David Coulthard
admitted to letting his emotions get the better of
him after winning the Australian Grand Prix for
McLaren last Sunday (9th). "What a fantastic
start to the season and I must be honest to admit
that I shed a few tears in the car on the slowing
down lap." Coulthard who held a 20 second
advantage over Michael Schumacher in the Ferrari
after 58 grueling laps round the 3.274 mile Albert
Park circuit also said, " Certainly having
Schumacher in my mirrors for most of the race
increased the pressure and I made a good start
although Eddie came flying past on the grass."
Don’t cry for
me Briatore
The last person to
admit having a bit of an emotional moment was Jean
Alesi when he won at Montreal in 1995. Last weekend
however, after refusing to stop for fuel despite
repeated requests by his team, it is likely that team
boss Flavio Briatore will be shedding no tears
for the contumacious Sicilian. Alesi said afterwards,
"I lost radio contact with the team and did not
realise it was time for me to come into the pits for
refueling." Some find it amazing that he managed
to ignore the pit boards for three laps at least,
whilst others, seeing him talking furiously into his
helmet as a crawled to a stop, plainly believe that
it was a pretty lame excuse for his impetuosity. The
collective pit lane remains in silent vigil as they
listen out for the whistle of the cane as it lands
with measured severity on Alesi’s backside.
Prost has a
satisfying weekend
Melbourne (9th March
97) Alain Prost has expressed himself
satisfied with the first race outing of the car
bearing his own name after Olivier Panis finished
fifth at Melbourne. From this base line, the team
will be applying in Brazil the lessons learned in
Australia and will be out testing at Silverstone next
Monday and Tuesday. At Melbourne, Panis stopped twice
and Nakano only once because the team expected the
Japanese newcomer would be easier on his brakes than
his faster and more experienced colleague. Prost
said: "This is the best thing that could have
happened. It is going to boost everyone's confidence,
especially Bridgestone's who came away with
their first Formula One points and Mugen-Honda
who have worked very hard over the winter. Everyone
has been rewarded by seeing both cars reach the
finish. Only one other team can claim so much. As for
me, it was a nerve-wracking experience following it
all as team boss from the pit wall. I never found
grands prix anything like so tense as this when I was
a driver.
Stewart has mixed
emotions
Jackie Stewart’s
debut grand prix was generally regarded as a success
whilst neither driver finished the race, Rubens
Barrichello having an engine failure and Jan
Magnussen suffering suspension failure, they were
however classified 10th and 11th. "We didn't
expect miracles," Stewart said. "We've been
around long enough to know you just can't wake up a
giant and beat him up. The McLarens, the Williams,
the Benettons, the Ferraris, etc., have been at it
for a long time." He went on, "I feel a
mixture of joy, relief and disappointment. I feel
emotional. It is quite different from racing and I
have never felt like this in a car. I was thrilled
with the team and thrilled when I saw the cars so
close to the finish, especially Rubens. But the
disappointment of him not finishing is much worse
than anything I remember as a driver."
Barrichello said after the race, "The oil
pressure warning light came on and I changed my
driving style to see if I could nurse the car home,
but we didn’t quite make it. Running so well
with both of us in the top 10 means we will get
there."
Tyrell Unhappy
Everyone at Tyrrell
was very disappointed with the team's performance in
Australia and there is much work to complete before
the Brazilian race. The biggest problem at Melbourne
was getting the balance right on the softer compound Goodyear
tyres which did not help their search for grip. The
team will be attempting to rectify this at
Silverstone next Monday and Tuesday. On Monday Mika
Salo and test driver Takagi will drive and
on Tuesday the Japanese driver will be joined by Jos
Verstappen.
No action taken
against Irvine
Track officials will
not take any action against Ferrari driver Eddie
Irvine, when his passing move just after the
start of last weekends Australian Grand Prix,
resulted in Johnny Herbert, Jacques Villeneuve
and Irvine himself being put out of the race. The
first corner incident has been put down as a
‘racing accident’.
All the stories
conflicted of course with Irvine denying any blame.
"I made a very good start and was alongside
Coulthard at the first corner and then Villeneuve who
moved over on me. I could have made the corner but I
just needed the whole of the track." Villeneuve
called Irvine's actions 'stupid' adding, "Johnny
was on the outside and I was on the inside and
suddenly Eddie, who was on the dirty part of the
track, was there. Next thing I knew we were both out.
There was no way he could have turned in. Both Johnny
and myself could have made the corner." Innocent
party Johnny Herbert called him an 'idiot', but was
philosophical later. "...I saw this red thing
behind him (Villeneuve). He was being rammed by
Irvine. What’s the point of being angry with
Eddie? It’s not worth it."
Frentzen gets an
apology
Melbourne (9th March
97) Frank Williams apologized to Heinz-Harald Frentzen
after his retirement during the Australian Grand Prix
because of a failing brake disk. Frentzen said,
"Frank Williams apologised to me immediately for
the technical defect, he said I had done a good
job."
Certain supporters of
Damon Hill voiced their dismay that Williams had
never given Hill the same public support. Said one
fan rather ruefully, "Where was the apology at
the first race in Brazil in ’95 when his
suspension broke? Was there one forthcoming after
Hill went out at the British Grand Prix with a
loose wheel nut?"
