to be amending their blue flag rules, and Montermini has been warned about his future conduct.

Announcements
All Ford engine teams: Your engine power cap has now increased.
Salamander: Herbert is back from suspension. Do you wish to put him back in the car for Spain or keep Lavaggi for another race? Also, after checking my bid records, Lavaggi has to perform 4 races in total, not 8 (So apologies there).
FantometteBR: Montermini’s result from San Marino has been declared void. However, he is allowed to race in Spain should you wish. In addition, the Diniz family have secured more sponsorship and finding, and will pay for your next test
Seedstriker: Peugeot are in the process of creating a newer b-spec engine. This will be ready no later than the French GP

[Salamander]

Salamander: Herbert is back from suspension. Do you wish to put him back in the car for Spain or keep Lavaggi for another race? Also, after checking my bid records, Lavaggi has to perform 4 races in total, not 8 (So apologies there).

Yes, Herbert will get back in the car for Spain.

[FantometteBR]

Montermini will race at Spain but will get a team's reprimand after the San Marino's incidents, and we would love to schedule a test after Spain race where we could test handling