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The Old Rumour Mil – September

Keith Collantine — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:00:55 +0000

Eight years ago Rubens Barrichello’s move to Ferrari was confirmed.

He happily gave the press quotes about how he would definitely be allowed to race Michael Schumacher, which later proved to be not entirely true…

“Ferrari will let me win” – Barrichello
Autosport, September 9th, 1999

“I’m not sure exactly what Irvine’s contract involved, but if I’m in front of Michael and driving better than him, I’m absolutely certain the team will let me win.” The cynics that sneered at Rubens Barrichello’s optimistic words on joining Ferrari were proved right when, three years later, Barrichello made way for Schumacher to win in Austria.

But this wasn’t the only interesting thing about the announcement in September 1999 that Eddie Irvine would be replaced by Rubens Barrichello – for at the time Irvine was battling Mika Hakkinen for the world championship. Hardly a vote of confidence…

Six-wheeled Williams for 1983
Autosport, September 2nd, 1982

Rumours surrounding Williams late in 1982 insisted that they would run a six-wheeled car in 1983 and were preparing to run either BMW or Honda engines in 1984.

The Honda deal happened for ‘84 but the plan to use a six-wheeled car was scuppered by a change to the rules mandating four wheels. Their six-wheeler had run very quick in testing.

The BMW deal linked Manfred Winkelhock (late father of this Markus who made his F1 dÃ©but at the N�rburgring) to the team, but didn’t come about. Williams used BMW engines much later, from 2000-5.

Asiatech team for 2004
Autosport, September 19th, 2002

Engine suppliers Asiatech (who, despite their name, were based in France) ended their supply of power plants to Minardi in 2002 with a view to returning as constructors in 2004.

Enrique Scalabroni designed a car for them. But their hopes of attracting support from a manufacturer never came to fruition and the car never raced.

The Old Rumour Mill – August

Keith Collantine — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 06:00:37 +0000

Old stories from the depths of the F1 archives including how a pair of businessmen tried to bring Vanwall back to F1 in 1999.

Plus the thwarted dream of a Grand Prix in London – and Alain Prost’s year off that never was.

Prost to take sabbatical

Autosport, August 7th 1986

Will his usual foresight, Alain Prost feared his McLaren team would be far less competitive in 1987. Support from engine suppliers Porsche (financed by TAG) was waning, so the ‘85 champion considered taking a year’s sabbatical. He said: “It would be good for my health to have a rest, then come back very strong in 1988.”

But he won the 1986 championship and didn’t take the year off. He won a handful of races, surpassing Jackie Stewart’s record of most victories (then 27). In 1988 McLaren replaced the TAG-Porsche engines with Porsches, but Prost lost the title to new team mate Ayrton Senna.

He eventually did take a year’s sabbatical in 1992, having been fired by Ferrari in 1991. He returned with Williams in 1993 to win a final, fourth championship, and then retired for good.

Vanwall to return to F1

Motorsport, August 1997

Vanwall won the first F1 constructors’ championship in 1958, but just two years later a Vanwall chassis contested a Grand Prix for the last time – in Reims, France.

In 1997 news of a plan to resurrect the historic marque surfaced. A company named VF One, which bought the rights to the Vanwall trademark, aimed to re-establish the name in motor racing.

VF One’s owners John Minet and David Laird hoped to get a team on the F1 grid by 1999 if funding materialised. Sadly, it did not.

London Olympics win boosts GP chances

F1 Racing, August, 2005

When London won the right to host the 2012 Olympics it gave hope to those pushing for an F1 race around the streets of London. A demo was held in 2004 and attracted hundreds of thousands of spectators.

Sadly hopes for such a race have since been well and truly scuppered. More recently, Ferrari couldn’t even get permission to film a sequence of action for its brilliant F1 advert that aired earlier this year. The authorities were concerned about the risk to public safety. Apparently it wasn’t a problem for New York or Rome…

The Old Rumour Mill – June

Keith Collantine — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 06:00:04 +0000

The Adrian Newey saga dominated the headlines six years ago. Yet, in one of those funny little ironies, although he didn’t end up leaving McLaren for Jaguar at the time he did end up moving to the same team a few years later.

Plus F1 (nearly) at Laguna Seca and the absence of Audi.

Newey to quit F1
Autosport, June 7 2001

In a turgid season of almost uninterrupted Ferrari dominance, at least there was a juicy mid-season scandal to keep everyone interested.

The ‘will-he-won’t-he’ Adrian Newey saga was triggered when it was widely claimed that the designer had sensationally opted to defect to Jaguar from McLaren.

But he had an 11th hour change of heart – that fatally compromised Bobby Rahal’s position at Jaguar and shortly led to the American leaving. Rahal was an associate of Newey’s from their time in Indy Car together.

It was originally believed that Newey decided to stay at McLaren only for another year, after which he would pursue his long-held affection for the America’s Cup boat race.

But the designer instead extended his contract with McLaren. Eventually he did join the Milton Keynes team in 2006, one year after the team had been re-branded as Red Bull. But the ‘genius’ still hasn’t quit F1…

Audi is chosen brand for VW’s F1 activity
BusinessF1, June 2003

Long regarded with suspicion by leading F1 authorities, the controversial BusinessF1 is known for printing surprising headlines that turn out to be a little wide of the mark.

Volkswagen have never really looked like entering F1 despite the confident assertion by BusinessF1 that, “Volkswagen chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder has already made the obvious decision and decreed that the car will be labelled an Audi.”

Let’s put this one down to wishful thinking. It would be great to see Audi in F1, but for now they seem content to be big fish in the small pond of sportscar racing.

Second US GP?
Autosport, June 26, 1986

Bernie Ecclestone confirmed there would once again be two United States Grands Prix on the calendar in 1987. In addition to the race on the streets of Detroit the championship was to go to the Lagune Seca road course in Monterey, California.

It would have been fantastic to see the turbocharged F1 cars of the late 1980s fly up the steep Laguna hill into the daunting corkscrew turn – but it never happened. F1 still has never visited the circuit and given the high specifications demanded of modern circuits it is highly unlikely it ever will.

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The Old Rumour Mill – May

Keith Collantine — Tue, 01 May 2007 08:00:03 +0000

When Norbert Hamy wanted a name for his F1 team, he just turned his first name back to front.

Trebron Racing Systems were set to join F1 racing in 1993 – but the obscure Japanese entry, run by a Canadian who claimed to have designed all manner of exciting technologies, simply disappeared.

Plus, a contractual tug-of-war over Ayrton Senna, and Goodyear’s aborted return to F1 in 2003.

Senna’s 1987 plans – the rumours start!
Autosport, May 15th 1986

Ayrton Senna’s destination for 1987 was the subject of widespread speculation in 1986. This article alone suggested Ferrari, Brabham, Lotus-Renault and Lotus-Ford as the options.

In the end, of course, the answer was “none of the above.” Senna did stay at Lotus, but largely thanks to the fact that they had courted a supply of Honda engines. But they got one thing bang on: “We doubt he would move elsewhere simply for money”…

Japanese Formula 1 car for ‘93
Autosport, 21st May 1992

A new Japanese team for 1993 was announced early in 1992. Trebron took its name from its Canadian owner Norbert Hamy who had found three Japanese backers. The car was to use Judd V10 power and would be built in Japan but raced from a base in England.

Curiously, Hame claimed to have designed a six-wheel ground effect car with a kind of active suspension (though not computer controlled) as early as 1976, but had been unable to find backers for the project. His 1993 car was to also feature several innovative technologies.

But this exotic and quite unusual project was never realised.

Goodyear discuss F1 return
May 17 2001

A three-way tyre war? Now that would have been something. Shortly after Michelin’s return to F1 in 2001 Goodyear apparently considered rejoining the party with a target date of 2003.

The team explored the possibility of linking up with BAR, Jordan, Sauber, Prost and Minardi (interestingly, all teams that have changed owners since 2001) – but it never came to be.

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The Old Rumour Mill – April

Keith Collantine — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 11:00:18 +0000

This time twelve months ago the magazines were full of rumours about a Schumacher-Raikkonen ’superteam’ at Ferrari. What a pity that never came to pass.

Take a look at this and a few other predictions and expectations that were just a little wide of the mark…

Proposals for F1 rule changes

Autosport, 30th April 1992

Some things never change, do they? Like the endless tweaking of the FIA rulebook.

Back in 1992 under the new stewardship of FIA President Max Mosley all kinds of rule tweaks were being proposed and – get this – some of them were actually quite sensible.

They would have done well to introduce the pit lane speed limit – then proposed at a very severe 50kph (31.3mph) – before the reintroduction of refuelling, but somehow this wasn’t done.

Most interestingly a rule to “avoid any attempt to deliberately stop timed sessions by parking in dangerous places,” was considered. How prescient of Mosley to consider such a rule when, at the time, Michael Schumacher had only made nine Grand Prix starts…

Eddie milks gift of the gab

F1 Racing, April 2005

Shortly after Eddie Jordan sold his racing team to Russian steel conglomerate Midland, F1 Racing speculated that he would turn up on ITV as a race pundit.

It never came to pass, but soon enough he did turn up in a journalistic role… as a columnist for F1 Racing!

Marlboro’s $70m Ferrari masterplan

Autosport, April 27, 2006

It would have been sensational, wouldn’t it?

No disrespect to Felipe Massa, but what a powerhouse of a team Ferrari might have had this year with the Teutonic titan Schumacher alongside the implacable and enormously fast Kimi Raikkonen.

Not just for the battle on the track – which surely would have eclipsed everything else going on throughout the field – but for the enormous clash of personalities. Diligent, hardworking, fastidious Michael versus carefree, indifferent, eight-hour-debrief-sod-that-I’ll-be-in-the-bar Kimi.

It could have been the most exciting driver partnership since Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. And it didn’t fail to happen because of a lack of money…

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The Old Rumour Mill – March

Keith Collantine — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 12:00:15 +0000

Ever hear the one about Michael Schumacher teaming up with Volkswagen to create a new F1 superteam for 2007?

Or Ferrari entering the Indianapolis 500? And the oval track being built at Silverstone?

Sadly they weren’t true – but these stories all made the headlines a few years ago. Here’s what was said.

Michael Schumacher & Volkswagen to launch F1 team in 2007

F1 Racing, March 2006

Eddie Jordan may have the inside line on a lot of deals that go on in Formula One. Sadly this would was more fantasy than fact – which is a shame, because it would have been fantastic to see one of the world’s best drivers team up with one of the most high-profile car manufacturers not currently involved in F1.

The rumour reckoned that Michael Schumacher would front a team backed by Volkswagen, possibly under the name of lucury brand Audi, in F1 in 2007.

Well, they certainly got it right about Schumacher not racing for Ferrari after 2006…

Three-car Ferrari team for Indy 500 ‘87

Autosport, 13th March, 1986

In one of his periodic bust-ups with the sport’s governing body Enzo Ferrari pronounced at the beginning of 1986 that his team would begin a limited programme in the American CART championship with a view to racing in the prestigious Indianapolis 500 the next year.

Ferrari had made various threats to quit F1 in the past and had previously missed various races in fits of pique. This too proved to be another one of his more eccentric moments.

F1 to race on Indy oval at Silverstone

Autosport, March 18th and 25th 1993

All kinds of different configurations have been proposed at Silverstone over the years. This rumour claimed an oval circuit would be built linking Stowe and Club as on the pre-’91 circuit, turning right before Abbey and crossing the South circuit, rejoining at Becketts.

At the time the FIA World Council appeared to be moving in the direction of allowing F1 cars to race on ovals. Refuelling was introduced for 1993 and stepped flat bottoms on the cars were planned.

An oval circuit was later built in nearby Rockingham, but the lack of action it has seen in six years suggests that Silverstone were wise not to press ahead with the project.

But if F1 seriously wants to get big in the States, perhaps it should resurrect the idea of running on ovals…

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The Old Rumour Mill – February

Keith Collantine — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:00:33 +0000

More F1 rumours that didn’t quite work out.

This month: three McLarens for 1993, four for 2007, and BMW nearly join Benetton.

Find out why these plans never came to be…

Three-car superteam for Senna

Autosport, February 18th 1994

With the 1993 season fast approaching McLaren were in limbo as Ayrton Senna prevaricted over whether or not he would compete. Knowing arch-rival Alain Prost had a championship-winning Williams-Renault, Senna didn’t want to commit to a potentially un-competitive McLaren.

McLaren already had Michael Andretti and Mika Hakkinen contracted which led to intense speculation that a three car team would be entered. But at the 11th hour Senna agreed to race and Hakkinen was relegated to test driver – only to be promoted back to the race team when Andretti quit before the season’s end.

Lewis Hamilton for McLaren B-team

F1 Racing, February, 2006

Today there are still various rumours about McLaren starting a ‘B-team’ like Red Bull and Honda have. This time last year a lot of people were convinced it would provide a convenient slot for Lewis Hamilton to cut his teeth in 2007.

But Hamilton’s 2006 GP2 campaign was so sensational that he bagged himself a slot with McLaren – the team’s first rookie signing for a new season since Andretti. Hopefully he’ll make it to the end of the year at least.

Benetton-BMW V12 for 1995

Autosport, February 24th, 1994

Before making their F1 comeback with Williams in 2000 BMW considered hooking up with Benetton in 1995, cashing in on the popularity of German sensation Michael Schumacher.

The plan was eventually scotched and many suggested sensitivity to the Benetton company’s controversial advertising campaigns was partly responsible.

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The Old Rumour Mill – January

Keith Collantine — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 19:34:18 +0000

In the first of a new series we take a look back at some of the hottest F1 rumours – that never became true.

To kick things off we have the shock dropping of the Monaco Grand Prix, and some typical January scoops on the drivers’ market that didn’t quite work out that way…

F1 calendar latest: Monaco off, Rome and New York on!

Autosport, January 3rd, 1985

Three months before the start of the 1985 F1 season A row over the Monaco Grand Prix meant it was off the calendar. The European Grand Prix was set to be held in Rome and New York would host a second United States Grand Prix alongside Dallas.

As things worked out, Monaco was indeed reinstated onto the calendar, the mysterious New York event never materialised, and the European Grand Prix was shifted to Brands Hatch where Nigel Mansell scored his first F1 win.

Prost for Benetton in ‘92

Autosport, January 9th, 1992

Autosport ran a story about Luciano Benetton claiming he had signed Alain Prost for 1992 with a deserved air of scepticism – Michael Schumacher and Martin Brundle had already signed on the line.

Prost dallied with Ligier before deciding to take a sabbatical for 1992. He returned the following season to claim a fourth and final title with Williams-Renault.

Pizzonia to be Webber’s team mate at Williams

F1 Racing, January 2005

Williams’ Sam Michael might have said that Antonio Pizzonia was “in pole position” for the 2005 race seat alongside Mark Webber, but Nick Heidfeld got the gig.

In fact Heidfeld gelled so well with engine suppliers BMW that when they dumped Williams to make their own team they took the German with them. Heidfeld missed the latter rounds of 2005 with an injury and Pizzonia deputised for him. The Brazilian hasn’t raced an F1 car since but will compete in GP2 this year, still hoping to get back to the top.

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