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Just before the Japan Grand Prix Bernie Ecclestone, whose company facing dire straits produces and sells the Formula 1 World Championship to digital TVs and is made up of more than 200 people travelling from one circuit to another, releases a series of interviews in which he claims decision making powers that he doesn’t have. The Englishman states to the British ITV that, in order to make the outcome of the races more uncertain, they should go back to a single tyre supplier. His declaration worries and annoys Michelin and Bridgestone, two companies that are involved in Formula 1 by investing many tens of millions of euros per year. On Sunday, October 6, 2002, Bernie Ecclestone piles on his previous declarations in an article published by the German daily newspaper Bild am Sonntag by revealing his plans to try containing Michael Schumacher and Ferrari’s dominance in order to reinvigorate the audience’s interest and increase the numbers of fans coming to the racetracks.
"Our audience can count on the fact that the 2003 season is going to be an engaging one. Something has to change. I promise next year the Championship will go back to being more entertaining and to reach this goal we have already developed new ideas and proposals that we will discuss with the teams during the winter break".
Ecclestone discloses some of his ideas:
"The current one-hour qualifying times of both Friday and Saturday will be split into four half-hour qualifying sessions each. Moreover, we are working out a way to penalise the fastest cars by introducing ballasts, as in horse racing. For each point of advantage in the classification, one kilo of weight will be added. For instance, if Schumacher had 20 points more than Barrichello, his car would be made heavier by adding a 20 kg ballast. In this way, everything would be more entertaining".
The English boss makes an admission by stating that Michael Schumacher’s dominance is, in fact, also a good thing:
"We owe him a lot. He is one of those superstars that every sport needs. Even though he’s not very clever, as seen when he tried to explain the end of the race in Indianapolis: his problem is that he cannot act. He’s the best driver but he will never win an Oscar as best actor. The best in doing this was Nigel Mansell".
Jokes aside, Bernie Ecclestone has gone beyond his duties with his alleged initiative. None of the changes proposed by him, at least in detail, are on the agenda to be discussed during the F1 Commission meeting scheduled in Paris on Monday, October 28, 2002. And in any case, every decision will have to be approved by a large majority of the present members - that are 26 and represent team, promoters and sponsors - to be then formally submitted to the FIA World Council. The split qualifying sessions could be accepted favourably but the ballast for the fastest drivers would be a ridiculous move with the result of altering the spirit of Formula 1. As far as the drop in interest from TV viewers, Bernie Ecclestone should say a mea culpa. To attract digital Tv broadcasters he has always provided them with the most spectacular images, while reserving for free-to-air broadcasters broadcasts of races with boring and dull direction. He has already changed his mind for the United States Grand Prix and the results were evident. Lastly, the audience’s attendance at the racetracks is also related to the ticket prices. If promoters are throttled with disproportionate demands for fees, they are forced to charge the audience more to stay within costs. And this brings back to the general development of the situation and to the battle being waged by the big car manufacturers (Ford, Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Bmw) that want to build their own Championship.
Ecclestone leaves to the teams only 47% of the TV broadcast revenues and keeps the rest for himself, including advertising and various initiatives that yield hundreds of millions of euros per year. With a fair sharing of earnings among the teams there will be more balance and also competitiveness. The tug-of-war continues. In the meantime, on Wednesday, October 9, 2002, Michaeal Schumacher, smiling and relaxed, shows up at the ceremony organised by Bridgestone in Tokyo ahead of the Japan Grand Prix. Along with the World Champion there’s also Rubens Barrichello. It’s a Ferrari day, in which the German driver (who’s after his 11th success of the season) tells stories about his childhood. The guests invited are 300, and among them there’s the chairman of the Japanese giant that produces the tyres for the Maranello cars (as well as for Jordan and BAR), Shigeo Watanabe.
"Exactly on Sunday we will celebrate our 100th race in Formula 1 and the picture is exciting: 69 wins against the 65 by Michelin".
Schumacher adds to this:
"Magic numbers need to be improved. It’d be awesome to win in Suzuka, also because this would serve to prepare the 2003 season in the best way. It’d also be the 53rd consecutive podium for Ferrari. And if on Saturday I take pole, it’d be my seventh start in front of everybody".
The German driver recalls:
"The greatest satisfaction this year has been the win in Magny-Cours that gave me the certainty of a fifth World Championship. On that track the tyres are fundamental. They have never let me down. My first love with the Bridgestone tyres dates back to when I was four years old and I had just started racing karts: I used to save the gifts from my grandparents to buy myself those same tyres".
Jean Todt also adds with delight:
"There are no secrets in this successful year and if there were any, I wouldn’t reveal them here. Many factors come into play: the right people in the right place, the attention to detail, humility, the certainty that nothing is granted and forgetting success right away. In 2003 we’ll try to do even better, even though we know it’ll be hard".
No comment is made about the bizarre ideas like adding a ballast to the fastest drivers’ cars. Bernie Ecclestone clarifies:
"The ballast rule wouldn’t be against anyone, but rather in favour of more balance. The aim is not to weaken Ferrari, we want to revive competition in Formula 1".
This brings us to the last act of the Formula 1 World Championship in Japan. Although the titles have already been awarded to Michael Schumacher and Ferrari - including Rubens Barrichello’s second place - there is the normal tension of a race that closes a long season. This time, however, the environment is in turmoil, above all because of recent statements by Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley, the two bosses of the Circus: the first is the economic and organisational manager, the latter is the president of the Federation. Although there is a certain unanimity of intent - to try to improve the show and reduce costs - not everyone agrees with the proposals launched by the British bosses.
Especially that of Max Mosley - changing cars and drivers during the year: for example, Michael Schumacher in the Minardi and Alex Yoong in the Ferrari - has rightly been described as ridiculous, if not downright crazy, by almost everyone in the industry. It is clear that Bernie and Max are aiming high, shooting their mouths off, in order to get something out of the Formula 1 Commission meeting on Monday, October 28, 2002. But the provocation is excessive. Ferrari, which disagrees on many points and in particular on the idea of imposing ballast on the car of those who win, has not spoken out. Jean Todt merely makes it known:
"Let’s wait and see, it’s pointless to say something more".
The World Champion is of the same opinion:
"I was informed only by the media, I’d like to hear the proposals firsthand before giving an opinion. I just remember that when Hakkinen won almost everything in 1998, nobody thought of adding weight to his McLaren".
Juan Pablo Montoya also says he is against certain tricks:
"I don’t mind the possibility of having qualifying on two days to liven up Friday. On the other hand, to me it’s crazy the idea of changing the cars, which would cause problems for teams and sponsors. The proposal to penalise those who are fastest and win is also negative".
The Colombian driver likes the idea of giving one or more points to whoever gets pole position. But his seems to be a rather self-interested endorsement. Ralf Schumacher, to be original, goes against his brother, Michael Schumacher:
"I’m not too much against the ballast thing, it could make races more interesting, even though it’s up to the teams to try to develop the cars to go faster".
The extra weight on cars doesn’t sit well with David Coulthard, Olivier Panis and Jacques Villeneuve. A discordant voice is that of Giancarlo Fisichella. This is understandable: if with the current Jordan he’s never able to place among the leaders, any solution that would allow him to be more competitive would be appreciated. Among the managers, Flavio Briatore is the most favourable, aligned with Bernie Ecclestone’s vision.
"I don’t know what and how, but something needs to be done. When I won everything with Benetton, in 1994 and 1995, they found a way to penalise me, disqualifying our cars three times. Anyway, we have to wait: everyone will make their own proposals, we will vote and see what comes out of it".
In the meantime, as said, Michael Schumacher is obsessed with winning again. Back to the United States Grand Prix, the German driver points out:
"I’ve watched the video of the race finish three times. Maybe at the finish line there’s been an incomprehension with Rubens. But this is not the point, Ferrari has won. And I am happy for Barrichello: after Austria I felt like I owed him something. There has been criticism, but it comes from people who often don’t understand what we do. Now, however, we’ll try to finish 2002 with a win. I like the track a lot and I am sure there will be a heated challenge because the other drivers want to take the last opportunity to save their season".
For this race, Michael Schumacher will have at his disposal the spare car that had been assigned to Rubens Barrichello in previous races, while Luca Baldisserri replaces Ross Brawn in the pits. The British technical director is blocked by back pain and will follow the race with a direct intercontinental connection. The German champion and Ferrari are aiming to win the Japanese Grand Prix to close in the best way a season that, in terms of results, has been the most exciting in the entire history of the Maranello team. They will come up against the Williams-Bmw of Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher and against the McLaren-Mercedes of Kimi Räikkönen and David Coulthard, who are clearly the fastest during the first day of free practice, but with the usual suspicion of having run with very little fuel in the tank. Anyway, it seems that the Michelin tyres are competitive, so a good battle is expected, with the usual game of pit stops, a start full of unknowns and the commitment of the drivers on one of the most spectacular and difficult circuits to interpret both in terms of driving and setup. Everyone is hoping that it will be an uncertain, hard-fought race, full of spectacular moments and perhaps even overtakes, tight until the last metre. Also because the debate triggered by Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley, the godfather and owner of Formula 1, continue to cause discussion and create doubts that only the meeting on Monday, October 28, 2002, will be able to clarify. The impression is that the two British bosses have also asked for the impossible to achieve something, so as to artificially balance the races in 2003. On Friday, October 11, 2002, the leak on Internet sites about the nine new rules proposed by the FIA President cause a stir - as well as sarcastic comments - and some of these rules, apart from being unrealistic, are absolutely ridiculous. No team - for example - is equipped to use engines that would last an entire Grand Prix in 2003 and they wouldn’t be ready for the subsequent restrictions. The fact of wanting to change cars and drivers also clashes with the most elementary logic. Let's not even talk about electronics: a Mercedes engine would probably not even start with a control unit used by Ferrari. And vice versa. So, almost certainly Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley’s intention is to aim high to achieve the minimum. But what? Perhaps the ballast that penalises the fastest driver and the testing reduction. But on the day of the Formula One Commission meeting there will be more battle than on the track. That should be a race to be televised live. It would certainly have a record audience. Surely someone on the sidelines would like a revolution in the rules:
"As long as they stop Ferrari, I'll be OK with everything".
Ferrari has already had its celebration, beyond the result of the Grand Prix that will put an end to the 2002 Formula 1 World Championship. With a conclusion that, in a thrilling qualifying, for many reasons, sees Michael Schumacher being unstoppable and Rubens Barrichello a worthy vice of the German champion. An all red front row, the seventh. And for Michael Schumacher it is pole position number 50 in his career, the seventh in Japan and of this extraordinary year. But many fans are also left breathless when Allan McNish, in his last Formula 1 race, crashes into the deadly 130R corner at almost 300 km/h. A pirouette, that of the Scot's Toyota, that ended with the driver miraculously unharmed. The scene is also witnessed by FIA President Max Mosley, who has come to support his crazy plan to restructure Formula 1. The English lawyer reiterates that the series of proposals announced some days before will be presented at the Commission meeting. And, in particular, the one concerning the addition of ballasts on the cars of those who win to make them go slower in the following races. Mosley explains in more detail the hypothesis of having the drivers race in different cars, drawn randomly. Ten races, always changing single-seaters, then the last six or seven using the ones the drivers like best, with first choice in order of ranking. Absolutely impossible idea to put into practice. Among other things, the drivers would be salaried employees of the FIA. Mosley reiterates that his is not an attack on Ferrari, which indeed could have more merit by winning with this formula. Instead, there is the impression that this is an attempted coup against the Maranello team. And in particular against Luca Montezemolo, guilty of being at the head of the constructors who want to organise another championship and divide the revenue now in the hands of Bernie Ecclestone. A tug-of-war perhaps aimed at dividing the car companies, at making them weaker, with Flavio Briatore, in charge of Renault, more linked to the current power than to those who invest and pay to race. With the World Championship on the track over, the one of diplomacy begins.
On Sunday, October 13, 2002, Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello hold their positions at the start of the Japanese Grand Prix. Right after them there’s David Coulthard, while Ralf Schumacher overtakes Kimi Räikkönen. The Finnish driver precedes Juan Pablo Montoya, Takuma Satō, Jarno Trulli, Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella, who loses several places at the start. During the seventh lap, David Coulthard is forced to retire due to a problem in his Mercedes engine. Basically nothing more happens until the first round of pit stops, begun by Jarno Trulli during lap 15. Michael Schumacher pits during lap 20, followed by his teammate a lap later, but the two drivers still comfortably lead the race. Lap 22 sees Kimi Räikkönen boxing, while the two Williams drivers refuel on lap 24 and 25. After the first stops for refuelling Michael Schumacher, still in the lead, precedes Rubens Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher, Kimi Räikkönen, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jarno Trulli, Takuma Sato and Jenson Button; however, on lap 33, the Italian driver is forced to retire due to an engine failure. The second round of pit stops leaves things unchanged. No major events occur until lap 49, when Ralf Schumacher is forced to retire due to an engine failure, handing third place to Kimi Räikkönen. Michael Schumacher puts an end to a triumphant season for him, winning the Japanese Grand Prix and taking his eleventh victory. Rubens Barrichello, behind him, secures the ninth one-two finish of the season for Scuderia Ferrari, the fifth in a row, a record already held by the Maranello team in 1952. Moreover, Scuderia Ferrari takes the fifteenth victory out of seventeen total races, matching the previous record held by the McLaren MP4/4, which achieved fifteen wins out of sixteen races in 1988. Juan Pablo Montoya closes in fourth place, preceded by Kimi Räikkönen, whereas Takuma Satō gains his first career points on his home track after an aggressive race, allowing Jordan to get ahead of Jaguar in the World Constructors' Championship. Jenson Button crosses the finish line in sixth position. Michael Schumacher had stated:
"I want to win".
And in the Japanese Grand Prix he kept his word. Ready, set, go and a 53-lap long lead. The other drivers only saw him after crossing the finish line. Otherwise, the slowest ones, while he was lapping them. Only after the first of the two planned pit stops, Rubens Barrichello had the pleasure to lead for about a minute and a half and then he also had to settle for watching, quite from afar, the German champion car’s back. An excellent Schumacher for the last race of the season, that established him as the driver with the best all-time results. And at Suzuka, just to give the idea, Michael Schumacher won for the fifth time; to these successes on the Japanese soil he has to add the two victories in the Pacific Grand Prix at the Aida circuit in the first years of his career. At lights out, all the other drivers were already trudging behind him. Juan Pablo Montoya was hardly noticed, always running far back, in sixth position, with times far from the best, finally recovering an unhoped-for fourth place thanks to the troubles of others. David Coulthard, who had chosen a reckless tactic, with three pit-stops, had to give up very soon, stopped by an electronic problem on his McLaren, while trying to at least keep up with Rubens Barrichello. Ralf Schumacher, who got off the line well, overtaking Kimi Räikkönen by doing so, was aiming for the podium behind the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers, when he was betrayed by yet another failure of the BMW engine. And he robbed his brother of the pleasure of celebrating with him at the end of the race, something that Michael Schumacher does with Rubens Barrichello and the cold Kimi Räikkönen, who does not even loosen up under the champagne jets. So, at the end of the day, the last two good places in the points zone were occupied by Takuma Satō, in fifth, and Jenson Button, this time more lucky than good. The young Japanese driver's placing, his best ever and one of the brightest for Japanese drivers since a now almost forgotten third place by Aguri Suzuki, fascinated the public. Satō, a Jordan driver who is unlikely to be confirmed by the Irish team for the next year (although some say Honda will pay his hiring for 2003) and who may have to stop, thus became the hero of the day. The fans, many more than expected, first peel off their hands to clap for the Scuderia Ferrari driver duo. Then they go wild, waving national and yellow flags for hours.
Takuma, who has already done very well with Formula 3 in England, has already been called the little samurai. Who knows if there will be a future for him. But at Suzuka he remains for hours on the track, until nightfall, enjoying the cheers of joy of the crowd. No happiness instead for the Italians. Giancarlo Fisichella had to stop in a corner due to a failure of the Honda engine mounted on his race car during the formation lap, the one of the spare Jordan exploded in a cloud of smoke, while he was trying to recover around the tenth position. Once the race is over, Giancarlo Fisichella speeds towards Tokyo to go back to Italy:
"I only hope to cheer myself up by seeing Roma win the derby against Lazio".
Jarno Trulli, who was fighting for sixth, maybe fifth place, was betrayed once again by his Renault, again due to engine issues. Nine retirements out of seventeen races due to technical reasons for the Italian driver. The only consolation for him was fourth place in the Constructors' World Championship for the French team, a sign that progress is there. But it also takes a lot of patience. The same patience that Minardi must have, still looking to improve its economic situation to be able to face the future with greater peace of mind. All while Arrows goes to court. The crisis in Formula 1 has already claimed two victims. Prost went bankrupt and did not even start the championship. Arrows, tormented by debts, has given up racing since the Hungarian Grand Prix. Now the British team has been dropped by its sponsor, Orange. On Wednesday, October 16, 2002, it will be in court with its creditors, among them Heinz-Harald Frentzen. There is talk of a loss of tens of millions of euros. The FIA has however not yet expelled Arrows from its registered teams. However, the Minardi team, owned by the Australian Paul Stoddart, has already asked Ecclestone to acquire the television rights meant for Prost, whose retirement earned it a place in the 2001 Championship. But several teams argue that the money should be divided among those who participated in the World Championship. Focusing back on the Japanese Grand Prix, the first phone call that reaches the Maranello team's men, as usual, is that of Ferrari President Luca Montezemolo, who has been watching the race on television at home in Bologna.
"Everyone, give my compliments to Shigeo Watanabe, the president of Bridgestone. It has been an unforgettable season, thanks to the extraordinary work of this team and the support of our suppliers and sponsors. Everyone had faith and continued to invest, they believed in us. A triumph that is the result of a great effort in terms of technology in the difficult competition against the biggest car manufacturers in the world. We are celebrating now, but tomorrow we will already be at work, because we want to continue along the path we have been on for some time".
And, indeed, that of Ferrari is a small celebration. Everyone regroups at the Campanella restaurant, inside the circuit, with a buffet and beer. The media are not allowed in, but it’s easy to imagine Michael Schumacher with a Havana cigar in his mouth and Rubens Barrichello stunned with joy, celebrating with all the team’s men. Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher comments:
"It’s been a season close to perfection. I don’t know if we will be able to do another one like it, it will be difficult. I ended up on the podium in every race, but it’s out of the ordinary that I raced seventeen times without ever retiring, without having mechanical problems. I’ve experienced fantastic moments that I’ll never forget".
However, there have been some ups and downs.
"I don’t want to dig up certain past events. If you refer to the Austrian Grand Prix, I don’t think we have hurt anybody. If somebody didn’t accept that day’s result, we did. And in the end, it also proved that we were right, that in that right moment it was necessary to give the decisive blow to our rivals. Now I want to enjoy the situation, thank everyone, especially Bridgestone, I am happy for them and for us".
Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello also go under the big tent where the mechanics from Bridgestone, Ferrari’s tyre supplier, work, and there there are people from many different countries, some are humble workers who spend their days putting the tyres on the wheel rims, and who do a heavy and delicate job. The two drivers embrace everyone, indiscriminately, sign autographs, mingle with the crowd.
"Now I’m looking forward to celebrating with the Ferrari fans in Misano Adriatico. We’re all going to be there. Then I’ll play a football match in Rovigo and I’ll fulfil a couple of commitments I have made with the team. For this reason, I will have to renounce the world kart race that I had planned to take part on Sunday, October 27, in Muro Leccese. I'm sorry, but I don't want to take too many days away from my family".
The race?
"I had a good time. You know I like Suzuka a lot. I was happy when Mark Webber took points, when making his debut in Australia, I am also happy for Takuma Satō, fifth on his home track. The two of us won today, him and I".
Rubens Barrichello, meanwhile, doesn’t know how to express his happiness anymore.
"Happy, happy, for me and for Ferrari. I had a bit of a difficult start to the race because the car was touching the floor when it was loaded with fuel. Then it lightened up and I could drive at full throttle. But Michael already had the advantage. I think about holidays and next season. I want to rest and come into 2003 fully fit, charged up, with a clear mind and a lot of sincerity".
The Brazilian's last sentence is a bit mysterious. Perhaps he has told a few too many lies so far? Among Ferrari's many secrets, there is a curious one. A small detail which, however, can give the measure of the strictness with which each commitment is approached. As soon as the race is over with the umpteenth one-two, all the engineers get together for a debriefing during which the data collected during the race is analysed, the things that went well and those that did not go well are examined. A method that was established by Jean Todt, who a little in jest and a lot in earnest imposed a fine for those who show up late. Ten euros to be paid for every minute out of time. So far, the sporting director, Stefano Domenicali, has collected around 1,500 euros since mid-season, a sign that someone is getting caught, but pays. It has not yet been decided what will be done with this money. Maybe charity, maybe a dinner for everyone. The fact remains that everything is taken methodically. Norbert Haug, head of Mercedes, admits:
"The Maranello team's results don’t happen by chance, nor are they a miracle. You have to take your hat off to their prowess. For me, however, the great strength of this team lies in having built a super-reliable car. They always arrive at the finish line and wear out their opponents. The engine of the F2002 is never fully engaged for too long, it's the overall package that runs like clockwork. Imposing certain rhythms forces us and our drivers to make mistakes".
Haug also reveals that Ferrari’s idea of starting the World Championship in March with the old F2001 was a winner:
"In this way they were able to fine-tune the new one without working themselves up too much, they proved that it can work. We will do the same next year. We will start with the current modified car, the MP4/D. And we will not only polish it up, but also continue developing it because we made some interesting progress in the last part of the championship. Then from the third or fourth race we will introduce the new one. I’m sure this will be the right strategy".
No doubt about Michael Schumacher’s merits:
"What he did was exceptional, outstanding. He’s a champion but this is nothing new. And he’s German. We are very fast…".
The McLaren team could have raced in 2002 on Bridgestone tyres, but instead hoped for a surprise by switching to Michelin. And at Suzuka, the Japanese company celebrated its race number 100 in Formula 1 with its victory number 70. A very high average. Kimi Räikkönen’s placing behind Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello did not prevent Juan Pablo Montoya from winning his own little trophy, with third place in the Drivers' Championship taken from his teammate, Ralf Schumacher.
"It has been a good season, my second in Formula 1. I have only one regret, that of not having won a race. But I will make up for it next year. I promise. I don't think Ferrari will be able to maintain the same advantage they had this season. That would be inhuman".
Never before in the course of the season had four F2002s been seen together on the track: on Sunday, October 20, 2002, the show was reserved for the fans, who had come from all over the world, at the Santa Monica circuit for the now traditional Ferrari Day event. A thrilling performance on a day packed with races and emotions. On track, Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello, Luca Badoer and Luciano Burti perform overtaking, braking, scorching acceleration and quick pit stops. After about ten laps, the finish is on parade. But, this time, unlike in Indianapolis, the German put himself on the safe side by anticipating his companions. Festivities, celebrations and real happiness for everyone. President Montezemolo publicly thanks the fans and invites them to keep on cheering for them. But he also adds that it will be difficult to repeat a season similar to the one just ended.
"We are trying to create the conditions to continue winning, but I don't think it is possible in the same way as in 2002. Dominating fifteen races out of seventeen means we have almost achieved perfection in the car, in all areas. 2002 was a bit of a compendium of many efforts, economic and technical, of the investments made also in human resources over the last few years".
Luca Montezemolo is satisfied with the results achieved, for many reasons:
"For the people who have always followed us with passion, they are a lot and I think they are happy. Then with pride, in such a delicate moment for the economy and in particular for our car industry, of having contributed to keeping up the winning image of Italian work in the world. But now we look ahead and keep pushing. I have to laugh when someone claims that Ferrari takes the suspense away from the championship. We have suffered so much in the past that we will never be satisfied with what we can achieve. However, if it happens, we will be happy even if we win the World Championship at the last minute".
The President is not too worried about what will be decided on Monday, October 28, 2002, in London, at the F1 Commission’s meeting, where the ideas to make races more spectacular and uncertain will be discussed, even the absurd proposals made by Ecclestone and Mosley.
"Since 1951 up to now, Ferrari has always been willing to accept and propose new rules on safety, cost reduction and technological innovation. But we cannot agree to rules that alter the spirit of the sport. Those who want to distort it are trying to penalise those who have risked more and created winning teams and cars. We count a lot on the sense of responsibility of the people who work in Formula 1".
Then he says something about Michael Schumacher, when he’s asked if Ferrari’s collaboration with the German driver will come to an end in 2004.
"I believe that if he continues to race, he will do it with us. It's up to Schumi to decide, there won't even be a need to talk about it, a handshake will be enough to get at least until 2006".
On Saturday evening, Michael Schumacher was made a Commander of the Republic of San Marino, together with Rubens Barrichello and Jean Todt (Luca Montezemolo was given the highest honour, that of Knight of Saint Agatha, granted to Heads of State and Prime Ministers); after the show, the Ferrari President reiterates that it will not be easy to repeat an exceptional season. Michael adds:
"The Ferrari party has become a traditional and always joyful family event. This year it was really special. In 2003 the rivals will try to catch up and beat us. We will put in the maximum effort to remain at the top. We will try to improve again. It will be harder now, but we will try, that's for sure".
For the first time in history, on Tuesday, October 22, 2002, a Formula 1 single-seater enters the Quirinale courtyard, where usually only official cars pass through. The honour falls to the F2002, winner of two world titles. On a joyous and even moving day, the President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, rewards the Ferrari-Maserati Group for its successes in the industrial and sporting fields. Ciampi, who recounts having driven his first car in 1940, a vehicle that still had solid tyres, confers various honours to the protagonists of an extraordinary season. Twenty years ago, President Sandro Pertini had reserved an identical shower of titles for the players of the national football team that won the World Cup in Spain in 1982: from Bearzot to Zoff, from Vicini to all the players. Now it is the turn of the Maranello team: Luca di Montezemolo and Piero Ferrari are nominated Grand Officers, Jean Todt, Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello (the only one absent because he is already in Brazil) become Commanders, Antonio Ghini, Head of Foreign Relations, becomes an Official Knight; recognitions are also awarded to Luca Badoer and Luciano Burti (the two test-drivers), and to the Ges department in general with engineers and mechanics. The celebration begins in the morning, with the arrival at the Quirinale of the F2002, this year's winning single-seater, accompanied by two road cars, including a Maserati spyder. Ciampi shows great interest in the mechanics of the fastest car in the Formula 1 World Championship: a brief speech and then handshakes to all and a joke addressed to Michael Schumacher to let those who have shown a lack of interest in the championship in recent times know:
"We don't get bored with Ferrari's victories".
The F2002 enters the palace courtyard to the amazement and curiosity of tourists and fans waiting on the forecourt to meet the German driver. Michael Schumacher, who has arrived in a Lancia Thesis with Luca Montezemolo, Jean Todt and Piero Ferrari, speeds off, greeting the people behind the car window. Luca Colaianni, Head of the Ferrari press office, says:
"It was a very nice experience and an acknowledgement to the whole team. Schumacher was very impressed by the friendly atmosphere he found".
With the World Championship over, there is obviously great anticipation for the Formula 1 Commission meeting to be held in London, where all the proposals to make the races more exciting and regain the television audience of the best times will be considered. The 26 members (12 votes to the Constructors, 8 to the organisers of which at least 4 are European, 1 to the representatives of the tyre suppliers, 1 to the motorists, 2 to the sponsors, plus Mosley and Ecclestone) will only be able to deliberate new rules if there is a majority of at least 18 in favour of the changes. While it is almost ruled out, barring huge surprises, that the FIA President's idea of driver rotation in different teams will pass, some argue that the idea of ballasting the car of the first classified drivers in each race could be put into effect. Among the acceptable proposals is the idea of drastically reducing testing during the season to limit costs and to prevent teams with more than one car from having different advantages and solutions for tyre supplies by switching to a single type of tyre produced, however, by both Michelin and Bridgestone. One school of thought would also be inclined to require the participation of three cars from the same team in at least two championship races of their choice. An innovation that might not even displease Ferrari. But President Luca Montezemolo makes it clear that the Maranello team has no intention of accepting absurd proposals.
"I am convinced that in the end common sense will prevail and proposals that improve the show and interest but are not punitive for those who have made investments and research will be made".
Montezemolo does not hide a certain annoyance at some hypotheses circulating in recent times.
"We are proud of a Ferrari so strong that it beats the competition. We have been in Formula 1 for fifty years and have always accepted intelligent proposals that do not distort it. These are absurd and pose a problem; is it worth continuing to invest? To go down in history with these records shows that the team is united and has a great drive for renewal".
He continues:
"It is not possible to penalise those who have made great investments and worked better. Why do our cars have to be weighed down with ballast? Formula 1's mission is to offer advanced technology and safety".
So, it’s down to voting. At the Hilton Hotel in Heathrow, London's main airport, the Formula 1 Commission meets in the morning. The Toyota team is excluded because it has only been competing for one year, Minardi because it only re-entered the top ten after the bankruptcy of Prost, Arrows because it did not participate in the last races. The decision will be important, but not final: there will be time until December to change things up, when the plan will be submitted to the Federation's World Council. The Maranello team can count on the vote of the sponsors' representatives (Philip Morris) and the tyre suppliers (Bridgestone).
Among the constructors, McLaren is in tune with Scuderia Ferrari, as is Sauber, which is a customer for the supply of engines. More uncertain is the position of Williams-Bmw, which first branded the introduction of ballasts as ridiculous, but then said it was prepared to eventually vote in favour of it. Eddie Jordan leads the front of the smaller teams, which the revolution would bring closer to the podium as if by magic. Thus, Mosley replies to the criticism:
"We are not targeting Ferrari. We simply explained that there is a problem and proposed a solution. Those who do not agree will have to come forward with new ideas".
What triggered the mechanism was the television channels around the world that buy the rights to broadcast the Grand Prix at great expense. They all brought the prices down. Friday's official tests should allow Bernie Ecclestone to keep the same figures on the contracts. And while controversy and an air of crisis hover over Formula 1, the Belgian Grand Prix, one of the oldest and most fascinating races in the World Championship, is in danger of being skipped. As a matter of fact, starting June 2003 Belgium has a total ban on tobacco advertising, an important item in the budgets of many teams. The calendar could be reduced to sixteen races, the entertainment would drop, and so would the revenue. Unless Belgium makes an exception, or the Grand Prix is run in May. Since, generally speaking, when money is tight, a solution always ends up being found. On Monday, October 28, 2002, Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone turn up at 2:40 p.m. in the Concorde Room of the Hilton at London's Heathrow Airport to announce the turning point of Formula 1. Two hours later, they seem satisfied: the goal has been achieved. Formula 1 gives itself new rules, aimed at reducing costs and improving the show. But no revolution. The changes announced are not even distantly related to the controversial nine-point plan circulated in previous days. Already on Friday, October 18, 2002, at the informal meeting between Mosley and the team representatives (held at the FIA headquarters in Trafalgar Square) it was clear that the Mosley plan, such as it was, would not be approved. Hectic negotiations therefore followed, aimed at reaching a compromise that was valid for all and, at the same time, capable of reducing costs while increasing the show. Among the most important novelties, the scoring: the first eight classified (and no longer just six) are rewarded with 10 points to the first, 8 to the second, 6 to the third and then 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. And moreover: practice sessions over two days, but only one car on the track at a time and only one fast lap per driver. Friday's classification determines the starting order on Saturday, which decides the starting grid. Absolute ban on team orders and prizes for those who reduce winter testing. On the sidelines, abolition of the Belgian Grand Prix because there was no agreement among the teams to race without tobacco advertising. Max Mosley says:
"There is a very fine line between doing too much and not doing enough. You have to find the balance and we think we have found it without altering the sport".
The changes to the scoring at worst will have the cosmetic effect of reducing the abysmal gaps of last year, but Mosley seems happy with the new qualifying system that could result in totally overturned starting grids.
"Whoever races first is naturally disadvantaged, so on Friday the smaller teams will be favoured. But on Saturday the bigger ones will have a chance to make up for it. That's our goal: to force the fastest to prove themselves on the track. We may see some new faces in the front rows, which will make for a show, because if McLaren and Ferrari are behind, they will have to overtake".
But overtaking doesn’t only interest Bernie Ecclestone:
"Overtaking in itself is not a source of entertainment. Just look at motorcycling: in the 125 class there are fifty overtakes per lap and yet nobody watches it. I actually believe that all practice sessions generate interest because they are close and uncertain".
In the long run, the other big change, the incentives given to the teams that will limit the number of testing days during the season to ten, could also be important. They will be granted the right to do two extra hours of free practice on Friday mornings.
"For the small teams it is very important, because two extra hours of practice before the Grand Prix are valuable and, we believe, more important than expensive and often frankly unnecessary testing. I hope that sooner or later all the racing teams will decide to participate in the Friday tests. Partly because it would add interest to the day, and partly because if they all took part, Formula 1 would save between $200.000.000 and $300.000.000 a year".
Someone asks Ecclestone if all these changes were really necessary, if things were not going well for him as they were. Ecclestone spreads his arms wide, but his attitude seems clear:
"The aim was never to penalise the strongest, at this moment Ferrari. Also because I don't think there is any need. We talk about crises, but it is the whole sector of sport on television that is in difficulty. In fact, compared to others, we have held up well. I believe that next year Formula 1 will be more spectacular, uncertain and competitive than this year. And I don't think it will only be because of these rules. More than anything else it will be the desire for redemption of great teams like McLaren and Williams".
From Maranello comes the applause of Ferrari President Luca Montezemolo.
"Common sense has prevailed".
Says Luca Montezemolo. And Jean Todt, who attended the meeting, speaks with satisfaction of harmony between the teams and unanimous agreement on almost everything. The head of Scuderia Ferrari's Ges likes the new qualifying mechanism:
"We will see spectacular challenges and unpredictable starting grids".
The first dissenting voice is that of Eddie Irvine:
"How do the smaller teams compete with the giants if the costs remain high?"
Formula 1 copies Superbike: one lap only, woe betide if you make a mistake because you would end up at the back of the grid. And if that happens, so much the better for the show, as a Ferrari, a Williams or a McLaren starting from the back are a guarantee of overtaking, a rare commodity in today's Formula 1. More entertainment and savings on testing, then: the exact aim on the eve of the meeting. So why has a fuss been raised? Why stir up the ghosts of a revolution to the detriment of the strongest team, Ferrari as it happens?
One of two things is true: either they have tried to damage it, hoping to gather the consensus of all the teams frustrated by the red dominance; or they wanted to raise a smokescreen to hide other problems in Formula 1. Between the big constructors and Bernie Ecclestone relations have been strained for some time. The teams want a different distribution of the resources produced by the Formula 1 industry and threaten to organise another championship from 2008, when the Concorde Agreement expires. Having finalised the regulation issue, the confrontation can resume. Unfortunately, still during the London meeting, the Belgian Grand Prix is cancelled from the 2003 calendar and the news is drowned out by that on the regulations. Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most difficult circuits, where the good driver makes the difference and many World Championships have been decided. Belgium has banned all forms of tobacco advertising and no agreement has been reached to race there anyway. A strange ban is the one on cigarette advertising: it is in force throughout Europe, yet elsewhere it is bypassed (in Italy it is enough to pay a fine to leave the sponsor in plain sight). From 2006, the ban will be total, and it is perhaps no coincidence that Formula 1's interest is shifting towards locations that are very tolerant from this point of view: Bahrain will host the first Middle East Grand Prix in 2004 at the Shakir racetrack, while China has nominated Shanghai (with a good chance of being included in the calendar, since it offers 1.200.000.000 potential spectator-consumers). The Arab Emirates, Turkey and Russia are also in the running. New markets, new earnings. The show must go on. Formula 1 changes rules and calendar, some drivers change teams. Michael Schumacher changes home, while Mika Hakkinen does not change his mind and announces his retirement at the end of a sabbatical year. The Circus starts to make the news again, after the decision that will make qualifying more exciting and reduce its costs. Jordan and Minardi have yet to sign three drivers and in a week's time most teams will take to the track to resume testing.
After the record-breaking season (preceded by two years of triumph) Ferrari is working to improve the extraordinary performance of the F2002. It will be a new single-seater, and not a simple evolution, even if the experience of 2002 gives them the direction: the Maranello team could start the season on Sunday, March 9, 2003, in Australia with the old car. At Maranello, the engineers' work is concentrated in the wind tunnel for aerodynamics and on the test bench for the engine. The first winter test session will take place from Tuesday, November 26, 2002, in Barcelona, and will be devoted mainly to tyre development. On track there will be Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello. By the end of the year, Ferrari will also move to Jerez and then back to Barcelona, while test driver Luca Badoer will drive at Fiorano and Mugello, testing mechanical and electrical evolutions that will be introduced in the new car. At Jaguar, Niki Lauda opts for a revolution after the 2002 flop. The regular drivers are out (old and not very motivated Eddie Irvine, too slow Pedro De La Rosa) and replaced with two emerging talents: the Australian Mark Webber, good at driving the Minardi, and the Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia, who arrives from Formula 3000 and makes his debut in the Circus. Another new face is the Brazilian Cristiano Da Matta, who became champion in the United States in Formula Kart like Jacques Villeneuve and Juan Pablo Montoya, who will switch to Toyota together with Olivier Panis. Eddie Irvine could take Takuma Satō’s place at Jordan, while Fernando Alonso will join Jarno Trulli at Renault and Jenson Button will go to BAR. Lastly, news is that Sauber-Petronas is dropping the talented but impetuous Felipe Massa, replacing him with the experienced Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Two more places are on offer from Minardi. The owner Paul Stoddart likes Jos Verstappen, now unemployed; some youngsters will be tested during the Valencia tests starting on Monday, November 25, 2002, but the names will be known in a month's time. The drivers' market does not even touch Michael Schumacher, who in recent times has been more concerned with the real estate one. The World Champion leaves his residence in Vufflens-le-Château and moves to the shores of Lake Geneva, also in Switzerland.
The estate (estimated value: 10.000.000 dollars) is called La Reserve, in Gland. The neighbours are singer Phil Collins, former colleague Alain Prost, Italian industrialist Ernesto Bertarelli, owner of the Sereno pharmaceutical group and owner of the Alinghi boat in the America's Cup, and the richest girl on the planet, Athina Roussel, niece of Greek shipowner Aristotle Onassis. To the German driver it seemed the right nest to maintain privacy and safety, as well as to spend a retirement that still seems far away. On the other hand, one person who has left Formula 1 and has not regretted it is Mika Hakkinen. Two-time World Champion with McLaren-Mercedes, the Finnish driver revealed to the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag that he has given up racing for good to devote himself to his family, after 161 races and 20 wins.
"I want to take care of my wife Erja and my son Hugo. I'm doing better than ever; I don't miss anything".
After the final Japanese Grand Prix, the traditional sabbatical period with engines switched off began for all teams. But from Tuesday, November 26, 2002, the engines will be switched on again. Ferrari will move on two fronts. Spain and Italy, with its test drivers: Luca Badoer until Thursday in Barcelona, Luciano Burti until Saturday at Mugello, while the factory drivers enjoy their last few days off. Testing will continue at Barcelona from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 December 2002 and at Jerez from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 December 2002, supplemented by sessions at Fiorano and Mugello. Work is being done on tyres and electronics, but some parts that will end up on the F2003 are already being tested in secret. The new single-seater is being developed in the wind tunnel and at the Maranello test bench: it will be presented in February, but it is likely that the team will race in Australia with the 2002 single-seater. In favour of this choice is the positive experience of the championship that has just ended, and the enormous advantage shown by the old car in all the races, which should continue to guarantee a safety margin. McLaren-Mercedes has also decided to tackle the non-European races at the start of the season with this year's car. The British team will start its tests from Tuesday to Thursday at the Valencia circuit, then move to Barcelona at the same time as Ferrari and to Jerez from Tuesday 10 to Saturday 14 December 2002. Renault adopts a counter-current policy: to build the new car as early as possible, so as to have more time than rivals to correct its defects. For Jarno Trulli it promises to be a period of work overtime: in Seville he will do four days of testing, two of which will be dedicated to tyres, at the wheel of a hybrid R202 (2002 aerodynamic configuration with the new engine-gearbox unit). The date for the presentation of the final model has not yet been set. The aim for 2003: to annoy McLaren and Williams.
"Ferrari will still be unreachable".
From Williams come good omens for two young and promising Italian drivers. One is 23-year-old Giorgio Pantano, from Padua, fresh from a second place in Formula 3000; the other is 21-year-old Vitantonio Liuzzi, eighth in the German Formula 3. They will have the chance to test the single-seaters of Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. Up for grabs is the test driver's seat left vacant by Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia, who will make his debut in a Jaguar. The appointment, however, is postponed to the 2003 World Championship. And everyone will try to beat Scuderia Ferrari. When Luca Montezemolo took over Ferrari in 1991, he had clear ideas but knew very well that his task of relaunching the Maranello factory would have been a difficult one. Now, eleven years later, after also taking over responsibility for Maserati in 1997, the president of the most prestigious group producing GT cars can be more than satisfied. Not only for the extraordinary results achieved in Formula 1, but also and above all for those recorded on the industrial level. Ferrari and Maserati are doing very well: the first has consolidated its supremacy in terms of appeal and technology, the latter is experiencing a magical moment of brand reaffirmation and market reconquest. With precise deadlines, new successful models are coming out and the factories have undergone an unprecedented development process that has become a reference point even for the most qualified competition. So, can an overall analysis be made?
"We have been achieving increasing results for eleven years. This growth can be divided into four points: turnover, economic results, number of cars sold and sporting results. Ferrari is almost eighty years old and there has never been a year like this in the history of our company. We expect to close 2002 with a 10% improvement in turnover over the previous year, although I cannot predict the economic results, but I am optimistic. We will sell more cars, just think that with Maserati we are close to doubling volumes. The most important fact was definitely winning the Formula One World Championship for the fourth year and six races before the end. This had never happened since 1950. I also say this while staying grounded because ours is a difficult business and we are up against the world's leading automotive giants. With the exception of General Motors and the Volkswagen Group, in fact, all the world's biggest groups are there to win in Formula 1 and it is therefore a real source of pride for us to be ahead of them all".
What is the secret of this management?
"Three factors to which we have dedicated all possible effort: 360-degree technological innovation as our philosophy of life; great attention to the product, to the customers and to the men who work at Ferrari; and a great desire to keep the quality and exclusivity of the cars high, as a rule".
Engineers, technicians, mechanics, but also men....
"We were the first to put gearboxes derived from Formula 1 on Ferrari road cars, electronics in the engine, the first to build cars with composite materials. We invest 16% of the group's turnover in research and development, not counting racing. In percentage terms this is a very high figure, normally companies invest between 4% and 7%. This year we launched, somewhat provocatively, a challenge called Formula Uomo [Formula Man, ndt]. Since 1999 we have wanted to reconsider the entire layout of Maranello, which is a very interesting reality, because it is the only car factory in the world that includes the entire process in one place. The layout was redone with a precise objective, to be the car factory with the highest quality of life inside, both for the well-being of the people who work there and because everything is automatically reflected in the quality of the product. There is also a target for growth, particularly in two new markets: Russia and China. 2004 will be the year of the turning point. I think the Maserati Quattroporte is a very suitable car and, especially in China, so is the Ferrari. As a matter of fact, we are planning to organise a big Ferrari-Maserati event, probably in Beijing".
Intense work is also going on in Modena for Maserati.
"Yes. We are about to complete the new factory, which started from scratch in 1997/98. The factory was closed for six months, in agreement with the unions, to rebuild everything. It will have the same innovations: air conditioning, environment, quality of life. Maserati is a big bet. We have an important 2003 ahead of us, because at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September we will present the new Quattroporte, which is the first big Italian sedan. And in 2004 we will return to competition in the GT World Championship, also with the technological collaboration of Pirelli for the tyres".
If all is going well for Ferrari on the industrial level, there is no hiding the fact that there is an air of crisis in Formula 1, especially at an economic level…
"Ferrari comes from four consecutive years of success. Repeating it will be very difficult, we will have to fight hard for the fifth title. But we are working with passion and commitment to achieve it. We have had a stable team since July 1993 when Todt arrived, with contracts until 2004, which I intend to renew. So, let's say, to try to maintain strength and continuity. Schumacher is not in question and Barrichello in 2002 was very good".
Montezemolo, what do you think of those who say Formula 1 is boring now?
"I don't understand why when the others were winning, the World Championship was wonderful, interesting. Now that we win, Formula 1 has suddenly become boring".
Are you always nervous during races?
"Yes, when there's a race weekend it's always terrible".
There has been a lot of criticism for certain events on track...
"If we talk about team orders, I could make a kilometre-long list to recount all the episodes that have taken place in the past. The interest of the team is more important. Our drivers will never fight each other".
Meanwhile there is also the tug-of-war with Ecclestone...
"He has done very well in launching and developing modern Formula 1. But let's take into account that the teams only see 47% of one of the items that make up the budget, that which concerns television rights. As for the rest, tickets, advertising, various promotions, not a penny. The manufacturers want to get their share, not to make money, but to reduce costs. The agreement with Ecclestone will expire in 2008, we want to share money better even earlier. The British manager could remain the manager of Formula 1, but the earnings should be shared in another way".
And what's in Luca Montezemolo's future?
"I'm fine with Ferrari and Maserati. Of course, there is also Alfa Romeo, the three marques do not overlap. But that depends on the shareholders. Let's think about moving forward. In Formula 1 we have won fifteen races out of seventeen, in 2003 I would be happy with something less... It's important to stay at the top. Some people have won and then disappeared. After regaining the title in 2000, we didn't just celebrate with tortellini and champagne. We continued to work".