Jarno Trulli scored his fourth career pole position in Bahrain

Jarno Trulli leads the first ever one-two for Toyota with Timo Glock in second place.

Chinese Grand Prix winner Sebastian Vettel edged Jenson Button for third by 0.03s.

But Vettel’s team mate Mark Webber will start on the last row of the grid after being held up by Adrian Sutil.

Q1

Giancarlo Fisichella was first to set a time, his Force India running a new front wing and a revised diffuser. But his first lap on super-soft tyres, a 1’35.931, was quickly beaten as many more cars rushed out onto the track.

Several of the fastest cars went out on the medium rubber including Sebastian Vettel, who abandoned his Shanghai tactics of waiting until the last minute, and set the second quickest time behind Jarno Trulli.

Kimi Raikkonen leapt to the top of the times with a 1’33.648 on super-soft tyres – then improved to a 1’33.524 on his second run. But in the meantime team mate Felipe Massa had deposed him with a 1’33.512.

Next Lewis Hamilton, also on the super-soft tyres, moved the benchmark further with a 1’33.290.

Heading into the final stages of the session Nelson Piquet Jnr leapt out of the bottom five to take fourth, leaving Bourdais, Webber, Kovalainen, Glock and Fisichella in the drop zone – but the five were separated by just a few tenths.

Kovalainen improved to second behind his team mate. Both Toyotas began pumping in fastest sector times – Glock moving up to first with a 1’33.165, then Trulli setting a 1’32.779.

In Malaysia it was Massa, in China it was Kubica – and in Bahrain Mark Webber provided the surprise of the session by being eliminated in Q1. He came across Sutil at the end of a flying lap, and the Force India driver took rather too long moving out of the way.

Sutil didn’t make it through to the final part of qualifying either, but a penalty could be waiting for him after the session.

Drivers eliminated in Q1

16. Adrian Sutil 1’33.722
17. Sebastien Buemi 1’33.753
18. Giancarlo Fisichella 1’33.910
19. Mark Webber 1’34.038
20. Sebastien Bourdais 1’34.159

Q2

Sebastian Vettel was quickest after the first round of laps – over 0.3s ahead of Raikkonen. Alonso found more pace from the R29 (he’d also complained of traffic in Q1), going third, 1.1s faster than team mate Piquet.

Hamilton’s first attempt wasn’t good enough for the top ten, leaving him in the drop zone along with both BMWs, Piquet and Massa.

Kovalainen made a tiny improvement of 0.03s on his final effort – putting him eighth – but Hamilton needed much more. He found 0.4s over his team mate with a 1’32.877, which proved the difference between Hamilton staying in and Kovalainen dropping out.

Vettel was comfortably quickest at the end of the session but several drivers who’d gone out to do final laps aborted them after it became clear many drivers in the chasing pack weren’t improving. Along with Kovalainen that included Nakajima, Piquet (who went off on his final effort) and the BMWs.

Drivers eliminated in Q2

11. Heikki Kovalainen 1’33.242
12. Kazuki Nakajima 1’33.348
13. Robert Kubica 1’33.487
14. Nick Heidfeld 1’33.562
15. Nelson Piquet Jnr 1’33.941

Q3

Brawn, Ferrari and Toyota each got both their drivers into Q3, while Hamilton, Alonso, Rosberg and Vettel were the sole representatives of their teams.

The Toyotas set the fastest times to begin with, Vettel half a second slower, suggesting he had a decent level of fuel on board. He was fourth between the two Brawns, Button in third.

Button was one of the first drivers to start his final lap – he went quickest with a 1’34.044. Vettel edged that by 0.03s but the Toyotas were vastly quicker – Jarno Trulli claiming pole position with a 0.6s advantage over Vettel in third, and Timo Glock between the pair of them.

Toyota’s John Howett said he didn’t think the cars were “excessively” light, indicating they are a little bit light, but we’ll find out the full fuel weights in a few hours.

Update: Sebastian Vettel carrying more fuel than Toyotas (Bahrain GP fuel and pit stops)

Top ten drivers in Q3

1. Jarno Trulli 1′33.431
2. Timo Glock 1′33.712
3. Sebastian Vettel 1′34.015
4. Jenson Button 1′34.044
5. Lewis Hamilton 1′34.196
6. Rubens Barrichello 1′34.239
7. Fernando Alonso 1′34.578
8. Felipe Massa 1′34.818
9. Nico Rosberg 1′35.134
10. Kimi Raikkonen 1′35.380

Hermann Tilke's A1 Ring was first used in 1997

Yesterday’s discussion about a potential Rome Grand Prix circuit turned into a debate about Hermann Tilke’s abilities as an F1 track designer. Daniel put forward the case for the prosecution:

Why do they still get this guy to build tracks? Every track he has designed is boring. With all the new tracks that have appeared in the last five or six years, the old ones are still the most entertaining: look at Spa and Monza.

Paul responded:

Tilke is rather limited to what he can produce by (presumably) FOM/Bernie and FIA regulations [...] I really don’t see any bad track he’s produced aside from Valencia, and we only have fifty or so laps to base that upon.

Has Hermann Tilke ruined the F1 calendar? Let’s take a look at what he’s done for F1 track design in the last 14 years.

In 1997 the Austrian Grand Prix returned to the calendar on a circuit based on the popular old Osterreichring. But the new A1-Ring was a radically different affair to its predecessor: the fast, long-radio turns of the original were replaced by tight, slow corners.

This is one of the hallmarks of Tilke’s designs and by comparing the calendar of 13 years ago with today’s schedule we can see the influence it has had.

1996 F1 calendar

Melbourne, Australia
Interlagos, Brazil
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Nürburgring, Germany
Imola, San Marino
Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Circuit de Catalunya, Spain
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Canada
Magny-Cours, France
Silverstone, Great Britain
Hockenheimring, Germany
Hungaroring, Budapest
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
Monza, Italy
Estoril, Portugal
Suzuka, Japan

Since 1996 every new track that has been introduced on the calendar has been developed by Tilke GmbH. And on almost every other occasion where an existing track has been changed, the modifications were handled by Tilke’s team – with the possible exception of Indianapolis in 2000 (I’m not sure who handled that one):

1997 – A1-Ring
1999 – Sepang International Circuit
2000 – Monza (first chicane)
2002 – Hockenheimring (major re-design)
2002 – Nürburgring (new corners at start of lap)
2003 – Monte-Carlo (Rascasse reprofiling and moving of barriers)
2003 – Magny-Cours (new corners at end of lap)
2003 – Hungaroring (new corners at end of lap)
2004 – Bahrain International Circuit
2004 – Shanghai International Circuit
2005 – Istanbul Park
2007 – Catalunya (new chicane at end of lap)
2007 – Fuji (major re-design)
2007 – Spa-Francorchamps (new chicane at end of lap)
2008 – Valencia
2008 – Singapore
2009 – Abu Dhabi
2010 – Donington (major re-design)

Regardless of what you think of Tilke’s tracks, you have to ask whether only having one circuit designer is good for Formula 1. Where are the new ideas going to come from in a monopoly? How can good value for money be ensured in an industry where there is no competition?

2009 F1 calendar

The first race at Tilke's Valencia street circuit was processional

Here’s this year’s calendar with the tracks entirely designed by Tilke marked in bold and the tracks where he’s changed at least one corner in italics:

Melbourne, Australia
Sepang, Malaysia
Shanghai International Circuit, China
Bahrain International Circuit, Bahrain
Circuit de Catalunya, Spain
Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Istanbul, Turkey
Silverstone, Great Britain
Nürburgring, Germany
Hungaroring, Budapest
Valencia, Spain
Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
Monza, Italy
Marina Bay, Singapore
Suzuka, Japan
Interlagos, Brazil
Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

On top of that, the German and Japanese rounds are being rotated between two other circuits which aren’t hosting Grands Prix year, but will be on the 2010 F1 calendar.

These are the Hockenheimring, which was substantially re-designed by Tilke in 2002, and Fuji Speedway, which has also had a complete Tilke overhaul.

Culprit or scapegoat?

Tilke gets a hard time from a lot of F1 fans. His designs are derided for being unimaginative, with too many slow corners.

I think Tilke gets a bad press. As this Youtube video posted by Gabal on the forum shows, he is more of a petrol head than people give him credit for:

It’s hard to match the idea of Hermann Tilke grinning through hot laps of the Nordschleife in a Lamborghini with the man who gave us horrible Mickey Mouse bends like the final sector at Fuji Speedway. So what’s the problem?

As I’ve said before I think the regulations are partly to blame. Why should the world’s most technologically sophisticated racing cars be prevented from tackling no more than ten degrees of gradient?

I also think the safety demands placed on modern circuits saps them of their power to impress us. This is not an argument for making tracks less safe, but I think it shows why the first turn at Shanghai doesn’t impress us the same way Eau Rouge or Blanchimont does. (Also, it helps that corners on old tracks usually have proper names).

Motorland Aragon – his finest work?

Motorland Aragon

Ironically, one of Tilke’s most promising tracks may never be used for an F1 race. Motorland Aragon in Spain includes the closest thing you can get to Laguna Seca’s fabled Corkscrew on an F1-ready track.

But with Spain already holding two Grands Prix at Catalunya and Valencia, its chances of getting on the calendar look slim. This is a great pity, as it looks like one of Tilke’s best efforts, and includes a dramatic pit building designed by Sir Norman Foster, the man behind the McLaren Technology Centre and many other exceptional pieces of architecture.

Although I’m not sure Tilke deserves all the criticism he gets, equally I’d like to see more variety in F1 track design. For example, given enough run-off space, why couldn’t F1 have high-speed circuits like the Monzas, Silverstones and Osterreichrings of old?

Do you think the Tilke track monopoly is good or bad for F1? Would Tilke produce better tracks if the rules were freer? Have your say in the comments.

Images (C) BMW ag, Red Bull / GEPA

Niki Lauda and Gerhard Berger - Austria's last F1 champion and race winner

Last world champion: Niki Lauda, 1984
Last Grand Prix winner: Gerhard Berger, Hockenheimring, Benetton-Renault, 1997
Last Grand Prix starter: Alexander Wurz, Shanghai, Williams, 2007
Last Grand Prix: A1-Ring, 2003

Austria is the only European country on this list. It has had championship winners and dozens of Grands Prix, but no race and active driver today.

Austria’s F1 history

World champions

Austria has produced two Formula 1 world champions. But the first, Jochen Rindt, died in a crash at the Italian Grand Prix before claiming the title.

A prolific winner in Formula Two, Rindt made his F1 debut in the first Austrian Grand Prix, at the unloved Zeltweg aerodrome track in 1964. He joined Lotus in 1969 and although he found Colin Chapman’s cars competitive, they were also fragile. Rindt was leading at Silverstone in 1969 when his rear wing broke.

He led the championship comfortably in 1970 when, at Monza, he was killed in a violent crash at Parabolica during practice. No-one overhauled his lead by the end of the season, and he became the sport’s only posthumous world champion.

Two years after Rindt died, Niki Lauda arrived on the F1 scene. Born into a wealthy family that did not support his motor racing efforts, Lauda made it into F1 via BRM, but was quickly snapped up by Ferrari as new manager Luca di Montezemolo set about turning the team back into title winners.

Lauda won the 1975 and 1977 championships for Ferrari – and it’s no great leap to suggest he might have won the ’76 title as well, but for his horrific crash at the Nürburgring. A move to Brabham left Lauda disenchanted with F1, and he quit at the end of 1979. But two years later Ron Dennis lured him back Lauda won his second race back in the cockpit.

In 1984, armed with the first turbo-powered McLaren, the wily Lauda edged team mate Alain Prost to the title by half a point – the tightest winning margin ever. After a final win at Zandvoort the following year, Lauda quit again – this time for good. However, he would return to the F1 pitwall in Ferrari and Jaguar colours in the 1990s and 2000s.

Berger and the A1 era

Austria’s best championship hope after Lauda was Gerhard Berger. After winning for Benetton at Mexico City in 1986 he was snapped up by Ferrari, but although more wins followed the car was never consistently quick enough to take on the dominant McLarens. Berger remedied that by joining the Woking team in 1990, but despite starting from pole position in his first race for them, he was rarely able to trouble team mate Ayrton Senna.

He returned to Ferrari in 1993 and spent his last two seasons at Benetton. The final of those, 1997, saw Austria return as a Grand Prix-hosting nation ten years since it had last held a race.

Throughout much of the sixties, seventies and eighties the Austrian Grand Prix was held on the sweeps and crests of the Osterreichring. For many years it was the fastest track in F1, and as a result was highly popular with the drivers. But the writing was on the wall in 1987 when the cramped start/finish line meant it took three attempts to get the race started due to persistent pile-ups.

The venue returned in 1997, now named the A1-Ring, and was the first example of what is now a familiar phenomenon in Formula 1: Tilke-isation. The fast corners were nearly all clipped into tight, blunt, slow bends. This meant it often provided decent racing, but much of the spectacle was lost. Its contract was not renewed after the 2003 race, and it is now owned by Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz.

Until recently the Austrian crowds had home-grown talent like Christian Klien and Alexander Wurz to shout on. But despite Mateschitz owning two F1 teams, and having Austrian ex-F1 driver Helmut Marko involved in his operations, there are no Austrians in F1 today.

Austria’ F1 future

Mateschitz does not seem too interested in bringing F1 back to the A1-Ring, though he has talked about holding DTM races there.

Klien and Wurz remain on the fringes of F1 as test drivers for BMW and the former Honda team respectively. But with little obvious chance of either of them getting a race seat they are increasingly turning towards sports cars. But these two represent the greatest chance of seeing an Austrian competing in F1 again, as there doesn’t seem to be many up-and-coming drivers from the country in the major feeder series.

More about Austria’s F1 drivers

• Jochen Rindt
• Niki Lauda
• Gerhard Berger
• Christian Klien
• Alexander Wurz

Formula 1′s lost nations

• Formula 1’s lost nations: South Africa
• Formula 1’s lost nations: Canada
• Formula 1’s lost nations: Argentina
• Formula 1’s lost nations: USA

The Osterreichring in its turbo heyday, complete with first-lap crash (1982)

Images (C) Red Bull / GEPA, Ford

Schumacher and Barrichello were booed on the podium at Austria in 2002

Lewis Hamilton got an unsurprisingly hostile welcome from sections of the crowd at Valencia during last weekend’s European Grand Prix. (However there have been no reports of any repeat of the racist taunting directed at him in Spain earlier this year).

Hamilton’s not the first driver to have been the target of a hostile crowd either – see a video below of Fernando Alonso getting an earful from the Ferrari fans at Monza in 2006.

Fans booing players is a big thing in some sports – Kyle Busch gets booed in NASCAR and in football they even boo members of their own team for reasons I won’t pretend to understand. Would you boo anyone at an F1 race?

Here’s Fernando Alonso being booed by the Tifosi at Monza after retiring from the 2006 race:

Alonso was locked in a close battle with Michael Schumacher for the championship battle at the time.

I find that video a bit surprising because I went to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza last year and sat in the very same stand, surrounded by Ferrari fans. But I never felt for a second that they were particularly hostile towards McLaren, Hamilton or Alonso, despite the championship situation and spygate rumbling on at the time.

Perhaps it was something to do with the fans who turned up? Perhaps Michael Schumacher inspired the wrong kind of F1 fanaticism? Or maybe they were jsut subdued because McLaren ran away with the race.

One of the most famous examples of F1 fans booing was at Austria in 2002:

On that occasion Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello was ordered to surrender his lead to Michael Schumacher, and did so within metres of the line.

Whatever team you’re supporting, the sight of an F1 race being fixed in such a blatant and unsporting way, especially if you’ve paid hundreds of pounds/euros/dollars to see it, is going to rankle.

I don’t think I’d be moved to boo a driver I didn’t like, but I probably would have joined in the booing on that day if I’d paid moeny to see that race. They were even booed by the press in the post-race conference.

Would you boo at an F1 race? Have you booed at an F1 driver? If so, who?

Plus further developments in the Lewis Hamilton racism row, interviews with past F1 greats Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney, and a plane painted to look like Nico Rosberg.

Italian magistrate to question McLaren bosses – The spy scandal returns to the headlines.

Fan claims circuit did nothing to stop abuse – Perspective from a fan in the grandstands at the Barcelona test session when Lewis Hamilton was racially abused.

I am not a racist, says Spanish fan who ‘blacked-up’ for Hamilton – Elsewhere this was reported as “Spaniard who abused Hamilton claims ‘We only did it for a laugh’” although the story doesn’t actually quote him saying those words.

AirAsia paints up A320 in the colours of Williams F1 Grand Prix car – complete with Nico Rosberg’s helmet colours.

Gurney built great career – feature on one of America’s best F1 drivers, Dan Gurney.

Home for winning Brabham formula – The Brabham-Repco that Jack Brabham won the 1966 world drivers’ and constructors’ title in has gone on display in a museum in Australia. Brabham remains the only driver to have won the title in a car of his own.

A racing car gathered by Moss – an interview with an F1 legend – Stirling Moss on the good old days.

Conway in young driver programme – Kent news profile local driver Mike Conway who has joined the Honda Driver Development programme.

The start of a new trend? – Rumour that Williams is to create a permanent test team facility in Spain.

I won’t leave Formula 1 yet, vows David Coulthard – Red Bull driver plays down rumours of a switch to NASCAR.

Egmont’s top ten F1 drivers – Part one of a look at the best drivers in F1 today.

Formula One team Renault sign up Japanese test driver – Renault signs Sakon Yamamoto. Anyone know why? They’ve already got Romain Grosjean and Lucas di Grassi.

Alonso envious of Ferrari ride – Is Fernando Alonso planning to move to Ferrari in the near future?

Schumacher becomes a team owner – Michael Schumacher sets up kart team.

Ferrari’s $100m head start – Ferrari land a windfall after winning the 2007 championships.

Honda offer staff $2000 bonus for win – Sounds like a safe bet to me.

Ecclestone and Briatore exclusive – “Football’s something that goes on when Formula 1′s in its off season” – vintage Ecclestone.

Forget the A1 Ring – Bid to save Austrian track fails.

Arabian ace tipped for F1 future – As motor sport looks to the east, potential future drivers are emerging. This is Hamad al Fardan.

Christian Klien on his new role, the 2008 season, and beyond – The Austrian racer has joined BMW as a test driver.

Don’t miss the new F1 video section with videos from the Renault, BMW and Toyota launches plus more.

Photo copyright: Daimler

More on the McLaren-Ferrari spy row

• Mosley proposes halt to McLaren spy investigation
• McLaren apologises over Ferrari scandal
• ‘McLaren witch hunt’ discussed at second spy hearing
• FIA suing Sunday Times over McLaren article
• Mosley on McLaren, F1 engines, customer chassis and more

This time just one F1 moment made the list. Any guesses?

It was Michael Schumacher taking out Damon Hill in in 1994 championship decide at Adelaide. Once again, I can conjure up a few memories that definitely belong on this list.

Schumacher alone has given us the 2006 Monaco qualifying scandal by parking it at Rascasse and that crazy finish to the British Grand Prix in 1998, where he won in the pits.

In 2002 the finishes at the A1-Ring and Indianapolis were rigged and ruined by Schumacher and team mate Rubens Barrichello.

There was Jerez 1997 when he hit Jacques Villeneuve – a double bill of infamy as Villeneuve was later involved in a horrible stage-managed finishi involving the two McLaren drivers.

There was another unedifying position-swap between the McLaren at the very next race, at Melbourne in 1998.

The two Alain Prost & Ayrton Senna crashes at Suzuka in 1989 and 1990 definitely rate.

In 1982 half the teams boycotted the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola.

And last, but certainly not least, the six-car ‘race’ at Indianapolis in 2005. Two farces in four years at that track. And they wonder why F1′s not catching on in the States?

Related links

• Perfect sporting moments
• Stewards slam Schuey
• United States Grand Prix 2005 review
• The Daily Telegraph – 50 Imperfect Sporting Moments

Tags: f1 / formula one / formula 1 / grand prix / motor sport

Team orders were banned after the 2002 Austrian Grand Prix, when Ferrari ordered Rubens Barrichello to let Michael Schumacher win. McLaren ordered their drivers to hold station after the first round of pit stops in yesterday’s race.

But this is not unusual – on many occasions since the banning of team orders drivers have received instructions from the pit wall to hold stations until the end of the race.

The outrage may be surprising to long-term fans of F1 but it is a forceful reminder that team orders are unsporting. The FIA needs to take more intelligent steps than simply declaring them banned and only looking into the problem when the press kicks up a stink.

There’s a long history of team orders in F1. In 1956 Peter Collins lost the world championship to team mate Juan Manuel Fangio because he was ordered to hand his Ferrari over after Fangio’s had failed.

But in the 51 years since then F1 has transformed from a gentleman’s pursuit into a sporting profession. You can’t expect a sportsman to be happy to relinquish victory – or the public to understand or accept it.

Today team orders have to be more subtle because article 147 of the sporting regulations specifically states: “Team orders which interfere with a race result are prohibited.”

But they still exist. Teams have often told drivers running first and second to hold position until the end of the race, usually after the final pit stops. Renault did so with Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella at Sepang last year.

Watching last year’s French Grand Prix it seemed inconceivable that Felipe Massa wasn’t ordered to hold up Alonso in the opening stages of the race to benefit team mate Schumacher. Massa drove the odd suspiciously slow in-lap last year as well.

No-one seemed to care when Toyota ordered Jarno Trulli to let Ralf Schumacher past at Suzuka last year.

Teams are always going to want to impose such orders. The FIA should be working to make it impossible for them to do so – and there are two clear and obvious ways to do it:

Make passing easier. Races are almost entirely decided by strategy – which the teams have total control over.

Ban refuelling. Nobody cares about race strategies, they aren’t entertaining and they serve only to make races confusing. Banning refuelling will greatly reduce teams’ control over the races an make team orders a virtual impossibility overnight.

It would be wrong of the FIA to punish McLaren for doing something that others have been doing for years. And given Max Mosley’s outspoken and indecorous criticism of Ron Dennis it would also be highly suspect.

They should turn their attention to their own rulebook instead.

Related links

• Debate: Should Ferrari use team orders?
• Toyota slate Trulli for not breaking rules
• French Grand Prix 2006 review
• United States Grand Prix 2006 review
• Monaco Grand Prix 2007 review – One and two finish one-two

Tags: f1 / formula one / formula 1 / grand prix / motor sport

It was banned early in 1998 as McLaren made a stunningly dominant start to the year. Following a protest by Ferrari the system, that had previously been declared legal, was outlawed.

Many at the time suggested political motives were at work – and a desire to keep McLaren from getting too far ahead.

The 1997 Grand Prix of Luxembourg was held at the Nürburgring in Germany – a ruse to allow both Germany and Spain to have two Grands Prix – Spain also hosting the ‘European’ round.

It began well for McLaren with their two Mercedes cars leading ahead of the top brass from the German manufacturer. But it fell apart in the cruellest possible fashion when both David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen’s cars ground to a halt on the start/finish line within a lap of each other.

Depressing as the spectacle was for Ron Dennis, he didn’t know things were about to get much worse. The cars stopped near F1 Racing photographer Darren Heath, who had been waiting for just such an opportunity.

He snuck over to Hakkinen’s car, thrust his camera deep into the footwell, and clicked the shutter repeatedly.

Foot operated clutches have been a thing of the past in Formula 1 for many years, so a drivers footwell typically only features an accelerator and brake. But Turner was expecting to see a third pedal when he had his roll of film developed – and that’s exactly what he found.

F1 Racing splashed the photographs all over their November edition – McLaren’s independent rear brake pedal had been rumbled mere weeks after it had first been pressed into service. The team had used it one week before the Nürburgring, at the A1-Ring, where sharp-eyed onlookers wondered why their cars’ rear brakes were glowing on the exit of some corners.

The pedal allowed the drivers to operate either of the rear brakes independently of the others. This gave them two additional means of controlling the car and improving the performance – by reducing either understeer or wheelspin depending on which wheel was braked and when.

It was an ingenious system that in one respect didn’t add any new functionality to the car, merely a new way of operating its existing braking systems. Nonetheless Ron Dennis was furious to see it exposed after such a short time in service.

McLaren continued with the system in 1998 by which time they had leapt from front-of-midfielders to runaway championship leaders. Now their immediate rivals – chiefly Ferrari – protested the rear brake pedal on the grounds that it was primarily a steering system.

Although the system had previously been passed fit to race by Charlie Whiting the stewards at the Brazilian Grand Prix – the second round of 1998 – ruled against the rear brake pedal.

It was unsavoury to see a perfectly valid system banned on such a dubious technicality when it had been declared legal on other previous occasions. But it was not the first nor the last time that it happened.

It did not stop McLaren from running away with the Brazilian Grand Prix – or from winning both championships that year.

Related links

• Banned! archive

Tags: f1 / formula one / formula 1 / grand prix / motor sport

Every Saturday I set aside an hour for the excellent ‘Fighting Talk’ on Radio 5. A few weeks ago, when asked how to make F1 more exciting, one of the panellists joked, “more crashing!” You have to agree. Of course, one never wants to see anyone get hurt, but how many people found the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix riveting because someone fell off the road every 30 seconds? Given that it recorded ITV’s record F1 viewing figures, I’d say quite a few.

In recent years the constantly improving safety standards in Formula One has meant that drivers are only very rarely injured. This is something all F1 fans are grateful for. These awards celebrate the drivers who have raised the bar in pursuit of the most spectacular, exciting and unusual accidents, and were not hurt in doing so.

Best Solo Effort

This is the blue riband event, the one they all want to win. While anyone can tangle with a competitor, a big solo shunt requires special effort and considerable imagination.

The nominees:

John Watson – Monza, Italy, 1981
How to split a car in two. Footage from this accident was later used to demonstrate the strength of carbon fibre moulds in high impacts.

Andrea de Cesaris – Osterreichring, Austria, 1985
Impressive barrel roll and strong use of scenery from a maestro of mayhem.

Philippe Alliot – Circuito Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico, 1988
From the smallest errors do truly great accidents arise.

Derek Warwick – Monza, Italy, 1990
Most people exit the Parabolica the right way up. A further commendation is earned for participating in the restart.

Ricardo Zonta – Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, 1999
Not to be outdone by his illustrious team mate Jacques Villeneuve, Zonta stuck to their pact to attempt Eau Rouge flat-out even after Villeneuve had destroyed his BAR there. Result: two destroyed BARs.

Mark Webber – Interlagos, Brazil, 2003
An effective demonstration of why the survival cell is so called. Webber achieved this spectacular feat while deliberately driving through a wet patch to cool his worn tyres.

And the winner is…

Philippe Alliot. A fantastic solo effort from the Frenchman, spinning off in a straight line and using the pit-wall to launch into a barrel roll down the track.

Best Supporting Performer

An up and coming award where we salute those that cause the accident but more or less get away with it.

The nominees:

Riccardo Patrese – Monte-Carlo, Monaco, 1986
Patrese inadvertently flipped Patrick Tambey into a stunning barrel roll at Mirabeau.

Jean-Louis Schlesser – Monza, Italy, 1988
McLaren were unbeatable in 1988 until Ayrton Senna tried to lap one-off Williams stand-in driver Schlesser…

Ayrton Senna – Various races in the 1980s
His speciality was letting the rival alongside before slamming the door. For example, see Mansell at Brazil in 1986.

Pierluigi Martini – Monza, Italy, 1993
Christian Fittipaldi did a specatacular backflip across the line, but his team-mate who unwittigly launched the Brazilian continued unscathed.

Michael Schumacher – Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Canada, 1997
Schumacher teared out after his pit stop into the path of Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who has no choice but to get acquainted with the tyres. Schumacher goes on to win.

And the winner is…
Jean-Louis Schlesser. If only for the infamy.

It Takes Two

Most racing accidents usually result from two drivers disagreeing about the same piece of road.

The nominees:

Mauro Baldi & Jochen Mass – Paul Ricard, France, 1982
Fans often complain they don’t get close enough to the cars and drivers. Baldi and Mass rectified this, as the Italian launched Mass’s car into a spectator enclosure at over 170mph. Incredibly, no-one was hurt, but it lead to a swift re-appraisal of the usefulness of catch fencing.

Eliseo Salazar & Nelson Piquet – Hockenheimring, Germany, 1982
Classic leader-meets-back-marker altercation, with bonus points for the subsequent kung-fu fight.

Alain Prost & Ayrton Senna – Suzuka, Japan, 1989
Did Prost shut the door? Was it ever open?

Alain Prost & Ayrton Senna – Suzuka, Japan, 1990
At least pretend you’re trying to take the corner.

Damon Hill & Michael Schumacher – Adelaide, Australia, 1994
It doesn’t look any better a decade later. Would have scored better if Schumacher had kept his Benetton on two wheels for longer.

Nick Heidfeld & Takuma Sato – A1-Ring, Austria, 2002
Heidfeld wasn’t aiming at Sato, but an awesome effort in any regard.

And the winner is…
Nick Heidfeld & Takuma Sato. Praise the FIA for side impact tests. The on board camera from Juan Pablo Montoya’s Williams shows the true violence of the impact.

Group Therapy

The most competitive category, given the number of multiple pile-ups F1 has seen over the years. We salute the very best of the best

The nominees:

Mauricio Gugelmin (and supporting drivers), Paul Ricard, France, 1989
Gugelmin attempts the novel breaking technique of launching himself over the rest of the field. It doesn’t work.

Eddie Irvine and Jos Verstappen (with Eric Bernard and Martin Brundle), Interlagos, Brazil, 1994
Irvine forced Verstappen onto the grass and the innocent Brundle takes a header from Verstappen’s mid-air acrobatics. Irvine gets a three race ban.

Mika Hakkinen (and supporting drivers), Hockenheim, 1994
Two shunts before the first corner. Mika Hakkinen single handedly creates the most expensive parking lot in history by turning left at a right-hander.

Alex Wurz (and supporting drivers), Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Canada, 1998
Wurz gets squeezed out into a multiple barrel roll and takes half the field with him. Further credit for his subsequent drive to fourth on the restart.

David Coulthard (and supporting drivers), Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, 1998
Coulthard spins off in the wet and takes half the grid with him.

Luciano Burti, Hockenheim, Germany, 2001
Luciano Burti doesn’t see a slow moving Michael Schumacher, then enters orbit.

And the winner is…
Mauricio Gugelmin. Clearly drawing his inspiration from Derek Daly’s Monaco crash in 1980, Gugelmin took the popular “driver doesn’t brake for the first corner” crash to new heights.

You Wouldn’t Believe It

Sometimes the accident is so bizarre you couldn’t make it up.

The nominees:

Alain Prost, Riccardo Patrese et. al. Monte-Carlo, Monaco, 1982
With a handful of laps to go Prost crashed out of the lead. New leader Patrese spun at Loews. The next leader, Didier Pironi, ran out of fuel. So did de Cesaris. Derek Daly could have won, but he had somehow lost his rear wing. Finally Patrese rolled his car down the hill, jump-started the engine, and won.

Stefan Johansson, Osterreichring, Austria, 1987
Animal lovers, look away: McLaren-TAG turbo at full throttle 1 – Deer 0. Johansson walked away, Bambi didn’t.

The Jordan team, 1994
Managed to eliminate both cars by the third corner in two successive races.

Taki Inoue, Monte Carlo, Moncao, 1995
Rolled the car while being towed in. How?

Taki Inoue, Hungaroring, Hungary 1995
Retired with mechanical trouble and then run over by the fire marshal. How?

Christian Klein, Monte-Carlo, Monaco, 2004
“Let’s put a priceless diamond on the nose cone, it’ll be safe there.” Klein got as far as the Grand Hotel hairpin and the diamond was never seen again.

The Jaguar team, Interlagos, Brazil, 2004
The last race for the Jaguar team – and the drivers celebrate by taking each other out.

And the winner is…
Taki Inoue for creating the two most bizarre accidents in F1. And because he never won anything else in his racing career.

Lifetime Achievement Award

For some drivers, racing is secondary to the pursuit of the ultimate shunt. We single out a special driver who has dedicated their career not to winning, but to crashing.

The nominees:

Andrea de Cesaris
Nicknamed de Crasheris with good reason. Is on first name terms with the international race track marshalling community.

Philippe Alliot
Most late 1980s F1 reviews feature at least five minutes of Alliot accidents. Further credit for not being a selfish crasher and usually taking an innocent party with him (more often than not, the person he was being lapped by.)

Michael Andretti
In 13 short races Andretti made sure his McLaren explored the infield wherever possible.

Ricardo Zonta
He was not nicknamed ‘Pebbles’ because he liked the seaside.

Takuma Sato
Admittedly he’s only young, but 2002 was enlivened by the sight of his yellow Jordan exiting stage right.

Taki Inoue
An ephemeral genius, who in little more than a year in Formula One created two of the most celebrated accidents. “I’m trying to improve,” he told journalists. Inspirational.

And the winner is…
Andrea De Cesaris. Who else could it be? The Czar of crashes, the sultan of shunts, who twice broke the record for most accidents in a single season. Inexplicably backed to the hilt by the Marlboro money men, De Cesaris started over 200 Grands Prix and never won a single one. But he crashed, banged and walloped his way into our hearts. Particular mention must go to his effort at Pheonix in 1989, when he shunted team-mate Alex Caffi – who was lapping him – out of a potential podium place.