Spanish Grand Prix Review

There's no point dwelling too long on what happened, dramatic as it may have been. These things happen in F1; the failure could have occurred on the first lap or the last. But perhaps there was some irony that, in a sport which is becoming so professional and so technologically focussed, especially with the return of driver aids, that people wonder if there are any variables left to make it interesting, something like this should happen.

The talking point in Spain was all about the legal return of traction control, automatic gearboxes, so on and so forth. Due to time constraints I didn't follow much of the practice and qualifying sessions, and there are not that many things to say about the race, so I'd prefer to make some comments on the debate at this point. There has been a lot of emotional comment about how such aids leave the driver as an unnecessary factor, and maybe it's time to redress the balance a little.

If you want unadulterated driver versus driver combat, then watch a one-make series. Not that that hasn't stopped the last two F3000 races from being utterly processional. It may sound obvious, but many more different people have to pull together these days to contribute to Grand Prix success, and that is one of the beauties of modern F1. Add to that the professionalism of all teams, and it is a fine line between victory and failure.

From time to time, however, one aspect of one team will have that tiny advantage which gives that team a slender edge, and we can appreciate that contribution, whether it be Ross Brawn's strategies, Adrian Newey's aerodynamics, Michael Schumacher's driving, BMW's engines, Michelin's tyres or whatever. And there will always be variables like the weather, traffic, and last lap retirements. What we don't want is for any one aspect, especially the driver, to be made so redundant as to have no impact whatsoever.

There are new demands on 'driver skill' these days. It now takes as much brains as brawn. It's about getting the car set-up right, tyre conservation over a weekend, thinking about race and pit tactics while the race is on, and being able to drive millimetrically perfectly (to quote Murray Walker) for the entire race. It's no longer just about getting the set-up within range and then throwing the car around, driving its balls off. Again to over-generalise, F1 now calls for a Prost, not a Mansell.

To that end, if set-up one of the main challenges for the drivers, maybe teams should not be allowed to test at circuits where they race, or perhaps there ought to be a rotation of tracks if possible, as long as circuits are relatively safe. I mean, most drivers could drive Barcelona with their eyes closed, they test there so often. No wonder it tends to be a dull race, everyone knows all the secrets about the place.

It was a pleasant surprise to see Luciano Burti out-qualify new team-mate Jean Alesi. The Brazilian seemed to have settled in with Prost very quickly, now that he's left the rather stagnant atmosphere of a non-progressing Jaguar. After another solid race, in my books Burti's stock just rose immensely, and he would smiled after seeing Pedro de la Rosa only qualify 20th in the Jag. Nice to see that once again Fernando Alonso beat both Benettons, with Jenson Button marooned in 21st spot again.

It's the second race in a row that both Benettons have qualified in 19th and 21st. They are already considering 2001 as a write-off and using the year as an extended test session. It was such a joke when, in Button's first stop, the rear jack wouldn't lift the car up for about 5 seconds, and when they had to tape the fuel filler cap down. Likewise when Giancarlo Fisichella spent the race changing front wing settings. It's such a waste of two good drivers. They're betting off joining Toyota at Paul Ricard.

Also, Ferrari should be worried that Schumi suffered a suspension failure at Imola, followed by another one for Rubens Barrichello in Spain. Even more daft that they should just give RB a new set of tyres when he came in, sending him on his way again. It was so bleedingly obvious that it was a suspension problem, we award the 'Reject of the Race' to the Ferrari pits.

Some have been critical of Mika Hakkinen's rather disinterested start to the season, and those fickle enough will rush to proclaim that Mika's back after the Spain drive. But in truth, the qualifying king was well beaten by Schumi to the pole, and he hasn't had a pole all year. At no stage before the second stops did he pose a genuine threat to Michael, and if he did win it would have been handed to him. As far as I'm concerned, Hakkinen's 9th season at McLaren has run out of steam. It may not all be Mika's fault, but sometimes you do need brand new challenges.

REJECT OF THE RACE
The Ferrari Pit Crew
A tyre change won't help suspension failure, guys!

As a perennial Coulthard-knocker, I have been seriously impressed with the Scot this season. Perhaps Hakkinen's losing streak is giving him confidence, but Coulthard has added consistency to his game in 2001. Sadly, he might well be blighted by his worsening relationship with Ron Dennis. I don't think Dennis meant his 'brain fade' comment too personally, but taken in the context of Ron's dogged favouritism towards Hakkinen, I'm not surprised that Coulthard blew his fuse.

With 12 races left, if Hakkinen won every single one of them, and Schumacher was 2nd in each, the Finn would only beat the German by a mere 16 points. Last year, which was supposedly close, Michael beat Mika by 19 by season's end. Any team manager worth his salt would start calling team orders in favour of Coulthard NOW, or at least subconsciously start favouring him. Or else McLaren are just shooting themselves in the foot.

That Villeneuve scored BAR's first podium was also deserved, and it was good to see him return to the podium for the first time since Hungary 1998, although his rather shaggy facial hair automatically becomes a candidate for our Hall of Shame. Villeneuve has seemed to regain the ascendancy at BAR after Panis ruffled his feathers for a few races. I look forward to seeing more from the Canadian.

Not much to say about the other teams, everything else was pretty much par for the course. The circus rolls on to Austria, given an earlier date this year so Silverstone could return to its July date. A traditional McLaren stronghold, where alternately Williams flunked badly in qualifying last year, one of the interests will be in seeing how low the lap times will go due to the tyre war. The A1-Ring traditionally only takes around 70 seconds to lap, it will be interesting to see how fast they go this year.

In the Bristish F3 round at Donington Park last weekend, James Courtney was overshadowed by the performance of his teammate, German Andre Lotterer, who started both races from pole. Starting 11th in the first race, Courtney could only make 7th, while Lotterer finished behind BAR tester, and winner, Takuma Sato. But in race two, Courtney came from fifth on the grid to 2nd behind Lotterer as Jaguar Racing took a 1-2. Courtney is now equal 3rd in the Championship with 55 points.

It was a dismal weekend though for Mark Webber in F3000 at Barcelona, thanks primarily to a huge crash in qualifying which saw him just 11th on the grid. A strong drive come race day in his Super Nova saw him 7th at race's end. This leaves him 3rd overall, 5 points behind Justin Wilson, with 8 races yet to go.

Meanwhile, Ryan Briscoe was in action at Mangy-Cours in the 3rd round of the European Formula Renault Championship. Frenchman Bruno Spengler won the race, with Briscoe in 3rd behind American Richard Antinucci. This is Ryan's first podium finish in this competition. Thanks to Carlos H. Moyna for these results.

Finally, our condolences to the family and friends of Michele Alboreto - one of the great Italian drivers of the last two decades. It is always a terrible thing when motor sport claims a life, as it seems to do all too often nowadays.

He will be remembered by all in motor racing circles as not only a great driver who was talented enough to make Enzo Ferrari rethink his non-Italian policy, but also as a true gentleman of the sport.