The reject career of Giorgio Scarlotti (1988-????)

[FullMetalJack]

Yes, another driver career from the man who was the only one to finish a career. This one will be much shorter, but I wanted to do one involving pre-qualifying, and F1 Challenge is the place to do it. Races will only be 50% this time, as it may get boring whenever I fail to qualify, or even pre-qualify.

Giorgio Scarlotti was a young Italian hopeful, and at 25 years old, he was given his chance in the big time with the ambitious Eurobrun outfit, replacing Argentine Oscar Larrauri. Eurobrun had intended to originally replace him with Christian Danner, but the German was too tall to fit in the machinery, and Larrauri survived a few more rounds. Scarlotti debuts at the challenging Spa Francorchamps circuit, where the first task is to avoid the wooden spoon in the pre-qualifying session, by beating at least one of Stefano Modena in the sister Eurobrun, Alex Caffi in the Dallara, Nicola Larini in the turbocharged Osella or Gabriele Tarquini in the Coloni. Despite a season best result of 11th courtesy of Modena, Eurobrun need results, and fast in order to avoid pre-qualifying in 1989, with Brabham declaring their intention to return to the sport, as well as Scuderia Italia possibly entering a second Dallara built car, a growing grid will surely make the Friday morning sessions that much more intense.

Standings before the race

Drivers standings
Senna 66 (6 wins)
Prost 66 (4 wins)
Berger 28
Boutsen 16
Alboreto 16
Piquet 15
Warwick 9
Mansell 6
Nannini 6
Gugelmin 5
Palmer 5
Capelli 4
De Cesaris 3
Patrese 2
Nakajima 1
Cheever 1
Martini 1

Constructors Standings
McLaren 132
Ferrari 44
Benetton 22
Lotus 16
Arrows 10
March 9
Williams 8
Tyrrell 5
Rial 3
Minardi 1
Larrousse 0
Scuderia Italia 0
Coloni 0
Ligier 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Eurobrun 0
Zakspeed 0

Pre-qualifying for Belgium is currently in progress, I shall post the results when the full race has been completed.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 11 - BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

I was hoping to make the grid on my debut, but I couldn't manage it. At least I pre-qualified, so that's something.






Cliff notes from the race
-Prost led from start to finish, Senna kept the pressure on in the early laps, but after that he was completely unchallenged.
-Nakajima was threatening to score minor points, as was Capelli.
-At the time of his retirement, Nannini was running a very comfortable 2nd, under no pressure from Mansell and Boutsen.
-Capelli lost his front wing, and was running ahead of teammate Gugelmin beforehand.

WDC after 11 rounds
Prost 75
Senna 66
Berger 28
Boutsen 22
Piquet 17
Alboreto 16
Warwick 9
Gugelmin 8
Mansell 6
Nannini 6
Patrese 6
Palmer 5
Capelli 4
De Cesaris 3
Cheever 2
Nakajima 1
Martini 1

WCC after 11 rounds
McLaren 141
Ferrari 44
Benetton 28
Lotus 18
Williams 12
March 12
Arrows 11
Tyrrell 5
Rial 3
Minardi 1
Lola 0
Dallara 0
Coloni 0
Ligier 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Eurobrun 0
Zakspeed 0

[RonDenisDeletraz]

Will be following this, should be interesting

[FullMetalJack]

Will be following this, should be interesting

Don't expect it to last more than a few seasons, chances are this will be a genuine reject career.

Not sure when i'll finish the Italan GP. I've done pre-qualifying for it, in which I once again made it. Hopefully i'll get my first start this time.

[Ciaran]

Good luck with your career mode. At the moment I'm keeping mine on hold until I get a better PC.

[FullMetalJack]

Good luck with your career mode. At the moment I'm keeping mine on hold until I get a better PC.

You're using rFactor right?

Try getting your hands on F1 Challenge 99-02, it may run better on your PC, and the AI is much more realistic, including the 1988 mod, as I can attest to right now.

You also get variable weather conditions, as was the case in Italy pre-qualifying, as you may figure out from the lap times.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 12 - ITALIAN GRAND PRIX

The track was wet for pre-qualifying, but it didn't rain at all.






Cliff notes from the race
-Just like pre-qualifying, the track was damp at the start but no rain occurred during the race.
-As well as losing positions from the change to dry tyres, both Prost and Senna made several errors whenever trying to overtake slower cars for position.
-For a while, Mansell was battling the two Benettons for the race victory.
-Before his early retirement, Arnoux was running 10th, and keeping up with the faster cars. Ligier may have had a chance of points.
-Johansson and De Cesaris were comfortably able to keep Alboreto at bay for several laps.
-Despite this circuit theoretically being suited to the turbos, Lotus struggled for pace, and Arrows really were as poor as the times suggest. Warwick spent the entire of his race pretty much at the back of the pack.

WDC after 12 rounds
Prost 79
Senna 66
Berger 28
Boutsen 23
Piquet 17
Alboreto 16
Mansell 15
Nannini 9
Warwick 9
Patrese 8
Gugelmin 8
Palmer 5
Capelli 4
De Cesaris 3
Cheever 2
Nakajima 1
Martini 1

WCC after 12 rounds
McLaren 145
Ferrari 50
Benetton 32
Williams 23
Lotus 18
March 12
Arrows 11
Tyrrell 5
Rial 3
Minardi 1
Lola 0
Ligier 0
Dallara 0
Coloni 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Eurobrun 0
Zakspeed 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 13 - PORTUGUESE GRAND PRIX

Understeer cost me any chance of pre-qualifying, mostly through the first and last turns. Were it not for that, i'd have probably bumped Larini out.






Cliff notes from the race
- March were as quick as they were in the second qualifying session. Capelli passed Senna on the first lap and kept Prost honest early on.
- Nannini not getting off the line caused several front and rear wings going missing. From memory, these include Palmer, Dalmas, Alliot and Johansson.
- De Cesaris and Martini kept up with the leading cars in the early stages before their retirements, even Perez-Sala wasn't too far behind.
- Gugelmin was set for a certain podium finish before his engine failure. He was running 2nd for a few laps until losing the position to Alboreto.
- The second half of a race featured a very close battle between Arnoux, Caffi and Warwick. The latter two exchanged positions a few times. Caffi lost 6th on the penultimate lap thanks to a half spin.
- Despite equalling their best ever finish, Coloni dropped down a position in the Constructors Championship thanks to Arnoux's points.

WDC after 13 rounds
Prost 88
Senna 66
Berger 34
Boutsen 23
Alboreto 22
Piquet 21
Mansell 15
Warwick 10
Nannini 9
Patrese 8
Gugelmin 8
Cheever 5
Palmer 5
Capelli 4
De Cesaris 3
Arnoux 2
Nakajima 1
Martini 1

WCC after 13 rounds
McLaren 154
Ferrari 56
Benetton 32
Williams 23
Lotus 22
Arrows 15
March 12
Tyrrell 5
Rial 3
Ligier 2
Minardi 1
Lola 0
Dallara 0
Coloni 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Eurobrun 0
Zakspeed 0

[Ciaran]

Good luck with your career mode. At the moment I'm keeping mine on hold until I get a better PC.

You're using rFactor right?

Try getting your hands on F1 Challenge 99-02, it may run better on your PC, and the AI is much more realistic, including the 1988 mod, as I can attest to right now.

You also get variable weather conditions, as was the case in Italy pre-qualifying, as you may figure out from the lap times.

Thanks for the tip, at least F1C looks like it has a 1989 mod that doesn't have topsy-turvy grids.

[Nuppiz]

Good luck with your career mode. At the moment I'm keeping mine on hold until I get a better PC.

You're using rFactor right?

Try getting your hands on F1 Challenge 99-02, it may run better on your PC, and the AI is much more realistic, including the 1988 mod, as I can attest to right now.

You also get variable weather conditions, as was the case in Italy pre-qualifying, as you may figure out from the lap times.

Thanks for the tip, at least F1C looks like it has a 1989 mod that doesn't have topsy-turvy grids.

It does need a few adjustments, but yeah the 1989 mod for F1C is very good.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 14 - SPANISH GRAND PRIX

Once again, I couldn't pre qualify, and I didn't even manage a clean lap, hence my pathetic lap time.






Cliff notes from the race:
- The grid was how it was because it rained halfway through the second session, hence Gugelmin P2
- Gugelmin actually beat Prost off the line, and led until his retirement
- There was virtually no overtaking whatsoever, the one interesting battle was half a lap of Mansell and Patrese battling for position, although neither driver finished so it didn't matter.
- De Cesaris was never threatened by Piquet or the Ferraris for position
- Prost secured the World Championship

WDC after 14 rounds
Prost 97
Senna 72
Berger 34
Boutsen 26
Alboreto 23
Piquet 21
Mansell 15
Warwick 10
Nannini 9
Capelli 8
Patrese 8
Gugelmin 8
De Cesaris 5
Cheever 5
Palmer 5
Arnoux 2
Nakajima 1
Martini 1

WCC after 14 rounds
McLaren 169
Ferrari 57
Benetton 35
Williams 23
Lotus 22
March 16
Arrows 15
Rial 5
Tyrrell 5
Ligier 2
Minardi 1
Lola 0
Dallara 0
Coloni 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Eurobrun 0
Zakspeed 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 15 - JAPANESE GRAND PRIX

Progress, as after two DNPQ's, I finally passed the pre-qualifying hurdle, and in quite convincing fashion. Got my first race finish too, so things have to be up from there.






Cliff notes from the race:
- Senna led from start to finish.
- Mansell finished so far down thanks to a spin trying to pass Prost, Gugelmin got caught up in the crash too.
- Arnoux was slowing on the main straight, causing a huge collision between himself, Streiff and Palmer. Streiff wasn't being lapped, it's just that his car didn't quite cross the finish line whereas Arnoux's and Palmer's cars did.
- Palmer may miss the final race, if I can find a suitable replacement for Tyrrell. There's also a small chance Joachim Winkelhock debuts early for AGS, although Streiff is less likely to miss the Australian Grand Prix.
- Prost made a mistake and had to pass Mansell and Capelli on track, it cost him any chance of catching Senna. Even after Prost passed Capelli to retake P2, Senna's lead continued to grow.

WDC after 15 rounds
Prost 103
Senna 81
Berger 35
Boutsen 26
Alboreto 26
Piquet 21
Mansell 15
Capelli 12
Patrese 10
Warwick 10
Nannini 9
Gugelmin 8
De Cesaris 5
Cheever 5
Palmer 5
Arnoux 2
Nakajima 1
Martini 1

WCC after 15 rounds
McLaren 184
Ferrari 61
Benetton 35
Williams 25
Lotus 22
March 20
Arrows 15
Rial 5
Tyrrell 5
Ligier 2
Minardi 1
Lola 0
Dallara 0
Coloni 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Eurobrun 0
Zakspeed 0

[FullMetalJack]

3 November 1988

Eurobrun substitute driver Giorgio Scarlotti eyes a move to Coloni, the young Italian faces competition for a 1989 race seat from Larrousse test driver Pierre-Henri Raphanel and 1988 Formula 3000 champion Roberto Moreno, who stood in at AGS last year and even scored a point at Adelaide. It is believed that the three drivers will be evaluated at a series of post season tests at Misano in Italy, with a decision to be made after then. The team will be expanding to two cars for 1989. Thanks to Gabriele Tarquini's pair of 8th place finishes, there is added incentive to earn the position of lead driver, as whoever does so will be spared of pre-qualifying for the first half of the season.

I will probably run these tests using rFactor, as their mod has the FC188B. This way, it could result in me partnering Raphanel, with him getting the exempt entry. You'll just have to wait and see.

10 November 1988

After a few heavy accidents at Suzuka. There were possiblities that Tyrrell's Jonathan Palmer, AGS's Philippe Streiff and Larrousse's Philippe Alliot would be replaced by Johnny Herbert, Joachim Winkelhock and Pierre-Henri Raphanel respectively.

Larrousse were highly unlikely to make a driver change, but Alliot was recommend to take medical checks. The main concern was Jonathan Palmer, but after passing medical checks, has been allowed to race in the season closer for Ken Tyrrell's outfit.

Philippe Streiff was not particularly likely to have been replaced, but having already signed a deal to drive the number two AGS for 1989, Joachim Winkelhock may have benefitted from experience of a Grand Prix weekend ahead of a full season.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 16 - AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX






Cliff notes from the race
- My race ended thanks to a collision with one of the Zakspeeds, can't remember for sure which one.
- As is the case on F1 Challenge 99-02, the race simmed itself eventually. It got to 10 laps before then, and as you could figure, 15 drivers were left at that point.
- When the race became simmed, the top 6 were Mansell, Prost, Senna, Gugelmin, Berger and Nakajima. Nakajima was closely battling with the Ligiers for that final point.
- Modena's 9th place for Eurobrun saved the team from pre-qualifying for the first half of 1989, dropping Larini's Osella into the Friday morning session.
- Capelli's crash was a result of trying to pass Gugelmin, although it was Capelli's fault.

Final WDC standings
Alain Prost 112
Ayrton Senna 85
Gerhard Berger 38
Thierry Boutsen 26 (2nd x 1 3rd x 3)
Michele Alboreto 26 (2nd x 1 3rd x 2)
Nigel Mansell 21 (1st)
Nelson Piquet 21 (3rd)
Ivan Capelli 12
Riccardo Patrese 10 (3rd)
Mauricio Gugelmin 10 (4th x 2 5th x 2)
Derek Warwick 10 (4th x 2 5th x 1)
Alessandro Nannini 9
Andrea De Cesaris 5 (4th x 1 5th)
Eddie Cheever 5 (4th x 1 6th)
Jonathan Palmer 5 (5th)
Rene Arnoux 2 (5th)
Satoru Nakajima 2 (6th)
Pierluigi Martini 1
Yannick Dalmas 0 (7th x 2)
Alex Caffi 0 (7th x 1 8th)
Julian Bailey 0 (7th x 1 9th)
Gabriele Tarquini 0 (8th x 2)
Stefan Johansson 0 (8th x 1)
Philippe Alliot 0 (9th 10th x 2)
Luis Perez-Sala 0 (9th 10th x 1)
Stefano Modena 0 (9th 11th)
Nicola Larini 0 (9th 19th)
Philippe Streiff 0 (10th)
Bernd Schneider 0 (12th 13th)
Piercarlo Ghinzani 0 (12th 14th)
Giorgio Scarlotti 0 (12th)
Oscar Larrauri 0 (13th)
Adrian Campos 0 (16th)

Final WCC standings
McLaren Honda 197
Ferrari 64
Benetton Ford 35
Williams Judd 31
Lotus Honda 23
March Judd 22
Arrows Megatron 15
Rial Ford 5 (4th)
Tyrrell Ford 5 (5th)
Ligier Judd 2
Minardi Ford 1
Larrousse (Lola) Ford 0 (7th x 2)
Scuderia Italia (Dallara) Ford 0 (7th x 1)
Coloni Ford 0 (8th)
EuroBrun Ford 0 (9th 11th)
Osella Alfa Romeo 0 (9th 19th)
AGS Ford 0 (10th)
Zakspeed 0 (12th)

[FullMetalJack]

COLONI 1988 OFF-SEASON TEST

The test is set to determine which two drivers will compete for Coloni in 1989. The following two tests will serve as an evalution, with the impression being that the best time from each test will be added together as an aggregate time to determine which two drivers join. rFactor will be used for this, as this way I can use the FC188B.

Misano Test
Roberto Moreno 1.27.194
Pierre-Henri Raphanel 1.27.362
Giorgio Scarlotti 1.27.666

Imola Test
Giorgio Scarlotti 1.32.600
Pierre-Henri Raphanel 1.32.799
Roberto Moreno 1.33.474

Aggregate Times
Pierre-Henri Raphanel 3.00.161
Giorgio Scarlotti 3.00.266
Roberto Moreno 3.00.668

Therefore I will partner Pierre-Henri Raphanel in 1989, and as he set the fastest aggregate time, he avoids pre-qualifying, for the first half of the season at least.

[FullMetalJack]

1989 FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – SEASON PREVIEW

At the start of any new Formula One season, change is often a buzzword that gets passed around a lot. In 1989, a transition period draws to a close, as turbocharged engines are now completely outlawed. Will teams that made the shift to naturally aspirated engines early reap the rewards from playing the long game? Sacrificing the supposed advantage of the turbos in 1987 and 1988 in order to gain a better understanding of the new regulations was a risk, but was it a risk worth taking?

A few familiar names return to the sport, along with new ones. Pirelli make a welcome return to Grand Prix racing, with several teams opting to use Italian rubber for their cars. One of the teams using Pirelli rubber will be Brabham; the legendary marque making its return after a year out of the sport. Renault are also back after a two year absence, this time exclusively supplying engines to Williams in their attempt to climb back to the top of the ladder.

Along with returning names, Formula One always welcomes new names to the sport; and for 1989, there are plenty. Phoenix joins the calendar, replacing the unpopular Detroit Street Circuit. How will drivers cope with the scorching heat, bumpy roads and 90 degree turns?

On the engine front, along with Renault’s return, there’s even more competition in the engine stakes, as Lamborghini and Yamaha give Formula One a shot. The ambitious Larrousse outfit will be the sole customers for the Lamborghini V12, widely agreed to be the best sounding of the 1989 engines. Zakspeed abandon in-house engines, having to switch from turbos to naturally aspirated engines; enter Yamaha.

As well as drivers, engines and circuits, Formula One welcomes yet another new team for 1989. Onyx make the bold jump from Formula 3000, having helped Stefano Modena to the 1987 championship. The team have a strong pedigree in lower formulae, but Formula One is a whole different ballpark.

With a record twenty teams competing in this year’s Formula One World Championship, we rate each team’s chances of success, which drivers will be competing at the sharp end of the grid. Who will be fighting for the 1989 World Championship? Who will be consigned to the unenviable fate of having their weekends ended on Friday morning, as pre-qualifying promises to be even more exciting than before?

McLaren Honda

#1 Alain Prost #2 Ayrton Senna

McLaren changed the definition of dominance in 1988. The best chassis, arguably the best engine, and the two best drivers in the world was always going to be a recipe for success. Alain Prost won his third World Championship. He may have had more reliability than Senna, but The Professor has always been a master of combining mechanical sympathy, calculating driving, and being pretty damn quick. Despite those amazing qualities, it seems Senna has the measure of him as far as pure pace is concerned, and is the favourite to be crowned the 1989 World Champion. The transition to naturally aspirated engines will not cause them to lose their stranglehold on either championship, but it won’t exactly be a cakewalk as it was last year.

PREDICTED FINISH – 1ST

Tyrrell Ford

#3 Jonathan Palmer #4 Michele Alboreto

There are mixed views on how Tyrrell’s season could pan out. The lack of sponsorship on the sleek 018 is not a promising sign, but on the driver front they are certainly up to scratch. Jonathan Palmer is a safe pair of hands, and is continuity for the team. Michele Alboreto in the other car is a coup for the team, and could the man to help propel the once great team back to the sharp end of the grid. Points have to be the aim for the time being, chasing podiums may be an unrealistic target for now. A season of midfield mediocrity most likely beckons, but they could surprise.

PREDICTED FINISH – 11TH

Williams Renault

#5 Thierry Boutsen #6 Riccardo Patrese

Williams lose their star driver Nigel Mansell, but they have a very capable replacement in Thierry Boutsen. Having spent the previous two years turning heads with many impressive performances at Benetton, this is his first campaign with a true top team. With Riccardo Patrese in the other car, Williams have a solid platform, even if the Italian isn’t quite on the level of Senna, Mansell or Prost. The Renault engine is up there with the best of them, and race wins for both drivers is a very realistic target, which can act as a launch pad for 1990. However, a championship challenge would be a surprise.

PREDICTED FINISH – 3RD

Brabham Judd

#7 Martin Brundle #8 Stefano Modena

Brabham are back, and if testing times are an accurate reflection of the pecking order, then they are a force to be reckoned with. Martin Brundle in the lead car looks like he’s never been away, and he’s driving better than ever. A maiden podium finish could well be on the cards, whilst Stefano Modena will learn a lot, and has earned a chance in a car that could score points. If the Pirelli tyres are up to scratch, Brabham will be right in the mix. The first step will be to pre-qualify, but with two talented drivers, and a package that seemingly works well, it shouldn’t be much of a problem. Expect them to be at the head of the huge midfield pack, and with a bit of luck, they could well even challenge Benetton for 4th place.

PREDICTED FINISH – 5TH

Arrows Ford

#9 Derek Warwick #10 Eddie Cheever

Arrows continue to show faith in both Warwick and Cheever, and you can see why. Both drivers are capable of delivering big results should the opportunities arise, and with a midfield pack as tight as this one promises to be, that could be the difference in who finishes 5th and who finishes down in 14th or 15th in this year’s Constructors Championship. The Ross Brawn designed A11 looks a very competitive car in testing, but major points finishes are unlikely to be a regular occurrence, both Warwick and Cheever are in danger of being lost in the shuffle, both drivers have to avoid that happening.

PREDICTED FINISH – 8TH

Lotus Judd

#11 Nelson Piquet #12 Satoru Nakajima

Even with a triple World Champion in Nelson Piquet, it doesn’t look like 1989 will be a vintage year for the Lotus outfit, losing Honda power and moving over to Judds won’t do their chances of escaping the tight midfield pack any favours, even if their beautiful Camel livery will stand out amongst the others. Without the Honda block in the back of the cars, Satoru Nakajima will be under a lot of pressure to deliver results after a disappointing 1988. Expect semi-regular points finishes from Piquet, with a podium finish or two if things go his way, whilst Nakajima should back him up with a few points. Sadly though, their glory days don’t look like coming back soon.

PREDICTED FINISH – 7TH

March Judd

#15 Mauricio Gugelmin #16 Ivan Capelli

The most improved team of 1988, a man hailed as a potential Ferrari driver of the future in Ivan Capelli, and 1988’s rookie of the year in Mauricio Gugelmin, a very good friend of Senna’s. Combine that with previous use of these naturally aspirated engines, and you have all the ingredients for a successful 1989 campaign. Gugelmin will continue to improve, whilst Capelli wlll be determined to keep his name amongst those in the frame for top seats in the future. If everything falls into place, the boys in turquoise blue could be at the head of the midfield pack, and could give Benetton a headache. Expect them to battle Brabham for ‘best of the rest’.

PREDICTED FINISH – 6TH

Osella Ford

#17 Nicola Larini #18 Piercarlo Ghinzani

Pirelli tyres could be the boost that the perennial backmarkers need to finally make some progress as a team. Despite a tough year, the good news is that Osella may have a future star on their hands with Nicola Larini. The bad news is, thanks to results going against Larini in Adelaide, he will be forced to pre-qualify the car. Piercarlo Ghinzani returns ‘home’ in the second car, and may struggle with the very fierce competition in pre-qualifying. Starting and finishing races is a realistic goal, anything above that is a bonus. Progress from last year on the track will surely happen, even if a surge up the standings is unlikely.

PREDICTED FINISH – 16TH

Benetton Ford

#19 Alessandro Nannini #20 Emanuele Pirro

Having given the impressive Thierry Boutsen a result for his money, even if the results didn’t quite show it, Alessandro Nannini will now step up to the role as team leader at Benetton, with the heavy smoking Italian’s stock set to continue its rise. The highly rated Johnny Herbert will unfortunately miss out on a coveted seat, as his injuries from the horrific F3000 crash have made a lasting impact. Enter Emanuele Pirro, the test driver. Pirro has a big opportunity, and can learn a lot from Nannini. Regular podiums for Nannini and regular points finishes for Pirro have to be the aim. A win would be a big ask, but with a bit of attrition, who knows?

PREDICTED FINISH – 4TH

Scuderia Italia/Dallara Ford

#21 Alex Caffi #22 Andrea de Cesaris

Despite getting the results that spares one Dallara from pre-qualifying, the arrival of Andrea de Cesaris means that Alex Caffi will have to continue to tackle the Friday morning session, but given the results that De Cesaris scored in the Rial, you could argue that he has earned an automatic entry into the main qualifying sessions. Testing suggests that the car is pretty quick, and the ambitious Ferrari lookalikes will be in the hunt for points on a fairly regular basis. Caffi may have the car to finally make progress, and the young Italian will most likely be escaping the Friday morning sessions come Hockenheim. De Cesaris is starting to show more maturity behind the wheel, and his experience will help them greatly. Dallara look set to be a part of the very tight midfield.

PREDICTED FINISH – 9TH

Minardi Ford

#23 Pierluigi Martini #24 Luis Perez-Sala

The young Italian outfit finally broke their points duck in 1988, and they’ve clearly developed the taste for more. Pierluigi Martini grabbed the opportunity to replace Adrian Campos mid-season with both hands, and immediately established himself as the team’s lead driver. Martini is sure to be the spearhead of Minardi’s 1989 campaign with more points finishes being the aim. If the M189 is the step up Minardi think it might be, Luis Perez-Sala could well score his first points. A season in the midfield beckons, as does progress. Points every now and again are the expectations at Minardi, and we believe they will be met.

PREDICTED FINISH – 10TH

Ligier Ford

#25 Rene Arnoux #26 Olivier Grouillard

Rene Arnoux extends his Formula One career by yet another year. At 40 years old, Arnoux is the oldest driver in the sport, but towards the end of 1988, he showed signs that there is life in the old dog yet. Ligier have paired him with F3000 graduate Olivier Grouillard. Grouillard is quick, and can learn a lot from someone as experienced as Arnoux. The car does not seem up to scratch though, and points will be far and few between, if at all. Beating a former championship contender in Arnoux is a very achievable target, and would do Grouillard’s reputation a world of good. Ligier will have to hope they can mix it with the midfield logjam, but even that isn’t a guarantee.

PREDICTED FINISH – 14TH

Ferrari

#27 Nigel Mansell #28 Gerhard Berger

After multiple victories but without a single championship to show for his effort, Nigel Mansell departs the familiar surroundings of Williams to join Ferrari. The innovative semi-automatic gearbox promises a big step towads McLaren as soon as the reliability gremlins are ironed out. Gerhard Berger begins his third season for the Scuderia and should continue to establish himself as one of Grand Prix racing’s top drivers. Williams will provide them competition, but Ferrari should have enough to keep them at bay. Multiple victories for both drivers are the target, but a championship challenge for either of them is too big of an ask at this stage.

PREDICTED FINISH – 2ND

Larrousse/Lola Lamborghini

#29 Yannick Dalmas #30 Philippe Alliot

Lamborghini power may be a risk initially, but it shows the ambition that this young outfit has to break free of the tight midfield pack. Continuity with their drivers will work to their advantage, and the aerodynamics of the car look up to scratch. Reliability could be an issue if testing tells the whole story. Philippe Alliot was somewhat outshone by Dalmas last year and he will be keen to even the score with him, the competition could help both Alliot and Dalmas, who will be hoping to score a point that he is eligible for. A few points should be a realistic goal.

PREDICTED FINISH – 12TH

Coloni Ford

#31 Giorgio Scarlotti #32 Pierre-Henri Raphanel
Coloni embark on their second full season of Grand Prix racing, expanding to a two car team in the process. Pierre-Henri Raphanel brings sponsorship with him, and it appears he may have a little bit of spark behind the wheel too, as Coloni have elected to give him the entry exempt from pre-qualifying. Giorgio Scarlotti in the other car as a few races under his belt and his experience of pre-qualifying will give him an advantage, it will still be tough given how competitive some of the cars might be. Starts and finishes will be the aim, Coloni will have to achieve that and then build on from there.

PREDICTED FINISH – 18TH

Eurobrun Judd

#33 Gregor Foitek

Scaling down in 1989, Eurobrun are the only team running a single car operation in the upcoming season, for Swiss hotshot Gregor Foitek, who brings with him a reputation as a very wild driver. Eurobrun will be entering a modified ER188, and in the early rounds, that could be to its advantage. Race starts are certainly achievable, especially because thanks to outgoing Stefano Modena’s 9th place at Adelaide, Foitek will not have to pre-qualify. With just one car, maybe the extra money for development could be beneficial, so watch out for Gregor Foitek. However, in a lineup as large at this one, and with just one car, points would be a shock.

PREDICTED FINISH – 19TH

Zakspeed Yamaha

#34 Bernd Schneider #35 Aguri Suzuki

Zakspeed enter the new naturally aspirated era by using Yamaha engines rather than their own in-house powerplants. That could sadly be their downfall, as the aerodynamics on the attractive 891 don’t look too far off the mark, but the engine is reportedly down on power. Bernd Schneider faces a second season with Zakspeed, simply because he had no other options. Aguri Suzuki becomes Japan’s second driver, and instrumental to the team securing Yamaha power. The goal is simply to pre-qualify, but the team face an uphill struggle just to do that. Expect them to be packing up at 9am most Friday mornings.

PREDICTED FINISH – 20TH

Onyx Ford

#36 Stefan Johansson #37 Bertrand Gachot

Formula One’s newest outfit, the ambitious Onyx team face a baptism of fire in 1989, but the core ingredients appear to be there for them to spring a few surprises. Securing the services of Stefan Johansson is a major coup, and his experience will be a boost to the team’s chances. Bertrand Gachot arrives on the back of a respectable season in Formula 3000. The chassis doesn’t look too bad, and as the season progresses, expect them to make the grid on a more regular basis. Pre-qualifying may be a struggle with the likes of Brabham, Dallara and Osella providing stiff competition, but should they pass the Friday morning hurdle, regular starts are very possible, and who knows, they maybe even sneak a point.

PREDICTED FINISH – 15TH

Rial Ford

#38 Christian Danner #39 Volker Weidler

1988 was a solid debut season for Gunter Schmid’s Rial team, and the points scored by Andrea de Cesaris serve as a platform for their second season. Expanding to a two car teams seems to have stretched the budget, as the attractive ARC-02 is simply an evolution of their 1988 challenger. Christian Danner finally makes his return after being unable to fit in the Eurobrun last year, and as the team’s lead driver, he won’t have to pre-qualify. Volker Weidler on the other hand enters straight in the deep end; graduating from F3000 and being forced to battle it out in the Friday morning lottery against some quick drivers. Second season syndrome could hit Rial hard, but in Danner’s hands at least, more points are certainly a possibility.

PREDICTED FINISH – 13TH

AGS Ford

#40 Gabriele Tarquini #41 Joachim Winkelhock

Expanding to two cars might be a risk for the small French team, but with Philippe Streiff’s departure, AGS have found a good replacement in Gabriele Tarquini, being provided an upgrade from Coloni. Joining him is the reigning German F3 champion Joachim Winkelhock, younger brother of Manfred. Using an updated version of last year’s car may be the way to go early on, until teething problems of the newer cars are ironed out. Both cars have to pre-qualify, and it could well be a season of struggle for them. Expect them to make the cut every now and again, but points are unlikely.

PREDICTED FINISH – 17TH

Pre-qualifiers for the first half of 1989
Brabham #7 - Martin Brundle
Brabham #8 - Stefano Modena
Osella #17 - Nicola Larini
Osella #18 - Piercarlo Ghinzani
Dallara #21 - Alex Caffi
Coloni #31 - Giorgio Scarlotti
Zakspeed #34 - Bernd Schneider
Zakspeed #35 - Aguri Suzuki
Onyx #36 - Stefan Johansson
Onyx #37 - Bertrand Gachot
Rial #39 - Volker Weidler
AGS #40 - Gabriele Tarquini
AGS #41 - Joachim Winkelhock

[Ciaran]

At least you're using F1 Challenge to drive for Coloni, the car is horrendously off the pace (about twice as much as it is in the F1 Challenge) in rFactor.

[FullMetalJack]

At least you're using F1 Challenge to drive for Coloni, the car is horrendously off the pace (about twice as much as it is in the F1 Challenge) in rFactor.

The AI is horrendously unrealistic in rFactor, but I enjoy driving the select few cars i've driven on that mod more, especially the March.

The only reason I chose rFactor for that test was because it has the FC188B

Also, I turned down the difficulty a bit for the Misano test, as it was the first time I had ever drove the circuit. Didn't take more than a handful of laps to get an idea of how to drive it though. Only picked it because it's Italian.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 1 - 1989 BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

Couldn't get to grips with the circuit at all, hence my awful pre-qualifying time. And no, I don't know why Caffi only did one flying lap.

Also, it seems like editing the .hdv file on the Tyrrell to make it a bit more competitive has at least worked somewhat on one car.

As you may have figured out, it rained in the second qualifying session.






Cliff notes from the race:
- It started to rain about halfway through the race, but not heavy enough to justify tyre changes.
- Drivers were pitting to refuel when everyone seemed to run out, and all changed to wets as the rain was starting to get heavier by that point.
- The early part of the race was dull, with very little on track action other than Pirro battling Johansson over 12th.
- When his engine went, Gugelmin was a comfortable 6th and by far the quickest driver outside of the big 3 teams.
- Stefan Johansson's car ground to a halt right at the pit entry, Christian Danner lost a lot of time behind him, not sure if it cost him a shot at 5th place though as he was about 20 seconds off Capelli.
- Capelli had a half spin late in the race which cost him 5th.
- Before everyone hit the wall, as is always the case at Jacarepagua, none of the point scorers aside from Berger and Prost were in the points. Nannini may have had a chance after Gugelmin's engine failure, but he'd have had to have passed Brundle for 6th.

WDC after 1 round
Berger 9
Prost 6
Nannini 4
Piquet 3
De Cesaris 2
Perez-Sala 1

WCC after 1 round
Ferrari 9
McLaren 6
Benetton 4
Lotus 3
Dallara 2
Minardi 1
March 0
Rial 0
Arrows 0
Ligier 0
Onyx 0
Brabham 0
Lola 0
Williams 0
Tyrrell 0
Coloni 0
Eurobrun 0
AGS 0
Osella 0
Zakspeed 0

Constructors table is pointless I know, but I thought Minardi being ahead of Williams and Brabham would be fun while it lasted.

As for the refuelling, I assume because refuelling was legal from 1999-2002 (i.e. the default seasons), that it would be like that in every mod.

[Ciaran]

The glitch where the AI crash out at Jacarepagua's pit entry is pretty much what put me off using F1C for the 1989 season of my career. Well, that and they can't drive around Phoenix '89 for more than several laps without losing a wing. :/

[FullMetalJack]

The glitch where the AI crash out at Jacarepagua's pit entry is pretty much what put me off using F1C for the 1989 season of my career. Well, that and they can't drive around Phoenix '89 for more than several laps without losing a wing. :/

Jacarepagua is difficult anyway, I had to turn the difficulty down slightly.

The car understeers in the faster corners, and to compensate for that I had to add oversteer. Whilst that helped improve my laptime by about a second, the car was incredibly twitchy.

It doesn't help that i'm no good with setups either.

P.S. With Imola I fared much much better even when cranking up the difficulty. Still not a fan of my outcome though, as you'll soon find out.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 2 - SAN MARINO GRAND PRIX

Pre-qualifying was better, but in a way it was much worse. So, so close. Imola is possibly my strongest circuit in the first half of the season too, so pre-qualifying at all will be an achievement, let alone making the grid. My time in pre-qualifying would have got me on the grid too, which only makes things worse.

Caffi should be out by Silverstone thanks to De Cesaris' points at Jacarepagua. I imagine the Brabhams will score points by then too, so things will surely get easier after that, as the likes of Foitek and Raphanel may well drop in.

Qualifying 1 review summed up in one question. Why couldn't Johansson have posted that time in pre-qualifying for bathplug sake?






Cliff notes from the race:
- Brundle didn't get off the line, hence the first lap commotion.
- The first half of the race was extremely dull, with almost nothing happening except Caffi spinning off at Tosa.
- Towards the end of the race, the Pirelli drivers were all pitting. I guess I must have had tyre wear not on scaled. I'll see if I can change that for Mexico. I imagine it wouldn't make a difference at Monaco.
- Nakajima and Danner lost their front wings at the first lap incident, and trundled at the back for the entire race.
- Berger took almost the entire race to overtake Patrese, and I actually missed it happen, I was focusing on a battle between Modena, Capelli, Gugelmin and Piquet.
- Modena's car decided to scale the wall just left of the pit entry for some reason. I'm not quite sure why.

WDC after 2 rounds
Berger 12
Prost 12
Senna 9
Nannini 5
Mansell 4
Piquet 3
De Cesaris 2
Patrese 2
Perez-Sala 1

WCC after 2 rounds
McLaren 21
Ferrari 16
Benetton 5
Lotus 3
Williams 2
Dallara 2
Minardi 1
March 0
Rial 0
Arrows 0
Ligier 0
Tyrrell 0
Lola 0
Brabham 0
Onyx 0
Coloni 0
Eurobrun 0
AGS 0
Osella 0
Zakspeed 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 3 - MONACO GRAND PRIX

Pre-qualifying didn't go quite as well as San Marino, but a hell of a lot better than Brazil. Either way, the result is the same, another DNPQ. It looked for a while that Larini was going to be the fourth pre-qualifier, but Johansson bumped him out in the dying seconds of the session.

In first qualifying, Berger, Cheever and Raphanel didn't set a lap. A big chance wasted for Coloni to make the grid, and it could cost me an automatic entry into qualifying from Hockenheim onwards. The end of the session was very exciting, as Prost didn't start his flying until 20 seconds before the end. It was down to Prost, Warwick, De Cesaris and Danner as to who would be the 4th non-qualifier. Warwick was not on track, and had to rely on others not improving their times to avoid a double DNQ for Arrows. Prost unsurprisingly qualified, dropping Danner down to 27th, who then improved his lap greatly. De Cesaris had to marginally improve to qualify, which he didn't manage.

Second qualifying wasn't quite as exciting, but still a more mixed up grid than usual.






Cliff notes from the race:
- Other than a pitstop to change his front wing, Mansell led almost the entire race with very few issues.
- Senna and Palmer fell through the track, into the abyss it seems, hence why they're so many laps down.
- Palmer was running ahead of teammate Alboreto in the very early laps.
- Alboreto spun 4 of 5 times after clipping the barrier on the exit of Nouvelle Chicane, a few drivers spun from this, but Alboreto did it countless times. Unsure if he could have scored a podium though.
- Pirro was running 2nd at the time of his retirement.
- Luis Perez-Sala was battling Alboreto for 5th until his retirement, 5th would have unrejectified him.
- Christian Danner, Olivier Grouillard and Rial all achieved unrejectification.
- Despite sufferering front wing damage quite early on, Prost didn't pit, costing him at least a podium.

WDC after 3 rounds
Mansell 13
Prost 13
Berger 12
Senna 9
Boutsen 6
Nannini 5
Danner 4
Piquet 3
Grouillard 3
Alboreto 2
De Cesaris 2
Patrese 2
Martini 1

WCC after 3 rounds
Ferrari 25
McLaren 22
Williams 8
Benetton 5
Rial 4
Lotus 3
Ligier 3
Tyrrell 2
Dallara 2
Minardi 1
March 0
Arrows 0
Lola 0
Brabham 0
Onyx 0
Eurobrun 0
Coloni 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Zakspeed 0

Despite a bad start to the season, as it stands i'm heading out of pre-qualifying, Coloni being the 13th best team since Hockeheim last year, and the best non-scoring team. Current teams without points are Coloni, Lola, Eurobrun, AGS, Zakspeed, Brabham, Onyx and Osella.

Brabham will score if they can keep their cars on the road, which would put me in trouble. Another freak result at Phoenix like the one at Monaco is possible, so i'd say Dallara, Tyrrell and Minardi could well still be in trouble, even if they could score other points.

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 4 - 1989 MEXICAN GRAND PRIX

Once again, I challenged for one of those four precious places in qualifying, and whilst I was close, I failed to make it for the fourth time in a row. I crashed on my final flying lap on the exit of Peraltada. I ran wide after carrying too much speed through the corner. I was quicker in the first two sectors, and had I kept the car on the road, I would most likely have made it. For the first time, Modena failed to make the cut, Bertrand Gachot pre-qualified for the first time in his career.

Qualifying 1 saw Brundle an excellent 4th, although that was down to me clicking finish session to at least generate a time for Martini and Dalmas. Mexico seems to be quite glitchy when there are more than 22 cars, hence drivers not setting many laps. Qualifying 2 was the same, but I decided not to finish the session to generate lap times, as it decided the grid. Had I decided to do the same for Qualifying 1, Derek Warwick would have failed to qualify instead of Gregor Foitek.






Cliff notes from the race:
- The track was wet at the start of the race, every driver started on the wet tyres.
- Multiple incidents saw many drivers lose front and rear wings in incidents, most notably Thierry Boutsen who spent the race running near the back of the pack.
- Senna's retirement was a result of a collision with teammate Alain Prost. Senna was pitting to change to dry tyres, Prost was alongside him with the inside line and it cost him his front wing.
- Michele Alboreto ran as high as 2nd for multiple laps.
- Alex Caffi ran as high as 4th until he had to change to another set of Pirelli tyres, as they proved less durable than the Goodyears. Shortly after changing to fresh tyres, he was the fastest man on track.
- The minor points positions featured a lengthy battle between Danner, De Cesaris, Cheever, Gugelmin and Alliot, until Prost carved through the field.
- Eddie Cheever lost 6th place on the final lap, spinning at the first corner. He lost positions to Alliot and Caffi.
- Philippe Alliot pitted at the end of his final lap to retire, most likely from a mechanical issue. Was he to hang onto the point, Larrousse would have provisionally escaped the pre-qualifying reshuffle.

WDC after 4 rounds
Berger 21
Prost 19
Mansell 13
Senna 9
Nannini 9
Boutsen 6
Alboreto 5
Danner 4
Piquet 3
Grouillard 3
Gugelmin 2
De Cesaris 2
Patrese 2
Caffi 2
Perez-Sala 1

WCC after 4 rounds
Ferrari 34
McLaren 28
Benetton 9
Williams 8
Tyrrell 5
Rial 4
Lotus 3
Ligier 3
Dallara 3
March 2
Minardi 1
Arrows 0
Onyx 0
Lola 0
Brabham 0
Coloni 0
Eurobrun 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Zakspeed 0

[FullMetalJack]

Pre-qualifying mid-season reshuffle prospects

McLaren, Ferrari and Williams all have race victories since Hockenheim last year, whilst March, Lotus and Benetton have all scored more than enough points.

Rial have 6 points, whilst Tyrrell, Ligier and Arrows all have 5 points so barring any unlikely circumstances, they should all be safe.

Dallara have 3 points, but are only the 11th placed team, so if there are any big results from the teams below, they could still be in trouble. However, they are capable of scoring more points, so it's unlikely they'll be pre-qualifiers come Hockenheim.

The other nine teams however are definitely not safe, they are below, with their best results.

The teams in danger are:

Minardi 1
Coloni 0 (Best result 8th, second best result 13th)
Onyx 0 (Best result 8th, second best result Ret)
Lola 0 (Best result 9th x 2)
Eurobrun 0 (Best result 9th x 1)
AGS 0 (Best result 11th)
Zakspeed 0 (Best result 12th)
Brabham 0 (Best result: 20th)
Osella 0 (Best result: Ret)

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 5 - 1989 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX

I actually passed the pre-qualifying stage for once, but barely, as Larini, Tarquini and the Onyx duo were only slightly off my time. Better yet, I made the grid, although not comfortably. With about two minutes to go, I was only 26th or 27th, but an improvement in my time saw me reach 23rd, although in all honesty I think I could have got about as high as 15th. Olivier Grouillard was set to DNQ, but crossed the line with about 5 seconds left in the session to bump Alliot out.

In the second qualifying session, I failed to string a good lap together, and I believe I could have definitely qualified in the top 20. In the race, I trundled near the back for most of the race, not pushing too hard as I believed driving steadily could have resulted in points. Eventually, I put the car into the wall when on the fringes of the top 10, but it wasn't to be. Still, making the grid was very encouraging.






Cliff notes from the race
- The track was damp at the start, but all of us started on slicks.
- Berger led from start to finish, and kept a gap to Mansell, Prost and Senna.
- Perez-Sala didn't get off the line, some of the retirements were collisions as a result of this.
- Modena's point means that Coloni as it stands will drop into pre-qualifying after Silverstone.
- Martini, Nakajima and Danner were all just outside the points positions early on in the race, but were a long way behind Gugelmin who was 6th at the time.

WDC after 5 rounds
Berger 30
Prost 19
Nannini 15
Mansell 13
Senna 9
Alboreto 7
Boutsen 6
Patrese 6
Gugelmin 5
Danner 4
Piquet 3
Grouillard 3
De Cesaris 2
Caffi 1
Perez-Sala 1
Modena 1

WCC after 5 rounds
Ferrari 43
McLaren 28
Benetton 15
Williams 12
Tyrrell 7
March 5
Rial 4
Lotus 3
Ligier 3
Dallara 3
Minardi 1
Brabham 1
Arrows 0
Onyx 0
Lola 0
Coloni 0
Eurobrun 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Zakspeed 0

[FullMetalJack]

ROUND 6 - 1989 CANADIAN GRAND PRIX

Back to the reality of failing to pre-qualify. Just a couple of tenths would have made all the difference. As is the case sometimes on F1 Challenge, a few drivers just kept driving through the pits rather than setting qualifying laps. This cost Palmer a place on the grid, as he'd have been easily quick enough to qualify.






Cliff notes from the race:
- Boutsen's engine lasted a few laps, Patrese hit Nannini whilst they were chasing a slowing Boutsen.
- Boutsen retired in the middle of the track, causing a pileup.
- When being lapped by the leaders, Grouillard caused Mansell to go off track and lose his front wing.
- The Wall of Champions caused both Senna and Patrese's retirements.
- Pirro was stuck in 4th gear for most of the race.
- Dalmas was running ahead of Perez-Sala before his retirement, and chasing Nakajima. A point would have provisionally moved them out of pre-qualifying. As it stands, they'll drop into the Friday morning lottery after Silverstone.

WDC after 6 rounds
Berger 30
Nannini 24
Prost 19
Mansell 13
Gugelmin 11
Senna 9
Piquet 7
Alboreto 7
Boutsen 6
Patrese 6
Danner 4
Grouillard 3
Capelli 3
Nakajima 2
De Cesaris 2
Perez-Sala 2
Caffi 1
Modena 1

WCC after 6 rounds
Ferrari 43
McLaren 28
Benetton 24
March 14
Williams 12
Lotus 9
Tyrrell 7
Rial 4
Ligier 3
Dallara 3
Minardi 2
Brabham 1
Arrows 0
Onyx 0
Lola 0
Coloni 0
Eurobrun 0
Osella 0
AGS 0
Zakspeed 0

[Ciaran]

You see, this is why I got Palmer fired from Tyrrell instead of Alboreto.

[FullMetalJack]

You see, this is why I got Palmer fired from Tyrrell instead of Alboreto.

He was on Alboreto's pace initially, but for some reason he kept driving through the pitlane. He'd have comfortably made the grid otherwise.

I'm kinda hoping for another 3 points from Piquet in France, as Senna will then be the lowest ranked Brazilian, seeing as i'm replacing Moreno.