Elio De Angelis, the leader of the Formula 1 World Championship, and Michele Alboreto, the extraordinary protagonist of the Monaco Grand Prix, challenge each other for the World Championship title.
Michele Alboreto says:
"I'll take the lead at the next race in Spa".
Elio De Angelis replies:
"Nobody should have any illusions, I want to stay in the lead until the end of the season".
Good intentions on both sides. To tell the truth, however, it is necessary to admit that, after the first four races of the season, the number one favorite to win the world title is still him, Alain Prost, mocked by Niki Lauda during the last race of the previous year. Three wins (one retired) out of four races are a clear example of the renewed ambitions of the French driver.
"So far, we've paid the price of 1984, faced it without any problems and fought for victory in the family. The others had the chance to work with a view to the future, while we fought a relentless battle. Then McLaren had to change their tire supplier and modify their cars. For these reasons, our rivals, especially Ferrari and Lotus, caught up in terms of competitiveness. Nevertheless, apart from Belgium, you'll see the white and red cars again in qualifying and in the race. I can assure you that De Angelis, Alboreto and Senna won't have an easy life, although the latter is an expert. My only goal is to win the championship. And I'll do it".
Alain Prost, who turned 30 in February, is determined not to miss another opportunity. Knowing his determination, it is possible to believe that he will be the man to beat. It was not without reason that the Frenchman was nicknamed "the stubborn" at the beginning of his precocious career, because he always achieved his goals. Later, he was nicknamed 'the dwarf', referring to his limited height and also used in a pejorative sense, perhaps to create a negative image of the rider. However, recently everyone has changed their minds and now they call him "the professor" or "Amadeus Prost", considering that the little transalpine man has become a very precocious champion, able to realize on the track the equivalent of real melodies for those who know how to appreciate an almost perfect driving style. With the success in Monaco, the McLaren driver has achieved three goals for now. He almost completely destroyed the possible ambitions of his teammate Niki Lauda, drew all the attention of the team to himself and regained the top spot in the standings. This is no small thing in a single race. And we are only at the beginning. As he said, Prost will trigger the battle at the Belgian Grand Prix. But while waiting for the Belgian Grand Prix, Formula One also suffered the tragedy of the Heysel stadium (the Heysel massacre refers to a tragedy that occurred on Wednesday, May 29, 1985, just before the start of the Champions League football final between the Italian club Juventus and its British counterpart Liverpool, at the Heysel stadium in Brussels, where 39 people died, 32 of them Italians, and more than 600 were injured). On the eve of the Belgian Grand Prix, the fifth race of the World Championship, the environment seems to be in a state of shock and there is a lot of talk about the tragedy. The threat of fear also hangs over this sport, which, like soccer, is a mass sport with huge crowds. So far, the violence has not been as extreme as on soccer fields. However, on a few occasions, there have been the first signs of excesses that could be ominous. Let's hope that common sense will prevail and that rooting will not turn into hooliganism or absurd outbursts. Michele Alboreto, perhaps the most sensitive and affected by the tragedy, since he is also a consultant for the Torino Football Club, gave a speech:
"What happened Wednesday night is horrible. I was watching TV and I couldn't believe my eyes. I couldn't sleep that night. I was also thinking about some Ferrari mechanics who were here in Belgium and wanted to watch the game. Fortunately, nothing happened to them".
The Maranello team's driver hopes that such an incident will never happen in motorsport:
"Here, thank God, the fans are never divided into two groups, but into many. However, I've already found myself in the middle of the crowd and I must admit that I was scared at times".
Meanwhile, on Friday, May 31, 1985, the races made their comeback. Before the qualifying session, it seemed that the Safety Committee of the pilots intended to bring both Ayrton Senna and Riccardo Patrese to court for the events of Monte-Carlo. The parties involved say that they are not afraid. Among the changes, it is important to mention the substitution of the Brabham of Francois Hesnault, for scarce performance, with the Swiss Marc Surer. Ferrari has a new computerized system to control the use, but it is not certain that they will use it. There are also new front and rear suspensions. A risk also hovers over the race: the asphalt is completely renovated and people fear that it could fall apart, with all the dangers that entails. Ferrari fights back. So far, a well-orchestrated blitz with Michele Alboreto taking the provisional pole position for the Belgian Grand Prix. The Italian driver offers an extraordinary show, driving in 1'66''046, with an average speed of 216.604 km/h. A new record of the circuit, which is extraordinary considering the previous one of 2'04'616 set by Prost with his Renault in 1983. More than 8 seconds and 15 km/h separate the records. An incredible progress, considering that the asphalt of the track is completely renewed. Ferrari's performance is completed by Johansson's fifth place, an improvement, but not 100%. It is not easy to reach the top in such a short time. Elio De Angelis, Ayrton Senna and Patrick Tambay inserted themselves between the Ferrari drivers of Maranello (three cars equipped with a Renault engine), while McLaren seemed to go through a momentary crisis. Niki Lauda was in tenth place and Alain Prost was in last place, not having completed a single lap. This does not mean that the British-German team does not have a chance, but it is clear that some problems may still arise.
What happened to McLaren, winner of the world championship and still successful in Monaco? On the eve of this race, there was talk of small changes, an evolution in the engine. These changes may have led to the problems highlighted during the first day of practice. In fact, during the morning, Prost noticed a loss of power in his car. The engine was changed and the Frenchman started his qualifying session with a spare car. Once on the track, however, the engine suddenly stopped working. The same thing happened in the other car. Lauda, on the other hand, complained about not being able to complete the planned number of laps. All in all, a series of problems that need to be solved. However, if McLaren is struggling, it cannot be said that Ferrari is unrivaled. De Angelis is 0.2 seconds behind Alboreto, Senna four. Due to the broken turbines, the Italian did not manage to use the second set of tires for qualifying. The Brazilian driver had electrical problems and was then slowed down by Warwick, who was driving at a reduced pace. Saturday will undoubtedly be a great battle, with attacks by the Lotus cars and the possible comeback of the McLarens, with a probable presence of the Renault, Williams and Brabham cars. However, it won't be easy to beat the Ferraris. There were many technical problems during the practice: two broken engines for Piquet and Surer and several damaged turbines. Then there is the problem of the tarmac, which can split completely. At the end of practice it was already crumbling and some drivers fear that the race could be a repeat of last year's race in Las Vegas, where qualifying took place on a crumbling asphalt, which led to accidents. Michele Alboreto says:
"At the moment I'm optimistic and I'm not thinking about the other things. We can improve something in terms of set-up and general finalization of the cars. The engine is phenomenal. When I went for the fastest lap I found the Zakspeed that had spun in the middle of the track. I had to do another lap with the rear tires already damaged. I think I can get close to 1’55"0".
So a cautious optimism, without making predictions. As for the others, a good De Cesaris, although limited by the not so competitive Legler. The Italian driver hopes for the race. The Alfa Romeo cars, on the other hand, are at the back of the group, but there is no point in deceiving ourselves. Fabi, fourteenth, did well with a Toleman that lacks horsepower, Ghinzani is struggling with engines that are becoming less powerful, and Martini does not have the experience necessary to push a car that is newer than the driver himself to the limit. In conclusion, the expected trials of the naughty drivers of Monte-Carlo did not take place. Niki Lauda, who wanted both Ayrton Senna and Riccardo Patrese to appear before a court of pilots, gave up. The Austrian tried to talk to the Italian driver, but the latter obviously replied that he did not want to undergo another moral lynching, as it happened after 1978. Therefore, Niki Lauda announces that during the next meeting of the Formula 1 Commission, he will ask the sports authorities to intervene with high fines (5,000 dollars) as well as disqualification in serious cases, such as unfair behavior of drivers. Frankly, it is time for FISA to run its own sport like the other federations do. Mistakes can be made, but it is clear that some measures can make drivers more responsible in certain situations. On the one hand, problems between drivers can be solved without too much drama, but on the other hand, there is nothing FISA can do about the cancellation of the Belgian Grand Prix. The race can be reinstated in September, after the Italian Grand Prix and before the European Grand Prix. Also considering that from Paris, the president of FISA, Jean-Marie Balestre, says that on Monday, June 24, 1985, in the Executive Committee of the Federation, the Belgian organizers will be held responsible for the serious mistakes that have affected the Formula 1 World Championship. These were the decisions taken on Saturday, June 1, 1985, at the end of a day full of tension and frustration. Tensions which, just a few days later, were brought back to life by the tragic events at the Heysel stadium. The carelessness of the organization made the massacre at the stadium possible and undoubtedly burdened the motorsport environment on that occasion as well. Fortunately there were no tragedies, but the situation has become ridiculous. The poor condition of the track, which collapsed after the first practice session on Friday, is the reason for the drastic security measures taken by the sport's governing body. This is the first time that a World Championship race has been suspended on the eve of the event. There have been delays, chaos and discussions (in Spain in 1980, the race was not considered valid in terms of the World Championship), but such a serious decision has never been taken, and it has been fully justified.
The drivers, this time determined and united (24 votes in favor, 2 against, apparently the Belgian Boutsen and the German Winkelhock), won the battle after a long debate with the organizers and sports authorities. Lauda, Piquet, Alboreto and Prost urged the drivers to ask for the cancellation of the race. But all agreed in principle. Niki Lauda said:
"It's impossible to race on this track, it falls apart. It would be suicide".
Michele Alboreto adds:
"I would have loved to race here, I felt I could win, but it was not logical. Last year in Dallas we accepted and it was already a mistake. Nevertheless, that was a 120 km/h track, here it is 300 km/h and in some parts of the track I felt like my stomach was in my throat. Then, when you get to the corner, it was as if you suddenly landed in a puddle. The slightest mistake, braking out of phase, being a few centimeters off track, and you could end up hitting a guardrail".
Ayrton Senna also criticizes the track:
"I drove slower than the others. I didn't want to kill myself. I don't understand how they could have made such a huge miscalculation. I also hope this will be a lesson".
Even Bernie Ecclestone, president of the FOCA and Formula 1 boss, could not take a stand against the drivers' stance. On the contrary, Ecclestone admits, albeit reluctantly, that it is not possible to race on this track with cars that reach almost 330 km/h in the fastest part of the circuit.
"I didn't know that the track had been completely renovated. The work wasn't done well. I'm sorry, I hope we can make it up to everyone. From now on I'm going to check these things personally".
As for the other races, the organizers decided to keep the same program for Sunday. At 2:30 p.m. the Formula 3000 European Championship race was to take place, followed by the Alpine Renault Cup race in an attempt to partially save the revenue. Since the early morning it was clear that the Belgian Grand Prix could not take place under normal circumstances. The drivers took a walk around the track and noticed that the asphalt was crumbling in every fast corner, as well as at the points where the cars pass under extreme braking or acceleration. Finding an immediate solution is therefore out of the question. The free practice starts with a delay of 15 minutes and lasts exactly 21 minutes until the riders return to the pits, one by one, shaking their heads. Elio De Angelis sets the fastest lap with a time of 2'19"0, about 24 seconds behind the time set on Friday by Michele Alboreto's Ferrari. At this point the discussions begin. The drivers did not want to race, while the organizers replied that they would repair the track. The day goes on between postponements and meetings until 8:00 p.m., when the most logical decision is finally made. The responsibility for such an absurd situation should be shared equally between the Belgian organizers and the FISA. The organizers are to blame for being late in resurfacing the asphalt (the track was still under construction on Thursday) and for naively believing that 1000-horsepower racing cars could race on this still soft and unbalanced layer of asphalt. However, the sports directors have an even more serious responsibility, as they are in charge of the World Championship and send technicians to the track to check the condition of the track. At such a delicate moment, it would be a good idea to have employees dismissed for incompetence. Fortunately, there were no serious accidents. About 5.000 spectators were present at the track, waiting without seeing anything. In the afternoon, the most excited tried to enter the pits to see the cars from close up.
A policeman fights the invasion and ends up getting punched. Then the police let people pass. Then the speaker announces that the tickets will be either refunded or considered valid for the following races of the day. It is unbelievable that in a sport that is supposed to be an example of great expertise, it was necessary to reach this point. It is absurd that the drivers have to intervene to ensure their own safety, after having practiced at an average speed of 216 km/h, thus endangering themselves in vain. Michele Alboreto and Ferrari are the ones who pay the most for this frivolity, as they are going through a period of great form. Nevertheless, Formula 1 is the one that suffers the most: now more than ever it deserves the nickname circus. On Sunday, June 2, 1985, in front of just under 4.000 spectators on a beautiful sunny day, the Formula 3000 had its moment of glory after replacing the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix. The promoters of the unsuccessful event were able to get some satisfaction: a race without any major accidents. In other words, no one gets hurt. It would be an outrage, however, to say that the Formula 1 drivers were wrong to refuse to race. Their counterparts in the smaller series are very good at avoiding the biggest risks. But a few numbers are enough to give an idea of what happened in this race: Eighteen cars started the race and only six finished. Almost every driver who did not finish the race went off the track in some unlikely way, such as breaking dampers, suspensions, liveries and spoilers. It could be said that the sixth round of the Formula 3000 European Championship was an entertaining rally. Cars can be admired as they jump like crickets in the fields, make escapes with blocked tires, counter-steer in exciting ways and spin, so the show is not lacking. However, not many people can enjoy it, as many TV stations refuse to show the race live and only show parts of the filming. In the end, Mike Thackwell from New Zealand deservedly won with Ralt, followed by Alain Fertè, the German Christian Danner, Gabriele Tarquini, the other Italian Guido Daccò and Juan Manuel Fangio, nephew of the great Argentinean champion.
However, ask Ivan Capelli or Emanuele Pirro, the latter of whom was lucky enough to remain at the top of the continental standings, what it was like to drive in such conditions, to go off the track, unable to do anything on a slippery tarmac as if it were covered in oil.
"We had to race. But we also wanted to go home, like our Formula 1 colleagues. In this way, among other things, we risk distorting the championship".
Pierluigi Corbari, former sports director of Autodelta, is the only one who is really happy, because the two drivers of his new team are in second and sixth place. In any case, the Francorchamps episode must now be forgotten (or remembered as a negative example) and archived. On Monday, June 3, 1985, a new chapter began with three days of free practice at Silverstone, in which almost every team took part. And then, a week later, off to America, where the race would take place in seven days (June 16 and 23, 1985) in Montreal and Detroit. Two peculiar circuits, the former accepted for the important role that motor sports cover in the city. Before leaving, Michele Alboreto says:
"We may have lost a great opportunity, but we're not complaining. Ferrari has shown that it can compete and maybe win, although there are often big differences and surprises between qualifying and the race. The most important thing is to keep working and stay at the top. The results will come. And in this context I would like to clarify something. It's been days since I started talking about links with other teams. Anything can happen and everyone has to prepare for their own future in the best possible way. But I can also say that I feel very good at Ferrari at the moment, and if no new opportunities arise, I don't see why I should try to leave. As long as the team wants me for other championships. Let me race in peace and you'll see that success comes to everyone".
Ferrari has no lack of rivals. Lotus has a strong and homogeneous package, both in terms of cars and drivers. McLaren is always to be feared, even though they have had problems recently. Too many engines broke down, which could be due to innovations or possibly to a fuel that causes dangerous cylinder detonations. It is easy to predict that the British team will run for cover in time. Meanwhile, a new change is coming: a Tyrrell with a Renault turbo engine will make its debut in England tomorrow. Soon there will be no more naturally aspirated engines in Formula 1. On Sunday morning, at 10:30 a.m., two hours before the half-hour free practice of the Formula 3000, special vehicles are still on the track to put a layer of tarmac on the corners that have been most damaged in recent days. The solution found for the track will be controversial and will certainly have legal consequences. The FOCA could claim damages for lost profits, the organizers could sue the companies that carried out the work, the Fédération de l'Automobile could accuse the Belgian Automobile Club of incompetence, and so on. The Formula 1 regulations speak for themselves. Every six weeks before the scheduled date of the race, the FISA must inspect and approve the facilities. During the following period, until the day of the race, the organizers and promoters (the former are usually the local automobile clubs, the latter the sponsors of the event) must guarantee the total efficiency of the circuits. So what happened at Francorchamps? When Derek Ongaro arrived in March as FISA's technical representative, he was told that the track would be completely resurfaced as soon as meteorological conditions allowed (there was still snow in the area at the time). Essentially, the work began two weeks before the Belgian Grand Prix and was completed on Thursday, the day before practice began. The track was resurfaced using a special material called rubber asphalt, which consists of gravel and a mixture of rubber and bitumen. As the area around Spa-Francorchamps is often subject to rain and storms, this material was considered the most suitable (based on previous tests). However, according to some experts, in order for the asphalt to harden sufficiently quickly, it must be laid at a temperature of 120°C. Instead, it appears that the asphalt was laid at a lower temperature, so that the time required for proper hardening must be longer. When the 26 Formula 1 cars, each with about 1000 horsepower, took to the track, the asphalt crumbled in the most stressed areas of the track. At that point, it would have been necessary to intervene quickly and interrupt the practice to work on the corners.
In Dallas last year, the Americans repaired the track as best they could, using fast-setting concrete. On the contrary, almost nothing was done at Francorchamps. The work of the marshals was limited to sweeping debris from the side of the track. Then, during the night and in the evening, some corners were renovated. Now one wonders if something more could have been done to save the Belgian Grand Prix. An Italian, representative of a specialized company, says that he was asked to intervene. It seems that a special powder, sprinkled on the asphalt and then moistened with water, can completely solidify the asphalt in three hours, like a kind of glue. The cost of such an intervention was about 130.000.000 lire. A considerable amount of money, but not excessive if it was necessary to save the race. All these details raised doubts about the existence of some factor, not made public, that led to the final negative solution. On Sunday morning, in the pits, there are whispers, not even in hushed tones, that this is the result of the never-ending battle between the two ethnic groups in Belgium, namely the Walloons and the Flemish. Francorchamps is located in a Walloon area, but a Flemish company is apparently responsible for the asphalt work because it is cheaper. These are obviously almost absurd hypotheses, which could lead to the conclusion that some kind of sabotage has taken place, since the Automobile Club is also destroyed by these problems of coexistence. And it is necessary to remember the rivalry between Zolder and Francorchamps concerning the realization of the Belgian Grand Prix. It seems that the local organizers, in order to obtain the necessary financing for the improvement of the circuit in the last two years (4.500.000.000 Lire), had to resort to a subterfuge which consisted in making the Automobile Club and the circuit look like a cultural union.
In any case, what led to the cancellation of the Belgian Grand Prix will undoubtedly have a sequel, and it could be that the episode will have positive consequences in the future. For the time being, however, it has generated a great deal of controversy. Notwithstanding the serious responsibilities of the sporting authorities, Bernie Ecclestone was also in the dock, as president of the FOCA (constructors' association), owner of Brabham, as well as promoter of seven races of the World Championship (Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Brazil, Portugal, and a further presence at the practices in Canada and Detroit). During a meeting held on Saturday evening, Ecclestone was confronted by some constructors who pointed out that they had not been consulted during the discussions that led to the cancellation of the Grand Prix. In addition, and most importantly, he was asked to pay for both the work and the travel related to the canceled race. The British manager finds himself in a difficult position. He has lost the proceeds, which could be as much as $2.000.000, and he is also facing demands for further refunds. Having earned several million dollars in the course of his long career, these are certainly not circumstances that would put him on the spot. What might be bothering him are the bad opinions about him. According to Marco Piccinini, a political strategist at Ferrari who does not give anything away easily, it is understandable that the finger pointing at Ecclestone could refer to an attempt to take some of the power out of the hands of the FOCA president.
"We are facing a situation that is getting worse. Over the past twelve months, Formula One has made up for poor results due to organizational shortcomings. In Dallas and Francorchamps, the tracks proved to be inadequate for the needs of the sport. In the United States, the problem was solved with a last-minute intervention that involved many risks. Here the inevitable happened. We can't rely on a man who manages a series of tasks that require the efforts of a real team of professionals, no matter how competent, efficient and imaginative he is".
Meanwhile, after the Silverstone tests, the circus flies to North America. On Sunday, June 16, 1985, the Canadian Grand Prix was held in Montreal, followed seven days later by Detroit. An important trip for two reasons: we are about a third of the way through the season and the values in the game need to be verified; now Lotus, McLaren and Ferrari are at the top and the open wound left by the Belgian Grand Prix at Francorchamps should be history. Ferrari was on pole position, three are the second places that Alboreto has to his credit in four races. Will this be the time to see a car from Maranello win again?
We will see, for now, the scenery changes and Formula 1 arrives on Notre Dame Island, one of the many islands that make up Montreal, the most important city in Quebec, surrounded by two rivers, one of which is the magnificent San Lorenzo. The cancellation of the Belgian Grand Prix is already behind us. It is not possible to stop and lose oneself in regrets. The races follow each other, the circuits are always different, and the drivers and technicians turn their attention to the next commitments. The track has very specific characteristics. It is a very long circuit (4,410 meters), flat, with some narrow corners that reduce the average lap time. The average speed predicted for this year is around 190 km/h, according to the progress registered on the other tracks since the start of the championship. Fuel consumption could come into play again on this track. In any case, the drivers are not already thinking about race strategies, but about finalizing the cars. Trying to do well in the race and making a good impression is a point of pride for all drivers. The track is named after Gilles Villeneuve and the spiritual presence of this unforgettable and amazing driver, who died three years ago, is always felt. While in Berthierville, the small village where Gilles Villeneuve lived, people are collecting funds to dedicate a monument and a small museum to the racing champion, on the track of Notre Dame Island, many drivers, including those who did not like him, are ensuring a fight and great effort. Last year, the Canadian Grand Prix turned out to be an unconventional appointment compared to the rest of the season.
In fact, it ended with the success of Nelson Piquet's Brabham, who went on to win the next race in Detroit. The only two races, together with the one of Zolder won by Ferrari, that managed to escape the dominance of McLaren. Therefore, it can be said that this circuit has a tendency to surprise, or at least to have a winner who, until now, has always missed the goal of victory by a hair's breadth. Given that Ferrari is a point of reference and that McLaren and Lotus have shared the spoils of the first four races equally, we can expect a further improvement from Ferrari, which can boast two pole positions and three second places. In Montreal, the Grand Prix atmosphere is not yet palpable. Most people are thinking about a huge Picasso exhibition that will open on Friday, June 21, 1985, for which more than 725.000 tickets have already been distributed. However, the city was bombarded with advertising: newspapers, radio, television, cinemas, a huge Goodyear blimp that hovered during the night and displayed huge light panels, posters and flyers (the latter, to tell the truth, focused on René Arnoux, due to the limited time available to the organizers); everything was pushing towards the goal of welcoming the largest audience ever. In fact, along with the Detroit Grand Prix, it will be the only American race of the season, since the New York race, after hesitations, announcements and denials, will not take place in order to better organize the event. This was the atmosphere that prevailed in the hours leading up to the event (hoping for a dry weekend, as it would rain all day on Thursday, June 13, 1985, the eve of the Canadian Grand Prix). The Ferrari number 27 is the one to watch. On the one hand it reminds us of the past, on the other hand it shows potential until today. Michele Alboreto, the most awaited driver, does not reveal too much:
"If my Ferrari proves to be as strong as in the previous races, I won't back down. But before talking, it's better to wait. In Formula 1, everything is uncertain and that is perhaps the great thing about our sport".
Meanwhile, once in Montreal, Ferrari technicians confirm that they will use the famous device designed to measure fuel consumption. In other words, it is an electronic and computerized tool that measures the levels of fuel consumption required to calculate the necessary engine power to be used during the race. This tool, which will be available to both Alboreto and Johansson, has been produced, as usual, by Magneti Marelli. It seems to be a display mounted on the dashboard that should provide the drivers, on request, with precise data on the state of the facts: the number of liters remaining in the tank, as well as the number of laps that can be completed with this amount of fuel. With such equipment, Ferrari should have caught up with McLaren-Porsche and the cars with Renault engines, which have been in use for a long time. An Italian driver, Elio De Angelis, is leading the standings, while another, Michele Alboreto, is chasing his compatriot (though in the company of Alain Prost). It is an unusual circumstance for the Formula 1 World Championship, which reaches its fifth appointment.
In appearance, the two rivals maintain a good fair play, but it is clear that the battle motivates them. To be honest, Michele Alboreto has a slight advantage. While Ferrari is betting on him (not forgetting Johansson), Lotus seems to favor Ayrton Senna, forgetting the points scored. Andrea De Cesaris, a Ligier driver considered by many to be one of the fastest protagonists of Formula 1, is a committed spectator, although he currently lacks the car to take part in the battle.
"This time I believe in Alboreto. He's going through a period of great form, he's really fast, he's not making any mistakes and he's got a really competitive car. Unfortunately De Angelis has some problems with his team and has to fight on two fronts. Anyway, I don't think Lotus can beat the Maranello cars at the moment. If there is any threat, it is certainly from Prost and his McLaren. However, the superiority of the British team is diminished, so any result is possible".
De Cesaris does not want to hint at a classification of driver quality, however impossible it may be.
"Elio and I have different characteristics. It's difficult to explain. Maybe Alboreto is bad, of course, from a competitive point of view. On the other hand, he has a series of favorable coincidences on his side. Don't forget that it's fundamental to have a teammate who doesn't get in the way".
Andrea De Cesaris, a very spontaneous and courageous driver who has had some unlucky seasons that have also earned him the reputation of being a "car wrecker", talks about those who are leading the championship, but he also shares insights about himself:
"Ligier doesn't count on a team with great financial resources. We changed technicians at the end of 1984 and we're working hard. I believe we'll improve and that I'll have the chance to stand out. I think I have matured in the last few years. I haven't changed in terms of driving, I still see myself as the one from the first races in terms of desire to perform, to win, but I've gained experience. Now I can accept the limits of my car. I understood that if you start from the back, it doesn't make sense to risk your life just to prove that you are more worthy than others. But I still have my short and medium term goals. I want to finish in the points here in Montreal, like I did in Monte Carlo. Detroit will be different: a street circuit where the driver has more responsibility, we'll see. I've heard that Ferrari are keeping an eye on who wins this race...".
One victory in 1982, the second the following season and one last year. These are the achievements worthy of the top step of the podium that Michele Alboreto has reached so far, after 61 races in Formula 1. It is not a lot, but it is also not a little if we consider that Keke Rosberg, the World Champion, has also only stood on the higher step of the podium three times.
Maybe he feels that the time has come to make the best of a situation like this. He wants to lead Ferrari to success, starting with the Canadian Grand Prix.
"Our car can potentially win now. For a thousand reasons I have only been second since the start of the season. In Francorchamps, where I was on pole, albeit provisional, we didn't race. In Imola, I was stopped by a trivial defect, in Monte-Carlo I had a puncture, and in Rio I had to pit again to change worn out tires due to the accident I had with Mansell at the start. So I could be leading the championship by and large, but I'm obliged to chase. I don't want to go down in history as that driver, I think his name was Bellone, who became famous for his placings behind the first positions".
Alboreto examines the situation:
"In theory, Ferrari has the best single-seater in the world. We've got an engine that's better than Lotus' and a chassis that's at least as good as McLaren's. Maybe here in Montreal Brabham could come back to the front, but I'm not afraid of them. You have to make your rivals give in immediately, hoping to keep the best technical level also in the next races".
So the Italian driver is confident about the race that will take place in Montreal.
"A race that must be prepared with the utmost attention. The track is in some ways similar to Imola. It will be necessary to carefully finalize the braking system and pay particular attention to the choice of tyres, especially the left rear, while the usual fuel consumption problem will arise. The team with the most significant advantage will be the one that manages to find the perfect balance between the power to be used and the consumption of the available fuel. We haven't prepared ourselves enough for this, so we hope there won't be any unpleasant surprises”.
In fact, on the eve of the Grand Prix, the issue of fuel was at the heart of the technicians' interest. Ferrari was going to use the most advanced system manufactured by Magneti Marelli, which works on the injector activation time and thus controls the flow of liquid related to the fuel supply. Everyone knows that they are trying to improve in this area. The Williams cars, for example, have a radio transmitter that sends data to the pits to be checked on the basis of calculations made beforehand and then communicated to the drivers with specific panels. If Rosberg or Mansell find a difference between the data on the dashboard and the counterpart provided by the technicians, they can adjust accordingly, increasing or decreasing the pressure of the turbines. In any case, on Friday we will see the results of a lot of speculation. Michele Alboreto tries to overtake Elio De Angelis and leave Alain Prost behind. Michele Alboreto and Ferrari keep their promises. On the first day of free practice for the Canadian Grand Prix, the Italian driver was the fastest with a lap of 1'25"127 (a new record for the circuit). A significant result, but one that should not give rise to false hopes. The same Alboreto remains calm.
"It's only the first day, everything can change".
To tell the truth, it was a turbulent day, with two interruptions due to accidents and sporadic rain that did not allow the riders to be on track for the full regular hour of timed practice. In addition, with the cold weather, everyone had problems with the tires. The qualifying tires could not be used and Michele Alboreto set the fastest time on race tires. Ferrari is followed by the usual Ayrton Senna with Lotus and Alain Prost with McLaren. The French driver seems to be quite far behind (0.8 seconds), while the others are at least one second behind. Niki Lauda sets only the twelfth time. The Austrian driver clearly states that it is not his fault:
"On such a dirty track you have to be impulsive and dirty. That's not my style and I couldn't warm up the tires at all, so the car had no grip".
Luckily, there were no consequences from the accidents, but they were still scary. At the beginning of the session, Pierluigi Martini, in his Minardi, felt the rear of the car swaying and ended up hitting a wall, moving backwards for 200 meters. He was not injured, but the car was badly damaged. Alfa Romeo also had a difficult day despite some good results (Eddie Cheever ninth, Riccardo Patrese eleventh). Both cars catch fire due to turbine failure. The cars are not damaged too much, but the Italian driver has to intervene personally with fire extinguishers on board, because the emergency services are late. Otherwise, nothing unusual happens.
Elio De Angelis sets the sixth time (he went straight once in both free practice and timed practice, while in the rain he went wide in the chicane). Once again the Italian found some kind of obstacle on his way. Nelson Piquet is also in trouble with an unstable Brabham. And the new Ferrari man? The constant interruptions got in the way of Johansson every time he went out on the track. In any case, the Swede has not yet managed to finalize his car, which has problems with rear balance. However, he is sure that he can improve. There are many conversations that are not related to the race itself. The most important is that the Beatrice team, owned by an American multinational and sponsor of Lola, will make its debut at the end of the season with Alan Jones. This team (in a week they should announce a partnership with Ford to install a new turbo engine) seems convinced to expand its horizons in Formula 1. Baked by its dollars, Beatrice is in contact with drivers (Nelson Piquet and Niki Lauda among the names known) and technicians. There are rumors of meetings with Gérard Ducarounge, designer of Lotus, Gordon Murray, designer of Brabham, and Mauro Forghieri, current head of research and development of Ferrari. It seems that these are offers worth millions. The balance of the circus is about to collapse. There were also discussions, or perhaps quarrels, between the members of the Formula 1 Commission during last night's meeting.
First, some decisions were made. The Argentinean driver Oscar Larrauri, now a naturalized Italian, was granted the super license together with Jones, who lost it when he left Formula 1. On the other hand, Alessandro Nannini did not make it. On Saturday, June 15, 1985, Elio De Angelis and Michele Alboreto were the main protagonists of the qualifying session. The Lotus driver takes the pole position from his compatriot, but as far as the race is concerned, it is possible that an exciting and very uncertain battle will take place. It is necessary to say that De Angelis was not lucky and could not defend himself. He would have been able to fight on equal terms and take the first place, but his Ferrari blocked right at the most crucial moment, when Alboreto was on his fastest flying lap. Recently the Maranello cars have not had any problems, but this time the problem occurred at a delicate moment. It is an extremely tight practice day, which started with a delay of three quarters of an hour due to an electrical problem that interrupted the communication between the various control points of the sports commission. Stefan Johansson is the first driver to set a remarkable time, the Swede of Ferrari reaches the fourth place. Then there was chaos and De Angelis set an exceptional time of 1'24"577, a new record for the track, with an average speed of 187.732 km/h. Ayrton Senna tried in vain to improve, but nothing could beat the Italian's performance. De Angelis had good reasons to do it: to show his abilities to Lotus, who seemed to be giving most of their attention to the Brazilian driver, as well as to keep his prestige as the leader of the World Championship.
"I think I can enjoy this partial success, but the race will be tough, very tough. Fuel consumption, tire choice and race strategy will be fundamental".
Ayrton Senna accepts the defeat, or at least the superiority of his team-mate in practice, in a sporting manner.
"Elio was very good at taking advantage of his tires. I wasn't able to do the same, and I have to acknowledge that. In any case, having two Lotus cars on the front row is an advantage; it will be worrying for the others".
Michele Alboreto, who had set the fastest time yesterday, finished third. He is the only driver among the favorites not to improve compared to Friday. At the end of the session, Michele is furious:
"I will do everything to win this race. You can't be so unlucky. I had chosen two types of tires, softer for qualifying and harder for the race. The first choice didn't work at all, they were worn out after one lap. When I put on the other one, I tried to do a very fast lap, but I had to retire the car instead. Unfortunately, something must have happened to the turbines or the supercharger, because a huge burst of flame appeared and I had to stop in a corner to activate the onboard fire extinguishers, which immediately put out the flames. The fire almost reached the cockpit. I was very scared".
What happened to Michele Alboreto's single seater is probably the result of a ruptured oil or fuel line system. We are not short of shivers. Nigel Mansell had a similar episode; the engine of his Williams exploded in front of the Ferrari pits and the car leaned over the guardrail. Alain Prost also plays the role of the underdog, but he immediately breaks his super-compressed engine, which was precisely prepared for this qualifying session. McLaren must be considered one of the favorites anyway, as they have one of the best balanced cars. Fuel consumption would play a key role. On Sunday, June 16, 1985, Elio De Angelis and Ayrton Senna, both starting on the front row, split their efforts and did not get in each other's way. The Italian Lotus driver made a good start and held the lead, followed by his team-mate, while Michele Alboreto was third. Stefan Johansson, on the other hand, was surprised by Derek Warwick in his Renault. The leading group continued without any particular shocks in terms of positions, at least until the fifth lap, when Ayrton Senna suddenly stopped. The Lotus mechanics had to intervene on the manifold, which was losing pressure, and the Brazilian returned to the track with no chance of winning. His race becomes a real platonic race. Then the advantage of Elio De Angelis (not more than 5-6 seconds) on Michele Alboreto decreases and the Italian starts to close the gap. The overtake took place during lap 15, after two attempts that Elio De Angelis managed to resist. Michele Alboreto realizes a maneuver from the instruction manual and passes strongly on the outside of the second corner after the pit lane, taking advantage of the power and solidity of his Ferrari. After taking the lead, Michele Alboreto continued the race at a moderate pace, hoping not to burn too much fuel and not to make any mistakes. He succeeds perfectly. The race was regular until lap 52, when Stefan Johansson also overtook Elio De Angelis, who was already in trouble. The Swede brutally took advantage of the slipstream of the Lotus and overtook him on the inside of the corner, even putting his tires on the grass and raising a lot of dust. From now on, Stefan Johansson kept a strong pace and closed the gap to Michele Alboreto, who was leading the race at a much slower pace. Johansson, driven by the obvious enthusiasm of being in second place, almost attacked his team-mate, but without really bothering him.
Ferrari had a moment of panic in the pits. And maybe they fear a repetition of what happened in Imola between Didier Pironi and Gilles Villeneuve in 1982. So first the Swedish driver is asked to slow down a bit, and then he is shown several signs saying "slow down" in quick succession. Luckily, Stefan Johansson understands the situation and slows down, while Michele Alboreto continues his race. At the back of the field, however, Alain Prost, with a continuous progression, makes a threatening recovery. The Frenchman, who had saved himself during the first part of the race, increased his speed towards the end. When Stefan Johansson passed him in second position, the Frenchman was fourth, 29 seconds behind. At the end of lap 62, Ferrari had a lead of 11 seconds, and in the final laps, Alain Prost even managed to attack Stefan Johansson. However, the Swede still had some fuel at his disposal to fight off any possible threats, so Alain Prost had to be satisfied with third place. Michele Alboreto wins the Canadian Grand Prix, followed by Stefan Johansson, Alain Prost, Keke Rosberg, Elio De Angelis and Nigel Mansell. It is obvious what happens in the Ferrari pits after the race: hugs, kisses and congratulations from everyone. People from Goodyear, Longines, Magneti Marelli and Weber come together to celebrate. Engineer Antonio Tomaini could not hold back his tears, while Piero Lardi congratulated Ferrari down to the last mechanic. This was a deserved success, long sought and awaited. The victory was meant for Ferrari, and it came in the best way possible, with a historic one-two. From now on, the road seems to be open for the Maranello team and Michele Alboreto, who seems to be heading for a season full of satisfaction. It had to be a win, and it turned out to be a triumph. Ferrari dominated the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, with Michele Alboreto leading the standings and Stefan Johansson second. It had been two years, in the fall of 1983, since two cars from Maranello had taken the top two positions. At that time, in the Netherlands, it was the Amoux-Tambay pairing. However, the Canadian Grand Prix brings back a more vivid memory: the race of three years ago at Imola, when Didier Pironi humiliated Gilles Villeneuve. This time the rules were respected and the Italian driver won, taking the lead in the World Championship. It was not a great race, but it was an exciting one, with a thrilling finish thanks to Alain Prost's magnificent recovery.
To tell the truth, Michele Alboreto drove cleverly, realizing a tactical race, unfortunately influenced by fuel consumption (in this respect Ferrari did not use the fuel consumption equipment). It was not possible to constantly push the limit, so the Italian driver, once in the lead, tried to save every drop of fuel. In any case, his race was excellent and intelligently managed. Stefan Johansson proved his worth and took away valuable points from his rivals. Alain Prost was third, always energetic and determined, while Keke Rosberg, the author of an extraordinary race, was fourth. Elio De Angelis was only fifth, slowed down by a Lotus that proved to be poor, with tires that did not perform to the full and an engine speed that gradually dropped lap by lap. Ayrton Senna immediately retired from the race, stopped by the rupture of a manifold of the forced induction system of his Lotus. The Brazilian driver, back on track after a long pit stop, had the satisfaction of at least setting the fastest lap, even if it was not enough to move up in the championship standings. Over 120.000 people witnessed the Ferrari one-two, with grandstands full of red and yellow banners depicting the prancing horse. At the end of the race, the crowd came together to cheer for the drivers on the podium: applause, American-style boos, great enthusiasm. Michele Alboreto is beaming, but he remains calm and collected as always.
"It wasn't a difficult race, I just had to be careful not to make any mistakes. The hardest part was overtaking De Angelis. I struggled to catch him for many laps because he was very fast on the straights. But I knew that sooner or later he would have to slow down for fuel. Other than that, there were no problems. The car was amazing and I knew what I had to do tactically to win, so I didn't take any big risks. As for the championship, I won't even mention it. The only thing I can say is that we finally managed to realize the potential we showed. We have to work hard, keep the pressure on and not let the other teams catch us. That's our goal and that's why we're committed for the next few months".
This is the first podium for Stefan Johansson since his arrival in Formula 1. The Swedish driver, with a big smile on his face and shining eyes, winks at his fans, especially the girls.
"Why did I try to catch Alboreto? It's simple. I was doing my race and I was afraid that someone was going to catch me. When I saw the signs telling me to slow down, I immediately took my foot off the accelerator. This is normal in a team. I also had another problem: my car's engine wasn't working properly and if I didn't push, especially on the straights, it was difficult to get into the corners. In the end, everything went well and when Prost closed the gap to me, I could easily keep him under control, which I did. I'm especially happy for Michele, he deserves this victory".
Alain Prost is quite satisfied with third place, but he obviously wanted more:
"I didn't attack right away because I wanted to do a progressive race. But you can do nothing against the Ferraris these days".
Satisfaction fills the Williams boxes. Keke Rosberg drove a really great race. He pitted twice and finished fourth, only 27 seconds behind the Ferraris.
"For the first time in a long time I can say I had fun. It was a fantastic race for me and I am happy with this position. We'll see if we can do more in the next races".
For Elio De Angelis, finishing in the top six was not enough this time. The Italian was very disappointed at the end of the race.
He raced with determination and skill, but as usual, his Lotus proved inferior to the cars of his rivals.
"The tires were too hard and then the engine lost pressure. In those circumstances you can't beat a Ferrari, a McLaren and a Williams. Compared to us, I think Ferrari has an advantage of at least 150 hp. Alboreto passed me like lightning".
The nightmare was over. After a year, Ferrari and Michele Alboreto were back on the winning track. Above all, they finally overcame the obstacle of bad luck and inconveniences that prevented both the team and the Italian driver from collecting all the results that should have resulted from the competitiveness shown since the beginning of the season. Nevertheless, the success achieved at the Canadian Grand Prix, crowned by Stefan Johansson's second place, won't make the team from Maranello lose its cool and pragmatism. On Sunday evening, the men and women of the team celebrated the victory with great joy, having dinner together at the invitation of Alboreto, who wanted to share such emotions with the mechanics and technicians, the main masters of the positive result. Then the Italian rider will relax for two days. On Monday he will fly to New York with his wife Nadia. First he pays his debts: 100 dollars to Luigi Montanini, known as Pasticcino, the team's chef (he had bet on a win), and the Canadian Grand Prix trophy to Maurizio Nardon, the young man in charge of finalizing his car. The Italian rider sheds some light on the current World Championship; always true to his cautious mood, he says to the media:
"We have overcome our obsession with winning. That's important because now we're more relaxed and therefore more dangerous for our rivals. I was sure that Johansson and I would finally get a win. The car was too good not to believe it. We've been close to success since the beginning of the season. In Brazil we missed the chance because we had to change tires that were too ruined after hitting Mansell's Williams at the start, while in Portugal the rain was to blame, in Imola we had a small failure and in Monte-Carlo we had a puncture. Then in Belgium we had the chance to start from pole position, but the race was canceled. I scored three second places, so an improvement in results was to be expected".
The speech inevitably ends with the episode that caused a bit of panic in the Ferrari pits: Johansson's final attack that threatened Alboreto's position. Marco Piccinini minimizes the event, but in reality they were very worried in such circumstances and the Swedish driver was hit by a series of warnings to make him slow down. First Tomaini with his hands, then a board saying "slow", followed by a second one, one of which was exhibited by Piccinini himself, almost pushed on the track by Piero Lardi Ferrari, in charge of the team. Michele Alboreto explains:
"I wasn't worried at all. When Stefan caught me, I thought I was slowing down because of some kind of problem. Then I started to push for a lap to make him understand that it was not the case to go to the limit. I would have been ready to fight off any attack, but I also wanted to save the car and fuel. Johansson understood immediately. I would like to have fifty team mates behind me instead of Prost or De Angelis. But sooner or later, if things don't change, the Swede will have his chance to win as well. At the moment we don't have a first driver in the team, although it's obvious that the interests of the team have to be protected".
Johansson, in his naivety, says:
"I tried to overtake Alboreto, believe me, but it was impossible, I had an inconsistent engine and I couldn't do it. Then I saw Michele pushing even harder and I understood the situation. Why was I pushing? I saw Prost closing the gap and I was afraid that he would attack both me and Michele. That's why I wanted to increase the gap between my Ferrari and the McLaren as much as possible. I'm happy with the way it went".
There are also talks about the future, immediate and near, after some compliments received by Elio De Angelis for his sportsmanship and fair play. Michele Alboreto concludes:
"We go to Detroit with another victory in mind. I say this on the basis of the results we obtained in Monte Carlo, a track that is vaguely similar to the American one. But we're not talking about the world title yet. The road is still long. Our main rival is still Alain Prost. But a lot of cars are improving. We can't forget Senna, Rosberg, the two Renault drivers and De Angelis. All in all, we have taken the first step. Now it's time to work even harder, if possible, to continue like this".
What makes this Ferrari so good? Until now it has been said that Ferrari currently has the best engine in Formula 1. Not the most powerful, but certainly the most reliable, with a longer service life than its competitors. Now, this explanation is not enough: the car from Maranello (the 156/85), at the beginning of the season, proved to be valid in all aspects, from the aerodynamics to the chassis, from the systems engineering to all the other components. The new regulations, which impose the best compromise between the need to use a lot of horsepower and a maximum consumption of 220 liters per race, have been perfectly interpreted. In Canada, for example, Alboreto's Ferrari still had at least fifteen liters of fuel in the tank, thanks to the computerized electric injection manufactured by Magneti Marelli (the car weighed 561 kg, while Johansson's weighed 549 kg, after having pushed more; the weights of the McLaren, Lotus and Williams cars, which had little left to use, were similar). Prost himself acknowledged this superiority:
"Towards the end, I prayed that Ferrari would run out of fuel. I hoped, but I realized it was impossible. I had to save fuel during the first half of the race and then I couldn't pass Johansson and Alboreto. On the contrary, I had to stop just after the finish line because I was afraid that the same problem I had in Imola, which got me disqualified, would happen again, that is, that I would run out of fuel and finish the race with an underweight car".
Ferrari has proven to have the best carbon braking system (Brembo calipers and Sep disks and pads) and unparalleled reliability. It is now also available the fuel consumption device that tells the driver how much fuel is left, even if the tool is currently used only experimentally to check the precision and resistance under all possible racing stresses. Michele Alboreto explains:
"But we can still improve. We need to focus on the rear end to get maximum grip and make the most of the softer tires. If we manage to complete this program we'll be even more competitive. The car is suitable for any type of track, with many qualities and few weaknesses. The fuel consumption calculations made before the race are always very close to reality. We drivers can increase the turbo pressure according to our needs, thanks to a tool in the cockpit. There's an average click, two clicks forward and two clicks backward. If we need more power to overtake, we can increase it and then, to return to normal, we have to reduce it for the same number of laps. You can't go wrong that way".
But the championship is long and tough.