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f1 · 1 year

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Red Bulls RB18 is closing on a record set by one of F1s greatest cars | 2022 Mexican Grand Prix stats and facts

The outcome of the Mexican Grand Prix was all about the toppling of the 18-year-old record for most wins scored in a single season. Max Verstappen took his 14th win of the year in Mexico. Former record holders Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel didn’t have the luxury of 20 races to hit the milestone (never mind two more to push it yet higher), but it’s generally been the case that F1’s ever-growing calendar has enabled this record to grow and grow. The Red Bull driver also broke the record for most points scored in a world championship season. Again, the fact the calendar keeps getting longer has made this more achievable, as have changes in F1’s points systems over the years. He’s now on 419, six more than the former record set by Lewis Hamilton three years ago, with 60 available over the remaining grands prix plus Brazil’s sprint race. Red Bull equalled their best run with ninth win in a row Verstappen’s win gave Red Bull their ninth consecutive victory, which equals their best ever winning run. They last scored nine in a row over the final races of 2013, all of which were victories for Vettel. However Verstappen’s winning run this year was interrupted after five races by team mate Sergio Perez winning the Singapore Grand Prix. The Mexican GP has now been won by Verstappen four times in the past five years. Besides the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the only other venue where Verstappen has taken four victories is the Red Bull Ring. As the only Dutch driver ever to have won a race, Verstappen has single-handedly moved the Netherlands (34 wins) ahead of the United States and Spain (33 each) in terms of total victories, and into F1’s top 10 most successful nations in terms of wins. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free If Red Bull win the final two races of the year they will equal the all-time record for most consecutive wins by the same team. That was set by one of Formula 1’s greatest cars, the McLaren-Honda MP4/4. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost won 11 consecutive races in the car at the beginning of the 1988 season. Russell took another fastest lap The MP4/4 won all but one of the 16 races held that year. Verstappen’s victory on Sunday was the 16th for the RB18. Verstappen also took his sixth pole position of the year and the 19th of his career last weekend. It was his first in Mexico but Red Bull’s second, Daniel Ricciardo having taken his most recent pole position for them at this venue in 2018. The fastest lap was taken by George Russell, the fourth of his career, putting him on a par with Lando Norris, as well as Jo Siffert, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Patrick Depailler and Jean Alesi. This was the third time in the last four races Russell has set the fastest lap, and the fifth of the season for Mercedes, who remain yet to win a race. For the fifth time in the last seven races, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez swapped places in their battle over second place in the championship. Both drivers have made it clear they’re not especially excited about which of them claims the runner-up spot, but it is of interest to Red Bull, as they’ve never previously had both their drivers occupy the top two places in the championship at the end of the year. Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-free Have you spotted any other interesting stats and facts from the Mexican Grand Prix? Share them in the comments. 2022 Mexican Grand Prix Browse all 2022 Mexican Grand Prix articles via RaceFans - Independent Motorsport Coverage https://www.racefans.net/

#F1 #Red Bull’s RB18 is closing on a record set by one of F1’s greatest cars | 2022 Mexican Grand Prix stats and facts #Formula 1

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maranello · 3 years

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MONZA, 2000 — Michael Schumacher celebrates victory after the Italian Formula One Grand Prix with second-placed Mika Häkkinen (L) and third-placed Ralf Schumacher (R), his brother. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Allsport via Getty Images)

#f1 #f1edit #michael schumacher #mika hakkinen #ralf schumacher #2000 #italian gp 2000 #a special one #where michael equalled senna's record of wins #also ralf's face in the second pic is killing me #*ph #*m #q

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mickstart · 3 years

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what do you think are some iconic/memorable schumi moments? i just got into f1 and would like to know more about him bc somehow i can’t really find anything like that about him.... just stats which are incredibly impressive but i can’t find anything about how he behaved or just anything about his personality..... thanks <3

:) Hi anon, thank you for unleashing the beast.

Ok I love you for asking me this thank you SO MUCH. Welcome to the circus I’m glad you’re here! Also yeah, Schumi is often talked about in terms of statistics and not as a human, Which is a shame bc like! Schumi is fascinating and the dynamics on the grid in late 90s F1 is so much fun! Also, this is mainly going to be late 90s -> early 2010s stuff bc I was born in 98 so uhhh I didn’t properly witness ANY 90s stuff and had to learn about it.

OK so I got super carried away but I’ve divided this into 3 sections: Drives/races that I think showcase some of his talents, human moments we need to talk about more, and Chaotic Little Bitch moments. The key thing to remember w/ Schumi is that he personally tends to be nice but as soon as you put him in a competition, Bastard Mode activates like a cat’s pupils going wide.

I am so sorry for the following short essay. Also some crashes are briefly mentioned but only ones with absolutely no injuries and there’s no details.

Chaotic Little Bitch Moments

Schumi debuted as a SUBSTITUTE driver for Jordan when one of their drivers was in police custody (yes. really.) The highest a Jordan had qualified all year was 10th and in his DEBUT at SPA, one of the toughest tracks, in the middle of the season, Schumi qualified that Jordan 7th! THEN his clutch failed before the first lap was even complete, but Benetton and Jordan WENT TO COURT to fight each other to sign him for their team before the next race in Monza. He couldn’t debut normally he HAD to cause a scene and set the tone.

The Red Strings of Fate: He qualified 7th, his iconic 7 starred helmet, his first victory next year was ALSO at Spa - his first complete race would be at Monza, Ferrari Holy Ground, and he finished 5th which 👀 1) he was immediately racing with The Greats. 2) Mr 5 Championships With Ferrari.

Winning a race by taking a stop and go penalty on the last lap, crossing the finish line in the pits, and making such a complicated argument about said penalty that in a hearing that was SUPPOSED to be Mclaren protesting the race result the stewards scrapped the entire penalty and the 3 who awarded it handed in their licenses??? Iconic.

Austria 2002 where Rubens was ordered to give the win to Michael. And then Michael fucking made him stand on the top step on the podium like “oh no no no RUBENS deserves this” and made a big SHOW out of it and its like “Michael stop you’re not making it heartwarming you’re making it WORSE Michael STOP” The Tension of germany 2010 podium VS the theatricality of THIS podium.

Team orders were banned because of this which also makes this indirectly responsible for Fernando Is Faster Than You having to be a coded message. You can’t escape him,

Blocking Alonso in Monaco qualifying and then, years later in 2010, overtaking Alonso technically illegally at Monaco (the race was ending under safety car, but the safety car doesn’t lead them over the line it pits and they’d crossed the safety car line and the regulations were NOT specific about the rules) and getting a 20 second penalty bc Damon Hill was a steward. Haunting FERNANDO specifically at Monaco like the ghost of christmas past? Getting a harsh penalty because ANOTHER driver he’d fucked over was a steward? Forcing the FIA to rewrite the rulebook to account for his nonsense when he was in his FOURTIES? I don’t know another chaos king.

Winning the 1995 championship by crashing into Damon Hill, getting AWAY with it for some reason, and then trying to do the same thing in 1997 to Villeneuve, failing to do so and simply rebounding off of him harmlessly, almost COMICALLY, and beaching his own car in a gravel trap at which point the FIA said “I have had ENOUGH of you Wacky Races Man!” and disqualified him from the entire championship

Forcing Mika off the track so bad at Spa 2000 that Mika realized the only way he was gonna be able to get past him was to re-invent the overtake and go for it whilst they were passing a backmarker. (The overtake itself is at 2:05 in the video but the build up to it is Important bc the key part it’s not just badass, it only happened bc Mika knew who he was dealing with.)

Spa 1998 was a Ridiculously Chaotic race it truly was the Mugello 2020 of its year, and after a crash at the start that took out almost the entire grid Schumi accidentally collided with Coulthard later in the race. (The teams used to have a spare car at every race then, so the race was able to continue after a restart.) This wasn’t a racing thing, Coulthard was getting lapped. So something in Schumi SNAPS, and he storms down the pitlane and tries to fight Coulthard while the mclaren and ferrari mechanics both hold him back and finally drag him away. He projected into the future, saw Coulthard was gonna talk non-stop shit about Seb, and acted accordingly.

Monaco 2012 Pole don’t talk to me about this I still can’t believe the audacity of this man to get the only pole of his comeback, at MONACO, at the ONE RACE where he had a 5 place grid penalty to take!!

In general, I know Cheating Bad but. I HAVE to admire the brainpower it must take to have the rulebook so memorized that whilst driving an F1 car Schumi could spot a loophole the size of the eye of a needle and then dance through it, forcing the FIA to add ANOTHER page to the rule book specially for him bc nobody else even REALISED that loophole existed.

Human Moments

A quick rant about Mika and Schumi’s entire friendship. After Spa 2000 Mika goes up to Michael, says something like “Don’t ever do that again” then they’re friends again. They had this mutual understanding that Racing was not Reality. This goes all the way back to their F3 days they were rivals AND friends for their entire career. They truly were the Sewis of the era if Sebastian was like 50% more evil. Their entire dynamic is “You’re the only motherfucker in this pit lane who can handle me”. Schumi would do some bullshit and every other driver would throw up their hands in frustration and Mika would just go “Okay” and drive better to put him in his place bc he was the only one who could keep up, and Schumi very visibly LOVED that he’s grinning after Mika owns his entire ass with that overtake at Spa. They were unstoppable force meets immovable object and I’m so sad their rivalry isn’t more talked about bc the way Mika is the only driver who can get him to behave like a normal human being is SO entertaining.

This is a sad one so I won’t link it but he started crying in the 2000 Monza press-conference with his brother and Mika when he equaled one of Senna’s records. The press kept trying to ask questions about it and Mika just has this death grip on his shoulder and tries to get them to stop or let them take a break and it’s so sad but also important to know about.

Once said he didn’t want Mick to race in F1 bc the pressure of his name would put Mick under so much stress and he wanted his son to be happy. (He fully supported Mick in his endeavors! But only after making absolutely sure it was what Mick wanted, and making sure he knew he could just race for fun if he wanted and it didn’t have to be F1)

This whole interview just after Mick was born with the Schumacher family. Special shout out to Gina on his head the entire video and also Corinna talking to the press while Michael is captivated by Mick. Me too Michael.

Once allegedly pleaded to take a stray kitten home from the track?

I reblogged this yesterday but. Sticking like glue to Sebastian at an F1 test and immediately being like “This is my new son he’s gonna go far”. There’s a lot of pictures out there also of Michael being a guest at the karting races Seb went to as a kid and baby Seb visibly losing his fucking mind at being given a trophy by his idol. Every day of my life I think about him trying to ruffle Seb’s hair through his helmet at Brazil 2012

WInning the championship in 2000. Him thanking the entire team individually and pausing mid-celebration to kiss his wife Corinna so tenderly it’s in the F1 opening. Also, the way it literally cuts from the rest of McLaren looking like they’re attending a funeral to Mika grinning at him and hugging him fucking SENDSSSSS me.

Schumi was a little shit in all the 2010-12 press conferences like, lowering Lewis’ chair, playing with a microphone wire, but ESPECIALLY corrupting baby Seb and getting him to mess with Nico Rosberg.

He’s just GOOFY! Like I refuse to let him be remembered as a terrifying force of nature he was so goofy kind of similarly to Seb. PLEASE watch this incredibly awkward interview he did with Coulthard on a golf buggy where they both had to pretend they hadn’t thought about murdering each other at least once. I think Sky F1 should force Brocedes to do this when covid’s over. “Do you mind if I drive?” “Yes.”

EDIT: I CANNOT BELIEVE I forgot the 1999 Canada press conference where Eddie Irvine and Mika Hakkinen get into a water fight and Schumi immediately grabs a towel and hides behind it and is like “I had NOTHING to do with it” 🥺 adorable, actually

A lot of people at Ferrari, including Rob Smedley (who was on the other side of the garage with Felipe Massa so not in his inner circle) have said that a lot of the success of the team came from Schumi’s LEADERSHIP more than anything, that he’d make the team get together to bond all the time. When Schumi moved to Ferrari in 1996 they were NOT dominant. He did the same thing Lewis did - went to a team that everybody said would be a huge mistake and helped build them up behind the scenes.

THIS bit of the Canada 2011 Rewind where his engineer gives him the strategy and he’s like “... OkaAaAaAay?” and then when it turns out to be the wrong strategy he cheerfully tells them it’s too late. Little shit.

Speaking of Mercedes I also wanna say that like. They were a MESS in 2012 and his car DNF’d because of a failing on their part MULTIPLE times. (In Canada qualifying his DRS was stuck open and they couldn’t close it.) He did not say a single bad word about them EVER even though the press used this to attack him non-stop as washed-up and bad without Ferrari to cheat for him. At Ferrari he was the exact same with the team, any bastard antics Schumi had for his rivals did not extend to the engineers and crew.

OK this one is soured bc Top Gear is trash BUT if you were like, a kid in England who followed motorsports? Schumi’s fake reveal as The Stig on Top Gear was like the coolest, sickest thing,

Please view this image of Schumi and Mika when they were young and stupid

Iconic Races

ok so I have limited myself to a few races that show off some of his key strengths!

Hungary 1998 / France 2004 - STRATEGY/SPEED - Schumi switched to a 3 stop strategy in 98 and a FOUR STOP strategy in 04 and won both races. In order for the strategy call to work he’d have to basically make every single lap a qualifying style ‘flying lap’ and you best fucking believe he DID THAT. God I fucking miss when Ferrari was the king of strategy.

Argentina 1998 - has it all. Talent, battling Mika, pit lane mind games with mclaren, and bullying coulthard xxx

Spain 1996 / a majority of the wet races - RAIN - One of Schumi’s nicknames was Rain Master bc he was so fucking good in the wet. If it started raining and you were a Schumi stan you were cackling evilly before the red lights even went out. I single out 1996 bc it was his first win for Ferrari and it was unexpected but in most wet races, even Canada 2011 post comeback, you can see Schumi thriving.

Malaysia 1999 - Schumi missed pretty much the entire second half of the season with a broken leg, came back for the last 2 races with everybody murmuring about whether he would struggle, and immediately put the Ferrari on pole. Also worth noting is that he was the number 2 driver for these 2 races bc his teammate Irvine was fighting Mika for the championship and he went along with that without complaint, allowing Ferrari to win the constructor’s championship if not the driver’s.

Monza 2002, 03, 04, or 06 just because it has the energy of the tifosi kneeling at the feet of an idol to their red god.

Brazil 2006 - Fuck All Y’all - Schumi’s last race for Ferrari. He got a puncture and ended up almost lapped, and then drove his way back from that to 4th bc he couldn’t go out without reminding us he’s a bad bitch.

Monza 2012 - Defending - Don’t tell F1 Twitter that there’s actual footage of Lewis and Michael having a genuine lengthy battle on track but DO watch Michael defending like a motherfucker and Lewis breathing down his neck for half the race we need to talk about this more.

Valencia 2012 - This isn’t necessarily anything special but I cried in my living room over the only podium of his comeback so it goes on here. It doesn’t have the same impact if you haven’t been watching him struggle with the car for years, DNF-ing from car failure most of 2012, and having BBC F1 telling you he’s washed up every single weekend, but you can just enjoy one of the best drives of FERNANDO’S entire career as he DRAGS that Ferrari by its hair to a home grand prix win and then watch the crowds embrace him like jesus and also Schumi being happy on the podium. Also, the very start of this clip from the press conference: him forgetting what language he’s supposed to be speaking

Basically, Schumi was a hyper-competitive ambitious bitch who turned into a goofball as soon as he switched the engine off. This is by NO MEANS everything if I was making an exhaustive best races guide I’d do more research and another post but I hope this is what you were looking for?? THANK YOU SO MUCH for letting me go MAXIMUM SPECIAL INTEREST and I apologize.

#asks #Schumi #Mika #Alonso #long post #god I'm so fucking sorry #Anonymous #This is not comprehensive bc I didn't want to accidentally turn this into a whole research project especially if you're new to it!

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f1chronicle · 3 years

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The Lewis Hamilton Fallacy

With Lewis Hamilton setting a new FORMULA 1 win record, and closing in on a record-equalling seventh World Championship, the vitriol on social media has been increasing, causing many to no longer wish to participate in Facebook groups that tolerate driver-bashing and hatred.

So how did we get to this point?

There are many factors at play here such as most drivers having a big presence across social media, but a key premise is we all have a different model of the world.

How you see things is completely different to how I see things, and generally speaking, this is a good thing for society as we can all bring our different points of view to a scenario and find a way forward.

Sadly this is not the case in the comments of nearly every F1 group on Facebook, where people are adamant that their point of view is right, yours is wrong, and you’re an idiot for thinking the way you do.

Let’s take a look at some of the common arguments in F1 groups, and see if they hold water…

Driver X Is The GOAT!

The GOAT argument isn’t specific to the world of F1, just look at the NBA, where LeBron James fourth NBA title stirred great debate as to whether or not he takes the mantle from Michael Jordan.

In F1 we have Lewis Hamilton vs Michael Schumacher, 93 race wins vs 91, six championships vs seven.

So how do we work out who the GOAT is?

Well, we can’t.

And even when F1 and AWS put out their ‘Fastest Driver’ analysis it still didn’t appease people if their guy wasn’t deemed the fastest.

Different drivers, different competition, different cars, the list goes on.

What we can have though is our favourite, and our own criteria for choosing a GOAT.

Personally, I didn’t much enjoy the years where Schumacher and Ferrari dominated. However, he has the most titles so to me he is still the greatest.

Some say the best of all time is Jim Clark, some say Fangio, some say Ayrton Senna. But unless they have seen them race, how can they compare?

Because if they’re using statistics, well the numbers don’t add up.

If they’re using stories and YouTube clips, then they’re comparing some drivers highlight reels against other drivers careers.

The passing of time plays an interesting trick on the mind, where we often forget the flaws, the disappointments, and the losses, remembering only the triumphs and victories.

And that’s ok.

You can have your GOAT, I can have mine, and neither of us can (or should) try to convince others that their GOAT is wrong.

Lewis Hamilton Has The Fastest Car (Or Best Car)

This one is odd, as I’m yet to see a car that wasn’t the fastest win a race.

When Pierre Gasly won the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, on that day, his car was the fastest.

Maybe there is something in the air in Italy, as in 2008 Sebastian Vettel won in a Toro Rosso to claim his first win in F1. Funnily enough, on that day, his car was the fastest.

You wouldn’t think you’d need to explain how motorsport works, but what happens is the driver who crosses the line first, ie completes the race distance the fastest, wins. It’s that simple.

These ‘fastest car’ or ‘best car’ arguments add to the Lewis Hamilton Fallacy.

Formula 1 is a meritocracy, and as such, the best drivers usually find themselves into the cockpit of the best car.

From 2010 to 2013, it was widely acknowledged that Red Bull Racing were producing the best cars, as they powered Sebastien Vettel to four consecutive World Championships.

Today though, people are rewriting history as they claim Hamilton has ‘always’ benefitted from being in the best car.

So which one is it?

Because clearly it can’t be both.

The Good Old Days Were Better

This one is always fun, and is something that likely happens to all of us as we get older!

I’ve found myself opining that the English Premier League was better in the 90s and 2000s than it is now for example.

Often, the ‘good old days’ coincide with a time in history where our favourite teams and stars were winning. Funny about that.

Have you ever met a Ferrari fan who thinks the current era is better than the 2000-2004 period?

No, you haven’t.

However, where this one gets really interesting is when people argue that the drivers no longer drive the cars, and that everything is controlled by engineers sitting on a pit wall.

The problem with this is the Williams FW14B, built in 1992, is still considered the most technologically sophisticated car in the history of F1.

It’s 28 years old.

The FW14B had semi-automatic transmission, active suspension, traction control and, for a short time, anti-lock brakes.

It also had Adrian Newey in charge of aerodynamics.

In fact, Williams found the FW14B was proving so successful that when the FW15 was ready half-way through the 1992 FORMULA 1 season, it wasn’t used.

The argument (often made by people who reach their limit reversing out the driveway) that Hamilton turns up on a Sunday, plants his foot on the accelerator, and drives into the distance is disrespectful of the amount of work he puts in to keep his body and mind at peak performance, as well as the staff at Mercedes who put in countless hours perfecting the car.

Mercedes Should Get Max Verstappen, He Would Beat Hamilton

This would be a terrible idea for Mercedes, so it’s a good thing they don’t listen to public opinion on social media.

First of all, it sends a message to drivers in their development program that even if you progress through the program the seat will go to the big-name with more runs on the board.

Second, do you recall the Senna v Prost years?

Sure, Ron Dennis had two prodigious talents at his disposal, but the infighting, egos, and crashes out on course disrupted team harmony, causing factions in the garage and distrust at all levels.

Mercedes currently have the perfect set up, and it’s obviously working, as they pick up championship after championship.

As we’ve seen throughout history, having a genuine #1 and an able deputy leads to both Driver’s and Constructor’s Championships.

During the aforementioned ‘Schumacher Years’ of 2000 to 2004, he was the undisputed #1 and teammate Rubens Barrichello understood his role and performed it admirably.

Lewis Hamilton Doesn’t Have Competitive Teammates

Former Formula 1 World Champions Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, and Nico Rosberg would probably all argue that they are competitive drivers, capable of going wheel to wheel with Hamilton.

And they would be right, because they have the race wins and championships to prove their credentials.

When Hamilton joined the grid in 2007 as a teammate to Fernando Alonso, the belief throughout the paddock was that Alonso was #1 and Hamilton would be there to learn the ropes in F1.

In reality, it didn’t work out like that.

As Hamilton performed well, taking podiums and race wins, tensions mounted, and boiled over at the 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix, where in the final qualifying session Alonso deliberately delayed Hamilton in the pits, ensuring he wouldn’t be able to get in one last run.

The pair didn’t speak for weeks after the incident.

At the end of the season, both drivers secured four race wins and 12 podiums. Clearly they were allowed to race each other, there were no team orders.

Funnily, after tensions thawed, in 2017 Alonso said “[Hamilton] was able to win with a dominant car, with a good car like 2010 or 2012, or with bad cars like 2009 and 2011. Not all the champions can say that”.

Is Alonso suggesting Hamilton hasn’t always had the best car?

Facebook commenters would disagree with the two-time World Champion…

In Jenson Button’s book ‘Life to the Limit’ Button goes into detail how competitive Hamilton was, and makes it clear that he too was there to win, not just to act as a rear-gunner for Hamilton. An interesting fact Button points out in this same book is that when Rubens Barrichello was his teammate at Honda, Barrichello had it written into his contract that they were equal drivers, he was not to be a #2…

When Hamilton moved to Mercedes for 2013, a move derided by many given Mercedes lacklustre performance in previous years, it was Nico Rosberg’s team.

There is evidence that team orders were used on at least one occasion in 2013, where at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix Rosberg was ordered to stay behind Hamilton in the closing stages, rather than fighting for third place. Hamilton felt the call was wrong, and that Rosberg should have been allowed to race.

During the 2014 Formula 1 season tensions again boiled over for Hamilton and a teammate, as several early exchanges throughout the season threatened to compromise both drivers title aspirations.

The pair had a wheel-to-wheel battle in Bahrain, a down-to-the-wire tussle in Spain, and made contact in Belgium.

In 2016, the year Rosberg won the championship, the two came together at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, in a move that infuriated Niki Lauda, as both drivers crashed out of the race.

The duo came together again at the 2016 Austrian Grand Prix, however both drivers could continue, with Hamilton taking the win.

Nice Rosberg went on to win the 2016 Driver’s Championship, which gives Hamilton detractors a curious dilemma.

On one hand they laugh, saying he was beaten by Nico Rosberg, yet on the other, they say he has never had to race against competitive teammates.

So, which one is it?

Lewis Hamilton Needs To Prove He Can Win With Another Team

This one always brings a smile to the face 😊

I have no problem with fans being new to F1, it’s great! The sport needs more and more fans to keep it going.

The issue is people forgetting that the sport was going before they saw it on Drive to Survive, then commenting on Facebook posts.

For the record, Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 Driver’s Championship with McLaren.

Although they had a Mercedes engine at the time, they were indeed their own team then, as they are now.

And that is a different team to Mercedes.

Hamilton has won championships with two teams.

Before the 2008 season Felipe Massa of Ferrari was the favourite to win the title, and Ferrari did indeed win the Constructor’s Championship, however, in a thrilling finish to the season Hamilton won the title by one point.

His teammate Heikki Kovalainen finished seventh.

But wait, doesn’t the best car always win the Driver’s Championship too?

Well now I don’t know what to believe.

Put Lewis Hamilton In A Williams, Let’s See How He Goes

If Hamilton was to drive for Williams, we already know how it would go – terribly.

Why?

Because it is a poor car that has suffered at the hands of bad management and a lack of finances for several seasons now.

Fernando Alonso drove a horrible McLaren from 2015 to 2017.

Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello had a terrible Honda to drive in 2007 and 2008, and not just because it had a map of the world painted on it. The aerodynamics were poor from the start, and the car just wasn’t competitive.

Does this diminish any of these drivers achievements before or after?

Does it prove their car is what won them races?

No, what it does prove is that Formula 1 is a team sport, and that it takes everyone rowing in the right direction together to deliver a package capable of competing at the front.

If Lionel Messi signed for Newcastle they still wouldn’t win the league. Likewise if Lebron James joined the Knicks, they wouldn’t win an NBA title. The teams they would join are still terrible, but having a champion on the team would improve them and make everyone life their standards over time.

Hamilton wouldn’t win in a Williams, just like Raikkonen can’t win in an Alfa and Vettel can’t get near a podium in a Ferrari this year.

However, the one thing all these drivers have in common is the ability to wring every ounce of performance out of a bad car, and Williams would expect nothing less if they had Hamilton in their race seat.

Politics Don’t Belong in Sport

As a middle-aged white man, this one makes me cringe the most.

Middle aged white men on Facebook, telling a black man what he should and shouldn’t do, how he can protest, and how he is ‘ruining’ the sport for them.

Yikes.

The purpose of a protest is to bring issues to light, to have people questioning their attitudes and beliefs.

Telling someone how they can protest against their perceived suppression is, er, suppressing them further.

You may not agree with ‘We Race As One‘, the BLM movement or drivers taking a knee before the race, but that’s the point. An issue being highlighted is an opportunity for you to question your thinking, to reflect, and possibly make changes. There is no harm in admitting that at one time you held beliefs that you now feel are wrong.

While we’re on the topic of politics in sports and how the handful of minutes it takes to show drivers supporting the ‘End Racism’ message ruining peoples enjoyment of Formula 1, what of other sports?

The ‘Old Firm’ derby is one of the biggest rivalries in sport, and it is founded on religion and politics. People are born into a side based on which side of the clearly divisive line they fall, Catholic vs Protestant, British vs Irish Scot, Conservatism vs Socialism. People have been killed on derby days, and violence in Glasgow increases any time the two clubs play.

Politics don’t belong in sport though, so they must be fighting over something else.

In 1967 Muhammed Ali refused to serve in the US Army during the Vietnam War, uttering the famous line ‘I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong…no Vietcong ever called me nigger.’ Since then he has, rightfully, been lauded as a hero for his stance.

The Vietnam War probably wasn’t political though, was it?

Even the sport of Bandy isn’t immune to politics!

Norway declined to take part in the 1957 Bandy World Championship because the Soviet Union was invited, due to the Soviet invasion of Hungary the year before. The country made a similar protest for the 1969 Bandy World Championship because of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia that year, handing over the hosting of the 1969 event to Sweden.

Indeed Formula 1 itself is no stranger to politics in sport, with the 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix cancelled due to concerns over human rights protests led by Avaaz.

You may not agree with the stance Hamilton has taken, you may not like it, but you do have to respect that in a free society he can use his platform however he sees fit – he built it.

What To Make Of The Lewis Hamilton Fallacy

Now I’m not naïve enough to think that the words on this page will make everyone stop arguing on the internet, that will never happen.

What I do hope though is that it has loosened the grip for some people, and will help them take the blinkers off.

We’re lucky enough to be living in a time where each Sunday, one of the finest Formula 1 drivers the world has ever seen jumps into his Mercedes and puts his life on the line to win trophies, and entertain us.

I’m lucky enough to have seen this level of performance twice, once with Michael Schumacher, now with Lewis Hamilton.

Should I live long enough to see Hamilton’s records beaten, I won’t waste time arguing over who is the GOAT, who had the best car, or why this bright new talent needs to jump through made up hoops to prove themselves to the folks in the bleachers.

I’ll simply be grateful to have witnessed three drivers at the absolute peak of their powers, doing what they love.

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thisdaynews · 4 years

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Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton says he is considering which team to drive for in 2021

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/formula-1-lewis-hamilton-says-he-is-considering-which-team-to-drive-for-in-2021/

Formula 1: Lewis Hamilton says he is considering which team to drive for in 2021

By Andrew Benson

Chief F1 writer at Yas Marina

Abu Dhabi was Hamilton’s 11th race win of the season

Lewis Hamilton says it is “smart and wise” to consider carefully which team to drive for in 2021.

The 34-year-old has one year to run on his contract with Mercedes and is at the centre of speculation about potential interest from Ferrari.

“I love where I am, so it is definitely not a quick decision to go and do something else,” Hamilton said.

“So it is only smart and wise to sit and think about what I want if it is the last phase of my career.”

The world champion refused to confirm or deny reports that he has met with Ferrari chairman John Elkann twice this year.

“Whatever you do behind closed doors is always private whoever you meet with,” he said.

Lewis Hamilton dominates in Abu Dhabi GP for 11th victory of the season

I never thought I’d win six titles – Hamilton

But he emphasised that he had never thought about leaving Mercedes since joining them at the start of 2013, since when he has won five world championships to add to the one he won with McLaren in 2008.

“For many years, I have never considered other options,” Hamilton said, after winning the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“We have been on our path and we are still on it and there is very little that will shift it from that.

“Naturally I want to keep winning. I can’t tell you what will happen going forwards.”

Hamilton’s success with Mercedes has brought him to within touching distance of the all-time records in F1 held by Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi win was the 84th of his career and he is now only seven short of Schumacher’s tally of 91. And next year he will start as favourite to equal Schumacher’s championship record.

Hamilton has the most pole positions in Formula 1 with 88; and is seven race wins behind Michael Schumacher’s record with 84

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said he believed there was a strong possibility that Hamilton would sign a new contract with Mercedes next year.

“I would rate it – and I am leaning out of the window here – at 75%,” Wolff said.

“I give you the number because I think from the rational side everything speaks for continuation of the relationship from both sides. But equally there is a 25% chance we are not in control of. So we see how the next months pan out.”

Asked about the potential appeal to Hamilton of a lucrative offer from Ferrari, Wolff said: “We have talked very openly about Ferrari and what the brand represents. But for me as long as we are able to produce a quick car and a powerful engine, we will always have an opportunity to decide who drives the car.

“There is no doubt Lewis’ priority will be to try to make it work with the team and I will try to make it work with Lewis, but the most important is that we have a good car and then we are able to decide for ourselves.

“A driver of that level will always know he can make an impact in a team. What I am considering is when he left McLaren to Mercedes it was said it wasn’t the right move and it proved to be right.

“I don’t want to make the mistake of underestimating Ferrari’s potential. I don’t want to see a sense of entitlement for us to win a seventh or eighth title.

“We need to stay humble about success and it is not just saying, it is really what I mean. If you look at it from a rational stand-point everything speaks for the fact of us continuing together but there might be other factors, too, a new challenge an exciting deal that you don’t always factor in, but I give this a 25% chance.”

Lewis Hamilton to negotiate new F1 contract

Why Hamilton is better than Senna & Schumacher – Nicholls

#considering #drive

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cars4starters · 4 years

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Like a gambler on a roll, Lewis Hamilton probably wishes the 2019 Formula 1 season could just go on and on.

And why not? It’s been one of his best seasons to date, with 11 wins from 21 starts, earning him his 6th World Driver’s Championship.

The British racing driver just keeps getting better and better and they’re starting to talk in hushed tones that perhaps he could be the one — the greatest driver of all time.

Better even than idol Ayrton Senna, better than Juan Manuel Fangio and a compelling challenger to the great Michael Schumacher, the German F1 driver who retired in 2012 with a string of records to his name including seven world championships.

Hamilton cruised to an easy victory for Mercedes in Sunday’s Abu-Dhabi Grand Prix, ahead of Max Verstappen in the Red Bull Honda and Charles Leclerc for Ferrari.

It was Hamilton’s 250th Grand Prix and his 73rd win this decade.

Eleven wins in a year equals his previous best, but his final points tally of 413 is his highest-ever single-season points total, while he also equals his record of 33 consecutive points finishes.

And it all came after a lacklustre start to the Yas Island weekend where he struggled to find a rhythm.

“I’m just so proud of everyone,” Hamilton said.

“I’m so grateful for everyone who has continued to push. I felt great out there today and I feel so good right now.

“It’s like, ‘there are no more races?’ I feel like I’m at my best of the year right now, like I’ve got to keep going and now we have got to stop? Anyway, we stop on the right foot, and I hope we start on the right foot again next year.”

Hamilton’s performance across the race was impressive, the six-time champion pulling out a 13-second lead in the opening 20 laps, and he admitted he was still pushing in the final five laps, just because he wanted to see what the maximum he could extract was.

“What an incredible year it’s been, what an incredible stretch it has been for this team,” he added. “After winning the constructors’ and drivers’ championships, it was important for us as a team to continue to push.

“We were seeing if we could push the boundaries. This is the perfect way to end the season, on the right foot. I’m grateful for my team, who have continued to push all year long and have never lost sight of the objective. We’ve all had a common goal – the push in the pursuit of perfection.”

Full race results

1 44 Lewis Hamilton MERCEDES 55 1:34:05.715 26 2 33 Max Verstappen RED BULL RACING HONDA 55 +16.772s 18 3 16 Charles Leclerc FERRARI 55 +43.435s 15 4 77 Valtteri Bottas MERCEDES 55 +44.379s 12 5 5 Sebastian Vettel FERRARI 55 +64.357s 10 6 23 Alexander Albon RED BULL RACING HONDA 55 +69.205s 8 7 11 Sergio Perez RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES 54 +1 lap 6 8 4 Lando Norris MCLAREN RENAULT 54 +1 lap 4 9 26 Daniil Kvyat SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO HONDA 54 +1 lap 2 10 55 Carlos Sainz MCLAREN RENAULT 54 +1 lap 1 11 3 Daniel Ricciardo RENAULT 54 +1 lap 0 12 27 Nico Hulkenberg RENAULT 54 +1 lap 0 13 7 Kimi Räikkönen ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI 54 +1 lap 0 14 20 Kevin Magnussen HAAS FERRARI 54 +1 lap 0 15 8 Romain Grosjean HAAS FERRARI 54 +1 lap 0 16 99 Antonio Giovinazzi ALFA ROMEO RACING FERRARI 54 +1 lap 0 17 63 George Russell WILLIAMS MERCEDES 54 +1 lap 0 18 10 Pierre Gasly SCUDERIA TORO ROSSO HONDA 53 +2 laps 0 19 88 Robert Kubica WILLIAMS MERCEDES 53 +2 laps 0 NC 18 Lance Stroll RACING POINT BWT MERCEDES 45 DNF 0

Note – Hamilton scored an additional point for setting the fastest lap of the race.

Michael Schumacher

Juan Manuel Fangio

Lewis Hamilton

Action from Abu Dhabi

Ayrton Senna

CHECKOUT: Verstappen blitzes ‘brilliant’ Brazilian GP

CHECKOUT: Six and shout — Hamilton crowned F1 champ (again)

Hamilton could be the one . . . #Aussie #carnews #carphotos #carreviews #cars4starters #notjustcars #AbuDhabiGrandprix Like a gambler on a roll, Lewis Hamilton probably wishes the 2019 Formula 1 season could just go on and on.

#Abu Dhabi Grand prix #Aussie #car news #car photos #car reviews #cars4starters #F1 #Formula 1 #Juan Manuel Fangio #Lewis Hamilton #Mercedes-Benz #Michael Schumacher #not just cars

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watchilove · 4 years

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IWC Schaffhausen presents the “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition. The special design, limited to 100 watches, combines a black ceramic case and a Bordeaux-red dial with a crown and a case-back ring made of 18-carat 5N gold. The British racing driver created the distinctive timepiece together with IWC’s designers.

As a six-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton sets the ultimate standard – and not just as part of motorsport’s elite. He also doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to fashion and lifestyle either. Luxurious streetwear, trendy suits and unusual accessories – with his daring and expressive sense of style, Hamilton uses fashion as a way to communicate his distinct point of view on global culture. Now, he and IWC have designed a spectacular watch together – the IWC “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar.

“This partnership with IWC was incredibly exciting for me, and it’s been an honour to collaborate so closely with the watchmakers in Schaffhausen,” said Hamilton. “Together, we’ve designed a beautiful timepiece which combines two things I am really passionate about – craftsmanship and design – and I am so pleased with the result.”

IWC “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar

The “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition (ref. IW503002) is limited to 100 watches and features a case made of black zirconium oxide ceramic and a Bordeaux-red dial. The gold-plated hands and the case back, rotor and characteristic “cone crown” made of 18-carat 5N gold provide luxury accents. The watch, with a generous diameter of 46.5 millimetres, has a Bordeaux-red textile strap to be worn around the wrist.

IWC “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar

“Lewis approached us with the idea of a watch in Bordeaux-red and gold. Our starting point was the Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar – a favourite model of Hamilton’s, who is also an acknowledged expert in Haute Horlogerie. We decided on a case made of black ceramic with hints of gold and a Bordeaux-red dial and textile strap. This combination radiates understated luxury.” – Christian Knoop, Creative Director of IWC Schaffhausen.

The IWC 52615 manufacture calibre ensures that the watch rate is accurate. Its Pellaton winding system, fitted with components made from zirconium oxide ceramic, builds up a power reserve of seven days in two barrels. The perpetual calendar, made of only about 80 components, displays the date, day, month and year to four figures, as well as showing the lunar phase. The mechanical programme autonomously recognises that different months are different lengths, and adds a leap day every four years at the end of February. The double moon phase display simultaneously shows the lunar phase in the northern and southern hemispheres and will only deviate from the moon’s actual orbit by a single day after 577.5 years. All displays are perfectly synchronised and can be easily adjusted via the crown if the watch is not worn for a prolonged period.

Lewis Hamilton Biography

Lewis Hamilton, MBE, is a British Formula One™ driver, currently racing for Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. In 2019 he won his sixth Formula One™ World Championship and is recognised as one of the sports all-time greats.

The son of an English mother and a father with Grenadian heritage, Lewis experienced a childhood many kids can relate to – he struggled with dyslexia and wasn’t sure where he belonged. He started racing go-karts at eight as a way to spend time with his dad. Showing incredible potential, he climbed the ladder at an unprecedented rate. Lewis had found his place in the world.

But Lewis’s roots and upbringing weren’t typical of the elitist world of F1, and as he continued his rise through ranks, he had to learn to embrace his role as an outsider. After blowing the competition off the grid in karting and the Formula 3 Euro Series, he progressed to the GP2 Series.

It was here that his fearless rise to every challenge caught the eye of McLaren Mercedes, who gave him his ticket to the big time: Formula One™, the pinnacle of motor racing. Lewis made his Formula One™ debut aged just 22. He became the youngest World Championship leader during his rookie season, eventually finishing runner up. The following year he claimed the crown, becoming the youngest World Champion the sport has ever seen.

In 2013 he moved to Mercedes AMG F1 and alongside his 1,200 teammates returned the Silver Arrows to the top of the podium with his second and third World Championships in 2015 and 2016, equalling the record set by his childhood hero, the great Ayrton Senna. Still carrying a sense that his success could be snatched away at any moment, Lewis maintained his unrivalled focus on winning perfection. He went on to secure three more world titles to join the great Michael Schumacher as the only drivers with six or more world championship titles.

His willingness to embrace what makes him different has defined his outlook on life, and the fearlessness, inspiration and positivity that drive him have been recognized by TIME Magazine, which included Lewis as one of the world’s ‘100 Most Influential People.

His approach to life off the track is just as positive, constantly challenging himself to grow and seeking inspiration from new places. He has a deep passion for creativity and fashion, and as a global brand ambassador for TOMMY HILFIGER designed his own global line, TommyXLewis, which fuses his unique style with the American heritage of the TOMMY HILFIGER brand. He has also partnered with IWC Schaffhausen, a leader in Watchmaking since 1869.

Looking to the future, Lewis sees himself continuing his work in fashion and design. Outside of Lewis’ collaborations with TOMMY HILFIGER, Lewis sits as the Menswear Ambassador for The British Fashion Council, where he jointly oversees, supports and advises on key issues facing the British designer industry. He has also become a much sought-after front-row attendee at the world’s leading fashion shows, as well as top fashion events such as The Fashion Awards, The Met Gala and the CFDA Fashion Awards. Lewis has also appeared on the front covers of leading publications such as Esquire, L’Officiel, L’Uomo Vogue, ICON and Men’s Health, and was listed as one of Sports Illustrated’s ‘Fashionable 50 Icons’ in 2019.

Lewis also works with a number of charities and uses his profile and social media platforms to promote and support causes important to him; including a number of charities and organisations whose work focuses on social mobility. His against-the-odds rise to the top has also made him fiercely committed to unleashing the potential in others, and in the next phase of his charitable work, he will be helping young disadvantaged people reach their goals.

Lewis will be donating all his royalties from the sale of this watch to his new charitable partnership with Comic Relief, helping young disadvantaged people in the UK and abroad.

IWC “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Technical Specifications

REF. IW503002 – 51.800 € (Price includes taxes and shipping)

FEATURES

Mechanical movement

Pellaton automatic winding

Power reserve display

Perpetual calendar displaying the date, day, month and year to four figures and perpetual lunar phase for both northern and southern hemispheres

Small hacking seconds

Screw-in crown

Glass secured against displacement by drops in air pressure

Limited to 100 watches

MOVEMENT

IWC manufacture calibre 52615

Frequency: 28,800 A/h/4 Hz

Jewels: 54

Power reserve: 7 days (168 h)

Winding Automatic

WATCH

Materials Ceramic case, 18-carat 5N gold case back,

Bordeaux-red dial, gold-plated hands,

Bordeaux-red textile strap

Crystal Sapphire, convex, antireflective coating on both sides

Water-resistant: 6 bar

Diameter: 46.5 mm

Height: 15.9 mm

IWC “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar IWC Schaffhausen presents the “Lewis Hamilton” Big Pilot’s Watch Perpetual Calendar Edition. The special design, limited to 100 watches, combines a black ceramic case and a Bordeaux-red dial with a crown and a case-back ring made of 18-carat 5N gold.

#Big Pilot&039;s Watch #IW503002 #IWC #IWC "Lewis Hamilton" Big Pilot&039;s Watch Perpetual Calendar #IWC Schaffhausen #IWV Big Pilot&039;s #Lewis Hamilton #news #Perpetual Calendar #Press release #REF. IW503002

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todaynewsstories · 6 years

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Hamilton says chasing Schumacher’s record was never the plan

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Lewis Hamilton will edge closer to Michael Schumacher’s all-time record if he wins a fifth Formula One world title this weekend in Austin, but he said on Wednesday that chasing the German great was never part of his plan.

Formula One World Champion, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton speaks ahead of the United States Grand Prix during an interview with Reuters at the Nasdaq Market Site in New York City, New York, U.S., October 17, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Segar

The Mercedes driver will move to within two of Schumacher’s all-time mark of seven championships if he scores eight points more than his Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel in Austin on Sunday.

Yet Hamilton said that he realized his lifelong ambition in 2015 when he equaled the tally of his boyhood idol Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian triple champion who died in 1994, and that chasing Schumacher’s mark was never his aim.

“Honestly that has never been my goal. I started out with the goal to match Ayrton Senna or to equalize with Ayrton Senna who is my … who’s the guy that I aspire to be like,” Hamilton told Reuters.

“And I equaled him two years ago. So since then it’s kind of been going into unknown territory.

“So I mean Michael’s stats are incredible and still quite a long way away, but I’m here for some time still, so I’m just going to keep working hard and keep trying to do what I do and what I love and enjoy it and we’ll see where it takes us.”

Hamilton is 67 points clear of Vettel with three races and a maximum 75 points remaining after Texas, and will fancy his chances of sewing up the title having won five of the past six races at the Circuit of the Americas — including the last four.

Slideshow (3 Images)

Yet with so much riding on the weekend, Hamilton said now is not the time to make changes to his approach.

“The approach that I’ve had up until now has worked very well,” said Hamilton. “So we naturally want to win this weekend. So diligence and going through the same steps in terms of getting the car to where it needs to be through the weekend, I feel naturally relaxed and I know what I’m going to do.”

Hamilton has already won nine races so far this season and looks likely to end the year in double figures, which is no mean feat considering he feels this year has been tougher than any he has experienced before.

“This year has been the most intensive, the cars the faster, the requirement on the driver’s side physically and mentally is on another level,” said Hamilton.

“We’ve been fighting another team who have had the upper hand for a long part of the season. So collectively as a team we’ve had to go above and beyond to deliver more than them.”

Reporting by Angela Moore in New York; Writing by Frank Pingue; Editing by Toby Davis

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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jonathanbelloblog · 6 years

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Tragic Hero: Stefan Bellof

Stefan Bellof was never better—and never worse—than when he had something to prove.

And Bellof always had something to prove, even if it was just a minor personal point, created from whole cloth to maximize motivation. Raw talent (emphasis on “raw”) allowed the German to drive on the knife’s edge, lap after lap. Luck, or the lack of it, determined whether he stayed on that edge or fell off to one side.

On May 28, 1983, a lucky Bellof qualified his Porsche 956 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife track in Germany for the ADAC Nürburgring 1000 km. In traffic, on older tires, and with a nearly full tank of fuel, Bellof ran a lap of 6 minutes, 11.13 seconds at an average speed of 202.053 kph (125.550 mph). Jaws dropped, and stopwatches were checked to see if they were working properly. Never had a racer averaged more than 200 kph here. Some sort of timing mistake, perhaps?

No, it was just Bellof. Six of the seven top cars were 956s, but Bellof was nearly 6 seconds quicker than the next best. The comparatively inexperienced upstart had proven two things. First, that he could embarrass his fellow factory Porsche drivers, which included Jochen Mass, Jacky Ickx, Stefan Johansson, Bob Wollek, Jan Lammers, Jonathan Palmer, David Hobbs, and Bellof’s own co-driver, Derek Bell.

Bellof is a certified tragic hero, and new fans have embraced his legend, incredible drives, and comparably incredible crashes.

And second, that he could even embarrass Keke Rosberg, then the reigning Formula 1 world champion. Rosberg drove a Williams in F1 but was guest-starring at the ’Ring in a 956 like Bellof’s.

That was on a Saturday. Sunday, during the race, bad luck, enhanced by arrogance, shoved Bellof right off the knife’s edge.

Porsche stars: Stefan Bellof with Derek Bell, Jochen Mass, Jacky Ickx, Vern Schuppan, and John Watson.

Eighteen laps in, Bellof, still feeling lucky, drove the fastest race lap ever run at the Nürburgring: 6:25.91. Two laps later, with a 30-second lead, he crested the hill at Pflanzgarten, became airborne, and flipped. The car came to rest upright. Bellof was uninjured, and he signed autographs for fans lining the fence until track workers finished the cleanup.

Bellof crashed because he was, once again, proving a point. Porsche engineers told him it was impossible to take Pflanzgarten flat-out. Bellof thought otherwise. He was mistaken.

Two years later, the German crashed another 956 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. This time, he did not walk away. He was 27.

Outside of Germany, Bellof is best remembered for that near-ethereal Nürburgring qualifying lap, a record that went unbeaten for so long. Inside his home country, the enduring, internet-enhanced Bellof legacy suggests that had he lived, he could well have become Germany’s next F1 champ. This was during a barren period, well before Michael Schumacher’s dominant era, though Schumi, a teen when Bellof died, often cited his countryman as a key inspiration, an opinion seconded by other German drivers, including Timo Bernhard.

Bellof fans—and there are more than you might guess for a driver 33 years gone, most of them centered in Germany but scattered across Europe and beyond—were conflicted when Porsche returned to the Nürburgring to break the record. To Bellof devotees and reportedly even some members of his family, Porsche’s campaign smacked of a pricey publicity stunt at the expense of their idol. After all, Bellof set his mark during qualifying, meaning he had to steer around slower cars. His 956 was race-legal, while the 919 Hybrid Evo Bernhard drove was tuned far beyond the rules that governed the model when it dominated the premier LMP1 class in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Porsche management in general and Bernhard in particular were profoundly sensitive about eclipsing an almost mythical record set by a fellow Porsche factory driver. Bellof is a certified tragic hero, and new fans have embraced his legend, drawn by online archived videos that showcase his incredible drives and comparably incredible crashes. With his long, typically tousled hair, big, toothy grin, and laughs aplenty, Bellof’s easy manner even won over fellow drivers.

“Everyone liked Stefan immensely,” teammate and co-driver Bell said. “Well, maybe except for Jacky Ickx.”

Ickx, now 73, is the Belgian racer who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times—three of those victories driving with Bell—and won eight F1 races, as well as the tough Bathurst 1000 and the Paris-Dakar Rally. If there was any driver who gave Bellof a reason to prove himself, it was Ickx. It cost Bellof his life.

Bellof’s pro racing career started with a dare. At the end of 1981, he was disqualified from the Formula Ford Festival race at Brands Hatch in England after making contact with another car. Bellof was angry. Through his manager—Bellof didn’t yet speak English—he told the race officials to “watch my career, because I’ll be back next year, and I’ll win my first Formula 2 race.”

In March 1982, Bellof did just that, driving a privateer car against a field full of factory-backed entries. A year later he became the youngest driver to date to sign with the Porsche factory. He was assigned to the potent Rothmans team, partnered with Bell.

Monster crashes at Nürburgring and Spa punctuated Stefan Bellof’s career.

Despite minimal experience in race cars with a roof, he qualified the 956 on the pole for his first race, the Silverstone 1000 km, and the duo went on to win. Their next race was the aforementioned Nürburgring 1000 km.

Bellof went on to win two more races that year then came back in 1984 to win the World Sportscar championship by eight points over Mass. He was cheerful and well spoken, and the cameras adored him. He was on his way.

Given his success, it was no surprise F1 came calling, but the best seat Bellof could find was with Tyrrell, which was stuck with naturally aspirated Ford-Cosworth engines when the rest of the field had turbochargers, putting Bellof and teammate Martin Brundle at a 175-horsepower deficit.

Bellof, obviously, had plenty to prove in F1 but little chance to do it, often crashing or breaking in his rookie season as he willed his Tyrrell to run with the turbos. At Monaco, he finally got a chance to shine. Wet tracks are great equalizers when it comes to horsepower, and the principality was soaked. Demonstrating a degree of otherworldly car control that even the also-rising Ayrton Senna couldn’t match, Bellof slid and yawed his way to third, closing fast on Senna, who was second, and leader Alain Prost. Suddenly and to the surprise of most everyone on the track and off, the race director halted the event after 31 laps, citing the poor conditions, though they seemed comparable to what they had been like all race long. Had the race run the full distance, Bellof may well have won. As it was, he still managed his first and only F1 podium, but due to the decreased race length, only half-points were awarded.

Bellof was back with Tyrrell for 1985, and team owner Ken Tyrrell struck a deal that got Bellof and Brundle a few turbocharged engines for later in the season, but they still had to run the Fords early that year. Bellof’s last F1 race was the Dutch Grand Prix in August 1985. He and his team were still getting used to the quirky Renault engine, and it blew up 40 laps into the race.

Stefan Bellof celebrates with Derek Bell, racing in F2, in sports cars at Silverstone, and in F1 in Monaco.

A week later, Bellof was killed. He never had the chance to show what he could do in a car with proper power. Reportedly, he had a ride with Ferrari for 1986. The possibilities are sobering.

His final season, Bellof was an F1 driver first, a sports car racer second, cherry-picking events on off weekends in F1 when he could, against Tyrrell’s wishes.

The shorthand version of Bellof’s career, now that so much time has passed since his death, is bookended by two events: that Nürburgring record run in 1983 and his controversial fatal crash at Spa.

His final season, Bellof was an F1 driver first, a sports car racer second, cherry-picking events on off weekends in F1 when he could, against Tyrrell’s wishes. Bellof entered the Spa 1000 km race in privateer Walter Brun’s fast 956, partnered with Thierry Boutsen.

Did Bellof have another something to prove at Spa? Oh, yes. Porsche factory racer Ickx, conservative, often tightly wound, and not at all impressed by Bellof’s playboy personality, was driving Porsche’s newest race car, a 962C.

Ickx and Bellof were oil and water. Spa was Ickx’s home track. And remember the Monaco Grand Prix that was stopped as Bellof was reeling in Senna and burgeoning legend Prost? A moonlighting Ickx was the F1 race director for that event.

At Spa, Ickx and Bellof had both just taken over for their co-drivers. A quicker pit stop put Ickx ahead of Bellof. It did not take long for Bellof to catch Ickx, but passing him was another matter. On lap 78, Bellof attempted perhaps the riskiest pass imaginable, taking aim at Ickx as they entered the treacherous left-right Eau Rouge corner. Bellof dove in to Ickx’s left. They touched.

Both cars spun into the guardrail at 140 mph. Ickx took a glancing blow and was able to climb from his car. But Bellof’s car speared head-on into the barrier, at a point where it was supported by a concrete pillar. The Porsche then burst into flames. Ickx hurried to Bellof’s car to help track workers pull him out. It wouldn’t have mattered.

Stefan Bellof tackles Spa’s Eau Rouge in his last race, and the aftermath of his crash (below).

Ickx had a contract to finish the season for Porsche, and he did, contesting the final three races, winning the finale at the Shah Alam Circuit in Malaysia with co-driver Mass. Ickx then hung up his helmet. By all accounts he was deeply troubled by Bellof’s death, but he has seldom spoken of the incident on the record.

Just as Mass was unfairly blamed for causing the death of F1 driver Gilles Villeneuve in 1982 at the Belgian Grand Prix after they touched wheels during qualifying, a contingent of Bellof fans still suspect Ickx might have blocked Bellof as the two entered Eau Rouge, causing the crash.

But Ickx had a camera in his car, and the evidence disputes the notion of dirty play. So said former Porsche chief engineer Norbert Singer, who designed the 956. “We reviewed the film, frame by frame, for several laps,” Singer told Automobile. “Ickx took the same line through Eau Rouge every time.

Bellof “just ended up going side-by-side into the corner and wouldn’t lift. But that was him—Stefan wouldn’t lift.” —Martin Brundle, Tyrrell F1 teammate

“Stefan and Jacky were not really friends,” Singer continued. “Bellof had the idea to show him that he was the hero at Spa, show him that someone could be much faster than him. He tried to overtake where normally nobody can. It was very tragic.”

Bell agreed with Singer. “I was very upset when he got killed,” he said. “It was a totally unnecessary accident. Bellof was incorrect, and I would say that to his parents. Nobody in his right mind would try to pass on what may be the most difficult corner in the world.”

Brundle, Bellof’s Tyrrell F1 teammate, was racing a Jaguar at Spa and was waiting to get into his car when the crash happened right in front of him. Bellof was “trying to make a statement, basically,” by passing in full view of pit lane, Brundle wrote in a 1997 column for F1 Racing magazine. Bellof “just ended up going side-by-side into the corner and wouldn’t lift. But that was him—Stefan wouldn’t lift.”

Jacky Ickx’s personality didn’t mesh well with Stefan Bellof’s, but the German’s death appeared to have a deep effect on the Belgian.

The funeral, Brundle wrote, “was horrific. It was just awful. The family was beside themselves with grief.”

Bellof devotees rally around the driver’s official website, Stefan-Bellof.de, where you can still buy family-approved merchandise and read archived stories about his career. Shortly after Porsche set the new ’Ring record, the website carried a statement that, despite reports to the contrary, the Bellof family did not support the event.

As you might expect, many of the comments on the Bellof site and Facebook page are unenthusiastic about the new benchmark. Wrote one fan: “You can’t compare apples to pears,” suggesting that a car specifically modified for the record run and using 35 years’ worth of fresh technology doesn’t directly compare to Bellof’s achievement, set in an entirely different era with what is now certainly antiquated equipment.

That said, even the diehard Bellof fans seem unanimous in their praise for the human aspect of the new Holy Grail of lap times. “Despite all the nostalgia,” wrote one, “a great performance by Timo Bernhard.”

Archive photography courtesy of Porsche and LAT Photographic

Ringing in a Record: Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo Race Car

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jesusvasser · 6 years