The downside
The summer of Formula 1 is going to be very hot, because of the overwhelming and devastating power of Mercedes that is creating many problems to all teams, especially to constructors competitors forced into a “mission impossible” run-up. In particular, Honda’s and Renault’s problems are affecting negatively on the results of McLaren and Red Bull.
MCLAREN-HONDA
The situation of the team from Woking is certainly not the happiest. The latest interviews with Ron Dennis and Eric Boullier leaked out new situation for such a famous team, but not new for the small teams that, due to force majeure, had to face it in order to remain in Formula 1.
Dennis said that a team like his certainly can not be satisfied with a client-engine, because he does not guarantee the ability to fight for victory. This is also why the challenge with Honda is born. On the other side, his Racing Director – Eric Boullier – complains that it’s hard to find major sponsors without the results.
After criticizing small teams, now they understand what’s the meaning of having to look for sponsors, occupying constantly the last position. Fortunately, they don’t have to pay for the engine. The small teams, like Minardi, arrive in November still without an engine (for a fee), with tyres to pay and having fond out new companies, then suffer the attacks of top teams’ marketing (McLaren first place). There has always been too much presumption and some Team Principals have never wanted to keep costs down. It’s time to offer mea-culpa. At the same time, an important Mercedes past player has been sighted in the area of Monaco … Whether they’re trying to involve someone else if Honda could not retrieve the desired competitiveness?
RED BULL – RENAULT
On the other side, we have Red Bull, which shows tranquillity against Renault, although the results are below expectations. Luckily for them, they don’t have economic problems because they are a reality that is self-subsidizes. The same goes for Toro Rosso. Anyway, the two companies, with accounts in order, are still suffering heavily on the technical front. In recent days, Christian Horner said that Red Bull is ready to honour the contract in 2016, but that they’re not good at being patient. In 2017 the situation may be different
FERRARI
He starts to leak some nervousness. The victory won in Malaysia came too soon, increasing illusions. Between the Team Principals Maurizio Arrivabene and Jamers Allison betrays little serenity. The novelties are not giving the desired results and Mercedes are moving away. In contrast, we are getting closer to February, when the Power-Units are to be frozen. They must quickly take important decisions concerning the development of PU and, simultaneously, take under consideration the second driver.
From this view – anything but calm-, one senses that something is wrong. But Formula 1 continues to live in his gilded world, as evidenced by the proposals approved in view of 2016 in Mexico City by the World Council. There has been talk of new score for Superlicense, 21 races in the calendar and penalties’ simplifications. Meanwhile, this year we lost the Grand Prix of Germany (thankfully, next year it will return in the calendar). We speak of a nation that is the mirror of maximum expression in Motor-sport (F1 world champions like Mercedes, Audi and Porsche at the top in the World Endurance Championship, Volkswagen in Rally and BMW in DTM) and in the productive sector, as well as being the reference in world economy. Despite all this, no German GP of F1.
Gian Carlo Minardi
