The month in Motor Sport
May
17: Andy Rouse tests his unraced BTCC Mondeo in FWD configuration at Snetterton. The car is expected to make its race debut at Pembrey on June 26/27.
20: In Monaco, Philip Morris President Walter Thoma slams self-interest in F1 and voices his approval for FISA’s programme of technological cutbacks.
22: Gianantonio Pacchioni wins the Monaco F3 race from Giancarlo Fisichella. German lady driver Claudia Hürtgen rolls at the first corner and breaks her arm.
22: Mika Hakkinen wins his first race of 1993 at Monaco (below) when he stands in for rock star Chris Rea in the Porsche Supercup.
23: Ayrton Senna wins the Monaco Grand Prix with Damon Hill second. Alain Prost leads initially, but falls foul of a 10s ‘stop/go’ penalty for jumping the start but fights his way back up to fourth. Michael Schumacher also leads for a time, only to be forced into submission by an hydraulic leak.
23: Current IndyCar champion Bobby Rahal shocks everyone by failing to qualify for the Indy 500 and announces his plans to purchase a Lola T93/00 to use for the remainder of the season. On a brighter note, Mike Groff has been testing the team’s evolutionary Honda-engined Lola T92/00, reportedly setting promising times.
23: Eddie Irvine takes Japanese F3000 honours at Suzuka; Rickard Rydell wins the supporting F3 race, for which expatriate Briton Richard Dean had taken pole. Dean finishes third.
23: Under the floodlights at Charlotte, Dale Earnhardt’s NASCAR triumph earns him a handy $215,000.
23: Renault launches its Elektro Campus in Monaco. It has the same chassis as the Campus junior racer, but is powered by a 68 bhp electric motor. Top speed is said to be 105 mph.
24: Former British F3 champion Andy Wallace signs to contest selected BTCC events in a Team Dynamics BMW.
24: Team Toyota Europe confirms that Didier Auriol and Juha Kankkunen will contest the Rally of Argentina.
25: RAC chairman Jeffrey Rose announces that he is to stand against Max Mosley in the FIA presidential elections in October. Rose stresses that he is interested in all aspects of the FIA, and, if elected, would want Mosley to retain control of sporting matters.
26: Kyalami’s future is secured as the CIH consortium’s bid is accepted by the liquidator.
26: David Brabham tests for Footwork at Brands Hatch, the first time a contemporary F1 car has used the venue since July 1992.
26: BTCC driver Win Percy suffers a bad cut to the head when he crashes his Nissan Primera in testing at Oulton Park, The injury requires 20 stitches, and Percy is told to rest for the weekend. Tiff Needell (above) stands in. Needell is expected to handle a third Primera, run by NME, for the balance of the series.
26: Emanuele Naspetti quits the Dome F3000 team in Japan. The Italian will henceforth concentrate on his F1 testing programme with Jordan, for whom he will also drive in the end-of-year F1 sprint ‘race’ at the Bologna Motor Show.
27: Tyrrell unveils its new 021, which is expected to make its race debut at the French GP in July.
27: FISA confirms that active suspension will be barred from F1 in 1994.
30: Emerson Fittipaldi leaves it late to win the Indy 500, from Arie Luyendyk and Nigel Mansell. The latter made a good fist of becoming the first rookie to win the event since Graham Hill in 1966, but lost out to Fittipaldi after a post-yellow flag restart. The reigning world champion also survives a solid brush with the wall towards the end of the race.
30: Pacific Racing reports that Bertrand Gachot is now actively helping the team to find funds to speed up its F1 aspirations. The Belgian is expected to be an active participant in the test programme, when it happens.
30: In the build-up to the Pau F3000 race, the main supporting races are won by Frank Biela (Supertourisme) and Guillaume Gomez (F3).
30: Toyota takes another IMSA 1-2 at Lime Rock, Juan-Manuel Fangio II heading teammate PJ Jones.
30: Armin Hahne gives the Honda NSX a first win in the German GT series, at Zolder.
30: Despite being almost two laps down at one point, Dale Earnhardt recovers to beat impressive NASCAR rookie Jeff Gordon at Charlotte.
31: Joachim Winkelhock wins the BTCC round at Oulton Park, and takes the series lead as team-mate Steve Soper piles into the tyre wall at Cascades, following a suspected suspension failure. The Vauxhalls of John Cleland and Jeff Allam are second and third.
31: Pedro Lamy takes his first F3000 victory in Pau. The race is restarted after a first lap traffic jam forced a stoppage. Sadly, poor flag signalling promotes a second, more serious pile-up. Happily, nobody is hurt. Scotsmen David Coulthard and Paul Stewart join Lamy on the podium.
31: Dallara scores its first British F3 win, courtesy of Oliver Gavin at Silverstone. The similar car of Warren Hughes finishes second. The race is marred by protests and exclusions.
31: Such are the levels of driver indiscipline on the Oulton Park support programme that the Formula Vauxhall-Lotus is declared null and void. Nobody is hurt, though Luiz Garcia is particularly fortunate to escape from a vicious accident at Lodge Corner.
June
1: Miki Biasion (below) scores his first WRC victory for Ford, and his first since the 1990 Rally of Argentina, when he wins the Acropolis.
1: IndyCar teams laugh off suggestions of a match race in Adelaide, as part of the Australian GP support programme, between four of their own established aces and four F1 stars.
1: Although Jean Alesi has allegedly signed for two more years at Ferrari, the Prancing Horse is said still to be courting Ayrton Senna.
1: Guy Goutard, President of FISA’s rallies commission, is thought to be contemplating a total of 21 events for 15 places in the 1994 WRC. A system of rotation still seems likely to play a part in the future of the WRC.
1: The Ford Escort Cosworth is at the centre of a homologation dispute, concerning the number of cars built with water injection.
1: Carlos Sainz makes it clear that he is looking somewhere other than Lancia for a WRC drive in 1994.
2: Jean-Marc Gounon joins Erik Comas at the Circuit du Luc in southern France, where Larrousse is evaluating active systems on its F1 car.
2: Following the FVL débâcle at Oulton Park, Vauxhall sends a letter to teams, warning that any future unprofessional conduct will lead to drivers being suspended from the series.
4: Tyrrell shakes down the 021 at Silverstone (below).
5: Matthew Clark, son of Roger, takes his Ford Sapphire Cosworth to victory on the Dukeries Rally. His father had managed the same thing 20 years beforehand.
6: Having come so close to winning at Indy, Nigel Mansell doesn’t have to wait long to score his first victory on an oval. Having qualified seventh, he moves gradually up the order at Milwaukee, profiting from the retirements of Paul Tracy and Scott Goodyear to lead Raul Boesel across the line after 200 laps. It is a classy display by the Englishman, who increases his points lead over the improving Brazilian.
6: Richard Burns (above) maintains his 100 per cent record in the British Rally Championship, taking his Subaru to victory on the Scottish. At 22, he’s the youngest driver ever to have scored a hat-trick in the series.
6: The British F2 series staggers on at Donington Park, Philippe Adams dominates the 10-strong field, to maintain his unbeaten record.
6: Frank Biela’s Audi 80 continues its winning ways in the French Supertourisme series, at Le Vigeant. In Italy, Fabrizio Giovanardi (Peugeot 405) and Gabriele Tarquini (Alfa 155) take a win apiece at Levante. Briton Gary Ayles, a member of the works Peugeot team, remains joint second in the ITCC, with Tarquini, albeit some way adrift of BMW stalwart Roberto Ravaglia.
6: Victory at Vallelunga gives Fabrizio de Simone the lead in the Italian F3 series. It’s close, however. After five rounds, de Simone has just 18 points.
6: Steve Robertson leads the Milwaukee Indy Lights race from pole position, but retires following a collision with Franck Fréon. Robertson’s team-mate Bryan Herta picks up the pieces, to extend his series lead.
6: The Budweiser 500 NASCAR race at Dover Downs is a panel-beater’s dream. Dale Earnhardt avoids the carnage that necessitated 14 yellow-flag periods to take a third straight win.
7: David Coulthard is enlisted to help Williams’ test programme at Silverstone. Compatriot Allan McNish is also present, driving for Benetton. The former is strong favourite to replace Damon Hill as Williams’ test driver.
7: McLaren confirms that it has acquired sole ownership rights to Lydden Hill circuit. It means that there will almost certainly be no more racing at the Kent circuit, which is set to become a hi-tech R&D facility for the F1 giant.
7: Geoff Brabham is rumoured to be setting up his own IndyCar team.
7: Derek Bell clinches a last-minute Le Mans deal. The five-times winner will drive a Cougar-Porsche, alongside Lionel Robert and Pascal Fabre.
7: Ford issues a statement to say that the Ford Escort Cosworth was homologated with water injection, and that it complies with Groups A and N. Despite Ford’s confidence, FISA still refuses to discuss the matter.
9: F3000 series leader Pedro Lamy escapes unhurt from a huge testing accident at Monza. The Portuguese driver’s brand new Reynard 93D is completely destroyed as he rolls at Lesmo. One estimate suggests that he hit the barriers at around 150 mph…
10: Max Mosley defeats Jeffrey Rose in the FIA presidential election. Mosley, president of FISA, which is to be absorbed into its parent body, thus losing its autonomy, will commence a four-year term in October.
10: Donington Park retains its place on the provisional 1994 F1 calendar. F3000, meanwhile, is allocated a rather scrawny, and somewhat improbable, six-race schedule.
10: On a day of upheaval at the FIA, new regulations are drafted for F3000 and F3, seeing both through until the end of 1995. Of the two categories, at least one is likely to be threatened if a new EFDA initiative sees the light of day. The latter is proposing a single-seater formula which uses two-litre touring car engines, as per most mainstream national saloon car championship regulations. There is talk of an extensive programme of GP support races, too. Some envisage it as a step up to F3000, others, more fancifully, as a replacement.
10: In the midst of all the brouhaha in Paris, the World Motor Sports Council conspicuously fails to draw up a definitive set of GT regulations.
10: Nicola Larini (Alfa 155) wins both GTCC races around the Nordschleife at the Nürburgring, part of the build-up to the 24 Hours.
11: Ford finally makes its mind up about the Rally of Argentina. It will send just one Escort, for Miki Biasion. François Delecour, miffed at missing out, may get to do the 1000 Lakes instead.
12: The Canadian GP stewards announce that all F1 cars bar the Scuderia Italia Lola-Ferraris contravene the regulations, because of either traction control or active suspension, or, in several cases, both… The stewards magnanimously permit all cars concerned to start the race, preferring to submit a report to the FIA and let Paris decide what to do.
12: Oliver Gavin scores a second straight British F3 win, at Oulton Park. Kelvin Burt recovers from an early incident at Knickerbrook to finish fourth, behind Marc Coossens and Warren Hughes.
13: Alain Prost scores the first Canadian GP victory of his career in Montreal. With Ayrton Senna retiring close to the end, Prost regains the World Championship lead. Not far away, across the border, Danny Sullivan scores a surprise CART success at Detroit, the first win of the year for a Lola-Chevrolet. Nigel Mansell smacks the wall and retires, but just holds on to his series lead from Raul Boesel, who finishes second once again. Britain fares better in the supporting Indy Lights race; Steve Robertson wins and James Weaver finishes fifth.
13: At the circuit which bears his late father’s name, Jacques Villeneuve (below) wins the Formula Atlantic race supporting the Canadian GP. Villeneuve’s career receives a further boost with news that he is to be backed for three years by Player’s, which will take him into IndyCar racing next season.
13: Porsche 911s dominate the Nürburgring 24 Hours. Franz Konrad shares the winning car with Frank Katthöfer, Ornolf Widheim and Antonio de Azevedo. The busy Konrad also drives a productive stint in the second-placed car.
13: Kyle Petty breaks Dale Earnhardt’s NASCAR winning streak at Pocono.
13: Anthony Reid gives the Opel F3 engine its first Japanese success at Sendai.
13: Juan-Manuel Fangio II wins the IMSA race at Mid-Ohio. PJ Jones cements another Toyota 1-2.
13: BMW drivers Joachim Winkelhock and Steve Soper take a win apiece in the BTCC double-header at Brands Hatch. Kieth O’dor’s Nissan is second in both races. Soper regains the series lead after Winkelhock skates into the gravel during part two.
13: Jean Alesi speaks out angrily after continual media speculation that Ayrton Senna and Ferrari are engaged in mutual courtship. Until Senna’s position for ’94 is clear, Alesi’s contract, which has been drafted, cannot be signed.
13: Murray Grierson (Metro 6R4) wins the Kerridge National Rally.
14: In one of the more surprising moves of the F3000 season, TWR announces that it will enter the championship at Enna, on July 18, running a Reynard-Cosworth for Jordi Gene. The Spaniard is expected to receive several testing opportunities with TWR’s F1 partner Benetton as part of the deal.
14: Brands Hatch faces a battle with local planning officers following revelations that spectators’ cars have been parking illegally within the grounds of the Kent circuit for all these years. Brands is confident that it has a good case. The alternative would be for spectators to leave their cars outside, on the A20’s grass verges . . .