F1 Fanatic

hmm thats a pretty tough one icthyes, mainly because I think my realistic answer is pretty boring: that stewart grand prix would have folded (as I never thought Jackie was in it for the long term).

HOWEVER. I’ll do my best.

I think that with Jackie Stewarts business ethic, he would have sealed another engine – possibly BMW as he was willing to give out more equity in the team. Barrichello was always going to leave, and instead a new German driver like Ralf Schumacher or Heidfeld would have come with the team. The team would have enjoyed moderate success until the engine came good, then allowed BMW to buy Jackie out. However, a clause in the contract would require all team members to wear tartan, especially on the podium.

Sorry that is relatively boring :P

WHAT IF…Schumacher’s accident at Silverstone in ’99 had been career ending?

if Didier Pironi had not cheated Villeneuve of victory in San Marino I believe Villeneuve would still have died in Belgium. I know people say his mood after Imola contributed to his death, but I’m not one of them. As for Pironi he would have been a far far more popular driver in the months before his accident, he would have been Villeneuve’s friend carrying the team after his tragic death, rather than being seen by many as the man who betrayed Villeneuve and contributed to his death. Neither drivers careers would have been dramatically altered by Imola not happening.

But if you thought that Villeneuve would not have died if he’d won at Imola you could ask this question..

What If …. Gilles Villeneuve hadn’t been killed at the 1982 Belgian grand prix?

If Gilles Villeneuve had not been killed, he would have continued the way he had been. It is unlikely he ever would have been World Champion, and as the years passed by, he would slowly slip down the grid. Rather than end his career ingloriously, he would opt out of the sport while he was still in his prime. Jacques Villeneuve never would have felt the need to prove himself, and so would not have won the Indy 500. Rather, he would have dabbled in Indycar before being picked up by a smaller team like Jordan. Like his father before him, Jacques would never be a World Champion, but his popularity would cement Jordan’s future. Jordan would never become Midland, Spyker or Force India, but would instead take on a role similar to Williams as a well-respected privateer team.

What if … Juan Pablo Montoya had never had his falling-out with Ron Dennis and instead signed on to stay with McLaren for 2007 and 2008?

From what I have read I imagine that Senna would have campaigned hard for improved driver safety in F1 and, after winning a closely faught WDC in 94 and being bored by the fact that he no longer had Alain Prost to compete against, would have retired. He probably would have married Adriane Galisteu and continued his charity work in Brazil. To continue the what if, Bruno Senna would have not been forced to put his own racing dreams on hold and, with mentoring from his uncle would have moved swiftly through the junior ranks and would have made his way into either a McLaren or a Honda F1 drive around 2007/2008.

Michel Boeri, after becoming elected FIA president and the soon-to-be-abolished FISA took a fairly hands-off role with F1, preferring to push the profile of the WRC which was beginning to peak in popularity with the emergence of young charger Colin McRae and his rivalry with Sainz and Makkinen. After Imola, he pushed for the sport to be safer, inviting Jackie Stewart in to act as safety consultant and promoter. F1 continues as it did normally for a few seasons with the exception that no-one attends Ratzenberger’s funeral sadly. In the late 1990′s Bernie Eccelstone purchased a 10-year lease for the commercial rights of Formula 1 on the strict conditions that it could not be sold on. Bernie makes the same amount of money as he always does except CVC cast their greedy little eyes elsewhere and eventually they obtain the rights for ALMS. Bernie is still keen to move F1 into new places, but the existing tracks are generally retained on the calendar resulting in a 20-race season as early as 2001. The continued hosting of the French GP is helped by improved infrastructure and becomes one of the best-attended on the calendar, rivalling that of Silverstone and Spa. The increased French interest meant that Champ Car Champ, Sebastian Bourdais gets his chance in reigning WCC’s Renault and he thrives, winning a few races and pushing Renault into third in 2008. Following the accident of Felipe Massa, Bourdais ends up in the Ferrari and impresses, retaining his seat alongside Fernando Alonso (his former team mate at Renault) for 2010. Felipe Massa and BobbyS move to Renault and he thrives as the No1 in a smaller team. Robert Kubica moves to WDC for 2011 as he cannot get a No1 seat for that year and doesn’t have his crash….

Meanwhile in Britain, Mosely returned to politics with the Conservative party. Frustrated by lack of opportunities at high-level party politics he broke off to set up his own party, the UDRE (United Democratic Republic of Europe), advocating a pro-European, anti-immigration (from outwith Europe) stance. Following minor success in by-elections, eating into the minority government of Major. Following Labour’s landslide in 1997, Mosley was invited to join the Tory party in a very public display by new leader William Hague. Which Mosely turned down. In the intervening years, Mosley realised that his party was unlikely to extend past his holding of 15 seats, mainly in the south of England. Under Ian Duncan-Smith, and pushed for by Kenneth Clark and Michael Portillo, the UDRE merged into the Conservative party. Mosley was appointed Shadow Justice secretary and at this point started making his play for power. Mosely is elected leader of the Tory Party, furthering polarising opinion of them as the “Nasty Party”. Mosley however with his silver tongue wins over the electorate and the Conservatives celebrate a landslide in 2010. No Coalition. No Nick Clegg.

Sorry rather long, thanks for reading!

What if…. Jim Clark hadn’t decided to compete in an F2 race in Hockenhiem?

Racing would have continued as usual, but Bernie Ecclestone would have remained in control of Brabham. Piquet and Rosberg would not have been disqualified from Brazil 1982, and the anomalies in their cars would not be discovered until as late as Dijon and Monza. Damningly, the parts would have been stamped as being manufactured in March of that year. Both Brabham and Williams would have been banned from the sport for one year, and their 1982 results would have been scratched (much as the FIA did to McLaren). None of the other teams would have complained about the disqualifications, because the illegal parts would have seen Brabham and Williams dominate. And with Didier Pironi injured in Germany, John Watson would have become the 1982 World Champion.

What if … Nelson Piquet had never come forward over his role in the Singapore incident and Flavio Briatore again tried to fix races in 2009 and 2010?

Mclaren retain constructors points and with this extra momentum, take both championships, but the drivers with Fernando Alonso. Alonso doesn’t opt out and retains on with Hamilton as his team mate. 2008 becomes the rough ride of 2007 for Mclaren, Alonso consistently places behind Hamilton, with Raikkonen, who, yet to win a championship is the Mclaren’s nearest rival. Raikkonen takes the 2008 world championship and Hamilton is left without one. A similar tale in 2009 as what actually occurred, minus the Hamilton win. Fernando Alonso moves to Ferrari in 2010 following Raikkonens retirement, With similar results through the season.

What if … Massa stopped before hitting the barrier at the Hungagoring in 2009?